External Relations Minister Ian Gorst told the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel that key elements of the Government Plan would have to be revisited as a result of the economic landscape being transformed by the pandemic.
‘This is a drastic and dramatic change and it would be irresponsible to do anything other than draw a line under the Government Plan and ask ourselves whether what we thought was necessary in December is still necessary today,’ he said.
‘Some areas we have to support, for example Children’s Services, but in other cases we will have to stop and review. We will need to put the brakes on everyday spending as soon as possible because of the amount that is being spent exceptionally to support Islanders through this health crisis.
‘Everything has changed – it’s not just a health crisis, it is a crisis of lives and livelihoods.’
During the hearing, which was conducted online due to social-distancing rules, Chief Minister John Le Fondré was asked by panel member Deputy Jess Perchard about the likely duration of coronavirus for Jersey.
‘Based on the information we have, which is subject to change and depends on the effectiveness of measures we have brought in, we are looking at the peak being roughly the end of April or the beginning of May,’ he said.
‘The overall period is that we are going to be at least towards the back end of June before we are clear of this.’
Senator Le Fondré defended the political direction of Jersey’s response, which he said had been timely and appropriate.
‘We rely on officers’ advice and medical advice and that has been the case from day one,’ he said. ‘We took action to bring in self-isolation for those with symptoms within four days of the first on-Island case – in the UK it was 41 days.
‘In the case of when we closed the schools it was 13 days after the first case, Guernsey took 14 days from their first case and the UK took 52 days.
‘The curve started later in Jersey. We have not been complacent but have been planning and acting as quickly as possible to flatten the curve relative to us.’
Speaking after the hearing, panel chairwoman Deputy Kristina Moore said it was important that Scrutiny continued to hold the government to account.
‘We need to keep questioning ministers, but to take a proactive and constructive stance,’ she said.
