JERSEY JUSTICE & THE SELECT COMMITTEE PART 1: THE ESTABLISHMENT CATCHES A COLD...

In the course of pursuing the latest episode of increasing international interest in Establishment Party abuse of the Jersey 'justice' system on Sunday evening Deputy Mike Higgins and myself found ourselves sipping coffee in the bar of the Atlantic Hotel. To those not aware this an award-winning luxury hotel on the Island's West coast.

Very nice. Very exclusive. And not surprisingly very, very expensive. As was to soon unfold it also just happened to be the venue selected for a slap up dinner by the Four Horsemen of Democratic Apocalypse who mistakenly believe they are Jersey's Chosen Elite: both real and pretend Chief Ministers Bailhache and Gorst; Establishment Party Chief Whip, Senator Ozouf. And the Bailiff.

Don't mention the peasants or anything unsavoury like abuses of justice..

With the Lieutenant-Governor also invited along the purpose of this shindig was to spend the evening wining and dining the three visiting members of the Commons' Justice Select Committee. How nice to have the opportunity to bend the ear of the Committee for a whole evening as to the official propaganda that all within Jersey 'justice' is fine and dandy - a veritable beacon of democracy to quote former Senator, Jim Perchard!

After all, the other 48 States Members were having to make do with a stage-managed solitary hour the following day and not even getting a glass of water let alone a Banana Daiquiri. A solitary hour where States Members had already been warned by Team Feudal that they mustn't mention anything embarrassing like local injustice cases! Okay, so as it happened only 17 of your elected representatives actually cared enough about justice; child abuse cover-ups and the like to turn up the following day - but more on that in Part 2 on Wednesday.

Come and enjoy the wonderfully bracing Jersey air...

Still, to cut a long story short having said a polite 'hello' to two of the Chief Minister's vast army of helpers who were awaiting the arrival of Team Feudal; Deputy Higgins and I found ourselves discussing next week's questions and such forth in the Hotel bar. A very nice and warm retreat from the howling South-Westerly gale blowing across the headland outside.

Indeed, the perfect spot you might think for the UK politicians to be afforded the opportunity for a quick and friendly chat with two real peoples' politicians before the Great and the Good took them off to dinner. Alas it was not to be

Its 'us' and 'them' - but please don't tell Them we said it...

For as soon as Jersey's Finest arrived instead of the convivial warmth of the bar they and their officers whisked the Committee away...out into the elements of the freezing, windswept Hotel terrace! Yes, a terrace on which - for some strange reason I cannot even contemplate the group stayed - sipping equally cold drinks  for the better part of around 40 long minutes.

Whatever could the UK dignitaries have thought of Jersey hospitality, Mike and I wondered? Were the pair of us really so dangerous; so revolutionary in our evidence-based opinions that we needed to be given a very wide birth? We can, of course, only guess.

If this is the broad, cross-section view by which Westminster assesses the state of Jersey democracy no wonder writing to Lord McNally is a total waste of time...

For as we finally watched the windswept Gang of Four and their shivering, and possibly even bemused guests troop back in  once their table was ready; it must be said not a single one would meet our gaze. Not a smile. Not a nod. Not even a polite 'Hello colleagues - fancy seeing you two peasants at a posh joint like this?' We instead found ourselves left with the uncomfortable feeling that perhaps the Great and the Good had something to hide?

And truth be told we doubted it was just the size of the dinner and wine bill - suggested by an individual who shall remain nameless lest the boys be sent 'round - to be up in the region of some £700.

After all, in these times of global economic austerity and government enforced pay-freezes if this £700 figure is anything like accurate I'm sure the likes of Jersey's wonderful, but struggling nurses and their public sector colleagues would all understand. Wouldn't they?

And we can always ask questions about who was making such sterling use of taxpayers' money next week...

Keep the Faith.

*I'll tell you about Monday's meeting and the 17 of your politicians who bothered to turn up to argue for your interests on Wednesday.

'CHIEF MINISTER, I EXPECT YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING' - BAILHACHE-GATE BUSINESSMAN PUTS IT ON THE LINE


''If people are not truthful they suffer the consequences... If a Minister lied to another Minister, so far as I am concerned, that would be pretty well the end of a Ministerial career...''

