'We should demand change to our broken system'
BBCA political commentator has called for a debate about the Isle of Man's government, following "unprecedented" events where ministers were sacked eight months before a general election.
Retired journalist and government press officer Alistair Ramsay said the system was "broken" after a Cabinet Office reshuffle on Monday, when Chief Minister Alfred Cannan sacked both the Treasury and infrastructure ministers.
Cannan said the changes, made weeks before the next budget speech, were a "refresh" after mounting pressure over controversial minimum wage and 20 mph speed limit schemes.
The new ministers said there would be a "slower approach" and pause to the two schemes respectively.
Observing events, Ramsay said the timing of the shake-up meant the island was headed towards "yet another general election where the public can't hold any group or individuals to account".
He said there had been a "massive churn of ministers" with 29 changes in under five years, Ramsay said.
He also said the chief minister was now "undermining his own government" having previously voted in favour of the "profoundly controversial and unpopular" minimum wage rise of 9.9%, which was opposed by a number of businesses, and the rollout of 20 mph (32 km/h) zones in urban areas
Cannon said his latest cabinet changes were "redefining this government's approach to priorities within the remaining term of this administration".
'Hit rock bottom'
Ramsay was a journalist when the ministerial system was introduced in 1986 and became a government press officer in 2000, working "for no fewer than five chief ministers".
He now describes himself as a "veteran political commentator".
He said the latest actions of the administration had been "completely unprecedented" in his experience and demonstrated "an extraordinary kind of unwinding of collective responsibility".
The island "always had a problem with democratic accountability because we don't have parties", he said, adding: "Everyone breaks ranks in the final year and says it was the other side that let them down."
He said he believed recent events showed "we've hit rock bottom now" and the "system's broken".
The 24 members of the House of Keys are elected every five years across the island's 12 constituencies, with the next election to take place on 24 September.
The elected members are then responsible for choosing who will be the next chief minister, who then appoints the Council of Ministers.
'Demand a change'
But Ramsay has called for the "public to actually have a say in what type of government we have", suggesting the public could directly elect the chief minister.
He also suggested having candidates declare before the election whether they intended to stand for the top job.
There was a fundamental "lack of accountability" and "everyone seems to be disappointed with what's happened over the last five years", Ramsay said.
He believed a "lack of accountability" was a fault of the system that had "allowed this kind of game play".
"The public has to demand some kind of change," he added.
The Manx budget speech, due to be delivered in Tynwald on 17 February, will be the final financial plan for this administration.
The chief minister has teased a "significant" increase to the amount of money people receive in their pay cheques before tax.
Ramsay said it would be "interesting" to see if the new direction would "recognise concerns about government spending, the size of government, and the use of reserves".
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