There have been many battles along the way, some have been won some have been lost.
Today however, I believe we won the war for vulnerable children in Jersey who come into contact with the criminal justice and welfare system.
Despite the stress, the worry, the bullying and intimidation, the lies, the deceit and condemnation, today has made the whole ordeal worth while.
Never again will a vulnerable child held in the secure estate in Jersey, be locked up upon arrival - a time when they desperately need to be cared for and reassured.
Never again will a vulnerable child have to endure lengthy periods of solitary confinement.
Today has been a big day for those of us who have been fighting for justice for these children. It has also been one of the biggest kicks in the teeth for the politicians and senior managers.
The very people who have spent the past 18 months telling you all that I and Senator Syvret are lying, that we are disaffected.
In fact, they have been so hell bent on denying that anything was abusive that they have scored the most spectacular own goal yet.
The boomerang of political spin has finally come full circle and hit them square in the ass!
So, where do we start.
I intend to post a series of blogs as the days unfold. I also want you all to shout about my blog from the rooftops, email your friends. If a few of you can be bothered even post fliers around the island. If someone can get some car window stickers made then do it.
We need to expose the truth, prevent the usual bullshit spin from diluting the truly damning evidence within the report.
In my view, this report is even more damning that the infamous Cathy Bull report back in 2001.
I will hopefully be attending a number of media interviews over the coming days. Breakfast time with Roger Bara at 7.05am on Tuesday booked in so far and the JEP.
So that I am prepared for these interviews, so that I can provide the evidence needed to counter the usual spin from the States of Jersey I need some help. I need you to help me collate all of the statements, that the senior civil servants and politicians have given to the press in the past 18 months.
It is this evidence that I will use to call for a full and independent investigation into the handling of my original complaint and about the Grand Prix system.
If anyone can help with this, searching through Community Care website, the States Greffe, all of the major press websites and provide me with a link and their statements.
This can only work for statements that give direct quotes, it cannot be paraphrased statements.
Once I have this evidence I will be writing to the Chief Minister and Senator Shenton requesting the immediate suspension of any individual that can be proven to have been involved in the cover up of the Grand Prix system.
I will also be making a further statement to the Jersey Police with regards to any of these individuals who have perverted the course of justice or misconduct in public office.
You can access the full report by the Howard League on http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/jersey/7727840.stm
To give just one example of the kind of evidence that I am after consider the following;
After I had made my original complaint on the 1st January 2008, Marnie Baudain, Mario Lundy and Tony Le Seuer requested that Phil Dennett undertake an investigation into my complaint.
The terms of reference given to Phil Dennett were as follows;
"...investigate all professional practice and policy issues at the Greenfields Secure Unit in order to establish whether quality of care, welfare and human rights safeguards are of an appropriate standard and quality".
In Section 12 of his report, Phil Dennett stated,
"12.7 There are no signs or reports of an abusive regime being operated in either the former or present Greenfields"
Now, I am no lawyer, but does this not prove that Phil Dennett has been involved in a cover up?
If not, it certainly proves that he is incapable of carrying out his job.
He was either aware of it and covered it up or he was not aware of it and should have been.
There is plenty of evidence available we just have to find it. I know that the following people have made statements about the Grand Prix system;
Joe Kennedy
Phil Dennett
Senator Vibert
Bill Ogley
Senator Walker
Marnie Baudains
Mario Lundy
Mike Pollard
Steven Austin-Vautier
Tom McKeon
Senator Perchard
See what information you can get for me.
Please, this is very important.
I am not interested in hear say, just fact. Only factual evidence that can be corroborated will be published on this blog. Any rumours however will still be gratefully received but not published!
Simon
