Thursday, 2nd September 2010

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‘Don’t blame Health failings on me’

Senator Stuart Syvret

Senator Stuart Syvret

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

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95 Article Comments

  1. Tony Gallichan

    Quite right too. He spent ages hitting his head against the wall, trying to get things done in health… Constantly being thwarted by senior management – oh, and accused of bullying when all he was trying to do was put things right – and when he finaly said he had no confidence in his departement, they colluded to have him removed from office.

    So, Syvret keeps being proved correct. Hopefully, depsite the careful JEP spin on this story, people will sit up and start taking notice..

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  2. joker

    Surprise surprise.

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  3. tricky

    Why are we giving this man air time! He should come back and face justice before he dares to comment on Island matters. It a disgrace and the Bailiff should sort it out quickly using the extradition process with the UK alread in place before we look even more stupid than we do now!!!

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  4. Adrian

    Typical lack of responsibility “its not me, its not my fault”.

    No back bone as per usual.

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  5. Tony

    Was Terry Le Sueur held to blame over the currency exchange issue whilst the treasury Minister?

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  6. Gobsmacked

    Stuart Syvret is absent from the island by choice and has no right to demand the sacking of any hospital Management. He won’t voluntarily return to Jersey and therefore should keep out of current and past politics until such time as he returns and takes his political seat (should he be allowed. I for one hope he blesses London with his arrogance for a long time yet.

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  7. PJG

    Well come back and face the people you represent if you have nothing to hide ?
    Come out from under your stone.

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  8. David

    Since when has Stuart Syvret ever admitted to anything? He couldn’t even plead guilty to having an out of date driving licence.

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  9. Mulvie Le Phew

    Speaking from his secret underground bunker somewhere in Kent in a statement issues by his lawyers, Sue, Grabbit & Run Mr Syvret said that he was in no way responsible for the department he was paid to run.

    I know nothing about anything he said with conviction, anyone know a takeway that delivers underground he added.

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  10. Nick - St Martin

    This man was responsible for this department for years, he appears to be in favour of accountability for everyone but himself.

    Shameless ans spineless.

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  11. Carl Marx

    No nothing is ever your fault is it Syvret !!

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  12. Bernard

    1. Tony Gallichan

    And where else is Syvret correct? In leaving the island and still getting paid? In accusing people without showing any of us the evidence?

    He’s a liability to the island. This happened when he was head of health so he should be accounted for.

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  13. Ivor Biggin

    And the point of this article is what exactly?

    Does this Verita report not PROVE that what Senator Syvret was trying to do all along was correct? Does it not PROVE that the warnings and serious errors he was trying to high-light were a real and present threat to the fundamental functioning of the hospital, and indeed the HSS dept as a whole?

    Yes, the more we learn, the more we seem to be finding that ol’ Syvret isn’t the figure that some portions of the media paint him to be.

    How does it go………… the more things change, the more they stay the same?

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  14. Matt

    Take notice of Syvret with the history of his behaviour to date? Is Tony Gallichon living in another universe? I think Syvret in charge of Health only exasperated the problem and when he left it is amazing how things changed.

    A few comments on here have suggested he should of worked to put things right and in hindsight he should of because that was his job.

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  15. Aukward

    Did everyone blame blame Deputy John Le Gallais for dumping ash on the reclamation site. No.. and most of you have forgotten who he was. But most remember the civil servant in charge ‘Professor’ John Mulready as the culprit.

    So given the chance the standard ‘cronies’ try to knock Stuart Syvret, but not the sainted Jimmy or divine Ben all of whom had the Verita criticisms ‘on their watch’ as well.

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  16. Peter

    The tragic death is not his fault lets make that clear. But the problems with management were under his wing and he should of worked to get something into place in order to smooth things over. Ministers have a responsibility to address these matters just like Home Affairs and the alleged retrospective bullying in the States of Jersey Police. You ignore it gets worse.

    So I do not accept Syvret’s response to this. He also threw petrol onto the problem by using his blog to demoralise the staff and that on its own is unprofessional plus totally out of order.

    Just go Syvret and do something else more constructive with your life.

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  17. Jill Gracia

    Well who was blamed for bullying the management (poor things) for trying to get somewhere with what he saw as incompetance when he was Health Minister, and who was villified for doing this??

    If Gobsmacked feels he has no place saying he feels the removal of the hospital management would be the right and proper route to go down, I, and a lot of the general public, who after all have had to pay for this incompetance will say it.

    Unbelievable that Deputy Pryke said that no one will be held to account for this as it happened some years ago!!! What is it with Jersey that if things happened in the past it is not deemed worth bringing the culprits to their just desserts?-think child abuse.

    What a sad, shameful and sorry tale this is, and we must never forget that a family lost a loved one. Is this not reason enough to hold someone responsible?

