A view from the West

In the field

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:51:58 GMT

Planting and sowing has been haywire this year, The dry early season start was not so bad, but meant hand watering outdoor seedlings in March. May on the other hand has been wet and windy, so much so that I delayed sowing many items, and my dwarf peach tree has only just gone outside, possibly too late for fruit this year.

As always it has been a mixed lot of results so far. The salsify and shallots are looking excellent. Both have recently been weeded. The peas I sowed in pots and transplanted out are looking OK, but the direct sowed maincrop Rondo are a total loss - I suspect the mice are happy though.   The spring wheat is not obliging, but the oats are making headway now.

We've been cutting asparagus for a couple of weeks, and just started pulling rhubarb. The strawberries have plenty of flowers on them and we could be eating them in around 6 weeks time. The overwintered broad beans look healthy and have flowers but there is little sign of pods forming. Usualy we start picking in the third week of May, but that seems unliklely this year.

I have aquired a 'free' second hand greenhouse approximately 5 m by 2m in bits. I am awaiting spare parts and a lull in the work schedule before putting it up. As you can see below we have also put up another crop protection thing, just in time for planting out brassicas.

It's arrived In the carport to keep dry Checking the parts

A plot I prepared earlier Helen stakes the edges The stakes are in

Jobs for the whole family The first arch is up

The finshed item 12 m long, covered in mesh to keep out pests and reduce wind a bit. Unlike the rigid design of polytunnels, this is very flexible. There are no permanent fixings, so it can be dismantled and moved without much difficutly.

A slow worm Pumpkins to plant out Alpine strawberry


last years salsify for seed main crop potatoes asparagus for dinner, again.

From facebook

Sat, 12 May 2012 06:23:05 GMT

I get a lot of meeting events and posts on Facebook. This one may be of interest to some who read this journal. I have no idea which peson of group are behind it.

Royal Square, St Helier 15:00 12th May

12 MAY GLOBAL SPRING IS THE DAY WHEN WE ALL TAKE OUR FREEDOM TO EXPRESS THE NEED FOR THE CHANGE

THE DIFFERENCE IN JERSEY IS THAT WE DO NOT FIGHT FOR THE SAME GOALS AS IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

WE FIGHT FOR SOLIDARITY WITH OHER COUNTRIES FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW MUCH HARMFULL IS THE ISLAND SYSTEM FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD

WE DISAGREE WITH THE DICTATORSHIP IN POLITICS AND ECONOMICS LAWS IN THE ISLAND

WE DO NOT WANT TO ACCEPT ANY MORE THAT THE WORLD IS SUFFERING BECAUSE JERSEY'S LAWS AND GREED

AGAINST ECONOMIC DICTATORSHIP, OFFSHORE TAX HAVEN, FINANCE/GREED OCCUPATION OF THE ISLAND

AGAINST POLITICAL DICTATORSHIP

AGAINST FOOD AND ENERGETIC CONTROL

PRO NEW CONSCIOUSNESS ACCORDING ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS

PRO NEW CONSCIOUSNESS ACCORDING ALL HUMAN BEEN NEEDS

PRO A PEACEFUL AND FREE REVOLUTION

SPEAK UP FREE JERSEY is a network of people, who is tired of living in a system governed by the enslavement of our minds and control of our capacity as agents of the reality we live.

On the island of Jersey, since the Second World War and Nazi occupation, lives a second occupation, THE GREED. This has also produced the "legality" of the political dictatorship, Lack of Freedom of Expression generalized and commonly accepted, and FEAR, real and effective, among those who do not intend to accept.

How? Making the life impossible to this people, who look for the truth for the best future of the Island and are pointed as traitors.

Jersey is a tax haven legalized and controlled by the Financial Net of the City of London, whose financial system has a direct impact on the life in poverty of thousands of people around the world and the precarious nature of many of the inhabitants of the island itself, which can not afford the cost of living here or are daily afraid surrounded by the censorship and the hypocrisy.

The Island is full of people who represents the worst side of the RICHNESS by: High Inequality (among inhabitants and among rest of inhabitants of the World), exorbitant and irresponsible consumerism, precarious workers/slaves, political control, media control and hypocrisy.That's why is so important to be really aware what a TAX HAVEN causes.

We are against POVERTY, we fight for freedom, we want to understand how works all this "magic bubble of the offshore financial system", we want to have the right to say in public "NO, WE DON'T AGREE!", we want to learn which consequences have the financial activities of the Island in the rest of the World, we want to think together a better future for the next generations, we want to end GREED, we want to start TRUTH!

Whatever we are, our beliefs, our qualifications, our age, we have in common one thing: We know that the way to change the reality is first to really understand the situation and be truly AWARE. ONLY THE TRUTH, the CONSCIOUSNESS will give us FREEDOM.

We probably have in common the development of our knowledge in different spheres:
raising up our consciousness about Environmental Sustainability (from our own daily decisions related with Consumption -Food, Energy, Recycling...- to the global decisions like property of the resources and the used of them);
Solidarity and concern about Poverty;
consciousness about social issues as Education,Health, Housing and Work Rights;
Real Democracy and the problem on Politic;
Economy, different economic systems in place and ALTERNATIVES, and the fight against the worst governmental businesses as the WAR & TERROR, DICTATORSHIPS, NATURAL RESOURCES, ENERGY DEPENDENCY, FOOD DEPENDENCY...; and as well,
our PERSONAL SPIRITUALLY DEVELOPMENT (our INNER TRUTH).

Probably everything starts from the last one (our inner truth), and we have the RIGHT to be strong on that, to can afford the rest. EVERYTHING ABOVE IS INTERCONNECTED.

We don't fight just for ourselves, our comfort, we want to start the change from ourselves (being very critical with our own life and our daily decisions) and extend the capacity we lucky have to fight for all these people who can not do it in the Rest of the World. WE ARE ALL ONE, EVERYTHING IS INTERCONNECTED.

In this network we want to be listened, to speak without fear, to learn, to share, to understand, to exchange. We don't pretend to be experts in anything more than in THE SEARCH OF THE TRUTH, LOVE FOR OTHER HUMAN BEEN AND THE EARTH WHERE WE LIVE , COMPASSION AND LOVE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION COMING. In the end, all this debate can help us to make the next generation understands the World from a different, advanced , improved point (s) of view which will help us on the EVOLUTION.

