AN attempt is being made to prevent Senator Stuart Syvret from delivering his Christmas speech in the States as Father of the House.
Senator Syvret has revealed the contents of an internal e-mail from Housing Minister Terry Le Main asking all Senators – and Senators-elect – asking them to consider changing the tradition that the longest-serving Senator addresses fellow politicians before the Christmas break.
Senator Le Main has admitted that he is trying to stop Senator Syvret from ‘hijacking’ the speech to make ‘very negative comments’. Asked whether he was doing this in the light of Senator Syvret’s comments last year – where he used the speech to comment at length on child abuse issues – Senator Le Main said: ‘Yes, to be honest, it is. Following comments made on his internet blog, there are quite a few of us who fear that he intends to use the speech to say certain things.
Senator Le Main added: ‘Traditionally, it is the Father of the House that wishes fellow Members, and other users of the States, Christmas wishes and goodwill but we do not want it hijacked by Senator Syvret.’
Pictured: Senator Stuart Syvret in the Royal Square
Article posted on 31st October, 2008 - 4.02pm
51 Article Comments
For goodness sake, it’s only a speech!
What are the states members afraid of?
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You can tell Senator Terry (GST28) Le Main won’t be facing his electorate again!!
He and the rest of the COM can try and keep a lid on Senator Syvret but I think it will only come back to bight them in the b-m if they now try and break with tradition and prevent the father of the house delivering his Christmas speech.
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Democracy??
Freedom of Speech??
Dictatorship??
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There was nothing wrong with what should have been last years Father of the House speech. It was one of which we the people who voted Senator Stuart Syvret into the States were happy to hear so how dare bullying Senator Le Main attempt to interfere with this years speech.
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free speech??????????????
i think short of arresting stewart syvret, his speech will be heard anyway.
in the chamber or outside
reminds me of the movie about Ghandi.
will syvret become a political prisoner?
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When the Uk’s prime minister stands and makes his speechs do you hear Consertatives shouting him down or trying to block him from talking…NO.OK they Heckle. As tradition the Father of the House makes his speech and if its inapproriate let the public decide if it is. The Bailiff used his speech on liberation day to speak out regarding the press but did Walker jump up shout no! No he did not. The public decided it was not the correct thing to say on Liberation day. Let him speak and remember that we are in the modern day world of free speech. THIS iS THE JERSEY WAY.
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As someone once said years ago, they make it up as they go along.
Are the various states members afraid of Syvret’s eloquence?
A parallel might be drawn between this forum and the assises d’heritage. In the latter, the Bailiff is able to hold forth [as his right in custom] to an audience who must listen to what he has to say. When, however, Senator Syvret wishes to speak in the house as Father of the House [as is his right in custom], it is a very different story. He should be allowed to speak and the Bailiff should disallow any interruption. That, of course, did not happen last year and it would be unfortunate if Syvret were to suffer this year due to the ill-mannered members who trespassed on his speech last year. I am sure that any hecklers at the assise d’heritage would be quickly removed so why the differing treatment?
Is it not the case that Le Main is the aggressor and the hijacker here as he was last year?
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Senator Terry (GST 28) Le Main and his cronies in fear of Senator Syvret saying certain things in his xmas speech as Father of the house ?
One thing’s for sure Stuart wont be telling any lies if he does say something that some people dont like.
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Seems ironic that we are about to celebrate the courage of men who fought and died to give us freedom however a member of establishment is trying to thwart freedom of speech. Do the Council of Ministers only want to hear the usual predictable speech, if so why carry on the charade, they can just pat each other on the back in their own time.
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If Terry Le Main gets to read this, then let him ponder this: The Baliff’s speech which saw him and his post brought into question was a political speech from an unelected official that the public heard. Those members of the public that felt it was inappropriate commented on it. Senator Syvret’s comments will be for an audience of elected officials, without the benefit of the public being present or able to comment on its content.
This is a worrying development to the public, those forgotten and marginalised people who pay the wages, if not the millions hidden away of our politicians.
Senators and Deputies, let the Father of the House have his say and you have to take criticism, then do it like professionals. Where you need to make changes, do so and move on. Otherwise, we have to conclude that this Council of Ministers is not the right one for the job and like the outgoing Education Minister, then you can all find yourselves voted out soon enough.
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Am I missing something here ??
I voted for Senator Syvret along with many thousands of other law-abiding Jersey citizens. We have repeatedly voted for him because we believed he is the best person to represents us. Naively, that’s what I understood is how a democracy works!!!!
