THE first Ukrainian families fleeing the Russian invasion could begin arriving in Jersey this weekend, the External Relations Minister has said, as he revealed that more than 100 offers of accommodation had been made by Islanders.
Senator Ian Gorst (pictured left) said he was not surprised by the level of generosity and compassion being shown by Islanders, given how they had responded to previous international crises.
His comments followed the donation of multiple truck-loads of essential supplies by Islanders to help refugees which were recently distributed at the Poland-Ukraine border, as well as in Kyiv.
Senator Gorst added that people in Jersey were familiar with the concept of helping refugees because of the German Occupation, when hundreds of Islanders were evacuated to the UK.
When asked when the Island could expect to see the first refugees arriving, Senator Gorst said: ‘The word is imminent. As early as this weekend.’
He continued: ‘When I spoke yesterday there had been around 50 offers of accommodation, but, from information I have received since then, there have been about 100 offers, so that has doubled. I do not think I am surprised. It is always quite humbling to see how Islanders open their arms to crises around the world. But this is a war on our doorstep in Europe and it could have a dramatic impact on all of our lives.
‘What we will all need to do is consider that this is likely to not just be for the short term, for a few months, but we need to think of this as a long-term offer which will potentially go on for years,’ the Senator said.
He added: ‘That is not a problem, but we do need to think about what might be required. We have language barriers to overcome, counselling facilities that we will need to put in place, children will need to continue their education and there will be health requirements. But equally, for Islanders or aid groups that want to support refugees coming here, there will be a financial element to that. Also, they will not be staying in a spare room for a couple of months. This could extend to a couple of years, so we need to be aware of that.’
Earlier this week Jersey implemented sanctions against a further seven Russian oligarchs, including Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich, who are accused of having close ties to Russia President Vladimir Putin. The move mirrored action taken by the UK.
Senator Gorst warned that although the restrictions were designed to cripple the Russian economy, their effects would also be felt locally.
He said: ‘The sanctions we are implementing will have a detrimental impact on Islanders’ lives as well as the Russian economy. There is going to be a rise in inflation and cost-of-living increases right across Europe.’
The JEP has asked the government how many temporary visa applications there have been to allow those fleeing the country to come to Jersey. However, no figures had been received at the time of going to print.
