Facebook Walker Groups

[Jason the Maverick]

"A Virtual debate over the future of the Chief Minister is attracting thousands of young Islanders".

Facebook users are at the centre of the political cyber war and are calling for Frank Walker’s resignation over how he has handled the Haut de la Garenne abuse inquiry.

Groups have been set up on the internet site including ‘Vote Frank Walker out of the States’, which has over 1,000 members, to drive their protest forward.

But there are Islanders who fully back the Chief Minister and have shown their support in the cyber world.

The ‘Frank Walker Appreciation Society’, which has 79 members, says that it is ‘a group dedicated to supporting the decisions made by Frank Walker and the establishment and hoping they continue to serve the Island proud'.

I think that says it all !!!!

[danrok]

Unfortunately, they only have very vague and generalised good things to say about him. To say that they support everything he does, and that "he is the best thing that has happened to the island since the Bergerac!!!", is not going to win them much credibility.

[AHITS]

It's nice to see the JEP addressing an issue such as this, but a bit dissapointing that they didn't think to look at online reaction as a whole, rather than just Facebook.

[Jason the Maverick]

It is a good internet source for fast publicity though.

We were only talking about a rally last week and Montfort said he would look into doing it and now it is on!

And all the publicity didn't cost a thing really!

[danrok]

Also, they've added together the total members from each pro-Syvret group, without considering that many people have joined both groups. Was about 300 + 700 = 1,000. Would be better to say 700 or more supporting Syvret. Of course, that sill leaves him vastly ahead of Walker.

[Jason the Maverick]

I think it is great, because facebook represents a lot of young people and it is about time young people started to get involved in Jersey politics.

[mac]

What made me laugh is that his son is trying to boost the membership numbers on the pro one

[Jason the Maverick]

I know, not started by his voters!

[AHITS]

The Facebook campaign has even made the Daily Telegraph:

http://tinyurl.com/2uh7vx

Facebook campaign against Jersey minister

By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter
Last Updated: 8:37pm GMT 05/03/2008

The chief minister of Jersey is facing mounting pressure to resign in the wake of the island's child abuse scandal, with thousands of people signing up to protest groups on the social networking website Facebook.
    
Five separate groups calling for the removal of Senator Frank Walker have so far attracted more than 2,000 members, and Mr Walker is likely to face further criticism at a rally being held on Saturday in the island's capital, St Helier, called Time 4 Change.

Mr Walker, who has been in office since 2005, was accused last week of being more concerned with the island's image than the child abuse allegations, after he was overheard accusing a fellow senator of "trying to shaft Jersey internationally" by drawing attention to the problem.

[danrok]

The number of Frank Walker related groups is increasing by the hour. 

[Jason the Maverick]

Probably people that want to get seen in the press lol

[Jason the Maverick]

I had to laugh.  Somebody has started a Facebook group called "Lets keep Jersey for the wealthy people and stuff all the other classes".

You have to see it to believe it!

[Jason the Maverick]

I think facebook is great for getting a message around, but it is, at the end of the day, a fun forum.

[danrok]

It does provide good entertainment.

The Frank Walker Appreciation Society are patting themselves on the back after getting a massive surge of 12 new members, after their group has been publicised by both the local and national media. What a result!

These guys should start-up a marketing company!

[Jason the Maverick]

Thats very true!