Recovery strategy ‘is an opportunity for step-change’

REVIVING Guernsey’s economy to a point where it is thriving within three years is the aim of the strategy for recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, which is published today.

Deputies Gavin St Pier and Charles Parkinson. (Picture by Sophie Rabey, 28355430)

At the forefront of the ‘Revive and Thrive’ plan are three elements which will be its focus: a sustainable economy plan, a health and care plan and a community plan.

The report is being presented to the States next week under the rule which will see it treated like a Green Paper in the UK, meaning that it can be debated but not amended: ‘That will provide for a wide-ranging debate,’ said Policy & Resources committee president Gavin St Pier.

It is only after this debate that P&R, working closely with Economic Development and the Covid-19 Recovery Coordination Group, will prepare proposals aimed at directing different committees to work towards achieving the plan’s goals.

Summed up, the outcome of the recovery is where ‘Guernsey has revived the large majority of economic activity in 2021 and exceeded the previous growth path for the economy within three years which allows our community to thrive.’

The short-term actions laid out in the recovery strategy include: completing the review of air and sea links and resolving what Aurigny’s role will be as an economic enabler; investment in the regeneration of the seafront enhancement area, Guernsey’s built infrastructure and critical national infrastructure; reviewing the population management regime to ensure businesses can easily secure the people and skills they need; overhauling the Bailiwick’s existing telecoms infrastructure and reviewing the use and licensing of 5G.

Deputy St Pier said that effectively this plan replaces the Future Guernsey plan (formerly known as the Policy & Resource Plan) and a lot of the ideas within it involve work that is already being dealt with by various departments.

Economic Development, for example, has been working on its own plan for economic growth and this will now form one of the pieces of work being done as part of the recovery.

‘This is an opportunity to prioritise in a way which we would struggle to do within the terms of the P&R plan,’ said Deputy St Pier.

But it is also intended to consult the community, too, with the setting up of business and community advisory groups to ensure that the recovery is developed and delivered through partnerships.

There has been criticism from within the States at the lack of engagement that has taken place with members during the early stages of lockdown, but Deputy Parkinson said he believed it was now time to re-engage with the wider political base.

‘It’s important to sit back and consider what’s happened to us and what can be repaired or strengthened,’ said Deputy Parkinson. ‘Obviously some things have got broken or been damaged, but some good things have come out of it – we all suddenly discovered we didn’t need to go the office to work, for example. I’d like to think that in a year or two’s time we could say that Guernsey is in a better place.’

Deputy St Pier sees the plan as a way of moving away from incremental change: ‘I think this is an opportunity for step-change,’ he said.

n The Covid-19 Recovery Coordination Group is an advisory body comprising presidents of principal States committees, the States’ Trading Supervisory Board president and two members of P&R.