The First Tee Sea Coast

With a little more than two months until her 12-year tenure as Marietta Colleges president draws to a close, Jean Scott is still focused on the schools future.

Ill find myself getting very excited about an initiative or something were going to do, and Ill think, Yes, thatll be good, but I wont be here, she said. A college president is always dealing with whats happening right now and what we hope will be happening over the next five years.

June 30 will be Scotts last day on the job. Shes already purchased a home in Williamsburg, Va., where she lived while working at the College of William amp; Mary in the early 90s, and said shes feeling both excitement and a sense of nostalgia.

Im looking forward to a new phase of life. But I also love what I do, Scott said.

Little Hocking resident Nicole Wires, who graduated from Marietta in 2010 and earned a masters degree in international corporate media in 2011, said Scott has represented the college well.

I felt like she made really good decisions concerning the entire student body, not just certain organizations, she said.

Scott took the reins at Marietta in 2000, a time when the colleges enrollment had stagnated, affecting its finances and the general atmosphere. But Scott said she was optimistic from the start, especially given her experience at her previous job at Bradford College. The board of trustees elected to shutter the Haverhill, Mass., college due to financial issues and competition for students.

I came from a place where I closed. So I had seen a lot worse, she said.

College Trustee George Fenton, who chaired the search committee that selected Scott, said he felt that experience was an important influence for her.

I think it gave her an understanding of the challenges and the financial issues that are in a small college (setting), he said.

Scott said she saw Marietta had the potential to move forward. The colleges general plans were educationally sound and it had support from passionate donors.

There were people (on campus) who were really ready to make a change, Scott said.

Even before she arrived on campus, Scott was involved in the colleges new strategic plan, which had been under development prior to her selection. The goal was growth.

The college targeted major improvements in its physical plant and a shifting of resources to programs that attracted more students. The former came to fruition in the form of the Rickey Science Center and the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center, thanks to a pair of $10 million donations announced in 2000. The latter was met with some initial resistance by students.

Scott said increasing enrollment is important because it increases the schools resources. Colleges face a balancing act of providing the services and facilities students want while keeping tuition from going through the roof, she said.

Scott and other officials were criticized by some students at a recent Speak Out event for seeming to be more concerned about money than students, but the president said money is needed to provide for the students, in many ways.

One of the biggest items in our budget is financial aid, so when you see the sticker price for Marietta College, thats not what most students pay, she said.

Tuition at Marietta for the current school year is $28,950, not including room and board and other fees, but Scott said the average tuition discount is more than 40 percent.

The science center was needed, Scott said, because when she first toured the college, some faculty members told her incoming students had better lab equipment at their high schools. The recreation center is important to the students on-campus experience, she said.

Thats not an academic building. But if youre trying to attract and retain students, then opportunities for them to remain physically active and have recreational opportunities is absolutely essential, she said.

The colleges physical plant continued to grow during Scotts tenure, with the Legacy Library, the Anderson Hancock Planetarium and the Harrison residence hall currently under construction.

Fenton credited Scotts ability to cultivate relationships with donors with changing the face of the college.

Its just a whole different place, he said. I think a lot of that has to do with the leadership shes done personally, but also shes put together a very strong leadership team.

Scott said she expects her successor, Joseph Bruno, may be more focused on building the colleges endowment, currently about $55 million, than on capital projects.

Im thinking that shift is probably under way, she said.

The colleges next five-year plan focused on quality as a way to continue growth. Now, with enrollment having risen from about 1,050 in 2000 to between 1,400 and 1,450 today, the colleges most recent plan focuses on distinction, areas in which Marietta can stand out from other institutions.

Toward that end, four strengths of the college were identified, as they relate to major issues of the 21st century – globalization, energy and the environment, health and science and leadership.

None of this says people should major in one of those areas, Scott said. But the idea is that its hard to identify any major that … wouldnt be related to one of those areas.

One of the goals Scott identified in her inaugural address was expanding the China program, which some people initially questioned. However, as China continues to rise as a global power, that program – including working relationships with Chinese institutions of higher learning, an Asian studies major, about 150 Chinese students on campus and opportunities for American students to study abroad – is an important asset, she said.

The college is the only institution in Ohio that offers a petroleum engineering degree, and interest continues to build as interest in Marcellus and Utica shale development grows. But Scott noted the college also focuses on environmental science and other types of energy as well.

