For our utopia to continue Condor needs direct financial support
I’M SURE we can all remember back to March when we were met with shelves empty of pasta, rice and toilet roll. Thankful that the shelves were otherwise full, we were able to stock up, feed ourselves and open another bottle of wine as we quite literally avoided each other like the plague. Remember when we had to speak to Mum and Dad through the front window when we delivered their groceries.
Walking through the Co-op, I also distinctly remember a concern that we could also catch Covid from food packaging. Condor introduced a sterile freight service so they could continue to safely provide us with food and medical supplies. During this period they were rightly applauded by the States for providing critical lifeline freight services, with their staff, like our nurses, putting themselves at personal risk.
Today, we are blessed with being able to live freely whilst Covid is on the rise elsewhere. We are truly lucky to live here in Guernsey. Condor has been able to continue to supply us with 90% of everything that we consume but due to the restrictions on our borders, their turnover (income) is 70% down. That’s right, 90% of everything we consume. Think about that.
Consequently, Condor is inevitably running at a loss and they have had to make many of their staff redundant. That loss will continue to grow and there is only so much any business can bear. To that end, Condor will either be forced to increase the cost of freight, increase the cost of travel, provide a reduced freight and/or passenger service. Or, like Flybe, cease business.
If we want our utopia to continue and if we want to save Guernsey jobs, Condor needs direct financial support. Claps aren’t enough. Condor provides critical services to Guernsey, with key workers, lauded only a few months ago but now being bled dry.
Stephen Bougourd
bougourd@outlook.com