This award has outraged a number of people, but none so important as the Abuse Survivors themselves. Below is the letter sent by JCLA and one hopes that when those at Channel Television are all patting themselves on the back that they are aware of the pain and anguish they have caused, and are still causing, the very people they SHOULD be giving a voice to.
In the coming days we will publish the letter, sent to RTS 2 days ago by VFC and have not even had an acknowledgement of receipt, let alone a reply.
Letter from JCLA to RTS
25th January 2011
Ref: CTV/RTS/Award
Dear Sirs,
We are a charity known as the Jersey Careleavers Association, formed in the wake of the Historic Abuse Enquiry in Jersey, not just for Haut de la Garenne abuse victims, but for all Careleavers who had suffered abuse at the hands of the States of Jersey run children’s homes.
The past few years have been very difficult for us, having to re-live our most horrendous memories and inner feelings again. We have encountered a lot of negatives, not only from members of our Government, but sadly from our local ‘accredited’ media also.
It is therefore with great dismay that we learn that Channel Television have won an award, based on a very biased, one-sided and indeed factually lacking report on the alleged ‘expenses scandal’ by the police team who were instrumental in bringing these abuses into the open.
There was indeed NO expenses scandal. The scandal lay, and still does, in the cover-up there has been, and the vilification of police officers who were totally trusted by the abuse survivors. The investigation team were offered an open cheque book by our then Chief Minister, and indeed all expenses were scrutinised and authorised by a senior civil servant.
This award therefore has been based on misinformation and very frugal information, and we beg to ask the question, how much investigation was done into the fuller story behind this ‘news’ item? It cannot have been a lot, because there is a far, far bigger picture to this.
As a group, we are very sorry to say we cannot trust our local media to be open, honest and unbiased, as they have proved time and time again that their interests lay on the side of our Government.
We have suffered many ups and downs over the last few years, more downs than ups. Just when we felt that the ‘knocks’ were coming to an end, we have been kicked in the teeth yet again by this totally unjustified accolade being awarded to CTV for a very misleading piece of journalism.
We would also be most interested if you are able to tell us how you initially came into possession of this piece of ‘journalism’, and furthermore who put this forward for the award.
We await your comments with interest.
Yours Sincerely
(name redacted through fear of repercussions)
Jersey Care Leavers Association