Bernard Moffatt's blog

Years ago before the roof fell in on the Manx economy and population decline set in we were on course to ‘grow’ the population to over 100,000.

It would have been the final act of cultural genocide but the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce would have been pleased and over the past decade or so that's all that matters.

I sometimes think Treasury Minister Alf Cannan - he of the military penchant - is disillusioned that he never made the SAS before exiting the service.

His attitude to the Legal profession and their opposition to the idea of a Public Defender System seems to have brought out the ‘Who Dares Win’ spirit in Alf.

The Isle of Man Law Society are put soundly in their place as Alf conjectures in this item from ‘the sound box on Douglas Head’ that they jolly well have a conflict of interest because of all the millions in Legal Aid they get from the State:

It will soon be August and Laa Luanys beckons. I toy with the idea of climbing to the top of South Barrule on the chance there will be a group of musicians (and a dog) there but in the end decide to celebrate by ordering the movie version of Brian Friel's Irish play set in Donegal ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’. In any case I feel sure Culture Vannin emerging from the July ‘month of culture’ will have something special in store.

Chores done I turn to the Manx news and apparently there is more doom and gloom. Some outfit called Moody’s say that Brexit will be negative for the Isle of Man economy. The Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK has always been upbeat about Brexit and seemed to be steering us through the storm if he is to be believed. Now I don’t know what to think perhaps Peter Karran will have a view on it tomorrow (link):

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/brexit-will-be-negative-...

Last week Manx Radio was being criticised on one of the forums for carrying wall to wall coverage of Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK and as the 'coup de grace' before heading for the deckchair and reaching for the Factor 50 Howard even popped up in an Arts Council video.

This week the media pendulum has swung and after an initial swipe at the Media Development Fund (MDF) that has lost a staggering £27 million former MHK Peter Karran outlines concerns about the proposed Public Defender System (PDS) - link:

Nothing typifies how out of touch this Tynwald is than the fact that as they were getting the sun loungers out for their extended vacation an appeal was being made for food.

Last week the food bank indicated that stocks were low ahead of a very likely increase in demand during the school holiday period,

KARRAN’S STRAIGHT TALKING WILL DISCOMFORT THE REGIME - BUT CHANGE...WELL!

‘A former MHK says the current Manx government is not open, not accountable, and not responsible in its actions.’ So says the story on Manx Radio as Peter Karran who was a member of Tynwald long enough to become the sort of institution in politics that Terry Cringle is to Manx journalism in a broadside.

The Manx Chief Minister is making the news - quite literally. It's mightily annoying to some on Manx Forums who think the great man is getting too much air time on Manx Radio but for hecks sake he is Chief Minister of the Isle of Man and he did tell Paul Moulton of MTTV recently that during the summer recess its business as usual….so!

News is thin on the ground even Crown Dependency News is quiet perhaps Eddie Power is scouring MercoPress - expect some South Atlantic stories later.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Manx General Strike generally described as being a success. I should be a cheerleader for the event. My political party Mec Vannin is extolling its virtues and of course I am a creature of the Manx Trade Union movement so what’s not to like about it?

The story goes working people with their backs to the wall rebelled and thereafter the Isle of Man was a better place for workers. Well the first bit is correct but the last is way off beam.