Islanders, stand up and make your voices heard

As a voter in the St Peter Port North district, and although suffering health issues like so many islanders, I am not willing to stand by and see the population continually being trampled on by misguided people in the name of politics, so I may stand for St PP North in the next elections, but beware, my tone (although devoid of foul language) may be considered as rather ‘straight down the line’ and stem my appeal past the hustings stage.

Let’s take the Sunday phone-in for instance. Deputy Lester Queripel (St PP North – probably the largest parish by population in Guernsey? – my parish), did not, in reality have any constructive input at all to the debate. On the other hand, it was a joy to listen to Victoria Oliver (alas, not my parish), talking common sense. Although I do not think that island- wide voting will make much difference at all, I can only hope!

My only current avenue of comment therefore is through this valued daily newspaper, (Open Lines/ Your Say). I am not willing to use the so-called social media options such as Facebook and Twitter (etc), as these have appeared to have disintegrated into vehicles for people to tell others about themselves that other people are not at all interested in ... in short, a complete waste of time.

So how can I open up to the young people of Guernsey, those who use social media and do not read the Press? Maybe through their parents who read it? Those like me and my wife who are working-class parents? What about single parents who will do anything to ensure that their children are properly schooled even though in some cases they can’t afford to make ends meet?

And what about the parents of fee-paying schools, who perhaps may feel that they are not ‘part’ of any of the recent school issues?

I must start by pleading from the bottom of my heart to every single person in Guernsey, be they of Christian faith, believers in other faiths or none.

Please, please, please, stand up and fight before it becomes too late. There are so very many critical issues being considered by misguided politicians, while we stand by and let them ‘tell us’ what will happen.

Please, I beg all of you reading this to consider the Charter from the now 13 brave deputies, who may be responsible for saving the current dysfunctional system of government, or at best, be the catalysts for an improved government approach going forward. Other deputies, please consider your current views with an open mind and thereafter the possibility aligning with the 13?

Please, I beg you to consider what the ‘Saturday boy’ in the local shop told me last Saturday when I asked what school he went to:

‘The Grammar School is the best non-fee paying school in the island, they have great teachers who think they will lose their jobs. They are not able to say anything though. I am part of a school discussion group taking an interest in the current school situation and we are talking to some of the politicians. The whole thing is a pain in the...’

Please also consider that my daughter (ex-Grammar) is a single mother with two children at school age and will stop at nothing to ensure that they have the best education possible.

Please, I beg those who are parents of fee-paying pupils, and pupils themselves, of our relevant colleges to get your opinions out there. Everyone in Guernsey is entitled to free speech and your free speech on the schools debate is equally as important as the comments from non-fee-paying contributors.

Please, I beg you all to consider if the local government decided to abandon the 11-plus simply because it appears to be ‘politically correct’, whereby the fact is that the abolition of the 11- plus in the UK failed, and they are in the process of introducing a similar structure albeit by another name.

Please I beg you all to consider the future of this island – education, health, housing, finance, retail, tourism, waste management, animal welfare, everything else, and not keep your thoughts bottled up. Remember, we can demand island-wide referendums, we can stand for election, we can protest peacefully, we can sign petitions, we can go on the radio, we can go on the TV, we can use social media, we can write letters, but we must not humiliate ourselves and our individual intelligence by sending angry emails, tweets and threats to our politicians.

We can not allow ourselves to sit back and do nothing while the working-class citizens continue to be shafted in the name of politics. We can stand together as one going forward in the name of fairness across the board, and strive for an equitable future in this island for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. Please start your free- speech engines now!

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHELD