Friday, July 9, 2010

The Wiltshire Report. And Yet Another Abuse of Process

Here are two self-explanatory open emails to Senators le Sueur and le Marquand, from Trevor and Shona Pitman. Even to the bitter end, any substantial fault there may or may not have been on Chief Constable Power's part continues to be overshadowed by ongoing abuses of process by the Home Affairs and Chief Minister's Departments.

"Dear Terry/Ian

Please could you tell us all, why the Wiltshire Report has been sent to the media (embargoed) before Members of Government. Please tell us why this happens so often - the COM are always telling us that 'it won't happen again', but it always does. It shows nothing but disrespect and contempt for your colleagues. Also, could you tell us if this is the full report.

Once again, a hugely important piece of information and States Members (or non-exec Members) are left out. Can we have some answers.

shona"

"Ian & Terry

Just to follow this up from Deputy Shona Pitman. Please could you tell us why you feel it acceptable or necessary that the Media should be given this document (much redacted of course) to go over for three days longer than States Members? That it is embargoed for reporting is irrelevant.

With several hundred pages wouldn't it be far better for all involved if the rest of us States Members were given time to digest this and come up with appropriately informed, searching questions for the presentation? Perhaps not, eh...

Could you also tell us all why I only found out about this issuing of the document through a media contact?

Could you also tell us why, even as a States Member, upon inquiry I was initially fobbed off that nobody knew if the media were getting copies - when it was quite clear from my earlier inquiries that ten lovely shiny new copies hot off the press had winged their way to the Chief Ministers Department this Friday afternoon?

Why I was eventually told by the Deputy CEO that it was simply all down to a problem with the printing, and you were hoping to send everything out but couldn't because of the rush with the Business Plan.

But then told I still couldn't - as a States Member - have one even if I drove down that minute and saved the taxpayer the postage? Where was the inconvenience - I could have picked mine up along with Channel, BBC, 103 and the JEP!

Finally, as per Shona's e-mail, please tell all of us, right, left, centre and greens amongst us - what kind of 'government' deems it correct or conducive to the development of 'inclusive' government to send out such a hugely important document to journalists before other elected members of that government?

Actually, don't bother answering the last one - I will do that for you. It is the kind of government that time and time again treats non-executive members with utter contempt; a COM so arrogant and bloated with self importance that it just doesn't care about acting in this fashion; it is the sort of COM for which the first priority is always to spin the angle they want the public to buy.

Out of interest will States Members also be issued with the full details of the complaint the IPCC instructed the MET to investigate reference alleged evidence and witnesses that the authors of the report would not incorporate? Having no axe to grind for anyone but purely being interested in fairness and transparency as I am I am certain you will make sure that this is done...

Just for the record, Ian made mention of people eating 'humble pie' in the States this week. Though I wasn't referred to as one of them, fact is that as I have focussed all my questions on the truly appalling handling of this incredibly flawed suspension process from start to finish - I have already been proven right a 100 times over. This latest shambles really puts the icing on the cake.

I now just can't wait to hear first-hand about the senior civil servant who wasn't involved in any way in receiving illegal police reports on the backgrounds of States Members...

[Trevor]"

33 comments:

  1. shocking!
    This is the beginning of the end

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh you do have to laugh at the mad-cap world of Ian and Terry. Give them their due, they never, ever miss a chaance to look bloody stupid! What I would like to see is someone manage to leak a full copy of Wiltshire - and then compare whatever the Home Affairs Minister gives us, the public. Now that would be interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The arrogance and contempt of these two ministers towards other States members really does beggar belief.

    You have every reason to be very angry, as indeed the electorate should be as well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well done Trevor and Shona,
    I wonder how many more of our elected representatives will do the right thing and protest at this unfolding disaster

    ReplyDelete
  5. Trevor.

    This whole shambles just gets from bad to worse and believe me, it's about to get alot worse (for Ian and Terry).

    The commenter who would like to see the full version of Wiltshire, that could very well happen in the near future!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Trev. The HDLG Fce blog must be desperate, they are now publishing fake posts claiming that you compared Jersey to Cecescu's (not sure if I spelt that right) fascist Romania in the States Chmaber! Hell's bells, I remember this statement being made very well and it was made by Monty's friend, Nic Le Cornu at a public meeting. Honestly, some of these sites will say absolutely anything to give a false impresion.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This complaint to the MET about what was apparently not included or even considered for the Inerim Report or afterward that Trevor has raised in the States. Do you think either you or we the public will ever get to see that side of the coin? Seems wholly unjust if we don't. Surely Ian Le Marquand can get hold of it in the interests of fairness?

