Sunday 14 March 2010

A credible fictitious story?

Today Sunday the 14th March 2010, our Chief Minister, Senator Terry (P9-26) Le Sueur, along with Deputy of St Marin Bob Hill were “live” guests on our local weekly Radio Show “Talkback”.

The subject matter was “who is running Jersey, the Civil Servants, or the Politicians.”

One member of the public who phoned into the show was a member of Team Voice. Where he put it to Senator Terry (P9-26) Le Sueur that the Civil Servants are running the island, and in particular, the Head Civil Servant Bill Ogley.

The Team Voice member went on to explain, that no less an authority than our most Senior Police Officer, had sworn an affidavit claiming that Mr. Ogley had been involved in engineering the dismissal of a democratically elected member of our parliament namely the (then) Health and Social Service Minister Senator Stuart Syvret. Indeed CPO Graham Power had this to say in his Affidavit.

“I attended a meeting of the Corporate Management Board (C.M.B.) This is a body which brings together the heads of the islands public services to discuss policy issues and provide collective advice to Ministers.

T he feeling in the room was tense and there was general talk about the questions asked by the Health Minister and the need for some sort of action in response. I had the feeling that “something was going on” to which I was not a party. After the meeting the Chief Executive, Bill Ogley, asked me to stay behind. Also remaining were the head of States H.R., Ian Crich, the Chief Officer of Health, Mike Pollard and the then Chief Officer of Education, (Tom McKeon who has since retired.) The Chief Executive said that it was anticipated that the Council of Ministers would tomorrow be asked by the then Chief Minister, Senator Frank Walker, to pass a vote of “no confidence” in the Health Minister and that this could result in his removal from office. I was then told of measures that had apparently been put in place to facilitate this. I was told that the islands Child Protection Committee (C.P.C.) was due to meet at the same time as we were meeting and that arrangements had been made for it to pass a vote of “no confidence” in the Minister. It was then suggested that as the heads of the relevant public services we should do something similar and that this would give support to the proposal that the Chief Minister would bring forward the next day.

I was shocked by this and initially did not know what to say. I eventually made two points. Firstly I said that the Minister was entitled to ask difficult questions. As I saw things that was his role and it was our role to provide a response, and secondly, even if that was not agreed, what was being proposed was civil servant and police engagement in political activity. I stated clearly that I did not see that as acceptable and that I would have nothing to do with it. At this point the Chief Executive asked me to leave the meeting which I did. I then made contact with a police colleague who had been at the C.PC. and discovered that this colleague had also had left their meeting for similar reasons. Shortly afterwards we both made brief notes in relation to what had happened. This was my first noteworthy experience of the formation of an “inner circle” of politicised senior civil servants loyal to the Chief Minister. The Chief Executive and the head of H.R. subsequently played a significant role in my suspension.”

Let us remember, this is a sworn affidavit submitted voluntarily, should there be any falsehoods contained in it the Chief Police Officer risks a perjury charge.

The Team Voice member went on to explain to our Chief Minister that contained within the same affidavit was an allegation from CPO Power that the Chief Executive Officer Bill Ogley had stated if “they” (presumably the police?) wanted to “get” a fellow Civil Servant who was a suspect in the ongoing historical child abuse investigation, (and remained in post, not suspended as a neutral act) then they would have to “get him first” (Bill Ogley). Chief Police Officer Graham Power had this to say in his affidavit.

“The third example I have chosen relates to a Strategic Planning Workshop held at the St Pauls Centre on Friday 24th October 2008. The Workshop was attended by a number of senior public servants including myself and the Chief Executive. At the commencement of the workshop the Chief Executive asked for silence and said that he had an announcement to make. He named a senior civil servant who was present. The person named is a suspect in the abuse investigation but has not been suspended. The Chief Executive said that the suspect had his total support and that “if anyone wants to get…….(the suspect)…….they would have to get me first”. This announcement was applauded by some but not all of the persons present. I took it as a further indication of the “in crowd” closing ranks against the “threat” of the abuse enquiry. The Chief Executive later played a significant role in my suspension.”

The Chief Minister replied by saying he hasn’t seen any evidence to prove any wrong doing by his Chief Civil Servant, and his Chief Civil Servant has denied the claims, and he (the Chief Minister) has every confidence in Mr. Ogley.

