Is it just me or does anyone else feel we are being taken to the cleaners? Over the years things seem to have gone from bad to worse. Public money is shelled out on schemes our government deems worthwhile, while members of the electorate query, protest and ultimately are totally ignored – or worse still responded to in a patronising manner by our head honcho. We are stupidly being distracted by backbencher games. We are unaware of the ‘plan’ and should not criticise. Now we, the silly old electorate, are unaware of the repercussions resulting from the ousting of Mr Shimmin – and it seems the department has been robbed of a highly competent member who is ensuring the island flourishes. If things go downhill now, well it is probably our fault as well.
How conveniently the MEA debt has been swept out of sight. A debt that can never be repaid. But a rigorous investigation ensuring those responsible would be held to account would be far too costly, we were told. Far too costly? Peanuts surely in comparison to the huge sum we will never pay off, with or without toilet tax.
Safe in the knowledge that the electorate simply accepted this statement the CM could be forgiven for believing that government has carte blanche to continue in the same manner. Hardly surprising then that there have been no attempts to introduce accountability into government spending, resulting in further waste of public money and questionable outgoings, with a lack of satisfactory paper trails.
A few examples: IRIS inadequacies and the response to the problems, addressed only after the guarantee period had lapsed. Bendy bus experiments costing six figure sums, I believe, although any layperson could have predicted that the introduction of this type of vehicle would not be feasible. The purchase of a new locomotive – although most of us are not sure why this was essential. The Pinewood ‘deal’ of which no one outside of the inner sanctum can fathom the intricacies of this ‘investment’. The consultants engaged by government under very opaque circumstances. The Sefton saga. The list goes on.
Do we hear apologies or even the suggestion that these things must be made more transparent? As if! Following the toilet tax, the present suggestion is that children pay for school buses. The children will not be paying it will be the parents, by the way. But why stop there? Why not introduce parking meters and really cripple local business? Let’s face it – for those in outlying districts it is simply easier and cheaper to order online than it is to travel to towns and pay parking fees, while also risking a fine if we should be criminal enough to overstay the allotted time.
Many are stating that the old guard will not be returned at the next election. Does anyone seriously think that will change things? We need to know who is pulling the strings because the next set of muppets puppets will fall in line just as easily as our present ‘yes men’ have.
Who is really pulling the strings?