Dean blasts "ludicrous" covid gathering rules in call for fairness for faiths

Tuesday 24 November 2020

The Dean has made a rare intervention in a States debate to call for fewer restrictions for faith gatherings, blasting the fact 80 people can sit in a restaurant without masks while 20 cannot attend a well-ventilated church service as “ludicrous”.

The Very Rev Michael Keirle, who has a seat in the Assembly but cannot vote, spoke during a special sitting for politicians to vote on giving powers to Ministers to make orders obliging people to wear masks in indoor public spaces, for officials to break up gatherings of more than ten people if they are deemed likely to spread Covid, and for businesses to demand that customers leave contact tracing details.

In a strong and passionate speech, the Dean said that the island found itself in the “ludicrous position” where 80 people could sit in a restaurant without masks, not sanitise their hands and not leave their details, while only up to 20 people could attend a service in a large and well ventilated church, who were all following the public hygiene guidelines.

He said: “Faith communities are not asking for exceptions. What we are asking for is consistency of policy, that takes into account more than just the economy and the need for business, retail and hospitality to survive.

“That balance needs to include in its equation the mental and spiritual wellbeing of others, the duty placed upon the Government and its ministers to be proportionate and consistent, and not to make assumptions about what a particular community does and how it operates and who attends."

Pictured: The Dean challenged the draft covid legislation on gatherings, explaining its impact on local faith groups.

He continued: “While I applaud the policy to allow up to 40 people to attend a funeral on compassionate grounds, what is it that makes a funeral safer than a wedding, where only 20 people are allowed to attend? Are they twice as safe as weddings? 

“Why is it that 40 people can gather in my church for a funeral on a Saturday but only 20 people can gather in the same building, with me standing at the front, on a Sunday? Is this a compassionate decision? Is it a decision based and grounded on medical evidence? Is it because pressure has been applied? Is it a political decision? We just don’t know, and one the reasons we don’t know is because we haven’t been consulted. I am simply asking for consistency.”

In the interests of balance and consistency across sectors and proportionality, the logical and simple solution is to specify that faith community groups do not fall within the locations to which the gathering controls might apply, and there is a consistent figure for attendance across all services and events that might take place.

“I would add that there has not been a single cluster of covid-19 resulting from attending a faith community gathering.”

The States Assembly will now debate gatherings of over 10 people. Find out more here: https://t.co/tRIPTDtp3u pic.twitter.com/atyUtpXCb6

— States Assembly (@StatesAssembly) November 24, 2020

Many Members speaking after the Dean said that they agreed with his sentiment, while the Health Minister, Deputy Richard Renouf, offered to meet with the Dean and other faith leaders to discuss his position on the law - though he emphasised this was not to "negotiate." He also questioned whether making a concession to faith groups would pave the way for requests from sports and other groups.

Deputy Montfort Tadier had called for the legislation to be referred back and reviewed in light of some of these concerns before they vote on it today - something Deputy Renouf, among other States Members, said he was against. 

He reminded States Members that the legislation being debated this morning would only "enable" him to make orders about gatherings and that he would bear concerns in mind when signing them.

Ultimately, the proposal for a 'reference back' was defeated, with just eight States Members voting in favour. The debate on legislation enabling the Health Minister to impose restrictions on gatherings continues.

Later today, States Members will also be asked to pass laws paving the way for compulsory mask-wearing in certain public places, and new safety protocols for care services.