Gagging Senator Syvret only indicates to the rest of the democratic world how sick Jersey society has become.
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This mind-boggling childish!
The Soviet Union and Jersey Channel Islands Governments would appear to have a lot in common.
Oh well, just another cover up ‘the Jersey Way’ is what people are saying on the street about this one.
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Dear members of the States chamber and representative of the people.
If you do not believe in the sound (voice) of democracy in the house, resign!
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I was taught that, while I may not agree with what someone says I should defend to the death their right to say it. This sort of cowardly bullying behaviour is at the root of the malaise that is doing more damage to the States than anything Senator Syvret could ever possibly say in public. If the Father of the House chooses to use his speech as an opportunity to bring the House’s failings (and my word they are legion) to the Members’s attention then surely the best thing to do would be to listen. Carefully. And then change the lousy way you behave. This attempt to stifle free speech would be condemned as disgraceful if it happened in North Korea or Zimbabwe. The fact that it is happening here is outrageous.
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On what basis would Syvret be prevented to give his Christmas speech? Fear of embarrasment again? I seem to remember Le Main was one of the more vocal Members during last year’s speech. Since then I have noticed only a handful, maybe 6, of Members rightfully questioning the apparatus of government especially in relation Jersey’s disgraceful inability to deal with child abuse.
Maybe Le Main could spend his time better by trying to bring in a sex offenders register and controls on released sex offenders both from Jersey, and those settling here.
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If I were Stuart Syvret I would refuse to do a speech on the grounds of what happened last year. He should just request a two minute silence for all the abused in Jersey over the years. This would send a loud and clear message to those in charge that people are not happy with the way things are over here.
Anyone who attempts to shout that down would be shown in such a bad light I doubt they would ever get releected again.
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“there are quite a few of us who fear that he intends to use the speech to say certain things.”
As opposed to what exactly?
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Syvret is one of very few honest and trustworthy members of the States. Terry Le Main’s past shows that he is neither. What is Terry Le Main afraid of? The truth?
I will do my utmost to go and listen to Syvret speech in the Royal square.
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Senator Le Main should think again, Senator Syvret is entitled to give a speech to the house, I assume that members do not have to listen to the said speech, and could leave the chamber?
This proposition casts an unfavourable shadow on the state of democracy in Jersey, and makes one wonder what is really going on in this government?
If only the same force for change was directed in other areas, for example getting a sex offenders list up and running. I think this present Council of Ministers may find the electorate would be more impressed with such endevours as opposed to silencing the Father Of The House, and giving the international media more cause to denigrate Jersey,
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Like Paul said Freedom of speach.
It just a shame they can’t shut some of the other old boring members who can’t see any further than the end of thier noses.
Stand up Mr Syvert and say what you want to say and let the Jersey people hear what you have have to say.
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I suggest Le Main and whoever has put him up to it read a copy of the ECHR in particular the article on freedom of speech and reflect upon it!
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Dear Minister(s),
alternative strategies you may wish to employ during the speech are; putting your fingers in your ears and shouting loudly “we can’t hear you”,
calling him names like “Stinky Syvret”, firing spit-balls from your biros.
Or you could just grow-up and act like adults for a change.
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What can he say that hasn’t been said already?
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Sara All he requires is a chance to say what he was prevented from saying last year when the establishment pulled the plug on his microphone.
Is freedom of speech not The Jersey Way? as that is how it looks to anyone with a brain.
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Freedom of speech is one of the fundamental foundation stones of human rights.
Either Jersey signs up to this or it doesn’t.
If we don’t then you can wave good-bye to what’s left of our international reputation for dealing with human rights issues.
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Just wait until the British Media gets hold of this – added to the allegations of secrecy about Haut de la Garenne earlier in the year, Jersey will become even more of a laughing stock. And you wonder why people don’t want to visit anymore….
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This snowball is sure going to gain momentum
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I’ve never been a political person, but I will gladly give up an hour of work to support the right to free speech. Let me know when and I will come to the Royal Square to hear Syvret if the old guard stifle him again.
Let’s show states members that they have to listen to the people or walk the (political)plank.
Come one and all, this is a threat to our freedom!
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Yes Stuart should have his say !!
He is the Father of the house ( that title drums up thoughts on an elder giving thoughts of wisdom )But what a pity if he uses this privelidged occasion to rant on and cause major embarasment to the silent majority of right thinking jersey men and women, as he did last year !!
