Call for public inquiry over Graham Power suspension

Graham Power has denied any wrongdoing. There should be a public inquiry into the way Jersey's chief police officer was suspended, a politician in the island has said.

Graham Power was suspended in 2008 amid allegations about his handling of the investigations linked to the Haut de la Garenne children's home.

Deputy Bob Hill now wants the States to set up a committee of inquiry.

But Senator Terry Le Sueur, the chief minister, wants a separate review carried out by an independent expert.

Wiltshire Police have been carrying out an independent investigation into the management of the Historic Abuse Inquiry.

Deputy Hill told BBC Jersey: "I've asked the minister, in the interests of justice, to ensure those who are suspected of malpractice have the opportunity of putting their case forward before a public inquiry committee.


I have concluded that an independent review should be carried out
Senator Terry Le Sueur

"Wiltshire are looking into the justification for the suspension - they're not looking into the way the suspension was conducted.

"What the committee of inquiry will cost will be nothing more than about £15,000.

"The committee is a body of people made up from the public, they will not get paid, they will be sworn before the Bailiff to carry out their duties."

Mr Power is due to retire from the Jersey police force in August.

The 63-year-old has always denied any wrongdoing and remains suspended.

Senator Le Sueur has written to Deputy Hill to explain his stance on the situation.

In the letter, he said: "I have concluded that an independent review should be carried out to establish the exact nature of the procedures adopted.

"I will be appointing an independent external expert to carry out a review and will undertake to make the report available to States members."

Call for public inquiry over Graham Power suspension

Investigation into suspension of Hospital consultant

by Ben Quérée

AN internal investigation into the three-year suspension of consultant John Day has begun after an investigation into a patient’s death at the Hospital effectively exonerated him.

Health Minister Anne Pryke announced the review to States Members yesterday following the publication of the Verita report on Monday.

Mr Day – who has returned to work this morning – had been suspended from work since October 2006 on full pay, costing the Island around £1 million.

He did not face any disciplinary hearing and was not called to give evidence at the manslaughter trial of Dr Dolores Moyano, who carried out the operation leading to the patient’s death.

Article posted on 3rd February, 2010 - 2.59pm

Investigation into suspension of Hospital consultant

‘Don’t blame Health failings on me’

By Dolores Cowburn

THE man who had political responsibility for Health when a patient died on the operating table says that he bears no blame for his former department’s failings.

Former Health Minister Stuart Syvret has distanced himself from a damning independent report which has highlighted management failings, a culture of cover-ups and poor practice within the Health Service.

Speaking from self-imposed exile in the UK, Senator Syvret has instead called for the sacking of Hospital senior management.

He wants acting chief executive Richard Jouault, director of nursing and governance Rose Naylor and medical director Richard Lane to leave.

Article posted on 3rd February, 2010 - 3.00pm
‘Don’t blame Health failings on me’

Condemned

Condemned

By Dolores Cowburn

Elizabeth Rourke died when the routine operation went tragically wrong. A MAJOR report into the death of a patient has pointed to management failings and poor practice at the Hospital.

A high dependence on locum doctors, a poor recruitment process and a lack of accountability have also been highlighted as possible contributory factors which led to the death of Elizabeth Rourke.

Mrs Rourke died on 17 October 2006 after a routine gynaecological procedure went tragically wrong. One of her major veins was perforated, which led to a massive blood loss and her death.

Dr Dolores Moyano Ontiveros carried out that procedure and was charged, then
acquitted, of Mrs Rourke’s manslaughter. A subsequent report by independent UK consultancy Verita yesterday pointed the finger to a series of failings within Health.

Article posted on 2nd February, 2010 - 3.00pm
Condemned

‘A culture of cover-up and rivalry’

By Carl Walker

Health Minister Anne Pryke at yesterday’s press conference with Health acting chief executive Richard Jouault (standing) and Verita’s Julian Woolfson, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, Ed Marsden and Derek Mechen Picture: TONY PIKE (00882486)

A FEAR of speaking out, a culture of cover-ups and a lack of common purpose between doctors and civil servants have all been alleged in the damning Health report.

Further claims that too many patients are being referred to the Hospital because GPs make money from referrals, and that consultants have an ‘unhelpful rivalry’ over doing private work have also been made.

