Perspective - Manx Radio

There’s a consultation happening now on a new strategic plan which, according to Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford, will help build great communities, protect our environment, and promote sustainable development. The new strategic plan will probably be in place until 2041 and will cement the core planning policies which will affect our lives and the appearance of the Island in which we live. If you care about the future of our Island this is probably the most important consultation you’ll ever fill in. Whatever you think of our government this is a once in a generation opportunity to have your say on this vital plan.

Former Douglas East MHK Chris Robertshaw tried and by his own admission failed to bring about the reforms he believes are essential to allow the public to have greater confidence in government and to allow government to actually succeed. He wants us to have a greater say on the major policy proposals government brings forward, he believes government should act as a unified body rather than as separate ’siloed’ departments, and he wants an independent political think tank to be formed to help generate policy innovation across government. He explains all on this week’s Perspective. There’s no doubting his passion but is this just more hot air from Mr Robertshaw?

Chief Minister Alf Cannan has a year left to demonstrate his government can succeed. With global disillusion in conventional politics Mr Cannan and his Ministers have a difficult task in gaining the confidence of a generally doubting Manx public. So what lies in store for the year ahead? Mr Cannan gives some hints on this week's Perspective. If votes were cast on the number of strategies and policies produced, Council of Ministers would be guaranteed a second term. Will we finally see meaningful delivery on the warm words and bold statements?

Being beleaguered goes with the territory at the Department of Infrastructure, but relatively new DoI Minister Michelle Haywood is doing her best to get on the front foot. Government has had limited success in dealing with the housing crisis and Minister Haywood tells Perspective why her department’s plan for a Housing Agency will succeed where government has so far collectively failed. Building for success but is this another policy built on sand?

Bashing government handling of public sector pensions used to be top of the list for wannabe MHKs looking for an easy vote winning target so what if anything has changed? The deficit between contributions and payments will be around £48 million this year that’s slightly less than the net spend for the Department of Infrastructure so it remains a substantial sum but the Public Sector Pensions Authority argue that the Tynwald approved plan is getting this spending under control. Are gold plated government pensions really a thing of the past? It seems so.

What do MHKs get up to during the summer recess? What work is there for our politicians between the July Tynwald sitting and the political season opener in October? You might be surprised at how much is being done out of the immediate political gaze and MHKs Corlett, Glover and Smith are keen to tell us all about it. Grab a deck chair, don your knotted hanky and settle down to a Perspective political whippy with just the mildest sprinkle of nuts and rasberry sauce!

Junior Tynwald provided some lively debates which we’re covering on Agenda as well as some excellent questioning by Junior Tynwald members of Ministers and Department members. Manx Radio was there to record the whole sitting and on Perspective this week we’ll hear the first 50 minutes of the hour and eight minute long question time. Questions covered housing, tax, education, health and the environment and the questioners did a great job in pinning down the government. Well worth listening to these promising political prospects for the future.

July Tynwald still has a few treasurers to squeeze out including an impassioned speech from Sarah Maltby in which she called on Tynwald members to stop just singing about our Green Hills by the Sea and actually do something to protect and maintain the public rights of way that allow us access to some of the most beautiful countryside in these islands. We also catch up on some of the questions and answers that began the mammoth four day sitting. Prepare to have your heart stirred by Sarah Maltby’s call for action. Will it make the difference that she’s hoping for? You know what …. it might!

July Tynwald was not only a lengthy affair but also jam packed with interesting debates. On Perspective this week we hear from Ministers Barber, Caine and Poole-Wilson about a lack of success in meeting carbon reduction, possible efficiencies and improvements in education and an A star for the Chief Constable’s report. Chris Thomas gives a D minus to Tynwald for not allowing him to move a debate on a significant change in housing policy and Joney Faragher led a very thoughtful debate on the position the Isle of Man should take on international law. A not to be missed Tynwald super summer special - well … if you’re a political nerd like me at least.

If Lawrie Hooper has read the book “How to win friends and influence people” it would appear he disagrees with its core premise. Indeed he seemed to be itching for a fight including with his own shadow during an at times tetchy Tynwald. You’ve heard the headlines but on Perspective you can hear the full Hooper interview together with responses from some of the Ministers he had his sights on. It would appear that as the election looms the next 12 months could be filled with lively political exchanges. The question we’ll need to answer on election day next year is do we favour rhetoric over actual results?

