A Master class in how to destroy trust
Yet perhaps the recent about turn by the Committee Chairman, Francis Oldham QC resulting in Jersey's 'bloggers' suddenly and quite unceremoniously being prevented from reporting on hearings from the Media room - an inarguable breach of their own agreed Protocols surely - marks a new low in that it demonstrates our worst fears: this being that regardless of all the many assurances the Inquiry really isn't as independent from Establishment influence as those overseeing it would claim?
After all, that the excuse for removing Voice For Children's Neil McMurray and former St. Martin Deputy, Bob Hill was stage-managed by the local BBC on behalf of the Jersey MSM - sorry, the State Media - McMurray even being treated with such crass discourtesy that he was prevented from finishing his lunch in the building - is surely beyond question. Remember neither man had breached the COI's rules in any way whatsoever! Yet they are being penalised. We thus say it again - a true Master class in how to destroy trust by anyone's standards. Let alone long-suffering victims of the most horrendous abuse.
Aren't breaches of Protocol meant to apply to everyone?
The above is of course a stark contrast to the behaviour of the Jersey MSM itself since the Inquiry began. ITV (formerly Channel Television) had filmed witnesses arriving at the Inquiry building without ever asking their consent. BBC Jersey managed to go one better in their contempt and actually filmed victims INSIDE the Inquiry building! Yet were either of these 'accredited' media organisations barred like the wholly innocent Hill and McMurray? Of course they were not. Once again for experienced justice professionals who must understand winning - and maintaining - the trust of abuse victims is everything hardly a response from the Chairman and her team likely to engender it?
The excuse these sorry events have been hung upon is, of course, the somewhat farcical aggrandisement of being media 'accredited' and the even more mystical process by which someone can earn this most dubious of distinctions. For let the 'Not The State Media!' team be quite clear on something: 'accreditation' has nothing whatsoever to do with actual professionalism. For as has been reiterated time and time again by the abuse victims it is the bloggers - the citizens' media - whom they trust Trust simply because the victims know they have told the truth - and done so again and again even under the most vicious and heinous of attacks over many years. All while the likes of the BBC, ITV and Jersey Evening Post have done the exact opposite - even, of course, being quite willing to accept media awards for their lies.
The danger is that victims will withdraw crucial evidence
Given that the Committee of Inquiry has long had access to the official review into the Financial Management of Operation Rectangle undertaken by a Scrutiny Sub-Panel I happened to Chair myself they surely cannot have failed to notice this rather disturbing truth: misreporting, distortion and even total fabrication of fact regarding the abuse scandal being spun to the Jersey public by the 'accredited' Jersey MSM is a phenomena that has existed since Establishment Grandees like Philip Bailhache and Frank Walker first got the inkling that Stuart Syvret would not be shutting up; and that Graham Power and Lenny Harper would not be signing up to 'the Jersey Way' like their predecessors had done.
Indeed, whether it be the fictional £7.5 million being wasted by Power and Harper; statements about bodies; coconuts or non-existent basement dungeons Jersey's State Media have lied, lied and lied again. Yet there they still sit in the Inquiry's media room whilst Hill and McMurray are now excluded. And it is the core reason as to why the pair's expulsion is so disturbing to so many victims. For to add a little personal testimony just as I have sat with the likes of Hill and McMurray in the past whilst victims bravely poured out their tales of abuse I have now also sat and listened as victims tell me they are no longer sure that they trust this Chairman or Inquiry. - and even feel they ought to withdraw their evidence lest it be distorted once more! I consequently ask: if final truth, accountability and closure is what we desire could we really wish a more negative development just because a few 'accredited' egos have been bruised by the peasants doing a more professional job?
Will Truth now be buried along with its Champions?
As one of the few political figures of the period who has already given two lengthy sessions of evidence to the Inquiry lawyers I have to say that the events outlined above also cause me personal misgivings as to whether doing the undeniably 'right thing' in the interests of justice will now prove anything more than contribution to at best a box-ticking exercise - at worst a whitewash. For example - and I don't wish to go into great detail until I feel the process is beyond salvage. I have already named a significant number of names involved in judicial failings with the evidence to back what I have said up. I have even given extensive details of a large amount of missing evidence relating to abuse at Haut de la Garenne - including several crates of letters from both distraught parents and lawyers - and with this the names of the States employees who took this harrowing material into their possession. Prior to it... disappearing again! Material that the States have of course not yet handed over!
With honest citizens media journalists like Neil McMurray and Bob Hill removed in such a shabby and unprofessional way what confidence can I now have myself that any of this - including the individuals who need to be named - will ever be reported to the wider public that they should know? I certainly cannot rely upon the 'accredited' media to do so. In fact what confidence can I now have if this 'independent' Inquiry is seemingly not actually so independent at all that this damning evidence will even ever get to be heard in public? Like the victims I too need some answers and fast.
Trevor Mark Pitman for the 'Not The State Media! blog 6/9/2014