This network is not leaded by anyone, is leaded by all of us. We refuse any way of "fight" which involves violence, VERBAL or PHYSICAL, so it includes this website and the comments, which should help to build, not to destroy. We expect RESPECT among the participants.

We should be smart using this website and all we know we are afraid to take part on this, so think to who you suggest the web, who will want to join it to build something together, not boycott it or to destroy it. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSIONS ON ALL LEVELS, TAKING ALL RISKS, so if you are afraid of hostility with your employers, neighbors...there is an easy solution, create a SPECIFIC ACCOUNT for that, or go ahead facing it, as you want:)

THERE IS A HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE, ALL DEPENDS OF US

WE WERE SLEEPING, NOW WE WAKE UP

Information is food

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:36:19 GMT

I do so love finding these parallels between seemingly distinct and unrelated concepts.

Information, if viewed from the point of view of food, is never a production issue. … It's a consumption issue, and we have to start thinking about how we create diets [and] exercise.”

Inquiring into inquiries

Sat, 05 May 2012 19:23:07 GMT

Earlier this week we had a seminal headline of its kind in the JEP - fear that immigrants are exploiting public services. See http://www.thisisjersey.com/news/2012/05/02/fear-that-immigrants-are-exploiting-public-services/ It needs to be commented upon as there numerous aspects to this.

It is linguistically interesting. It is intended to convey the message that there is a problem. However as readers will note there is nothing in the body of the text giving any prima facie evidence of this. In fact the clue is in the word fear. We are not expected to imagine ministers cowering in the States building while hoards of wheelchair users roll off the ferry to seek medical treatment in the island. No, fear is a code word for we think it might be happening, but we dont know, indeed have no evidence for it.

There is a second pejorative term in there too - exploting. It conveys in a negative sense, that these people are doing something they should not, but the dictionary defines exploitation as the act of employing to the greatest possible advantage. But of course there is nothing illegal in that in the generic sense. This contrasts with the recent case of a local ferry company employing people below the minimum wage. Similarly we have concerns being expressed about misuse by companies of zero hours contracts. So why , despite some real evidence of a problem, is there no urgent call for an inquiry in to those forms of exploitation?

Another notable problem with the piece is the lack of any definition of who is considered an immigrant. You might argue anyone not born here is an immigrant. That route leads to all sorts of problems relating to spouses and legally recognised partnerships. One could take the view that anyone who does not have that odious stamp is their passport is an immigrant. That would make the ovewhelming portion of the resident population immigrants.

However there are far more important problems with the thinking here - political problems. If you cast your mind back to the GST debate, perhaps the key argument touted by its supporters was that everyone would be contributing. It might have been excusable to argue that if people were not contributing they should not be benefitting. However to expect people to contribute and simultaneously be excluded from benefitting is simply discrimination.

There can be few in the island who are not aware we have huge difficulties in recruiting and retaining some skilled staff, especially nurses. For these essential jobs the pay may be comparable to the UK, but the higher costs of living here make things much less attractive, even non-viable. The prospect of futher removing or restricting access to public benefits by such essential people will only exacerbate the problem.

Finally, given the flimsy and, to my mind, mendatious premise of the whole call for the enquiry, I have to consider the motivations and wider implications of the proposed inquiry. Superficially it is simply a populist move with the prospect of saving a bit of money. Nothing too unusual about that from the States. My concern is that there is an altogether more odious aspect to this , particularly its timing.

We have been waiting far too long for this new States to get the Committe of Inquiry into 'historic' abuse underway. Of course there is only so much work the States can handle at any time, and there's plenty that needs doing, like a freedom of information law. So the agenda setting is a key political tool. It can be used to prevent unwanted items even getting to the assembly, or equally to fast track selected itms. We know a few prominent States members were always opposed to the committee of inquiry, so it is not implausible to suggest that having another inquiry underway before the Verita recommendations are put to the assembly would be a convenient excuse to further delay of everything. It is a cynical game that can go on a long time - look at the more than 10 years it took to deliver the millenium town park. When it comes to these two inquiries and their progress, as they used to say so often at the start of questions on exams when I was young, compare and contrast.

All your devices could be hacked?

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:17:52 GMT

They cannot, did you when you had the opportunity?

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:17:11 GMT

As an alternative:

More on nitrogen

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:15:57 GMT

Further to my recent blog piece http://st-ouennais.livejournal.com/153816.html, the Soil Association has issued a press release:

Why we need a solar-powered farming system

20 April 2012

‘Too much nitrogen harms the environment and the economy’

A new Soil Association report, to be launched next week [Wed 25 April] at a House of Commons agro-ecology event [1], calls for farming to become less dependent on manufactured nitrogen fertiliser, and makes the case for a transformation of our current farming system to one that obtains nitrogen from nitrogen-fixing legumes. New evidence suggests that systems using this type of nitrogen behave differently in terms of nitrogen retention and loss, and a move away from manufactured nitrogen would also help mitigate the climate change impact of farming and guard against the increasing cost of artificial nitrogen.

‘Too much nitrogen harms the environment and the economy’ was the key message from the recent European Nitrogen Assessment which reported a study by 200 scientists investigating the unprecedented changes humans have made to the global nitrogen cycle over the last century.

Through industrial processes, burning fossil fuels and growing crops, the supply of reactive nitrogen into the environment has doubled in the last 100 years. The biggest source of this reactive nitrogen is from the industrial manufacture of fertiliser for farming. This energy intensive process produces high levels of nitrous oxide and uses natural gas, a non-renewable fossil fuel, which will get more expensive as supplies get scarce. This will put an upward pressure on fertiliser and food prices and poses a long-term threat to our food security.

The report - Just say N₂O: From manufactured fertiliser to biologically-fixed nitrogen - reviews the extent to which organic systems can meet the double challenge of reducing nitrogen losses and building stores of soil organic nitrogen in order to reduce dependency on manufactured nitrogen. The use of manufactured nitrogen is not allowed in organic systems, so inputs of nitrogen come from nitrogen fixed by legumes, often clover leys as part of a crop rotation that also controls pest and diseases.

Scientific evidence shows that the lower nitrogen inputs in organic farming can lead to lower N₂O emissions compared to non-organic farms although more research is needed in a number of key areas. We are calling on the Government to look at the issue of reducing our dependency on manufactured nitrogen, and increasing efficiency of nitrogen use, as a matter of urgency.

