TT 2023

[2112]

That great expert …………. other than Professor Ashford ………. that is Jason Moorehouse MHK is asking questions (motion submitted for November Tynpotwald sitting) as to improving the visitor experience for next years TT. He wants a report produced for next February 2024 Tynpotwald. I really don’t know what he wants, except it result in a costly consultant report, a costly wish list especially when there is no money. Or is he hoping whoever compiles the report says that Castletown should be the hub of all things Motorsports. 

[The Phantom]

On 10/21/2023 at 11:37 PM, buncha wankas said:

I agree with you but if Phillips put it on one piece it wouldn’t make his 70k plus overtime look worth it and his team of 50k plus, mate being needed.  Has anyone seen a backbencher ask questions in respect of money wasted, debt incurred and impact on local trader and employees.  
I bet not one of the MHKs dare. 

 

On 10/22/2023 at 12:06 AM, Non-Believer said:

We need consider that

1) the decisions made by this collective led directly to the demise of a reputable, established local business partner to the TT, with the knock on to the local employment and the economy.

2) that they decided to get the TT into bed with an off-island concern of dubious financial standing and then tried to cover it up when it became apparent that all was less than above board

3) that the decisions made in respect of (2) have left a reported £160k shortfall to Govt and local businesses which may never be recovered.

Not to even mention that the merchandise this year was overpriced shite.

Some or all of these self-serving tossers need their P45s and in any other world, they'd be issued them.

At least someone has piped up about it now.  Admittedly Wannenburgh is a back bencher and can actually raise his head above the parapet without too much repercussion, but he seems to be the only one there at the moment who isn't completely fucking up everything they touch. 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/mhk-calls-for-enterprise-minister-to-resign/

Edited October 31, 2023 by The Phantom

[2112]

3 minutes ago, The Phantom said:

 

At least someone has piped up about it now.  Admittedly Wannenburgh is a back bencher and can actually raise his head above the parapet without too much repercussion, but he seems to be the only one there at them moment who isn't completely fucking up everything they touch. 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/mhk-calls-for-enterprise-minister-to-resign/

Sadly no one will take responsibility and resign. CM Cannan will see to that. 

[Boo Gay'n]

On 10/21/2023 at 8:30 AM, joebean said:

There does seem to have been an over-reliance on the marketing BS from Cube; their delivery to other events and insufficient attention to due diligence. It’s the timing of the tender process and contract award that should also be the concern. It was very late and I suspect this drove the tender process. It was rushed and ill-considered, probably as a result. Why was it started so late in the day? Whose fault was this? 
There were also suggestions that the terms of the contract differed from the past arrangement with Motorsport Merchandise, who paid for the use of the TT logo and then produced the merchandise and organised the sales independently. If there was a new arrangement that gave more control to the TT promoters, was this sensible, necessary or deliverable? Did it make commercial sense? Who and what drove that change?
These are the kind of questions that should be asked of Ministers. Instead we get the usual superficial skim of the issues and reassurances that everything is not ideal but ok when it obviously isn’t. We lack proper scrutiny in Tynwald and the media, which is one of the reasons why Government carries on regardless. 

Wannenburgh is calling today for the minister to resign, as someone needs to take responsibility.  He highlights the lack of due diligence before jumping into bed with Cube.

This is exactly the same scenario as Vision 9, if my memory serves me, but didn't civil servants outside Enterprise (in its earlier incarnation) call it out before contracts were concluded?  Plus, didn't that lead to some folk from Enterprise err... 'pursuing other interests', including the Chief Executive?

Edited November 6, 2023 by Boo Gay'n
typo

[Numbnuts]

Well as mentioned in another topic does Moorehouse or Wannenburgh  really think that it’s Tim Johnston responsible for the complete failure of due diligence in this case. This is down to AG’s office and Treasury surely but it is his responsibility I would say to make sure he had confirmation that Cube was suitable and solvent . 
Joebean asks is this contract different from Motorsports merchandise and the answer is yes. DoE wanted more control and revenue streams and to control the internet orders amongst other things.

The lateness of the contract can again be firmly placed at AG’s and DoE also. The hoops created that a potential supplier , in this case Cube , had to jump through were totally unreasonable and the delay in the contracts was caused by continued changes in the contract before it could be signed. Think they call it a cluster F***. ! And as always tax payers are going to have to foot the bill. They’re not going to get anything back from Cube .  

[NoTail]

With the coming panic to find a new merchandise company it will be interesting to see if lessons have been learned.  I understand that one of the preferred names has been bankrupted in the past. 

[Numbnuts]

1 minute ago, NoTail said:

With the coming panic to find a new merchandise company it will be interesting to see if lessons have been learned.  I understand that one of the preferred names has been bankrupted in the past. 

Well I do know that 3 at least of firms showing an expression of interest have no intention of bidding. 

[Gladys]

Perhaps I am being dense, but why don't  they just licence the logo without getting involved with any of the merchandising and commercial aspects? 