Scott is the colleges first female president. Although she said she feels the glass ceilings in higher education have been mostly broken in recent years, she admitted to feeling perhaps a little trepidation to holding that distinction.

I wanted to have a presidency that was successful enough that they didnt say, Well, well never do that again, she said with a laugh.

Scott gives credit to the colleges staff and faculty for the accomplishments over the last 12 years and said the fact that their pay is not on par with national benchmarks is one thing she wishes she could have better addressed.

Another area Scott said she feels she didnt do as much as she might have preferred is community involvement.

For reasons that I think were the right reasons, I have been so laser-focused on the college that I havent been as involved in the community as I would have liked, she said.

Thats something she hopes to change in Williamsburg, where she also plans to do some writing – both nonfiction and possibly fiction. She also sees some music in her future.

I think I will return to taking piano lessons, she said.

As she prepare to step down, Scott also emphasized how much she appreciates the students of Marietta College.

Its who we do it for. Its why were here, she said.

One of her favorite things about working in college settings is seeing students go from uncertainty when they arrive to confidence in their abilities when they graduate.

You see how much they grow, Scott said. Thats what keeps people in higher education doing what theyre doing.

SEASIDE towns Newhaven and Seaford are hoping to secure a share of 1m from the Mary Portas Government Pilot Competition to give them a boost.

The results will be announced in May and money will be used to improve trading in the town centres.

Lewes District Council has been working with a range of local and national partners to develop and submit bids for both Seaford and Newhaven.

District council leader James Page said: “I strongly believe that we need to support our traditional high streets in the face of changing consumer habits and a range of external pressures.

“The focus provided by the Portas Pilot Programme has already led to closer working relationships between national and local organisations in developing ambitious work programmes to drive improvements across Newhaven and Seaford.”

The competition was set up following a review of Britian’s failing high streets by Mary Portas.

Newhaven is focusing on promoting the town’s niche market in seafood, whilst Seaford is developing an Impact Seaford team that will drive projects to attract trade from the A259 and improve gateways and linkages across the town centre and between the town centre and the seafront.

Successful bidders will need to demonstrate they have the energy, enthusiasm and vision to make a difference to their town centres and make them community hubs.

Areas will need to show how they plan to breathe new life into their high streets and shopping parades.

Mary Portas said: “I want the first 12 Town Teams to challenge the old ways of working, experiment, take risks and reaffirm their place at the heart of a community. A place we all want to be and can be proud of.”

Many local people, including retailers, schools and groups have been involved including the Seaford Youth Forum who played a crucial role in directing and producing the supporting video for the Seaford bid.

Both towns have submitted online youtube videos as part of their bids. Watch Seaford’s at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMlUNb7fUx4 and Newhaven’s at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za_by_6Gp4E

A review of the troubled Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has found that it is being held back by uncertainty about its regulatory purpose, unbalanced working relationships and inadequate business systems.

In its interim report into the regulatory body, the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) says that the NMC needs to go back to basics and understand its primary purpose.

Additional projects have been undertaken which do not support the primary regulatory objective; for example, creating an index of nursing students, or campaigning for the statutory regulation of healthcare support workers, says the document.

These ambitions for expansion and influence have caused the NMC to be distracted from its core functions. They also serve to confuse registrants and external stakeholders about its regulatory role.

The interim report, which focuses on regulatory purpose, leadership, governance, decision-making and operational management at the NMC, calls for the bodys values and core purpose to be articulated throughout the organisation, so that all employees and stakeholders understand its direction.

CHRE was commissioned by the government to carry out a strategic review of the NMC in January after criticisms about its performance, including a failure to deal with a longstanding backlog of fitness to practise cases.

On this issue, the report confirms a backlog of cases in its fitness for practise directorate, and says that there has been a reported 52% rise in referrals over the last two years – a continuing upward trend. Also touching on financial problems at the organisation, it says that its income is fixed and that it is now spending its reserves.

The report adds: Its business planning is weak, its management information is unreliable and its IT systems are at risk. While its staff continue to deliver, and their perseverance and dedication are admirable, they have been hampered by multiple organisational weaknesses.

