DoI Minister Tim Crookall has shockingly revealed he doesn’t believe in Christmas.
He made the amazing statement during this week’s Tynwald sitting.
Ebenezer Crookall told a shocked sitting: “I don’t believe in Christmas.”
The actual story here is about Crogga, but this random statement did happen, so it seemed too good to leave out.
Crogga
Chris Thomas asked in Tynwald this week about the ongoing saga of Crogga’s licence to drill for gas in Manx waters and what due diligence was carried out before the extension inside the hydrocarbon licence was granted this summer.
Mr Crookall confirmed that the DoI is required to to carry our due diligence ahead of any contract or variation to contract and that it received “extensive supporting documentation by Crogga”.
However, the added that the process is “ongoing, including all assessments”.
Adding: “Therefore I am unable to comment on the findings and conclusions at this point in time, the short extension of the existing license enables the department to continue its due diligence.”
Fail
Mr Thomas said that this meant that the DoI had made an amendment without completing due diligence and asked the minister whether “that in itself, a fundamental fail in terms of due diligence”?
Unsurprisingly, Mr Crookall said he didn’t believe this was correct.
Rob Mercer MLC also quizzed Mr Crookall on this and asked if he was satisfied that “all members, civil servants involved in this have declared any interests and that all conflicts have been managed appropriately and separately” and that any exemptions to financial practice notes had been lodged correctly.
The Minister replied: “As far as I’m aware, those have all been declared and things obviously we don’t know if they aren’t, and it haven’t been declared until we find those if they haven’t been declared as such.
“But I’m always willing to hear from members if they think there’s something that we don’t know about.”
Mr Crookall further added that the DoI had been “aided in its deliberations by the Attorney General’s chambers and offshore legal expertise as well”.
Money, Money, Money
However, following a question from Claire Christian (Douglas South), Mr Crookall did also confirm that Crogga had not paid its most 2022 or 2023 licence fees.
He said: No, Crogga haven’t paid that. But that was an agreement that was made with Crogga not to pay the license fees until the end of this. Deliberations was made.”
This was also the time when Mr Crookall confirmed he doesn’t believe in Christmas.
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