CASTLETOWN Commissioners have hit back in the row over the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, accusing former chief minister Tony Brown of ‘scaremongering’.
It was revealed last week that plans by Castletown Festival Committee to stage a street party on July 6 had been dropped. The committee claimed it was because the commissioners were not lending support to the event.
Mr Brown said the matter should have been discussed in public and added that residents were ‘unaware of the situation’.
Festival secretary Colin Leather, who is also a commissioner, said the matter had been discussed in private with the commissioners and reservations had been expressed because other parties were being organised. He said there was nothing sinister in the matter having been discussed in private.
But a commissioners spokesman said: ‘Mr Brown expresses concern that the matter should have been discussed in public.
‘Mr Leather, who obviously from the confidential matters raised is in contact with Mr Brown, has already explained this, but also the matters for public or private airing are decided by the chairman (Jerry Ludford Brooks), who is on the festival committee, and both he and Mr Leather were perfectly entitled before the meeting commenced to request that the matter be discussed in public.
‘It is also disappointing, bearing in mind the board’s long relationship with Mr Brown, that he did not see fit to consult with us direct.’
The spokesman criticised Mr Brown for ‘going direct to the media, with scaremongering headlines’.
And he said if the committee ‘still renege on their commitment’ the commissioners might put on an event after all.
He continued: ‘When we were asked by government for details of any events planned, Mr Leather advised us that the festival committee would be entirely responsible for organising a street party. In February, we undertook to supply the stage and use of the men as usual, and in fact had to disappoint two other organisations who required the stage on the same day, including The Tin Baths event.
‘In March, we reiterated our support for Picnic in the Park, and the jubilee celebrations to the festival committee.’
The spokesman said claims that the commissioners were not offering support for the street party were ‘untrue’.
He added: ‘There were some issues which were discussed, including the fact that we were unhappy as the festival committee intended to make a charge for attending and also wanted attendees to bring their own refreshments, but at no time did we waiver in our support.
‘When Colin Leather was asked by Kevin Weir for the reason for withdrawal – i.e. was it being churlish because of the issues we had raised – the reply was “no, we just can’t cope”.’
The spokesman added: ‘Clearly, this involves a strong element of electioneering and does no credit to the Festival Committee, who have done valuable service to the community to the past.’