Six recommendations have been made to ensure there’s no repeat of problems which led to the collapse of a deal to privately run the TT.

They’ve been proposed by a Tynwald committee after a report criticised Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly and the department's former chief executive, Chris Corlett, for their joint role in the failed Vision Nine scheme.

An outline deal between the promoter and the department was scrapped 14 months ago – six months after it had been approved by Tynwald.

No contract was ever signed.

Despite singling out Mr Skelly and Mr Corlett as responsible for the failed deal, the recommendations, brought forward by the Economic Policy Review Committee, focus more on systemic issues.

It proposes COMIN, Treasury and the Attorney General's Chambers review rules on confidentiality and ensure departments can work together on commercial deals.

The committee suggests departments should not obtain legal advice from the private sector without approval of the Attorney General.

Other recommendations include examining how government looks to outsource, and which major projects need to be managed from an 'interdepartmental' perspective.

Furthermore, it asks for an economic impact assessment of the TT and Festival of Motorcycling to be carried out and laid before Tynwald by June.

Above all though, the committee stress safety on and off the course must be government's highest priority when developing motorsport events.

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The chairman of committee investigation into the Vision Nine affair suggested in Tynwald that the Enterprise Minister should take responsibility and resign.

Michael Coleman said it wasn’t for the committee to state whether Laurence Skelly should continue as Minister.

But he cited the captain of the Titanic who had blamed no one but himself after the ship hit the iceberg and had stayed in the wheelhouse as it sank.

’It’s up to the people of the Isle of Man to set the personal standards of Ministers,’ he told the court.

’His grasp of such a flagship project was so light it failed to leave a mark as it trundled towards calamity like a steam train with no brakes.’

The 862-page report concludes that responsibility for the failure of the Vision Nine project lay primarily with Mr Skelly and his then chief executive Chris Corlett.

’Mr Corlett has already left the civil service for personal reasons. We can read into that whatever we may wish.’

Mr Coleman’s comments prompted Home Affairs Minister Bill Malarkey to remark: ’This is a witch hunt not a report.’

’If it was going to be a witch hunt I know who it would be and it would not be Mr Skelly,’ replied Mr Coleman.

A 10-year deal to appoint Vision Nine as a private promoter partner for the TT was approved by Tynwald in April 2016.

But just seven months later, the Council of Ministers pulled the plug following legal advice of the acting Attorney General.

That advice remains confidential. The contract with Vision Nine was never signed.

Mr Coleman said the island ’had dodged a bullet’.

’We spent five years working on this and what did we end up with? Nothing,’ he said.

The report revealed how a draft report was only circulated to the other departments at the end of April 2016. But when they raised concerns, the acting AG was brought in.

Mr Skelly said he ’categorically and unreservedly’ apologised on behalf of the department. But he said nothing about whether he should resign.

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Only Tynwald members can see full documents

The true reasons behind the collapsed Vision Nine deal may never be publicly revealed.

A report spanning more than 400 pages, along with recommendations and evidence, was received by Tynwald on Tuesday (16th).

The report's author, Economic Policy Review Committee chairman Michael Coleman MLC, said the public is 'entitled to know who is responsible for wasting taxpayers' money'.

But he also confirmed hundreds of pages of additional evidence lay in a private 'reading room' for Tynwald members only, on advice of the Attorney General.

Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly denied it was a whitewash.

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They could have put in another recommendation.
Try asking the fans what they think first.

Nail on head there!!

There are various competing interests ;

Obviously the fans
The taxpayer (the Government)
The riders/teams
The non biking residents/TT haters
Businesses which make a living from it

The fans and their contribution to the economy are the driver for everything. If they don't come, there's nothing for anyone else apart from the haters.

It still surprises me that the organisers don't base their thinking on this premise.