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Manx poverty 'a late realisation'

Committee chair reflects on hearings

The Tynwald committee tasked with investigating the growing issue of poverty on the Island, opened its inquiry with a series of hearings in the last month.

Now according to its chairman Juan Watterson SHK, it is hoping to hear directly from the people who are being affected, beyond the setting of the legislative buildings.

So far, it has taken evidence from FoodbankIOM, Graih, the Salvation Army and Housing Matters, as well as members from Treasury's social security department.

"That's going to be the hardest part of this committee, actually reaching out and connecting with those people who are struggling.

"Because when you are struggling, you've got other things to worry about than engaging with a Tynwald select committee."

'Attention it deserves'

Reflecting on the progress up to now, Mr Watterson felt the committee's formation is testament to a caring society, rather than one that has neglected its most vulnerable.

"I think there is a genuine desire out there to make sure we are doing the best we possibly can for the Manx people."

In the hearing attended by two senior representatives from Treasury, it was revealed that social security had no mission statement to safeguard against poverty nor a formal recognition process of it.

"I think they have quite an operational approach in that they take the benefits that people are entitled to and ensure they get them in a timely manner.

"Where we've been able to challenge that is to get them to take a step back and say 'well what do those benefits actually buy you? Are they sufficient for need?'

"I think the answer to all these is quite historic and there isn't really a methodology for how that's been put together, there's no basket of goods to determine what a person really needs to live on.

"That's one of the challenges the committee, having to face up to whether we do need to do more about articulating a fight against poverty in some of the areas in government."

Mr Watterson explained how the facets on poverty on the Island have been compartmentalised. They range from housing and homelessness, benefits and social security, families and child poverty to mental health, money and debt management and rehabilitation and prison services.

"It's hard to take them in isolation" he says, "they're all inter-related and when it comes down to some people's lives, they can be chaotic, they can be fragmented, it's sometimes as much about the interplay of these issues as taking them into nice, discrete and easy boxes."

Aiming to understand definitions of poverty while measuring the current data to build a picture of the situation on Island, the committee is intent on making recommendations that enshrines not only a recognition, but policy that effectively addresses the issues.

"All three of us on the committee are passionate about making sure we deliver tangible and realistic outcomes.

"As opposed to a more traditional approach to committee work, we would probably be less likely to save them all up for a long list of recommendations at the end and try and keep feeding these ideas into government to make them more timely."

The Tynwald Select Committee on Poverty is appealing to those with first-hand experiences of third sector or government services to come forward and contact committees@tynwald.org.im.

You can listen to the Mandate interview below:

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