Dark Secrets of a Trillion Dollar Island: Garenne

"Dark Secrets of a Trillion Dollar Island: Garenne tells the extraordinary story of the child abuse scandal that erupted on the idyllic island of Jersey in 2007. For a long time, the victims’ voices had remained unheard, but when widespread allegations of sexual abuse resurfaced in the late 2000s, Jersey’s then health minister Stuart Syvret spoke out about the scale of this historic child abuse and the damage done to the victims.

Syvret’s words sparked a moment of reckoning for the small community, whose leaders were determined to protect the island’s reputation, home to a trillion dollars in offshore investment. This discreet offshore tax haven found itself in the middle of a major police investigation as the world’s media descended on the island, creating a media circus. In the midst of all this, the community became divided, with one group fearful that the scandal would drive investors away, and another demanding justice for the victims.

As bitterness and enmity drag on and the press desert Jersey, two unlikely bloggers decide to reignite the smouldering, unresolved issues. Teaming up with former police officers, survivors and supporters, they fight for the voices of the survivors to be heard, digging up past evidence and recording first-hand testimonials. In the process, they force the island to confront its past."

Monday 15th March 2021 10pm

SOURCE

BBC Fake News.

BBC

On Thursday 30th May 2019 BBC State Radio was doing what most of the island's Old Media (formerly known as MSM) do and churning out another Press Release totally unchallenged and without doing the most basic rudimentary checks. The Press Release, according to Chris Stone of BBC Jersey, were signed off by the Jersey Police Authority.

The BBC, on the radio, was repeatedly claiming (because it was in the Press Release) that Jersey has the lowest number of Police Officers per 1,000 population across England, Scotland, Wales and small island Crown Dependencies. I thought "that can't be true we have 13 Police Forces!" (12 Parish Police Forces and the States of Jersey Police Force)

So I did what the presenter of the programme asked and e-mailed in my comment.:

"You are reporting that Jersey has the lowest amount of Police Officers per-head of population in the UK. This seems a little difficult to believe considering we have 13 police forces. Are the Honorary police/Centeniers included in your (States Communications Unit) stats?"

I sent that question/observation in at 07:38, the programme finished at 09:00 and I was told:

"I passed your comment on to James to put to Dr Lane, but other questions got there first."

But here's the thing, there was the best part of an hour and a half to read out my question and it wasn't read out once. On the other hand there was an observation by a listener called "Paul" who said how wonderfully safe Jersey is and how he can leave his keys in his car, front door open etc and that was read out three or four times. How can there not be enough time to read out my (perfectly valid) question (once) but enough time to read out a lovely (show Jersey in a good light) fluffy observation 3 or 4 times? This is one of the questions that I asked Chris Stone that he refused to answer.

Could it be that the State Radio doesn't want its listeners to know the truth about how "over policed" the Island looks when the real stats get put out there? Why didn't The BBC question the Stats in the Press Release/REPORT? Why did such an obvious question have to be asked (but not aired) by a member of the public or New Media (formerly known as Social Media)? What kind of "journalism" is it when a Press Release, with misleading figures, can be churned out and when it is questioned (by a member of the public) the question gets buried?

Former (possibly illegally suspended) Chief of Police Graham Power QPM

Regular readers will know that The BBC has a long history of churning out State propaganda and indeed acting against its own charter in burying a DEFENCE CASE after reporting on the prosecution case of the (possibly illegal) suspension of the former Police Chief. Of course most people will also be aware of the BBC's protection of Britains most prolific paedophile Jimmy Savile and indeed the setting up of a right wing ACTIVIST not to mention the disgraceful treatment of a local left wing opposition POLITICIAN. We have also seen the BBC's claim (as if the links already posted aren't enough) to be "Impartial, Balanced and honest" ripped to shreds HERE. This is without mentioning The alleged Faking SYRIA'S CHILDREN as reported by former ITV and BBC Journalist ANNA BREES.

So after The BBC churning out the Press Release (unchallenged) and duping its listeners into believing that Jersey is "under policed" what is the real story here and just as importantly why doesn't The BBC (or any of the Old Media) want the public to know just how policed we are?

