Last Man Standing - Zac Hall

[Roger Mexico]

if he's not in Government what is he doing all day...

 

It's a good question - effectively is being an MHK a full-time job? Certainly there's maybe a couple of days total for meetings a month, maybe more if you're involved in committees. There's constituency casework, but given the size of Keys constituencies compared to those in the UK say, that can't be much. Similarly the number of 'constituency engagements' can't be that great.

 

What they should be doing is considerable of course: examining the Bills that are to be proposed , consulting with experts on the subject, maybe drafting amendments; reading government reports (including ones in the archive) to understand what is going on or should be in various parts of the administration; doing other research to understand the topics you are looking at; comparing how things are done in the Isle of Man with other places to see what to do and not to do; finding out what your constituents feel about certain topics; putting down questions in Keys and Tynwald to find out what is going on and using the information (or the even more informative lack of it).

 

But there is no obligation on MHKs to do any of these things - all they need to do is turn up for meetings of Tynwald and the Keys. As it happens Zac Hall seems to do more of these actions than most, so I'm sure he'll keep busy.

 

What is also interesting though is the question Albert implies - what do departmental members do for their extra cash?

[Theodolite]

Excellent post Mr Mexico.

 

I would urge anyone to go along to a House of Keys session where the Clauses stage of new legislation is on the agenda. Each clause is presented and before it is voted through can be debated and amended if necessary. This is a vital stage of legislation - which is the primary function of the House of Keys as legislators - as not only are the clauses looked at and considered, the debate provides future users of the law and indeed the courts, to see the intention of the law should that be necessary for interpretation..

 

I was disgusted, nay I will rephrase that, fucking disgusted, to sit through one such sitting where Manx law was before the Keys (ie not something lifted from the UK where it might reasonably be nodded through). At least one of the MHKs opened his envelope and said words to the effect of "now then, what are we being asked to look at today".

 

I knew that some MHKs had been studying the Bill and had meetings with constituents. Another had spent the previous couple of nights reading and researching into the early hours. They tried to make some points during the session but were easily over-ruled by the majority - who included the lazy, bone-idle bone-heads who just turned up to the sitting to take the easy route of voting with the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers.

 

Isle of Man - Freedom to Farce.

[EORH]

They sit on the committee and talk,and then vote,maybe go on a jollie or two to see how the rest of the world fares,then if they don't like anything they vote against and get sacked by Allan for not doing as your told,then after a short period,they are asked do they want another job,and before you know it,it's time for another election.

The question is now,does anybody think the LVP has a good chance of increasing their number of MHKs come the next election with what has happened since the last one?.

[Lisenchuk]

I doubt it very much,it is becoming the most certain route to political suicide.

[Lxxx]

Excellent post Mr Mexico.

 

I would urge anyone to go along to a House of Keys session where the Clauses stage of new legislation is on the agenda. Each clause is presented and before it is voted through can be debated and amended if necessary. This is a vital stage of legislation - which is the primary function of the House of Keys as legislators - as not only are the clauses looked at and considered, the debate provides future users of the law and indeed the courts, to see the intention of the law should that be necessary for interpretation..

 

I was disgusted, nay I will rephrase that, fucking disgusted, to sit through one such sitting where Manx law was before the Keys (ie not something lifted from the UK where it might reasonably be nodded through). At least one of the MHKs opened his envelope and said words to the effect of "now then, what are we being asked to look at today".

 

I knew that some MHKs had been studying the Bill and had meetings with constituents. Another had spent the previous couple of nights reading and researching into the early hours. They tried to make some points during the session but were easily over-ruled by the majority - who included the lazy, bone-idle bone-heads who just turned up to the sitting to take the easy route of voting with the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers.

 

Isle of Man - Freedom to Farce.

 

....and until the public raises these points forcefully and not just on internet forums nothing will change. The political arena will continue to be a gravy train that attracts the selfish and idle.

[woolley]

Whole thing is just theatre anyway. When did the opposition of whatever colour in Westminster last achieve anything meaningful? Not a lot different to here. Lords actually contributes more to revising UK legislation than the official opposition because there are some people in there who are extremely wise. Lots of buffoons too of course.

[hissingsid]

Zac Hall has asked numerous questions to all departments. The fact that he was a pilot for Fly maybe gives me no confidence at all as he will have learnt nothing at all about punctuality, reliability etc. if I was him I would not mention it on any c.v. he may be composing, I think he will be doing just that after the next election.