NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
The Chief Minister as part of his ?we are very busy getting on with things and no one out there appreciates how much we are doing? was at it again today on Manx Radio. Yes the first Mandate of the year has begun with his regular daily slot (god help us)!
The radio ?pop-up? in itself was quite surprising (was it in the can?) because of course Tynwald packed up for its Xmas hols quite a few days before the rest of the working population and a quick glance at the Tynwald web site indicates that they will not be back in full swing until the third week of this month.
However no doubt there?s all sorts of frenetic political activity going on behind the scenes (and I don?t mean Juan planning another coup!).
Anyway the CMs morning mumblings on Manx Radio did give me pause for thought as he was outlining how much was planned before ?Election Armageddon? looms in September and how little time there is.
For several years the CM (and colleagues ? notably failed Minister of Policy Reform Chris Robertshaw) have been saying that government had to become more efficient.
Effectively Departments needed, we were told, to slim their workforces and hone working practices. A lot of this has gone on but as we discovered during the recent floods when there were precious few ?front line troops? to man the flood barriers or clear the drains they seem to have chopped everything at the bottom and if anything the top has gotten a little bit more podgy. I mean how many are in the Personnel and Cabinet Offices these days?
More to the point though two areas of government are obdurate in their opposition to change, one is the Political Executive and the other the Courts.
Lets be blunt in just under five years both areas could have looked at their composition (there?s more activity in the Home of Rest for Old Horses than Legco for example) and their hours?well!
Why are politicians and the judiciary on ?gold-plated rest periods? when most folk are at work. I mean has any type of review been undertaken of that?
Of course that hoary old chestnut ?you don?t see what?s going on behind the scenes? is usually wheeled out when you pose these questions except perhaps we don?t see it because there is nothing going on!
Photograph: Court building with not a Deemster or Politician in sight ? that?s what ?the political citadel? is like most of the time!
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
04/01/16
THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE
The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
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