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  18. Charlie

    People are saying its not Stuarts Fault. Frankly, I cant see that we can blame him if we want too. He went on for ages about the problems is the Health and Social Services, and when he spoke out about coverups and incompetance etc, the chief minister and his friends were soon quick to shut him up. Eventually, when we tries to tell certain civil servants just how incompetant they are, he gets accused of bullying and gets kicked out of his position. He maybe could have taken a different approach to reform, i agree, but would they have listened to him even then?. How can it be HIS fault???? He tried, he was ignored, an apparent bully.

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  19. Lieve Hodgetts

    Too right, Tony Gallichan! All the critics above have completely forgotten that Syvret was removed from office BECAUSE he tried to put things right in Health.

    How long does it take people to start seeing reality ?
    Stuart Syvret – removed from office because he expressed no-confidence in Health’s senior management
    Lenny Harper – ridiculed for how he dealt with HdlG after he let the cat out of the bag that some serious cover-ups are taking place.
    Graham Powers – suspended and ridiculed for trying to prove senior management conspired against him.
    And there are others, though not always people that are in the spotlight ! I , for one, still wonder what happened to Wendy Kinnard : why did she resign ? I don’t care what Ben Shenton said, we never got an explanation from her !
    There’s something awfully rotten in the States of Jersey, but many people seem to have a chronic cold !

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  20. NannieP

    Stuart Syvret should return to Jersey and to the States Chamber in order to clarify his position once and for all with regard to this report,its high time he faced his critics.
    If as he says,he was dismissed as Health Minister for trying to bring these very failings in senior managment into the open but was forced out for being critical of the system then he should be given an apology.

    As Tony #5 so rightly pointed out Terry Le Sueur was not held to blame over the currency exchange issue while Treasury Minister

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  21. piston broke

    I blame the ignorant people that voted Syvret in. He not having any management experience and of little intellect could he be voted in as a States member let alone the minister of a major committee. Mind you he is not the only one, they should never been paid.

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  22. cookiecrumble

    Sorry Stuart but for years you and Mr.Pollard attacked the failings of charities on island,including FNHC,when attempting a smoke screen for your own departments failings.If you and the Senior team at Health had concentrated on patient care,instead of power battles and empire building,tragedies such as this would not have happened

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  23. mo

    Carl Mark No10. You are so right and I applaud your support.

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  24. Alan

    Re: Jill Gracia

    I would challenge you to confront people who work at the hospital with these disgraceful comments just to see what kind of reaction you get.

    The hospital does an essential service and to talk about them like is appalling, no doubt you are a ’syvretite’.

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  25. Neil

    CAPS LOCK RESPONSES.

    Lieve Hodgetts
    Posted February 3, 2010 at 5:21 pm

    Too right, Tony Gallichan! All the critics above have completely forgotten that Syvret was removed from office BECAUSE he tried to put things right in Health.

    How long does it take people to start seeing reality ?
    Stuart Syvret – removed from office because he expressed no-confidence in Health’s senior management
    IT WAS HIS JOB TO SORT IT OUT NOT RUN AWAY FROM THE PROBLEM!
    Lenny Harper – ridiculed for how he dealt with HdlG after he let the cat out of the bag that some serious cover-ups are taking place.
    HE TOLD US THEY WERE DIGGING FOR DEAD BODIES WHEN NOBODY HAD EVER BEEN REPORTED MISSING! HOW MANY POLICE OFFICER GET CRITISED BY APPEAL JUDGES? WAKE UP!
    Graham Powers – suspended and ridiculed for trying to prove senior management conspired against him.
    SEE MICK GRADWELL’S SUMMING UP.
    And there are others, though not always people that are in the spotlight ! I , for one, still wonder what happened to Wendy Kinnard : why did she resign ? I don’t care what Ben Shenton said, we never got an explanation from her !
    There’s something awfully rotten in the States of Jersey, but many people seem to have a chronic cold !
    COMMENTS LIKE THESE HOLD NO WEIGHT AND ARE STARTING TO SOUND PATHETIC. MOVE ON.

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  26. Tony Gallichan

    Ok, well..
    (6) Gobsmnacked. He left the island because there was no way he was going to get a fair trial. This was over the data protection charges (8) David, not the driving license. After months of withholding evidence he needed for his defense, as soon as they were forced to give him the evidence, they said it wasn;t admissable, meaning his public intrest defence went out the window – a defence that anywhere else would have been allowed..

    THATS why he left the island, to avoid a sham trial.

