'Ferry to Hong Kong' - Not in my name!

Does I wonder Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK see himself as a latter day Orson Welles there are aesthetic similarities after all!

The Isle of Man government likes to tout its links to China and there’s no doubt that quite a few politicians and Civil Servants have generated some exotic trips at our expense for themselves from such ties.

However at a time when the Western world and particularly the United States is adopting an increasingly robust stance to China the concept of Manx Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK as some latter day Orson Welles catching a ‘Ferry to Hong Kong’ may not be the panacea for economic growth that the Isle of Man needs. Indeed there is no evidence that sucking up to a country that threatens its neighbours and intimidates the minorities within its borders has generated tangible benefit for the Isle of Man. If I’m wrong I’m sure such luminaries as Laurence Skelly MHK or his Education (a contradiction in terms) sidekick Graham Cregeen will put me right.

The Isle of Man, a relatively small community, can opt to pick and choose its friends and personally I would prefer it (as a Manxman) if my country was not associated with cosying up to one of the most despotic regimes on the planet.

Chinese people themselves of course are probably very nice however their government is anything but. Indeed the Chinese government is both self-serving, delusional and devious - perhaps that is what COMIN find attractive they have something in common!

Image: ‘Howard Quayle’ (aka Orson Welles)

Bernard Moffatt