Emma Hockridge, head of policy at the Soil Association, said:
“We have a worrying dependence on manufactured fertiliser for our food supply. Making the most efficient use of limited nitrogen inputs will, by necessity, become a key driver for future proofing our farming systems. Current policy and proposed technological-fixes to deal with the problems caused by manufactured nitrogen are either woefully inadequate, or unlikely to deliver within the time-frame needed. Although not perfect, organic farming systems offer viable solutions to the problem of over dependence on manufactured nitrogen.”

Sums up much of this blog in one humorous video clip

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:13:06 GMT

Climate change, oil, and farmers all get in the act.

spotted via http://tomgruchy.blogspot.com/2012/04/battle-of-jersey-pirate-version.html

Oh what a tangled web......

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:12:01 GMT

I was reading on line this morning that the Cameron's fortune was enmeshed in the use of various offshore tax efficient regimes, or dodges as the papers usually call them. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/apr/20/david-cameron-jersey-panama-geneva

Nothing illegal there of course. And notice the attempted positive gloss for Jersey as the only place listed that is somehow OECD compliant. Fascinating isnt it that only a few weeks ago Chancellor George Osborne was feigning shock that the very highest earners in the UK paid such a small percentage of tax on their earnings. (http://citywire.co.uk/money/osborne-shocked-by-tax-avoidance-of-super-rich/a581002)

Mr Cameron senior didn't qualify as super rich on the scale Osborne was talking of, but nonetheless clearly knew how to play a tax avoidance game. So when Mr Cameron and his party talk of clamping down on tax dodging, do you think he is referring to these sort of activities by his family , friends and colleagues? I do not for one minute believe that. Leona Helmsley famously said "We dont pay taxes, only little people pay taxes". She might just as well have written the manifesto for the truly rich with that single phrase.

Locally, earlier this week we had a statement from our assistant minister at the treasury, claiming the wealthiest in our island pay their fair share. The top ten percent of earners pay 49% of income tax and their effective rate is 19% I think he said. Of course this is a total non sequitur. Income is not synonymous with wealth. In Jersey one can be wealthy on a relatively low income, especially if one has inherited real estate or is the beneficiary of a well endowed trust fund. Like so much that I write about in this blog, the error comes in taking a singular partial line through a problem rather than looking at a more holisitc and complete picture with some systems approach.

Just as one can be wealthy with a modest income, one can also be rich with relatively little wealth! It all rather depends on what you are measuring and for what reason. While we are certainly not poor, on almost any measure of local household income or assets we are not rich either. What we do have , thanks to having made energy-efficiency changes to the house, and growing a fair bit of our food, and not bothering with fancy holidays or consumer gadgets, is a little more income than expenditure. But it goes beyond just that financial aspect. That arrangement means less time spent having to earn and fret about income which leaves more time for participating in activities and community affairs.

So back to deputy Noel's comments. The basis of his comparison seems to me to be all wrong. It is not the proportion of income that makes the payments fair or not, it is the proportion of your disposable income, after paying for essentials like food and water that is critical. It is that disposable income that eventually becomes wealth in the form of assets and capital, if used to that end. Equally, without disposable income there is no mechanism to acquire assets or capital (excepting inheritance or theft!). And in our system such capital is barely taxed at all and as such that is where the real money of the seriously wealthy lays.

It is not new thinking of course, Here is Dickens writing over 160 years ago.
"My other piece of advice, Copperfield, said Mr. Micawber, you know. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery. The blossom is blighted, the leaf is withered, the god of day goes down upon the dreary scene, and, in short, you are for ever floored. As I am"

Nitrogen in the big picture.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:22:15 GMT

There is a complex relationship between fossil fuels, food production and climate change. Immediately one might well think of carbon, and it is certainly one factor connected to all, but it is not the only one. Water and water vapour is an another example. Plants need certain levels of water in the soil to thrive, and climate change threatens to leave currently fertile parts of the world seriously decifient. The feedback and forcing effects of water vapour in the air , and of cloud formation and its impacts on climate change is one of the few areas where there is arguably some small genuine scientific debate. Not the fundamentlal science, but the numerical factors used that then feed into the models.

Apart from water and carbon (in the form of Co2 in the atmosphere), plants need three other major chemical inputs -phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen. This paper http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/7/2/024005/article discusses the role of nitrogen and specifically N20 in both climate change and food production. It also relates to fossil fuels in that the procses for production of nitrogen fertiliser is a high energy one requiring hydrogen. Typically that hydrogen is supplied from natural gas, methane, or sometimes coal.

You will not be surprised to read that a vegetarian like me generally supports their conclusion that eating less meat is a good solution. However it is also true that I do not find their rationale too convincing. Several of the scenarios use a factor for projected improvements on efficieny in use of fertilizers and manures, but no indication is given on how this might be done. I also find it problematic in that is neglect the other interrelatad factores such as water and carbon. If one were to take a somewhat more holistic and systems approach a different option might be preferable.

Clearly the use of organic farming systems with its prohibition of artificial (nitrogen) fertilizers would be a candidate. We also know that the use of composts and leys to fertility building help capture and retain carbon in the soil too - a futher benefit. Further, such humus rich soils are more moisture retentive . Not only does it make a contribution to slowing our gree house gas emissions, it also helps in mitigation of one the critical factors as far as food production is concerned.

Government, law and democracy

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:55:39 GMT

As an old time Liberal, this is a topic that is one at the core of how a society organises itself.

Needless to say some aspects of this apply most clearly to Jersey - population increase, mobility of capital, the call for government under the law. Those who yearn for Jersey independence might want to ponder how this little island would fare in world itself struggling with genuine democracy.

The saddest thing is, agree or not with the participants, we seem incapable of having such a debate locally.

"Democracy is about more than just voting". I agree. "Don't delegate - participate"!

In the field

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:42:51 GMT

Mid April is about the busiest time of the year for me. There are multiple sowings and plantings to do, preparation of seed beds, the first cut of the grass, and initial compost making. The dry start to the growing year has been beneficial in that I've been able to make maximum use of time for preparing ground, but that same ground is deficient in moisture so all direct sowings and new seedlings have had to be well watered by hand.

I noted checking last year's diary that the season this year, despite feeling pretty warm, seems to be behind. I had cut my first asparagus on 16th April last year, but there is no sign of it yet. Similarly I was pulling Japanese knotweed 2 weeks earlier last year than this. The noxious weed continues to pop up, but it does seem to be getting much more sparse, and I am hopeful a couple more years of assiduous attention during the growing season will see it finally beaten.