Firstly (and this is something I thought I'd never say) full credit has to go to the Comite des Conetables who supplied me with the figures I asked for. I emailed the Chairman of the Comite at 15:00 (Thursday 13th June 2019) asking for the figures of how many honorary Police Officers there were on the island. I got the reply at 09:05 the very next morning with the figures I wanted. Again, if it's that easy why didn't The BBC (or any of the Old Media) do it?

What The BBC is doing is knowingly broadcasting Fake News. It knows Jersey is a Police State and the stats back this up. It has done nothing (besides bury the truth) in order to inform the public of how many police officers actually police us.

Regurgitated (by Old Media) stats

The real truth is that according to the Comite des Conetables (as of May 1st 2019) there are/were 215 Honorary Police Officers. This includes Centeniers, Vingteniers and Constable’s Officers. So according to The BBC (because it didn't question the Press Release) there are 190 Police Officers on the Island which works out at 1.78 officers per 1,000 people. This, it is claimed in the Report (and The BBC), the least amount of Police Officers per 1,000 people across the UK.

What we don't know is how many Special Constables, and the like, exist across the UK and other Crown Dependencies. What we do know is, with the stats available, that Jersey has approximately  FOUR HUNDRED AND FIVE police Officers across the Island and not 190 reported/repeated by The BBC. Without knowing how many Special Constables/other Honorary positions across the UK/Crown Dependencies, far from being the LEAST policed jurisdiction Jersey is in fact the MOST policed......by more than Double the amount reported/repeated by The BBC.

According to the (unchallenged by the Old Media) report Scotland has the MOST Police Officers per 1,000 people with 3.15 and Jersey with the LEAST (1.78). Yet when one asks the most basic of questions "how many Police Officers do we really have" it turns out that we are the most heavily policed jurisdiction in the UK (according to available stats). I'm no mathematician or statistician but rather than 1.78 Police Officers per 1,000 people on the Island the true figure is closer to 3.80. (Beating Scotland's 3.15 considerably)

After The BBC and ITV/CTV didn't have the courage to come and defend their "journalism" at the recent PUBLIC HEARING just this post alone might help explain why. It will also go some way to explaining why, according to the latest SOCIAL SURVEY, 67% of islanders don't trust the local Old Media. MORE stats that have no not been reported on/broadcast by The BBC!

Don't be fooled by Fake News. We are a Police State and The BBC is actively keeping that information (and much more) from you.

New (and some) old Media appear at Child Abuse Panel Review.

On Thursday May 29 2019 Team Voice and Tom Gruchy appeared as witnesses at the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry (IJCI) REVIEW PANEL "PUBLIC" Hearing. We "New Media" (formerly known as "Social Media") were invited to sit alongside members of the "Old Media" (formerly known as Mainstream Media) to discuss a number of subjects/bullet-points. (below)

Unfortunately we only got the subjects/bullet-points the night before the Hearing which was nowhere near enough time to do adequate research but nonetheless, in the extremely short time we were given for the hearing (approximately an hour), we were able to hold our own.

Regular readers will know that the Panel went back on its word (pretended it didn't) and refused any media recording of all the "PUBLIC" Hearings as exclusively reported by VFC HERE. WE (New Media) were the only media to challenge this absurd decision as reported on in the above link. The Old media were compliant. So unfortunately were are unable to publish any video footage for the Blog. Which was our intention before the Panel went back on its word.

With the very limited time we had at the hearing, and the number of subjects to be discussed, it was an impossible, and unrealistic task and we should have been allocated at least a two hour slot and that's not counting the DAYS we would have needed if we were allowed to discuss the Old Media's role pre-2017.

ITV/CTV

Out of the Old Media it was only the Bailiwick Express and the Jersey Evening Post who had the courage to turn up. ITV/CTV and The BBC lacked that courage so credit to the two who did show up. Of course the Bailiwick Express was not around during the Rectangle Era, so had little, or nothing, to answer for. The JEP, and indeed ITV/CTV and The BBC were around and do have plenty to answer for so most credit should go to Andy Sibcy (Editor JEP). Sibcy wasn't the Editor around the time (Rectangle) the paper was doing its best to trash the Survivors/Abusees and those who tried to get them so-called "justice." We believe the Paper as come along way, for the better, under the Editorship of Sibcy.