During their investigations into the death of former staff nurse Elizabeth Rourke, independent consultants Verita found that many of the people they interviewed made serious allegations about how the Hospital and Health Department were being run.

Verita felt that some of the claims were so serious that they compiled a secondary report highlighting some of the most serious allegations and recommended that further investigations be launched.

Article posted on 2nd February, 2010 - 2.59pm
‘A culture of cover-up and rivalry’

Feds_Want_More_Corporate_Data

Feds_Want_More_Corporate_Data

Sex attack offenders ‘did not get fair trials’

By Dolores Cowburn

The appeals are being heard in the Royal Court
THE two men convicted of sex attacks on children have claimed that the ‘media frenzy’ surrounding the historical abuse inquiry meant that they did not get fair trials.

The two launched their appeals against their convictions and sentences in the Royal Court yesterday.

Claude James Donnelly and Gordon Claude Wateridge were both give prison sentences last year as part of the high-profile inquiry. But defence Advocate Mike Preston, who represented both men at their trials, claimed that the juries were so affected by the investigation that they would have convicted the men regardless.

Wateridge (78) was convicted in August of 11 counts of indecent assault and one count of common assault. He was sentenced to two years in prison. He was too ill to attend yesterday’s hearing in the Old Library after suffering a stroke on Monday.

Donnelly did appear, flanked by two prison officers. The 69-year-old looked gaunt and tired. He is serving 15 years in jail after he was convicted in June of five counts of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and one count of procuring an act of gross indecency.

Article posted on 20th January, 2010 - 2.59pm

Sex attack offenders ‘did not get fair trials’

Chief Minister pledges to take file note ‘seriously’

By Elaine Byrne

AN ALLEGED police file note claiming that top civil servants plotted to remove former Health Minister Stuart Syvret from office was at the centre of a States debate yesterday.

As a result, the Island’s Chief Minister, Terry Le Sueur, has now promised Members that the matter will be treated seriously.

The confidential file note was said to have come from suspended police chief Graham Power and was disclosed by Deputy Trevor Pitman during States Question Time.

It was alleged that the Island’s chief executive officer, Bill Ogley, led a meeting with top civil servants in July 2007 to remove Senator Syvret, who was the Health Minister at the time.

Keeping in line with parliamentary rules yesterday, only the civil servants’ titles were used and no names were mentioned.

Article posted on 20th January, 2010 - 2.56pm
Chief Minister pledges to take file note ‘seriously’

Syvret: ‘I expect to be expelled from the States’

By Andy Sibcy

SENATOR Stuart Syvret has confirmed that he is not returning to Jersey to take his seat in the States, as fellow Members return today after the Christmas break.

Speaking yesterday from London, where he is staying in self-imposed exile with Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, he said he would not come back because he had been ‘constructively excluded’ from the Island by the ‘manifestly corrupt’ legal system.

Senator Syvret also confirmed that he was not ill, adding that he was prepared to forfeit his seat in the States as a result of his prolonged absence.

The Senator has not been to a States sitting since October. Under parliamentary rules he faces losing his seat if he does not attend for six months.

He said: ‘If I end up being expelled from the States – and that could happen, yes, and indeed that is probably what will happen – am I prepared for that? Yes, I am. I don’t want it to happen, but it might.’

Article posted on 19th January, 2010 - 2.56pm
Syvret: ‘I expect to be expelled from the States’

‘No conspiracy’ over chief’s suspension

By Diane Simon

CHIEF Minister Terry Le Sueur has rejected claims of a conspiracy at the highest level of government over the suspension of the Island’s police chief.

Deputy Bob Hill wrote to Senator Le Sueur last week urging him to show leadership ‘before the matter runs further out of control, further damage is done and needless public expense is incurred’.

Strongly disputing the suggestion of a government conspiracy, Senator Le Sueur told the Deputy that he was satisfied the matter was not running out of control and he hoped the outcome of the investigation could be completed and published soon.

Speaking to the JEP today, Senator Le Sueur said: ‘I agree that this matter has gone on for too long and I have told the Deputy that in my letter, and hope to see it sorted out as soon as possible.’

Article posted on 18th January, 2010 - 2.58pm
‘No conspiracy’ over chief’s suspension