Requisition Meeting - Douglas West

[Donald Trumps]

VinneK, I'm totally with you on separating the executive from the legislature but isn't LegCo a stale leftover from the Governor's executive of yesteryear?

 

I'd abolish LegCo and create the office of a directly elected Chief Minister who'd then appoint his own executive

 

MHKs have said they could operate without LegCo but with beefed up legislative committees

[John]

A packed meeting, many people stood in the doorway and some even sat on the floor

 

The Dawson fella looked like perfect Tynwald fodder, no fresh ideas, tough on crime etc.etc. another drone with his sights set on 50 grand a year and a ticket to the old boy's club. Had a rather spooky demeanor which put me in mind of Laurence Olivier in Marathon Man

 

Skinner: nice bloke, good town councillor

 

Quinten Gill came across very well as you would expect from a man with several years in parliament and probably would have walked it if it wasn't for Chris Thomas

 

Thomas was outstanding, his grasp of the facts & figures made the rest look like chancers. Plenty of fresh thinking, good ideas and on an intellectual level stood out like a racehorse in a donkey derby

 

I agree with Cheeky, I had to dash at 8,.15 but the answers from all persons came across well placed at different sections of our community. Chris just stood out as having a clear grasp at a far deeper level than the rest.

 

I may not fully agree with Chris on all subjects, but he at least offers an approach that relies on fact and detail. If anyone ever has the chance read the book "The Geek Manifesto"

 

We need more people who see beyong the smoke and mirrors, the side stepping, easily manipulated resultys etc. I know who gets my vote on the day.

[VinnieK]

VinneK, I'm totally with you on separating the executive from the legislature but isn't LegCo a stale leftover from the Governor's executive of yesteryear?

 

It is indeed. That the reforms during the 80's established the council of ministers as the executive rather than go the obvious and more sensible route of modifying LegCo to function as the

cabinate of a separate, elected executive just shows how bloody appalling the 'reformers' were back then[1]

 

I'd abolish LegCo and create the office of a directly elected Chief Minister who'd then appoint his own executive

 

That's pretty much the course I've been advocating here for a while now. But even if that never comes to pass, abolishing or severely restricting and regulating the number of departmental memberships and which departments can offer them, combined with enlarging the keys, might have some beneficial effect.

 

[1] Assuming, of course, that producing a toothless parliament existing under the thumb of the executive wasn't the whole idea in the first place; although they would have undoubtably have described such a pathetic institution as allowing greater efficiency and speed in decision making.

[Albert Tatlock]

About 200 turned up, not all of them could get in

IOMOnline: 120 pack into hall to hear candidates

 

Yeah, yeah...I bet you tell all the girls you've got an eight inch wotsit too.

 

Chef knife I mean.

[Donald Trumps]

 

VinneK, I'm totally with you on separating the executive from the legislature but isn't LegCo a stale leftover from the Governor's executive of yesteryear?

 

It is indeed. That the reforms during the 80's established the council of ministers as the executive rather than go the obvious and more sensible route of modifying LegCo to function as the

cabinate of a separate, elected executive just shows how bloody appalling the 'reformers' were back then[1]

 

>I'd abolish LegCo and create the office of a directly elected Chief Minister who'd then appoint his own executive

 

That's pretty much the course I've been advocating here for a while now. But even if that never comes to pass, abolishing or severely restricting and regulating the number of departmental memberships and which departments can offer them, combined with enlarging the keys, might have some beneficial effect.

 

[1] Assuming, of course, that producing a toothless parliament existing under the thumb of the executive wasn't the whole idea in the first place; although they would have undoubtably have described such a pathetic institution as allowing greater efficiency and speed in decision making.

 

 

The Keys seem to have been at their best when they were generally in opposition to the Governor - and I think that's what is missing in this ghastly era of the GNU

[slinkydevil]

I was always told never trust a person with eyebrows that meet in the middle, but holy shit

 

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/120-pack-into-hall-to-hear-candidates-1-5680437

[Lisenchuk]

He's a funny colour too,looks like he was dipped in creosote.