                                                     Senator Sir Philip Bailhache
                                                          2011 Election Speech
                            

Yesterday a meeting took place in the Boardroom at Morier House. It was a meeting that in many ways goes to the very heart of just what is wrong with Jersey under the shiny-shoed heel of the 'image before justice' phonies of the Establishment Party. It was a meeting about what has become known here to political observers as 'Bailhache-Gate'.

Now I must admit even I have actually been slightly surprised at just how much interest this story has continued to generate through the blog weeks after I first broke the story - and even with the orchestrated tight closing of ranks of the MSM to try and kill an expose that cuts right through all of the gloss and guff surrounding a figure whom so many see as the very epitome of maintaining the Old Order of keeping the 'little people' in our place. 

Nevertheless, what took place this Monday evening was that our Chief Minister (that's Senator Gorst by the way) - a politician who had, even having been contacted personally by one of the businessmen at the centre of this story, refused to do the honourable thing and confirm to the States Assembly last week that this gentleman was very real indeed - finally came face-to-face with the man who knows full well that the version of events given to the States by Senator Bailhache was nothing more than a bare-faced fabrication of staggering arrogance.

The Truth. The Whole Truth. Nothing but the Bald Truth...

Infact we didn't have just one businessman who can blow the whistle on the Bailhache bull but two! For such was my constituent's understandable anger at being accused of making the whole story up his business partner - who happened to be travelling with him and was also able to verify what had been seen - also attended. 

Yet before we cut to the chase of just where this meeting leaves us and discus the action now required of our Chief Minister (yes, that's still Senator Gorst) let's just remind ourselves of why this meeting had come about with a few damning words from the letter sent direct to the Chief Minister regarding his 'Foreign Minister's' behaviour:

''Dear Chief Minister. I am writing in response to the recent public allegation from Sir Philip Bailhache that I am the creator of a fictitious and malicious e-mail which I sent to Deputy (Trevor) Pitman on 22nd March 2013 -  so in basic terms a liar. I can 100% assure you that there is only one person in this situation who is fictitious and that is not me!''

Time for a large dose of Testicular Fortitude...

How did our Chief Minister now respond to this irrefutable evidence that he had been duped; and in allowing himself to be so, also misled the States Assembly and public; and thus helped paint this gentleman and yours truly as liars? He fidgeted. He waffled. He made excuses. He tried the line that the Senator's actions had 'nothing to do with Senator Bailhache being his Assistant Minister'.

Hell, he even tried to bull the businessman that he really could not do anything with the complaint 'unless his name could be made public'. Indeed, in what I saw as a quite shameful further attempt at double-edged buckpassing the Chief Minister even told him he should really complain to PPC. But should be aware that Senator Sir Philip Bailhache was himself a member of this Committee.

My God, is there any wonder so many good, decent people are cowered into silence?

Fortunately, however, neither businessman was having any of this. As the complainant put it so adroitly: ''You don't need our names to be made public at all. Give us one valid reason. I have written to you. I have explained in detail what both of us could see. We have even come to meet you in person with the States Greffier to answer any questions. Just who would our names need to go to?'

Yes, the 6 million dollar question indeed! To who and to where would these gentlemens' names go and for what purpose? Ensure their businesses never get any contracts again? To have them socially ostracised? The Jersey Way in all of its insidious and sordid glory. Not surprisingly our Chief Minister did not have an answer. So as a true 'team player' I will tell him - with the help of those words from my constiuent - just what he does need to do.

'Chief Minister, I expect you to do the right thing'...

Senator Sir Philip Bailhache needs to be asked to resign. If he won't go - and given the arrogance he has displayed at almost every turn since being elected I doubt he would - the Chief Minister needs to ensure he is sacked. After all, just remember the Senator's words at the top of this post.

Indeed, remember also that Senator Bailhache actually sits on the Privileges & Procedures Committee dealing out judgement and discipline on other Members. He obviously needs to be sacked from that position too. Are you man enough Constable Simon Crowcroft? Or is the role of PPC only applied to those outside of the Establishment Party fold as so many of us think?

Senator Bailhache has shown himself, once again, to be a politician who thinks there is one rule for him and another for everyone else. If 'Chief Minister' Gorst isn't big enough to show him that he is wrong and thus show him the ministerial door then the Bald Truth of the matter is HE needs a vote of no confidence himself.

And if he doesn't 'do the right thing' let me tell him I'm happy to inform him he will get one.

Keep the Faith.

Trevor

BAILHACHE-GATE 2 - WHAT WAS THE SENATOR SAYING ABOUT 'MALICIOUS', 'FICTITIOUS' LIARS & E-MAILS 'PURPORTING' TO BE FROM THE PUBLIC...

