When Chief Minister Alfred Cannan opens the Government Conference tomorrow he will do so with a Manx Care overspend hanging over his government’s budgetary plans.
While Mr Cannan is expected to use his speech to point to the successes of his administration, 800 new homes, record TT figures, relative fiscal strength and political stability, he is also expected to lay out his frustration with Manx Care, something which he, as one of its chief architects, is so politically tied.
We understand that Mr Cannan will use his speech to state that the overspending risks destabilising the financial plan, with Manx Care projected to be millions of pounds over budget, despite a £43m increase in funding which saw the government impose a “temporary” tax rise earlier this year.
Exactly what Mr Cannan will propose isn’t known, but he has been clear that he wants to see more financial discipline in health spending.
Travel
Another topic dominating the headlines in recent months is the issue of the Steam Packet and its pricing structure.
There is a widespread feeling amongst the public that nothing has changed since the decision was taken, led by Mr Cannan in his role as Treasury Minister in the Quayle administration, to buy the company that some see as still driven purely by profit.
While this has been disputed by the company itself, Mr Cannan is expected to acknowledge these issues and say that progress will be made on ensuring that the company best services the island.
However, in doing so, he will be keen to avoid an Aurigny type situation which has seen the state airline in Guernsey receive government subsidies while posting losses in the millions before returning to profit last year.
Safety
The other key area Mr Cannan will likely touch on is economic and physical safety.
After a summer which saw riots in the UK and a major international crime ring exposed running out of a Douglas hotel, the government is keen to stress the island’s safety compared to neighbouring jurisdictions.
It is likely he will tee up Justice and Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson to outline what steps will be taken around migration and securing the island’s borders and possibly even closer alignment of visa and border controls with the UK.
All of this will have to come against the backdrop of a need to grow the island’s working population and appear to be a welcoming, but secure place for investors and families seeking to relocate.
Key to that will also be the island’s economic security and both the Treasury and Chief Minister are likely to heavily focus on this area.
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