So this is how things work over here in good old Jersey. Our most senior ranking Police Officer, swears an affidavit that the most Senior Civil Servant has been involved in, what most would consider to be “illegal” and anti-democratic activity. The Senior Civil Servant denies it and that’s good enough for our Chief Minister. No investigation or inquiry into the claims made in the affidavit, there’s no need the Civil Servant has denied it, nothing more needed.

I believe it was Lenny Harper who first used this quote and it sums it up really and that is you couldn’t make up a credible “fictitious” story with this stuff.
For those who would like to view Chief Police Officer Graham Power’s Affidavit in its entirety click HERE

8 comments:

mac said...

So an affidavit by a the Islands most senior Police officer is not evidence to our Chief Minister, but a letter by another not so senior Police officer is. No wonder this Island is in a mess.

Anonymous said...

In Baghdad, Comical Ali claimed that the Americans were far away whilst a US tank drove past behind him.

Comical Terry claims there is no evidence (of anything!) and accepts his chief officer's say-so as proof - live on air and the internet.

People in power in Jersey tend to be simultaneously breathtakingly thick and hugely arrogant, believing in themselves, and their efforts, so much that they actually perceive themselves as being hugely competent world class statesmen - while the world listens in and laughs out loud at the jumped up (but still dangerous) little twerps.

You couldn't make it up!

GeeGee said...

The arrogance of the Comical one! No wonder a lot of people are very angry indeed.

An honourable and decent Police Chief in a sworn affadavit, makes a statement that Tel Boy 1 dismisses as irrelevant on the say so of the Ugly one.

I think we know who we would prefer to believe. Shame we can't offer them a lie detector test!

This oaf of a Chief Minister must go, and soon.

Anonymous said...

TLS is a disgrace and should be ashamed he is a weak man covering up for the out of control senior civil servants and there abuser friends

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the first hour of Sunday's Talkback programme, which shows that when BBC Radio Jersey make an effort they can produce constructive and informative material. The interview with Syvret showed a degree of bravery by the BBC as they have for too long been ignoring his comments. Whilst it was somewhat predictable, we were at least hearing a critque of the political system as it operates in Jersey.

The second half of Talkback was very dissapointing. What could have been a very exciting topic produced very little of interest. One might say that in only sixty minutes there was not enought time to get going. However Bob Hill sought to attack the Chief Minister on a very narrow front indeed, that of the suspension of Chief of Police, Graham Power. The subject of who runs Jersey is far wider.

There will be no discussion anywhere of those that really hold power in Jersey. No, its not the Civil Servants, the Freemasons or Jews. Its right under your nose everytime you walk throught the town of St Helier - its international Banks. The power of Finance;the power of finance Capital, dominates the economy and political arrangements of the island. The island has been "captured" economically and politically.Indeed that dominance means there can be no discussion of the Elephant in the Room. The obvious that cannot be discuseed because it is too embarassing. Too much discussion in Jersey is limited to yellow lines in St Clements and cobbles on the hight street at St Aubin - trivial crap. A discussion around the relationship between Finance and politics would have been a lot more enlightening than the mechanism of the suspension of Graham Power.

Tax Havens, or secrecy jurisdictions have peculiar political arrangements around the world, all of which have in common the limitation of debate and the management of democracy. There is too much to hide, too much dirty washing, for there to be open debate.

Anonymous said...

Sunday talk back, well its a start I suppose.
What got me was the denial by Ugly about the climate of fear.

Today I was finding myself swearing at that Matthew Price. Listen to Jersey Today 16.3.10 from 2hrs.28 mins.
Edwin Le Gough's comment on SSS- ...'The establishment....WHAT EVER THAT MAY BE?' Come on Mathew, we all know you added this in. And what about that comment about saying the Chapman report prooves he is a bully.... you read this so badly its hard to tell if its your words or Edwins. Matthew should know better than to interupt in other peoples statements. Then Matthew speaks in a really aloof voice about the law kicking in to remove SSS in April. Then (and I just thought he sounded like a real twat....) he quoted Edwins call for biased, un cut factual news. Matthew adds in a really sarcastic voice 'tell you what, we are going to give you unbiased, uncut , factual news.' I don't believe him. I can't stand listening to this man.

Also, is it true that Barra has left? I saw him a few weeks ago looking really miserable at Les Q sport hall. The next day he wasn't on air. I assumed he was either; off on another holiday, going to Nepal to watch Jersey play cricket, off to London to speak with the BBC lawyers. Please could someone confirm why he hasn't been on air for ages. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Where is Roger Bara?....................dunno

Anonymous said...

Oh what a circus! Oh what a show! (apologies Tim Rice)