Senior Surgeon Andre Risha Announces House of Keys Candidacy for Middle, Pledging Urgent Reforms

After more than 15 years of saving lives and caring for patients across the Isle of Man, dedicated surgeon Mr Andre Risha has officially announced his intention to stand for election to the House of Keys in the Middle constituency.

A resident of Middle, Mr Risha is running on a clear platform of "Putting the Island First." Drawing directly on his extensive frontline experience, he is campaigning to drive urgent reforms within the Manx National Health Service, tackle the escalating housing crisis, and restore strict accountability to government spending.

Having worked alongside the Island’s exceptional healthcare professionals, Mr Risha is acutely aware of the immense pressures facing local families and the public sector. If elected, he intends to leverage his deep understanding of the NHS to defend the principles of good governance, eliminate duplicated bureaucracy, and ensure the Health Service is genuinely fit for purpose.

"I see the strengths of our community every day, but I also see the severe pressures people are under—and those pressures extend far beyond the hospital doors," Mr Risha noted.

Beyond healthcare, Mr Risha is prioritising actionable solutions to protect the Island’s property-owning democracy. He advocates for a planning process that levels the playing field for local residents searching for a home, rather than catering to speculative investors seeking a nest egg. Because accommodation is critical to quality of life and societal stability, he argues it must be treated as a core government responsibility with firm oversight.

Furthermore, Mr Risha is calling for an immediate end to "cosy arrangements" regarding public funds. He is campaigning to broaden the membership of the Public Accounts Committee to ensure greater public ownership and transparency. He argues that the convenience of "commercial confidentiality" must no longer be used as a shield to conceal poor financial decisions or the absurd practice of overpaying for standard goods and services.

Mr Risha’s core campaign priorities include the following:

• Ending the "Mad March" Spend: Reforming the "Alice in Wonderland" approach to government finance, where departments are penalised for underspending. Instead, departments should be incentivised and applauded for efficiently adhering to their budgets.
• Housing Market Reform: Introducing measures to control the investment market in housing. Drawing on successful models in the Channel Islands, Mr Risha proposes restricting speculative purchasing while providing real, tangible incentives for first-time residential buyers.
• Controlling Public Sector Bloat: Addressing the ballooning bureaucracy that has expanded greatly since the pandemic. Mr Risha is prepared to push for the difficult but necessary decisions required to control this growth and promote private investment.
• Incentivising Tourism: Reforming tourism VAT to better support and stimulate the local sector, expanding relief beyond the current 5% rate, which is restricted solely to accommodation.

"If we are to protect our financial security for future generations, action has to be taken now to bring about good governance for the residents of the Isle of Man," Mr Risha stated.

Mr Risha looks forward to meeting the voters of Middle over the coming months to discuss his vision for a more accountable, responsible, and prosperous Island.