Concerns about the NMCs transparency are also raised. The report says that decision-making is not as open as it could be, with council meetings being divided between confidential and open sessions, and many items being discussed in private before being brought to the public session. This has resulted in an inconsistent level of public debate and scrutiny, it says. It recommends that these discussions are more open in future.

It also describes the council and executive management team as not being sufficiently transparent and accountable. Specifically, the report highlights unsatisfactory and sometimes dysfunctional relationships between: the chair and the council; the chair and the chief executive; and the chief executive and the staff. It also points to further issues between the understanding and practice of: the individual and collective responsibility; and strategic and operational management.

These imbalances seem to have been endemic in the NMC for many years, adds the report.

Harry Cayton, chief executive of CHRE said that there were clearly serious problems at the NMC, but acknowledged the effort being put in by the organisation to help improve the situation.

We hope that our recommendations will allow the NMC to act rapidly to recruit a new chair and chief executive and so give staff and registrants the settled leadership they need and deserve, he said.

Commenting on CHREs findings, professor Judith Ellis, interim chair of the NMC, said: This interim report emphasises the need for the NMC to focus on its purpose as a regulator and turns a spotlight on serious problems in our governance, financial strategy and management information. We accept the reports findings in its entirety and we are already working hard to address the recommendations.

CHREs full strategic review will be published in June 2012, where it will consider a wider range of issues including whether current activities to address the NMCs failings are likely to lead to sustainable and longer-term improvements.

This article is published by Guardian Professional. Join the Guardian healthcare network to receive regular emails on NHS innovation.

Cordova?s own Gayle Groff has been selected to replace Frank Wicks as principal of Mt. Eccles Elementary School.

The vivacious education veteran graduated from Cordova High School and attended Stanford University. Groff studied pre-med for three years before changing her major to music. Returning to Cordova as a young music aide, Groff earned her teaching certificate and ultimately a MA in education. She is currently working on a second MA in educational leadership.

?With her experience and degree in administration completed in June, she is a perfect candidate and we are pleased that she accepted the contract,? said Pete Hoepfner, school board president. ?She will have time to work with Mr. Wicks prior to his next adventure!?

Responding to questions from a panel during a community meet and greet earlier this week at Mt. Eccles, Groff praised her colleagues and told the audience that she has enjoyed working closely with Wicks.

?Frank has been a great mentor,? said Groff. ?He has fine honed a very strong educational culture among teachers. Our teachers are amazing – strong, independent.?

In addition to classroom experience, Groff has worked for two years across the state as a new teacher mentor, visiting schools in urban and rural Alaska.

?Seeing different scenarios in districts and dynamics in schools made me realize how important and influential the leadership role is in terms of cultivating success,? said Groff.

With changes at the district level, Groff?s history with the district will no doubt be an asset to incoming superintendent Theresa Keel. Groff said she anticipated a smooth transition and working relationship with her peers at Mt. Eccles.

?This year I moved into a teacher leader position working with Frank, so I am not concerned about moving from teacher to principal,? Groff told the panel. ?We have a solid staff and good working relationships. Evaluation is part of the job and how we can all improve our instructional practice, and we can all always improve on that. We have a well established high functioning staff.?

One question from the panel probed Groff?s discipline philosophy.

?Frank and I have discussed discipline a lot. Generally we don?t have heavy disciplinary problems. The key is to bring parents in early. I have a ?no tolerance? policy on treating people poorly, bullying that we?ve all talked about. That will be a big focus,? Groff stated emphatically.

Education funding and resulting staff shortages are increasingly a reality for schools everywhere. The panel asked Groff how she would deal with staffing shortages.

?Input on how we deal with it will be important,? Groff said. ?We have not seen much, but we will probably see more and we will all have to work together to figure it out.?

Addressing opportunities for curriculum strengthening, a significant theme of the superintendent search earlier this year, Groff quickly zeroed in on math.

?There is a deficit in the math program,? said Groff. ?It is old, the materials are out of date and out of print. It is not as tech based as it should be so we need to look at that. We have a computer 1:1 program, but we also need to make sure we are meeting the state standards.?

Asked what her thoughts were on tying teacher evaluation to student testing scores, Groff responded ?Generally I think it is a bad policy. A teacher may have students with problems. The evaluative tool we use now is not perfect and that can be a problem.?

