Jersey Investigation

The first significant arrests following the launch of the police inquiry into historic sexual abuse in Jersey, could be just days away.

Deputy Chief Officer Lenny Harper has told the BBC he's hoping to be in a position to make those arrests soon. Three people are being investigated - two in Jersey and one in the UK.

However he and his team have been obstructed in their inquiries by some retired police officers who've tried to cover up their own failure to investigate complaints of child abuse at the former children's home at Haut de la Garenne.

Lenny Harper has said he will look into allegations against people from a number of organisations - including the Police - who did not respond appropriately to allegations of abuse when they were first made and if any criminality comes to light, will take appropriate action.

Going to the States

Lenny Harper told the BBC that some former police officers have taken their cases to members of The States.

He says that the former officers have political connections with some of the islands more "senior" politicians - that's senior in age, not necessarily authority. 

He has also told the BBC that he is aware that these long-serving politicians and the sacked policemen have had meetings.  These meetings were initially to get support for the former officers in their individual cases which led up to their dismissal, but their focus, he says, has since shifted to the child-abuse inquiry.

However, Mr Harper has said he has experienced no obstructions from any current Minister.

On Saturday 8 March the story took to the streets as hundreds of islanders, most carrying a daffodil in support of the victims of Haut de la Garenne attended a rally in the Royal Square.

The rally was organised to highlight public concerns at the way the Island’s government has reacted to allegations of abuse at the former children’s home.

The only States member asked to speak by rally organisers was former Health Minister Stuart Syvret as he was invited by the organisers.

Time for reform?

During his speech the Senator suggested a number of things he feels need to be changed in Jersey. He told us: “we have to have certain fundamental constitutional changes such as a proper separation of powers, we have to have independent judges, and we have to have independent prosecutors.”

A constitutional expert from the University of Plymouth, Professor Adrian Lee, has said that, although it’s vital the public can have their say; it’s unlikely they’ll be able to vote against the people at the centre of this story.

He explained that the complexity of the islands electoral system makes changing the government very difficult. He explained that: "if we're thinking of the electorate next October and November casting their verdict on what has been going on - only some of the people who were involved will be up for election.

"For example, Senator Syvret's term of office doesn't actually end until 2011 so people won't be able to express their views at the ballot box about his actions for another three years.”

General Election

Senator Len Norman says the way to make the connection between voters and States members stronger, would be to introduce a general election.

He told BBC Jersey that "one of the things that I've been fighting for over the last eight years is that the voting system, the constitution of the States is not helpful to the electorate.

“We really need to have this thing that happens in most democratic jurisdictions - a general election. That is every States member elected on the same day for the same length of term and on the same basis.

He went on to say that "people feel disconnected and feel they cannot make a change because, at the present time a good proportion of the States members will still be there after the election, whatever happens in the election because their term is not up. That applies to half of the Senators and did up until the near future to the 12 Constables as well."