Has new deputy made a political U-turn already?
MANY St Sampson's voters believed Carl Meerveld when he stated that he was against selection, and believed that he had done the research. He said he had and would hold the anti-selection line. However, it appears that, once elected, he has favoured popularity with fellow ministers for his own status within the States.
Please could he explain to me why he has changed his mind.
Please also give an outline of his initial research, and an outline of the research that has changed his mind.
Name and address withheld.
Editor's footnote: Deputy Carl Meerveld replies: I have not changed my opinion. I still favour a non-selective education system with setting utilised to differentiate students with different levels of ability and aptitude.
However, since being elected, I have been faced with three immutable facts.
1. The majority of the public want to retain the Grammar School and, by default, some form of selection (61% in the public consultation and over 75% of those who raised the subject on the doorstep during my campaign).
2. 60% of the elected deputies support retaining the Grammar School and, by default, some form of selection (confirmed by the 25 to 15 votes in favour of Paul Le Pelley and his pro-Grammar School proposition)
3. The States of Guernsey simply do not have the capital available to undertake the development of education proposed in the 8 March Billet d'Etat.
Coming from a finance background, the last point is one of the most important to me. Any changes we effect must be affordable and sustainable.
