Deputy Queripel stands down from ESC

Monday 29 January 2018

Deputy Lester Queripel has decided to resign from the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture, but says he will stand for re-election.

He was only elected to the committee this month, just ahead of the debate which led to the States backing a two-school model of secondary education, but now Deputy Queripel has said he will tender his resignation.

In a statement issued by the States of Guernsey, Deputy Lester Queripel said:

"After having given the matter a considerable amount of thought and after taking everything into consideration, I have decided that the most pragmatic approach I can adopt is to resign from the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture.

"By doing so, I will then be “wiping the slate clean” as it were, and giving my colleagues in the Assembly the opportunity to vote for a completely new committee in the forthcoming elections. I do however, intend standing as a candidate in the forthcoming elections to elect five new members onto the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture, as I would very much like to be a member of the new committee".

Deputy Queripel is the fifth and final member of the ESC committee which was supporting a three-school model to resign. 

Deputy Queripel's decision has been supported by Deputy Gavin St Pier, the President of the Policy and Resources Committee, who said:

"This decision by Deputy Queripel will allow the Assembly the opportunity to elect a new Committee for Education, Sport & Culture that has the clear mandate of the States to progress the newly agreed model of secondary education for our island. I know that this was not an easy decision for Deputy Queripel, but it is a clear measure of his focus on what is ultimately best for the island that he saw the benefit in the States having the chance to collectively agree the five deputies who should drive forward these once-in-a-generation changes. I thank him for that selflessness".