Minister facing an inquiry steps aside
Tuesday 1st June 2010, 3:00PM BST.
Senator Terry Le Main, who says that he wrote to the Law Officers because he felt that a prosecution was wrong
HOUSING Minister Terry Le Main is stepping aside from duty temporarily while inquiries are carried out into whether he tried to stop the prosecution of a long-term friend for breaking the Housing Law.
The allegations – made in the Royal Court by a Crown Advocate on Friday – have prompted an inquiry by ministers and the promise of a vote of no confidence from Deputy Geoff Southern.
Senator Le Main has told the JEP that he has done nothing wrong and that he and the property developer in question, Frank Venton, are not friends.
But he says that he will resign as Housing Minister if the inquiry announced by Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur on Saturday morning finds that he was at fault.
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
JEP Jubilee Editions
Saturday 2 June: Guide to Celebrations
Wednesday 6 June: Souvenir of Events
View The Queen in Jersey supplement
Travel
To, from and around the Island
Airport Arrivals/Departures
Harbours Arrivals/Departures
Bus Information/Timetables
This is Jersey
Jersey Evening Post
Useful links
never the brightest button on the blazer was he …
Report abuse
Why aren’t the police investigating it?
Report abuse
It will be a sad day if Terry leaves Housing god help us if Southern gets into Housing
Report abuse
Stepping aside…at full pay per chance?! Seriously I thought that this kind of thing was going to stop with all the reviews into reviews of suspensions and all. Or maybe I’m just delusional in believing that anyone but the lowest of the low in terms of pay and conditions were going to be affected by the states spending review…
Report abuse
Anywhere else the Minister would resign, ‘time to spend more time with the family’. Time for a change, coming as this does on top of a unfavourable report on Terry Le Main’s Department.
Report abuse
Is “stepping aside” a new term for “suspended from duty” ???????
Report abuse
What else can we expect from a Govt that operates in secrecy,uses the tax payers quids to fight a Freedom of information law…and is doing deals behind closed doors all the while…how many wealthy have threatened to spit the dummy out and then been granted tax concessions by the people at the helm…without proper reform the 3M’s will remain.. Methodists,Masons,and Mandelesonites…time for a total reform and an accountable and transparent system…just look at David Laws…a very bright and able guy…now out of office and a loss to the Condems…why….secrecy…would not be open and honest…yet if ourschool teachers taught and advocated lieing and deception to our kids we would want them lynched…so there you have it the double standard….in the single entendre..we need reform now with all the urgency that the U.S.oil leak needs capping. let us not shrink from the challenge and get these blighters bought to heel.
Report abuse
Let the man off for crying out loud, TLM is a legend and at least he turns up for work.
There is nothing wrong in helping friends out even if it is true, he knows as well as everybody else that he has no influence over the AG and nor do other more infamous ex-states members who keep on appearing in court.
Report abuse
I’m intrigued by the website photo. Why does Terry appear to be waving goodbye?
Report abuse
This stepping aside had better not be on full pay.
Report abuse
Whether the Senator was a friend of the defendant is immaterial and not a defence. TLM tried to use his position to interfere with the due process of the law. His action, if proven, makes his resignation, unavoidable
Report abuse
#7 “let us not shrink from the challenge and get these blighters bought to heel”
At what price?
Report abuse
Truthseeker comment 7 – can’t argue with your comment, it’s true.
Never happen here mind, open and honest? even the sound of those words is offensive to our elected leadership and transparent – holy water to a vampire.
Report abuse
Truthseeker
How can you say there is always secrecy when every thing has come out in the open in this case.
Report abuse
If these allegations are proven to be true and an accurate account of what the Senator is alleged to have committed then the Senator should not only resign from housing but from the States of Jersey as well.
This whole affair reminds me of a similar allegation against ex-Senator Walker over the Trinity Infill Site. This type of activity sends the message out to the world that our government is unaccountable and still favours the “old boys club”.
It’s not what you know…… it’s who you know that counts.
This is unacceptable and must be brought to account.
