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On 25th April, Jersey's Health Minister publicly stated "Opening Jersey's borders is our greatest risk".
In case any Express readers have failed to grasp what is now blazingly obvious - it was the failure to shut down our Airport and Harbour to passenger arrivals that allowed CoronaVirus 19 (C19) into the Island in the first place. There were not even temperature checks, let alone any definitive "health checks".
The measures that were put in place were ineffectual. Leaflets were handed out offering disease advice, arrivals were asked to isolate themselves for two weeks (which was widely and easily ignored due to inadequate supervision) and some visitors were questioned about their original travel departure location at least a day after they had arrived.
The Government has advised that the number of local patients suffering from 'virus symptoms' has dropped to single figures (5). This offers zero information on the number of infected asymptomatic carriers or the impact of relaxed 'Lock Down' measures that take several weeks to be properly understood.
Despite that, our 'Government' is pressing ahead with the biggest gamble of the lot - which is letting more people into the Island who could easily be C19 carriers.
The proposed testing procedure is seriously flawed. To date the various tests on offer have failed to provide proven 100% accuracy, with some being as low as 60% accurate - which is almost the same as spinning a coin to determine Heads or Tails!! To understand the dissembling that is taking place to dupe both the media and the public - polymerise chain reaction (PCR) IS NOT A TEST. It is part of a test procedure that allows a small amount of DNA sample to be transformed into a larger sample that can be subsequently tested (in the prevailing circumstances that will be an anti-body test). Medical experts describe these tests as "not exactly perfect".
So - just as Jersey could return to a "C19 eliminated" lifestyle, the Government want to "open the doors to the virus" all over again. The reason is a misplaced desire to support the local hospitality and leisure industry on the back of blatant misinformation. We have been advised that visitors make up 75% of the local tourism business. That is a global figure that bears no relation to, for example, to the clientele in popular country hostelries AND it ignores the industry's contribution to our economy - which is less than 4.5% according to the 2018 GVA statistics. In fact, (bars, hotels and restaurants) were not awarded a percentage figure, so I shall assume 4%. One quarter of that amount (as indicated above) is provided by local residents - meaning that the remainder is worth 3% of Jersey's economy.
Our Government is poised to risk 97% of our economy - all over again - to partially support a specific economic sector worth 3%.
Opening up Jersey to a potential 2nd invasion of C19 is sheer folly and it comes as no surprise that this measure is being introduced at very short notice and at arms length from the minimal, but proper scrutiny of the States Assembly. It is time to start noting the names of the "decision makers" and to examine their motives.
Guy de Faye
