The Chief Minister has responded to an open letter from a former military strategist calling for the government to increase its preparedness for major crises.

Brigadier Nigel Hall cautioned that Jersey remained “far from resilient” to worst-case scenarios, particularly if assumptions about support from the UK and France no longer held.

But Deputy Lyndon Farnham has now claimed that Brigadier Hall’s conclusions “overstate both the risks facing Jersey and the shortcomings of current preparedness”.

You can read the Chief Minister’s full response below…

Dear Mr Hall,

Thank you for your letter regarding Jersey’s resilience and preparedness. The seriousness of the issues you raise, particularly in relation to worst-case scenario planning, infrastructure resilience and public confidence, warrants a considered and evidence-based response.

However, I believe your conclusions overstate both the risks facing Jersey and the shortcomings of current preparedness. While it is entirely appropriate to advocate for continuous improvement, describing the island as “not safe” or “far from resilient” is not accurate and risks undermining public confidence without properly reflecting the substantial systems, planning and capabilities already in place.

Jersey’s resilience framework is neither static nor complacent. It is built on established civil contingencies structures, multi-agency coordination, and ongoing risk assessment aligned with recognised best practice. We continue to learn, adapt and strengthen our approach, drawing on credible external expertise where appropriate, including from the UK and beyond. It is also important to recognise that resilience and emergency planning, while closely related, are not the same and must be developed accordingly.

The suggestion that the island relies solely on external assistance from the UK or France is an oversimplification. Our contingency planning is informed by experience and recognises that external support may be delayed or constrained. Plans are regularly tested, reviewed and updated across emergency services, infrastructure providers and government departments.

Your proposal for a “McKinsey grade” external consultancy review merits consideration in principle. External advice can add value in certain circumstances, but it is not a substitute for sustained institutional capability, neither is it necessarily superior to the expertise that already exists within government and its professional partners. Jersey already has resilience work underway, and in that context any further external review would need to avoid duplication, and be carefully tailored to the island’s specific geographic, economic and infrastructure context.

It is also important to address your characterisation of past events. The response to Covid-19, while not without lessons as is true globally, was delivered in unprecedented circumstances and compared favourably in many respects with similar jurisdictions. Work to strengthen both legal and operational frameworks continues, including progress on resilience legislation, planning and additional resourcing. Suggestions of wholesale failure or inaction are not supported by the evidence and do not reflect the reality of the island’s response.

During the Covid period, Jersey, like many jurisdictions, received a number of unsolicited approaches from consultants offering rapid solutions, testing services, equipment and expert advice. Not all of these proved appropriate or stood up to scrutiny. That experience highlights the importance of carefully assessing any external engagement, ensuring it is necessary, offers clear value for money, is genuinely relevant to Jersey’s needs, and is not driven by pressure or presentation, particularly where work is already underway.

You also raise issues of transparency, trust and visible progress, which are important considerations. Public confidence is best supported through clear communication, demonstrable improvement and a proportionate assessment of risk. Where further clarity is required, this can, and is, addressed through established democratic and scrutiny processes.

Jersey will continue to strengthen its resilience. Constructive challenge has an important role to play, but it must be grounded in balanced analysis, recognition of existing capability, and a clear focus on what will genuinely enhance preparedness.

Thank you again for your interest in this important area.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Lyndon Farnham

Chief Minister