Tynwald select committee hearings rarely elicit much interest from the public.
But the Legislative Council chamber was packed out for the appearance before the Kirk Michael landswap inquiry of larger than life star witness, convicted fraudster Charles ‘Buster’ Lewin.
The audience, including no fewer than five MHKs plus two retired Tynwald members, were not to be disappointed – and Mr Lewin clearly relished his morning out from Jurby jail to spill the beans on his former employer Heritage Homes.
His central allegation was that Heritage Homes conducted a carefully-planned bluff to secure a land swap deal with the Department of Education and Children necessary to secure access to a proposed major housing development in the village.
Thinking the developer had alternative access to the site via Lhergy Vreck, the department believed it no longer had a ‘ransom strip’ which it could use as a bargaining chip to win a better deal for the taxpayer.
In fact, claimed Mr Lewin, Heritage Homes’ claims of an alternative access was a bluff because it knew it was not possible in practice as there were issues over traffic safety and access rights.
In an incendiary allegation, he accused the then treasury minister, now Chief Minister, Allan Bell and the then education minister, now Treasury Minister Eddie Teare, of collusion in the bluff.
He spoke of two-hour telephone calls between ‘AB’ and Dandara founder and group chairman Dan Tynan – and described that ‘evidence’ as a ‘potential bomb ticking’.
Other allegations concerned ‘sweeteners’ in the form of money or holidays apparently offered as an incentive or reward by the developer to secure land deals
Chairman Steve Rodan, who warned the witness at the beginning of the hearing that his evidence would be covered by parliamentary privilege but this was not a platform to make unsubstantiated allegations, asked him: ‘Why should we believe anything that you tell us?’
‘It’s very easy to verify what I’ve said this morning, I’ve no reason to tell you a lie, sir,’ Mr Lewin.
Mr Rodan suggested that much of what the witness said could have been vexatious in nature, borne out of an ongoing employment tribunal case Mr Lewin has with Heritage Homes.
Committee member Brenda Cannell MHK suggested he was making unsubstantiated comments about a cosy relationship between government ministers and the developer. She asked him for proof of the phone calls between Mr Bell and Mr Tynan. ‘I was there,’ he replied. ‘All I can say is what I heard first hand.’
Mr Lewin suggested darkly that some documents may have been shredded.
He claimed the bluff would have cost the taxpayer between £8 million and £10 million
In the event, however, the landswap never happened as the planning consent was ultimately thrown out by the Council of Ministers who accepted a planning inspector’s recomendation.
Speaking afterwards, former Michael MHK David Cannan said he believed it was important that Mr Teare should respond to the allegations.
