Manx Radio can now claim to have covered the Child Database scandal. It appears to have been broadcast at some point:
http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=57406
http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=57455
Was it broadcast at peak listening time? Did it receive the attention this scandalously expensive purchase and public deception deserves? I don’t think so. How about you? And what about the newspapers? Has the story appeared there yet?
This story needs to go viral. Please pass on the following link:
In times of budgetary constraints, this matter requires urgent attention.
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The interviews were broadcast on Manx Radio’s ‘Mandate a.m.’ programme on 23rd and 24th January respectively.
I heard the one with Tristram Llewellyn Jones on Monday and then
the interview with Graham Kinrade the following day. Each was about 4 minutes long.
In my opinion this was an topic which would have benefitted from having
the guests live in the studio to oppose one another.
It would have made for a lively exchange of views.
Thank you, WRT, for the information. So the issue didn’t actually hit the news reports. I agree that a live discussion would have been much more appropriate. Perhaps broadcast as a Sunday topic followed by Mannin Line callers this could have been far more informative for the general public.
Even if this is being presented as a different database it is obvious that public opinion was very much against any form of enhanced data collection. The fact that this was introduced without public knowledge and then the necessary budgetary increase hastened through in the dying days of the TB government seems lacking in transparency and openness, to me. It was clear that many were against collecting further data on families – covert collection appeared to be especially unpopular.
It seems that the database was introduced in secret. If we weren’t advised of its existence, even by Martyn Quayle at the time of the request for financial support, then I would suggest that the database was not public knowledge. How many people are aware of its existence at present? Why does the media cover other Tynwald questions while omitting this?
The response to the consultation was rejection of the database. Nevertheless, a database which we know little about and which many do not know exists, was introduced along with other measures costing half a million in total, at a time when redundancies within government had occurred. This demands explanation.
Readers please make this link go viral: https://freeasthysweetmountainair.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/media-silent-over-furtive-introduction-of-267500-databaseeceived-database-furtively-introduced-media-silent/
How many of your colleagues, family, friends are aware of this issue? If the media has not been successful in drawing it to public attention then we need to assist!