In closing Groff said that in addition to her knowledge of the community and the kids, relationship building is the greatest strength she brings to the job.

?Relationship building, for parents and students, it?s the foundation of everything we do. Healthy relationships are critical. We may still disagree, and in healthy relationships we can disagree and get along.?

Following the meet and greet, the panel adjourned and the candidate headed off to interview with the school board.

Kathy Zamudio, PTA president, thanked the guests for coming.

?On behalf of the PTA I want to thank everyone for coming,? said Zamudio. ?I think we all found out a little bit more about Gayle and I know we all look forward to working with her in her new role.?

You can reach Jennifer Gibbins with comments and suggestions at

People of aboriginal descent are more likely than the general population to suffer from a host of chronic medical conditions, and St. Josephs General Hospital, in concert with local First Nations groups, is working to address that issue and change the future health of Aboriginal Peoples in the Comox Valley and beyond.

In the last year, the hospital has introduced an aboriginal liaison nurse to help guide patients and their families through the healthcare system, and now the hospital is hosting workshops, with the Wachiay Friendship Centre and the Aboriginal Team for child and youth mental health, to explore the effects of colonization and methods for creating supportive relationships to address health concerns.

The moves to make healthcare more accessible and less intimidating are part of VIHAs goal, outlined in the 2012 Aboriginal Health Plan, to ultimately improve the health of aboriginal people.

According to VIHA, aboriginal people have a life expectancy six years lower than the rest of the population and higher rates of chronic conditions including diabetes and heart disease, while barriers such as geographical isolation, poverty and mistrust of institutions often prevent First Nations people from getting the healthcare they need.

Ian Knipe, VIHAs director of aboriginal health, said the role of the aboriginal liaison nurse is key to making health services more accessible.

The nurse works with the patients and their families to ensure that the experience is positive, he said.

In addition to helping people navigate through the healthcare system, aboriginal liaison nurses advocate for their patients and their families, help them access facilities to hold traditional healing ceremonies and help smooth the transition to athome care, if needed.

The position was implemented after discussions with aboriginal groups and healthcare workers pinpointed the need to make the system less intimidating and more userfriendly.

St. Josephs has had an aboriginal liaison nurse, Laurel Anderson, since mid-may. Anderson has worked in aboriginal health for 25 years and she said she is working to get the word out to patients and fellow employees that she is available to help. Knipe said Anderson is also acting as a resource for staff members who are looking for more information about cultural practices when working with aboriginal patients.

Its a holistic approach – thinking of all the areas of concern and focusing on the whole person and their family, said Anderson, whose job changes from patient to patient, depending on the particular situation and the individuals needs.

Whatever the issue is, thats what my job becomes, she said, adding that she views herself as an advocate for her patients.

Both Knipe and St. Josephs president Jane Murphy said Andersons effect is already tangible, and VIHA has collected patient feedback indicating that aboriginal liaison nurses are helping make the system more accessible across the Island.

In order to continue that trend, the St. Josephs has partnered with local aboriginal groups to hold two workshops to help foster understanding and build working relationships.

Its something thats going to have a direct benefit for aboriginal patients, and the spinoff will be to raise awareness in the community, said Roger Kishi director of health programs with the Wachiay Friendship Centre.

Kishi, who was instrumental in bringing the aboriginal liaison nurse to the Comox Valley, said 70 healthcare providers are expected at the workshops, as well as many members of First Nations bands.

The workshops take place April 19 and 26 at the Kómoks Big House.

VIHA is in the process of creating All-Nations Healing Rooms in healthcare facilities – areas that people can use for traditional healing ceremonies, meeting and celebrations. The health authority is including the rooms in new building plans and adding them to existing facilities when possible.

