NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
No doubt Laurence Skelly was pleased at his ability to steerthe legislation allowing for the establishment of the so called economicdevelopment fund (EDF) through Tynwald this week.
As we reported earlier on CL News ‘the champagne corks willhave been popping’ down at the Chamber of Commerce following the news that thislunacy had been given the green light.
The Chamber’s members will of course not be the only recipients of the funds but you can get yourbottom dollar that the scheme to access EDF will be structured in such a way that the Chamber is well placed to resource its members to be at the front of the queue.
Skelly of course is assuring everyone that the EDF will bethe panacea for all our economic ills and that the investment will generate ahealthy return – but he knows that this is fatuous. Comparable funds in other jurisdictions have a substantial percentage failure rate.
Of course Skelly, who increasingly reminds me of Hugh Laurie’s buffoonish ‘Lt George’ in Blackadder, will not be the first Economic Development Minister to shovel government funds into the hands of the private sector.
But at least previously people had to go through the hoopsto establish a cogent case. Even then the rules were sometimes bent! But ineffect what we have now is a Department of Economic Development that is saying‘we are desperate’ – ‘fifty million pounds to give away’ – ‘any takers’!
So much good could have been done with £50 million of publicfunds it is heartbreaking that this lacklustre Tynwald (at the fag end of itslife) should have in effect given away ‘our money’.
However the dirty deed is done now and all we can do is sitand wait for the corruption that ‘easy money’ invariably attracts.
Related link:
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BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
22/10/15
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The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries.It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range ofpolitical, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rightsabuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
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