Bernard Moffatt's blog

I’ve just read a selection of written questions posed for written answer in this new device supposed to convince us that whilst Tynwald is actually on holiday and enjoying the fringe benefits to their £50K plus they are ‘pretend’ working. They were helpfully posted as always by Crown Dependency News:

https://www.facebook.com/crowndependencypoliticalnews/photos/a.790761064...

Oh dear government do seem to be getting themselves in to a pickle. I mean there’s one thing giving someone like Trevor Cowin (or me) the bums rush over a freedom of information request. However now they seem to have provoked the ire of the Islands only newspaper group:

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=42284&headline=Our%20Steam%20Pa...

One of the Isle of Man’s ‘HNWIs’ comes in for a bit of stick on the Scottish Independence site ‘Wings Over Scotland’. Michelle Mone of course was a prominent figure in the NO vote camp at the time of the referendum and misses no opportunity to slam the Scottish nationalist camp. It seems the feeling is reciprocated:

https://wingsoverscotland.com/black-snake-mone/#more-105365

As I predicted yesterday ‘the W C Fields of Manx Politics’ turned up on cue in ‘the portal’ to tell us black is white over inflation.

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/drop-in-inflation-good-n...

Even in the UK inflation is on the increase while here via a variety of devices and mechanisms that would even have the late Tommy Cooper gazing in awe its going down.

For most people prices and the cost of living are soaring so it comes as a surprise when you hear inflation is falling drastically. It just doesn’t add up. Well actually it does. In 2015 we warned that these indicators were being altered when CPI rather than RPI became the benchmark of choice:

https://www.facebook.com/805941286121301/photos/a.806379472744149.107374...

I see the drones that Chris Thomas coordinate have suddenly come up with this:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/big-drop-in-inflation/

For a moment I muse about having a look at the statistics but decide that at my age my blood pressure won’t stand it.

I decide to read Alice in Wonderland instead because I think in terms of veracity Lewis Carroll had more going for him than the ‘boys and girls’ on Prospect Hill.

Manx journalism is not so much given a slap-down by MHK Lawrie Hooper in this report as being sent to ‘the naughty corner’ so it's hardly a body blow to the profession more a gentle chiding (link):

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/journalists-dont-go-far-...

The interesting thing is of course that Hooper avers journalists could do more when in the past journalists were being chided for being to assertive or lacking balance depending on your perspective.

‘It's indicative of the priority that the plight of indigenous people has been given that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was not adopted until 2007’

I read an item recently in which its averred that the Mapuche indigenous people are ‘comeovers’ in Argentina in that its claimed they came over the Andes after the Argentinian State was set up.

The Mapuche are one of a number of indigenous groups globally that are campaigning for a better deal from the former nations that colonised them.

I read with interest (just after OFT issues another caution about cold calling) that DEFA are going to be ‘cold calling’ to weigh up randomly the nature of the nation's housing stock. Obviously one of the prime questions inspired by DEFA Minister ‘Baron Boot’ will be; ‘Do you own a barbeque’. (Link):

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/defa-to-knock-on-doors-f...

I’ve received a response to a query I sent to Chief Minister Howard Quayle about alleged concerns reported on social media about Nobles (link):

https://www.facebook.com/Mannin-Branch-Celtic-League-805941286121301/tim...

I’ve received a reply from Health Minister David Ashford MHK that sets out in considerable detail a rebuttal of the points raised.

I’m grateful to the Health Minister and his team for the detailed response and to the Chief Minister for facilitating it.