Both undergardeners have been helping at times. Harry just because he wants to have some pocket money, but Rose seems to have a genuine interest in the growing activities. I also helpd them put a few seed tapes of quick growing bits(radishes and spring onions in teh garden). They are just rapid enough to hold their interest.

One unexpected, but very welcome development was the acquisition of a 5 metre greenhouse. It had been sitting in the large garden of an unoccupied house for a number of years and the new owner wanted it removing quickly. 2 of us had it down in bits in three hours.   The glass needs washing, the structure disinfecting, a few misisng panes and the many bolts that sheared when dismantling need replacing. Still once a new firm base is in place and the miscellany of bits reassembled it should prove to be a useful and satisfying bit of recycling, and at a huge cost saving ove buying anew.

The following items were taken at odd times over the last couple of weeks. Click on an image to enlarge.

cultivated sorrel - a lovely lemon taste

The first flower on a pot marigold


Some parsnips regrowing for seed and rows of shallots :)

Rhubarb coming up despite grass (awaiting heavy mulch!) The grass heap and the new compost heap both over 4 feet high.

A general view of the new beds and the blackthorn hedge in blossom.


Jerusalem artichokes for replanting, broad beans from last autumn sowing and from this years first sowing

lots of garlic, a gooseberry bush and a healthy looking comfrey plant.

Care abuse scheme

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:19:12 GMT

There are a few reports out concerning the agreement of terms of payment to survivors and victims of abuse in child care in Jersey. As I understand the reports, people have to have been in a care home between May 1945 and December 1994. Claims under the scheme have to be made by 30th September this year. About 100 people are thought to be eligible and the indications are the maximum payment would be £60,000. Of course many will receive rather less than that. I do not have any information to hand on how that compares with other countries, but it seems to be comparable to the level of payments made through the UK's criminal injuries compensation scheme. See http://www.criminal-injuries.co.uk/ Compensation claims for sexual abuse pertaining to teachers and similar institutions of trust have sometimes been at higher levels than the Jersey scheme ceiling eg Clifton College (£200,000) see http://www.boltburdonkemp.co.uk/services-bolt-burdon-kemp-no-win-no-fee-solicitors/child abuse-bolt-burdon-kemp-no-win-no-fee-solicitors/success stories.aspx

The ceiling of £60,000 is not great. If someone had spent 6 years at Haut de le Garenne for example suffering abuse that limit would be less than those who were supposed to be caring were paid to do the job. It is certainly rather less than some of the laywers in the cases that went to court will have charged. I rather expect it is less than the annual pension entitlement of a States director with many years employment served.

The monetary amounts cannot repair the psychological damage of many years. Nor does it even really represent compensation. It does however represent a degree of recognition of the reality that prolonged persistent abuse of children in care in Jersey did happen.

As far as I can tell, victims and survivors do not have to participate in the scheme. It is technically an offer so the option to take legal action on their own part still remains. In reality few will have the means to launch an effective legal claim down that route. In the absence of any court cases involving some of the more significant names that have been associated with the abuse claims, the main possibility for the facts to come to light is the Committee of Inquiry. I have heard that an announcment on that is expected in the States by May.

Electoral commission from the horses mouth

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:39:12 GMT

The original propoistion to establish an independent electoral commission was put to the States by the then deputy for St Mary, Daniel Wimberley. He has issued an open letter to Jersey residents about it. as follows

OPEN LETTER TO THE RESIDENTS OF JERSEY

My advice to anyone thinking of applying to serve on the Electoral Commission is – don’t.

It is indeed a seductive notion – go on to the Commission, establish what are the real fundamentals of reform, have a real debate and real public consultation. You can start from a blank sheet of paper and get the fairest, most democratic and most effective system for Jersey. That after all was the original idea. But now I sadly have to point out - it is a lost cause. It is just not going to happen.

Having States members on the Commission was extraordinary enough. At a stroke the States destroyed the independence of the Commission. The full-time politicians will control what happens.

But there have been two other two massive changes which have gone almost unnoticed. There will be no outside experts, either on the Commission itself or sitting as an advisory panel. And the Terms of Reference - which were carefully written so that the Commission would look at all sides of the question and come up with a solution which could command the support of the public - have been dismantled.

How very sad. A Commission planned in good faith has been replaced by something completely different. And not worth working for.

Independent experts giving on-going advice and comment on the record would have been a check against vested interests taking over the process, and would have ensured fair play and best practice. That is exactly why we use them in other important and contentious areas, be it advice on our economy, the inquiry into the root causes of the death of Mrs. Rourke, and so on. But this vital check and balance has been removed by PPC.

And then the Terms of Reference. First, PPC removed “voting systems.” But voting systems are a) a vital part of electoral reform, and b) precisely what determine how the range of views of the electorate gets to be reflected accurately in the assembly.

For example, in elections like the Senatorials where there are several seats, someone may vote for candidates A, B and C. But they may actually have clear preferences: they may want candidate A a lot, candidate B a bit less, and candidate C - well, he or she is better than nothing.

These preferences can and perhaps should influence the final result - especially in our non-party system - but any consideration of this has been excluded by PPC. So this is the first way they limited democracy.

Secondly, PPC have altered the terms of Reference to make sure that the Commission cannot actively seek out a way for islanders to have a say in who ends up as Ministers, via the votes they cast and their preferences. After all, the most common complaint of residents about Jersey elections is this – “why vote – it does not make any difference.”

So once again, they took action to limit democracy. Why?

The point about representative democracy is that the people have the last word. They can remove a government that has failed or is acting blatantly in the interests of one group and not in the interests of everyone.

The changes to the Commission’s membership, the changes to the Terms of Reference, and the removal of any oversight from outside, serve precisely to ensure that the people do not get this power. The government we have now is here to stay.

The idea that the public could have preferences between candidates, the idea that the public should be able to remove the government, and the idea that the public should be able to decide on who they want in government – these ideas have been taken from the table by the powers-that-be.

There is a big sickness at the heart of Jersey when an attempt to bring about better democracy in the island is strangled at birth.

The week

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:12:34 GMT

One of the most odious and worrying of recent cases that has gone to the US supreme court will be ruled on in June. It is Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum. The issue concerning the oil company comes down to an argument that as it is a corporation and not a person it cannot be held responsible for human rights abuses. See http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/12847/the_banality_of_corporate_evil. Fascinatingly of course the same corporations try to claim rights the same as people when it is convenient so to do.

