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In the midst of a global pandemic that we know has a long way to run, most jurisdictions have suddenly pressed the fire alarm button and responded to the Omicron covid-19 variant threat much more promptly than they did in previous covid waves.
In UK scientists and other experts went into emergency mode and the Prime Minister interrupted his weekend to brief the nation on Saturday evening. Along with the Chief Scientific Adviser and Chief Medical Officer, Boris Johnson updated the nation and explained why and what precautions would immediately come into effect in order to ‘safeguard’ the nation whilst essential outstanding data was gathered over the next few weeks which would guide next steps.
Most other jurisdictions implemented variations of the same. Israel, probably the ‘gold standard’ responder, closed its borders to all non-Israelis and authorised its intelligence services to intrude across digital and phone networks to assist the monitoring and enforcement of citizens in self-isolation quarantine.
Pictured: "Along with the Chief Scientific Adviser and Chief Medical Officer, Boris Johnson updated the nation and explained why and what precautions would immediately come into effect in order to ‘safeguard’ the nation whilst essential outstanding data was gathered over the next few weeks which would guide next steps."
In Jersey, over 24 hours after the UK PM’s briefing the silence from the Chief Minister and Government is deafening. Not even a terse reassuring public statement announcing that the experts were indeed working over the weekend and that there would be a briefing early Monday morning.
At this fourth wave stage of the pandemic we have learnt many things. Top of the list is that if one is to have any prospect of getting ahead of the pandemic you have to move very fast and go very hard – to go into precautionary ‘safety first’ mode. Boris seems to have got this right at last for England. Here in Jersey, our Chief Minister has once again dropped the ball and let the whole side down.
The significant advantage that Jersey has over most other jurisdictions is that it’s borders are relatively easy to manage. Also, given our size we can be much more agile than the rest. So, therefore, we should be able to better protect our population and avoid the severity of average European lockdowns and assaults upon our freedoms.
Given competent leadership and decision making, Jersey should have either preempted UK in ways appropriate for a small island jurisdiction, or at least within a few hours have announced similar measures and advice.
Pictured: "... we have every right to ask the Chief Minister why PCR testing for everyone entering Jersey, much tighter non-resident entry restrictions, and stricter isolation enforcement and policing were not announced within hours of UK’s announcement."
The pandemic pays no respect to weekends. It builds and wreaks its havoc 24/7. The Chief Minister must account for what appears at first sight to be a resignation-level blunder. Can he please explain which officials and experts worked (and for how many hours) on the Omicron variant threat and recommended responses over the weekend? Can we learn what ministerial activity took place over the weekend (how many hours per minister) and why not even a reassuring public statement was issued?
Good leadership would have kicked into gear significant late hours working at ministerial and official level, and prompt reassuring public messaging. Without access to their privileged information it is impossible to say what actions should have been authorised and public messages briefed. But we have every right to ask the Chief Minister why PCR testing for everyone entering Jersey, much tighter non-resident entry restrictions, and stricter isolation enforcement and policing were not announced within hours of UK’s announcement.
Instead of incisive, timely, reassuring, precautionary ‘safety first’ leadership we have had yet more ‘dither and delay’ and very unreassuring leadership. Of course, we hope that in 3 weeks time we will have learnt that the vaccines are very much up to the job of protecting us against this latest Omicron mutation and that this whole episode proves to be the dog that did not bark. But, in any case, next time, and as Sir Jeremy Farrar has repeatedly reminded us, the mutation could be very much more lethal than the earlier covid variants.
The leadership and decision making competence of this Chief Minister and Competent Authority Ministers has been found seriously wanting, yet again. Imagine the self-inflicted damage that Jersey would also suffer in their hands in the event of a catastrophic cyber or supply chain crisis. Jersey deserves and needs much better leadership. This weekend has shown us that we cannot risk waiting until next June before we get it.
Brigadier Nigel Hall
