Chief Minister Alf Cannan says part of his job is to talk up the direction of travel and to ensure people know government understands their concerns.
He was speaking as MHKs queried some of the spending commitments announced at the Government Conference.
The initiatives included forming a national office for AI regulation, refreshing the island’s long-term economic strategy, improving support for first-time buyers, and expanding apprenticeships funding.
When asked about the cost and funding sources for these policies, the Chief Minister said they were currently “statements of intent” and that work was “under way to define projects and delivery plans”.
Costs
Mr Cannan added that “once these proposals are finalised, further information, including estimated costs and proposed funding streams, will be published”.
In response to criticism that the announcements were made without prior financial impact assessments, Mr Cannan said, “my job is to give hope to the island.”
He further defended the approach, adding, “sometimes you need to set a pathway of intent and focus, to give clarity to people that the government understands the issue and is seeking to address them”.