The implications and ramifications are huge. If the corporates are immune, then the only option is to take legal action against tthe individuals who work for the entity, assmuing you can identify them. They of course do not have the assets, and even if the case were won would likely not be in a position to pay compensation. The profits would be safely ring fenced in the corproates coffers. It leaves ordinary people vulnerable and near defenseless against the interests of the corprorations. Should some employee be lax enough to contaminate your organic land with GMO, tough, don't expect the employer to be liable, even if there was a knowing wink involved.

The ruling, should it go the way expected, will be another step to people being returned to the status of serfs. Instead of being tied to the land and 'owned' by an aristocrat, you will be tied to a corproation and owned by a tradeable contract (footballers come to mind). Anyone who stands his ground to be a person will have rights of course, but they will be unenforcable against the vested financial interests of the large corporates.

I have heard there have been some unusual birth defects among the small number of sheep we have locally. Anyone who has been following Farming Today will be aware of the rapid spread of schmallenberg in the south and east of the UK this year, having not been seen there before. See http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/a-z/schmallenberg-virus/ It affects goats and cattle as well as sheep, though as far as I know has so far only been seen in the UK in sheep. Cattle have a longer gestation period and that may be the reason it has not been seen so far in cattle. Like the blue tongue virus I have blogged on before, schmallenberg is spread by biting midges.There is every likelihood that the vectors are surviving long enough in our warner climate to spread the disease. I wonder if those local formers who were telling us at the land use conference last year that climate change woud be a benefit to Jersey will still still be of that mind if their herd gets hit.

Two other items i noticed this week relate to food and diet. In one a recent study concludes that higher levels of transfat in the diet leads to more agression and irritability. Significantly, transfats are used in processed and pre-packaged food as a very cheap ingredient. As more preople lose jobs and see their savings dwindle to nothing, the uptake of such 'cheap' food is likelyl to increase,with the the damaging consequence not only for the overal healthbut fothe the securoty and stability communities and societies.

The second article reports findings of the Harvard School of Public Health. More than 100,000 people were in the study which covers more than 20 years. They conclude" This study provides clear evidence that regular consumption of red meat, especially processed meat, contributes substantially to premature death, On the other hand, choosing more healthful sources of protein in place of red meat can confer significant health benefits by reducing chronic disease morbidity and mortality".

That sounds like good news for us vegetarians, but there are some complicating factors. It studied americans only that I can find. And that had a bearing in two ways. first portions there , especially of meat are rather larger then in the UK or Europe. Second the meat rearing practices, especially for beef, are different there anth here. In the USA it is common to use growth hormones and to have beef in feed lots eating only processed feed for the last year of their life. Nonetheless it would seem prudent to take the advice and reduce or eliminate red meat. There are other good reasons too for eating less meat andhaving a more plant based diet, not least the land usage and useful food yield per unit area. See
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120313122504.htm and http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120312162746.htm

A year is not such a long time

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 12:19:06 GMT

In old England the new year started in early April. I believe that is the reason the tax year in the UK runs from April 6th. Certainly it coincides with the start of the horticultural year for many in Britain. While many of us continue our lives in the same uninterrupted cycle we have for many years, for the people of Fukushima this the first anniversary of their terrible disaster. That name will now surely rank alongside Chernobyl and Three Mile Island as a reminder of the risks endemic in the nuclear industry.

While it was devastating for the people directly affected it has also had repercussion elsewhere. Germany scrapped its nuclear expansion programme, and is looking at decommissioning its existing nuclear power stations. Germany is in the position to be able to make that decision because they are already generating 20% of their demand from renewable sources (wind, solar, hydro and biomass). That infrastructure exists because government policy there for some time has ensured feed in tariffs made is viable to do so.

Jersey of course takes a significant part of our energy from French nuclear generated electricity, and a bit from their hydro. Our back up plan is burning fossil fuels, and the JEC has done so in the last few years on occasions. On island renewable energy production was so small that last time I looked no-one was actual bothering to try to measure it. As so often seems the case we are mesmerized by the apparently cheap short term and significantly underplay strategy consideration of the longer term. And we are now so very far behind others both in our aspiration and our planning, at least at the level of States thinking.

When during the week the Guardian ran this piece http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2012/mar/07/wadebridge-solar-powered-town-video I was seething. Here we are touting our credentials as the sunniest place in the British Isles, but we can do nothing yet Wadebridge aims for 30% renewable production within the next 3 years. While our leaders wallow in the the golden glow of having a 'well regulated finance centre', when it comes to the essentials of food, energy, land use and sustainability all we have is a few token gestures and encouraging words.

The reason we have a finance industry is States policy - policy on taxation. In a near mirror image the reason we do not have microgeneration and significant renewable energy is States policy on feed in tariffs. We have an economy whose foundations are based on nothing more than the shifting sands of international taxation . We export cash and jobs when we buy in what we could well do here, like renewable energy and healthy food production. The day we realise it was a high risk strategy because the risk has materialised it will be too late to be wishing we had planned some resilience and diversity.

The need for us is urgent - the ambition of Wadebridge , even to beat them to being the first solar town int he British Isles, coupled with the commitment of the German government to have a strategic renewable and sustainable energy plan and make it happen.

Now Spring is here, I took a few photos last week round the field. It will probably be the last chance I'll have for a couple of months as the work in the field becomes critical. I have to date sown a patch of wheat and oats, the first bed of parsnips, prepared the beds for the main crop potatoes, replanted Jerusalem artichokes and got the first broad beans in. The overall plan now is to prepare and plant up a bed every day that I am able to get in the field.

I usually do a germination test of seed I've saved myself so I can be sure I'm not wasting my time sowing duff stuff. From mid Februray the south windowsill is full of tray and pots.

In the garden a crocus appears among the daffodil leaves.

Catkins on the hazels. We never get nuts - no loss I don't like them! But I am eyeing up a supply of peas sticks from them.

A dog violet among the ivy

The snowdrops will soon be gone, and here is the grain patch. The cover is essential on small areas (about 100 sq metres here) else the birds will eat the lot.

The garlic coming up at last.. And buds on the oaks

Life breaks out on the elder trees.

Electoral evisceration

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:17:00 GMT

A couple of people have commented to me they don’t really understand the fuss about the electoral commission set up and whether States members should be on it. They argue, with some justification, that it does not really matter who is on it the people will lose. I think the debate, lacking as it was, shows us a great deal about or elected representatives and how they approach the duty (for that is what it is) of being in government. It is an issue not only of practical mechanics, but also of one of the most critical questions that anyone involved in politics has to have view upon – that of theory of government.

