Independence Day - The Invisible Report

The JEP had a whole big spread on the recent paper produced on the possibility of Jersey going independent:

INDEPENDENCE is well within Jersey's grasp, a top-level government advisory group chaired by the Bailiff has concluded. In a document that goes further towards setting out a blueprint for independence than anything yet published, the Constitution Review Group found that there were no insurmountable reasons why the Island could not become totally self-governing. The group, which includes Sir Philip Bailhache, Attorney General William Bailhache, States chief executive Bill Ogley, States international finance director Martin de Forest-Brown and States international affairs adviser Colin Powell, has been considering the issue since 2005. Mr Ogley said that the 83-page report amounted to an insurance policy should it ever become necessary to break away from the UK to safeguard Island interests, particularly its finance industry. He stressed that its purpose was not to look at the advantages and disadvantages of independence, but rather simply to analyse what the impact might be on various areas of Island affairs.


http://www.thisisjersey.com/2008/06/28/jersey-could-go-it-alone/

This was also reported by the Guernsey press, no news as yet from the Isle of Man:

The release of the report, by Jersey's Constitution Review Group, appears to have caught Guernsey's authorities by surprise. Despite the significance of the group's conclusions, that there is nothing to be feared from breaking the 800-year link with the UK and its implications for Guernsey should Jersey do just that, no official Guernsey line had been prepared. Asked about the report yesterday, Chief Minister Lyndon Trott (pictured) said he had not yet looked at it in detail. However, he is today attending a meeting between the Crown Dependencies in the Isle of Man and said that the paper would be on the agenda at the meeting when its conclusions would be discussed.

http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2008/06/30/independence-from-uk-is-a-real-option/


This report (according to the JEP) was apparently commissioned by Frank Walker. As the report notes (along with the time frame being extended at December 2006, so that it has just surfaced now):

To submit to the Chief Minister, by March 2006, a draft Public Consultation Document ("Green Paper") which outlines the factual information and objectively evaluates the implications of independence.

All this has been going on behind the scenes, and for those who like either a culture of concealment, or the notion that Frank Walker is just plain stupid (and contradicts himself), just cast your minds back to Wednesday, 14 February 2007, when the BBC News reported something quite different. There is no mention of any report here. Has Frank changed his mind? The magazine Private Eye delights in showing how politicians contradict themselves, and assume that no one notices. But here is the Frank Walker take on independence back a year and a half ago. Quite different words! How amazing that in little over a year, we could have a complete U-Turn, and there is also no mention here of the report being produced in the background, behind the scenes:

Jersey's chief minister says it would be a bad move for the Channel Islands to seek more independence. Senator Frank Walker's comments follow calls for Guernsey to look again at its ties to the UK. Islanders led by Advocate Roger Perrot want a written constitution and a more hands off approach from London. But Mr Walker does not see the need to meddle with the current arrangement and the island is now thought of as more independent than ever. He also disputes the idea the UK sometimes bullies the island into making decisions. However, he does feel it is important Guernsey and Jersey regularly meet and share information, in order to keep on top of the situation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/6361043.stm