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Monday 25 July 2011

THE ROARING SILENCE - OZOUF’S 1 (1) K POLICY & OTHER STORIES…

  • Never mind facts – Once again the sheep have nothing to say but vote to discriminate against the ordinary taxpayer anyway…
  • The real reason why the Scrutiny panel are resigning…
  • The biggest bully and manipulator in Jersey politics complains to the IOD about… ‘declining’ standards of behaviour…
  • Citizens’ Media - Senatorial candidate Ted Vibert launches his new blog…

Maybe its just the knock on effect of having spent five out of the past six weeks in the States Chamber (well, unless your name is Ben ‘Empty Seat’ Shenton who has probably spent around only two?) listening to the likes of Philip Ozouf argue that black is white and white is black - but regardless of the above headlines I will start this ‘round-up’ post with the last story first.


Judging by the example of Saturday’s totally one-sided and wholly misleading JEP coverage of my 1 (1) K amendments debate there really couldn’t be better timing for one of Jersey politics larger-than-life characters to launch a new blog. Citizens’ Media continues to grow and with Jersey the way it is currently that just has to be a positive thing.

Of course, my good friend former Senator Ted Vibert was actually the politician who really started the whole blog phenomenon rolling in terms of Jersey politics, way back before the 2005 elections, so he is hardly a newcomer to the scene. But as readers know I have a lot of time for Ted. I was proud to have his endorsement for the 2008 elections and will be returning the compliment this time around just as proudly.

Do I agree with him on everything? Absolutely not. Indeed, sometimes we disagree completely. But one thing is absolutely certain: if we are to save Jersey from the two-tier society Abyss into which Senator Ozouf and his cronies are frantically frog-marching us Ted Vibert is a man we most definitely need back in the States.

Indeed, along with Senator Francis Le Gresley  and Dr. Mark Forskitt, Ted is the only one of the Senatorial candidates declared thus far worth a vote. In fact the others should all be avoided like the plague! Ted says what he thinks and love him or loath him he is in politics for all the right reasons. Hey, with just a little bit of poetic justice come October he could even be sitting in the seat right next to the Machiavellian One himself! Worth a seat in the public gallery on its own!

Check out Ted’s views via the link above….


1 (1) k s - ARGUMENT WON HANDS DOWN. VOTE…LOST!

You would never know it if you read the usually fair Lucy Mason’s report on Saturday in the JEP, but the fact is Senator Philip Ozouf’s already threadbare argument for continuing the tax discrimination against Jersey’s hardworking ordinary people was absolutely trashed in the States on Friday. In fact ‘trashed’ isn’t a strong enough description.  His policy - such as a farce like this can be called that - was simply annihilated.  Now, in a proper democracy you might conclude from the above that the Treasury Minister would have also lost the vote. But this, I’m afraid, is Jersey 2011.

No matter that not a single one of the Minister’s sycophants rose to try and debunk my arguments. No matter that not a one stood to dismantle the analysis of Ha-Joon Chang I used for reference i.e. that the myth that giving the rich a bigger slice of the pie automatically makes all the rest of richer as a result was just that – a myth. No matter that not a one, including the great champion of Greed Appeasement himself, could tell us how, under his policy, Jersey’s authorities could ever hope to track down and verify the hidden away world-wide income of such wealthy individuals.

No. In a states Chamber dominated by people who care nothing for the average man and woman of Jersey none of this counts for anything.  All that matters were the usual scare tactics that go hand-in-hand with such Greed Appeasement: i.e. that if the very wealthiest were asked to pay the same rate of tax as the rest of us they would all up sticks and leave.

Now, I’ll be doing a major piece of all of this fairly soon so for now I’ll just finish with this. Having already exposed the usually desperately kept secret when I ‘outed’ Assistant Treasury Minister’s admittance that in reality The Council of Ministers know full well that: ‘of course the 1 (1) K policy is immoral’ one of the biggest laughs of the debate came when the other political non-entity that is an Assistant Treasury Minister – the Constable of St. Peter – tried to be clever and criticise me for not having done as much local research for my amendments as his boss.

Trouble was, having wasted £60.000 + of taxpayers’ money on commissioning an ‘independent’  report actually undertaken by a firm whose business is…promoting tax breaks and the like for ‘High Net Value Individuals’ Senator Ozouf’s ‘research actually came down to what was brilliantly exposed by Deputy Shona Pitman…

Yup, the Minister had actually based all his arguments on the ‘evidence’ of chatting to two 1 (1) K residents and a taxi driver! My amendments? Well, not only had I based mine on actual FACTS from economists and what is happening elsewhere in places such as Switzerland, I had also run my proposals by nearly forty ordinary members of the public to get their views. Better still I had – much to my amusement I admit – also spoken to twice as many 1 (!) Ks as the illustrious Minister had done!

But hey…facts…what do they count for when you hear the likes of Deputy Rondel complaining that people who will now only have to pay 1% tax - even on the staggering near £100.0000.000 deal I used as an example – are being discriminated against by politicians debating such policy in the States! Who in the Council of Ministers cares that if 1 (1) k s paid even what they should we could reduce GST by a full 1%?

As someone used to say – you really couldn’t make it up!


TALK ABOUT THE KETTLE CALLING THE TEAPOT BLACK!

When Jersey’s mainstream media can actually give time to Senator Philip Ozouf to attack other States Members over ‘declining standards’ of behaviour you really do know that the world has gone mad. That or simply that the JEP is even more ‘partisan’ in its support of the proponents of the two-tier society than even some of us ‘Progressives’ thought.

