OBE for former Chief Minister
Friday 31st December 2010, 3:00PM GMT.
Former Chief Minister Frank Walker, OBE, and his wife, Fiona
FORMER Chief Minister Frank Walker has been made an OBE for ‘public service’ in the New Year’s Honours List.
Mr Walker, who stepped down from the States after 18 years in 2008, says that he is delighted at the news, and with the citation marking his years of work as a Deputy, Senator and as Chief Minister.
He said: ‘I am absolutely thrilled, and of course, greatly honoured.
‘I have always thought that the greatest possible honour for me was to be elected Jersey’s first Chief Minister, but to be recognised in this way is also a tremendous honour.’
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When I first saw this headline I went to change my contact lenses, just in case my eyes were deceiving me!
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Congratulations! Well done, and do hope you receive a knighthood.
A long time coming, but well deserved.
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Order of the Big Ego ?
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Public service?? A sad but not unpredictable day for jersey.
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Surely this is an early April Fool’s joke?!
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WHAT!!!?!
“Serices to the public”?! What day was that then?
The only award he should have received is the “Most Useless Politician” award.
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I think this was over due. He was an excellent Chief Minister and when he was wrongly quoted by Paxman he dealt with it in a professional way. Happy new year Frank Walker OBE!
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Shocking!!
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In his 18 years in the States, Frank Walker was only known when he elected himself as Chief Minister. Then everyone knew who he was and what he stood for, one of those who have ruined this Island!
Take your OBE and shove it where the sun shines Frank………..in spain!
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If you hadn’t made such a clot of yourself on Paxman Frank it might have been a knighthood
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‘elected’ first chief minister,put in by his cronies like TLS and if they get their way PO next !!
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O.B.E., is that ‘Other Blighters Efforts’? I am sure many islanders will be highly impressed – this just goes to show how worthless these awards are.
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OBE for ‘public service’ WHAT?? From a public that never voted for him. This Island is a joke. SNAFU!
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Thats Life Enriching.
And what has he done for the island exactly.
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Well deserved
Congrats and thanks for serving the island for so long
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Very interesting that our Frank is so happy and yet the reident islanders suffering tax hikes and reductions in front line essential services at every turn are far from happy.He has a history as president of many unaccoutable states departments.
My own view is that as he was elected chief minister without an all island vote, he is again very lucky that an island referendum is not mandatory on who gets titles bestowed, he would have been waiting an awfully long time, had that been the case.
Tim South.
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As one of the orginary working people on this island, I would like to say that I had NOTHING to do with his nomination.
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Errrrrr
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These awards are meaningless quite honestly as they are handed out left,right and centre nowadays to people who have simply done a job for which they’ve been well paid.I am pretty disgusted however that Frank Walker is a recipient as to me he represents a major part of what went wrong with Jersey-too many multi millionaires running it for their own gain while the little people battle on.
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well on reading some of the negative comments posted on here i suggest most are so ill informed of the past political career of Mr Walker, yes he may have had to take some hard govermental decisions along the way but I ask all of you is your Jersey life so poor, there are a few hardship cases but we are all cared really well for, our health service is second to none, yes we may have to pay for dental care, but i suggest some people look after and spend more on their car than they look after themselves, where this brings me is that this award Mr Walker has gained is for the past way he has run the island, it is on a sound footing, yes hard times are ahead for all of us especially the people without a job, this is a worldwide problem and cannot be blamed on a past politician, this award is for the island as a whole and we should be proud of it regardless of who it is awarded to
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Any more work going in your line, Rab?
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Served the public?
In that case don’t we all’serve’ our employer?! Do we get awarded OBE’s?
What’s he done to deserve an OBE?
Who nominated him?? Certainly wasn’t a member of the public.
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unbelievable it makes a mockery of the queens awards. What about the people doing good work for our community/charity day after after.
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#15 Mr Sensible
‘our health service is second to none’
Really?
Why are we on our knees begging the UK reinstate the reciprocal health agreement then?