lbroadley@comoxvalleyecho.com

By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
CARO — Attorney Amy Grace Gierhart, of Caro, announced her candidacy for Tuscola County’s 54th Circuit Court judgeship.
Gierhart is a Caro High School graduate, a 1992 graduate of Alma College, Alma, with degrees in business administration and history. She graduated in 1994 from the University of Kentucky, College of Law, in Lexington, Kentucky.
“I believe that I possess an objectivity which is the culmination of 17 years of advocating for a wide range of litigants, in front of many different jurists,” said Gierhart on her qualifications for the judge position. “I recognize the importance of timely access to justice for litigants and the efficient distribution of justice by the court.”
Since her admission to the bar in 1994, Gierhart has practiced law in Tuscola County. She has had her own general-law practice in Caro since 1999.
According to Gierhart, her law practice is devoted to criminal defense, family law matters, and civil matters.
She is on the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel for the Federal District Court of Eastern Michigan, both Bay City and Flint panels. Also, she is on the CJA panel selection committee. She has appeared in both state and federal courts, including have argued before the Sixth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Also, she is treasurer for and member of the Tuscola County Bar Association, a member of the State Bar of Michigan, and a member of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan.
Gierhart has been a county resident since she was six years old; and because her roots are here, she is active in her community. She has served on the Thumb Area Big Brothers Big Sisters Board of Directors since 1996, is a member of the Caro Rotary Club, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Caro, and Lake Huron Friends of Scouting.
“I believe that those experiences have made me familiar with the norms and morals of the community,” she said. “I have always enjoyed good working relationships with my colleagues and the judges that I have appeared before, both in state and federal courts, Tuscola County and surrounding counties.
“At this time in history, an ability to be flexible and to work well with others is paramount. I am confident that I would be able to implement change and reform in circuit court to better utilize the court’s ever shrinking resources.
“Finally, I believe that I am the most fair, ethical and qualified candidate for the position.”
She is engaged to be married to Patrick Hagen, who is a salesman and also a lifelong county resident. She is the daughter of Dave and Linda Gierhart, who are retried school teachers living in Caro. Also, she is a member of the Caro United Methodist Church.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.

Editors note: This is a press release submitted by Steve Quist, chair of DFL Senate District 58.

#13;

Jim Arlt, who served the Minnesota law enforcement community for more than 30 years, was endorsed unanimously by House District 58B Democrats on Thursday, April 5.  He will challenge the long-serving Farmington incumbent, Republican Pat Garofalo, in the November elections.

#13;

Jim, a political independent, decided to seek the DFL endorsement for House after meeting with legislators on issues related to his work in law enforcement.

#13;

Members of the local DFL group who have gotten to know Jim recently are very excited to support him. 

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Jim, a Hastings area resident for over 20 years, has served as a police officer in the City of Northfield, as a deputy sheriff, and for the past 21 years, served in the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety as a special agent, senior special agent and interim director.  He retired in March 2012.

#13;

During his tenure in law enforcement, Jim has testified before the Legislature on numerous bills and on their potential effects on both Minnesota citizens and commerce. He also served on Governor Pawlenty’s Identity Theft task force.

#13;

Jim designed and implemented the Minnesota Department of Public Safety MnScams Program, which works with international law enforcement to identify and shut down scam operations targeting Minnesotans. These crimes siphon millions each year from Minnesotans and the state’s economy, and often target senior citizens.

#13;

Despite the belief among law enforcement agencies and attorney generals that such multi-jurisdictional, geographically diverse criminal activity could not be investigated, Jim successfully forged working relationships across the globe and across boundaries and institutions to collaboratively shut down criminal scam operations.

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Jim often worked with the US Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US Postal Service, Federal Trade Commission, and with international law enforcement agencies, among them: Canada, Jamaica, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Nigeria. He has also traveled internationally training with other law enforcement agencies. 

#13;

Jim worked with private sector entities such as financial institutions, senior citizen housing complexes, the Better Business Bureau, AARP and some of Minnesota’s county attorneys to stop scam crimes through education.

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While working for the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division Jim has also worked with associations representing the liquor industry, Minnesota tribal gambling entities, the Minnesota Lottery, Minnesota Gambling Control Board and the Minnesota Horse Racing Commission.

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Among his many accomplishments, Jim was elected by his law enforcement peers to serve as Central Zone Chair within the national Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit. This position, which he held for five years, represents about 65 major cities, counties, states and provincial law enforcement agencies in the central United States and Canada. Jim initiated the National Gambling Intelligence Sharing Group consisting of law enforcement agencies that investigate gambling-related crimes conducted by organized criminal groups that travel to various jurisdictions.

#13;

Jim has four adult children with his first wife, Carmen, who passed away in 1991. Their children grew up in Hastings, attending area schools, and have gone on to successful careers. His wife Renae, a retired nurse, has two children, and together they have six grandchildren. Jim and Renae live in Ravenna Township.

