Jersey Evening Post Takes Swipe at Stuart Syvret

Lot’s of Jersey folks don’t like the attention focused on the island because of the Haut de la Garenne scandal. And, it’s known that the establishment and JEP aren’t any too happy with Stuart Syvret. Someone gave JEP a copy of committee minutes from 1999.

“Former Health Minister Stuart Syvret was present at a 1999 meeting when abuse allegations against a couple who ran a States children’s home and who are now the subject of a police investigation were discussed, committee minutes have revealed.”

“Senator Syvret, who has claimed that he found out about allegations of abuse by Jane and Alan Maguire only last year and has accused senior States officers of covering up abuse at the Blanche Pierre home, attended the Health and Social Services meeting in May 1999 at which the Maguires were discussed.”
(JEP - May 2nd)

Senator Syvret acknowledges having forgotten the agenda item. It was after all, nine years and hundreds of meeting ago.

In JEP’s rush to take a swipe at Syvret, they may actually have opened another can of worms.

From Senator Stuart Syvret Blog: It was an extremely short ‘oral’ report – so no written reports were given to the Committee. Even the oral report itself – as described in the minute – was profoundly dishonest.

Syvret wrote of JEP: Had they paused for thought – they might have recognized that it was powerful evidence of a further Perversion of the Course of Justice – moreover, one which brings into the frame a former very senior civil servant who I had not previously had any hard evidence against.

I’ve already sent the minute along with a written explanation from me to the States of Jersey Police.

All will be revealed.

Syvret says the minutes prove that the committee was not given the whole story. The committee did not receive the full written report by Dylan Southern, a UK expert, who looked into abuse at one of the childcare homes in Jersey.

So, who is the former, very senior civil servant? Has JEP inadvertently exposed even more of a cover-up in Jersey?