Howard with an 'iron fist' some people need to grow up!

This curious story about how the Isle of Man is tying itself in knots over Freedom of Information requests begs more questions than it answers:

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=42382&headline=Why%20have%20rep...

I’m getting on a bit now but can’t seem to get my head round what the desperately important information is that we are all now missing it seems it may have something to do with Manx Radio but that's unclear as they say they will reply to requests for such info.

Personally I wouldn’t ask Manx Radio for any FOI material because I prefer to stick with my probably ill conceived misconceptions of the station and presumably if Anthony sent we a load of answers I would have to go: ‘Well fancy that’ and eat my hat. Anyway my misconceptions and criticisms are voiced openly. Why Freedom of Info from MR when most of its critics hide behind pseudonyms on internet forums or in the bowels of newspaper articles. Sauce for the goose etc!

Paul Moulton of MTTV gets in on the act as well it seems someone was to free with his information but then I suppose it begs the question if you want Freedom of Information how widely available should it be. Should some FOI be restricted FOI - it kind of beats the point.

I remember a less traumatic time when you just wrote to a government Department and asked things. If they answered all well and good if not so what. Generally in the Isle of Man information is so boring the denial of access to it is hardy going to leave you suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Already comments under the IOM TOday story are conjuring up all kind of machiavellian theories and a government with an iron fist and fascism is being alleged. I don’t really see Howard Quayle with an iron fist of jackboots it just doesn’t square.

In any case if we are to be open and free why don’t IOM Today publish the names of those who write anonymously on their pages that's the Freedom of Information I would like - poke the rock and see the crabs go scuttling for another stone to hide under.

Image: ‘The great man’ how dare people assert he runs an ‘iron fist’ regime!

Bernard Moffatt