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Do none of you realise what kind of an island we live in!
One, where nothing is sacred and absolutely anything can be brushed under the carpet by the powers that be if it shows them in a bad light, without one iota of shame, as if it is their god given right to hide the truth and be barefaced about it!
You all speak about freedom of speech as if this means anything in Jersey, remember we live in an island that doesn’t even have an anti discrimination law (wonder what the British Press would make of that)!
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Isn’t everyone missing the point?
Syvret can give a speech whenever he wants to. Le Main does not seem to be trying to prevent that. All he seems to be saying is that the Christmas speech should be kept traditional i.e. the father of house wishes everyone merry christmas and thats about it.
He’s only saying that its inappropriate for the father of the house to use the opporunity as a political soapbox. Whether you agree with this or not, it is a valid opinion and clearly not an attempt to stifle free speech.
Syvret can stand up in the Royal Square afterrwards and give a different speech if he wants to.
No doubt the UK press will jump on this in the same way you lot seem to have done.
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I think some people are forgeting that it was Syvret who was in charge of the health department when many of the accusations were supposed to be happening.
More importantly – this speech isn’t about freedom, it’s about a personal slagging match between politicians who hate each other. To hide that fact under the guise of freedom is an absolute disgrace.
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I believe this is traditionally a ‘State of the Nation’ speech rather than a ‘Happy Christmas’ and ’slap yourselves on the back’ speech, so, as such, should include good news as well as bad, and, most importantly, be truthful and accurate. Open and transparent. There have been clear attempts to bury bad news this past few years, and it’s not fooling anyone any more.
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So ‘Whatever’, let me get this straight. You are saying that one of our most senior island figures should not use a traditional occasion to make a speech of a political nature?
Are we talking about Senator Syvret last Christmas or the Bailiff on Liberation day?
Free speech is just that. Ironically one of the reasons why we wanted liberating.
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both stewart and terry have been in the states along time, maybe stewart would give terry the duty of the christmas speech.
terrys done a lot for housing in the past 18months, bringing a better standard of homes to local familys who as yet cannot afford a motgage.
i can not wait for the new states loan scheme,
or what ever to bring homes to the young and not so young of the island.
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Joker – the reason this is such a critical free speech issue is that we live in an Island where the government has no valid opposition at all and the only way that dissent can ever be heard is when it is voiced in the States Chamber or out on the streets, and normally politics is about trying everything you can do to keep debate in the Chamber and off the streets – ask the French Royal family about that one. There is no opposition party to test the government’s ideas and no second chamber like the House of Lords to add reality checks, and I believe that we all suffer from unrepresentative and pretty poor government as a result. To have members of the Council of Ministers conducting secret campaigns against other States members that hold different views in an attempt to prevent them speaking is exactly what Robert Mugabe does. It is a small but critical step towards dictatorship and we have to speak out against it. This should not be the ‘Jersey way’ as some have called it – we have to be better than this.
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Syvret’s use of 50 words when 5 would do makes me dread any speech he might make!! He uses long and complicated sentences to try to impress everyone and hide the fact that he is uneducated and rather ineffective at his job. Being the longest serving states member, he should take the most blame, rather than blaming everyone apart from himself. Basically, the man has lost the plot and the sonner he keeps his promise to leave the States the better.
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I think the Dean would be the most appropriate person to deliver the Christmas message in the States. It is meant to be a time of peace and goodwill “to all men” whatever their political persuasion.
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It is a very sad reflection on our society that that we can’t set aside just one day of the year to wish everybody well. Senator Syvret has 364 days to put his view across which he does very well so the “free speech” issue is rubbish. It is about acting in a Statesman- like or grown up manner. Please don’t let the Senator drag Jersey down to the gutter levels of many foreign parliaments where insults and abuse are the norm because if we do we will not have free speech. As Father of the house he has the privilege of wishing his fellow States members as well us the public a happy Christmas. If he can’t do this then he should not say anything.
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Terry Your response is spot on!
We could use a little more respect in the house and maybe that will filter into the rest of the Island that seems to have forgotten how to live peacefully as human beings and seems to want to tear itself apart by tring to create factions!
Democracy is about the people working for the people and I do not see that much of what Senator Syvret has done over the last few years has aided anyone. Ranting about poor performance and failings over a department that he chaired for many years even before ministerial government appears to be shere hypocrasy! He was responsible even before minsterial government and must accept that he has failed in much of what he has done. I have to question his legacy.