Anyone would think he was mimicking the 'Tange' look.

[Albert Tatlock]

<p>He's a funny colour too,looks like he was dipped in creosote.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Anyone would think he was mimicking the 'Tange' look.</p>

That's what you get with high government salaries and 4 holidays a year.

[Torry loon]

Look, an awful lot of the legislation that Tynwald has to process arises from international obligations - i.e. the ECHR. Some of the stuff that has come at Tynwald in the past ten years is really complicated. Getting it right it really important because things work differently in the Isle of Man as opposed to the other British jurisdictions. To get such matters framed correctly for the Isle of Man context means having elected politicians, who know the island, going through it line by line. You can't do that with just 24 people. Just maybe you could do it with 35 if the individuals were smarter.

 

 

The first priority of Tynwald is policy and legislation - and that's legislation with a big 'L'. Stuff that gets badly drafted and skimped over by politicians has to be resolved in the courts. If the original legislation is bad then it's Joe Public who suffers by being dragged through a badly thought out legal mill.

 

A lot of this is not popular election stuff. But it sure as hell matters.

 

Very good points Cronky. Have you ever sat in the public gallery of the House of Keys when a Bill is going through the clauses stage. "Aye....aye....aye...aye....." is about all you will hear. We have a huge cluster of clowns in the House of Keys who quite simply haven't a clue about legislation. and in some cases would not have even read any paperwork whatsoever prior to voting these bills through. It is disgusting. Years ago our legislators - ie our MHKs - would trawl through the clauses with gusto and those clauses dissected and debated before going to a vote.

 

The courts do refer back to Hansard for the intention and interpretation of the law. One of the deemsters in particular is not averse to sending advocates to refer back to Hansard when say, a particular clause is argued in court (although why some of these highly paid chancers haven't already done that is alien to me).

 

When the courts do that for laws passed this past decade or so, then all they will see is the likes of postmen, plumbers and more postmen obediently saying "aye". What use is that? And as far as legislation derived from UK is concerned then that is simply copied with a few name changes. It is very rare that it is not.

[IamBatman]

The best bit was when John Skinner announced he had no idea what the Scope of Government report was and couldn't answer a simple question on whether he supported it or not! Best do a bit of research Mr Skinner!

 

To be fair to all the candidates who were filmed for IOM Newspapers, the reporter filmed them all on his mobile phone and they're all not looking their best! Not what I'd expect from our national publishing house but times are hard I suppose.

[manxman8180]

I was always told never trust a person with eyebrows that meet in the middle, but holy shit

 

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/120-pack-into-hall-to-hear-candidates-1-5680437

Holy shit, he looks like an Oompa Loompa in that picture.

[Albert Tatlock]

The best bit was when John Skinner announced he had no idea what the Scope of Government report was and couldn't answer a simple question on whether he supported it or not! Best do a bit of research Mr Skinner!

Holy shit Batman!.

[Cronky]

Chris Thomas manifesto:

 

>>Reduce the number of full time politicians from 33 to 24, with additional part-time ‘elder statesmen’ and outside experts for policy review and development<<

 

And who, pray, would be responsible for appointing these part-time ‘elder statesmen’ and outside experts ?

 

And to whom would these cronies be accountable?

 

 

 

 

[Albert Tatlock]

And who, pray, would be responsible for appointing these part-time ‘elder statesmen’ and outside experts ?

 

And to whom would these cronies be accountable?

Crony Brown? He's not very busy these days.

[Cronky]

 

And who, pray, would be responsible for appointing these part-time ‘elder statesmen’ and outside experts ?

 

And to whom would these cronies be accountable?

Crony Brown? He's not very busy these days.

 

Definition of 'Expert':

 

'Ex' is a has-been and 'Spert' is a drip under pressure.