Select a region
Jersey and Guernsey are taking differing approaches to the pandemic yet again – this time in relation to how each island's response should be assessed.
While St. Brelade Constable Mike Jackson successfully secured a £500,000 external review on Jersey’s response to the pandemic last year, which is in addition to reviews already being conducted by Scrutiny Panels and the Comptroller and Auditor General, Guernsey politicians have this week decided against the idea of an independent inquiry.
It had been estimated that the cost of a third-party review in Guernsey could be up to £250,000, whereas internal reviews – possibly followed by Scrutiny public hearings – could be completed for less than a fifth of that cost.
In the end, Guernsey’s States Assembly agreed to the latter following a debate lasting more than two hours.
The island’s present and former Chief Ministers – both of whom have chaired the Civil Contingencies Authority, the island’s emergency decision-making authority - disagreed about how the island’s Government’s performance should be reviewed.
The incumbent, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, made an impassioned plea for internal reviews and against a more expensive external independent review.
"You can pinch a lot of pennies for £250,000. You can mark a lot of homework for £250,000. You can buy a lot of pencils to mark your homework. That is a vast sum of public money. To achieve what?” he said.
"I don't say that with any defensiveness. I have already said...I want to be as open as I'm allowed by law and I'd like to be released from any confidentiality obligations I've got under law if that assists any review."
His predecessor, Deputy Gavin St. Pier, argued for an external independent review "to have somebody else objectively assess what we can learn".
Jersey’s Covid Review Panel is warning islanders that they have just one week left to share their views, either online or by post, which they say will be treated confidentially.
Pictured: The panel carrying out Jersey's £500,000 covid review.
So far, they have reported meeting with individuals, businesses, trade bodies, charities, and reading “background material” from Government and other sources.
Chaired by Sir Derek Myers, the panel will be back in Jersey in the first week of May for their final session of in-person meetings. This time they’ll be meeting with Government Ministers and States members.
During the summer, the panel will be compiling their report before publication in September.
Should there be a public inquiry into Jersey's covid response?
Chief Minister says 'no' to immediate independent covid inquiry
Call for £500k pandemic inquiry
Assembly supports £500k pandemic inquiry
Chair appointed to lead £500k independent covid inquiry
Former Isle of Man Lieutenant Governor joins Jersey covid inquiry
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.