'Howard the Coward' scared of the mob? Who would have thought!

The Syrian refugees are back! Remember that plan to bring a small number of families to the Island when the refugee exodus was on.

There was support here offers of accommodation and financial support for a tiny number of families. The government seemed equally supportive and met the Christian charity mob while making positive noises.

Then it all went belly-up as discordant vices were raised and Chief Minister Howard Quayle and the government took fright. Although a small group rallied to call for about five families to be accomodated they were drowned out by the swamp life on the IOM Today comments pages. Howard bricked it! All of a sudden there were insurmountable problems and all manner of difficulties COMIN wrote a cheque for aid instead. Ironically what was to be an effort sustained by charities turned in to an expense on the public purse - irony indeed

It seems however there was more to it. All the dependencies offered to take refugee families so the story now goes and only took fright when their respective mobs were roused. Their motives were less egalitarian and more inspired by a desire to suck up to the (then) Cameron UK government it seems another reason for keeping the issue under wraps

Some ex Channel Isles politician is trying to roll back the mire concealing the episode through FOI requests. It's unlikely he will succeed but he got an airing on Crown Dependency News (link):

https://www.facebook.com/crowndependencypoliticalnews/posts/196336245035...

Days later Paul Moulton of MTTV noted for sunning himself on visiting cruise liners while Geoff Corkish demonstrates his musical talents carried the story (links):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE5LmF7kgTg&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF01VlA4UPc&feature=youtu.be

It's such a weighty item that Moulton does it in two bits its a bit like the BBC ‘Paradise Papers special’ duo only in this case it's more ‘Paradise Lost’.

So will we ever know the truth? It's unlikely but at least it shows that COMIN can be scared by the mob so sharpen your pitchforks ahead of this winter's gas rise and instead of protesting at Tynwald storm the place - and yes I will be in the front row!

It also shows that MTTV has a serious side - who would have thought! The next Moulton - Howard ‘tete a tete’ has got to be a must see will he be able NOT to press the great man on the issue!

Image: Did Howard bottle out over the refugees?

Bernard Moffatt