Founder member of Liberal Vannin, Peter Karran gives his views on topics that takes his fancy in this regular column for our website
3. On CoMin Waste, Jobs for the Boys – and Banks
If we’re ever to stop government from paying champagne prices for brown stout when it comes to the spending of public money, then the public accounts committee needs to have people from outside on it. Representing bodies like the Chamber of Commerce and IoM TUC. Not having a right to vote on the committee but having a right to raise subjects and help with investigations.
If you’re ever to try and stop the madness of the overspend in government on capital projects, there needs to be a cap on professional fees and more scrutiny of contracts to hold professionals to account when things go wrong.
Isn’t it time that we had greater control over the conflicts of interest within government by both civil servants and members of Tynwald, by bringing in a ban on all ex senior civil servants and government ministers from being able to have directorships or any direct links with companies relating to their departmental positions?
Oh, and when Royal Bank of Scotland took over NatWest, representations were made under the threat of nationalisation of the Isle of Man Bank. I got Treasury to make representation to stop them from closing the branches. Part of the bargaining chip was the government used the Isle of Man Bank as its main banker. Why isn’t government using its economic clout to help the charities on this island? Another case of Banks being bullies, only picking on people and organisations that ain’t strong enough to be able to stand up to them.
Government can overspend millions on capital projects and CoMin can feather their own nests, but they won’t act to stop the Isle of Man Bank profiting from our charities.