Members of the House of Keys have criticised the lack of public consultation over proposed changes to pensions.
Julie Edge, Kate Lord-Brennan, Rob Callister, Lawrie Hooper, Chris Thomas, Tim Glover have all criticised the way the government has handled the proposal.
The government wants to change pensions for people who retire(d) after 2019 that would see their pensions rise annually either by 2% of Manx CPI for the previous September, whichever is higher.
Ms Edge, who moved a motion that the changes should not be implemented as part of the Treasury budget process, said the issue was a “national matter of public concern for our island”.
She added: “Honourable members, the 2024 Social Attitudes Survey found that 25% of respondents already believe the government operates in secrecy.
“This proposal seems to reinforce that perception and damages the faith in public policy and trust on that government by aiming to force through significant social change within the budget, without the national consultation and conversation promised.”
Disregard
Ms Lord-Brennan, who moved an amendment that no changes to the triple lock policy should be made or proposed for confirmation at the February 2025 sitting of Tynwald, said that the approach had shown a “flagrant disregard for Tynwald and also for the residents of the Isle of Man”.
Mr Callister said the process “appears to be too swift and may potentially undermine what could be the most appropriate course of action for this island and for our pensioners”.
Change
Mr Glover said that it was “not the way Tynwald our national parliament should be treated”.
Mr Thomas added: “You don’t just change a system that’s been in place for those decades without having the consent of the population, and you don’t do that over one Christmas.”
Mr Hooper said that members had not had enough detail on the policy themselves before noting that the public will only see the entire detail on Tuesday morning when the Budget is announced.
He also accused the Treasury Minister of don’t wanting a public debate on the full policy.
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