‘Apologise to the people of Jersey’
Tuesday 9th September 2008, 2:20PM BST.
Jersey chief minister Frank Walker (pictured) 
was outraged by comments in the Guernsey Press about the child abuse enquiry saying it misrepresented the truth and his letter of complaint is used here in full.
It is not my normal practice to respond officially to editorial comment in the Guernsey Press and nor under normal circumstances should I do so, writes Frank Walker.However, I must correct a number of the assertions in your inaccurate and ill-informed editorial comment on Jersey’s historic child abuse enquiry.As Guernsey’s only newspaper, you have a responsibility to ensure your readers are accurately informed on major issues. In this instance at least you have sadly let them down.
In the first instance you said: ‘Before any harm is done to both islands, Jersey’s chief minister should urgently announce an independent enquiry into the abuse investigation – or risk having it forced upon him.’
Had you undertaken even a modicum of research, you would have known that I announced to the States of Jersey on 31 March – more than five months ago – a full independent enquiry into all aspects of the child abuse investigation to be chaired by an eminent UK lawyer.
The enquiry cannot in any way interfere with the judicial process and will commence as soon as that has been concluded.
When I announced the enquiry, I said that no stone will be left unturned to establish what happened, who was involved and what they did or didn’t do. Whatever suggestions and allegations – unsupported by any facts – may be made to the contrary, that remains and will continue to remain the position.
Secondly, the implication behind the question you pose that ‘if trust and confidence between the police and prosecution have broken down, then Jersey’s good governance is clearly in question’ is simply ridiculous.
Astonishingly, you have failed to ascertain whether there are any factual grounds whatsoever for this supposition and have then gone on to suggest that there may be grounds for the UK Government to step in.
The very suggestion that they might need to undermines the excellent judicial system which has served Jersey well for centuries and continues to do so.
I can assure your readers Jersey’s judicial system is little different from, and in no way inferior to, that in Guernsey.
The police have confirmed that they and prosecution lawyers in Jersey are working very closely together and have an extremely good collegiate relationship.
Contrary to suggestions by some, there is no lack of confidence between the two independent agencies, which are both doing their jobs professionally and impartially.
Prosecution lawyers, including experts in such cases from the UK, are continuing to examine the evidence and arrange a charge in those cases where there is, on assessment of all of the available evidence, a realistic prospect of conviction.
It is not unusual for lawyers to join police investigating teams. On the contrary, it has been done frequently in Jersey in the past and is accepted practice throughout the UK in major investigations.
Jersey’s system is not faltering, it is working systematically and impartially to deliver justice to both accused and complainants.
From the beginning of this investigation, everyone involved had had three priorities.
The first is to ensure the most thorough police investigation possible and that the police have all the resources they need both from within the Island and from further afield.
The second is to ensure that the judicial process is robust and impartial, and that all guilty parties are brought to justice.
The third is to do all in our power to protect and to support all identified victims. Those priorities have not, and will not change.
I feel saddened to have to make this response but your ill-informed and misleading comment has given me no alternative.
I would remind you that speculation or unwise comment by anyone could jeopardise the judicial process, seriously let down the alleged victims or prejudice the fair trial of those against whom complaint has been made.
The truth will eventually emerge and it will be very different from the picture you have sought to present to your readers.
I believe you owe the States and the people of Jersey an apology.
GP Editor Richard Digard replies
Lenny Harper, the officer who led the inquiry until he retired, challenges Senator Walker’s views
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The first is to ensure the most thorough police investigation possible and that the police have all the resources they need both from within the Island and from further afield.
“Are these the very same police investigation the AG has consistently interfered with to the point of intentionally causing schism with the prospect of his medalling being the reason why he will eventually claim these people can’t get a fair trial?”
So Mr Walker you’re talking rubbish again and anyone with a modicum of intelligence can, and has been able to read your intent like a penguin book.
“The second is to ensure that the judicial process is robust and impartial, and that all guilty parties are brought to justice.”
How can any judicial process take place when the majority of those who would enact that process are indeed allegedly implicated in the cover-up of a vast number of criminal and civil crimes? And when you say: “All guilty parties are brought to justice.” That does mean all those who have hidden and manipulated the facts and interfered with investigation as well as those old boys who put pressure upon victims and the police alike?
The third is to do all in our power to protect and to support all identified victims. Those priorities have not, and will not change.
“Support all identified victims” Where? If there is any evidence that you can point to Mr Walker to show either your own support for the victims or the States support or indeed political support. You could show the victims as they have seen very little to no support.
I feel saddened to have to make this response but your ill-informed and misleading comment has given me no alternative.
It saddens you that both the Government and press on an island close to you can actually get it right and you are on the back foot. It shows that you can’t control things that go on externally to your little group of friends.
I would remind you that speculation or unwise comment by anyone could jeopardise the judicial process, seriously let down the alleged victims or prejudice the fair trial of those against whom complaint has been made.
The truth will eventually emerge and it will be very different from the picture you have sought to present to your readers.