I agree with JULIE, Frank Walker is to blame for a great deal of Jersey’s woes
I’m quite frankly disgusted that he’s been awarded this honour
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Where,s mine? i,ve worked harder than him!!
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Reading this report makes me feel disgusted to be a Jerseyman.
Another huge undeserved massage for Frank Walkers ego…
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Congratulations on this well-deserved honour.
It is a pity that there is no political leadership of your quality and calibre in these difficult times.
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Beaumont, get your facts correct please, it was the British government that terminated the health agreement with Jersey in the first place , which was due to the failings of the Labour Party, within the next few months the agreement will be re instated to a similar fashion as before, As for you agreeing with Julie , that is fine everyone is entitled to their constructive views, but i fear it was the Greedy bankers who caused our woes, (not the bank workers) of who in Jersey take the flac for their greedy bosses trying to make money without thought for anyone except themselvesand their bonuses. As for personal woes i imagine both you and Julie have flat screened TVs,mobile phones, cars ,holidays and most of lifes luxuries, not bad eh ?
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My first reaction to reading this headline was ‘O’ ‘Bloody’ ‘Ell’
Guess Ozouf and Le Sueur will probably be recipients of one of these awards in the future
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Beaumont and Julie…is Mr Sensible correct in his assessment of your lifestyle? Jersey is a wonderful place and many would like to live here
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Mr Sensible @23, do you live in Guernsey?
Have a look at the top of this page to the right of the photograph.
It reads,
“ Patient’s death: How Heath failed “
Add this to a catalogue of serious and indeed life taking mistakes, plus the long waiting lists, lack of nurses, and now facilities.
Suspensions that go hand in hand with an organisation that is out of control. The Jersey hospital and care system, is a disgrace in a wealthy world class financial centre.
Frank Walker and his fellow dinosaur politicians ( some of whom are still in power ) are responsible for wasting the islands wealth, and allowing checks and balances amongst States departments to become almost invisible as proved by this organisation.
Ask serving Deputy Higgins about the Hospital he is on record as saying in the assembly,
“The hospital has not got a clue what it is doing“.
Davey West.
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#23
You’re right, the British Government ended the health agreement, but it’s us who’s desperately trying to revive it. Also, it wasn’t Labour’s fault. The reciprocal agreement was shown to be hugely expensive to the UK.
I realise this is about Mr Walker, but your stance is not one I agree with
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What a way to end 2010.
Frank Walker will go down in history as the man who introduced GST and said when he retired that it was one of the best things he had ever done for Jersey. Well I have news for you Frank it wasn’t.
Lets just remind ourselves of the political life that saw millions spent on useless projects and the total disregard for the normal working man in the street. He was in charge of economic development and was treasury minister. He was the political architect for the state of Jersey and its finances today.
The Waterfront was one of Franks big babe’s approx £80 million of taxpayers money poured down the drain. Most buildings are now empty. The public told him so.
GST… well what can I say that hasn’t already been said. He doubled the states expenditure from 2005 to 2008. The civil service doubled in size under his leadership as Chief Minister. We end 2010 with Jersey’s biggest unemployment record in living memory.
Ministerial government was introduced by Frank and his gang. Which has been the worst political move for Jersey ever. Were is our rainy day fund Frank?
Remember the vote of no confidence brought against him in the States for the Trinity infill saga. The list is endless.
So what did he do for Jersey to receive this honour? Well he now sits on the harbour’s and Airport committee creaming in another £26,000 a year of taxpayers money continuing from the backbenchers the policies that got Jersey into the mess its in at the moment.
Nice one Frank. Happy retirement.
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This man is responsible for most of our current problems. He should be embarrassed at this award.
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Another Jersey Farce
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I am very surprised at the criticism ventilated at a politician who has done much for the finance industry in Jersey. Bearing in mind the sheer importance of the finance industry to the island, I would have thought that those of you who line in this fantastic island would be happy for this gentleman who has been awarded a somewhat minor British dong. I think that those of you who criticse him should look at yourselves in the mirror and ask yourselves the simple question of why you do not stand to be an elected as a politician. If you believe you could have done a better job then present yourself for election. From what I hear Frank was the only politician who did anything to support the finance industry. Finally, many congratulations Mr Walker.