The paper (alongside BBC, ITV/CTV) was relentless in attempting to discredit the Victims/Abusees, Lenny Haper, Graham Power QPM, Stuart Syvret and the Bloggers and should have been held to account for this at the (not so) Public Hearing.

However, The Panel was adamant the old media was not going to answer for its reporting before and during Operation Rectangle. At the very start of the Hearing the Chair, Francis Oldham QC, threatened to walk out if that line was going to be taken. Which begs the question "if we are going to ignore the "mistakes" of the past, are we not doomed to repeat them?" It would appear that the Old Media have (like a vast number of abusers) been let off the hook for its past crimes. It was the old "Jersey Way" war cry "let's not dwell on the past, and let's look to the future." So many crimes have been brushed under the carpet with that slogan and it looks like the IJCI Panel have adopted it also which is concerning.

Fellow Team Voice Member RICO SORDA, at the very start of the hearing said words to the effect: "The entire local MSM owe the Victims and Survivors an apology for its reporting during the Child Abuse cover-up." He is of course right. We cannot forget the further abuse Survivors/abusees were subjected to by the Old Media during the Rectangle Era. But, as mentioned above, Francis Oldham QC was having none of it and threatened to walk out (with the Panel) if we attempted to discuss anything that pre-dated the Panel's Report of 2017.

We should also point out that the Old Media, according to the latest SOCIAL SURVEY, only enjoys the confidence of 33% of islanders. It has a mountain to climb in order to win any trust back and by not dealing with its past failings it is difficult to see how this could happen. Bloggers, on the other hand, have earned the trust of Survivors/Abusees and whistleblowers through the years and continue to enjoy that trust. We (unlike to Old Media) can hold our heads high knowing we are on the right side of history and have spoken up for the truth.

BBC

Despite the almost impossible, and fruitless task, in holding the Old Media to account at the hearing, the Panel should be congratulated for attempting to get the Old and New Media round the table. There has always been a "them and us" attitude created by the Old Media and, although BBC/ITV didn't have the courage to turn up, we believe some bridges might have been built with those who did turn up and those who didn't have no intention of building bridges. The irony is that BBC and ITV/CTV could have got some much needed credibility just by showing up as Bailiwick Express and JEP did (from me anyway). And of course the Bloggers don't need to gain credibility from those who matter as we already have it.

We are pleased to say that the discussion around the table, at the hearing, was, on the whole, pretty amicable. We had an opportunity (albeit very limited)  to discuss our differences and indeed similarities with the Old Media and it wasn't a completely useless exercise for which we thank the IJCI Panel for getting at least some of the Old and New media together. This is something the Old Media has resisted for years and still resisted by BBC and ITV/CTV.

Below (in an e-mail received from the Panel the night before the hearing) are the eight subjects expected to be discussed in an hour by up to 7 or eight witnesses.

IJCI Panel

"Hello

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Thursday’s session in St Paul’s at 9.45 am.

Our sessions have been lasting 50-60 minutes. We aim to keep to time as we have a full schedule.

Our focus is on the period 2017-present with a view to identifying what is new and emerging in that period. As with other issues we are reviewing, we are not discussing matters in the period before or during the Inquiry or matters dealt with during the Inquiry. 

In honing down the topics for the session we have drawn on our meetings with over 150 people in the last 10 days, including three more sessions with care experienced young people tonight.

The questions that will help us most are:

.What have you seen that is different in the last two years in services affecting children and families

.Key areas in the last two years for media reporting on child care issues.

.What media campaigns / reporting in the last two years have had an impact?

.The public response through media/social media to the Inquiry report and child care issues
Have there been any barriers to reporting child care issues since July 2017?

.Whether people in Jersey have tended in the last two years to use media rather than official processes to highlight complaints

.What is role of journalists in holding public sector agencies to account?

.Changing the tone of some debate and commentary to encourage more participation
In a climate of global concern about false and manufactured news and commentary, what safeguards are necessary to ensure accurate reporting?