[CrazyDave]

1 hour ago, The Phantom said:

 

At least someone has piped up about it now.  Admittedly Wannenburgh is a back bencher and can actually raise his head above the parapet without too much repercussion, but he seems to be the only one there at the moment who isn't completely fucking up everything they touch. 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/mhk-calls-for-enterprise-minister-to-resign/

Was TJ minister when this was signed up?  Why would he resign over something that happened before he was in post?

Edited October 31, 2023 by CrazyDave

[Numbnuts]

6 minutes ago, Gladys said:

Perhaps I am being dense, but why don't  they just licence the logo without getting involved with any of the merchandising and commercial aspects? 

As it was before you mean. Motorsports merchandising initially used to bid for segments of the contract defined by type of garment. It would have been possible for several operations to win different items ie one T shirts , another Polo shirts etc etc. As it worked out MM gained the contract for all the various items but I believe in recent years it was all bundled together which makes sense. The Governments involvement in all the other areas is down simply to greed by DoE and a fear they’re missing out on revenue streams. MM and Roy Wilson were the perfect fit till the powers that be decided they knew better. That worked out well didn’t it. 

[Twitch]

50 minutes ago, Numbnuts said:

Well as mentioned in another topic does Moorehouse or Wannenburgh  really think that it’s Tim Johnston responsible for the complete failure of due diligence in this case. This is down to AG’s office and Treasury surely but it is his responsibility I would say to make sure he had confirmation that Cube was suitable and solvent . 
Joebean asks is this contract different from Motorsports merchandise and the answer is yes. DoE wanted more control and revenue streams and to control the internet orders amongst other things.

The lateness of the contract can again be firmly placed at AG’s and DoE also. The hoops created that a potential supplier , in this case Cube , had to jump through were totally unreasonable and the delay in the contracts was caused by continued changes in the contract before it could be signed. Think they call it a cluster F***. ! And as always tax payers are going to have to foot the bill. They’re not going to get anything back from Cube .  

Surely the Minister and CEO of DFE need to be accountable. The Minister ultimately responsible for all activities in any case. This isn't the only cock-up under Lewin's watch either. The department is so dysfunctional I don't think it matters who the minister is but Johnston seems particularly lightweight.

[Numbnuts]

6 minutes ago, Twitch said:

Surely the Minister and CEO of DFE need to be accountable. The Minister ultimately responsible for all activities in any case. This isn't the only cock-up under Lewin's watch either. The department is so dysfunctional I don't think it matters who the minister is but Johnston seems particularly lightweight.

Tim Johnston was only appointed in January 2023 and before that there was only a shared post between Dept of Health and DoE . Lewin was the CEO though . Also there had been 4 ministers I think from 2021. And I agree. Totally dysfunctional with seemingly no accountability or limit on their expenditure .  

[Roger Mexico]

37 minutes ago, CrazyDave said:

Was TJ minister when this was alleged up?  Why would he resign over something that happened before he was in post?

According to Wiki (which seems to be updated by a user called Gef the Mongoose) the magic roundabout of DfE has had the following Ministers this administration:

15/10/21 - 2/5/22  Alex Allinson

2/5/22 - 14/6/22  Alf Cannan

14/6/22 - 19/7/22  Tim Crookall

19/7/22 - 16/9/22  Alf Cannan

16/9/22 - 14/2/23  Lawrie Hooper

10/11/22 - date   Tim Johnston

This shows that Hooper was nominally in charge when the actual decisions were made to award to Cube Partnership in January but when they switched the contract after the failure of Cube Partnership it was under Johnston and he was also there when they tried to cover all this up.   They may not have been in charge during all the previous delays, but the final decisions will have been theirs.

Edited October 31, 2023 by Roger Mexico
Add link and amended as below

[Numbnuts]

2 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

According to Wiki (which seems to be updated by a user called Gef the Mongoose) the magic roundabout of DfE has had the following Ministers this administration:

15/10/21 - 2/5/22  Alex Allinson

2/5/22 - 14/6/22  Alf Cannan

14/6/22 - 19/7/22  Tim Crookall

19/7/22 - 16/9/22  Alf Cannan

16/9/22 - 10/11/22  Lawrie Hooper

10/11/22 - date   Tim Johnston

This shows that Johnston was in charge when the actual decisions were made: to award to Cube in January and to switch the contract after the failure of Cube Partnership.  He may not be the person in charge during all the previous delay, but the decisions will have been nominally his.

I don’t think this is correct. It was much later.

https://www.gov.im/news/2023/feb/14/tim-johnston-mhk-appointed-to-the-council-of-ministers/

[Twitch]

4 minutes ago, Numbnuts said:

Tim Johnston was only appointed in January 2023 and before that there was only a shared post between Dept of Health and DoE . Lewin was the CEO though . Also there had been 4 ministers I think from 2021. And I agree. Totally dysfunctional with seemingly no accountability or limit on their expenditure .  

I hear you on Tim Johnston but unfortunately sometimes you have to take the hit for mistakes made in the past. Wasn't he also a DFE member for some time in Business Isle of Man, so responsible for retail I assume. If DFE is as functional as it claims to be then he would have known all about procurement processes / issues well in advance and raised concerns at the time with the then Minister or officers.