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Kinda makes a mockery of Annie Lennox’s nomination don’t you think???
Destroyed what little faith I had left in society too!
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Well said Blade (28) It certainly must be a wonderful life for him on that gravy train (or boat, seeing that he’s now on the Habours & Airport Committee), when many people can only dream of earning £26K a year and have to struggle with paying extortionate rents in the private sector, as well as paying fuel and grocery bills which also include the hated GST!
These people have no idea what it’s like to live in the real world and have the never-ending worry about how to pay the next bill that lands on the doormat!
I have lived in Jersey for over 22 years now, but I really cannot see myself staying here for much longer the way things are going and I’m very worried about the future!
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Yes I would also like to ask “What has Frank Walker done for Jersey?”I can think of at least 10 people who have contributed more to Jersey in a year than he has served in his lifetime.Also for him to be the only one honoured in the Island leaves a sour taste.
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This is all personality politics and cyber insult from people who have no idea what Mr Walker has done to enhance this Island. Like a commenter said, his work for the finance industry alone merits recognition as it provides so many jobs. His biggest mistake was giving Lenny Harper an open cheque book for HDLG as we all now.
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In answer to Happy Chappy (comment 25)Mr Sensible does not know me so perhaps does not realise that I left Jersey in 2006 having lived from birth to age 48 there and having struggled to raise a family there.My husband had wanted to stay but finally agreed that he too was sick of the way Jersey was going and looking to the future we had a better one elsewhere(which has proved correct thankfully as it is always a risk uprooting in middle age)We had done our best for our children(one had not returned following uni and was happily settled in the UK)and so we made our choice.At the time of leaving I can inform Mr Sensible that we had no mobile phones,no flat screen TV,one very old second hand car and had barely had any holidays in all our working lives so no we didn’t really worry about”luxuries” thank God as we couldn’t afford them anyway!As for “many would like to live in Jersey” the majority of people I know actually love where they live even though some of their choices would not be for me.Equally some people will spend a holiday somewhere and want to live there without knowing the reality of it.Back to Frank Walker-he has been well paid and has benefited from his position “serving Jersey”.I would rather awards go to people like my aunt who nursed her bedridden husband for twenty years without any help or thanks from anyone or to people who have done heroic things or invented life saving cures or operations.These are the deserving in our community and they would probably appreciate being treated like Royalty for a day-unlike those who treat themselves like Royalty every day because they are drowning in cash! Well said Blade(comment 28)!!
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I cannot believe that if you do a job badly ( and get a handsome salary to boot) you get a medal! All I can say is that the Palace are scrapping the barrel. Unbelievable – I hope that the recipient can sleep at ease at night knowing that he does not deserve it.
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And people like Nurse McGovern who has run the Hospice for many many years, half the time wondering where the money is going to come from get`s nothing, it is a joke.
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Disgusting a kick in the teeth, time the Queen was removed from this Island she is doing nothing other than costing us money.
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Only good thing about this award which certainly is undeserved is that it is at the very lower end of the scale, he retires we the ordinary man and women in the street suffer from his policies, how does he sleep at night?
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“Kinda makes a mockery of Annie Lennox’s nomination don’t you think???”
Yes, could not agree more!
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Speechless at 37; which barrel is the palace scrapping? And what is it amde of? If it is a gold barrel, what will the value of the scrap gold be?
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How many of the below criteria for the award can we say yes to!!!??
made a difference to their community or field of work?
brought distinction to British life and enhanced its reputation?
exemplified the best sustained and selfless voluntary service?
demonstrated innovation and entrepreneurship?
carried the respect of their peers?
changed things, with an emphasis on achievement?
improved the lot of those less able to help themselves?
displayed moral courage and vision in making and delivering tough choices?
I blame whoever nominated him – he could always refuse to accept it (if he had a conscious )?
