Episodes
Just over 23 years ago Tynwald agreed that government should defend vigorously the Island's internal governing autonomy and seek to extend the Isle of Man's influence over relevant external issues. While there were some modest gains made in the early 2000s, little or no work has been done to reform our constitutional relationship with the UK over the past few decades. Is that about to change? On Perspective this Sunday at 12 noon on Manx Radio we hear the evidence given by long serving Jersey politician Sir Philip Bailhache KC to Tynwald’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Justice Commit...
New schools, underfunded departmental budgets better roads and a new bus station are on the wish lists of MHKs Joney Faragher and Michelle Haywood. The government is struggling to control a substantial financial deficit so where is the money coming from? Hopefully we’ll know more when this year’s Manx budget is delivered in just over a week’s time but the MHKs give their take on Perspective. Treasury’s magic money tree has been diseased for sometime now so can we continue to shake it without addressing the financial diseases that afflict it?
The southern swimming pool has been making a splash in the turbulent Tynwald political waters leaving some political commentators to suggest that the Minister is out of her depth. In contrast the Minister has suggested that some members are floundering in the political whirlpool and the whole pool debate has allowed a range of thorny administrative issues to float to the surface. Diving in with both feet to try to make sense of it all.
The economic strategy annual update was debated in Tynwald this week with the Chief Minister painting a very rosy Manx economic picture which seemed to avoid discussion of the pitfalls and obstacles to economic success. This led to criticism from some members that perhaps government wasn’t living in the real world or indeed that the Chief Minister was living on ‘fantasy island.’ So who’s right? You get the opportunity to decide by listening to this week's Perspective. The Chief Minister certainly has a dream but is his government delivering?
Perspective looks at the forthcoming January Tynwald, Systra's report into Heritage railways and guests MHKs Daphne Caine, Sarah Maltby and Chris Thomas give their initial reaction to the Covid Review.
Tynwald gave Government two modest defeats this week as well as pointing out that Government is missing a number of its own targets. Statistics show that the population is growing by 230 people a year but the Chief Minister is convinced that his government’s flagship target of an extra ten thousand people. The Treasury Minister announced that he will be announcing his tax strategy in February but most taxes will stay the same. Tynwald may have been in training for a couple of years but it certainly appears to be throwing some well placed punches at government this month.
The Financial Services Authority is a body whose influence we only tend to come across when we’re trying to open a bank account and having to prove in triplicate who we are. The FSA has, though, a significant influence on the financial services sector which generates over a third of our economic output so we probably do need to know a bit more about them. The FSA talks in its recent report of a need for change so what’s driving that change and how will this FSA shape the future of the Manx finance industry? Money makes the world go round but only if it can prove who it is and where it lives!
Crogga wants to give the Isle of Man Government a multibillion pound Christmas present but needs government to agree a variation to their gas exploration licence. The Chief Minister apparently sacked Chris Thomas for not assisting Crogga so the decision is now in Tim Crookall’s hands. Several Tynwald members and a growing international chorus suggest that extracting more fossil fuels during the climate emergency is no longer acceptable. So who’s right? Should we go for the gas? Crogga appears to be drinking in the last chance saloon but with the Infrastructure Minister provide them with fes...
You wait around for twenty years for some renewable energy projects and then suddenly several of them arrive at the same time. Tynwald seems very nervous about accepting private sector support for renewable power generation in the Isle of Man, but perhaps they might be persuaded by a project which gives a significant boost to Manx farmers, ticks all the boxes for carbon reduction targets and provides low cost district heating. Certainly those behind the Proposed Renewable Energy Generation Hub at Andreas Airfield hope so. Find out more about what is proposed and how the project would work o...
Has the Manx milling wheat sector reached a crisis point? Is government borrowing over a billion pounds now? No say the relevant Ministers. The Treasury Minister is feeling generous by handing out winter and Christmas bonuses and free TV licences for over 75s. Tynwald likes onshore wind farms and agrees that the airport and the sea terminal need tidying up. The DoI Minister announces some tinkering with his Department’s responsibilities. Tynwald is far from happy with Isle of Man Energy. Find out all about the November sitting of Tynwald on this episode of Perspective. All the political ske...