Put quite bluntly Senator Ozouf is the worst example of someone who resorts to personality politics; manipulation and, in my view, blatant attempts at political bullying you could ever meet. And yet here we see this pathetic hypocrite having the front to run off to the IOD to pretend that he is the great champion of political standards! Honestly, reading this story I really felt like reaching for the sick bucket.

As anyone who observes the States regularly will know a favourite tactic of Philip Ozouf’s is to try and rubbish a politician’s proposals by insultingly belittling them. He does this week in and week out. How many times have we heard the classic putdown of an individual apparently being ‘in need of one of his tutorials?’ Indeed, this is a ploy he usually adopts when facing challenges on taxation to cover up that he is usually talking out of the seat of his pants.

No hard facts. No taking apart the other person’s argument. No. Just sneering, elitist putdowns – usually backed up with the moronic foot-stomping of the right-wing political living dead who blindly follow him. And the Senator even has the gall to say that I am often too hard on him!

Then again…this is a ‘Minister for Treasury & Resources’ who dismisses and refuses my suggestion he consider reading award-winning economist Ha-Joon Chang because he apparently sounds ‘too wacky!’ My God, if the ordinary working people of Jersey don’t turn out to vote in October it really will be a case of the last one out of the Island turn the lights off!

Senator Ozouf is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most effective political manipulators I have ever seen. Indeed. just like the previous Chief Minister readers should also be on their guard to the fact that here is yet another of the Establishment Party frantically setting up stooges to try and get them elected in October as if they were ‘independents’ in order to try and hold on to power. But more on all of this in the near future.

Look out for my 1 (1) K referendum proposition to be debated in September. I mean…if the entire public is behind Senator Ozouf’s policy what’s the problem?


THE HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER WANTED TO REMOVE ANYONE WHO MIGHT REACH CONCLUSIONS DIFFERENT TO HIS!

Just a few words on this and I do so simply to put the record straight. As anyone who has followed reports within the mainstream media cannot fail to have noticed the Scrutiny resignation is being ‘spun’ as a ‘toys out of the pram’ walkout due to Senator Ian Le Marquand’s two-faced manoeuvring around the issue of the Prison Board of Visitors Report recommendations. Significant as these shenanigans were the fact is these were not the key issues.

No doubt being spun to save the Senator’s already tattered reputation the reality is that his appalling arrogance in assuming that he could bully and dictate his own choices for membership of such a crucial Scrutiny review was the real breaking point. Such behaviour simply can’t be accepted within a democracy. Senator Le Marquand wanted me removed at all costs. He wanted Deputy Tadier out. He also wasn’t happy with Deputy Wimberley.

Just re-read the staggering arrogance of his letter to me attached to my earlier post. The ‘problem’ is apparently that a panel could have three politicians who had reached ‘different’ conclusions than he had on a - related in theme – but actually wholly separate issue. Not only this, but if I dared to reject his ultimatum he would have ‘no choice’ but run off to the Chairmen’s Committee! You have to ask the question: why is he so desperate to manipulate who can review the way this report was carried out?

Fortunately, some of us just don’t do being bullied. For the bald truth of the matter is that if we ever reach a situation where the Executive really can also dictate who scrutinizes them then democracy in Jersey is, to put it quite bluntly, finished.  This is, of course, the ultimate goal of the Establishment Party

We simply mustn’t let it happen.


Keep the faith.

Trevor

76 comments:

  1. Great post, I would put my money on you Trevor. I think that your being relected is a foregone conclusion. You have my vote.

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  2. Brilliant post Trevor. Keep it going. Come October its either into the Abyss with Ozouf and co or a brighter, decent future with the likes of you.

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  3. Good post Trevor, but I am a bit surprised and saddened that you did not warrant Dr Mark Forskitt as worth of a vote in the election for Senators.

    He is a good, honest, steady man with his environmental and historical child abuse issues of great importance.

    Whilst we most certainly need vast changes in the forthcoming elections, I am not convinced about Ted Vibert at all. Sorry Ted, but whilst you say what a lot of us want to hear, I remember clearly at last year's hustings when challenged by a friend and colleague of mine, you were most extremely rude to her, something which did not wash well with either of us.

    Having been brought up to believe that 'manners maketh man' you failed dismally then, and I feel you are still very capable of opening your mouth and putting your foot right in it!

    This aside Trevor, I agree with everything else you have said in this posting, and as Philip Sinel so rightly said in his letter in the Rag last week, we are not far away from our Arab Spring if this change is not forthcoming.

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  4. trevor only after october will we start to see wich way jersey is going.if the like of ozouf get there way jersey is done,if gorst and he,s ilk get back lower the jersey flag and put up the nsop flag(national socialist ozouf party)then we will all have to footstomp to a new fuhrer.i only hope im wrong martin

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  5. I love you Trevor.

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  6. Hi GeeGee

    Thanks for reminding me about Mark Forskitt - I was chatting to Mark just the other night at the environmental seminar at Durrell.I still had it in my head that he was going for Deputy!

    But Mark is DEFINIYTELY worth a vote as well - so that's three places filled. Mark knows me well enough to know that I would never disrespect him - I was only saying a few posts ago how we could do with all of the Greens in the States.

    So let's just re-cap for the record: of the candidates that I know of so far for Senator I would give my support to only three. These being Ted Vibert, Francis Le Gresley AND Mark Forskitt!

    Should a fourth new one of quality decide to enter the fray - or someone make a 'comeback' I'll be happy to stretch this up to a full four!

    Keep the faith

    Trevor

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  7. Another point I nearly forgot.

    An anonymous poster sent in an abusive rant about Ted Vibert and Stuart Syvret. Going by the tone I doubt very much this was genuine - just another sad attempt to cause trouble.The sort I will not be publishing under any circumstances.

