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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY DEPUTY S.S.P.A. POWER OF ST. BRELADE
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 29th JANUARY 2008
Question
Can the Minister explain the circumstances surrounding a SAR (Search and Rescue Incident) on the 30th November 2006 involving the French Yacht 'Pamplemousse'? If there was human error on the part of Marine Officer staff, is the Minister satisfied that recruitment procedures for such posts are adequate, and what other action has been taken so as to maintain the highest standards?
Answer
The vessel Pamplemousse' made an emergency call to Jersey Coastguard at 1100 on 30th November 2006 detailing engine problems. The location of the vessel was such that the Duke of Normandy and another vessel were on scene within minutes and towed the vessel into the port.
The Marine Centre control room took the initial radio call. At this time a new recruit was under the direct supervision of a fully qualified radio officer who oversaw all transmissions. It is routine for the mentor of a trainee to take control of any SAR incident, and the incident was concluded without issue.
Recruitment of all employees is undertaken with full regard to the standards set out in the Appointments Commission Code of Practice together with the guidelines set out within the States of Jersey's Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedures. This includes ensuring that a job description and person specification is available for each post, and that interviews are undertaken by a panel which includes an independent assessor. The interview questions for this post were based on the agreed competencies for the post and included scenario based questions to gain evidence of knowledge and experience.
All new employees undergo an induction process, and this includes identifying training needs. These training plans are updated on a regular basis, and in addition there is an annual appraisal process in place. We believe that these systems maintain the highest standards of personal performance within Jersey Harbours.