    ReplyDelete
  8. ILM will not want to see it. The complaint has been made by Lenny Harper. the Met tried to fob him off but he complained to the IPCC who then ordered the Met to investigate it. I am sure the result will surface.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Trevor.

    Thanks for the interview I will put part 2 up soon.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Maybe Mr Power does deserve to be suspended. But if we are committed to a fair and equal society, as I think our new Strategic Plan says, then why the heck isn't Ian Le Marquand suspended after this latest shambles? Beyond belief!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Not being funny but is this really hot news?

    So they haven't got a report yet but will get it after a presentation, I kind of think there is plenty of time to digest this report and ask questions so will say a mountain out of a mole hill springs to mind.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It might not be hot news to most people, and thus only a blog, not a press release, but Ministers showing contempt of the House certainly matters to its other Members.
    And you are so wrong about there being plenty of time. The intention is to issue the report the day before the debate, so that nobody has any chance to examine anything thoroughly. While the press who will not be participants in the debate can have all weekend to prepare their coverage.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Imagine for a moment, A member of the public after hearing or reading the media re this report, then decides go to their states member and question him about the article.

    The responce? ''sorry cant help you I know nothing about what is in the JEP Radio etc, I have not read the report.

    Well the member of the public is going to accuse the unlucky member of the States of lying.

    This is incomprehensible.

    ReplyDelete
  14. "Why I was eventually told by the Deputy CEO that it was simply all down to a problem with the printing, and you were hoping to send everything out but couldn't because of the rush with the Business Plan."

    In these days of PDFs and emails, that simply is not credible!

    "Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them had you? I mean like actually telling anybody or anything."

    "But the plans were on display ..."

    "On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."

    "That's the display department."

    "With a torch."

    "Ah, well the lights had probably gone."

    "So had the stairs."

    "But look, you found the notice didn't you?"

    "Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying Beware of the Leopard."

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have absolutely no problem with the Wiltshire Police report being published, Every last word of it.

    I strongly object to the disrespect shown elected members of the States of JERSEY

    How can it be right that States members interested or not...
    here (I would expect every States member elected to be up in arms)

    A States Member was refused a report that was paid by the States of Jersey and to know they were not privy to that report yet media were)

    Surely anyone can see this is wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Trev

    Are you pleased that you kept all your questions directed toward the process of the Power case? Seems like those who didn't, like Bob Hill and Simon Crowcroft, might end up eating humble pie?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Good luck today Trevor, (bashing away at that brick wall).
    You and the other good guys are being noticed by more people than you would believe.
    That is, being noticed by the voting public who desperately want/need change!

    "Eating humble pie" you are suposed to be on the same side!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Had to laugh reading Ben 'ILM is my hero' Queree's piece in the paper. So Crowcroft, Hill and Trevor Pitman have just asked the same question over and over again, Ben? What any decent reporter would have been asking is why this none too bright little politician who so enjoys his own voice would, or could not answer - ever. The answer is clearly because all the Senator is interested in is letting things ride so that Power neever has the chance to get his side of things heard. Farcical. I can't work out who is the more pathetic, Le Marquand or Queree.

    ReplyDelete
  19. If you are reading this Trevor can you tell us if you have seen the "States member" post on the farce blog? calls you an attack dog for questioning Le Marquand and seems to suggest he must have been really miffed by all of this?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Deputy Trevor PitmanJuly 14, 2010 at 2:12 PM

    Hi Anonymous

    Sorry but this will just be a brief reply - I will try and post something at greater length by the weekend as I do want to comment on a number of issues.

    In answer to your question. No, I hadn't seen that particular comment. Maybe I'll check it out if I can find the time. Having said that I would make only two points for now.

    Firstly, people, no matter what blog they write on have the right to voice their opinions, and that must include the HDLG site. Does it trouble me? No.

    Secondly, I can just point out that whatever Ian Le Marquand's difference of opinions with me on this - and we have many - should anyone bother to ask him he would tell you that he recognises the validity of my line of questioning focussing on the process underlying all of this. However uncomfortable for him this might have been.

    Hence his deliberate exclusion of mentioning me within his 'humble pie' comments. Maybe the poster on the other blog should ask him. Actually, as I have said, I am 100% happy with the justification of pursuing this line of questions.

    To this regard the Senator seems to believe that he can justify all the failure to meet deadlines, and the failure to stick to budget in this unnecessarily drawn out 21 month long saga. I obviously don't agree. That's politics.

    I will be giving him the chance to convince both me and anyone else interested next week.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Posted on The Jersey Gazette et seq.

    Just let me get this right!

    Power and in particular his minions kept some info on States Members in a locked cupboard in the Kremlin.
    This ‘could ‘ be used for anti-democratic purposes ‘if’ the info. was leaked to third parties.
    Fair enough! but these are our police and although it might seem contradictory the do need ‘police intelligence’ to operate effectively. Wiltshire agrees that these files were never intended for ‘vetting’ purposes.