    Fact is, however, that whilst I have had my disagreements and fall outs with both Ted and Stuart in the past if we are to have any hope of stopping the Establishment Party con merchants come October then everyone who remotely considers themselves a 'progressive' needs to put old fall outs on the backburner and focus 100% on facing down the real enemy.

    Its that simple.

    Trevor

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  8. Hello Trev

    Noticed the mark Forskit reference pop up. Pleased to see you being so quick to correct your comments. mark is a good bloke like GeeGee says. Thanks for giving him your support.

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  9. Big Trev.

    If Philip Ozouf wants to be the next Chief Minister then he should put himself before the electorate. Considering his votes took a 40% nose dive in the last elections, and that was before he was caught out on a number of, shall we say "untruths?" then he knows he would not get re-elected.

    Ian Le Marquand, earlier on in the year, was telling anybody who would listen, that he was going to run for Chief Minister. Although this man's arrogance knows no bounds, surely even he realises now that the States Members would probably laugh at him. After his disgraceful handling of the illegal suspension concerning Graham Power QPM and his Kangaroo Courts showing all and sundry the prosecution case and not a single word of the defence has shown him to be "an incompetent Maverick.

    The public have now got wise to Le Marquand, and he knows it, (or should do) and he would stand as much chance as Philip Ozouf getting re-elected..................................ZILCH!

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  10. Big Trev.

    You said.

    "Fact is, however, that whilst I have had my disagreements and fall outs with both Ted and Stuart in the past if we are to have any hope of stopping the Establishment Party con merchants come October then everyone who remotely considers themselves a 'progressive' needs to put old fall outs on the backburner and focus 100% on facing down the real enemy.

    Its that simple."

    Couldn't agree more, it's time hatchets were buried and an organised opposition was orchestrated. Terry Le Sueur and the Chief Minister (Philip Ozouf) have created a "them and us" by not having an inclusive government.

    If you are not an Ozouf/Le Sueur supporter then it is time for everybody else to start working together and over-throw this dictatorship and politicised Judicial System.

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  11. "Of course, my good friend former Senator Ted Vibert was actually the politician who really started the whole blog phenomenon rolling in terms of Jersey politics, way back before the 2005 elections"


    I believe you'll find there were at least two other (now defunct) local political blogs in existence before that, although not authored by politicians.

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  12. Hi Anonymous

    Ted Vibert's was the only site belonging to a politician that I remember back then. But I'm sure you may well be right about the others.

    GeeGee

    For your information and that of all other readers I am going to update the original post to slot in Mark Forskitt as the third candidate well worth a vote. We all make mistakes and this was a genuien oversight!

    Voiceforchildren

    Couldn't agree more about Ozouf and Le Marquand needing to seek a fresh mandate if they want to be Chief Minister. Shona actually tried to get a proposition lodged seeking that this very thing should happen.

    Unfortunately, she was prevented from doing so because it was 'apparently' too late to get it in place for this year! Certainly should never happen again.

    Trevor

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  13. Big Trev

    If someone could make it an open vote for Chief Minister it would be something. At least then we could all see who the people are who tell you one thing, then once elected do the exact opposite.

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  14. Anonymous - are you psychic or what? Watch this space - with a bit of luck you might get what you wish for...

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  15. Oh no - not the same old he's a good bloke to vote for refrain?
    It's just not enough.
    It might suit some candidates to endorse who they think are the good guys versus the bad ones but the electorate deserves a more substantial commitment. This is Jersey's first ever (almost) general election. It is truly time for a change.
    Are some candidates prepared to offer the voters an alliance based upon agreed and achievable goals?

    It might suit you and some others to wage verbal war with Ozouf and his group year after year - but at least thay have the advantage of shared and declared policies. They might not call themselves a party but the electorate should know by now what they will deliver.

    In the absence of a cohesive "progressive" party and with your ability even to forget that Mark Forskitt was a Senatorail candidate the October beauty parade promises to be just another chapter of the same political disaster.

    Independent candidates are not enough - the public needs more. This election is not being run for the benefit of 47 political wannabees. I have read very little so far that would induce me to vote for most of the "progressives" beyond the need to keep out the Ozouf group. That is not good enough and will be rejected by most of the electorate yet again.
    I am not a candidate but have been pressing for a shared Alliance platform. It's not my problem but on election day, as things stand I will certainly vote for Mark Forskitt. His environmental policies alone are sufficiently important but I would much prefer it if he had
    an agreed platform with others on shared aims and objectives on diverse issues too.
    I don't have a vote in your patch but I can assure that you would not get my vote on currently declared commitments. I want more - including policies that have a chance of being delivered because sufficient candidates share them.
    Tom Gruchy says

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  16. Thanks for giving Ted's blog a plug. I would never have found it otherwise.

    Are you both repentant over the JDA past?

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  17. Hi 'Tom' or Mike

    I don't advocate supporting anyone simply because they might be a 'good bloke'. But you would know that if you actually listened to others now and again.

    I fully agree on what you say about a shared platform. But this begs the question. Whilst I have been one of a very few bending over backwards to try and get people to work together, you, in contrast only appear to carp and attack almost everyone among the 'progressives'?

    What are you doing to try and bring people - some who rightly or wrongly are pretty scared of being seen to act with others - together? From where I'm sitting I'm afraid the answer has to be not much at all.

    You are fortunate to have all the time in the world. You know my number - so let's talk...

    Trevor

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  18. Trev

    You are wasting your time. People like Mike (Tom) and Nick Le Cornu are interested only in themselves. Little idea on policy just loads of hot air about the revolution. They rarely seem to have a good word for anyone as far as I can tell. Put it this way. IMHO you have easily been the most effective of the new members in holding ozouf and Le Sewer to account. Yet have I ever heard either say or write a good word about you? No. Says it all really.