And how do you know that “it will be very different from the picture.” You have insight eh? You know of things that the Jersey people don’t know. Is that it?
“I believe you owe the States and the people of Jersey an apology.”
I believe you Mr walker owe the States and the people of Jersey an apology.
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I respectfully disagree with Minister Walker. The only true damaging of Jersey’s reputation is being done now by people such as you, who are in charge of the island. You are showing more outrage at perceived insults than you are for the lives of those children whose remains have been found, and more disgust that people would point out that this happened on Jersey, than at those who committed these heinous crimes. As long as you are more concerned about yourself, and your precious reputation, you will continue to drag your own reputation down to the same level as those who committed these horrible crimes. There is no excuse for your government letting anybody off the hook. You may not be able to charge them right now for their main crimes, but you most certainly can and should have every single suspect in custody, and have charges enough to start scaring _somebody_ to talk. That couple that you and your agents allowed to walk away is reprehensible–and that alone is destroying your precious little island’s reputation.
I had a friend who worked on Jersey for a few months, and had seriously considered taking my wife there for a vacation some time, but the reaction of you and your cohorts has totally turned me off to ever visiting Jersey.The only people who can repair your image is you, by doing the right thing, not defending yourself against perceived offenses.
-Jon
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Dear Frank Walker, how can you say that you are going to investigate all alligations of child abuse while it is YOUR own government who are trying to cover it all up. Why have your so called Legal Teams been allowed to not charge people with these offences whilst a super truthful man like Lenny Harper had the proof to convict these people, even your legal team AGREED to convict until someone ‘Got at them’.
Too many of your Government members have too much to hide for the truth to be brought out in the open, remember that these goods people of Jersey and the victims of these crimes pay your wages.
Remember Mr walker one thing, there are more of us victims than your government and WE hold the power to cut you down and bring you to your knees.
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Can we beleive anything Walker say’s? After all, he has openly admitted that he does not want the Island of Jersey “shafted internationaly”.
So anything aproaching the truth about the crimes that were committed against children in Jersey, and his governments gross failiure to protect the Islands children, will be buried!
Walker should be horse wipped for his part in continuing to abuse those, who under his governments care have been abused enough!
A very ashamed and angry Jerseyman
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When this senator Stuart Syvret was removed from his job, That showed the world you cared about what went on at the childrens home, In fact it showed just how little you cared about the welfare of children, And you comment above proves my point
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Dear citizens of Guernsey,
Please do not take offence at our esteemed leader. Frank is simply trying to uphold his reputation and that of Jersey internationally. Unfortunately he does not possess the brains to do it in the right way; that is, to apologise to us before he demands an apology from anyone else.
I can confirm that Franks views are not representative of the majority of decent crapauds, most of which are appalled at his childish outbursts. Thankfully he won’t be there much longer and we will have a different politician to embarass us in the diminutive shape of Terry le Sueur.
If Russell Brand thought that Dubya was a retarded cowboy he should come to jersey and see what we have!
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Allegations of child killing at Haut de la Garenne appear to have no equivalent in the rest of the UK or in France. They were however extremely common in my country Ireland during the period 1999-04 approx. Several leading journalists, broadcasters and members of “Child Victims” groups claimed that children had been killed at Industrial Schools run by the Christian Brothers. There was a major digging operation at one school – Letterfrack – plus an exhumation of the body of a boy who died in 1970. (This confirmed that he died of natural causes – as had the 1970 inquest.)
However many of these claims actually related to times when no boy had died of any cause. I used the terms “Murder of the Undead” and “Victimless Murders” to describe this hysteria. Unfortunately I won’t get into any Dictionary of Quotations because I find from the Internet that they already exist – in relation to Vampirism for example. (At least this is appropriate!)
The hysteria simply died away and most people have forgotten about it now because the media types who promoted the lunacy, have no intention of repenting.
I think what happened in Jersey is a version of our Irish Witch-hunt.
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Tell that to the victims Rory.
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“Alleged victims” is the phrase I would use. After 6 months of intensive work THREE people have been charged. One has nothing to go with Haut de la Garenne”, one was a former student who is accused of abusing fellow students and only one was a staff member. You could mount a massive investigation of any similar institution in the UK (or the world) and come up with a worse result.
Finding numerous tiny bone fragments is hardly surprising either if you do a major search in similar circumstances. Jersey is a small island that has been inhabited for thousands of years. In addition, the institution is very close to a Neolithic burial site. Stone Age man used to cremate bodies and then break up the remaining pieces before interring them. When will forensic tests on all those fragments be available? It would not surprise me if some date to the Stone Age!
In any event you are left with allegations of child-killing but no corresponding names of dead children. As our former colonial masters used to say: “This is a bit Irish”!
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This whole episode stinks. ‘Apologise to Jersey’? Don’t even think about it Mr Digard. Knowing a number of Jersey folk many are embarassed, sceptical and disgusted by this whole sordid affair.
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