Politics
Arms-Length Airport Back on the Radar
Maybe they could call it Manx Air?
DoI Minister Chris Thomas has given the green light for his department to continue with plans to establish an arms-length body to run Ronaldsway.
Mr Thomas said he will return to Tynwald in April 2023 with a further update.
Tynwald, under the last administration, approved the plan in 2019, although it was ultimately delayed by Covid.
Mr Thomas said: ‘It is now being restarted in earnest, with work done to date re-evaluated and taken forward and I intend to keep honourable members informed as this progresses.’
When asked by Douglas North MHK David Ashford what work had already been done and what timelines were in place for the work, Mr Thomas said that a detailed plan for the scheme was due to be returned to Tynwald by April 2020, but this had obviously been disrupted by Covid.
He added: ‘I can assure this honourable court that I am committed to respecting that previous resolution and I plan to return to return to Tynwald in April 2023 with a detailed implementation plan, governance structure and operating model. Also I expect to have a shadow board for the new entity in place by April 2023.’
When asked by Speaker Juan Watterson whether the matter was still supported by CoMin, given that we have had an election since then and at the time the motion was opposed by Rob Callister and Lawrie Hooper, who are both now ministers, Mr Thomas said that CoMin had re-affirmed its commitment to the plan.
When it was first envisaged, Chief Minister Alf Cannan said he believed it would be possible to save up to £1m a year through going arms-length, that will remain to be seen.
