The Isle of Man Green Party extends its appreciation to Dr Ranson for valiantly standing up for the interests of the good governance and proper administration of justice in the Isle of Man. On such a critical issue of public import as the timely and proper response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we can only thank Dr Ranson and her family for enduring 2 years of upheaval, expense, and stress, to afford transparency of what occurred at the highest levels of the Department of Health & Social Care (“DHSC”).
However, the Isle of Man Green Party notes that the “serious governance issue” (as quoted in the first ‘Liability judgment’) that plagued the DHSC, both before and during the litigation that the DHSC so forcefully defended, cannot be left unaddressed. The Green Party welcomes the announced proposal from Chief Minister Cannan of a review by an independent member of the Bar of the governance and procedural events that afflicted this litigation. Such events are not only characterised by the damning conclusions of the ‘Liability Judgment’ but also the decisions of the Department thereafter, including two failed appeals before the Isle of Man High Court, at the expense of the public purse. The Green Party highlights therefore that the terms of reference of the review should not be descoped to the ‘Liability judgment’ by Tynwald at its sitting next week, where it has been indicated that the terms of reference of the review will be agreed.
Culture in Government comes from the top. In the interests of transparency, accountability, and the good governance of the Isle of Man, Tynwald must be independent of Government. It still remains the case that 87% of the Tynwald members are part of the Government. If Mr Cannan truly believes that good governance is of “vital importance” (as per his statement in the House of Keys), he must bring to Tynwald his proposals to implement the conclusion of the 2016 review of Lord Lisvane, that the system of Departmental Members of government is not remotely sustainable. As Lord Lisvane stated:
“This lack of evident separation of roles between Parliament and the Executive means that the Isle of Man may be seen to fall short of the highest standards of parliamentary governance.”
Without the governance reforms necessary at the apex of our constitution, those at the foot will always be at risk of the oppression, injustice, and isolation that was epitomised in the case of Dr Ranson.
Leader of the Isle of Man Green Party, Andrew Langan-Newton set out that: -
“The findings of the judgments, the cost to the public purse, and the government’s management of this episode have left a litany of questions that cannot be ignored. If what has been sacrificed is to mean anything, it must be to bring about the reform of the governance of our island.”
