The link between government and charities in Jersey is becoming ever more complex and worrying.
We all know what happened to CHRISTIAN AID when it spoke out against some aspects of the Finance industry (see the blog here on 25 April) yet we also know that Honorary Service is supposed to be at the very foundation of Jersey society.
On the one hand we have people being apparently demonised for doing charitable works whilst at the other end they are applauded and honoured with medals.
So just what has gone wrong with Silkworth Lodge Charity Group and its relationship with Jersey Government?
Nobody seems to know.
Here we offer an interview with Jason Wyse the COE of Silkworth who was previously employed in the Finance Industry. He is mystified too.
Likewise, it is puzzling that “Roseneath” – another Charitable and residential facility – was closed down just before Xmas last year with all staff and up to 30 residents being expelled at remarkably short notice.
Once again the axe fell when the Health Department removed its funding and the charity had to return funds already donated by a local bank.
Silkworth too has had to return funds given by the same and another bank for the creation of an in-house “detox unit.”
Clearly Silkworth cannot carry on with its good and essential works without an assured income so such actions by the Jersey government are doubly confusing and frustrating.
Ironically too, the Silkworth management had expressed an interest in taking over the Roseneath premises soon after they closed last year and had entered into discussions with the Health Department.
Yet it now seems that a Ministerial Decision was made by the Treasury months ago to secure Roseneath under States control, through the Health Department and its acquisition by Property Services was completed long ago, with an agreed payment of £100,000 of public money!
Something very fishy going on we think - but look at Silkworth’s own web-site for more details of their work and try to make some sense of all this
Notably, our 51 Elected States’ Representatives are keeping remarkably silent except for Constable Dan Murphy from Grouville who is a Trustee of Silkworth and hopping mad.
So what does this say about Electoral Reform proposals to put the Constables out to grass????
We have tried to contact Deputy Roy Le Herissier (he sat on the board at Roseneath a
and is quoted in the JEP as welcoming the Health/Property Services deal) – but he is away from Jersey on holiday…
Would any other States Member be prepared to give us an interview on this strange and very worrying matter?
Weston Healthcare Foundation is a business and like any business the States of Jersey can shop around for same service offer by other 'trusts'. Sanctuary House in St Aubins accepts people with alcohol and drug issues and offers support.
ReplyDeleteThere are people within the management of H&SS that are the real problem.
ReplyDeleteInexplicable is the word.
ReplyDeleteNow we need the Health Minister to explain and other politicians to do some investigation.
Such allegations are not made gratuitously.
Sanctuary House is NOT a rehab centre. Therein lies the very vast difference. Furthermore Silkworth Lodge is the only organisation in the Channel Islands which offers this much needed and valuable facility.
ReplyDeleteI have my own thoughts on what is happening here, but I will await future developments and see if I am correct. Meanwhile we need some truthful answers here, and heads should certainly roll.
Listening to the Health Minister Deputy Anne Pryke this morning being interviewed by BBC Radio Jersey, I was not entirely convinced she was fully briefed and had investigated the breakdown in communications(if that is what it is) It was all very diffident.
ReplyDeleteHopefully she will be meeting with Silkworth early next week if not sooner to rebuild trust. She will then be able to report to Scrutiny at a scheduled meeting also next week.
When will Scrutiny be calling in the Health Minister - time and date?
Deputy Ann Pryke - no doubt with her team of at least 6 officers - will appear before the Scrutiny Panel next Friday 10 August from 10 am.
ReplyDeleteThe venue is Le Capelain Room at the States building in the Royal Square.
The hearing is open to the public who cannot speak or participate beyond just listening.
Best to get there about 10 mins early - report to the main entrance ushers for directions if in doubt.
The reporting of this whole debacle has been so one-sided in favour of Silkworth Lodge. I have information on that place that should have it closed down tomorrow and will give it to you privately.
ReplyDeleteWhy privately anonymous? Afraid of repercussions are we? Reporting has not been 'one-sided', just plain honest facts - a complete hash up by H&SSD with what I still suspect has been a hidden agenda.