    (12) Bernard – I point you to the recent report over the incinerator and toxic ash. Syvret has been banging on about this for years, but no one listened.

    people on this thread are saying that he should have done something. Others have pointed this out, but I’ll repeat it. He TRIED to do something, but was stopped at every turn. People, please realise that jersey isn;t run by politicians. If politicians step out of line, they get removed by non-elcted people…

    The sooner folks wake up and realise this, the sooner Jersey can try to get a working system instead of the corrupt, cover-up, non-accountable ridden one it currently has.

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  27. truthseeker

    Personal likes and dislikes seem to pervade the issue her,let us not compare a bit of nose picking to a hatchet in the head in miscreant terms….overpaid and apparently non accountable people have been enjoying fatwad at the hospital while lesser mortals have run around trying to provide a service,at ground level nurses and domestics mostly seem pleasant,have common sense and work hard..whereas management seem to see it as a ££ career,and you can’t really separate beurocracy from a caring profession succesfully,without dropping the ball.it has been long known and considered a doss to work for the sates especially in management levels,meetings,counter meetings and more meetings,Oh and a few reports and experts thrown in ,include their travel and expenses as well,all regardless of how commercially viable…kicking back and taking the dosh,complicating things to a hideous degree,eg: domestics having to attend elf’n safety sessions about how to carry a bucket of water when mopping..!I kid you not and have evidence..now multiply this errant nonsense a few hundred times and you are beginning to get an idea why you are paying so much tax.then three years to sort the John Day affair out…Please..in the private sector it would be done and dusted,you know why..? they simply couldn’t afford it..well neither can we, so can we have the money paid back by those who made these ridiculous decision or at least your resignations please which I feel in the long term would be a better deal for all of us.

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  28. Davey West

    If anyone who reads the vile blog on here will know that Syvret openly admits that when you are voted in as a Minister you are a lay person with good intentions trying to do your level best. Who do you rely on for clear good, accurate information, the so called professional managers, the top layer civil servants, paid £400 per day.

    So now we understand the situation.

    The Verita report has confirmed that the Hospital Management are poor communicators with their staff. The systems do not work properly, and there are 30 recommendations eight of them urgent. Minister Anne Pryke also recently put out a communication that the hospital needs 35 nurses urgently. Now who told her that ? Verita puts the figure at 65.

    With the Management clearly investigated, clearly incompetent and untruthful even to the JEP. Does anyone really think they would have let the cat out of the bag by informing the politicians of their corporate weaknesses?

    Self interest and look after the top team appears to be the reality.

    Syvret stood no chance ( without confirmation of a Verita report ),after not getting backing in the assembly. Minister Anne Pryke even less, with her bid to move on with the same player’s her recent statement. Tigers and a lamb come to mind followed by business as usual.

    Davey.

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  29. Jill Gracia

    Firstly Alan (24) I would respectfully ask you read my comment again, as at no stage have I criticised the hospital staff, but the management, who have been under fire from the Verita report.

    Communication, checks and balances have been highlighted as sadly lacking which have affected the morale of the hospital staff it would appear, and if you have read the report certain procedures were not in place which could have prevented this tragic death.

    Therefore my comment that someone from the management should be held to account stands. I am sure the front line staff at the hospital do a good job, and it would appear it has not always been under the best of circumstances.

    You have misconstrued my comment totally, and yes, I am a supporter of Stuart Syvret, always have been and always will be unless I am proved wrong. Is this something I should be ashamed of??

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  30. Sanity

    Senator Syvret has certainly put a lot of distance between himself and Jersey since these events. He was paid by the tax payer to head the management teams of the hospital and the child protection. He has failed miserably in both. He has consistently tried to stop this enquiry and perhaps we are now starting to understand why. Senator Syvret was in charge both as Minister and before then as Chairman for many years so I cannot understands his pleading of ignorance and non culpability. If he felt that he was not up to the job he should have come clean long before such tragic events happened. His refusal to accept responsibility for the service he was in complete charge beggars belief and is perhaps a true indication of how shallow this man is – I am sorry but I feel very angry at his reaction from London.

    As for his few remaining supporter who have commented above, please open your eyes. Senator Syvret was in charge a long time before these events came to light and it was only after he was sacked did he start making counter allegations.

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  31. Sanity

    Piston Broke 21 –You are spot on but unfortunately there are very few States members capable of running any sort of business, but then there are very few business who would pay their top executive £40k – no pension and just a 3 year contract.

    Perhaps this tragic failure by a Minister will drive home to the voter that our parliament and those we elect have a very serious job to do that not only effects how much tax we pay but on whose decisions our very lives may depend. After the recent antics of some of our politicians and their petty classroom scrabbles I think we should all be very worried.

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  32. graham

    This is funny coming from a man who points the finger at others day in day out.

