Community is More Important than Numbers

Representing a community is more important than representing an arbitrary number, a commissioner has told a boundary review committee.

Ramsey Commissioner Juan McGuinness posted the email he has sent to the review after it proposed that Ramsey be carved up due to it having too many constituents.

Under the plans, which would affect House of Keys constituencies and not local authorities, two options are proposed for Ramsey, with part of the constituency either joining Ayre and Michael or Garff, which itself still includes a large part of Onchan.

The changes have been proposed as the island is supposed to have equal constituencies, with a buffer percentage designed to ensure equal representation across the island.

However, the moves have previously proved controversial, such as in Onchan where part of the village is represented by MHKs who also represent Laxey, Lonan and Maughold, while still be represented locally by Onchan District Commissioners.

Mr McGuinness said he had been contacted by residents who are frustrated at the proposal and said that the ‘changes seem to be an over the top proposal based on one arbitrary criteria of numerical representation per MHK’.

He added: ‘The difference between the current levels and the 115% acceptable variance is around 280 people, this percentage is constantly being impacted by the island’s population as a whole and as such tinkering boundary changes will never provide long term future proofing.

‘The trade off for this flawed boundary shift is a lasting impact on voter attitudes and confusion. Years on from the changes in Onchan this issue is still referenced negatively by the impacted residents and I see no difference in the proposals for Ramsey.

‘These boundary changes will have someone living within sight of the Queens Pier, a Ramsey icon, being represented by an MHK who has to consider the needs of people living in Laxey and in Onchan. This will do nothing to encourage people to vote or be engaged in the political process when their literal neighbour across the street has different representation.

‘The key driver for democratically elected representatives is that they represent a community, the community of Ramsey is clearly designated by the town boundary. This is far more important than being over a threshold by a
couple of hundred people.’

Mr McGuinness also criticised the amount of detail about the proposal and said the community has not properly been consulted.

People affected by the proposed changes can contact the committee at electoralcommission@gov.im.