Housing Minister resigns

The Housing Minister has resigned after seven months in the job after being discovered to have leaked private emails.

Deputy Sean Power was advised by the Chief Minister to resign or face a vote of no confidence.

Deputy Power admitted in a statement that he was found to have breached data protection laws after passing on emails that belonged to another Deputy.

In his statement he said: "At a meeting today, the Council of Ministers has expressed a view that I should resign as Housing Minister and I now do so".

He went on to explain that he had found printed-out emails in the States Building on 5th August 2010 between the Deputy of Grouville, Carolyn Labey, and Deputy Judy Martin.

These emails also included correspondence between the Deputy of Grouville and former Senator Stuart Syvret.

Deputy Power admitted in his statement that he scanned these emails and said it was in order to seek advice on what to do.

These emails were later found on internet sites.

He said: "I scanned the document and emailed it to myself. I put the email in my bag. My feelings in those minutes were at best, confused."

Deputy Power said he took the email back to his office and posted it to the Data Protection Commissioner.

He said he also scanned the emails and then emailed the document on to one person to ask them for their advice.

It was this move, he said, that caused him to - unintentionally, he claims - breach the Data Protection Code.

He said: "My mistake was this act of scanning and forwarding to a third party".

Deputy Power defended his actions and said of the emails: "The contents were, in my opinion, salacious and I did want the Data Protection Commissioner to see it".

Deputy Power said he will continue his duties as Deputy of St Brelade.

He was only recently appointed Housing Minister in June. (from CTV)

"I have been found to be in breach of a regulation of the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005 by the Data Protection Commissioner. Consequently, I have been found to be in breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.


Ex Housing Minister Sean Power like Senator Le Main, suffers no further data protection charges. Unlike another ex senator states member, now in court, obviously the law does not apply to everyone.

Speaking live on Channel Report Deputy Power wasn't willing to apologise to Deputy Labey for his actions.

http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=492864

What are you suggesting boaty?

Hi Bug and others on VDI,

Before I offer further information on the story about Deputy Power, I have done a none scientific poll amongst friends and business associates regarding Wikileaks. Simple question. Is wikileaks a force for good ? dragging out into the open ..................... information.

Everyone unbelievable said yes it is a force for good with one person saying there should be probably 5% of information ( military etc ) reserved.

Have Government cooked there own goose? have they been honest with the masses ? Do we trust them ?

There is a problem, and its a big problem the internet and mobile phones are the new information highways not the local paper or radio using selective editing.

Is your hospital working as well as it could and should ? why are they not giving out the statistics, what are they afraid of ? The internet will give a similar size organisation as a bench mark. Is that what scares them?

We all know that detailed information makes people accountable. Oh cripes and suffer me socks we cannot have that. Actually now we can. Its called the internet, support it and the ( sometimes very brave ) people who give us the opportunity to learn and comment.
Back to an elected politician being paid by the people, but thinks its ok to circulate private e-mails to discredit other people.

Quote.

Oh lets be honest here. There is absolutely nothing credible in his excuses he just acted because he had some dirt and decided to spread the word.

http://ricosorda.blogspot.com/2011/02/deputy-power-forced-to-resign.html

Rico Sorda is committed to hunting the truth, and is a determined researcher.

Sorry the post is so long.

Boatyboy

POLICE are investigating alleged hacking of Deputy Sean Power’s emails by civil servants, it was revealed yesterday.

The former Housing Minister, who was forced to resign from his post on Tuesday over a breach of the Data Protection Law, claimed that other politicians and senior civil servants had also been targeted.

http://www.thisisjersey.com/2011/02/03/email-hacking-investigation/#ixzz1CwPzDWUw