AFR handling: deputies welcome Scrutiny review
Friday 8th March 2013, 5:00PM GMT.
SCRUTINY’S investigation into the handling of the AFR Advocates affair will hopefully resolve the situation once and for all, Treasury’s deputy minister has said.
Deputy Jan Kuttelwascher said news of the inquiry was not unexpected.
Deputy Barry Brehaut said he hoped the inquiry would be carried out quickly because it was in the interest of the States.
Deputy Laurie Queripel, pictured, who was one of three States members to walk out of a Home Department briefing about the AFR affair last week for risk of being compromised, also welcomed the idea of a Scrutiny review.
Home board member Deputy Mary Lowe, who was the only board member to vote in favour of releasing the settlement sum, was delighted Scrutiny would be doing a review.
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A golden opportunity for ‘new’ Scrutiny to prove their worth as opposed to ‘old’ Scrutiny scratching around for something to justify their existence. I seem to remember they settled on a rather timid examination of vandalism in the island
No matter what the end result a thorough investigation followed by a meaningful warts n’ all report detailing who did what,when and why should clear the air and allow everyone to move on
…. unfortunately it might be on to the next crisis with the same group of UK fishermen and our Jersey cousins looking for more brown envelopes stuffed with cash as compensation over the 12 mile fishing limit lack of licenses
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Scrutiny’s Investigation.? Is it just too much to expect complete transperency, just for once. ? It is abundantly clear that people in high and power positions are involved, and the aspect of their incompetence must be thoroughly investigated, indeed revealed. This ‘keystone cops’ type raid in the middle of the night. !! such a waste of tax payers limited funds surely.?
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A quick enquiry should allay any fears that States members bumble around in the dark without due care and attention and in an unaccountable manner..
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Does anyone really believe that this inquiry will be anything but an endorsement of the actions already taken by their buddy deputies?
It will faff about for a few weeks and absolutely nothing will be decided and nobody will be found at fault in any way.
Nobody will be held accountable for the secrecy and cover up by The Deputy 1st minister or his committee or his withholding information that the public has a right to know.
Make a note of this because in a few weeks time I`ll be writing that I TOLD YOU SO.
Royston,
If you really believe your statement then you are a really gullible person and I hope your rose coloured glasses don`t get too fogged up too much before the next election.
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I did’nt believe it either. I dont believe The New Nasty States are fit for purpose..
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So now the integraty of the chairman of the scrutiny committee and his fellow members are now not to be trusted, for goodness sake having recently elected all of the new states, I cannot believe that nobody is to be trusted and it is disgraceful that these comments have been made before the public enquiry has even begun.
And now we are described by one of you as the “nasty states.”
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Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!
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Dave,
May I just say that the members of this House have brought the derisory remarks upon themselves by not having the balls to be honest with the public who pay their wages and who, according to their manifestos, stated that they would be open and transparent.
People have no trust in boards of inquiry because they are run by and populated by States Members and always end up clearing the Deputies involved of any wrongdoing.
The people have an input into the election of deputies by a public election but they have no say in the election of the various Departmental Boards which are decided by the Deputies.
Whoever speaks the best and promises most during the election of the boards will be voted into post. This does not necessarily mean the right person is elected or that that person has the integrity needed in the post he/she is appointed to, example? Deans, Bishops and Cardinals, MP`s expenses fiddles and breaking laws (Chris Huhne)to name a few.
The integrity of ANY elected personnel has to be proven to the electorate and for that then the elected deputies HAVE TO BE OPEN AND GOVERNMENT HAS TO BE TRANSPARENT.
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guernsey the cloak and dagger kings of the finance world
Not a chance of The Truth coming out or for the police to be made accountable
Another guernsey COVER UP
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A voter
That is not true, the members of the States were all bound by a confidentiality clause agreed at the time. It is not about “balls” it is about respecting that clause which is legally binding.
Why do you suppose Deputy Lowe didn’t tell you all what the terms were?
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Because she hasn’t got the balls?
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Yes the fishermen are on the horizon again looking for bait.
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what a waste of money just to find that the home dept acted like a third world dictator, will heads roll?i think not, things will just carry on as usual no rollickings given out to the minister or advisers for their botch up.