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  33. Sanity

    Jill – you state that you are a “Syvret supporter” but as you clearly point out this was not down to the incompetence of one or two individuals but in the total failure of the entire system. If as Senator Syvret claims he remained blissfully ignorant of such a total and comprehensive failure of every aspect of the system for which he was totally responsible for, then what was he doing? Many have claimed that he never turned up to meetings and if so then this may indeed be the case he is still responsible and must accept culpability.
    It was only after these events that he was finally sacked and it may well be that this should have happened far sooner. That he remains in London courtesy of the UK taxpayer, blaming everybody else for his failings smacks of cowardice. As some have pointed out he has never accepted responsibility for his failures for which he blames the Jersey Oligarchy, but lets be realistic he has been given every chance and could have been chief minister. I think the time has come to recognise him for what he is and write him out of Jersey history.

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  34. James

    Syvret is just an attention seeker who failed as a senator because too many people around him were better educated and more hands on the job than him.

    This is why he behaves like he does now.

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  35. joel

    Who does SSS think should carry the can for this incompetence at the Hospital ? The hospital cleaner or the handyman perhaps? Syvret does”nt understand the meaning of resposibility. He has never done “responsible”
    never, never. Look at his irresponsible behaviour over the years.
    Hopeless case, a do as i say and not as I do merchant.

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  36. Tammy

    Well done Verita – a good easy to read, honest report. And well done Mr Perchard for appointing them

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  37. gross misconduct

    I really can’t understand the invective and criticism of Senator Syvret in the comments on this article.

    People don’t clearly understand how the civil servants groom politicians….they are very skilled at this, using what little knowledge they have to great effect to overwhelm the Ministers and unfortunately Deputy Pryke is subject to this at this very moment. The lack of malevolence since Pollard has left is being spun and equated to good management … it is not the same thing. I know I see it in action every day. Nothing in health has changed except the rhetoric.

    Senator Syvret was also groomed, duped by skilled and arrogant senior managers but the fact remains he was the only politician who tried to expose a dysfunctional States department, and look what happened to him… and what message did this send to other politicians – challenge us senior civil servants and we will destroy your political career.

    When he found out the facts (that were previously concealed from him about Mrs Rourke’s case) he went to the police to confess to corporate manslaughter. I fail to see what more could he have done.

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  38. fed up

    Somebody sort this island out eh?…why is it that every issue over here is swept under the carpet when we all know that the entire place is so disfunctional and screwed up. The island is guilty has hell whatever story gets churned up. Lets start afresh with an entirely new goverment and put the present on the dole.

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  39. Blue Knight

    Stuart Syvret showed early promise, but unfortunately became infatuated with his own verbosity.

    Contrary to the views of some, he is intelligent and articulate, but he is sadly misguided and has brought the island into disrepute.

    Irrespective of his claims, the problems at Public Health occurred on his watch, but maybe his endeavours to resolve matters were thwarted by other States members and senior civil servants.

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  40. syd

    James 34. how ignorant of you to say “Syvret is just an attention seeker who failed as a senator because too many people around him were better educated and more hands on the job than him.” There may be many around him supposedly better educated but he is way way more intelligent than the majority of them.He’s been a politician for more than 20years because the public voted for him in droves. I challenge you to name 1 politician who has devoted as much time to his job as Senator Syvret

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  41. impatient

    #28 Davy West, I couldn’t agree more,Stuart nor any other politician stands a chance with these conniving self serving and highly paid politicians. Ann watch out and don’t be taken in by the acting CEO, he may be local, but he ain’t your brother!

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  42. camelia

    James,I think you will find that Senator Stuart Syvret has more brains in his backside than most States members have in their head!Just because they had better Education than him means nothing!I could name a few states members who had a privileged Education and now total Numskulls!

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  43. Tony B

    Another ex polotician gave evidence at certain high profile enquiry earlier in the week. He to had’ no regrets’ and ’saw no reason to accept any blame’. Proved something I’ve thought for years. Fanatics are dangerous, no matter whose side they on.

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  44. Jim

    What a surprise. This man takes no responsibility for the department he was in charge of. Thankfully he will never be in charge of anything as important as the hospital ever again.

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  45. Sarf London Lad

    Gobsmacked (#6) opined:

    “I for one hope he blesses London with his arrogance for a long time yet”.

    Let me categorically assure you that London has absolutely no need for Jersey’s failed, rejected, and past sell-by dated former has-been politicians.

    Send your toxic waste elsewhere, please!

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  46. Jill Gracia

    Sanity (33) – Again, please read my comment properly. I have not blamed the whole system but the MANAGEMENT TEAM, who were responsible for the failings in that system.

    It is there for all to read in the Verita report, and I am just dismayed that it appears that no one will be held to account for the unneccessary death of Mrs Rourke.

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  47. Helen

    Syvret should never have got the job as Health Minister in the first place as it was obviously way beyond him. He should go back to carpentry.

