NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
Allan Bell is going to make a key note speech today on the ‘State of the Nation’ but you guessed it he’s not going to be speaking to you he is going to be speaking to a business body.
The Alliance of Isle of Man Compliance Professionals (AICP) set out their objective on their web pages as follows:
“The AICP is an established alliance to represent the interests of compliance, money laundering, governance, regulatory and risk professionals within the Isle of Man and elsewhere. By emphasising the compliance professional’s role in the Isle of Man Financial Services Industry, the Alliance makes united representation, on behalf of its members, to the Isle of Man Government and regulatory authorities.
By promoting high standards of compliance and governance within the Isle of Man, and providing information, education as well as a forum for discussion and dialogue on all compliance issues to its members, the AICP is a must for all Compliance Professionals.”
It is, as we have remarked before, the type of group that the Chief Minister feels more at home with. He has increasingly stopped talking to the people – the hoi-polloi – those who are concerned at the way the Island is going and are struggling to cope with what he and his colleagues in COMIN keep throwing at them. The difficult questions such as those posed by the contributor to the Manx Independent this week which basically asked ‘how can I live’ are not answered. The questions about the continued high price of energy on the Island elicit a stony silence.
But Allan will no doubt was lyrical in the rarefied company of the business community many of whom have already marked out their share of the £50 millions of our reserves pillaged by this government.
I doubt whether the Chief Minister will be critical of the AICP and their business colleagues he generally saves his criticism for the public and indeed some of that may be aired today. He likes to use these occasions to lash his critics anyone who questions the fact that this government is taking the people to hell in a handcart. We are negative, we don’t understand, no gain without pain blah! blah!
But if he paused for a moment and gave it some subjective and reasoned thought he might realise that those he is gazing at today are the one’s who bring opprobrium on the Island.
It’s not the critics shouting the nationalist message from Hango Hill. It’s not the blogs like this with acerbic comment. It’s not the forlorn commentators airing their views online or in the newspaper who give the Island a bad name.
CBC recently highlighted tax abuses perpetrated here and Mick Wallace stood up in the Irish parliament and lambasted the Isle of Man and its finance industry last year. Two instances which highlight how the people in that room with Bell today sell the Island short, will he take the opportunity to tell them – will he hell!
Chief Minister or Chief hypocrite your choice!
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
22/01/16
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