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  19. At the last Senatorial hustings in St Brelade, I had the misfortune to be sitting in front of Ted Vibert. He was continually muttering loudly every time Stuart Syvret spoke.

    I was about to ask him to button it when I then overhead him in conversation with non other than your recent sparring partner, Ian Le Marquand, in what seemed like a "Get Syvret" party meeting. ILM & Ted both agreeing that everything possible should be done to jail him, as Ted put it, for a very very long time.

    ILM seemed very confident that would happen eventually. Then lo & behold - a few months later down he went. ((My comment: Watch this space -- Lets see if anything more happens on that front! Will it be party time for Ted & Ian again soon? ))

    As they say - You can judge a man by the company he keeps. A vote for Ted Vibert? No chance !

    (In the interests of openness & free expression, & as I am a regular reader & contributor to your blog, I hope you publish this comment - Thanks)

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  20. I am more than happy to meet with (almost) anybody - you know where my office is. But it is not really for me to show the initiative here about forming an alliance platform. I am happy to help as I have done many times in the past. I would personally prefer to see the candidates leading on this.
    Bob Hill launched a Human Rights group which could have served as the ideal launching pad for diverse States Members and voters to work together and build up trust and confidence. It was the perfect vehicle with "universal" aims and objectives - but has failed to attract sufficient States Members and potential "progressives". This is a tragedy for Jersey. Now the election deadline is upon us again and we are still fishing around trying to build up relationships and to agree shared aims.

    I don't know why you keep slagging me off - I am just a voter.

    Tom Gruchy says.

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  21. I spluttered in my coffee when I read your description of Ozouf as as effective manipulator. His performances are embarrassingly crap, but they're always in front of a rigged crowd.

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  22. Trevor you have to stand on an Island Wide Mandate with views on others like this because its the only way they can be properly tested.

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  23. Trevor,
    I am very surprised that you have published Martins comment referencing ‘National Socialism’ and a ‘Fuhrer’. Along with many others, my family suffered here during the Nazi occupation, and whatever anybodies politics, this is tasteless and upsetting, and the commenter should be ashamed of themselves.

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  24. I think you are being a bit harsh on Trevor 'Tom Gruchy'. As he said we all make mistakes and he has explained and corrected his ommission of Mark Forskitt as a Senatorial candidate.

    I think it very gracious to hold out an olive branch to Stuart, and if only he would or could stand I think a lot of people would now welcome him back. However it is his decision and his alone, and of course also depends on circumstances.

    Finally, I stand by my comments regarding Ted Vibert, but as it is policies and not personalities we are voting for he may warrant a vote from me when the time comes.

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  25. Why are Jersey politicians allowed to bully victims of child abuse, on a blog set up by a convicted criminal who made death threats to a politicians landlord? It's obvious who those people who are posting disgusting comments about us are, when they talk about having been to dinner parties with officials. Why wont the police close that blog down, or investigate the IP addresses of the people posting malicious remarks about victims of child abuse and members of the public onto it? People who do that arent fit for public office. Its like they are trying to deliberatly drive victims of abuse over the edge, its horrible what they are doing. Some days I wish that I had never even been born, its been nothing but abuse never ending, it never ends, and they know where we all live, which is frightening. Why cant the police do something about it? Are they going to wait until someone is dead, and then say "lessons will be learned"?

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  26. Tom Gruchy Mike Dun-Nuthin complaining about others slagging HIM off? Think Tom/Mike should look at one of Trevor's sub-headings 'kettle calling the tea pot black'. Slagging is all Tom/Mike does. Tom/Mike all Trevor has done in response to your as per usual rude and insulting post is point out that he has worked hard to try and get people together. Talking to him in the past and to a few others I have no reason to doubt this. He further asks you what you have done which seems quite reasonable. All you can do in response is attack him again. You moan that it should all be down to elected politicians. Well could you answer me this Mr Dun-Nuthin'? I know from your blog that you spend all your time going to Scrutiny meetings and then attacking the people who have tried to make it work. Never the establishment I note? So what I would like to know is why can't you get up off your backside and stand for election instead of blaming everybody else? I'm a taxpayer. Why should I fund people like you who correct me if I'm wrong don't work yet seem to have no real excuse other than laziness? Stop the bleating and join the fight. I can't do much but I do what I can leafleting and the like. But I respect those who really do put their whole livlihood like Trevor and Shona Pitman on the line to try and improve things for the public like me even more. You with your endless attacks make me sick.

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  27. Trevor is right about Ozouf being an effective manipulator you only have to look at States votes. I'm sure this is what Trevor was referring to but he can tell me if I am wrong.

    When people vote against all of the evidence you can be quite certain something is going on. Whether it is plain bullying or more subtle stuff like you scratch my back I will scratch yours I have no idea. But it is clearly happening.

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  28. Hi

    To all readers I just want to say the following. I have recently published a couple of posts that I really was a little unsure about simply out of fairness.

    I have no idea if the comments claimed within them are true or just made up to cause friction.

    It is not for me to try and clarify or defend any comments or views that may or may not have been expressed by Ted Vibert - any more than it is for me to do the same with past comments made (or not) by Stuart Syvret.

    As I have said, I have had my share of criticism from both in the past. When I need to defend my self I always do. But it is October that needs to be at the front of people's minds.

    I do have to say that knowing Ted Vibert as I do I really find it hard to believe the alleged comments that a reader says he or she heard exchanged with Ian Le Marquand.

