St Pier hopeful for Guernsey's recovery

Thursday 30 July 2020

With public finances "shredded" and the island facing "a whole bag of problems" that we did not have four months ago, Chief Minister Gavin St Pier said islanders’ continuing cooperation will be key to the Bailiwick's recovery.

Deputy St Pier said the stresses of lockdown have presented islanders with difficult decisions and harsh challenges – describing by him at a March media briefing as the greatest deprivation of personal freedoms since World War 2.

However, in a speech at the Chamber of Commerce, he said recent months had proven that islanders’ resilience and ability to work together can surpass those challenges.

“The past four months have, of course, been totally unprecedented in any of our lifetimes,” said Deputy St Pier. “With a new worldwide daily high of 200,000 cases, we cannot be complacent. There are many more tests and challenges to come.”

“But on the other hand the sun is shining; shops and restaurants are open; face masks exist only on TV news from distant lands.”

Deputy St Pier did not make light of the economic challenges that will face the island in the coming months, but remained stoic in his belief that they can be overcome.

“The economy is forecast to contract by a truly unprecedented 8-9% this year,” said Deputy St. Pier. “25% of the work force, 7,000 islanders need to be supported in employment by co-payments from government. The public finances are shredded.”

"Let's Make Change Happen" @gavinstpier Chamber OGH lunch. Sponsored by HSBC https://t.co/0a74pNnt3Q

— Guernsey Chamber (@GuernseyChamber) July 27, 2020

“Most islanders recognise that as a community we have a whole bag of new problems we didn’t have four months ago,”

“And yet by working together we have faced Covid-19, and we’ve proven that if we can maintain ‘Guernsey Together’ we can solve all those problems too.”

Deputy St Pier also remarked that, in order for the Revive and Thrive strategy to achieve its full potential, it must be met with a fast pace and a determination to see it done.

“We cannot lose our nerve if one or two voices say ‘no’ to change,” said Deputy St Pier. “We now have an opportunity to go beyond simply returning to the pre-virus status quo and can strive to achieve longer-term socio-economic and environmental resilience for our community,”

“It is a tremendously exciting time and opportunity for us; but to avoid letting it slip through our fingers we will need to get the politics right too.”