Is the Isle of Man Government becoming despotic?

[Roger Mexico]

1 hour ago, thommo2010 said:

The way he announces that he is taking time out of his holiday as though he is about to release some earth shattering news is pretty funny but just shows how much he thinks of himself. 

Because it is pretty shattering.  If what he says about Kate Brunner contacting him to ask him to back off is true, then it could make the whole Inquiry pointless.  It is said she claimed that unless Moulton stopped his investigation, then certain people would withhold their cooperation.  But according to the statement that Brunner released in response to the BMA:

It is open to me to call for a Statutory Inquiry, and I would not hesitate to do so if I felt that I was unable to reach sound conclusions on a topic because of the absence of a witness or a document.

So if witnesses were refusing to cooperate, she has the power pause the Inquiry immediately and demand that Tynwald give her those statutory powers straight away.

This explains what puzzled me over what looked like an over-reaction from Ranson and the BMA in not taking part in the enquiry.  They clearly also felt that Brunner was unwilling to use her powers and that meant that the Inquiry would just be an expensive waste of time.

But Cannan has to take even greater responsibility here.  It is up to him to make it clear that any civil servant who fails to cooperate with the Inquiry or refuses to act as they are legally required to (in for example carrying out Subject Access Requests) will be immediately suspended and actions leading to their dismissal will commence.  Otherwise all those claims he made about backing the Inquiry will be shown to be lies.

[thommo2010]

24 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

Because it is pretty shattering.  If what he says about Kate Brunner contacting him to ask him to back off is true, then it could make the whole Inquiry pointless.  It is said she claimed that unless Moulton stopped his investigation, then certain people would withhold their cooperation.  But according to the statement that Brunner released in response to the BMA:

It is open to me to call for a Statutory Inquiry, and I would not hesitate to do so if I felt that I was unable to reach sound conclusions on a topic because of the absence of a witness or a document.

So if witnesses were refusing to cooperate, she has the power pause the Inquiry immediately and demand that Tynwald give her those statutory powers straight away.

This explains what puzzled me over what looked like an over-reaction from Ranson and the BMA in not taking part in the enquiry.  They clearly also felt that Brunner was unwilling to use her powers and that meant that the Inquiry would just be an expensive waste of time.

But Cannan has to take even greater responsibility here.  It is up to him to make it clear that any civil servant who fails to cooperate with the Inquiry or refuses to act as they are legally required to (in for example carrying out Subject Access Requests) will be immediately suspended and actions leading to their dismissal will commence.  Otherwise all those claims he made about backing the Inquiry will be shown to be lies.

But it's not earth shattering. Look at the stuff coming out in the uk about the way it was handled. Regardless of how many people take part this enquiry is pointless. Covid happened, what is this enquiry going to produce other than OK we will take that on board next time a pandemic is declared. 

[Two-lane]

The contents of that video should not be taken light-heartedly. The head of the Covid review, Kate Brunner, calling him personally and telling him to knock it off....

He says that documents have been published. Which documents and where?

[Roger Mexico]

7 minutes ago, thommo2010 said:

But it's not earth shattering. Look at the stuff coming out in the uk about the way it was handled. Regardless of how many people take part this enquiry is pointless. Covid happened, what is this enquiry going to produce other than OK we will take that on board next time a pandemic is declared. 

Because if the Government is allowed to hide whatever it wants from us, we won't know if what went on was "earth shattering" or not.  And if the people who are supposed to be finding out what went on on our behalf seem willing to cooperate with them in that attempt, then we can't really trust even what is published, because we won't know what was submitted and ignored or suppressed.

[Roger Mexico]

8 minutes ago, Two-lane said:

The contents of that video should not be taken light-heartedly. The head of the Covid review, Kate Brunner, calling him personally and telling him to knock it off....

He says that documents have been published. Which documents and where?

On Dropbox according to his Twitter:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/99x4zghpzw7lw0ah0nz91/h?rlkey=v9l57p5432vaqa3l42sjfv6f1&dl=0

[Wake Up Call]

Could the Guardian newspaper take a look at this? They're pretty sharp on IOM stories.

[woolley]

It's over, finished. Here and in the UK. This is all simple navel gazing at history. Nobody in the world knew how to deal with an unprecedented situation, and pretty much all of them made a total mess of it.

OK, the politicians are execrable, but we knew that already. Looks to me that this is just yet another big pay day for lawyers and a media feeding frenzy that will achieve nothing at all.

[woolley]

49 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

Because if the Government is allowed to hide whatever it wants from us, we won't know if what went on was "earth shattering" or not.  And if the people who are supposed to be finding out what went on on our behalf seem willing to cooperate with them in that attempt, then we can't really trust even what is published, because we won't know what was submitted and ignored or suppressed.

Exactly. So it's a waste of time and resources.

[Roger Mexico]

Ah, that most characteristic cry of the Manx Establishment:  Nothing to see here!

[Cueey Lewis And The News]

2 hours ago, Roger Mexico said:

If what he says about Kate Brunner contacting him to ask him to back off is true, then it could make the whole Inquiry pointless.  It is said she claimed that unless Moulton stopped his investigation, then certain people would withhold their cooperation.  But according to the statement that Brunner released in response to the BMA:

He hasn’t produced any proof of that though. 

[woolley]

32 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

Ah, that most characteristic cry of the Manx Establishment:  Nothing to see here!

Not at all, and I've certainly never been equated to the Manx Establishment before. But if we see something, what's going to change? It was an epic disaster of global proportions. Everywhere. Can't put the spilt milk back in the bottle. I just think there are bigger things going on now.

[Gladys]

6 minutes ago, Cueey Lewis And The News said:

He hasn’t produced any proof of that though. 

He claims to have received draft press releases, so presumably there is correspondence.  Perhaps in the Dropbox?

[The Voice of Reason]

On 8/7/2023 at 11:05 AM, TheTeapot said:

I'd kind of like to know what theyre on about, but there is no way theyre getting an hour of my time. It's just too much.

Me too.

[The Voice of Reason]

4 hours ago, Roger Mexico said:

On Dropbox according to his Twitter:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/99x4zghpzw7lw0ah0nz91/h?rlkey=v9l57p5432vaqa3l42sjfv6f1&dl=0

Well that’s not great . When you click on the top link it warns you that your name, email address and something else is visible to those sharing the “Dropbox”. ( whatever the hell that is)

[ian rush]

I think it was a waste of time and money getting that QC when we could’ve had Paul and Chris us all where it went wrong and how.