    At any rate I have never heard any such opinions expressed personally along those lines. Still, that is up to Ted to comment on on his own blog.

    Stuart and Ted could have changed the whole face of Jersey politics with a bit of luck and a bit more working together back in 2005. But that is history. It is now 2011 and that is what we must focus on.

    The point of this comment is basically to inform readers that with all due respect I do not want the blog to fall foul of the usual troll tactics who thrive on such argument.

    Thus I will not be publishing any comment which appears to quite likely be a 'he said/no he didn't' scenario. Impossible to prove and serving no positive purpose.

    Sorry if any genuine points get lost within this but there are plenty of other outlets where such comments can be made.

    As per my genuine mistake in not including my good friend Mark Forskitt in my post as being worth a vote - readers can see that I have corrected this and slotted him in with the other two.

    Thanks.

    Trevor

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  29. I am horrified to see the latest JEP story today about Perchard, Shenton and Power calling for an inquiry into whether any States Police officers were paid by newspapers for information during the H de la G inquiry.

    Not that I am opposed to any inquiry per se. It's just two things that concern me -

    1. The JEP bangs on again about Lenny Harper's entertainment expenses and clearly infers that he gave information to the NOTW. Time and again the JEP has run this story, just reinforcing it in the minds of the readership. But where is any account in the JEP (or other media) of the revelations of the scrutiny panel that you are chairing? Where is the righteous indignation at the astonishing revelations about Gradwell and the media? What about Warcup's submission being totally at odds with the evidence given by Kellett and BDO? What about Warcup not knowing what Kellett was doing or what the terms of reference were etc.? What about the Home Affairs Minister not knowing anything about anything? Let's have some reports on these aspects and then talk about an inquiry into any leaks to the NOTW and any payments that might possibly have been made and about which there is absolutely no evidence at all.

    2. The very fact that the call for an inquiry comes from these three particular individuals is astounding. Amongst many other transgressions, Perchard leaked sensitive information to David Rose of the Mail on Sunday; Shenton recorded a colleagues phone conversation without his knowledge and then used it against him (as well as being a seriously absentee member of the States); Power's track record is less than good - data protection matters included.

    I am far from being a reactionary citizen. I am a professional person who has always been a moderate in political terms. But I am now sickened by the clearly corrupt media in Jersey as well as those politicians who are most obviously corrupting them.

    For goodness sake, please stop these maniacs!!

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  30. I really enjoy Tom Gruchys blog. Is he really Mike Dunn?

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  31. Yes, the fact that it these three individuals asking questions - or rather casting more aspersions is deeply troubling. I too say this withpout any problem with all possible lapses being investigated but what we do need is consistency.

    All have been widely suggested to be involved with a rather horrible defunct blog that attempted to undermine the Historic Abuse Inquiry. How Power isn't facing the same sanctions as Stuart Syvret on data protection is beyond most people. Perchard has been accused of leaking e-mails to the media dduring the Inquiry. Shenton? The least said about this useless waste of space who takes the taxpayers money as a Senator only to scuttle off to his private business during States sitiings the better.

    Vote all of them out come October.

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  32. Tom Gruchy is Mike Dunn and if only he would focus his efforts on supporting the work of the decent politicians instead of just slagging them off out of personal jealousy he could be a force for good. Right now he is just doing Ozouf's dirty work for him.

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  33. anon
    im sorry if my comment upset you.my family suffered here to during the occupatin but right now ozouf is using some of the politics of national socialism and what,s even more sad is the amount of older people saying the were better off under occupation the only diffance i see is that adolf was more opean about what he wanted unlike ozouf and he,s footstompe,s

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  34. Fair play to you Trevor for trying to draw a line under all the nonsense that went on a year ago. This is the sort of maturity that we need. If only Mike Dunn and company could see this.

    I reckon we're likely to see gerald Voison standing now as well as the right get increasingly desperate that they may lose the grasp on power. You have been a real breath of fresh air these past couple of years so I would ask the likes of Mike to try and see the bigger picture.

    I'm sure you probably get lots of abusive posts seeking to cause trouble that you block and I would urge all those on the right side to do the same. We have a chance this year. But if we lose Jersey for the average person is finished.

    We might still lose but lets not help the so and sos by attacking each other. Are you listening Mike?

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  35. Hi Trev, I posted the comment ref Ted Viberts conversation with ILM & am certain of the details. What got me more was the venom which they both exuded against Stuart.

    Prior to that I did have respect for Ted Vibert & agreed with many of his views about how the Establishment was ruining Jersey & exposing their lies.

    To say I was disappointed at what I heard is a huge understatement. I would have preferred all anti-status quo politicians, from the outset of the HDLG revelations to have supported Stuart as he has been proved right on so many counts.

    What we need now if for all the progressives to stand up in the States & be counted even more that ever. More foot stamping ! Don't leave it to Le Main & Co.

    You are taking a fine lead in this & have made huge gains. The only way to convert the diehard middle Jersey voters is over the live broadcasts. Everyone can compare what is said in reality, with the biased tripe re-gurgitated by the JEP, BBC & CTV.

    Keep referring to the blog sites when you give speeches in the chamber & I am sure this will lead to more curiosity for detailed news & facts amongst listeners & doubters (ie JEP readers).

    The areas you need to work on most are exposing local media bias to the wider public. Get the public to start comparing & contrasting for themselves.

    Data protection breaches: How is it that some people are jailed & others get away with it? What is going on?

    Causing death on our roads (for certain individuals) appears to carry a lesser penalty than allowing your dog to poo on the pavement.

    When will the truth be told about the St Clement's death crash ? What is going on?

    Good luck

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  36. Hi

    A quick post as I am running between meetings.