DeleteSo - let us have the full honest facts from the other side.
Sorry Tom - you have it all wrong. There are a number of States Members who have been working on this - but not everything we do is splattered all over Twitter or the newspapers.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite clear, however, that H&SS have not been working wioth the third sector as they should and have not been honest with Silkworth.
I can only publish the information available.
ReplyDeleteSo far, the response from Health and Treasury has been deplorably inadequate.
Hopefully, Constable Murphy will ask some questions just as soon as the States is back in session but if any more impartial people have information on this mystery - please let me know.
If you have been refused treatment at Silkworth this year - let me know also.
In response to Senator Ferguson - I am surprised to read that "I have got it all wrong" especially since you offer no evidence to the contrary. Unless of course you refer to the behind the scenes activities of States Members known only to yourself.
ReplyDeleteThis smacks of the old "good in Committee" members who used to do absolutely nothing so far as the public were concerned from election to death under the "old system."
On this and so many other issues the public needs some political leadership from our elected reps and this is all the more important from Senators on such "all Island" matters.
That £thousands have been paid out in these strange circumstances is especially worrying and the catalogue of States' financial waste just seems to have no end.
In this particular example the role of a charitable organisation and its apparent perverse treatment at the hands of the Health/Treasury Departments has implications for the whole "involving the Third Sector" policy of the States.
Obviously the paying /voting public has a right to know what is really going on - so tell me Senator, what have I got wrong?
...and now to cap it all Hamish MC is back on the BBC Radio promoting alcoholic poisons again... what say you about that Senator?
Do you think Frank Laine believes in Karma? What goes around, Frank.................
ReplyDeleteIf you have anything to say about Frank Laine's role at Silkworth suggest you offer it here - feel sure he will respond to any serioulsy offered criticisms.
ReplyDeleteIt's now 6pm and Hamish MC has been broadcasting for about two hours on BBC Radio Jersey including a good measure of promoting alcohol and singing the praises of the new and untried or tested Third Sector Forum with its genial chairman Jim Hopley.
However, not a word about the dangers of alcohol consumption as per usual! How does the BBC allow such blatant promotion of this most dangerous poison without at least attempting to balance its brodcasting output?
Tom Gruchy.
ReplyDeleteBBC State Radio don't "do" BALANCE
Complaints about the BBC can be made on-line and by more traditional means but, unless you are related to Frank Walker, are mostly a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteThe BBC offers more misleading and incomplete information about making complaints on
http://www-bbc.co.uk/complaints/.
Of course there is no effective process for making a complaint within Jersey about the BBC or any others within the so called "accredited media".
Accreditation and the "professional" standards that should follow from this are a myth in Jersey. But at least Matthew Price the jaundiced "presenter" on BBC Radio admitted recently on air that he was "accredited by nobody." Presumably that is why he is allowed to promote his preaching wife at every opportunity and Chris Stone is always promoting his biking obsesseion - but the local station might like to offer a list of just who is "accredited" and who is not. The "non-accredited" staff could then be relegated to the "public bench" (ie outside) along with the "bloggers" whenever there is a government "Press briefing"....
...just a random thought.
Gwynn Garfied Bennet aka Gwyn Jones alias Alex Wilde (see alexwilde.com)has been droning on for two hours or more this Sunday morning on BBC Radio Jersey with her usual hand picked selection of guests.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly amazing how BBC Jersey manages to devote so much time to "safe" people who are guaranteed to say nothing controversial.
Also amazing is how the BBC gives so much air time to safe "journalists" such as Alasdair Crosby who are either freelancers for such organs as the JEP or on the pay roll.
Presumably he is related to Hamish and since "Slow Food" is one of his interests (according to the NET, there must be an inherited gourmet gene.
It seems that being related to or a friend of a BBC "journo" is better than joining the Freemasons if you have anything to promote in Jersey and its just one little magic roundabout of voices. Why is the BBC spectrum so limited? Is it really so afraid of controversy?
