Increase in Manx Population Threat Needs To Be Fought Tooth And Nail

The disastrous proposals being put forward on mass population growth on the Isle of Man need to be fought by all possible means. Comments in favour of population expansion are being put out by the likes of Micky Swindale of the Chamber of Commerce and her ilk. They do not have the best interests of the Manx people at heart. They are proposals driven by greed and self interest. Swindale and KPMG her employers only see the Isle of Man as something to be used to increase their profits, regardless of the destruction they cause to this island in the process.

The figure of a 15,000 work force increase being suggested would translate to about 45,000 individuals when partners and dependents are included. This would have a disastrous impact on Manx culture, identity, the very existence of the Manx as a people, as well as resulting in environmental destruction. Meanwhile Ministers from the current very unpopular and distrusted Manx Government have been putting out a series of contradictory statements relating to the population increase suggestions. One minute they are talking about freeing up land for building, relaxing planning controlls, the next denying the need  for any population increases at all. These contradictory statements are all designed to confuse. They are now busily dismantling the effectiveness of work permit legislation, but at the same time talking about training and work opportunities for young Manx people. Well if there is any shortage in particular skills train young Manx people to do the job and provide them with employment opportunities. 

Unfortunately we know the duplicitous nature of the present Manx government and its Chief Minister Allan Bell. So everything they say has to be taken with huge bags of salt. However, in his latest pronouncement Allan Bell says that an increase in workforce is needed but that it could come from the island's own residents without necessarily importing employees. Problem is no-one believes him or many of his ministers anymore. Everything they say has to be looked at really carefully. Putting aside that they will say one thing one day and another the next, all delivered with irritating arrogance. It is the crude way that they practice their deception. A little word or line thrown out that allows them to say one thing and mean something absolutely different.

Even when the government purports to be trying to adopt strategies to promote sustainable development such as the EcoVannin initiative, which was meant to have an objective of preserving the environment, they are caught out. A get out clause pointed out in the Spring 2015 newsletter of the Manx Wildlife Trust  when the Director wrote:

 ‘I was reading through a draft Government Strategy document recently and came across a paragraph that purported to promote sustainable development yet included the following wording:

“Where developments unavoidably cause biodiversity loss due to overriding social and economic benefits…….”

As he quite rightly went on to point out: ‘At what point does the social or economic value of carrying out a development warrant the destruction of a habitat and potentially the loss of a species from our Island.’

The population of the Isle of Man should be held at present levels, with an absolute optimum at most of 90,000. This on an island that clearly does not have infinite land, in fact, only 221 square miles, a good portion of which is unsuitable for development of any kind. The Manx government and their bedfellows in the Chamber of Commerce seem to be testing the water by making wild population increase suggestions. Then waiting for the reaction of the people to the proposed genocide and environmental vandalism. At which point a contradictory statement is put forward by the government. It is real dishonest cat and mouse politics of the worst kind. As for Allan Bell? When he rose in political life in the Isle of Man people had high hopes that he would act in the Islands best interests. Now he is known for his arrogance and is not trusted one inch. The Manx peoples answer to these population increase suggestions needs to be a resounding NO. With a very clear call to maintain population numbers at present levels.