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2.17 Deputy K.C. Lewis of the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture regarding the booking of 2 spiritualist mediums at Fort Regent:
Further to news that on 30th October 2010 Fort Regent has booked 2 spiritualist mediums, does the Minister consider that this is suitable entertainment for a venue for which the Minister has responsibility and if so, why?
The Deputy of St. Ouen (The Minister for Education, Sport and Culture):
First of all, I have no power of censorship and although I would not personally attend such an event, there is nothing that restricts this type of presentation within the Bailiff 's Entertainment Panel guidelines, providing it is a public performance and there is no restriction to the venue's public entertainments license, and that the individuals involved do not give private consultations. Nobody is forced to attend and the people that do attend are doing so as it is their chosen form of entertainment. If people do not want to see the show, quite simply, they will not go. I am told that the show is presented in a most respectful and sincere manner, and I can add that this is the case with the wide variety of entertainment presented at the Fort Regent.
- Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I do not wish for one moment to offend anyone, especially if they are recently bereaved. But this entertainment - and I use the word loosely - is called cold reading, where the stage act will say loudly, in a loud voice: "I am getting a message through for a J, is there a James or a Joan?" I find it bizarre that someone can talk to us from another world, which is truly amazing, but suddenly they cannot remember their own name or even gender. If this is a performance or an entertainment, fair enough, but if these gentlemen claim to have messages from another world and charge £20 per head, that is wholly inappropriate. Does the Minister not agree?
The Deputy of St. Ouen :
I believe that the Deputy is very sincere in his views and I respect them.
- Deputy T.M. Pitman:
Does the Minister agree with me that given the limited length of question time and the serious issues we need to discuss, perhaps Deputy Lewis should have withdrawn this, I am sorry, trivial question and simply asked one of the psychics what the answer would have been?
The Deputy of St. Ouen :
No.
- Senator S.C. Ferguson:
Does the Minister agree with me that this question goes to a much deeper level in that it would entail the Minister really encouraging the nanny state and censoring what is being shown in our theatre?
The Deputy of St. Ouen :
Absolutely We have a Bailiff 's Entertainment Panel guidelines and I do not wish to take over that responsibility.
- Deputy M. Tadier :
Does the Minister agree that in these times of austerity, members of the public who both want to be entertained and perhaps have the wool pulled over their eyes could do so free of charge by attending the public gallery in this very Assembly and listening to answers given in Ministers question time?
The Deputy of St. Ouen :
No.
- Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I was prepared for the sad comments but basically, as I have mentioned previously, if
it is stated from the outset this is an entertainment and nothing more, I do not have a problem, but I wish to protect vulnerable people. Does the Minister not concur?
The Deputy of St. Ouen :
I am told that a reference at the bottom of the poster that advertises this particular event it states that: "Due to E.U. (European Union) legislation we have to inform you that this show is for entertaining purposes."