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Sorry what date is it? April 1st! The states cannot continue being run by muppets, Mr Walker being well and truly included!
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Fact he doesn’t deserve it……there are more worthy people on this Island that deserve this recognition …….
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#43 Deal or No Deal
Totally agree
To be full of your ‘own self importance’ must be a wonderful achievement ….
He knew his days were numbered politically , when he just crept in on a low vote, so bowed out at the end of that term.
But like a bad penny he’s managed to get a nice little paid job as a non executive director , yep our money again !!
As others have written above, some ‘bro*n noses’ have put his name forward for this undeserved award.
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Frank Walker should have received a CBE, but the “British” honours system is geared to those whom bring distinction to British life,not someone in a Crown Dependency, which we have been demoted to.At least it’s a substantive recognition from the diffident UK that our former first Chief Minister, embattled by the voracious media, fuelled by scurrilous and amateur investigations, in those dark days of HDLG, has been finally vindicated.
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The title of OBE has been diminished by this award to Frank Walker.
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” Deal or No Deal
Posted January 2, 2011 at 7:54 pm
How many of the below criteria for the award can we say yes to!!!??
made a difference to their community or field of work?
brought distinction to British life and enhanced its reputation?
exemplified the best sustained and selfless voluntary service?
demonstrated innovation and entrepreneurship?
carried the respect of their peers?
changed things, with an emphasis on achievement?
improved the lot of those less able to help themselves?
displayed moral courage and vision in making and delivering tough choices?”
The criteria for an OBE are somewhat less;
* a distinguished regional or country-wide role in any field
* through achievement or service to the community
* including notable practitioners known nationally
It could probably be safely assumed simply by serving as Chief Minister Frank Walker scraped in under the “distinguished regional or country-wide role in any field” clause.
Be that the case it lessens the value of the award considerably, Frank Walker (a man who had already decided to leave politics) having been granted the Chief Minister’s position by virtue of a secret ballot by political friends and workmates.
I consider it a disgrace that Walker was granted an OBE for “public service”, a mockery of all the award is intended to stand for, but when one realises what he actually did to deserve it, one has to laugh.
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(Status Quo) you are talking absolute garbage.
Since when does writing an open chq for something give you the right to an OBE?!! He was the guardian of taxpayers money and spent it like a spive in a London whore house.
He should have been locked up for criminal negligence of public funds whilst treasury minister along with the rest of the ministerial counsel. Jersey is now broke because of the policies implemented by the chief minister and his gang of hench men.
It is the hard working man on the street that is now paying for the incompetence of the previous 20 years of government that walker was in charge of.
They are all guilty of misappropriation of public funds and that includes HDG
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I thought OBEs were those strange experiences (Out-of-Body Experiences) in which an individual’s consciousness detaches from his/her body and travels to a distant spatial location — thus enabling them to perceive things which cannot be perceived from the actual location of their bodies — now that would explain a lot of things…
Perhaps the absence of sensory stimulation during all those ‘States-related’ meetings caused his ‘consciousness’ to take a long trip outside ‘reality’ and he’s still struggling to get back in…hence this very formal recognition!
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So far, out of nearly fifty comments, only about five (if you count a couple of lukewarms as equalling one warm) show any support.
I don’t remember ever before anyone in Jersey receiving such a resounding ‘thumbs down’.
Regarding the barrels at the palace, Oliver @42, maybe they should scrap the barrel of laughs known as the honours system and also the one accompanying the entire lock and stock of royalty.
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Not sure how being a crown dependency is a “demotion”. we’ve always been that. It would only be a “demotion” if we were formerly regarded as part of the UK. As well as being correct, such a thing would be an insult to jersey people.
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I note that the report rather pointedly puts “public service” in inverted commas. Indeed, what exactly would be the “public service” for which this award was apparently made? One scratches one head and tries to recall something from the period 1990 to 2008 which might have prompted the same
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Who cares about who gets these mickey mouse awards? They hand them out every year like candy anyway and a lot of anti-monarchy people just hand them back. As per usual a storm in a teacup.