While Terry Le Main has had the occasional lack of judgement they have been minor compared to the major problems he has dealt with and the improvements in the states housing! In my eyes he has achieved far more than Senator Syvret ever did for the ordinary people of Jersey without feeling the need to go outside of the island to drum up support from those who would like to see this Island as a backwater and minor westmintser constituency!
To me results speak louder than words!
Come on Jersey you can be so much better than this!
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Yes Robert, results do speak louder than words.
If you check the results from us the people of Jersey in the Senatorial Elections the incumbent with the highest number of votes is Stuart Syvret; which says to me a lot of people support him and what he does in The States
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Bruce – I agree with you totally. However given the history between these politicians we need control over whether this speech is about challenging the establishment or about personal grievances. I think the former is being used as an excuse for the latter and that is what I find unacceptable.
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Paul- yes we DID all support Syvret. However there he has gone from a harmless maverick to a subversive who will do all in his power to destroy Jersey and its people. 3 years ago I totally agreed that the person topping the polls should be our chief minister. I now accept I was wrong and thank goodness for ALL of us that the States saw wisdom and ignored our call. I think you should open your eyes and see that Syvret would have reduced Jersey to a sub county of England, with the closure of our finance industry, mass unemployment and taxation that makes our GST insignificant.
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I do wonder what Charles Dickens would have to say about forbidding speeches or the like on any matter of social concern at Christmas. I’m sure I know what Scrooge would say!
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Syvret has let down the people who voted for him by his rants and destructive nature. Given the he made towards Freddie Cohen comparing his comments to those of Nazis at Nuremburg, I don’t think he deserves the label as Father of the House nor the privilege to make the Christmas speech. This should be from someone who follows the rules of the house and someone we can respect – many people who did vote for him now regret it. He is not interested in democracy, he has shown over and over again he is autocratic – his way or no way. His way or you’re labeled “establishment”.
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Its quite interesting to read all these comments. It starts with straight to paper knee jerk support for “Outspoken” Stuart and then progresively those that consider what he has done realising what a crass undemocratic embarasment he has been.
Just like his political carear, He started out wooing the easily pleased who after tasting his version of good government realised his true colours.
Were he to run for election now I am sure he would even poll lower than Frank.
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I agree with Rosemary – we could have an alternating round of clerics from all of Jersey’s churches giving the Christmas address and so remove the political element entirely. Far more appropriate. Let’s see the States try to gag them if they choose to speak out about child abuse in the Island.
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I don’t quite agree with PJG about Syvret; if he were to run for election I am under no doubt that he would triumph over Walker. People respect his attitude to rebel, and it is all in good faith.
He has the well-being of Jersey at his heart and seems to go to any effort to make sure his thoughts are heard.
Democracy is about free speach. If islanders don’t believe Senator Syvret should have the right to the Christmas speach then woops on their behalf – he’s the longest serving Senator, and you voted for him.
Keep up the good work Stuart!
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I may be too young to remember or be a part of the occupation, but i am beginning to think islanders stuck together more then than now for freedom. What is wrong with wanting truth, justice and accountability and standing up for what you think is right against all odds? Sometimes it’s just not easy being right or is it left, i’ve never been up on politics! At school i was led to believe that politics had no place in Jersey, we had the States and thats the way it was!
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An interesting point about the UK press, I was in the living in the UK when the Syvret Walker “misunderstandings” were going on and people found it very funny, it added reason to their standard comments, e.g inbred.
I hope the UK press does hear and make a big thing of this to show up the states.
If anyone wanted the truth about whats going on in the states who would they go to, I’m confident most of those not into making big money would go straight to Syvret
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“Whatever, Joker, Terry, Robert, PJD” etc.
It’s amazing how spin can so quickly subsume the truth.
I’ve never wanted the UK to subsume Jersey. What I have wanted was what our forefathers fought for – such things as the proper and objective administration of justice – and free-speech.
If Jersey is “destroyed” – it has been reduced to that state by the establishment which has been in charge all these decades.
For the life of me – I can’t see what’s “undemocratic” about delivering a speech. On the contrary – I would have said those trying to stop free speech were being undemocratic.
And, most importantly, what has been ignored by these commentors is the fact that the speech I was delivering last year was not a ‘rant’; instead it was the first time any States member had ever stood to acknowledge the truth, and express empathy to the abuse survivors.
Shouting it down was despicable.
Stuart.
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