Rob Callister

[2112]

9 minutes ago, Passing Time said:

Worrying that AC praised Ashford. When you think government can't get any worse - up they step to prove it can

Granted Ashford did resign,  but he should have resigned instantly or been dismissed by CM Cannan. He had to resign kicking and screaming. 

[2112]

Just now, Whatnonsence said:

At least in the New World of Manx Politics the Council of Ministers appear to have forsaken their previous stance of closing ranks and preserving the status quo by retaining Ministers who in all other walks of life would have been sacked.

Just Saying!

In all walks of life, they were useless, hence they stand for election as professional politicians. 

[offshoremanxman]

It gets better

https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/dhsc-members-refute-bullying-claims-572766

[quilp]

I hear a couple of his colleagues in the house thought Rob's two, very earnest public apologies in a week that he extended to those still waiting for their (yet again!) delayed cannabis prescriptions were less than appreciative of his intentions in going public about what they see as a trivial matter, suggesting it a shallow and diversionary tactic, designed merely to provide a platform for distraction and virtue-signalling, especially when there are massive problems unresolved within his (ex) department. 

[offshoremanxman]

2 minutes ago, quilp said:

I hear a couple of his colleagues in the house thought Rob's two, very earnest public apologies in a week that he extended to those still waiting for their (yet again!) delayed cannabis prescriptions were less than appreciative of his intentions in going public about what they see as a trivial matter, suggesting it a shallow and diversionary tactic, designed merely to provide a platform for distraction and virtue-signalling, especially when there are massive problems unresolved within his (ex) department. 

To be fair this is part of the reason why a lot of people thought him unsuitable for such a key job as almost every issue will end up being shared in the press or on social media no matter how trivial in an attempt to try to make him look good. 

[Roger Mexico]

On 11/12/2022 at 8:28 PM, Steady Eddie said:

That is worth grabbing really. If you look at that long list there is careful use of year end dates “Member of the Department for Home Affairs March 2020-2020” reflects a post of less than a month that has never properly been explained. And we all know the DfE is the most pointless department of government going. Five or six years there is just clocking time effectively doing nothing. Has the TT scoreboard ever been replaced? 

That wasn't quite my point, which wasn't so much about Callister's effectiveness as his willingness to take on positions even when no one else (in their right mind) would.  The classic example being joining the DoI (as his third simultaneous DM-ship) when no one else volunteered.  A gold star for eagerness if nothing else.  And whatever else you think of his long stint as Mr TT, you can't say that he lacked the ability to do whatever he was told to by the civil servants and repeat whatever nonsense they told him to say.

So managing to alienate someone who has always been so biddable and so pathetically willing to please is quite an achievement.  If Cannan can't manage to smooth over this sort of row, so early after an appointment, it shows a real lack of people skills.

[Roger Mexico]

1 hour ago, quilp said:

I hear a couple of his colleagues in the house thought Rob's two, very earnest public apologies in a week that he extended to those still waiting for their (yet again!) delayed cannabis prescriptions were less than appreciative of his intentions in going public about what they see as a trivial matter, suggesting it a shallow and diversionary tactic, designed merely to provide a platform for distraction and virtue-signalling, especially when there are massive problems unresolved within his (ex) department. 

But clearly those things weren't trivial to those who were affected.  And the delay was rightly criticised on here as showing once again the inability of the government to sort out their paperwork properly.  Complaining that you're not allowed to apologise for small errors until you fix the big ones doesn't make much sense.   It sounds more like the usual demand that no one should ever admit to any failings by the government and civil service, lest their poor delicate egos be damaged.  Anything else in comparison is thought to be 'trivial'.

1 hour ago, offshoremanxman said:

To be fair this is part of the reason why a lot of people thought him unsuitable for such a key job as almost every issue will end up being shared in the press or on social media no matter how trivial in an attempt to try to make him look good. 

What?  You're not suggesting that a politician is behaving like . . . a politician!  Pass me the smelling salts!

(Actually one good thing about this whole mess is that an awful lot is coming out in public that wouldn't otherwise.  And that can only be to the long term benefit of how things are done).

[Weliveinhope]

1 hour ago, offshoremanxman said:

It gets better

https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/dhsc-members-refute-bullying-claims-572766

'uphold standards and integrity.' Oh the irony.

[Two-lane]

1 hour ago, offshoremanxman said:

It gets better

https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/dhsc-members-refute-bullying-claims-572766

"the outburst in Tynwald Court today levelled a number of charges at us which are unfounded and we wish to utterly refute"

They could refute the charges by publishing the minutes of the meetings during which someone said something to someone else. That will not happen. Something happened during non-public (i.e. secret) meetings. The combatants are not even doing the I-said He-said bit - they are just waffling (as I am).

They ought to restrict this kind of chatter to Facebook or Twitter, rather than Tynwald,  where I will not see it.

[asitis]

Christ ....... were not waiting for another point by point rebuttal are we ! LOL.

[Manx Bean]

Rob Callister’s behaviour since being sacked wholly supports the view that he wasn’t made of the right stuff, and certainly not Minister material. 

Grow up man, and stop blubbing like a toddler who’s last his favourite teddy.

[offshoremanxman]

17 minutes ago, Two-lane said:

"the outburst in Tynwald Court today levelled a number of charges at us which are unfounded and we wish to utterly refute"

They could refute the charges by publishing the minutes of the meetings during which someone said something to someone else. That will not happen. Something happened during non-public (i.e. secret) meetings. The combatants are not even doing the I-said He-said bit - they are just waffling (as I am).

They ought to restrict this kind of chatter to Facebook or Twitter, rather than Tynwald,  where I will not see it.

Presume the Tynwald Members Standards Committee get to opine, people should put pressure on these people to put it all in the public domain. 

[Roger Mexico]

37 minutes ago, Two-lane said:

"the outburst in Tynwald Court today levelled a number of charges at us which are unfounded and we wish to utterly refute"

They could refute the charges by publishing the minutes of the meetings during which someone said something to someone else. That will not happen. Something happened during non-public (i.e. secret) meetings. The combatants are not even doing the I-said He-said bit - they are just waffling

It's probably a lost cause but if people actually realised there is a difference between 'refute' and 'deny', then they might actually provide some evidence when they claim to 'refute' something.  Not that it's particularly clear what they are denying even.

The three DMs have released to Manx Radio the initial letter they sent to Cannan, though what was actually said at the meeting was presumably more important.  The letter also has very little connection to the accurate use of English, so I assume it was written by a civil servant.

[De nada]

23 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

.  The letter also has very little connection to the accurate use of English, so I assume it was written by a civil servant.

A civil servant with his/her head up his/her arse

[Boo Gay'n]

1 hour ago, Two-lane said:

"the outburst in Tynwald Court today levelled a number of charges at us which are unfounded and we wish to utterly refute"

They could refute the charges by publishing the minutes of the meetings during which someone said something to someone else. That will not happen. Something happened during non-public (i.e. secret) meetings. The combatants are not even doing the I-said He-said bit - they are just waffling (as I am).

They ought to restrict this kind of chatter to Facebook or Twitter, rather than Tynwald,  where I will not see it.

Yeh, but ... the only form of minute is supposed to be verbatim - and we all remember occasions when it hasn't been - is Hansard.  All other forms of minute are heavily abbreviated versions of proceedings at meetings etc.  So if the People's Prince was, as the departmental members seem to imply, treating DHSC civil servants badly in meetings, I doubt that it would be evidenced in the minutes.