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  48. Joe

    Some of these politicians need to be vetted a lot more heavily before being given a role in the States because Stuart Syvret was obviously totally unsuitable and far too inept and abrupt for this function. The management of the hospital was put into disarray by the Senator and the States should have stepped in much earlier and taken control of the situation.

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  49. Guernsey Donkey

    Some of you crapauds are unbelievable. Syvret spoke out about incompetence amongst management and got ousted from his post as a reward. And now you seek to pin the blame on him for managerial failures??!!??

    You lot get the government you deserve, you really do.

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  50. phil

    Although I am not a “syvrite”, it is clear from the above comments that a small group of ‘deniers’ just can’t bear to admit that Senator Syvret has been proven right on this occasion…just as he was proven right about the random dumping of toxic ash at the reclamation site.
    I am not interested in the petty personality politics that this small group of ‘Syvret haters’ engage in. It’s the hard evidence that is already in the public domain on which my judgement is based…pure and simple.

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  51. mad foetus

    Does anybody – even the most fervant Syvret supporter – believe that he encouraged a policy of openness? In everything he has done he has shown himself to be hyper-sensitive and intolerant of any criticism. If a civil servant challenged his views, SS’s response would have been “I’m elected, you’re not, so shut up or get out”.

    So if there was a culture of fear and secrecy, why do you think that was?

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  52. pt

    SSS ha proven himself to be found wanting and his childish foray into the UK serves to show his shortcomings. why he continues this self imposed excile is perhaps closely correlated to his level of cowardice.

    that said, given SSS has been resident in the UK for over 90 days, one would hope he is now filing a UK tax return and payment tax at 40% on his worldwide income.

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  53. Aukward

    Good Grief I’m agreeing with a Guernseyman 49# Guernsey Donkey and also #50 Phil.

    Yes he can be an opinionated, verbose and over blunt politician , but isn’t that just what we need in small quantities ! A politician that we can trust to be genuinely convinced of whatever case he is on at the time even when you vehemently disagree with him.
    How a Magistrate and Prosecution can come to the view that in his own mind HE didn’t believe his actions were ‘in the public interest’ and therefore could be struck out as evidence is difficult to fathom without descending into ‘conspiracy theories’.
    No wonder my Puffin mates that are left spend all their time looking at the Sark cliffs!

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  54. Tristan

    Deniers? So the way to solve the Management problem is to put a bombastic person like Syvret in charge? You are having a laugh?

    The toxic waste. Why do people keep on saying it was solely Syvret who brought this up? That is quite simply nonsense and it is not even relevant and in case you keep on forgetting there is an arrest order out on this man and that’s hardly an example of good leadership.

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  55. PJG

    Blue Knight #39
    WELL SAID.

    I once voted for Stuart Syvret, I though him a breath of fresh air in Jersey politics.
    OH how you have let me down Stuart.

    PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, STUART,
    never darken my island again

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  56. bella

    yes guernsey donkey.
    He can,t do right for doing wrong.
    he has been vilified for years for speaking out.

    but every dog has his day and his will surely come.

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  57. Sanity

    Phil – I don’t recall it every being claimed that the ash dumped was not toxic; it was the degree of toxicity and the level of danger that was disputed. The term toxic is very emotive and conjures up images of green slime killing everything it touches. Most things are classified as toxic including most of the food and drink we consume every day. Certainly cigarette ash is highly toxic yet our town is covered in cigarette ends. I seem to recall that the report into the ash dumping did not indicate any real health hazard but did recommend that the ash be further contained in special membranes just in case. I am sure that if enough money was spent things could be done a lot better but don’t forget this our rubbish and that 6000 of us have signed a petition against paying further tax.

    Unfortunately many have been suckered [including myself] by Senator Syvret at some point. All his claims have an element of truth which has unfortunately been exaggerated and distorted through paranoia and conspiracy theory. It is very easy to criticise and give the level of competence of our government there are rich picking in this regard.

    Senator Syvret was part of the oligarchy and Minister for health for 8 years so it cannot be disputed that these failing happened under his leadership. He may claim to have delegated the decision making process but he cannot delegate responsibility and as such he should read and take the advice of his own blog.

    Any other politician would have resigned after such events.

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  58. Dean

    I feel really sorry for the hospital management team now. It must have been hell having Syvret running the show and just judging by the bitter and twisted posts on his blog it must have been a nightmare having to run to him with any problems. I imagine it was a ‘locked door policy’ under his reign.

    Lets hope now that the hospital can move on from this sordid chapter and management team can put Syvret behind them, they have our support.

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  59. Davey West

    Sanity you have written several posts the English and phrasing are truly wonderful. The problem is you have cherry picked certain facts while strangely forgetting others.