    A couple of people have sent me posts which they ask not to be published, just for information purposes. I will obviously respect this as always.

    I have also been sent a signicant number of rants attacking Stuart Syvret; and also a few in pretty much the same vein attacking Ted Vibert, Geoff Outhern and others who most would consider bascially on the same side in terms of political views. Quite possibly trolls. Possibly not.

    However, as I have made clear right from the start I will not be publishing anything that just swears, attacks others who have their own websites and makes allegations to which I have no way of verifying.

    Information for me to look into is, of ccourse, fine and I will always try to follow this up.

    Finally, I have also had a post which I am pretty certain is from a genuine person relating to Stuart and Ted. I haven't published this (as yet) because the poster states that they have also sent it to Stuart's and Ted's own blogs. If this is the case - and I havene't had time to check - it does seem far more appropriate.

    All I would add on the matter is to repeat that why I understand people having strong feelings - I have very strong feelings myself on some of the stuff that has happened in the past - I personally hope that everyone wishing to fight on the right side does their best to move forward and focus on the future.

    If we don't then I'm afraid the likelihood is that the ordinary people of Jersey won't have one. At least not one worth having...

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  37. So - Ian Le Marquand finally comes out and says that he is the man to be the next Chief Minister.

    On the assumption that the JEP has quoted ILM accurately, one can only assume that ILM is dwelling in fantasy world if he really believes what he is reported as saying.

    His track record of the last few years would tend to belie his stated intentions.

    On the other hand, his recent performance at the scrutiny hearing could have been a practice-run for being Chief Minister - i.e. denying knowledge of anything and everything and blaming others for any problems that might have occurred!

    Sheeeesh!!!

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  38. I am a survivor of child abuse and Stuart Syvret has helped me a lot, because he actually listened to me and believed me, when so many other people didnt want to listen. I think he is a very kind man.

    Its very hard to watch someone who has been kind to you be persecuted. I dont know if Stuart is a very good politician but I know he is a very decent man.

    Thank you for what you are doing.

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  39. "All I would add on the matter is to repeat that why I understand people having strong feelings - I have very strong feelings myself on some of the stuff that has happened in the past - I personally hope that everyone wishing to fight on the right side does their best to move forward and focus on the future"

    Unity is the only way

    Bang on Trev

    rs

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  40. Spot on Deputy. Remember everyone the way of the Walker/Ozouf bunch is divide and conquer. Don't fall for it.

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  41. Would vote for you any time. Wouldn't vote for a bolshie sour puss like miserable Mike if he was the last grump on earth.

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  42. Sorry, I didnt mean to say that I thought Stuart Syvret was a bad politician, all I meant is that I dont know much about politics. It looks like I might be saying he was a bad politician with what I said and I didnt mean to say anything like that, I dont know anything much about politics.

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  43. Ozouf needs to take out Le Marquand.
    Should be fun!

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  44. le marquand for chief minister? Don't make me laugh. he would never go for this if he had to stand down first and face the public for a new island wide mandate. Not in a million years. The man has been an unmitigated disaster a failure in every sense of the word. Great idea on calling for an open ballot to trevor. Show up who is who.

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  45. A bit miffed to see the Voice letting everybody's least favourite know all Mike Dunn attacking you again. What is it with this geezer? Wants us all to vote for his mate who talks even more crap than him.

    Which planet do these people come down from? We get a few quality people fighting hard for the man in the street and all these sorts do is spoil it with pretentious waffle. Mike and Nick the Peoples Popular Front Of Judea? Laugh. If we don't we'll probably cry.

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  46. A question I am often asked. Why does Jon, Sean, Jimmy and Ben (sounds like the Flower Pot men doesn't it) sem so obssessed with deflecting attention away from the historic abuse investigation?

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  47. Hi Trevor

    Don't you find it strange that while the jEP are very happy to give loads of space to irrelevant tittle-tattle there has been next to no coverage of your 1 1 k proposals? I listened to the debate in full and what you say is no exaggeration. You trashed Ozouf's case completely.

    Reading the JEP - Yes I admit I still do - what you said was condensed down to one line. Nothing about the evidence you provided or the half truths spun by ozouf. Doesn't this annoy and amaze you?

    Surely both sides of a story should be aired? How can people get to see that there are people in the States who are not going along with the likes of Le Sueuer and Ozouf?

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  48. Hi

    Hope to have a new post up over the weekend. Working on a press release right now so another quick post.

    Another frustrating day of constiuent work where the ability of Social Security to treat good, decent people badly never fails to amaze me. How can one department 'lose' or, you have to wonder, conveniently mislay so much paperwork? How can assessments be made regarding people's health when boards somehow don't even have documents doctors confirm have been sent?

    Why don't some people have the common sense let alone professionalism to see that when a person has a loved one going through a terminal illness, or even experiencing a bereavement, it might just be a good, sensitive idea to take that person into a private office - rather than leave them sitting where the world can hear their anguish?

    Probably doesn't help that this department has an Assistant Minister who is, without a doubt, one of the most useless individuals ever to be elected. Indeed, an assistant 'minister' who probably knows less about the workings of her department even now than some, as yet undiscovered tribes deep in the Amazon rainforest.

    Meanwhile, I just want to re-stress the point. I'm not publishing any of the sudden upsurge of posts trying to play one person against another. That even goes for the ones from the significant number of readers who obviously feel very strongly about the sniping from 'Tom Gruchy'. As a reader says: hardly anyone takes his attacks seriously. Just let him get on with it.Enough people have made this point. Let's move on.

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  49. After all your hard works this year, both you and Shona deserve a long holiday. Carribean? Ok, Sark!

    Good luck.