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I might also add, where are all of you at election time, where are any of you prepared to take on the roll of Deputy and serve the island in the States of Deliberation.
It is easy to sit in front of your computers hiding behind your pseudonyms and slag off those who do ,accusing us of being dishonest and un trustworthy amongst other things. That takes real courage, it is almost as if you live on the hope that we will make a mistake using the Guernsy Press as your compass on all things.
I am glad I got that off my chest and I look forward to the vitriol of those who will not be able to wait to have yet another stab at those who do find the courage to put their heads above the pararpit.
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“are any of you prepared to take on the roll of Deputy and serve the island in the States of Deliberation.”
An interesting point Dave, up until quite recently I would have agreed with you.
However my opinion has now changed, it is quite obvious that deputies have no say in how Guernsey is being run, it is actually being done behind closed doors by civil servants and other unelected officials. You don’t have any control over them, we certainly don’t and they don’t seem to be accountable to either of us.
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Sorry but I don’t see many Civil Serbants on there feet in the States voting through legislation.
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Dave. Who says we want any more legislation?
I don’t know what happens when a person becomes a politician but I don’t go through life wishing 5 new laws into existence every month. Costs us money every time!
Anyway let’s take just one bit you guys have passed as an example.
How is the animal welfare law that was passed by the States coming on?
Or was that another multi million pound waste of everybodies tax?
I’d suggest a referendum on important decisions, but that is obviously a waste of time. (been passed by the States but not allowed in law, lot’s of ££££’s spent for nothing again)
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Suppose, finding the Public Toilets at the Bus Terminus in an unsatisfactory condition, can one only complain if one is prepared to clean them. If you find the plumber has not done his job to the standard required can you not bring about action to recover losses without being prepared to do the job yourself ?
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I am happy that much of the legislation we pass is needed and other bits not so, but the point is it is those who found the courage to stand for public office who do that. Not people who sit at their computers and continually snipe.
As for the animal welfare law it has been passed and there are perfectly adequate laws to deal with people who perform acts of cruelty on animals today should the police choose to act.
It took its time because the states considered things like the protection of children took precedence.
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I for one trust Paul Arditti to carry out the enquiry that he has promised. However the terms of reference appear limited to the reasons for, and political consequences of, non disclosure by the Home Department. Those who expect reasons for the police actions, answers to why the Law Officers failed to offer correct advice, and figures detailing the true costs will, I believe, be disappointed.
What I don’t understand is how the the Head of Law Enforcement and others can enter into a confidentiality agreement which involves taxpayers money, with or without insurance cover put in place on our behalf, without a representative of the taxpayer (i.e. The Home Minister) being a party to that agreement. Whilst the compensation figure might remain confidential there can be no reason why ALL other costs cannot be disclosed. Very many hours of civil service, law officers’ and court time have been devoted to this matter and that entails cost. The figures released by Patrick Rice are only the tip of the iceberg.
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Taken from States Chief Accountant Bethan Haines BSc(Econ)CPFA 2010 and 2011 reports on the audited accounts for those years ….
STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PREPARATION OF ANNUAL ACCOUNTS
The Treasury and Resources Department is responsible for the preparation of accounts for each financial year and for selecting suitable accounting policies. In preparing those accounts the Treasury and Resources
Department relies on information supplied by various States Departments and Committees. Each States Department and Committee is expected to:
• apply the accounting policies on a consistent basis; and
• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
All States Departments and Committees acknowledge responsibility for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the States of Guernsey.
In the absence of any entry in the audited accounts concerning the compensation payment made to a UK fishing company (said to range from peanuts to multi millions)will the Scrutiny investigation panel be inviting Ms Haines and the relevant Minister of Commerce and Employment to explain that absence?
Without such an explanation would it be fair to conclude that the States of Guernsey employs an unofficial secret ‘slush fund’for such eventualities?
Finally in their report on their investigation
will the Scrutiny panel kindly recommend that the term ‘confidential agreement’should be forever removed from the States vocabulary
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Ha – the same department and staff who gave away £2.6million – that will be interesting
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