Report abuse
To paraphrase a wiser man than I – ‘There is something rotten in the States of Jersey’
Report abuse
“Channel Television learnt that businessman Frank Venton, has been the housing Minister’s political sponsor for more than 30 years, despite the Senator denying a long term friendship”
Report abuse
I wonder what did he write to AG.. Most probably – ‘…this is very stupid law to forbid people to rent their own property to whoever they like…So lets put it where it’s place should be’
Report abuse
With the latest disclosure he has to go now. Resigining as a Minister is not enough. He should be deselected as a States Member and banned permanently from the House instead of remaing as a BAck Bencher and still supporting his ilk who remain Ministers.
Report abuse
Why are people saying step aside on full pay. The man is still in the states and should be on full pay the same as the rest. At least he hasn’t gone away for six months and remains on the island to face the music.Why should his pay be stopped when he is still a states member.
Report abuse
On another thread I gave Senator Le Main the benefit. Innocent until proven guilty.
Oh dear, not only did he try and pervert the course of justice and was caught out ( otherwise why resign ) he also blatantly lied.
How can you know a person for forty years ? how can they sponsor and print your election posters, and finally how can a senior experienced politician stand up and say he was not a friend of Frank Venton who the court found guilty of breaking housing laws.
Our politicians must seen to be whiter than white. Resign from the States Le Main your words are worth nothing now ! If you stay the assembly will be tarnished.
Davey.
Report abuse
#15 Roy
Isn’t that how things work in a small community such as Jersey??
“It’s not what you know…… it’s who you know” as well as ‘You scratch my back I will scratch your’
Report abuse
Shade (9) Why does Terry appear to be waving goodbye?
No Shade that was a drowning man calling for help.
Report abuse
Another way to take a holiday, he should resign from Housing and the States, other person making mistakes like this have bee hounded out of the States by the old boys network, and if there is any truth in this matter which it looks as if there is then why haven’t the police been investigating.
Report abuse
Steve said “Let the man off for crying out loud, TLM is a legend and at least he turns up for work.”
Except when he decides not to come back to work on time from Tenerife – but that was none of our business apparently.
http://www.thisisjersey.com/2010/01/25/holidays-at-public-expense/
Report abuse
18 slawek ..shows how little you know about where you are living yet feel free to fling irrelevant commentary hither and yon…..Jeez that’s why we have housing laws..I give up.
Report abuse
Cathy….we would not have heard of this,unless a certain lawyer highlighted it…any more that the “Case ten times worse that was let off” which was quoted by TLM as some sort of bench mark of culpability….Holy Moley heaven preserve us if that standard is allowed to remain.how many other fo these issues go unnoticed and unchallenged unless they get caught…it’s just the same as viewing drunk driving as O.K. unless you get caught.
Report abuse
26 truthseeker -
Don’t need to scratch the surface too hard, eh, before the inner bigotry appears? slawek has as much right to express a view as you do – and he managed to do it without being unpleasant.
Report abuse
What does Le Main have to do before he gets his backside kicked out of the States?
If the other States Members do not vote Le main out of the States now then they are only proving themselves to be bent.
Report abuse
# 18 truthseeker
Please note the subtle difference. I am talking about banning RENTING OWN property. Not selling it.
Who is going to benefit from such a regulation ? It is not the *majority* of people living here – I am pretty sure. Just a few ones owning ‘non-qualified’ properties, allowed to charge enormous rents from poor ‘unqalified’ yet working hardest most probably.
More competition – MORE FREEDOM – that’s what we ALL need.
Report abuse
28 and 30. Those who defiantly seek to defend their homeland from prolific invasion and over inhabitation may indeed be deemed unpleasant by said immigrants/invaders….that being conceded I am not you may notice begging you to stay..but pointing out we have had categories of housing and rules pertaining to such and are not happy to throw it all out to satisfy any Johny Foreigner…hope this fills your unpleasantness quotient for the day…other locals may just say ,If you don’t like it….etc.
Report abuse
#31 truthseeker
Congratulations on the assumption that I am an immigrant/invader. My family has indeed only been in the Island for fifty years. In fact, we arrived shortly after the last big lot of ‘homeland defenders’ left.
Report abuse