Finally and importantly,
In one of Wednesday morning’s public sessions, we heard very powerful pleas from (name redacted), a Jersey careleaver, cautioning against the media sensationalising complex issues and asking for more reporting of, and pride in, the positive developments in Jersey's child care services. On her behalf we want to ask: how can the media help with this?"(END)

Needless to say hardly any of the subjects were discussed but as mentioned above it wasn't a completely fruitless task and the IJCI Panel should be congratulated for getting the New and (some of) the Old Media round a table and we look forward to building bridges with those (of the Old Media) who look for the same.

We will look to publish the transcript of the Hearing as soon as it becomes available.

In the meantime readers might want to discuss/answer the questions set (above) by the Panel? Or do readers agree the hearing/subjects should have included the Old Media's reporting (or not) during the Operation Rectangle Era?

Jersey's Lawmakers, Victims' Group and Operation Rectangle Cop Publicly Decry Blogger Ban.

As a continuance of our PREVIOUS POSTING where we reported how Bloggers were banned from the media room at Jersey's Independent Care Inquiry and all State Media had been granted accreditation, and able to use the media room in the same ruling.

There have been some kind of developments to this but it is still very unclear as to what these developments are and as soon as we get a straight answer from the Inquiry Team we will inform our readers.

We have been contacted by a number of witnesses/victims/survivors, and potential witnesses,victims and survivors who, as a result of the Blogger Banning are reconsidering their decision to give evidence to the Inquiry. Some have threatened to withdraw the evidence they have already submitted.

Of course this is a decision that can only be made by those involved. The banning of Bloggers has caused an amount of distrust in the Inquiry and we are hoping a resolution can be made between Bloggers and the Inquiry very soon.

In this Posting we would like to share with our readers some of the support we (Bloggers) have from key interested parties in the Jersey Child Abuse scandal. This includes the former Senior Investigating Officer of Operation Rectangle and former Deputy Chief Police Officer Lenny Harper. The Chairperson of the Jersey Care Leavers Association, Ms. Carrie Modral, prominent local lawyer, Advocate Philip Sinel, and a number of local politicians who have all written to the Chair of the Committee Of Inquiry, Francis Oldham QC expressing their concerns of our banning and have warned how damaging this could prove to be to the Inquiry itself.

Below are a few of the letters of support and we thank those who have written them.

20^th August 2014

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

We are writing to express our concern regarding the fact that two local bloggers have now been excluded from using the media room facilities available for the Committee of Inquiry, having been granted access from the outset to these same facilities until last week.

Bloggers have been very instrumental in supporting all abuse victims, uncovering many facts which would otherwise have remained hidden from the public. Voice for Children have never published any material that has been challenged or factually incorrect, whereas the MSM have been very economical with their facts, and in some instances been damning of the whole abuse investigation from the outset as clearly demonstrated in the bundles of newspaper clippings submitted to the inquiry team and which has been upsetting for the victims.

Bloggers as an increasingly recognised means of alternative media should be afforded the right to work alongside those of the MSM especially in something as high profile as this. We perhaps need to say that we have read Robert Hall’s comments published on the COI website and his concerns about bloggers being able to use the media room. Having witnessed him attending the hearing on the Tuesday hearing day prior to that when both VFC and Bob Hill were informed that they can no longer use the media room, we can only assume that the legal team for the COI have allowed themselves to be influenced by a well-known journalist from the BBC who happens to be also well connected with Jersey having started his career as a reporter and presenter at Channel Television in the Channel Islands in or around 1977.

Indeed, VFC and other bloggers have also persuaded some victims to come forward and give evidence to the Committee of Inquiry who may well not have done so initially, through fear or scepticism. Furthermore, this decision could jeopardise further witnesses from coming forward and could even result in some of those that have come forward to retract their statements and walk away.

We also feel that, given Mr McMurray’s disability, he is unable to function properly in the hearing room given that he is unable to balance his tablet on his lap and type at the same time with the use of only one arm and it seems unreasonable to expect him to do so.

Finally to conclude, we would ask you to perhaps re-consider your decision. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to these people for all the good work they have done and will continue to do, and would ask that they are permitted to do so with the proper resources available.