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  50. Trevor. I admire your stance on unity. It must be hard given the snipers like Mike. maybe you won't publish this as you have rightly said that you are determined to focus on the real issues and enemies.

    But I just wanted to say well done to you and Shona. I just laughed my socks off at the JEP making a full page out of her identification of ILM as Mr Bean! Brilliant stuff and on the money.

    I am told the "concerned" politician was none other than Terry The Snorer - soon to be thrashed in St. Helier number two? I live there Tel if you're reading and with your shocking performance you would be better trying to get elected in St. Clement.

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  51. There has just been a little exchange of comments on Stuart Syvret's blog which is of considerable concern. It relates to the publication yesterday of the letter from Lenny Harper.

    I, for the first time ever, sent in a comment on the free online edition. I checked back a little later to see that - to my amazement - my comment had been published!

    Being most encouraged by this, I had another look a little later still to see what other comments had been submitted. I was astonished to see that my comment had been deleted.

    Now, I append below a comment from Stuart's blog which might explain things -

    "Yes, suddenly the letter disappeared, so I rang up the newsdesk and asked if I was going mad, and was told that the person who was filling in wasn't meant to upload anything to do with the enquiry, and it had all had to be taken down, I said 'yes I'm sure it did, you mean covered up?'and he actually said 'yes'. Obviously let his train of thought wander, or was it a Freudian slip?

    I should imagine there could be a sacking or two at JEP, how on earth could they let that happen?
    People might get close to the truth?"

    If this is true it is disgraceful. However, what I know to be true for a fact is that my comment was published and very soon afterwards removed.

    Does your panel intend to take evidence from the JEP?

    Something must be done to at least clarify their position.

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  52. Great work, Shona. You got him sussed in one. I wonder wwho the 'concerned' States member was?

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  53. Hi

    Not very bright some of these right-wingers...

    Unfortunately, for the 'concerned' States Member the JEP reporter - managing to make a full page story out of trivia when my tax proposals, as someone pointed out, got only a paragraph - told Shona who the little chap was! Oh dear...

    You guessed it - he was named as none other than good old Terry 'ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz I want to go home' Le Main!

    Sure it has nothing to do with the Senator intending to stand in St. Helier No. 2 rather than fight to retain his Senatorial seat - now he is panicing over his appalling record of not doing millions of pounds worth of essential maintenance whilst at Housing?

    Still, I'll be doing a story on various Senators snoring, skiving off to day jobs, and even taking the taxpayers' money to play cricket instead of being in the States in the near future - so I'll say no more on the matter till then...

    Well, apart from the farce of the JEP quoting comments from the twittering Philip Ozouf - the biggest would-be bully in the States bar none! Laugh, you really have to.

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  54. So, in the delicate world of Jersey politics -

    1. It's OK for a Senator to tell another Senator, in the States Chamber, to slit his wrists.

    2. It's OK for a Home Affairs Minister to use the States Chamber to call a highly respected retired police office an incompetent maverick (or something close to this;

    3. It's OK for Ministers and others to lie, mislead the House etc., etc., etc .......

    4. But it's a bridge too far to refer to Le Marquand as Mr Bean???

    Goodness me - how awful! How utterly beyond the pale!! How very observant!!!!!

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  55. Classic stuff from Shona. As another who still reads 'the rag' I do have to comment on how it is that this gets blown up? How come no mention of Ozouf - the great bully - attempting to make an issue of Shona's healthy foods exemption proposition being moved back to after the summer. This horrible little twerp tried to make it it was electioneering when we had all heard that Shona had had to give up time to helping family who had had a stroke. The JEP reporter was still there so why no mention? No wonder people loath him and he is to chicken to seek a new mandate to be Chief Minister.

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  56. So it was Le Main who was the 'concerned states member'? I would be concerned if I had done naff all for twenty years like this idiot. Standing in no. 2 district? God, if he fluked his way in I would move out. All mouth and no action.

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  57. All of this hateful stuff from the likes of Le Main and Ozouf really is depressing. A total lack of class if you ask me.

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  58. I couldn't agree more that Ian Le Marquand has performed like Mr Bean since he became Home Affairs minister.

    But I also noticed how the jersey evening Post, never slow to miss spreading some lies against the likes of you and Shona and the other progressives, have a caption on the net falsly stating that Shona said Le Marquand looked like Mr Bean! Clearly untrue from the published email.

    But I don't suppose facts have ever mattered much to the editor of the JEP when you are trying to give a false impression? No doubt we'll get a whole poad of equally faalse comments all attacking the girl and saying what a great job Bean has done.

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  59. You have also got to remember the photos/pictures that the rag use to go with their faulse reports. Like the scrutiny meeting with only two of four members at the table, or like the worst possible photo of Shona they can find, the biggest picture on the page and in colour.

    Fooling the public?

    No fooling themselves.

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  60. If anyone read the latest gushing interview with ILM in the JEP have they come to the same conclusion as me? Going by all he is saying about the public needing to know who candidates support for Chief Minister then he really has to support Trevor's call for an open vote. My bet is he will still find some weird excuse to do a U turn and not to do so. Just think Prission Board of Visitors. What do others think?

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  61. Hi Trev

    Is Shona doing a response to the JEP nonsense as is suggested? It will be very interesting to see if they publish it in full if she does.

    If not then with them allowing Sleepy Le Main to conceal his identity while allowing him to do his best to try and Show Shona in a bad light (failed Tel Boy) this clearly needs to be brought up with PPC.

    We simply can't have a paper supporting particular cronies and trying to sway public opinion by printing misleading stuff about some candidates originating with and being spread by people in the same district or parish. Has the JEP got any professional standards at all?

