The Iconoclast Letter to IOM Examiner 261014

4 facts : 1. £7M government subsidies to farmers 2. £5M cuts in infrastructure net spend acheived by raising parking and other charges 3. Minimal cuts in government manning levels since peak 4. Government reserves have been spent, taxes increased and new stealth taxes imposed in order to support the status quo The £7M subsidies to farmers under the disguise of a country side care scheme are for the most payments to landowners who cannot be considered to be the amongst the needy. The contribution of farming to this economy is minimal. Surely we do not have to continue to pay danegeld to the Manx ? The £5M cuts appear to disadvantage the retail sector [ which the government protests it is supporting ] and the general public who use government facilities. The fact which is plain to all outside of government is that there are just too many government employees many of whom are paid to much. This is either a common blind spot for politicians or the government is just too weak in the face of entrenched self interests. What are the lessons to be learned from all of this ? My own view is that a balance of interests between government and the public has gone awry with the result that government and particularly the civil service have become a monster which is trying to control the body public. The new paradigm seems to be that they do not exist to serve the public, we exist to serve them. This is all heading to a very bad place. John R Orme