Other guests were Fred Benest (presumably the Jersey lawyer on a day off) promoting the Bosdet stained glass project and seeking funds in a week when charities and their relationship with government have been attracting so much critical attention.
This stage of the programme was wrapped up with a pleasant enough wander down memory lane with Howard Snowden talking about Jersey water and his part in it. The usual magazine, fill-in type stuff.
The third hour or so was a supposedly serious discussion about skin cancer and another charity seeking support intermixed with general chit-chat and approved music from the BBC safe list.
Of course there were some important issues to be raised here but how on earth can the BBC find so much time for these several hours of largely meaningless waffle whereas those who want to express more reasoned comments on so many issues, are afforded so little space or denied air-time at all?
I did not stay to listen to the bitter end but wonder if the promoters of the skin cancer charity (no problem with that useful cause) were allowed to confront anybody from the Health Department to challenge just how their plans might fit in with the Care in the Community White Paper proposals. There was no hint of the Silkworth controversy in these hours of output that I heard eventhoug "charities" were so much in the background.
Why bother with brodcasting at all if it is only designed for such a narrow audience.....better to revive the Sunday "talkback" surely?
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ReplyDeleteN.B. That no States Member has yet come forward to be interviewed here on these Silkworth issues....
ReplyDeleteThere was an interesting programme on radio 4 today about charities in the UK and how they are being sucked into relationships with the government there.
ReplyDeleteIt is all part of the same plan to get volunteers involved in doing the jobs that should really be done by trained professionals or those with proper training and safety checks.
It is not just about saving money either because the staff are becoming more difficult to find for so many health and caring jobs.
Many UK towns already have high streets full of charity shops which show what will happen to many other essential services in time.
The whole Third Sector discussion is needed soon in Jersey. Its no longer just about retired people helping out for a few hours in the hospital or school kids cleaning the plastic from a beach.
So pleased to hear this morning that Carrie and Sarah managed to squeeze in an interview with Michael Marett-Crosby to plug his latest book! Keep it in the family girls....
ReplyDeleteThre is no end to this incestuous public broadcsting station's cheek?
Is there any point in complaining to anybody about BBC standards - is there anybody on the "listeners panel" (or whetever it is called) who takes any notice of such behaviour?
Lo and behold the Lord works in mysterious ways! Guess who is doing the "morning thought" everyday this week on Radio Jersey?
ReplyDeleteSure thing - it's Michael Marett Crosby and his theme is the moon and planets and what a coincidence that his new book is - wait for it - about the moon and the planets.
Will this nepotism ever end?
NB The Scrutiny hearing with the Minister of Health Deputy Pryke has been moved to CHURCH HOUSE next to the Town Church.
ReplyDeleteIt is still commencing at 10am and is open to the public who must remain silent and obedient at all times - no matter how annoyed the talking might make you.
I am asking for a proper sound system to be installed so that the public can easily hear everyting that is said.
Yes - that is Friday 10 August.....end of this working week.
ReplyDeleteSee you all there.
In case anybody did not realise that Michael Marett Crosby's morning thought every morning this week was a covert advert for his new book - Matthew Price confirmed following today's talk that Crosby was talking about the subject matter of his new book now on sale etc.
ReplyDeleteOf course Mrs Price is the preacher at one of Jersey's churches and will no doubt be selling signed copies of the tome from the pulpit...and it's about time that she appeared for a week's residence delivering the morning thought on Radio Jersey - there must be something else that this nepotistic clan wants to promote in God's name....
Matthew Price did not let us down this morning.
ReplyDeleteHe gave Michael Marett Crosby a super intro for his morning thought with a good plug for the book and afterwards gave an even longer instant review of the fabulous volume and another plug that Carrie and Sarah will be featuring the moon and stars in their prog from 10 to 1 today. Wonder if THE BOOK will feature?
AND THEN the disgusting Matthew launched into an advert for his wife Christine the preacher who will be spouting on BBC Radio Jersey tomorrow and Sunday.
Who needs to pay for adverising when the BBC is a personal family show??