    Frankly, Trev, the JEP make me sick. I really wonder how their editors still have jobs?

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  62. Big Trev.

    There is a rumour going round that Shona is going to be sued.

    Apparently Mr. Bean has never been so insulted as to be likened to Ian Le Marquand.

    Sorry Big Trev but I'm with Mr. Bean on this one.

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  63. Hi

    As readers will know I hoped to get a new post up for Monday. This is ready, but...

    Following on from that lovely, totally unbiased 'newspaper' - the Jersey Evening Post's - latest piece of misrepresentation, over-the-top garbage that regularly passes for journalism (call it what you will)I am going to be accepting a 'guest posting' from Deputy Shona Pitman. I should have this up on Tuesday.

    Not only will this allow the 'newspaper' enough time to print - in full - Shona's response to the 'Mr. Bean' e-mail. A full page, remember!

    This e-mail being sent from what the JEP strangely allowed to be described as an anonymous 'concerned' States Member - but was actually and fully known to the JEP because the journalist told us - from Senator 'Terry 'Wake me up before you go go!' Le Main.

    Who is, of course, by pure coincidence, standing in St. Helier No. 2 now that he has lost his bottle after years of political inactivity to fight for his Senatorial seat.

    No, not only will this slight delay give adequate time for them to print the side of the story - it will also give the 'newspaper' adequate time to see if they will be covering a far, far more important matter.

    If not, well, this guest posting may well be even more interesting...

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  64. If you truly want all progressives to unite together, I trust that if Stuart Syvret is jailed next week, you, Ted Vibert, Montford Tadier et al will be protesting against this injustice? (Epecially Monty as he is always so vocal on human rights. How about some action?).

    It must also be highlighted to a wider world that the Jersey public does not accept political prisoners whose only crime is to expose child abuse and the appalling cover-ups & corruption of "The Jersey Way".

    Anything less will be tantamount to just condoning the status quo.

    So people can take you all seriously, can you give that assurance?

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  65. If Stuart was sent to jail - and making it quite clear that there are some things that I strongly disagree with him on, certainly in terms of the way he has at times gone about things - I would still be protesting because jailing for such 'offences' in this case is no more justified than it was to prosecute selected individuals only for the awful 'crime' of assisting elderly, disabled people to complete an application form to ask that they be registered to eventually receieve a postal vote. Its that simple.

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  66. Its late - sorry for the typo in 'receive'...

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  67. I am glad to hear that Terry Le Main in standing in St Helier No.2. He will be carrying out his last (suicide) mission on behalf of the Establishment, having served them loyally for years. Yes, it really is “Crisis time for Jersey”. I shall not be attending the State Funeral, though a hugger mugger interment would be more appropriate.

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  68. Perhaps Stuart was too concerned about simply keeping abuse survivors alive than protocol?

    I can testify how people who try to complain about the way they were mistreted as children are treated, because I have tried and tried and tried to get some very basic help simply to aqllow myself to heal, but big obsticles have been put in my way so many times. I cant even get a full copy of the Pindown report, the councelling I recieved from the local authorities consisted of 8 weekly sessions, I had to nag like hell to get them, and the man who "councelled" me, seemed to have a prearranged agenda, he tried to shift all the blame for the abuse I suffered onto my father, and when I told him "My dad never abused me" he kept trying to override me, and I felt he was trying to brainwash me. I was left after each session to get home, sometimes weeping all the way home, because it left me with the whole box of horrible memories wide open, I was given a crisis phone number but when I tried to talk to someone there I was made to feel like a nuicance, and on one occasion I was told that I had been on the phone too long and that I had had my turn now and was taking up time for other emergencies, basically made to feel really guilty for used the crisis line that was supposed to be there to help me, I was in bits and pieces and phoned the Samaritans, but the woman told me to see my doctor, I said "I have seen my doctor" and told her how I was being shunted round and round and round, but she couldn't say anything apart from "Go and see your doctor" like a mantra.

    Stuart has helped me, simply by listening, not being judgemental, and being kind, and I would noyt like to hazard a guess at how many other people he has helped, simply by being there, other people who have been abused read his blog, it gives people like me strength and hope to know there are people like him, I am devestated about how he is being treated and I feel so guilty as well, if it wasnt for people like me he would never have been in this mess, sometimes I wish they had just killed me and pretended I had hung myself when they had me in that cell, it would have saved everyone a lot of trouble. But they didnt kill me, and I have had 40 years of fighting to try to get basic answers and justice, no way am I giving up now, this isnt just about Jersey, the Pindown regime was all over the UK, they sent kids from the UK to Haut de la Gerenne, WHERE ARE THE RECORDS?????

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  69. Terry Le Main? I thought he was a man of the people once now I know a lot better. Wouldn't vote him if he was the last man on earth. Shona has worked very hard for us here in No 2 these past six years and everyone I know is very happy with her. Why would we want a snoring sycophant of Le Seuer and Ozouf who is only standing because he knows he has been sused as a Senator?

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  70. Deputy Pitman

    I am slightly surprised to find myself writing this. In fact I never thought I would say this. But watching CTV I was most impressed. Most impressed. There is far too much bowing and scraping to those who are fortunate enough to have great wealth. Your argument was very well put. Will the Treasury minister rise to your challenge - I very much doubt it. But respect to you anyway.

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  71. Hi Trev. Excellent interview. Loved the way you threw down the guantlet to Ozouf. He won't accept. Like Le Marquand the man is a chicken.

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  72. has Shona sent in a response to the JEP and Tel Boy leaking her email yet Trevor? You know I'm sure the snoring one will have thought he was getting one over Shona. But everyone I have spoken to thought it was hilarious and bang on the money.

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