SCRUTINY SCREWS SCRUPLES again....

The SECRET SEVEN were in action again from 1.15 p.m. today - in between sessions of the States Assembly.

This time it was Constable Dan Murphy of Grouville who was “put to the question” as key witness before the feared Jersey Development Company Selection Process Corporate Services Scrutiny Sub-Panel - or JDCSPCSSSP for short.

Today there weren’t actually seven tormentors –only Deputies Le Fondre, Le Herissier and Senators Perchard and Le Gresley with just one “Scrutiny Officer” around the “operations table.” Another “officer” deftly worked the electronic control panel from a discreet distance - out of sight of the witness.

Although the session was supposedly open to the public – nobody except yours truly had the nerve to attend the X rated proceedings.

Before entering the sealed room (which only has one doorway) we asked Dan if he agreed to be video-recorded. He said he was very happy for this and was all in favour of total transparency. Yours truly was pleasantly surprised. Perhaps Dan is not so desperate after all?

Unfortunately, Deputy Le Fondre over-ruled the Constable’s wishes and declared that there could be no video-recording and there was no time to explain his reasoning which was also the view of the sub-panel.

Deputy Le Herissier tried to disagree - saying that he had no objection - but Senators Perchard and Le Gresley said nothing whilst looking blankly at their thumbs.

The “Scrutiny Officer” also claimed that the Chairmen’s Committee had ruled about twelve months ago that such public meetings could not be vide-recorded.

Yours truly tried to counter-object of course but the SECRET SEVEN minus Two’s leader said they were not going to waste time discussing it now…..

It’s all very strange because the room has large windows overlooking the

Royal Square

where real, ordinary people can be seen going silently about their lives. Why oh why don’t any look up and see what horrors are taking place here in their name?

Constable Murphy was asked to give his name – which as it turned out was probably the most searching question of the day.

It then transpired that he had also been invited to play a part in the same mysterious Selection games as Senator Sarah. He had wanted to see the “long list” of candidates for the job of Chairman for the Jersey Development Company rather than just the “short list” because the names on that were all former UK LABOUR PARTY APPARATCHIKS!!!

Even Le Fondre looked shocked at this startling revelation of a possible Communist inspired Plot deep at the heart of Jersey government.

Could this be pay-back time for the reciprocal heath agreement deal yours truly wondered?

The Constable knew that there were fourteen names on the original “long list” but he wanted to know who the discarded ones were, why had they been rejected and were there any Jersey people amongst them? But, on the short list the “Baroness” was so far ahead of the other apparatchiks that there was really no contest. The result was obvious even before the meetings took place….Spooky eh? What now – with the Baroness in a sulk and the chair still empty?

As for the Non-Executive Directors – NEDs or Nodding Donkeys in common parlance – Dan had wanted more local names and he knew somebody who would be ideal but was not even considered. Jersey’s very own-breed apparatchik perhaps?

However, Constable Dan thought that the whole procedure was handled professionally although the cost of employing “head-hunters” was excessive.

He did not know why Pip Rondel from St. John was so afraid to speak in public…

Then at 2.00 p.m. precisely, Deputy Le Fondre suddenly declared that there was just one more question to ask and that could only be dealt with IN PRIVATE.

Yours truly had to leave.

The GREAT SECRET would not be exposed today.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Mr. Ken Soar is billed to appear before the SECRET SEVEN. What SECRETS might he reveal?

Yours truly cannot wait…SCRUTINY is just so exciting.

TOM GRUCHY