NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
After posting the item on persons on disability being unceremoniously ejected from the disabled benefits system and reclassified as fit for work I picked up a copy of today’s Manx Independent and read at first hand the experience of someone who has gone through this torment.
The letter was an open letter to Bill Henderson MLC and charted one individual’s dealings first in the unemployment trap many older workers find themselves in endlessly applying for work and getting no responses. This despite the rosy ‘prosperity’ picture Allan Bell, the Chief Minister, was blathering about on 3fm just yesterday.
The person concerned due to a combination of factors then found them self signed of sick and on disability benefit.
At this point I should say the letter is extremely detailed and sets out quite clearly and in precise terms the paucity of the benefits and the difficulties in surviving which mean invariably running out of money before the next benefit payment is due.
Eventually reassessed not by a GP but by this agency the Isle of Man government has employed to do his dirty work the person is now back in the position of being declared fit for work when quite clearly the circumstances of the situation make it highly improbable any employment will be forthcoming.
In the United Kingdom these reassessments have already driven people to suicide in other instances people with appalling unrecoverable illnesses such as cancer have been diagnosed fit shortly before dying.
What is it with the insensitive government and could care less Tynwald. First they give Manx Gas a licence to allow the poor and the elderly to freeze. Now it seems they want to torment people who patently are genuinely disabled so that they can squeeze the benefits budget. At the same time they grease the palms of the business community and raid our reserves for millions.
It’s a heartbreaking story and one has to ask is this the tip of the iceberg are their folk out there who lack the will, means or articulation to speak out?
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
21/01/16
THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.
The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