I’ll start with the last point, because it goes to the very heart of the inevitable divisions between political groupings. There are many ways in which those who govern have been able to justify their position historically, but in modern states the consideration is usually whether you believe government derives its authority and legitimacy from some higher authority( sovereign or deity for example). Or do you believe as I do that the authority of government is lent it by the people, on trust, to act on their behalf.

That perception affects greatly how a government goes about its business and what is believes it is legitimate for it to do. It affects how one understands democracy and how the people are to be involved. It goes to the heart of whether government can impose its will on the people, grace of a higher authority, or whether the people are paramount.

When the States decided to change the terms of reference of the electoral commission and insist 50% of the membership came from its ranks it was, by implication, asserting it is somehow above the view of the unelected. I refute that. The principal argument put forward for having half the membership as States members is that the recommendations of the commission would have to be approved by the States and hence it makes sense to have their input to improve the likelihood of acceptance. That assumes two things. First, that three States members can represent the overall view of the whole, and second that the States naturally have to agree to their reform. Neither of these is necessarily the case.

Leaving aside the above theoretical problem with the States action over the last two days, there are also pragmatic problems. The main one being the abject failure of the States to handle reform over the last decade. They have failed, and given no significant reason to believe anything has substantially changed. Yes there are new members in the house, but there are still plenty of old ones too, and to date those new members have had little impact and few have made speeches or propositions so far.

Vested interests are also a problem, because each of the three distinct type of member argues for the retention of its type of member. The system is effectively deadlocked against any prospect of reforming itself.

A third practical issue is that a scrutiny sub-panel is handling the issue of the machinery of government. Along with the mechanics of voting, which has also been dropped, these items logically have to be considered holistically as some changes in one would have repercussions as to what is plausible or logical in others.

It is my reading that as a result of the changes put by the PPC and the rejection of subsequent amendments there will no longer be a referendum required on the electoral commissions recommendations. The people have been significantly excluded from a proper say in their government. In response to that I believe the commission has lost its credibility and perhaps even its legitimacy before it even starts. I may eventually agree with its output, but the process is wrong and I have to say not in my name.

Other blogs that have covered this issue can be found at:

http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2012/03/reform-rocky-road-ahead.html
http://ughitshim.blogspot.com/2012/03/jersey-needs-independent-electoral.html
http://district1sthelier.blogspot.com/2012/03/conservative-turkeys-25-independent.html
http://sammezec.blogspot.com/2012/03/and-now-states-has-spoken-bastards.html
http://jerseylibertarian.blogspot.com/2012/02/constitution-of-states-ignites.html
http://tomgruchy.blogspot.com/2012/02/jersey-electoral-reform-public-speaks.html

The original debate on p15/2011 starts at page 92 of
http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/AssemblyHansard/2011/38600-43269.pdf#search=p.15

Another week and more sad news

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 09:41:14 GMT

I discovered last night via Facebook that another friend died last Sunday. I had not know Keith anywhere near as long as Derek, but well enough to know he was a good guy. We worked on a number of things, most notably against the new incinerator and for SOS. My condolences to his family and friends.

A couple of news snippets during the week caused me to be very concerned at the lack of comprehension in the world about some of the issues I try to cover in this journal. First up the decision by U.S. District Court Judge Naomi Buchwald here us-monsanto-lawsuit

She turned down an application for a ruling to ensure Monsanto could not sue organic farmers whose crops became contaminated with patented Monsanto 'product'. She said the plaintiffs were creating a controversy where none existed. Which is complete balderdash as anyone perusing even briefly the literature would be able to identify.

Monsanto of course claim they wouldn't sue anyone accidentally infringing their patent rights by intended presence of protected material in their fields. That is worth nothing, it is a statement of intent that has no legal or practical standing. Notwithstanding which Monsanto have bought 144 patent infringement lawsuits against farmers between 1997 and April 2010. Some organic farmers have felt compelled to change their growing methods and crops, at significant costs to themselves to ensure they avoid possible lawsuits from Monsanto. As too often happens in legal systems, the system protects the rights of big aggressors against those of small victims. What more could one expect in a country where the presidency is, in effect, for hire to the team that can raise the biggest (corporate) campaign funds, regards it seems of policy or merit.

And one other point arising form that price, and the statement given by Monsanto that will send shivers down the spine of organic growers and consumers. The company did not refute that contamination occurs, indeed it is implicit in the statement they would not sue for unintended presence of protected material. That protected material in most cases is genetically modified material.

A second item that really annoyed not just me , but a number of other organic producers and consumers locally, was an article in the Gallery magazine. I cannot tell if the author was deliberately mocking organic or is simply crassly ill -informed and prejudiced. The article treats organic as some fadish affected adopted veneer, suitable for replacement with next season's latest must have pretentions for the vacant brained. The article contains neither fact not value, even opt the point of talking about pronouncing organic with a French accent. In an island where French is still an official language you would have thought they might just have checked out the distinction between organique and biologique in this context. In short this article was synthetic inaccurate short term - the epitome of everything organic is not.

Finally I want to comment on something that was on radio 4 Farming Today. The excellent professor Tim Lang professor-tim-lang was making some superb observations about the state of horticulture (as opposed to agriculture) in the UK, with he describes as a disgrace.

Number one priority he says is growing plants - they are the foundations of human health and the food economy. Now there nowhere in the UK you can study commercial horticulture.Reading closed it horticulture degree a couple of years ago because of lack of students, yet bizarrely the same University only a year ago had a new professor of global food security. See reading.ac.uk. How can you have food security if you don't train , educate or value the people to do the critical element of that? It is horticulture that supplies the critical wide range mineral,s vitamins and trace elements - the ones the government always encourages us to consume with the likes of the 5-a-day campaign.

À la préchaine

World book day

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:51:50 GMT

Today is world book day. I am a big fan - it really seems to get the children interested in books. You can read more about it at http://www.worldbookday.com/

My children went to school dressed as favourite characters today. Helen spent quite some time customising bits and pieces for costumes.

Click on an image to view full size.

That tiger bask is hand drawn and coloured on the back of a pizza box!

Scary!