Yours sincerely

Jersey Care Leavers Association

14 August 2014

As the former senior investigating officer of the Jersey Historical Abuse Investigation, Operation Rectangle, I have a strong interest in your inquiry being able to get to the truth and reveal the facts about the manner in which children were abused within the Care System and its off shoots in Jersey.  To do this, you are going to have to win the trust of those who suffered and whose previous attempts to find justice have been crushed by the Jersey Government, those working within its so called care agencies and criminal justice system, and the state controlled official Jersey Media.  It is these groups who have labelled the victims "criminals and people with disturbed minds", a description enthusiastically recirculated and repeated by the media in Jersey.  It is essential that you succeed in doing what myself and my team had to do - win the confidence of these victims so that they will come and talk to you and give you their story, knowing you are not in the pocket of the Jersey government.

It was with some alarm therefore that I heard you have withdrawn the authority to use the media facilities from Neil McMurray of the Voice for Children Blog, and Bob Hill the former member of the States.  These two individuals are two of a very few people who are trusted to tell the truth by those who have suffered abuse in Jersey.  I will speak more about that below.  I believe that the action has been taken in response to a rather unreasoned and bitter series of attacks launched by another blogger, Former Senator Stuart Syvret, from the very media room in the last day or two.  Now, everyone knows that Mr Syvret has been fighting a battle for some years, and has been unremitting on his attacks on the behaviour of the government and their treatment of himself and abuse victims.  Not everyone approves of the manner in which he behaves, and the sometimes wild and random nature of his written attacks, but there is some understanding of the way in which the corrupt behaviour of the Jersey establishment has driven him to the point where he feels that he has nothing else to lose.  Notwithstanding, I do understand that some of his comments yesterday cannot be tolerated or accepted.

However, it must surely be possible to prevent Mr Syvret from having access to the media room and thereby the opportunity to abuse the facility, without taking a scattergun approach and banning the two people from whom the abuse victims look to for truthful information.  They will not get it from the Jersey media. Even tonight, the Jersey Evening Post is continuing with its campaign to discredit victims and the investigation.  Victims will NOT want to engage with your inquiry if they believe that the truth is again going to be suppressed - and that is exactly what the Jersey media are perceived to have as their main agenda.

I know that VFC and Mr Hill applied for Accreditation and were told it was not necessary.  Then, after Mr Syvret's attacks, both of them are banned in what a number of the victims have already said to me is an attempt to suppress the truth again.  I do not believe that Mr Syvret applied for an accreditation.  Surely, rather than run the risk of alienating victims who rely on the other two individuals, it would have been easy to exclude Mr Syvret, either because of his intemperate behaviour or his lack of application for accreditation?  It hardly needs pointing out, and the victims are only too aware, that it was Mr Hill and VFC who were among the main reasons, with one or two others, why the Jersey government reluctantly agreed to this inquiry, and why victims have come forward to talk to you in the first place.  Furthermore, Mr Hill played no small part in making sure the Terms of Reference were not totally ineffective.

In closing, who you allow into your media room is a matter for you.  However, if you wish to gain, or retain, the trust of victims, and indeed, people like myself, then restricting reporting of your proceedings to the blatantly corrupt and conflicted Jersey mainstream media, is not the way to do it.

Yours faithfully,

Lenny Harper"

01 September 2014

As one of the key political proponents of the Committee of Inquiry, and an originator of some of the terms of reference, it is with some reluctance that I write to the Committee, as I had wished to simply be an observer of proceedings, letting your body continue in their complex task unhindered from political interventions.

I am, however, moved to write to you to make representations on the recent decision to debar bloggers from the media room on what appear to be questionable grounds.
It is not necessary for me to go over arguments that have perhaps already been made by other parties, however, I would be grateful if the Committee would reconsider their decision and adopt what I would consider a less draconian and more liberal approach.

I am also concerned that one of the bloggers, Mr McMurray, without whose tireless and exacting reporting (in stark contrast to some of the 'official' media) the inquiry would not have gained the momentum to have happened, is being prejudiced, given his disability, by not having adequate facilities to be able to make notes, , as any other member of the public, because electronic devices seem to be banned from the public area (is this correct?).

It seems paradoxical that the journalists who command the most respect and trust from the care leavers themselves are the ones being denied adequate facilities to be able to report.

Your sincerely,

Deputy Montfort Tadier

Dear Mrs Oldham

29 August 2014

I have been consulted by Neil McMurray who as you are aware writes the Voice for Children blog spot. It is a popular, respected, widely read and long established blog.