How has the mild mannered generally innocuous Health Services Consultative Committee been drawn in to a heated political debate with the Health Minister? Lawrie Hooper has accused the committee of deliberated falsehood - lying to you and me - and both sides have accused each other of making defamatory statements. Chris Thomas will be calling on Tynwald to annul changes made to the Committee’s constitution at this month’s sitting, so what on earth is going on. We try to find out on Perspective this week. Is independent scrutiny being silenced or is this just an important change of focus?
A bit of déjà vu on Agenda this week as the Bishop’s vote is once more called into question this time by the House of Keys who narrowly voted to allow Lawrie Hooper to introduce a private member’s Bill to remove the vote from the Bishop. Mr Hooper was accused of having malevolent purpose and being distracted by trivial matters when he should be getting on with the day job of fixing health services. We consider the latest debate on Agenda. Is the vote of the non elected Bishop any different to the votes of the other eight democratically unaccountable LegCo members? Or is this a necessary ch...
A trio of appointments were announced this week by government with MHKs John Wannenburgh and Tim Glover taking over as chairs of Manx Utilities and Office of Fair Trading, subject to Tynwald approval. John is current Chair at the OFT and Rob Callister was Chair at the MUA last year. Rob now takes over as Chair of planning? Did you follow that? Well light and clarity will be delivered on Perspective. Does OFT have enough power and resource to protect consumers? Is planning fit for purpose and will governments planning reform agenda deliver? Will your electricity bills be safe in John Wannenb...
Few people can have managed to avoid being affected by the tragic events taking place in Israel and Gaza in recent weeks. The suffering and pain being inflicted is hard to imagine in our peaceful island which hasn’t witnessed war and bloodshed for many decades. We have little power to influence these events but should we not at least consider what’s happening and use our comparitively small political voice to bring about change? One MHK certainly thinks we should and she tells us why on Perspective . Does our close neighbour Northern Ireland offer hope for a peaceful solution?
Relationship breakdowns can be very difficult and never more so when played out publicly on the floor of Tynwald and Keys. Once popular and valued CoMin team member Chris Thomas had his political heart broken by the Chief Minister and it could be argued that he’s out for revenge. We listen again to the extraordinary and revelatory session in Keys this week as the former DoI Minister Chris Thomas asked searching questions about Crogga. Has government been too keen to help Crogga or is this just sour grapes from a heart broken former Minister?
What does the sale of all Shoprite stores mean for us here on the Isle of Man? Beth Espey looks back at how the news was announced, and considers the impact on Manx producers.
Following Chris Thomas’s sacking as Infrastructure Minister, his subsequent resignation as Chair of the Housing and Communities Board and a three month hiatus in housing leadership, David Ashford has emerged as the new housing head. So can he deliver on the work already undertaken on housing? MHKs Chris Thomas and David Ashford discuss the pitfalls and opportunities for meaningful improvements to address the Island’s housing issues on Perspective this week. We had a housing crisis at the election two years ago but is government any closer to addressing that crisis?
Government has announced a multimillion give away to developers in an attempt to get brownfield sites developed but will these incentives work? At a time when many businesses in the food and hospitality sector are closing is there a need for some of those millions to be spent helping small and medium sized businesses to keep a float? And what message does mothballing the work permit send to Manx workers? Minister Tim Johnston and MHKs John Wannenburgh and Rob Callister debate all this and more on Perspective. Are your jobs and businesses safe in government’s hands?
The government has set clear targets to decarbonise the Manx economy over the coming decades. Solar power and onshore and offshore wind look like the best available renewable energy generation prospects but are there alternatives? The Chief Minister doesn’t seem convinced but Graham Fox-Hulme tells us that the answer lies beneath our feet and John Sheppard wants draconian measures introduced to help us lead better lives. Are they right? Is geothermal energy really readily available and if so why is it not being explored? Why aren’t we building houses that use a tiny fraction of the energy t...
Cabinet Office Minister Kate Lord-Brennan is leading on government’s building and development reform program and is looking to change the Isle of Man’s Strategic Plan. This document pretty much governs how all future development can proceed, identifying areas of housing need and setting policies which dictate what development can take place in the countryside, how biodiversity will be protected, what our communities should look like and much more. Your views really can influence how our beautiful Island will be developed in the coming decades so this one is well worth a listen!