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I am amazed at how many miserable, jealous people there are in this island, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.
If you really are so unhappy living in Jersey then bugger off and live somewhere else and give us all a rest from the whinging!
Well done Frank, well deserved for all your hard work.
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#56 AMC
I’m assuming you are one of the brown nosers that nominated him
I’m not jealous of Frank Walker.
I just think he was a truly terrible politician, whose legacy will always be GST and a very bitter, divided island
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Think you will find me dear that a lot of local people who originate from France and alas Jersey (being the Duchy of Normandy, still France irrespective of what the mere uneducated impressionables believe) are very loyal to their french merovingian roots…..ok? lol
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56 AMC You are pulling the wool over your own eyes there AMC…clearly you will not be able to do so to the contributors on here,I have always found it sad when people have to kid themselves that something is O.K. when they know in truth it is not..Denial…..clearly not a river in Egypt.
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AMC What exactly are we jealous of? I was born here my parents were born here and grandparents I am not jealous just amazed that Frank Walker can get an award for Any reason Who nominated him ????? Can we have the names of the committee who nominates publicised please?
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And how will the JEP report this backlash of public opinion? Simple, it won’t.
Chris Bright will not allow any hint of criticism of the former ‘dear leader’.
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O.B.E. Other Blighter’s Efforts – yeah it sounds about right for Mr. Walker.
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AMC Posted January 3, 2011 at 1:01 pm
I am amazed at how many miserable, jealous people there are in this island, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.
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I don’t believe it’s question of jealousy.
I believe people have taken offence to seeing a man who in their view has done nothing exceptional for the public of Jersey being handed an award that represents supreme excellence in public service.
It’s that simple.
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56 AMC
What tripe you talk FW did untold damage to the Island just look at the water front his creed was to make the rich richer and sod the rest I am certainly not jealous of that man in any way whatsoever. Whether you like it or not he is not respected by the great majority of our Island and as others on here have said there are far more individuals who would deserve an honour for there service’s to the island and the people of Jersey
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To say that we are all jealous of FW is laughable and sad.
I was born here and educated here. I am very proud to be Jersey born and it is disgusting to see a man like FW get this award for the financial havoc that he has caused to our once beautiful island.
The point being made here is that he should not have received this award for the work he has done as a politician. As I have said before he is the architect of our present financial problems along with Ozouf, Le Sueur, Routier, Le Main, Len Norman, Linden Farnham, Mike Vibert, Bill Ogley, the list is endless. They have driven the policies that we are now having to endure with massive increases in personal taxes.
Walker changed the immigration policy not to help people, but to further feather the nests of property developers that he invited to this Island. The ordinary working people have been pushed out of home ownership by the influx of J-cat employees and essentially employed people in the finance industry. The knock on effect was to push house prices even higher to make even more profits for these people.
The overall effect was for the ordinary working man,,,,, and that includes people who work in the finance industry seeing our once beautiful island destroyed by greed, speculators and the ever increasing costs of living here.
Today we are having policies forced upon us by a government of FW’s making. And it is us who have to keep working till we are 70, we now have no elderly care, are watching our health service disappear from in front of our eyes and are paying through the nose for everything.
Jersey has earned billions in taxes over the past 20 years and we have seen the politicians in charge squander every penny we have earned.
That is why he should not have been given this ward.
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AMC; “If you really are so unhappy living in Jersey then bugger off and live somewhere else and give us all a rest from the whinging!”.
Not whingeing, merely free speech. Suggest you follow your own suggestion, so as to speak.
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This is a strange nomination.
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The comments certainly tell a particular tale
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Do any of our lollipop ladies or toilet cleaners get these awards as happens in England?
Surely someone who has spent say 20 years cleaning toilets has far greater claim to such an award than a universally unpopular politician who doensn’t seem to have done much for the ordinary people of Jersey; isn’t that what public service should mean??