#13;

Jim is active in the Hastings United Methodist Church, serving on the church council and as chair of its Beyond the Walls Committee, which focuses on area outreach and worldwide missions opportunities like the No More Malaria Initiative and Zoe Ministries in Africa. He also served as a volunteer football coach for 7th- and 8th-grade students, and for the Little Raiders program in Hastings. Jim’s interests include hunting, fishing, gardening, and spending time with his family and friends.

#13;

Jim’s ability to forge successful working relationships among different groups with different philosophies will serve as a positive force in the politically divided Minnesota Legislature.

Duo produce documents to govern the way directors will work with Beeb when making shows for broadcasting giant.

(MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY Now more than ever, there never seems to be enough time to get things done. Why that is, I dont know. But I do know that, in an era of social networking, telecommuting and virtual meetings, when it comes to work, the one thing that gets sacrificed is relationships.

Big mistake.

If you want to get somewhere in your career, in management, in business, the worst thing you can do is just focus on work, work, work. Success is all about relationships. Relationships with your management, boss, peers, employees, customers — everyone in your immediate work ecosystem, if you know what I mean.

And Im not just talking about working relationships; Im talking about your personal relationships with these people, where you break through the workplace persona people use for whatever reason and actually connect with the human being beneath.

Just to be clear, this isnt about wasting peoples time. Thats a bad idea because, as I said before, thats the one precious commodity that nobody has enough of these days. But if you do it right — if youre genuine, open and sensitive to peoples boundaries — youll do fine.

Here are seven reasons why your success depends far more on those all-important interpersonal work relationships than you realize:

Any CEO, VC, or entrepreneur will tell you that their network is their biggest asset. Its where opportunities come from. And when it comes to networking, doing it old school is a major distinguishing factor versus social networking. When you have a personal relationship with someone, that creates a level of trust that sets you apart from the virtual hordes.

Strong relationships make it easier to get information and information is power. It could be about a major project, a key customer, budget cuts or an upcoming promotion opportunity. When it comes to important stuff, you have to give to get, and youre not going to get anything valuable from somebody who doesnt trust you.

Relationships get people through tough times. Long ago I learned that, all things being equal, a personal relationship will help you keep your job, win the business, whatever it is you need, it can make the difference when times are hard. It also means you have someone to lean on. Try leaning on someone you hardly know. Bad idea.

The higher up the corporate ladder you climb, the higher the stakes, the bigger the deals, the more important everything becomes. And that means people have to look you in the eye and feel confident that they know who theyre looking at, that youll do what you say youre going to do, get the job done, whatever. And vice versa.

These days, companies have to be lean and mean, and that means having fewer, stronger relationships. No kidding. Its the same reason why manufacturers minimize their number of vendors, suppliers and components. Because its more cost effective that way. Also, theres a cost associated with bad business because you didnt know the person as well as you should have and he failed to meet a commitment, for example.

It may be easier than ever to work and communicate virtually, but all that does is level the playing field, meaning theres nothing that distinguishes your relationship with an individual. Theres no real connection, no real bond, and when push comes to shove, you cant expect that person to do anything special or go the extra mile for you.

Personal relationships are more important in just about every nation on the planet than they are in the US Why that is, I cant say. But Ive done business in dozens of countries on five continents and just about every culture devotes more time and energy to personal relationships than Americans do. And the more global our markets become, the more important it is to get with the majority program.

If youre not comfortable about how to connect with people and build relationships without crossing some sort of line — there are plenty, these days — check out these 10 tips on How to schmooze your way to business success.

Image courtesy of Flickr user thelastminute.

Ulster Unionist Justice spokesperson, Basil McCrea, has said that for supergrass trials to work in Northern Ireland there must be a better working relationship between the PSNI and the Public Prosecution Service as well as adequate accountability measures.

Speaking before a debate on the issue in the Assembly, Mr McCrea said: Supergrass trials and the reliability of evidence provided by assisting offenders have been subject of much criticism lately, but outside of the recent Tommy English murder trial, there are examples where these trials have been shown to work well under the current legislation. Evidence provided by assisting offenders can be a powerful tool in fighting serious and organised crime in Northern Ireland and indeed the rest of the United Kingdom.