In Jersey the position for a long time has been that the blogs are the only media trusted by a large portion of the population, this notwithstanding the disparity in resources and the fact that the blogs have no backing from any national or international organisation and that they produce no revenue and carry no advertising.

It is not in a way of exaggeration to say that without the activities of bloggers in Jersey there would never have been an enquiry at all; the remaining media have historically have been complicit in endeavouring that the truth was shaded or buried.

I am instructed that Mr McMurray and indeed Mr Hill (of Bob Hill's blog spot) applied for media accreditation back in April of this year. However no media were provided with accrediation. The blogger in conjunction with other media were simply afforded the use of the media room.

Arbitrarily on 12/13 August Mr McMurray and Mr Hill were informed that they were not allowed to make use of the media room but simultaneously accreditation was granted to other media representatives. In one case this was done by prearrangement with Eversheds staff. Additionally the BBC were allowed to swamp the room.

The effect upon the credibility of the enquiry of the this development cannot be overstated. Many Islanders were cynical before the start, this does not help. I therefore ask that you address this matter immediately and that Mr McMurray and  if he so seeks it, Mr Hill, are granted accreditation before the enquiry restarts on 3 September 2014.

Yours sincerely

Advocate Philip Sinel"(END)

For reasons of brevity we have not posted all letters of support for Bloggers to Francis Oldham QC, as we believe there are more to be written and we will look to post them in a part 2.

Readers of our PREVIOUS POSTING will be aware that the Inquiry Panel is able to work with lightning speed when it was able to make a ruling, almost overnight, to ban Bloggers, get that ruling in place and published on its website within days.

All correspondence to the Committee of Inquiry is supposed to be published on its own WEBSITE but the letters of support for Bloggers have not made it on there yet. If only they could act as quickly copying and pasting a few letters as they did with an overnight ban perhaps the Inquiry Team might get a little more credence?

Bloggers to be marginalised by Child Abuse Committee of Inquiry?

Bloggers (Jersey's only independent, and most trusted, media) look to be getting sidelined/excluded by the newly formed Child Abuse Committee of Inquiry.

Regular readers of the Team Voice sites will know that we have been reporting the "evidence and facts" concerning the Child Abuse cover-up and related issues. We have published the official documents buried by the State Media, exposed the State Media, for what looks to be their complicity in the cover-up of events ,since the original Child Abuse Investigation (Operation Rectangle) went public.

The State Media has given us Tooth Fairy Tales, told us, through the discredited, and disgraced, Mick Gradwell that the cellars at Haute de la Garenne didn't EXIST.

We've attempted (unlike the State Media) to discover how a piece of child's skull containing 1.6% collagen (only found in mammals) can turn into a piece of COCONUT.

Indeed, just in one posting alone, (including its links) we blew the lid off of the propaganda being fed to us by the Establishment and its media concerning the Child Abuse (and related events) cover up which can, and SHOULD be viewed HERE.

When the State media has been BURYING DOCUMENTS, kicking Abuse Victims/Survivors in THE TEETH, or just "OPINION MANAGING" Bloggers have been bringing you the bare facts and giving the Abuse Survivors/Victims a voice denied to them by the local State Media.

Team Voice has published official transcripts of "in-camera" (secret) States (parliament) DEBATES. We have published the letter which got our most Senior ranking Police Officer, Graham Power QPM (illegally?) SUSPENDED. Not to mention the infamous supposed MET INTERIM REPORT.

We have been able to do this by gaining the trust of concerned whistleblowers who have leaked us these and many more, published (on our Blogs) documents. We have their trust and confidence to publish these documents where the local State Media clearly DO NOT. 

We have published possibly the most in-depth interview the Former Police Chief has EVER GIVEN. We have published his AFFIDAVIT.

We have also extensively, and exclusively, video interviewed Former DCO and Senior Investigating Officer, Lenny Harper who has regularly contributed to this Blog to include a GUEST POSTING. Our last video interview was published HERE although we did publish a live interview Mr. Harper gave to Sonia Poulton HERE.

Mr. Harper has been the victim of a relentless smear campaign by State Media, and paedophile protectors ever since he unearthed Jersey's dirty secrets. A five part interview with Mr. Harper covering the topic of the State Media smear campaign and much, much, more can be viewed from HERE.