    The clearest mistake you made is to state that Syvret tried to collapse the Verita enquiry, you are correct. You forgot to mention that it started out conflicted because the hospital management (who’s actions where being investigated ) help draw up the remit.

    By narrow ( its in the detail have a look ) no disciplinary action will taken regarding any member of staff. Cosy don’t you think. Further he wanted and got the support of all the previous health ministers for a stronger deeper inquiry by a completely independent body.

    He has gone to England putting space since these events, correct again. If a politician is not working for the public, who is he / she working for. This is also a different issue.

    ” I cannot understands his pleading of ignorance and non culpability” you say. You mean you forget he went to the police and asked to be charged with corporate manslaughter, the ignorance although a nasty word applies I suggest applies to his fellow politicians who for their own reasons did not support him when he showed the hospital management a red card.

    You probably won’t remember as you are weak on facts, a proposition from him, at an earlier date to make lying to a politician illegal by any States employee. That house did not support him so that failed also, look at the shambles now.

    Sanity with respect, I strongly suggest you read up on the true facts.

    Davey

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  60. FB

    Too right, Tony Gallichan!and other!
    Everyone seems to have forgotten that Stuart Syvret was all ways criticised for speaking out about his findings and concerns about various matters, which included Health, Haut de la Garaene Children Home.
    And as we all know he did speak out! That seems to have been completely forgotten.

    As I recall Stuart Syvret was firstly removed from office because he expressed no-confidence in Health’s senior management.
    I also believe that Stuart Syvret was removed from office because he tried to bring everything that concerned him out in to the open, he may not have all ways done things that other States members approved of or even liked, but at that time I think he was really frustrated because he through no one was listing or taking things seriously.

    Then the witch hunt set in to get rid of him entirely from the States, so that they could gag him and stop him from speaking out about his concerns, and then things could be swept under that Jersey carpet again!

    How long does it take people to start seeing reality ?

    He may of been stupid about the renewal of his license, and the change of his address but other have committed these error in the past, but I get the impression that some one was determined to get rid of Stuart Syvret by hook or crook!

    At present there appears that there is something awfully wrong in the States of Jersey,

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  61. Major Peirson

    Leave it to history

    I think history on its own will vindicate Senetor Syvret. He at least doesn’t hide behind anonymous and fictitious names like many who have commented on here!

    It appears that the old addage, `the truth hurts’, is so true! just listen to those of you who are anti the good Senetor – most of which are no doubt establishmentm stooges. He’s done more for the benefit of this Island and its people then the rest of the shower put together!

    You load of Judas’s ought to be ashamed – there’s no doubt whose pay you would have been in during the occupation years!

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  62. lec

    Me thinks we are getting near to the return of Senator Syvret. Once the deadline approaches and UK tax looms at 40% on his states salary, then Jersey will not seem so bad after all! Mind you when its un-earned income perhaps you can’t complain.

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  63. Linda

    Well I can’t believe the mentality of the people who are having a go at Stuart Syvret over all this, quite simply, he was in charge of Health, he stated the Management practices were bad, he got the sack for saying that and an expensive Verita report was commissioned which has said the SAME AS STUART said in the first place !

    What can’t you understand?

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  64. rico

    The bloke is a disgrace.

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  65. Aukward

    57#Sanity without going into the technicality of ‘toxicity’ and the legal obligations of the Minister under the Water Pollution(Jersey) Law 2000 and his need to ‘maintain or improve controlled waters’ (includes the sea)

    Let’s just take Cadmium . In west of Albert there is an estimated 140,000 T of combined ash at 25 microgram/Kg this would give 30T+ of available cadmium in a mobile environment that could release the oxidised form which is most dangerous.
    It would be misleading to say that the LD50 of 250mg/kg should be divided by 30T but it does show how nasty this stuff and the volume present is!

    For you to suggest it is not toxic or dangerous is simply wrong.

    By the way nicotine LD50 is c 1 milligram/kg and with a cigarette containing 1-2 microgram yes that’s a problem as well!

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  66. truthseeker

    The SS bashers ….ask yourselves this,why would a man upsticks over a petty misdemeanour,after all he has been through,no it can not possibly be as trite or simple as that…but just suspend any prejudice for a mo,you can and probably will return to it,however what if..what if he is right about all this stuff,could it be that what is currently happening in Govt here is so heinous that many of us are blinkered and do not want to stop and are afraid to believe it’s so corrupt. Winston Churchill warned about ww2 many time years earlier,and was branded a fool and an upstart…If it is easier to bury your head in the sand and believe this current dangerous mob,then fill yer boots.

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  67. Matt

    If he put as much energy into the real work than his blog, there maybe something good to say about him.