There are times in politics when you think you’d be happy if the earth would just swallow you up and I’m sure Chief Minister Alf Cannan might have thought that at the July sitting of Tynwald. Back now from a refreshing summer break he’s raring to go and keen to deliver on his government’s much discussed plans and strategies. Two years in though does he have any successes to point to? With the Government conference taking place in less than a fortnight find out why you should attend. Minister bashing aside there are some great debates lined up and opportunities to question key government fig...
With all the exam results out now how does Education Minister Julie Edge MHK think Manx students have done? Relations between teachers and the Department have been shakey at best over the past few years. Are there signs of improvement now? And what’s the latest on the QE2 drag queen affair? Were you inspired by your teachers? Is there too much bureaucracy in education these days? So much to talk about, so little time!
Tim Cullen MBE is an Associate Fellow of the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and was, until recently, Director of the Oxford Programme on Negotiation. Tim is best known for his role as the first Executive Director of the Small Countries Financial Management Centre, which he helped establish with the support of the Isle of Man government, the World Bank, and the Commonwealth Secretariat. Does Government investment in improving financial management in small and developing countries represent good value for tax payers’ money or would we be better spending it on improving our own se...
Ever pondered on the future of Manx politics? What do our young people think about politics. Well, Junior Tynwald is of the opinion that the transport and communication infrastructure of the Island does not meet the population’s needs.’ And also Junior Tynwald is of the opinion that school meals should be provided to more of the student population including, if possible, to all primary students, in light of the cost-of-living crisis.’ Engaging, tenacious, passionate? A breath of fresh air? No no …. this will never do. Bring back boring old senior Tynwald!
What was government dragging its feet about with the significant delay in releasing documents on the previous administration’s handling of Covid. Was Dr Ranson’s presentation ‘toned down’ or just edited to focus on the core message. Was an hour long enough for Council of Ministers to set aside for consideration of such a weighty issue of how to deal with an unprecedented pandemic? Is IoM TV presenter Paul Moulton right in feeling victimised by government or should he be apologising for besmirching government officers? Perspective this week gives you the chance to decide.
Each year, usually on the Monday before the July sitting of Tynwald in Douglas, representatives of the Island's Secondary schools are invited to try being Members of Tynwald for a morning. Manx Radio recorded this year’s sitting and on Perspective this week you can hear twelve of the questions asked at a very entertaining and interesting Tynwald sitting. Junior Tynwald certainly seems to be giving ‘senior’ Tynwald a run for their money. Perhaps there is hope for the Isle of Man yet?
There were loads of big political announcements in July Tynwald. A review of the Isle of Man’s Heritage Railways ends in just over a week’s time. Should you be concerned over government’s motivation for bringing the review forward? Are we finally going to get a wind farm in the Manx hills? Would this be a big environmental step forward or just a load of unnecessary green washing? We also consider the Biosphere, prison, the Chief Constable’s annual report and the role of the Attorney General. Manx politics finally calmed down enough for us to get back to some other big issues.
How do you catch up on the latest skeet? Via regulated media such as Manx Radio or Isle of Man Newspapers which have a duty to report in a balanced and fair way or through the internet and social media which have much less responsibility to offer truth or impartiality? Is this really what lies at the heart of the recent attempt by government to clip the wings of internet publisher Isle of Man TV or is it a sinister attempt to silence public debate? Perhaps it’s both … or neither? If you care about the truth listen to Perspective. A program very much not to be missed!
They say a week is a long time in politics and what a week we’ve just had. Tynwald members were queuing up to talk to me about everything from internal bullying, lack of confidence in the government and is the Chief Minister the right person to continue to lead the Isle of Man into the sunny future land of promise. July Tynwald always seems to produce fiery debates and hot heads but add in the sacking of a Minister and political drama is guaranteed. Outgoing Minister Chris Thomas gives his warts and all assessment his turbulent year as infrastructure Minister.
Perspective 23.7.23 - Ch...
Worried about sky high energy prices? Concerned that over reliance on undersea cables and pipelines is a major risk to our energy supplies in these very troubled and uncertain times we live? Well Energy and Sustainability Centre Isle of Man Directors Ralph Peake and Dave Quirk might well have the answers you’re looking for. Are they right in dismissing Crogga gas and thermal energy as at best just wishful thinking? Is renewable energy just the impractical dream of environmental campaigners or does it provide the answer to many of the problems we are currently facing? you’re looking for. Are...