Eighty-Nine Pounds Fifty and hour - Whats not to like!

My good friend Trevor Cowin is in touch again to point out the current issue that he has with the Tynwald Commissioner for Administration. The issue it seems revolves around what he (the Commissioner) believes his role is and what Trevor thinks the role of an Ombudsman should be.

I won’t include his mail because the correspondence has been tortuous to date albeit as yet not directly with the Commissioner. I find myself thinking why don’t people sit down and have a chat after all when I was having my Manx Telecom ‘Customer Experience’ today they suggested I pop in to the sales office for a chat. It's hardly coffee with the MD but the thought was there.

In passing Trevor mentions he believes the Commissioner which is not a full time positions gets £89-50 per hour for an ‘allocated’ ten hours a week. So what's not to like if you’re the Commissioner.

This makes me think of all the other Commissioners and quangos across government and what must be the overall cost surely there should be a ‘blue book’ or a ‘pink book’ or such like where its all handily collated. Maybe some of those idle MLCs who are doing nothing because Howard told them they were not allowed to could look into it.

The ethic of public service is indeed dead these days. In contrast I can recall serving many years on the Dock Work Management Committee and two stints on Legal Services Commissions for ‘sweet FA’, That aside the company and the coffee was good and you felt as if you were giving something back to the community (that's what we are remember). These days it seems that government can’t find anyone except Beach Buddies to show the community ethic.

Anyway if there is another Commission I’m available gratis they can give the fee to the foodbank. Lets see £89-50 X 10 that will buy a lot of cans each week!

Image: The Tynwald Commissioner for Administration is it just the tip of a quango iceberg?

Bernard Moffatt