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  68. Lee

    I note that his supporters on this thread are regular insulters of others on his blog. We spent sometime last night reading the tosh on his blog and have concluded that Syvret is not even worthy of the title of Senator and is no way stable enough to be in charge of any department. Anybody can see why the other 52 States members steer well clear of him he is a loose cannon.

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  69. kate

    Syvret !!!! Syvret who ?
    Oh yes I know the one who gets paid for doing nothing

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  70. Jon

    Lee #68 How could you possibly come to that conclusion bearing in mind most of the posters on his blog do so anonymously.

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  71. Jon

    Bernard #12 said:- “In accusing people without showing any of us the evidence?”

    How do lay claim to the right to be shown the evidence? Are you a policeman? A judge?

    From what I understand, where he has accused people of criminal offences, he has provided the police with the evidence.

    In at least one case (which is subject to a current charge against him) the evidence was collected BY the police – he, rightly or wrongly, put it into the public domain for reasons he considered to be in the public interest.

    The ‘there is no evidence’ mantra is not entirely true and constantly repeating it will not make it so.

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  72. Denis

    I recollect a nurse telling me that as soon as Syvret was removed as Health Minister the morale of the staff actually started to lift again. His removal was probably done at the right time to stop any further damage because his approach to the managment problem was terribly out of touch with the norm and he should of received training before opening his mouth.

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  73. Alastair

    Lee why bother reading his blog? He does nothing but attack fellow politicians both past and present, civil servants in all areas, members of the public who are critics of him, the media who he thinks are corrupt and even other website owners! His posts are actually laughable because he tries desperately to make out that he is uncovering scandal but it only takes a small amount of digging to see that he is making 90% of it up!!!

    One day though he will be made to account for some of his slurs and it will be a day to truely cherish!

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  74. Blue Knight

    Major Peirson # 61. Speaking of pseudonyms, weren’t you killed at the Battle of Jersey?

    People are entitled to their opinions and just because they are contrary to yours doesn’t mean they would have collaborated with the Germans in the occupation.

    As for Judas; you surely can’t believe Stuart Syvret’s followers are in the same league as the disciples. Stuart is just a man, as imperfect as the rest of us. Remember, to err is to be human.

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  75. rico

    Denis, as soon as he is removed as a Senator the morale of almost every Islander is going to lift back again.

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  76. c devlin

    Stuart has been the only one to stand up for the islanders when the chips are down ? are yous beans to thick to see that

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  77. Steve

    Stuart can I have the money my tax is paying you back now please. You were good ONCE, but you’ve lost it big time now. As you are a carpenter Dandara have quite a bit of work on over here at the moment and could probably do with your help.

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  78. rico

    Stands up when the chips are down? Ha ha ha ha! Thats why he runs away to the UK!

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  79. Big Bean

    Morale took a huge nose dive when Syvret was about, he did very little, had limited knowledge of the department he was supposed to run. i have also heard from many, many poeple that he was a bully of the highest order.

    Whilst I agreed with some of Syvret’s concerns, and I do believe that there was poor management and the system needed improving, unfortunately Syvret demonstrated possibly the worst way of dealing with a crisis and therefore made a bad situation much much worse.

    The way he has dealt with the H&SS saga, the HDLG fiasco and the historic child abuse enquiry is just wrong on so many levels.

    His behaviour following his arrest is the icing on the cake for me, and as for his blog, well, to the deluded few conspiracy theorists it may give them something to read and get excited about in their (obviously too much) spare time, but to the rest of the well balanced and intelligent population it’s just a tool he uses to try and boost his already over inflated ego. However, it just makes him look rather silly and sad.

    What a Shame. He was once a very good politician.

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  80. Born Warrior

    “Is it so bad to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took the flesh.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

    As Emerson implied, individuals who wish to challenge old ideas and ways are frequently misunderstood. And in most cases, their ideas (e.g. ‘The world is round; The earth circles the sun, etc.) become the ‘new reality’.
    Strangely enough, the more I read posts which decry Stuart Syvret, the more I like his ideas. It seems to me that those who are trying to destroy this man, are actually strengthening his hold on those who believe that progress is not possible unless people embrace new ideas and ways.

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  81. Hobgoblin

    I am reminded of the sign on US President Truman’s desk “The buck stops here”

    No excuses Senator. This happened on your watch. Do the honest thing and resign.

    As I’ve said before if you really still have the support of the majority as you and your followers claim. Then resign and stand again in a bi-election for your seat. If you are voted in on another huge majority the argument will be settled once and for all.

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  82. Adrian

    People are paid to manage. If they aren’t up to the job they shouldn’t be doing it IMHO.

    I myself find some of the comments above very petty. What must outside viewers think? I also believe a people get the government they deserve.

    MP a good post your last paragraph says it all as far as I am concerned.

