Ramsey's All Right, Jack

[Chinahand]

Mr Bell has been on Manx Radio saying how glad he is Strix is consolidating all its remaining IOM production up to Ramsey.

 

Manx Radio Report

 

The fact that these "jobs" being "created" in Ramsey are simply being transfered up from Ronaldsway and about 30 jobs are to go makes his remarks seem very much like "We're all right Jack"; and seem to totally miss the point.

 

2nd Manx Radio Report

 

As Treasury Minister shouldn't he be looking at the bigger picture and not parochially gloating that his little borough has gained at another's expense?

[WilDDog]

But they haven't gained at all. They lost Jobs in Ramsey Last year.

[Pat Ayres]

Less of the 'little borough' pal, ramsey has a lot to offer that other towns are feared to take in.

Surely any jobs saved to the island are to be applauded, not decried. Sometimes jobsa need to be lost to sustain the other jobs at a firm, if we all sank back onto our feather dusters of complacency and said "all or none" where would we be? The days of demanding jobs remain safe are gone a long time ago. Strix have work and offer those jobs in Ramsey, a net bonus for the local economy in the short term, but a bonus for the island as a whole in the long term surely?

Instead of having a pop at a politician why noy get off your arse and create employment yourself?

See how difficult it is in the real world.

[Chinahand]

I have great difficulty seeing how 30 jobs disapearing from the Island is a:

bonus for the island as a whole in the long term

The fact that it is

a net bonus for the local economy in the short term

is exactly the point I'm wanting to emphasise: the "local economy" is such a tiny entity in an already tiny entity that going onto the radio to puff it up is little short of amazing, especially when the person on the radio doing the puffing is the Treasury minister who should be looking big picture, long term.

 

Instead of having a pop at a politician why noy get off your arse and create employment yourself?

See how difficult it is in the real world.

I employed a person at the start of the month to draw up business plans to justify the employment of even more people provided the numbers we currently think stack up actually do! So I believe I am contributing to the real world, thank you.

 

We should be glad that the Manx work force and the investments Strix has put into the Island mean we are still productive enough to compete with the Far East in one of the world's most competitive industries, but we are loosing that battle day in day out as the Chinese gain expertise and investments. I firmly think Bell's remarks were parochial; and for a Treasury Minister rediculous.

[Albert Tatlock]

The fact that these "jobs" being "created" in Ramsey are simply being transfered up from Ronaldsway and about 30 jobs are to go makes his remarks seem very much like "We're all right Jack"; and seem to totally miss the point.

I can't see the majority of those affected commuting from Castletown to Ramsey everyday. Some might for a while, but I wonder if they decided to leave - would their jobs then become open to others? I think the true figures will only be known in about six months.

 

I'm not implying Strix have done this - but an often used and classic tactic in takeovers/restructuring in the UK is to offer people the same job but with a requirement to relocate to the other end of the country.

 

Blah Blah Mr Bell - manufacturing now represents only 7% of the islands GDP - whereas it was 11% ten years ago. I am underwhelmed by his response which somehow reminded me of Nero - fiddling while Rome burns. Why does he not try doing something about it - like going to the UK and offering incentives for some high tech manufacturing companies to relocate here.

[Lonan3]

Why does he not try doing something about it - like going to the UK and offering incentives for some high tech manufacturing companies to relocate here.

Because it's an election year and, like all the local politicians who'll be seeking re-election, he has to try to put a positive spin on anything that's happening in his own constituency.

I'm not bothering to condemn him for it - that's the reality of local political life.

[Albert Tatlock]

Why does he not try doing something about it - like going to the UK and offering incentives for some high tech manufacturing companies to relocate here.

Because it's an election year and, like all the local politicians who'll be seeking re-election, he has to try to put a positive spin on anything that's happening in his own constituency.

I'm not bothering to condemn him for it - that's the reality of local political life.