I reproduce below - with full permission - a letter e-mailed from a local resident and businessman to Chief Minister Ian Gorst. Should you not wish to read the explanation here but only the letter itself then simply go straight to the subheading entitled 'Letter' in blue several paragraphs below.

 

As the reader can see, given this gentleman's quite understandable anger and abject disgust at his - and my integrity - being scurrilously attacked by Senator Sir Philip Bailhache during the last States Question Time he has written to the Chief Minister to demand explanations. Having again contacted me my constituent also copied in PPC Chairman, Constable Simon Crowcroft at my advice. This being suggested as some kind of safeguard (hopefully) that the matter will not be simply swept under the carpet in time-honoured Establishment party fashion.

 

So I ask readers, does the information and detail contained suggest anything 'fictitious' or 'malicious'?

 

Indeed, as it has also been described as an e-mail 'purporting' to be from a member of the public; though I have been asked to keep the gentleman's identity anonymous thus far - this being simply due to his understandable fear of repercussions in the true 'Jersey Way' -the original e-mail has also been viewed by a small number of very close political colleagues who can verify its authenticity.

 

Please read it and make up your own mind. And then perhaps ask your self this: what exactly will Chief Minister Gorst now do about the behaviour of his Assistant Chief Minister? A politician, let us not forget, who whilst regularly lecturing other members about 'respect' (often whilst attacking them personally) is also currently the individual we have to trust to represent our interests in Jersey with the hugely important role of having 'responsibility for External Relations'.

 

And remember too, Chief Minister Gorst has not only already demonstrated himself to be only too happy to accept, without question, his Assistant Minister's claim that he was only reading the Korris Report - and thus feed this back to the States Assembly as being truthful fact. He has also since attempted to fob me off with the additional line that whatever the Senator has done he was apparently 'not acting as an Assistant Minister at the time': merely a States Member and a member of the Church of England!

 

So what will he now do? This should - and certainly would - in any professional jurisdiction be the end of Senator Bailhache's 'ministerial' career. After all, Chief Minister Gorst has,of course, recently also been revealed as one of only two complaints to PPC out of many thousands of States employees who I e-mailed simply requesting views about public sector pay and the serious failings within the 'justice' system.

 

Will he now be asking PPC to initiate serious sanctions against the man we all know is really his political master? Will he be sacking him or demanding the Senator's resignation? My bet? Of course he won't. The Chief Minister just simply does not have the Testicular Fortitude. As for PPC - they only really pursue complaints against political Leftists and progressives.

 

They call it 'the Jersey Way'. And this is what the people of Jersey will continue to to get so long as they allow themselves to be hoodwinked by people who believe you all exist simply to keep them in power.

 

Keep the Faith

 

Trevor

 

 

Letter: 21st May 2013 to Chief Minister Gorst...

________________________________
From: NAME REDACTED
Sent: 21 May 2013 14:25
To: Ian Gorst
Cc: Trevor Pitman; aascrowcroft
Subject: Private and Confidential


Dear Chief Minister,

I am writing to you in response to the recent public allegation from Sir Philip Bailhache that I am the creator of a fictitious and malicious email which I sent to Deputy Pitman on 22nd March 2013 so in basic terms ‘a liar’.

You will see below a copy of the original email which I sent to Deputy Trevor Pitman on the 22nd March following a flight that I had boarded on the 21st March.

At this point I would like to point out that I personally do not have a great interest in politics nor do I really have a great understanding of politics but my interest and understanding has certainly grown since the 21st March.

I find it quite unbelievable that Sir Philip Bailhache has publicly stated the information contained in the original email below is of a fictitious and malicious nature. I can 100% assure you that there is only one person in this situation who is fictitious and that is certainly not me.

I have no axe to grind with any of our current sitting states members and can see no reason why I would. That was until being publicly called a liar from an Assistant Chief Minister when they know the real truth, I really do not feel this is appropriate conduct for any states member.

 

The short details I have given in the email below are true of the event that occurred on the 21st March flight from Gatwick airport, I was also travelling with my business partner who is also quite astonished at the allegation that has been made towards me of being a liar to which he is happy to also confirm.

 

I think the question that needs to be asked is if it was fictitious and malicious where would I get this type of information from, ‘ letters from a Robb ****** (signed I will always Love you like a daughter, love Robb)’, maybe Chief Minister you should actually read this letter yourself ,if you have not already, just to confirm this was how it was signed off because I can assure you that neither Mr ****** nor the victim in this would have ever showed me this letter.