DoI Minister Michelle Haywood certainly seem in a hurry to get things done and bring about significant change to our lives. With government’s record for speed being noteworthy primarily for its absence you’d imagine the Minister’s drive and determination might be welcomed as a breath of fresh air?! She’s certainly succeeded in dividing public opinion but is she out of her depth or boldly taking on the controversial issues that others have feared to tackle.

With the sad news of the death of Pat Bridson, one of the radical nationalist politicians who helped develop Mec Vannin in the 1960s and 70s to become a credible political force I took the opportunity to catch up with two of her colleagues, Bernard Moffatt and Allan Bell. Pride in the place you live and a desire to develop Manx solutions to Manx problems has become quite a normal part of political discourse these days but sixty years ago this was seen as quite a radical philosophy. Any chance that we’ll hear glowing tributes on previous government’s from Bernard? Well … prepare to be shocked!

What message lies at the heart of the Isle of Man Government? Is it a tax and spend government spending all our hard earned savings, or is it a government that takes a more cautious approach to spending and sees income growth as a product of a growing economy? Government’s Our Island Plan had some bold ambition but is it being delivered? There’s one man who should know the answer to these questions and that’s Chief Minister Alf Cannan and he talks to Perspective. Are the promises of jam tomorrow being spread a little too thinly on the Manx political jam butty?

On first glance June Tynwald’s Order Paper looked to offer little opportunity for political excitement. As it turned out there was plenty to exercise our MHKs, increasingly mindful of the 2026 general election. There were questions about the quality of child care and protection, was political messaging around the TT adequate, should we consider whether things are ethically okay and not just legally sound, securing funding for the family library was discussed as was the law governing employment of children. All this will be summarised in this week’s Perspective. And why does LegCo keep giving the Education Minister a hard time - perhaps cake would win them over?

After a decade away from home, Palestinian journalist and film-maker, Yousef Alhelou travelled back to Gaza to reconnect with the people and places of his childhood. His intention was to make a documentary film, which would reveal the hidden beauties, joys, and treasures of Gaza. The footage taken during his two months trip would become some of the final records of the cultural, social and recreational life of the besieged and blockaded enclave prior to its destruction by Israel following the Hamas attrocities on 7th October 2023. Yousef’s sister and her seven children were killed on 10th December 2023 by an Israeli strike on their home. They remain buried under rubble. 

Douglas North MHK John Wannenburgh is approaching the end of his fourth year as a national politician. He’s Chair of the Manx Utilities Authority which unlike its private sector UK counterparts is pretty good at supplying us with water and, with the exception of Peel and Laxey, has a generally good record of disposing the sewage we produce without polluting the environment. John talks to Perspective about his role at the MUA as well as reflecting on the state of Manx politics. With new sewage treatment works at Peel and Garff in the pipeline is the MUA flushed with success?

Fed up with the shabby state of some parts of the Island? Dismayed by the grot and litter you pass daily? Angered by potholes or the decaying nature of our Island’s infrastructure? Well what are you going to do about it? That’s the challenge set by the Destination First Board whose remit is to significantly improve the look of our Island and to motivate us all to get involved in making the Island a better place. Find out more about the work of the Board on Perspective. Rather than just moaning about the state of the Island why not join the happy band of caped crusaders with a litter picker in one hand and a paint brush in the other and make the Island a better place?

May Tynwald was a little shorter than recent sittings but there was a lot packed in. Despite Tynwald and government talking for years about funding solutions for the mobile and family library the threat of its imminent closure was back on the agenda. Members all agreed that something must be done but nobody seemed willing to take responsibility for solving the problem. There was also discussion on immigration policy and a tense debate on the political spat between Lawrie Hooper and the Chief Minister. Tynwald seems to be becoming quite factional as the 2026 election approaches …. I wonder why that could be?

The Manx Wildlife Trust has announced a new project to restore a Manx rainforest at Glen Auldyn thanks to the Wildlife Trusts’ long-term partnership with Aviva. At 1,124 acres – with 750 acres suitable for rainforest habitat – it is the largest plantable area to enter the Wildlife Trusts’ rainforest recovery programme so far and will be the biggest nature reserve in the Island. Guests on Perspective sometimes struggle to see the wood from the trees ….. which in this case is probably a good thing!

About a month ago Perspective heard from Robert Morrey who explained his plan to build an anaerobic digestor and energy hub at Andreas. Just over a week ago a group of farmers and government officials visited Scotland to see how AD plants work. I joined them as an independent observer and this week’s Perspective gives a fascinating insight into how energy crops could work for the Isle of Man. It certainly seems to be a great opportunity for Manx farmers and for us to create a more sustainable source of energy. And no whiffy smells from this week’s Perspective.