Alf is not a 'problem' - That's not fair!

‘You would have to be mad not to want to know the direction the Treasury Minister (TM) is taking us in because after the Chief Minister the TM is THE most important Minister.’

Alf is on the radio AGAIN going on about demographics and the ageing population and the fact it's a problem. I start to get annoyed at being called a problem again but then I think: ‘calm down think about this rationally for once no kneejerk’. It must have been all the fresh air I’ve had today.The trouble with accessing an audio clip is you do not get the full picture so I must try and find Alfs full interview:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/population-growth-to-hel...

I notice by the way that the Local Democracy Reporter Ewan Gawne has fairly long audio clips with his items maybe Manx Radio should make that a norm.

As it is after listening to a soundbite of Alf I start to think it's him that's the problem not the ageing population because he doesn't seem to have a clue. However that's not fair to Alf as possibly if he was given enough time to get his point across it would all become clearer the grand plan would be accepted and we would be all volunteering to man a welcome tent at the pier head to welcome the flood of new workers who are going to save us from armageddon.

I assume Alf was reacting in his audio clip to Alistair Kneale’s (Celtic League DOI and Mec Vannin member) comments on the downside of population growth.

Alistair put forward a concise, clear and coherent argument and to cap it all he delivered it in sharp but quiet tones. Alistair is the new type of nationalist he’s not the ‘shouty’ abusive type like me and that seems to have rattled Alf. I heard that Alf was even trying to cultivate friends on social media so panic must be setting in down at the Treasury,

As I mentioned the other day everyone if they have any sense wants to hear what the Treasury Minister has to say. We want to know what he or she thinks and if there is an impending crisis of uncertainty what their views are on how the Island will navigate it. You would have to be mad not to want to know the direction the Treasury Minister (TM) is taking us in because after the Chief Minister the TM is THE most important Minister.

I know I always say this but Alfs Dad (David) did a good job and was possibly the architect (or one of them) of the boom the Island enjoyed. I didn’t necessarily agree with David Cannan indeed sometimes I disagreed virulently but at least one point I could not fault him - I understood what he was saying.

With Alf I hear cliches and sound-bites but maybe that’s because his CLEAR message is not getting across. In that case Alf is not the problem but the way in which Treasury conveys its stance on the issues of the day is.

Image: Alf responds somewhat clumsily to Alistair Kneale who projected a sharp clear message on the pitfalls of population growth.

Bernard Moffatt