As Chief Executive for the Isle of Man Government, it is my privilege to lead our public services and lead delivery of the Island Plan. We will get the best results for this amazing island if we work together. The public service has been through a difficult few years, but now is time to look to the future. My absolute priority over the next 12 months is to get this organisation back on its feet, so people feel valued, and our communities know what we’re doing and how we’re delivering. As part of that, it’s important to recognise where progress has been made. The snapshot of recent delivery highlights in section 15 gives a flavour. Crucially, as we continue to work on these priorities in 2024-25, we will provide continued assurance that public money is well managed. Government finances are having to absorb multiple stresses including the ongoing impacts of COVID, inflationary pressures, and uncertainty in the global financial markets.

We will support Ministers to prioritise and spend money wisely. The Government set out an ambitious Plan and Economic Strategy in 2022, which continues to evolve in response to events. For 2024, the Island Plan hones in on six redefined strategic priorities. We will prioritise resources accordingly, to drive these redefined priorities forward, while maintaining core services. And we will learn the lessons from the Brunner and Wright reviews, and take forward agreed recommendations that will strengthen our organisation. We will continue to keep an eye on the longer-term too - building on our UNESCO biosphere status, progressing towards net zero and maintaining our international reputation as a trusted financial centre.