Former Gov Press Officer claims Wind Farm Project has no Tynwald approval

Thu, 12 Oct 2023

Former Isle of Man Press Officer, Alistair Ramsay says that the Council of Ministers gave the political go-ahead for an onshore wind farm in the Isle of Man without permission from Tynwald.

Ramsay, who has more than 40 years experience of Island politics, claims that “this was an unprecedented breach of the Island's democratic process and a major mistake by Ministers”.

According to Ramsay this means there is no proper political authority for erecting wind turbines at Earystane, or anywhere else.

He said: “Without Tynwald support, in my view, the government's onshore wind policy is stranded and the project cannot continue.”

In February this year the Council of Ministers decided that the Manx Utilities Authority (MUA) should progress plans for an onshore wind farm, and since Earystane has been names as the preferred site.  

However, Ramsay says that the Council of Ministers had no authority to sanction this project, saying: “Tynwald has never voted to allow onshore wind farms in the Isle of Man, there has been no parliamentary debate on the proposal and no public consultation.”

Ramsay’s statement carries on to say: “The appearance of giant wind turbines, each one the height of Peel Hill, would be the biggest change to the Manx landscape for many centuries.

"The Island could only move towards that transformation with the approval of its highest authority, Tynwald, and with the consent of its people.

Yet the Council of Ministers bypassed both parliament and public in starting the process to bring wind turbines to the Isle of Man. That leaves it politically exposed and its policy without legitimacy.

Tynwald must ask why it was left out of the loop on an issue with such serious implications for local communities, the environment and the public purse.”

He urges all members to back a motion from Jason Moorhouse MHK at next week’s October Tynwald.

Moorhouse’s motion requires the Council of Ministers to reconsider its support for a wind farm in the Manx hills, noting that they are not permitted in similar areas of natural beauty in UK national parks.

Ramsay adds: “The MUA wind turbine project has been progressed under the auspices of the government's Island Plan, which was approved by Tynwald but does not contain the phrase 'onshore wind’.

“Even if it did, a change this big and controversial clearly requires a separate political workstream, with a public consultation followed by a specific Tynwald motion, debate and vote.”

About Alistair Ramsay:

Alistair Ramsay has more than 40 years experience of Island politics, as a journalist and as a government press officer. During 18 years in government he worked with five Chief Ministers and regularly attended meetings of the Council of Ministers.
Alistair contributed a chapter on Manx politics to the New History of the Isle of Man, volume five, published by the Liverpool University Press.
He retired from government six years ago, returning to journalism as a freelance political commentator. He lives in Douglas.

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