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#56 AMC (alias Frank probably!)I and many others are not jealous of Frank – as to leaving the island – yes they are in their droves – a legacy of the past actions of politicians like Frank and that’s why my beautiful island is in such a pickle.
If there was a public vote whether this award should be accepted or deserved I think I know what the outcome would be.
#64 well said and totally agree
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I opened my fortune cookie on Facebook today and it said, “Accept something that you can not change and you will feel better.” It goes against the grain, but there is no point whinging about some pointless award to a ‘has been’ spent politician.
Many people in Jersey voted for Mr. Walker, so these islanders have themselves to blame for the predicament the island found itself in upon his departure.
His O.B.E. is meaningless and moaning about this award is just a waste of effort.
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I think most of the critical posts are coming from the same people. I think Frank Walker deserves an OBE, he was the best States member we had ever had and the nicest man I had ever met.
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Mitch Courriard got an MBE for over 20 years of voluntary service to the community and Jersey’s youth.
Walker in turn got richer in the process, entitled himself Chief Minister and drove the Island to its knees
And now he gets an OBE…. Someone ought to send the peoples opinion to the press office at Buckingham Palace.
What a joke….!
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Blade, what a brilliant post! Probably the most informed and “in tune” set of commentary that I have yet seen anywhere on these forums. One negative, I am afraid (nothing to do with your eloquence); stand by to receive the now customary and extremely unpleasant bigoted remarks from those who like to knock the ordinary Jersey people.
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Just fed up, this really does take the biscuit. I am disgusted by this,The island is a case of Last one out turn off the lights thanks to Frank!
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Ha,ha Lee @ comment 71.
Are you Frank walker in disguise.
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oxfams best effort i remember as a kid!hope for me and you next year!!i think the royal family are a total waste of space to be honest
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So appropriate. He has upheld the values of the British Empire in his “service” of the people of Jersey, and they have recognised it. Read your history books: It was always about co-opting local puppet leaders to enrich the imperial centre at the expense of their own compatriots and he has followed the tradition.
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Jeez let the man have his day. What a mean spirited lot you are.
If you don’t like it put yourself up for election and attempt to do a better job yourself.
No?
Oh yeah, as I thought, far easier to just sit on your backside and whinge at those people who do have a go.
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Who are these people more deserving than Frank?
Let us know.
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#72. Mg
I completely agree. If FW can get this award, then Mitch Courriard should be knighted for the continuing work that he does for the island (and not just St Helier). I have never had the pleasure of dealing with such a nice, polite and efficient man (MC not Walker). How can FW be deserving of an award for his policies of cripiling the Island with debt, didviding the Island and giving the attitude of ‘ I am above you, so leave me alone’. ??
I think that the comments on here speak volumes. 86% , at last count, are up in arms as to this award. But when was the majority ever listened too in Jersey??
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It means nothing,book a restaurant table etc its not booked as Mr frank walker obe,if it was sir frank walker it would be different so effectively apart from the headstone eventually not a lot of difference to plain ol mister.
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Neve has an award been so richly ill deserved
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Reading from everything above,and totally agreeing with the facts as stated that Mr Walker,(and now his other 2 mates, Messrs Ozouf and Le Sueur)have in 5 years destroyed Jersey’s Finances and had to raise all sorts of taxes for their mistakes and incompetence; If I was Mr Walker I would personally fly back to London and return his award to the Queen in person!That is of course if he has any bottle at all!
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Nice to see that the powers at be are recognising someone who has selflessly offered so much of their time to the public.
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david rotherham (77).
or ridding roughshod over the peasants, loading the saddle bags and fleeing town with guns blazing.
we must be the last or one of the last bastions of empire, everyone else has kicked it into touch.
empire what empire?