Tom, I share one's disbelief with the local BBC "system". As an ex-employee of the BBC in the mainland I too saw things that would just make a right minded individual share their head at in disbelief.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if one were to consider another local broadcast outlet to listen to in the background during the day then we are surely lacking. This week whilst listening to Channel 103 n the car, my four year old child shouts out, "it's the same song again!" Perhaps "103" gives an indication as to how many tunes they have to play ...
I am reminded of a scene in the Aardman film "Chicken Run". The chickens are realising that something is afoot (or more aptly "a neck") with their owners and disappearing birds. When suddenly, the owners bring out more feed and the chickens rush off to eat the extra food for their own short term gain ... which would soon be the gain of their owners ...
Was this a not to subtle (it can't be that subtle if it was noticed by me) observation of life that if we, the people, are kept in a harmonious state that the so called elite can then continue with their own personal plans?
The Beano is not the Rag
On Sara's Sunday slot, not only did BBC Jersey have the usual Preacher Price's daily banal thought for the day but Ms Palmer managed to find a bonkers vicar from the UK to interview who has just published a book. And - wait for it - it is linked to an own brand "Bad Christian Beer" too.
ReplyDeleteTop that Hamish and clan!
Sara did suggest that the whole boozy book God promotion should be brought to Jersey to appear at a pub near you - so stand by for yet more in-house publicity from this quarter.
If Hamish is invited to review the beer I wonder which one of this crowd will be singing the praises of the book? Who knows they might even drag our pompous Dean in to bless it..?
Who needs investigative journalism when there is God's work to be done promoting buls..t and booze - maybe that's what BBc really stands for?
Today started reasonably well insofar as BBC Radio Jersey broadcast an extended discussion on homelessness, even interviewing some people who have tragic experiences at the sharp end.
ReplyDeleteAlcohol abuse featured as a fairly common theme so it was a promising effort although there is still the hint of a sub-plot to promote the favoured Deputy Power's St Aubin charitable enterprise which is taking over "Roseneath" -
yet seemindly to sideline "Silkworth".
Anyway all publicity is good for the general cause although it was much weakened with injected post Olympian easy broadcasting repeats...
Alas, it could not last because at 2.15pm the daily promotion of booze returned on Kevin Pamplin's remarkably pointless programme and the gushing Suzie Atkins - "the award winning wine writer of the Telegraph" etc promoting herself and the usual poisons.
Of course it was up-market booze this time but the pleasure seeking message was clear enough - drink! drink! drink! and be happy.
No mention of homelessness here but John Gripton will probably claim Monday as a day of "balanced broadcasting"...what might tomorrow bring?
Matthew Price has been pushing his preacher wife again today - she is promoting her Christian views once more this weekend on BBC Radio Jersey - but why?
ReplyDeleteIt's bad enough that BBC Jersey is forever promoting the families and friends of their staff such as Hamish MC but it's the narrowness of the views presented that is especially worrying. Bullsh*t, Booze and Christianity seems to be the purpose of the BBC in Jersey.
Somebody should remind John Gripton that he has moved into a diverse community of 100,000 people of all ages from all over the world with different political, religious or non-religious, cultural backgrounds and interests. Can nobody rid us of this bunch of glorified DJs?
There is really no limit to Matthew's cheek. Not only did his preacher wife occupy the weekend thought slots but she is on all this week too. And Matthew introduces and signs her off as though she is in no way related!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy do we have to have the same favoured few relatives and friends promoting themselves and the worn out Christian message week after week?
I went to the £multi millions refurbsihed Town Church for Sunday Evensong recently and was suprised to be one of the youngest there in a congregation of about 20 pensioners!
Matthew is now droning on about Bank charges in his usual non-investigative "non accredited" way but is hardly likely to subject the Jersey Church to any sort of critical examination.
Anyway, stand by for the latest beer promotion soon because Liberation have brought out something new for some cause or other so ME Gripton will surely send down instructions to his sleeping staff to give it a good plg.
Wonder what sermon it will be attached to this time or shall Hamish be sent off the East Anglia to interview a hop?