Population Growth on Isle of Man: Time To Step Up The Opposition

News From The Celtic League

The Manx Chief Minister has said that the Island does not need an expansion in population but an increased workforce taken with recent comments by the Infrastructure Minister it seems to be a change of tack from the previous announcement about freeing up land for ‘development and growth’.

It also seems to contradict statements from the Chamber of Commerce about the need for another 15,000 workers. That number together with families would involve a seismic increase in the population.

So what is going on with contradictory statements from government and their close bed-fellows the Chamber of Commerce? Can nationalists who came out fighting when it appeared this latest tranche of growth was underway relax?

I fear the answer is no! In tandem with this series of contradictory statements the government has in recent months mooted or implemented other changes including relaxing work permit legislation and removing what little independence there was from the planning process. These are not the moves of a government minded to relax population expansion.

I think there is no doubt the government were surprised by the speed with which nationalists and others responded to their initial message. They also probably fear that growth patterns similar to the 70/80s will probably provoke a similar backlash to that which occurred then. Hence the policy is to ‘change tack’ i.e. the policy is the same but handling opposition to it needs to be more subtle.

Today Mec Vannin has launched a salvo at the Chamber (see their Facebook site) however it would be naive at this stage not to also continue the pressure (or indeed step it up) on government as well. Despite their volte-face Messrs Bell, Gawne, Skelly etc should continue to be pressed on this issue.

Be under no illusions the ‘development’ of the Isle of Man in the fag-end of the last century impacted on its distinctive character and identity in a way that cannot be rectified. A further round of similar GROWTH will kill its character completely – put simply the Manx as a people will cease to exist.

BERNARD MOFFATT