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Greetings from Guernsey, I must say I laughed out loud when I saw this in the news. Whilst I concede that our own system (the States, judiciary etc) is far from perfect, it has to be said that Jersey’s is rotten to the absolute core. I’d have thought that any true Crapaud worthy of the name would be literally up in arms about this. This man was a (bad)joke as Chief Minister
Look at the state of your finances (far worse than Guernsey’s) the state of St Helier (far worse than St Peter Port) the disgraceful behaviour of your politicians (again far worse than ours) the list goes on and on. I take no pleasure in gloating (ok, well maybe just a bit) but it has to be said that you get the Government that you deserve, and until such time as the true Crapauds rise up and get rid of the establishment figures that have taken Jersey to the brink of disaster, their complaints will fall on deaf ears.
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How can the most loathed individual ever to sit in the States Chamber get awarded an OBE it is an insult to every hard working person living in our Island. The question that should be asked is how can Walker be awarded an OBE when the Cabinet – Office Honours and Appointments Secretariat nominations form clearly states that in order to be considered for an award the “NOMINEE MUST STILL BE INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITY FOR WHICH THEY ARE NOMINATED” thankfully for us in Jersey Walker is no longer in the States but maybe someone could look into having the award revoked as the above criteria has not been met.
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I do not want to go into personalities, although in my estimation (and it seems, many others)the value of the OBE has gone down quite dramatically. My advice is for any recipient to reflect on merit, and if appropriate; not accept the award. This is much less painful than giving it back.
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Thank you for your kind words Mr Morgan (78)
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Phil (84) Who are these people more deserving than Frank? Let us know.
Phil, assuming you are serious, how about. – Gorge W Bush for services to world peace. – Tony Blair for open and honest government.
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Some rather bitter comments on this one but what can you expect from some people. Like him or loathe him, Mr Walker was our first Chief Minister, which is something you cannot take away from him. There isn’t a pass mark for gaining an OBE, nor should there be. Our first Chief Minister, whoever that was, deserves this recognition on behalf of the States and the people of Jersey, so good on him.
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Mikey, Mr Walker was not “our” chief minister at all. He was imposed by secret ballot. So I guess what you can “take away from him” (to use your words) is the fact that the office had no democratic credentials and was not recognised by a sizeable number of jersey’s electorate.
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96 The bitterness serves to tell you how people feel,what they have observed,and how these things affect them…please explain how you think it has been “Deserved” what was done, who else benefited ,whose lives were made better, what sterling selfless contribution was made ….come on let’s be having you.
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#98 Zoro well said – Frank obviously feels he deserves it – if he had a shred of decency he would not accept it.
Normally when people gets these awards the general public are thrilled for them for example when Margaret McGovern got her so well long overdue and deserved award. Obviously by all the above comments many people are upset, disgusted and amazed by it – if I was in Frank’s shoes there is no way I could accept it knowing that people felt this way.
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“Hacked Off Posted January 4, 2011 at 5:04 pm
in order to be considered for an award the “NOMINEE MUST STILL BE INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITY FOR WHICH THEY ARE NOMINATED” thankfully for us in Jersey Walker is no longer in the States but maybe someone could look into having the award revoked as the above criteria has not been met.”
Possibly you have raised a valid point. Or possibly not. It all hinges on timing.
Frank Walker left politics in December 2008. He devoted the bulk of 2009 and 2010 to cruising around the mediterranean on his private yacht.
If we assume Walker was nominated for his OBE pre-2009 (whilst still serving as Chief Minister) your argument is invalid. It’s the original timing of the consideration which counts. The two year delay in granting the award is of no consequence.
But if he was nominated in the retirement period following his 2008 departure from politics your argument may hold enough weight for it to be of interest to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.
I’ve read elsewhere today that a FOI request has been lodged to identify Walker’s nominees. Maybe that will also provide the answer to the timing question.
Frank Walker is anyway now left holding an OBE for ‘service to the public’ which has managed to incite cries of derision, dismay and disgust from the public. That has to be a first amongst holders of Queen’s Honours in the Channel Islands?
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Deal or No Deal (99)
If our dear Frank is seeking inspiration maybe he should turn to the poet Benjamin Zephaniah. Benjamin’s rejection of honours was an intelligent, inspirational and respectful example to us all.