We have gained the recognition of National/International Journalists and featured in a number of broadsheet publications for our researched and credible published documents. We have contributed to a number of TV Documentaries some already broadcast and others yet to be broadcast. Most important of all we have gained the trust of Abuse Victims/Survivors.

What questions has the State Media ever asked? When has the State Media ever been leaked a document..........And published it.......JON GRIPTON? All the State Media has ever done is to regurgitate Establishment Press Releases and bury anything that is uncomfortable for the Establishment. Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) have challenged "The Party Line" and not just repeated/regurgitated it.

Below are a couple of e-mails between VFC, Mike Haden (Clerk to the Inquiry) and, who appears to be, the Press Officer Peter Jones. Where it appears the COI Panel are looking to exclude/marginalise Bloggers and not allow us the same access as the local, State Media.

Thursday 13th March 2014 I wrote to Mike Haden

"Mr. Haden.

Thank you for speaking with me yesterday on the phone. However you left me with the impression that the COI website was going to be "all singing - all dancing" and would answer all my questions you couldn't/wouldn't when it went live (last night).

After being on the website I am none the wiser. It is (far from being all singing all dancing) a very basic website that could have been thrown together in a matter of hours let alone the months it has supposed to have been under construction.

You assured me that the questions I've been asking (for months) concerning inclusion/exclusion of Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) would be answered on the website..............They're not. What's more these questions, I feel, have been ducked, and dived, by yourself, and Michael De La Haye before you and STILL remain unanswered.

On the 6th February 2014 (after asking for months before that) I wrote to you, in an e-mail, the following;

"Could you please also ask Francis Oldham QC if myself, and Rico Sorda, can be included in all Press Releases from the COI at the same time as the State Media bearing in mind that we Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) have adhered to EVERY Press Release embargo, unlike the State Media, the JEP being a case in point of the last Press Release from the COI where it breached the embargo.

I have discussed this with Mr. De La Haye in the past where I pointed out that myself, and Rico, have the trust and confidence of the JCLA and Victims/Survivors of the abuse. As a whole the State Media isn't trusted by, not only the Victims/Survivors, but (according to the latest annual social survey) 60% of Islanders who also DON'T trust the local State Media.

I hope this Inquiry, or Francis Oldham QC, will see the benefit in including myself and Rico in all Press Releases/conferences and will steer clear of "The Jersey Way" by excluding us, as I explained to Mr. De La Haye, It is not the trust and confidence of the Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) that is up for question. It is that of the Jersey authorities, its media and indeed the COI itself." (END)

It is now time I/we were given the answers and I once more ask you to get them from whoever IS able to answer them.

As mentioned earlier the answers are NOT on the COI website like you said they would be on the phone yesterday, and I don't know how many times I need to keep asking them and for how long?

I look forward to a prompt reply."(END E-MAIL)

Mr. Haden then phoned me and told me there is a NEW set of "correct channels", through the COI Panel's website, where I had to ask all the same questions, to the same people that he was supposed to have asked for me months ago.

I duly did this here on the same day/date.

E-mail to COI Press Person.

Dear Anonymous.

I have been attempting to get a number of questions answered concerning Blogger (Jersey's only independent media) inclusion surrounding the access to media releases/ Press Conferences/interviews coming from the COI Panel which I have been told, by Mr Haden, have been passed onto "somebody" at the COI panel. I have repeatedly been asking these questions since November 2013 and have never received any answers.

I have gone through the "correct channels" and have now been told by Mr. Haden that there is another set of "correct channels" I must go through in order to ask the SAME questions.

I reproduce (below) my latest e-mail to Mr. Haden sent this morning in the hope that you, or somebody, will finally give me/my readers the long awaited answers?

I am informed that the COI Panel read my, and Rico Sorda's Blog, and would have done sufficient research to now know that we are credible, and most importantly of all "trusted" by the JCLA, Abuse Survivors/Victims, national journalists, UK MP's, local MP's to name but a few.

The COI Panel SHOULD also be aware that the local mainstream media DO NOT share that same trust and stand accused of complicity in "The Jersey Cover-up." 

With that in mind I ask that the COI Panel allow the same media access to Rico Sorda, and myself, as the mainstream media are granted?