    So far so good , none of this gives me any loss of sleep.

    But then Wiltshire make a recommendation that;Consideration should be given that
    ‘Prospective ‘applicants’ (their words not mine)for political office should be vetted BEFORE putting themselves forward’

    Hold on a minute! just how anti-democratic is that , in that some undisclosed body of ‘right-minded’ should say who should stand for election !!!!

    If this is the calibre and intent of the Wiltshire Report and ILM sticks by it’s ‘right-minded ‘ conclusions then I for one are collecting pallets from Normans for the barricades.



    Read more: http://www.thisisjersey.com/2010/07/15/secret-files-on-states-members-threat-to-democracy/#comment-72297#ixzz0tpLyTEP3

    ReplyDelete
  22. Argh. What have you lot done? Warcup was Jersey's best chance at having a decent police force and now he has gone. Why oh why did you keep attacking him? No one decent will want the job now and why should they? What a (another) disaster for Jersey.

    ReplyDelete
  23. We didn't keep attacking him. We, or one of our Deputies, did badger the Minister to justify the attack on Warcup's predecessor, which has still not been done in an entirely satisfactory manner, but I don't remember us having a go at Warcup. Unlike Mr Syvret, who, you should have noticed, is definitely not in our team.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anon

    You posted a comment without checking the facts lol always the same

    rs

    ReplyDelete
  25. Did you ever get an answer to why the JEP got the Wiltshire report before states members?

    ReplyDelete
  26. The JEP and co got their copies first because the bungling dolt that is our Home Affairs Minister had to make sure they were kept swet to follow the Jersey Establishment Party line. JEP... Get it... The Jersey Establishment Post.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Gone very quiet on here for the past couple of weeks. Any particular reason? It was very busy in terms of comments up till then. Seems a bit silly not post just when a lot of people, judging from my circle, were starting to read it.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Its been a mistake losing Warcup no doubts about it. Crime figures down since he took it over said it all. I wish the JDA would get away from this subject completely now and concentrate on much more important issues like redundancy in the States, taxation and unemployment problems for young people.

    Now come on, we did not vote for you to talk about Graham Power all the time, this year the JDA for me have been disappointing and that by-election was just a PR disaster. I am afraid that unless you start tackling the real problems this Island is going through I will be voting elsewhere next time, you give me no choice and I know there are new people that will be standing who will be addressing these issues after watching you.

    ReplyDelete
  29. The JDA have not been disappointing just the stupidity of Geoff Southern in putting loads of hard work and progress at risk due to his big fat ego in being so desperate to stand for Senator. Trevor and Shona should kick him into touch or even consider getting out as we can't afford to have good politicians like them dragged down by someone who seems to put his own career before everyone else.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Geoff Southern is the heart of the JDA together with Ted Vibert and just because Syvret supporters hate Goeff for standing it makes no difference to me because I have time for Geoff and no time for Syvret.

    Syvret should never of stood. Taking a 6 month holiday / stupid legal asylum bid to London was so pathetic if I were one of his supporters I'd actually be embarrassed about it all.

    The JDA should move on and forget the gutter politics of Syvret and his "minute" number of supporters.

    They are not interested in the well being of this Island and its hard workers, they just want to cause mayhem on the Internet. Really productive politics.

    ReplyDelete
  31. "They are not interested in the well being of this Island and its hard workers, they just want to cause mayhem on the Internet. Really productive politics."

    So true.

    There is nothing on Syvret's blog from either him or any of his known or anonymous cowardly followers that is there to help the people of Jersey in any form whatsoever when we have so many worries right now.

    Geoff Southern has shrugged off the Syvret bullying and is concentrating on what he believes in and thats to help the people who voted for him as best he can.

    Shona Pitman has also had to put up with abuse as well and again has just distanced herself away from the nonsence.

    You cannot ask for anymore and I prefer to see a tryer working in the States like Geoff Southern and a facer of the Court even than a loser like Syvret who took off as soon as somebody put the heat up.

    The Syvret supporters will have to accept it sooner rather than later that it is over.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Geoff Southern "is the heart" of the JDA? Well, he certainly doesn't appear to be the brains.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Did Trevor or Shona Pitman get a reply to the open email July 9th Re the question asked of Senator Le Sueur or Le Marquand

    Could someone point me in the right direction if this has been answered.

    ReplyDelete

We shall not accept comments that are offensive in language or content, libellous, irrelevant or deranged.
We have no means of editing comments -it is all or nothing. So, if there is any of your comment we can't use, we can't use any of it.