The week

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:39:28 GMT

I am pleased to report I am not in fact losing my marbles as I thought I must be on Wednesday. I had to go to the Parish Hall in the evening, but when it came to the time to leave I could not find my shoes. Usually in this house if something is missing it is me who finds it, so this was a genuine mystery. I wore them to work, and had them on when I arrived home. I knew I had not been out of the house since then, so it could not be that I had left them elsewhere. I could not fathom how I could neither know where they were nor find them. I seriously began to think I must have done something of which I had absolutely no recollection

The conundrum was untangled when Helen went to collect son from cubs and was most surprised to find the shoes there too. He had sneaked them into the car and changed his footwear superstitiously en route. This bizarre action was explained by his determination to get full marks for kit inspection. He had mistakenly brought home the wrong bag after sport at school, so he did not have his school shoes to wear. His trainers would not pass muster - the rules are to have black polished shoes. There is however nothing requiring them to be either your own or a proper fitting pair. He did get full marks, and I see a potential career in the law.

A rather economically significant though probably little remarked record was broken during the week. Brent crude oil reached an all time high. Oil, like most commodities, is traded in dollars. It is true that in dollar terms it is off it highest ever, however when converted back to sterling, the lower value of the pound means the price is at its zenith. Given the ubiquity of oil in our everyday western lives and products, that is surely an indication of increasing pressure for economic slow down and increasing prices for anyone using British or Jersey pounds..

In the field I have sown oats. A little earlier than normal, but the weather was good and the soil neither too cold nor wet It is always a tricky decision, but with so much to do the opportunity could not be passed up. The following day to rained so germination should be fine. The couple of foggy days enabled me to catchup on clearing some long neglected brambles, and collecting a good amount of dry bracken. This will be mixed with the grass when it is cut later to form the main basis of the compost heap. Today I did the first sowing of broad beans and later I'll do my first of parsnips. The autumn planted garlic I had feared lost seems finally to be showing signs of life. Since it is a critical ingredient in our diet I acquired a couple of bulbs of Christo to plant in the garden as a backup. It is strongly flavoured, but a good choice for spring planting. Harry planted them today. It might have been a punishment for sending me mental looking for my shoes, but I think he rather enjoyed the exercise. Is he beginning to follow in his father's footsteps?

A very sad duty

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:26:27 GMT

Despite aching limbs and back from a full day dealing with overgrown brambles and collecting dried bracken, I am feeling numb. I've just written a brief note of condolence following the news of the very sudden and quite unexpected death of a close school friend. He would have been 51 this week. We were next to each other on the register at school so quickly became acquainted. At that stage we shared a common interest in military history. But later other parallels materialised. We both worked in software, and even later we had both come independently to a great concern over resource depletion and it implication for how we organise society. Indeed Derek was one of the few people local who I felt ever grasped the significance of peak oil, and long before it became the recognised term it is today. Those who knew Derek would agree I think that public speaking and oratory was never his strong point. He was quite delighted to be asked to be my proposer in the 2008 elections and to give a short speech. It was a sort of ambition he had harboured to do so. It is some small satisfaction to me that I was able to give him the chance to realise that ambition.

My condolences to Vicky and his family. Rest peacefully my friend.

That Cassandra feeling

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:34:34 GMT

Recalling a week that has had so much bad news is hard. I don’t refer to the one off disasters, but rather to the steady insistent flow of items that all point to the deterioration of our situation. A friend passed me a copy of Tuesday’s JEP, pointing out that a number of the stories related tos isue sI raised in the election last October. I think she expected me to be a little smugly satisfied at having been correct. She was mistaken. My intent had been to get action to change course. Judging by the 3 year strategy put out by the Council of Ministers, as required by law, that really is not the case.

But the bad news goes far wider than Jersey. I’ll get to the local bit later. One frightening item comes from Spiegel, http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,811560,00.html. Simply it points out a variant MRSA. Not the hospital MRSA that you may be aware of, but a community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or ca-MRSA. It is not confined to hospital intensive care wards, but is found in gyms, even a high speed train. As these resistant bugs become more prevalent, reserve antibiotics have been used to treat severe infections. It now emerges that some pathogens are resistant even to these last-line-of-defence drugs. ESBL-forming bacteria, seems to be established in India, but has also been found in the UK and Israel. There is only one effective anti-biotic for this, but it known to have potentially lethal side effects. None of this is oto serious for healthy individuals at the moment, but it could be a nightmare should an epidemic, or pandemic break out. The article of course points out the use of these medicines in traditional agri-business farming as a weak point in the evolution of these resistant stains – 900 tonnes per year in German for farm animals.

The annual report of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on the state of the global climate was published. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/
Last year was the equal eleventh warmest on record. Not oto bad you may think. However La Niña, which is defined by cooler-than-normal waters in the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean that affects weather patterns around the globe, was present during much of 2011. When compared to previous La Niña years, the 2011 global surface temperature was the warmest observed during such a year. The November average monthly temperature in Norway was 4.6°C (8.3°F) above average!

In the face of such challenge The new Council of Minister has a new 3 year strategic plan, as required by law. See http://www.gov.je/Government/Consultations/Pages/DraftStrategicPlan.aspx Almost a the end of the last section on long term planning, it commits to meet the costs of climate change and reduce its impact on our population. and comply with international obligations by reducing carbon emissions. The Energy White Paper will investigate how to achieve secure, affordable and sustainable energy supplies. It is a small step forward, but omits so much, not least that climate change is not just energy consumption related. Also missing is the issues surrounding oil dependency (again not just energy), and food security.

Now back to the JEP. Front page headline “double blow for the economy”: record unemployment and inflation remains high. Actually 5.4% inflation is only high in relation to recent low levels, it haw been much higher in previous times – well into double digits annually. The unemployment issue is covered in the Strategic consultation. However the inflation element is not specifically mentioned that I recall. The JEP article makes no comment on the impacts or significance of the inflation figure, but it is of great significance. Resource competition is one factor, but there are other drivers too, as discussed here http://jewelleryjersey.blogspot.com/2012/01/only-tool-left-is-hyper-inflation.html

Also on the front page there is an article titles “Child Care standards criticised in new report”. The grades given would be failures overall if they were GCSE results. Of course it is no surprise to those of us who have taken an interest in such matters in the past. Indeed the most surprising this is that they report seems to think it will take 2 years to sort out. We have had 3 years since the lame Williamson report– it is going to take a serious culture change at the top to produce results in that 2 year timescale. That change is cultural we need to listen properly to the children and the care leavers if we are to understand the issues.

