The Treasury Minister has defended a Council of Ministers’ decision to sack the chairman of the Post Office.
Malew and Santon MHK Graham Cregeen, a former government minister, was removed as member and chairman of the Post Office with immediate effect last month over his ‘fundamental conflict’ with board policy on corporatisation.
But that plan to run the operation as a state-owned private company rather than a statutory board has been left in disarray after Tynwald voted down most of the recommendations of an independent report into the future of the island’s postal service.
In the House of Keys this week, Michael MHK Alfred Cannan asked why Mr Cregeen was not given a reasonable opportunity to resign - and whether he should now be reinstated given that Tynwald had rejected the board’s corporatisation policy.
But Treasury Minister Eddie Teare said: ‘A chairman of a statutory board has to accept the democratic decision of the board, and if you do not accept the democratic decision, then the option in your hands is to resign.’
Mr Cregeen said he would have resigned if Tynwald had supported corporatisation.
Douglas South MHK Bill Malarkey said: ‘Does the Minister not agree the timing was rather unfortunate, because CoMin wanted to push through corporatisation and that sacking should not have taken place until after Tynwald had made its decision?’
Mr Teare replied: ‘No. The fact of the matter here is that thsere was a disagreement with the board and the chairman did not accept the views of his colleagues, the democratic decision.’