I honestly don’t know its a shambles, unacceptable delay in appointing a Chairperson and frankly when you look at the offers so far the delay is easily understood. To first offer the position to one who is related to a previous AG and whose decisions may become embroiled in the inquiry is as was made clear completely unacceptable. To then offer the position to one who was friendly with a man long suspected of involvement in child abuse simply beggars belief.
Both applicants were capable of doing an excellent job but in the event of argument neither was capable of gaining the respect, trust and authority of the vast majority of the victims of abuse.
Now we have the unedifying sight of squabbling among some panel members and the solicitor to the panel and outside of that some abuse victims in dispute with some panel members. Many victims of abuse are very vulnerable people, not least because in some cases their very education was neglected or completely prevented because of or at the actual hands of their abusers.
Its not acceptable – none of it.
As far as I know the panel was and is there to listen not to adjudicate or go outside the panel to interview victims unless that is fully agreed by all members of the panel and the panel solicitor he is after all the one with the expert legal knowledge and until a chair is appointed the person the panel should be able to look to for guidance.
If there are meetings between panel members and victims those meetings must be completely private because they may not be allowed as any form of evidence or they may be said by some to have impacted or influenced victims statements. It doesn’t matter if such a statement is true or not what matters is the perception and the law. To have a quiet word with a victim is totally understandable everyone’s hearts must go out to them as in an effort to get justice they force themselves to relive the most horrible and wounding time of their lives but panel members must remember that individual actions will reflect upon the whole panel and possibly the inquiry itself and be both cautious and discreet in their dealings with all witnesses.
Really I’m no expert this could be completely wrong and I know I would be deeply moved by the testimonies of victims. I suspect that is the reason for both meetings outside the panel and acrimony within it. I think the panel is important to the inquiry I hope the current members overcome their difficulties and go forward with renewed vigor I also hope a chair is appointed soon because I think the unacceptable delay is the reason some members of the panel may be unaware of the limits of their position for are we not all of us in a similar position?
As inexperienced as I am as soon as I saw how many people were writing and campaigning for victims I withdrew almost entirely because I’m not experienced enough to know who is a reliable source and who is what is called a false flag. I’m writing now because the disputes both inside and outside the panel are putting the panel and possibly the entire inquiry at risk. Its not that I think this will be read by many or agreed by anyone but its my opinion I care about the victims and want this inquiry to get started.
Like everyone I’m so sorry victims are being put through what looks like another form of abuse. Theresa May the Home Secretary needs to get on top of the situation immediately.
No comments:
Post a Comment