GP comment: Who would now believe there is a fair and open process for any job at Education?

This is the time for clear and decisive action.

Nothing coming from the Education, Sport & Culture Committee has dampened the clamour for real answers. That respected former head teacher Peter McGovern, who sat on the appointment panel, has now gone public and fully supported whistleblower Amanda Singleton speaks volumes.

From all the evidence seen so far, this was a sham recruitment process with too much political influence – only an independent investigation will be able to back that or quash it.

ESC’s attempts to duck, weave and deflect have gone down badly with the vast majority of the public. The committee needs to accept too that this could badly impact on future recruitment throughout the public sector.

Who now would believe there is a fair and open process for any top job – why would the best candidates be lining up to work for the States?

There is long-term damage that will be caused unless this sorry situation is investigated, there is accountability and clarity brought into the procedures surrounding recruitment.

The headache for those in power is what type of inquiry will satisfy the public?

Given Policy & Resources' role in the fall-out, both politically and its senior team, it cannot credibly be involved in setting any terms of reference or appointing who does the work. Its current fact-finding exercise whiffs of delaying tactics, especially as it was confirmed on Friday two of the people on the interview panel who have gone public have not even been spoken to yet.

If Scrutiny is handed the budget and responsibility for appointing an independent reviewer, there needs to be assurances there are suitable powers to compel witnesses and ensure all the evidence is made available – including the emails coming from personal accounts.

ESC has done all it can publicly to obfuscate – any inquiry needs to be able to cut right through that if it is to have credibility.