This column first appeared in the Isle of Man Examiner of February 8, 2022. His latest column is in the Examiner this week.

In some administrations a great deal of emphasis is placed on the ’First 100 Days’, where a clear policy direction is set out.

On the island the government is not elected on a political party basis, which would make the process more straightforward.

Indeed, the chief minister is elected by the House of Keys based generally on the basis of his or her personal and then chief minister election manifestos.

With the latter any candidate will have taken the opportunity to study the policy aspirations of other elected members in order to assist in attaining the top job.

Last week in an extraordinary sitting of Tynwald the chief minister on behalf of the Council of Ministers moved the Island plan and gained the support of all but three members after a day-long debate.

He pointed out that the debate was occurring 131 days after the general election and 119 days since his election by the Keys.

He stated further that the document had been drafted on the back of three meetings with Tynwald members, a Tynwald debate, a public consultation and four public meetings with various ministers.

There had been consternation from a number of Tynwald members last month about the lack of time they had available to study the document before being asked to debate it.

The chief minister had sought to suspend standing orders to have an earlier debate than the six-week rule provides for but was unsuccessful.

This is a relatively new standing order and time will tell whether it will be a successful innovation.

Tynwald has boasted in the past that, unlike most parliaments elsewhere, it has the ability to act swiftly in the best interests of our island.

Now it could be argued that one member’s interpretation of our best interests may vary widely from another’s but the need to suspend standing orders is not something that is taken lightly, so it will be interesting to see how many times government sees the need to request such from Tynwald.

As a matter of principle there must be sufficient time for members to consider and discuss with others important matters placed before them.

Consultation with the public is vital.

There should be much more use of plain English rather than anything else in such documents and where strategies are put forward they must be accompanied by a clear implementation plan.

But what the public do not want in my opinion is paralysis by analysis where nothing happens over an extended period.

We have witnessed that over many important issues of the day in the past and in today’s world it is a luxury which cannot be afforded.

After proper consideration the public want to see action from government and Tynwald members rather than delay and indecision.

I have spoken in these pages frequently about the importance of the housing issues on our Island indeed all members elected in September last individually did so in their election manifestos.

Government has established a housing and communities board, not at ministerial level, which I would have preferred, but with an experienced Tynwald member to chair it.

We have yet to have the full make-up of the board announced, indeed it seemed to the listener of the debate in Tynwald that at least one member being proposed for membership expressed a little surprise.

The island plan sets out various work streams for the board to deliver on with a first action plan to be brought forward by March 2022.

If this is to be achieved it is certainly an optimistic target if all those invited to participate are to meet and agree such.

I was certainly pleased to hear that much more emphasis would be placed on ’brownfield’ or in town centre redevelopment would be taking place in terms of residential uses. Indeed a further report on this matter is to be provided for July 2022.

I have long campaigned alongside others for this policy direction and I wish members well in its implementation.

The chief minister made a significant announcement in relation to moving towards the implementation of the ’living wage’.

The proposal by the last administration was that this would take place over the five years of the new government but Mr Cannan has pledged to achieve this in three years.

Also the minimum wage will be raised for the first time in two years in April 2022.

It will increase by £1.25 per hour to £9.50 per hour.

Workers on the minimum wage working a 35-hour week are going to be £43.75 better off a week, or £175 per month or up to £2,100 per year.

With the high cost of living for many essential items on the island this is certainly a move in the right direction for those who most need it and there is no doubt that the increase will not rest in bank accounts but will circulate in the economy.

As former chair of the Tynwald Social Affairs Policy Review Committee, which at my behest undertook the most comprehensive investigation into mental health and suicide on our island, I was very disappointed that a number of our recommendations had not progressed despite unanimous support in my final two Tynwald sittings.

A number of vulnerable people and families affected had met our committee in private and they must have felt very let down.

The director of public health in her evidence to us had stated that good intent sometimes gathered dust.

The chief minister referred to action on our recommendations during the debate

I really hope the panel now established on this matter under the chairmanship of the director of public health are able to impact this tragic situation and it is good that so many organisations are now committed to openness and discussion in the home, workplace, school and externally.

I first raised this as a concern in 1991 and in those days it was something of a taboo subject which some people simply bottled up and made the situation worse.

There is nothing more difficult as an elected member than supporting a family or an individual effected by mental health issues or following suicide. We must do better.

In the past there was a reluctance to look above those persons on income support when faced with financial challenges.

There was a straight cut-off rather than a taper, so it was a welcome breakthrough that the Treasury department acknowledged this situation by increasing and extending the winter fuel bonus this year.

The chief minister spoke during the debate that an extra half million of welfare support had been provided

He also announced that government would act again as appropriate to negate the worst impacts of the challenge ahead.

He referred to energy prices, inflation and rising interest rates as a ’heady mix’ and that choppy waters lay ahead.

In closing the chief minister spoke of government’s commitment to an island where everyone feels safe, our economy is secure, our health and education systems support everyone, and we have housing, food, energy and transport security.

To be a vibrant, diverse and welcoming island providing excellent educational,recreational and economic opportunities for all, and one where our businesses are able to grow with confidence accessing the skills and people required now and in the future.

Where we look after and nurture our Island and our resources, driving forward a local agenda towards a fair, inclusive and sustainable society and environment.

So many challenges ahead, as has been the case in the past, but a good starting point to work together for this special place we call home