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  83. gross misconduct

    #81 Hobgoblin, your quote ‘the buck stops here’ should ring loud in the current Health Ministers ear, Verita has provided much more evidence than Stuart Syvret ever had to act on.

    She needs to remove all of those remaining in the senior management team in health who were involved in this appalling debacle. This includes those now in charge who have moved seamlessly into a vacuum. The consequences of continuing with business as usual does not bear thinking about.

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  84. mad foetus

    “Don’t blame it on me: a life of persecution” by Stuart Syvret

    A musical in four parts, starring John Barrowman as our hero:

    Part 1: How I have always been right about everything;

    Part 2: How everyone else has always been wrong about everything;

    Part 3: Incontrovertible proof that disagreement with my impeccable logic is evidence of being a fascist/reactionary/member of the establishment (bit light on tunes, this part);

    Part 4: In which I return to Jersey as leader of an invasionary force and am crowned “St Stuart” by a population in raptures at the return of the prodigal son.

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  85. Tobias

    LOL Mad Foetus, I particularly like part 4, but surely John Barrowman is far too pretty to take this role.
    Another idea for your musical could be a re-working of the bible, as I can’t help but notice the similarities between Stuart Syvret and Jesus –
    – Both carpenters
    – Both persecuted by the authorities even though they were completely in the right
    – Both the son of God
    – Both will live forever in people’s hearts and minds (ahem)
    Perhaps the new symbol to wear around one’s neck instead of a crucifix could be a gold statutette of St Stuart

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  86. Big Bean

    Tobias.

    you forgot to add

    Both fond of making up stories and both supported by a small group of deluded disciples, most of which were oddballs, outcasts and sinners.

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  87. mad foetus

    I think the big finale should be that Meatloaf classic
    “I would do anything for power (but I won’t renew my driving licence)”

    I agree that John Barrowman isn’t right. Perhaps Jim Carrey is better able to represent the rich vein of humour and self-awareness that runs through everything that SS does.

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  88. kate

    Truthseeker66
    Would you still claim it a petty misdermeanour had he driven into your car and had no licence and valid insurance. I don’t think so.

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  89. mad foetus

    Hmm, my last effort fell foul of the censors. What about:

    “Just blame it on the management
    Just blame it on the workers
    Blame it on the establishment
    Don’t blame it on the Senator”

    “I fought the law and then I ran away”

    Or, to reuse Meatloaf:

    “Like a bat out of hell I’ll be gone when the Bailiff comes!
    Like a bat out of hell I’ll be off to England to claim asylum!
    I’ll doss down on the floor of some Lib Dem’s flat!
    And when he gets bored and kicks me out I’ll expose him as another establishment [at this point I can't find a word that rhymes with flat and is mildly rude]“.

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  90. truthseeker

    88 Kate…Totally invalid argument……insurance was not part of the issue….let’s keep it real.

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  91. Euan Mee

    Truthseeker@90: Actually she’s right, although not charged with having no insurance, the companies won’t pay out if the policy holder doesn’t have a licence, because it’s invalid, exactly as Kate said. Let’s keep it real…

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  92. Tobias

    Truthseeker
    Correct me if I’m wrong, but I do believe that one’s insurance is void if the driving licence is invalid, whether said licence be revoked, out of date, etc. So I think Kate is indeed correct by stating that if the good Senator were to drive into someone else’s property then those nice insurance brokers would be under no obligation to cough up any sort of compensation.
    I do agree with you that not renewing one’s licence is a relatively minor misdemeanour and could be just an oversight by an obviously busy man. But, I seem to recall reading that it was alleged to be considerably out of date. If that’s the case then it’s a bit past what could be regarded as merely ‘petty’ and I’m glad he was brought to task for it.

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  93. Insured

    Tobias #92 I will correct you ‘cos you are wrong. Insurance becomes invalidated if you are banned from holding or have never held a driving licence. There was a well publicised case in the JEP a few years ago about a bus driver who had forgotten to renew his licence. It was confirmed then that the insurance remained valid as he had not been banned and was entitled to have a licence.

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  94. nearlybean

    I tend not too get involved in Jerset politics, I like to think that I am so lucky to have been brought up here and to have been given the opportunity of embracing the island lifestyle. However , HAVE COURAGE OF YOUR CONVENTIONS EXILE. Day to day beans have faced worse in court and have come through it. You are not under manslaughter charges . The people you were the figure head for need your support, or do you have something to hide? If someone in the finance industry , imposed exile on themselves , would we be happy, would you be happy ? Are you waiting for the fatted calf, are you waiting for the PR wheels to turn ?

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  95. truthseeker

    91 and 92 whilst I applaud your chivalrous gesture in defence of a Lady,93 seems to have trumped your chance to mount the white charger.

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