BLOG: Jersey's Chief Minister on his faith, his mental health, and managing a pandemic

Gary Burgess reflects on his interview with Senator John Le Fondré - touching on religion, on mental wellbeing and the coronavirus crisis. Credit: ITV Channel TV

"Did you ever pray to god that Jersey would have a good pandemic?"

They were never words I was expecting to ask Jersey's Chief Minister when I sat down to interview him, but it's precisely where the interview went.

In his first (and currently only) extended television interview, I spent the good part of 45 minutes with Senator John Le Fondré, to look back on his and his government's handling of the pandemic, so far, as well as the current state of play and plans for the future.

Could communication have been better? Yes. What do you say to the shielding who felt forgotten? I'm sorry. When will the borders open and flights and ferries resume? Early next month.

We covered an awful lot of ground, but I also wanted to use the time to try and understand a little more about the man who leads this island.

I mention the strain on his family. He indicated it has been tough but didn't want to elaborate.

I asked about his own mental health. He said it will undoubtedly have suffered in the fullness of time but, again, he wasn't for talking about himself.

And that's the thing with Senator Le Fondré. He's an accountant. He's a scrutineer. He deals in black and white facts. He doesn't go big on feelings.

It's why I chose to ask him whether his faith had helped him through. It evidently had.

I could have gone in all guns blazing with my "why didn't you do x y or z" line of questioning, but I suspect it wouldn't have got us that far.

I learned a lot from our interview, and I hope, if you find the time to watch it in full, you do, too.

  • WATCH the full interview here...