On page 6 Jeff Hathaway of the Allotment and Leisure Gardening Association says there are 40 people on the waiting lists, but the bureaucracy obstructing provision. In 2008 I estimated we were 600 or so short based on UK demand figures. In the UK there is a legal entitlement for ratepayers to demand provision, from local government. So far the States has made no provision, what schemes do exist are either private or provided through organisations like RJAHS.

Lastly we have the revelation that the interim Met Report is not quite what it was purported to be by certain former ministers, and the basis of much that followed appears in fact to have been derived from a politically commissioned report from a media consultant. There are few that were involved at the time that will come out of this with and honour or integrity. See http://ricosorda.blogspot.com/

So there you have it, ecologically, economically, politically and socially its downhill all the way, and no soft landing in sight.

In the field

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:14:33 GMT

Today I have cleared 30 square meters or more of bramble roots, cow parsnip, clump grasses and nettles. It had not really been the plan, but after a good long soaking then a day of dry weather the soil was soft enough to facilitate the uprooting but dry enough to withstand a bit of working. Six hours digging with hand tools is an effective way to shrug off the torpor induced by festive feasting.

Neighbours and farming friends think my low tech approach is insane - far too much hard work . It is true it is commercially ineffective in terms of income per hour. But there is more to it than money. Today I came across two hibernating toads and a small oak sapling. I was able to leave the toads in situ and transplant the sapling. Had I been using a tractor or even a small rotavator that would not have happened. Mechanisation puts a degree of remove in the set up that looses something important of significance in the connexion to the soil and the constant reminder of the ecological balance. It is not just my field and earth, it is shared by a myriad organisms all playing a part.

Earlier in the week when it really was raining I attended to a number of overgrown hedges. It was a surprise to come across some berries on the brambles that were black. I didn't test if they were truly ripe I'm sure some birds would appreciate them this time of year.. Helen says she also found a few ripe raspberries in her canes. Harvesting for our own table continues - Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, the last of the carrots, salsify, kale, and sprouts. The carrots seem to have been attacked by a root rot the last two weeks. It is surprising just how many carrot problems there are (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_carrot_diseases), but most were already out so it is not a big concern. I have lifted half the oca, and very good it looks to. I barely found enough tubers to have to replant the previous year and we have none to eat, so this was a welcome surprise to see they had done so well.

Orders have been placed for seeds and I am an half way through cleaning the pots and module ready for sowing. I have moved one of the compost bins to a more convenient place for both filling and using, and have been spreading compost as old beds are cleared.

The winter onions have come up a little patchy but still worth doing. Similarly the broad beans. The main garlic bed is in , but it to soon to expect to see any shoots there. I have also managed to salvage a neglected patch of strawberries with a day of intensive hand weeding. The plants look healthy and a few flowers were evident.

Paddy Ashdown on global change

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:00:41 GMT

A good old liberal view.
World changes Globalisation of governance and the shift of power.

His comments on monopolar power reflects in microcosm locally. The symptoms described follow.
The security of a nation depends on its health service, and food security. The most important aspect about structure is how well we work together ie the network. We share a destiny with each other.

Having heard Paddy's excellent talk, reflect on this observation on government , regulation and structure as tools - artifacts designed and created by humans.

Home Affairs Minister statement re historic abuse

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:40:58 GMT

Channel Online carries a report of a statement made to States members today. See http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/displayarticle.asp?id=497676

The key paragraph appears to be
"The definitive reports in this area are the two reports of the Wiltshire Police. Those reports conclude amongst other things:

1) That the Historical Child Abuse Enquiry was appropriately managed in its early stages.
2) That issues of serious concern did arise in relation to the financial management and other aspects of the investigation in relation to Haut De La Garenne.
3) That the decision to start digging at Haut De La Garenne was not so clearly wrong as to give rise to a disciplinary issue."

Now there are several curious things going on here.

First, note there is no States sitting today. The first of the session is 17th January. There is not even a scrutiny panel or other committee to whom the statement could have been made. See
http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/States%20Assembly/Meeting%20list%202.1.2012.pdf

So the first question is what is the status of this statement? It appears to be a formal statement but it seems to me it falls outside of any States body committee and hence unlikely ever to appear in any formal record like Hansard. What, if any, relevance therefore should be given to it? Why not wait until the States sitting in under 2 weeks to make a formal recorded statement to the Assembly? The most likely reason is to try to establish the framing of an issue ahead of some other report or facts coming out.

As in the past, the minister clings to the Wiltshire reports as the definitive ones. So here we have the first aspect of the framing - by implication the other reports are less worthy . But where is the objective evidence for this? Are those 'definitive' Wiltshire reports fully rounded and comprehensive, presenting all sides of the issues and coming to a coherent, clear, logical conclusion from the comprehensive corpus of facts?

Item 1. This is very oddly worded to my mind: That the Historical Child Abuse Enquiry was appropriately managed in its early stages. Why specifically limit the scope of this to just the early years of the enquiry (under Harper and Power)? It would have been simpler, clearer and easier to omit that phrase. So it must have significance. Why is it necessary for the minister to exclude the later years of the enquiry. The implication is there are things under the Gradwell/Warcup years that cannot be described as appropriately managed. What are they?

Item 2. That issues of serious concern did arise in relation to the financial management and other aspects of the investigation in relation to Haut De La Garenne. The financial concern aspects are self evident - the former Chief Minister Walker had effectively offered an open cheque book. But it is clear now that some responsibility for the financial management was with the home affairs department. And what are the 'other aspects of the investigation'. The former Chief Officer was suspended twice and the strongest statement the Home Affairs minister can make is serious concerns arose. Not that they were proven or justified or evidenced.

Item 3. That the decision to start digging at Haut De La Garenne was not so clearly wrong as to give rise to a disciplinary issue. Was not clearly wrong! ie was right. It was not just the skull (coconut?) fragment that justified this. The teeth the fresh, fleshed burnt bone, the pits, Eddie the dog's reaction, the statements of former residents all contributed to reasonable need to treat the site as one of possible homicide.

It comes down to this. If there was good enough evidence to justify (ie was not wrong) to dig and the enquiry under Power and Harper was managed properly, the Home Affairs minister has to make the financial and 'other' aspects stick as justification of the suspension. If Wiltshire is undermined, or the financial management is not so seriously at fault, the ice on which the minister has been skating these last few years will melt away quicker than that of the arctic sea in a hot summer.