Guernsey Press

‘Let Ministry of Justice carry out review’

AN EXTERNAL BODY such as the Ministry of Justice should oversee a review of the controversial head of curriculum and standards appointment, says former Education vice president Carl Meerveld.

Published
After making a code of conduct complaint against the Education committee, its former vice-president, Deputy Carl Meerveld, has now put forward the idea of a review of the recruitment of the head of curriculum and standards should be carried out by the Ministry of Justice. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 25510482)

Scrutiny is looking at conducting a review, but Deputy Meerveld is concerned that with some civil servants and deputies implicated in the process it would not be seen as impartial.

He has suggested the the ministry, which has responsibility for the Crown Dependencies, be asked to undertake the investigation.

‘I think the public will have more confidence in the result if it was done by an external authority,’ he said.

‘As the president of P&R and the chief executive of the civil service were copied into the incriminating email from Deputy Matt Fallaize, and purportedly [P&R president] Deputy [Gavin] St Pier personally intervened, an independent external investigation will deliver a more open and transparent assessment – free of local influence – and will be more likely to put the electorate’s minds at ease.’

He noted that there was precedent for this – the ministry has conducted an inquiry into Chief Pleas’ administration of Sark.

Education, Sport & Culture president Matt Fallaize said it would be down to Deputy Meerveld to get enough support for such an idea, but would not be drawn on what he thought about it.

‘I respect your right to put such a proposal to the States if you can secure the provisional agreement of the Ministry of Justice to such a review and the signatures of the minimum number of deputies required,’ he said, in an email to Deputy Meerveld, which was also circulated to the media.

‘I think my committee’s response to your proposal is best left for such a debate, if there is to be one.

‘In the meantime, noting you have copied your email to all deputies, I am certain that those who support your proposal will feel able to indicate their support via this correspondence.’