From Deputy Geoff Southern, JDA council member.
THE letter from John Craddock (JEP, 22 November), which was a straightforward attack on the Jersey Democratic Alliance, contained a number of errors and misrepresentations to which I ask for the right of reply.

Firstly, there has been no JDA makeover, magical or otherwise. The JDA has not changed its principles since 2005, and is campaigning on broadly similar policies in 2008. These principles are increasingly seen as a commonsense and centrist base for progress in Jersey.

Secondly, the JDA is a completely separate entity from the Time4Change grouping. Despite having ‘borrowed’ our 2005 slogan ‘It’s Time for Change’, there is no connection between the two organisations.

The JDA is still the only registered party in Jersey and stands its candidates on a clear and agreed policy platform. Time4Change is merely a pressure group.

Finally, both groups are accused in the letter of making political capital out of the Haut de la Garenne affair. This is incorrect. The JDA has deliberately sought to avoid any political exploitation of the child abuse scandal during the election, and has commented only on the consequences when directly asked at hustings. This attempt to attack the JDA with a slur which ought to be properly directed elsewhere should not have been published at this time.
La Rochelle,
Bellozanne Road,
St Helier.