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When Frank Walker was last elected into the States, he scraped in into last place by the skin of his teeth, he was elected as Chief Minister in secret by a few “yes men” cronies and “brown noses” as against an Island wide referendum as it should have been.
He is completely unworthy of this honour
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It would be interesting to find out who nominated Walker for this award,i think it would say a lot about who’s running this island and for who’s benefit.If someone is getting a petition together to have this award rejected count me in-and probably a few thousand others.
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Ok, to put all this in a nutshell (which really sums up Jersey’s political landscape) this is just a prime example of “The Jersey way” and how the system works.
It will never change unless we do and the people running the island understand that they do so for the benefit of ALL on the island. Frank Walker was never a man of the people, unlike some in political office.
Unless we make changes at the next elections, then we are doomed to relive the same over and over again.
Lets learn from our mistakes and these outrages and make real changes.
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I bet if there was a petition asking for signatures of those who wanted his award for “public service” revoked, it would hit 20,000 signatures within weeks!
Frank Walker should have been on trial for treason for what he has done to this Island. On his Wikipedia profile it states that he was born in Guernsey. Does anyone know if this is true? His arrogance, and distain towards the Jersey Public, and his encouragement of Dandara’s continued rape of our once beautiful island, would be easier to explain, if he is “from up north”
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In 1649 the monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished. A few years later they were back with us, together with the system of patronage that goes with them and is still with us today.
I don`t believe in knighthoods,peerages etc. etc.
We cannot seem to exist in Britain without this system of false elevation and cap doffing. So all I can say is “God bless you guvner”
Republic one day
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Great comments from ‘Sir’ Frank thanking all those who helped him etc. an obvious humble choice for such an award. Can’t wait for Le Seure, Ozuof and Cohen to get what they truly deserve.
Let us hope the peasants know their place; we might even make cake GST exempt!
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Visit Elizabeth Castle and on the wall you will see as clear as day a plague.
The Plague is there announcing the day that members of the States of Jersey took refuge in the castle to escape the people of Jersey who had enough of poor Government and rose up.
They say history goes in cycles.
Davey West.
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Lowest number of votes at his last Senatorial elections, but becomes chief minister 3 years later. Despite calls for a public vote on which politician should be The islands first Chief minister, he is just about self elected. Despite calls by the public for spending curbs, he increased spending as the local chancellor, then declared a black hole, but the spending carried on. Awards for local States contracts were given to companies outside the Island, instead of keeping necessary spending local.
He increased his own departments spending despite calling for other areas of the states to cut back. He lined up his successor for the position, who is making exactly the same mistakes (not listening to the public, GST etc), if not worse decisions for the Bailiwick. OBE, shouldn’t whoever put him forward have asked for a public vote first, maybe they would have received the unwanted truth.
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108
A plaque on all your houses and ask your dentist to check for plague, it might be making a comeback!
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C Le Verdic 110
The plague has never been wiped out in Jersey…at least not the plague of expensive “plaque-removing” dentists with their exceptional “money-extracting” capabilities!
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I have to agree with one thing here, there is a plague, a plague of senior politicians taking the islands residents for a ride, how do they get elected? I have always voted, along with many others, for a change, but what ahppens, we keep getting the old school in, lining their own pockets. Is there anyway that Mr Walker can be stripped of his award to the people, he never did me, my family or anyone else I know a favour. When my daughter sent direct correspondence to him, he promptly told her to shut up and not interfear.
Interseted in the public or services thereto, somehow I am finding it very hard to see where this has happened.
Maybe we should send this stream to the powers that be to awake them to the true feelings of the Islanders
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‘Maybe we should send this stream to the powers that be to awake them to the true feelings of the Islanders’
I’m sure they’ve got their spies, Colin!
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I have never known such a backlash against an honour from the Queen. Mr Walker having seen the public outrage should reject it.
Does this set a precedent where the people who have driven this island to reliance on the finance industry and ultimate ruin can queue up for honours?
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Honours have always been fixed by cronies. The long serving Post Woman or Childcare worker is only in there to placate the general public.
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