It was a good question and on last Friday’s BBC Radio
Jersey ’s Questions to the Chief Minister Hour I was able to
ask our Chief Minister Senator Ian Gorst if he would agree to arrange a meeting
with the Dean and Bishop and as a gesture of peace and reconciliation they too
could shake hands which would not only set a fine example but would restore
Jersey’s 500 year link with Winchester.
As is often the case when there are family disputes and parties
go off in a huff it requires some one to bring them together. One of course would
hope that when people aspire to positions of high office they would see service
before self as the path to follow. Sadly this is not the case with our Dean or
Bishop. Therefore to avoid further harm and embarrassment to our Island
and the Church of England someone of the standing of our Chief Minister should
be taking the lead to end the impasse.
The Jersey Dean’s appointment with Letters Patent and a seat
in our States Assembly (Parliament) is well past its sell buy date. However as the
Dean is in receipt of a States allowance of £26k in addition to his clergy
salary and rent free accommodation he should be accountable to those he has the
privilege of representing. There will be many who question the Dean’s position and
whether it is becoming untenable because how can he lead our Members of the
States which includes our Lt Governor, Bailiff, and Crown Officers in prayers when
he himself is incapable of forgiving those who trespass against him. I don’t
know what “trespass” the Bishop has inflicted but I doubt if it’s bodily harm
or anything more than harsh words. How can he ask others to seek peace and
reconciliation when he is oblivious to his own shortcomings?
The same could be said of the Bishop and we should not have
to wait for Reports to find out who is responsible for the unseemly dispute. I
mention Reports because in a rather disappointing answer the only way our Chief
Minister could find a way forward was to wait for the publication of the Gladwin,
Steel and the Archbishop’s pending review which could take some years before
being published. Sitting on the fence is not an option.
Those who have closely watched events unfold will have no
difficulty in finding faults on both sides and possibly the two men have been
hurt by words and actions. But surely both men should be capable of privately
settling their differences or being replaced by people with thicker skins and
smaller egos.
I am grateful to BBC Radio Jersey
for allowing me to ask the question and for Team Voice for supplying the video
below which will enable Readers to listen to the questions and “answers.”