 

So whilst Sir Philip Bailhache still stands by his response that he was only reading the Diocese of Winchester independent review I would just like to confirm to you again ‘exactly’ the details of what I was able to see of what Sir Philip Bailhace had in his possession on that flight of the 21st March from Gatwick to Jersey: 

 

Police Witness Statements – Printed on States Of Jersey Police Letterhead. 

 

A4 pages of text messages sent from the victim

Printed and Handwritten briefs of emails sent – from memory the handwritten were on yellow A4 paper.

A letter from the accused addressed to the victim and signed off with ‘I will always love you like a daughter, love Robb’

  

You will note that in my list above you will not see ‘Diocese of Winchester independent review’ as I did not see this document. 

 

*The above emphasis in red by me.

 

Personally when originally giving this information to Deputy Pitman I was merely a concerned member of public that was appalled I was able to see such information being openly read by one of our States members on a plane and at the time I did not really understand the severity of this, now I understand that not only should he have not been openly reading this information on a plane but he really shouldn’t have had it in his possession in the first place, this is something however that I suppose is not for me to question being just a mere member of the public. 

 

The question however I do feel strongly I can ask: 

 

Why would an ‘upstanding, credible and honest’ States member deceive the rest of the States assembly in his answering of recent questions from Deputy Pitman regarding the data protection breach by fabricating his answers to protect himself and why would an ‘upstanding, credible and honest’ states member publicly accuse a mere member of the public as being fictitious and malicious when they know this is a complete lie themselves?? 

 

I guess the answer to that question is: that very States member is not so ‘upstanding, credible and honest’ 

 

I now find myself in the position that I regret deeply the way I cast some of my votes at the last election and I know for sure that I will not be making that mistake again. 

 

Since my first email to Deputy Pitman I have always requested he keep my identity private purely as I do not really want to get dragged down with the Jersey way and given the recent response’s from Sir Philip Bailhache I am actually quite concerned as to what else he could be capable of, so I respectfully ask the same of you and those cc'd on this email. 

 

If you would like to meet me in person just so you can be assured I am not just a fictitious email address then I will be happy to arrange this with yourself and Deputy Pitman in attendance. If you feel it necessary to meet I will also ask my business partner who was with me on that flight to also attend as he is also happy to confirm the validity of this information. 

 

Regards

NAME REDACTED

And a reminder of the original 'malicious' and 'fictitious' e-mail...
 

From: NAME REDACTED]

Sent: 22 March 2013 16:25

To: Trevor Pitman

Subject: Private Information



Hi Trevor

How are you, long time no see or speak! I trust your life in politics is going well!!??

I am writing to you just to welcome your thoughts on a specific matter that arose yesterday afternoon on a flight back from Gatwick.

On taking my seat on the place I noticed that seated in the aisle seat on the opposite aisle to me was Sir Philip Bailhache to which I certainly commend him being seated in an economy class seat!

What disturbed me greatly was on taking off he produced a large amount of documentation to read regarding the recent issues with the Dean of Jersey. Now not wanting to be nosey of course when you are open to read such information I spent 35 minutes glancing at the various Police Statements, pages of mobile phone text messages (which has now confirmed for me that the police can in fact trace logs of all text messages), letters to the Bishop and letters from a Robb ****** (signed I will always Love you like a daughter, love Robb) just for clarification that I have seen this information!!

 

Not only was I privy to this information but at one stage an Air Hostess was also glancing at such information while she was waiting for a new pot of tea to be brought to her, she smirked when she noticed I had been watching her read! At one point he was actually holding parts of the documentation up in full view to the person sat next to him while he reviewed paperwork from his knee!

Obviously certain facts and names are kept strictly confidential from these types of cases but now I for one can name the woman in question and others that have involvement because of this lack of discretion of information being reviewed in a public place.

Correct me if I am wrong but I do strongly think that this is extremely inappropriate? I wasn’t sure how was best to convey this information over so as I know you personally I thought you would be a good point of contact or should I write a letter to the JEP?

I welcome your response.



Regards

NAME REDACTED.


End note...

As a former Senator used to say in the States: 'You couldn't make this stuff up!' Unlike the Establishment who seem wholly unable to tell the truth - even whilst casting aspersions that others who question them are liars.
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