Please don't tell me that an announcement will be made on the 3rd of April concerning the media matters as this will give us NO chance to appeal the decision should it be concluded (as I suspect it will be) that Bloggers will be excluded.

I/we would like the opportunity to make our case before any decision is reached by the Panel and am dismayed that we (Bloggers) have not been approached by the Panel in order to make our case.

Finally it is a little off putting having to write to a media contact who is anonymous, could you please give us your name?(END)

Some 24 hrs later I received a reply from somebody called Peter Jones.

E-mail from COI Media person Peter Jones 14 March 2014.

Thank you for your enquiry about access to media releases / press conferences / interviews in relation to the IJCI.

Questions of media accreditation and access will be explained at the preliminary hearing on 3 April.  As you know, this is a public hearing. 

We are aware of the public interest in the Inquiry's work and, in the interests of fairness and impartiality, we will be making all relevant information available to everyone at the same time, by publishing it on the website.

Kind regards,

Peter Jones

Eversheds LLP

Solicitors to the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry

To which I promptly replied on the same day.

Thank you for your reply. However you have completely ignored my concerns and would like you to kindly address them?

For example I wrote, among other things;

"Please don't tell me that an announcement will be made on the 3rd of April concerning the media matters as this will give us NO chance to appeal the decision should it be concluded (as I suspect it will be) that Bloggers will be excluded.

I/we would like the opportunity to make our case before any decision is reached by the Panel and am dismayed that we (Bloggers) have not been approached by the Panel in order to make our case."

Then you wrote;

"Questions of media accreditation and access will be explained at the preliminary on 3 April."

It's almost as if I didn't ask the question when in fact I have been asking these questions since November 2013! Would you please (I did say "please" in the previous e-mail also) answer the questions, or give me a valid reason as to why Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) are not being given the opportunity to state their case as to why we should be included?

Furthermore I take issue with your assertion;

"We are aware of the public interest in the Inquiry's work and, in the interests of fairness and impartiality, we will be making all relevant information available to everyone at the same time, by publishing it on the website."

Why then, if you are to be believed, were the local State Media given an interview by Frances Oldham QC yesterday and obviously told about Ms. Oldham actually being on the Island when Ms. Oldham's presence on the Island was purposely kept hidden by Mr. Haden from myself, and as far as I am aware, the JCLA?

With that mind could you tell me, as you claim "in the interests of fairness and impartiality, we will be making all relevant information available to everyone at the same time, by publishing it on the website." Where on the website is it written that Frances Oldham QC was on the Island and available for media interviews?

I look forward to you very clear and concise answers in the interest of openness, transparency and to use your words  "in the interests of fairness and impartiality."(E-MAIL END)

Not surprisingly I have not, as yet, received a reply from Mr. Jones but will keep readers informed.

Former Jersey Politician, 30 year Met Police Veteran, and Blogger BOB HILL B.E.M who was instrumental in forming the Terms of Reference (as were Team Voice) for this Committee of Inquiry and avid campaigner/Blogger for truth and justice for Abuse Survivors/Victims has made his own submission, as a Blogger, to the COI Panel, and as far as I'm aware has not had a reply either.

Similarly Former Senator, and Health Minister STUART SYVRET who has campaigned tirelessly for the Abuse Survivors/Victims has also made his own submission, as a Blogger, to the COI Panel but he too, as far as I'm aware has not received a reply.

We can only hope that the COI Panel DO NOT exclude Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) from the process as we are arguably the most trusted and credible news source on the Island. The State Media is not trusted and has no credibility, as the links in this Posting demonstrate.

This Committee of Inquiry NEEDS to be seen as open and transparent in order to gain credibility and TRUST and for Jersey to be able to move forward after dealing with its sordid, and ghastly past. If Bloggers are excluded, and we have to rely on the discredited, and disgraced, State Media to report the TRUTH then we will have learnt that "The Jersey Way" still prevails and NO lessons have been learnt.

It's time to start doing things differently.

The Committee of Inquiry's website can be viewed Here and there is a permanent link to it on the left hand side of this Blog-Site at the bottom of the Blog Links.

To learn more of the related Postings published by VFC simply click on any name in the labels at the bottom of this post.