Don't you just love dumbocracy

[hboy]

Do you people not keep track of technology? There has been a thing invented called a CAR. If you live in Castletown you can use one of these new fangled CARS to go to work in Ramsey. Apparently it takes 20 minutes to go from Castletown to Ramsey in a CAR (but you can't go over 60 mph without a man with a red flag running in front of you) and its about the same time back again. Amazing.

 

What is the fuss?

 

I have seen jobs moved from Southampton to Glasgow, is any of this debate really relevant.

 

I doubt that anyone in Castletown even used the local shops as the factory is a bit far out. Its probably only the mobile bacon bap man that will lose out; and he can follow them up to Ramsey if he wants.

 

Any job kept in the IOM is worth it. Lets face it hardly takes any effort to drive 15 miles further than you used to just to keep you job does it?

[Albert Tatlock]

Do you people not keep track of technology? There has been a thing invented called a CAR. If you live in Castletown you can use one of these new fangled CARS to go to work in Ramsey. Apparently it takes 20 minutes to go from Castletown to Ramsey in a CAR (but you can't go over 60 mph without a man with a red flag running in front of you) and its about the same time back again. Amazing.

 

What is the fuss?

 

I have seen jobs moved from Southampton to Glasgow, is any of this debate really relevant.

 

I doubt that anyone in Castletown even used the local shops as the factory is a bit far out. Its probably only the mobile bacon bap man that will lose out; and he can follow them up to Ramsey if he wants.

 

Any job kept in the IOM is worth it. Lets face it hardly takes any effort to drive 15 miles further than you used to just to keep you job does it?

And those that don't have a car and have to get there at stupid o'clock in the morning by bus? Not everyone gets the average wage and this will no doubt be difficult for some people. The earliest you can get to Ramsey from Castletown by bus is after 9am.

 

Whilst I sometimes have driven 1.5/2 hrs to work - distance is irrelevent when there are limited transport links.

[OneArmedScissor]

Do you people not keep track of technology? There has been a thing invented called a CAR. If you live in Castletown you can use one of these new fangled CARS to go to work in Ramsey. Apparently it takes 20 minutes to go from Castletown to Ramsey in a CAR (but you can't go over 60 mph without a man with a red flag running in front of you) and its about the same time back again. Amazing.

 

What is the fuss?

 

I have seen jobs moved from Southampton to Glasgow, is any of this debate really relevant.

 

I doubt that anyone in Castletown even used the local shops as the factory is a bit far out. Its probably only the mobile bacon bap man that will lose out; and he can follow them up to Ramsey if he wants.

 

Any job kept in the IOM is worth it. Lets face it hardly takes any effort to drive 15 miles further than you used to just to keep you job does it?

 

20 minutes from Castletown to Ramsey during the islands rush hours? I don't know what you're on but I'll have some of it please.

[hboy]

Do you people not keep track of technology? There has been a thing invented called a CAR. If you live in Castletown you can use one of these new fangled CARS to go to work in Ramsey. Apparently it takes 20 minutes to go from Castletown to Ramsey in a CAR (but you can't go over 60 mph without a man with a red flag running in front of you) and its about the same time back again. Amazing.

 

Any job kept in the IOM is worth it. Lets face it hardly takes any effort to drive 15 miles further than you used to just to keep you job does it?

 

And those that don't have a car and have to get there at stupid o'clock in the morning by bus? Not everyone gets the average wage and this will no doubt be difficult for some people. The earliest you can get to Ramsey from Castletown by bus is after 9am.

 

Whilst I sometimes have driven 1.5/2 hrs to work - distance is irrelevent when there are limited transport links.

 

 

I'm sorry but I really don't see the issue.

 

This is the IOM. Its not as if anyone is being asked to drive from John O'Groats to Landsend is it.

 

Ifs its THAT inconvienient I'm sure the DOT can put a bus on to suit.

 

In China (where the jobs are going) someone would walk 15 miles in bare feet to get there early. Yet here forty five minutes on a bus seems like an infringement of someones human rights according to some of these posts.