Leadership key in chief minister vote, says Chamber
Claire Watterson is urging MHKs to prioritise leadership skills when voting for the chief minister.
Leadership is crucial in chief minister vote, says Chamber
Claire Watterson said the next chief minister did not need prior experience
The Isle of Man’s new MHKs should select a chief minister on the basis of leadership qualities, rather than experience or popularity, the Chamber of Commerce has said.
The business lobby group has offered guidance to the new administration, which includes 15 newcomers among its 24 members.
The members will choose the next chief minister at the next Tynwald sitting on 13 October.
Chamber of Commerce president Claire Watterson said the next chief minister would need to bring the new members together into a “cohesive” team.
She cautioned that the island was heading into “a very hard five years” of economic difficulties, and said pressure on public finances and the loss of high-earning jobs had created a challenging climate for both households and businesses.
With most members now first-time politicians, she said MHKs should vote for their next chief minister based on who could “build consensus, set a direction and stick to it”.
Watterson said the island’s finances were not as strong as they had been in earlier years.
She said the latest government statistics showed the economy had fallen by 7.4% in the two years to March 2024.
After the September election, the new MHKs elected a speaker and deputy speaker.
David Ashford was elected speaker and first-time politician Richard Henthorn was appointed deputy.
There are nine ministerial posts available in the Council of Ministers (CoMin), as well as the chief minister role, meaning at least one newcomer will take on a senior position.
Watterson said the job did not have to go to an experienced politician. She said: “The person just has to be able to set a direction, set up a cabinet who has the required skills to fulfil that direction and bring together the support around those people.”
The Chamber has not backed any candidate for chief minister, and Watterson said it would work with whoever was selected, with a focus on growing the economy.