Optimism vs pessimism – a tale of two leaders
ON FEBRUARY 22 the UK Government set out the roadmap for the restrictions in England to be relaxed in certain stages.
Namely: Step 2. From April 12, pubs and restaurants will be allowed to serve meals and alcohol outdoors.
Step 3. Furthermore inside restrictions would be allowed from May 17.
Step 4. From June 21, it is hoped all legal limits on social contact can be removed.
Obviously the provisos were that the infection rates were continuing to fall and the vaccination process continued to improve.
Months previously I together with other members of my family had booked and paid for a short break at a nice hotel in the Cotswolds. Ironically the booking commenced on April 12. As a result as soon as that roadmap was announced I contacted the hotel in question who informed me that in line with the proposed roadmap they were in a position to open the hotel on May 17. Because I had contacted the hotel in sufficient time I, together with other members of my family, were able to forward our reservation to May 17. If that hotel booking had been in Wales I certainly wouldn’t have been in a position to do anything as to date the Welsh Government still has not set out a roadmap. I really do feel so sorry for the hospitality industry which is left in a hopeless position.
I don’t know if any of you watched our First Minister Mark Drakeford being interviewed by Andrew Marr on Sunday morning but I found it to be terribly depressing with his pessimistic approach, which I feel is totally opposite to PM Boris Johnson’s optimistic outlook saying he couldn’t wait until April 12 when he could enjoy having a pint of beer outdoors in a pub.
In that interview Mr Drakeford intimated that the earliest the Welsh nation would be al fresco would be late April. Why? Why are we the “poor nation” again? Despite more than half the nation having been vaccinated, the low infection rates and the obvious benefit to the hospitality industry, why on Earth have we got to wait another two weeks later than our neighbours in England?
Does our Welsh chief medical officer have information different to Professor Chris Witty? Of course he doesn’t, that decision like the shortened firebreak was purely down to FM Drakeford.
Paul Fenton
Penarth
Does our Welsh chief medical officer have information different to Professor Chris Witty?
Paul Fenton Penarth