‘Decision not made yet on borders

Civil Contingencies Authority chairman Peter Ferbrache said although UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a data-dependent road map for loosening travel and border restrictions, Guernsey has not yet done so.

He asked people to ignore speculation, including from States members, with the statement that they would announce it as soon as a decision has been made.

‘We’ve been a little more cautious not because we are more cautious just because we want to be prudent in relation to us,’ he said.

‘What the CCA are receiving in the course of next week is a paper about when and if we can start giving dates for the release of borders.’

He added that it was going to be some time yet.

‘There is no point me making something today, saying it’s June, July or whenever it might be – A we don’t know and B that decision has not been made yet, but we’re going to have guidance in relation to it,’ he said.

‘As intelligent people, you would know it’s dependent on what happens here, the number of cases, unknown community sources etc. but also what happens elsewhere.

‘It’s no good just us being in a good position if we were to open up or relax the border restrictions and the prevalence in our neighbours, where people are going to travel to and from, is still such it would come back here.’

Deputy Charles Parkinson, former president of Economic Development, said on Twitter that he had heard ‘on senior authority’ that borders would open in August. However, this was denied by CCA advisor Deputy Heidi Soulsby, who responded that no decision had been made.