The Mountain Road will be closed at the weekend to allow work to take place ahead of next month’s Festival of Motorcycling.

It will be closed between Barrule Park in Ramsey and Creg-ny-Baa from 6pm on Saturday, reopening at 6am on Monday.

The move follows a 13-day closure earlier this year, between April 11 and 23, ahead of the Isle of Man TT Races.

A statement from the Department of Infrastructure was released this morning (Monday).

It said: ‘During pre-event inspections, the organisers identified areas of the carriageway they wished to see improved before this year’s Festival, which starts in August.

‘The department is a committed supporter of the festival, which provides a major boost to the Manx economy by attracting thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts to the Isle of Man each year.

‘In order to facilitate the resurfacing work at the 26th Milestone and the Black Hut, the Mountain Road will be subject to a full closure.’

The statement added: ‘The department has scheduled the work to avoid clashing with any advertised events and to minimise the potential impact on Ramsey’s retail sector. Commercial and leisure facilities in the town will remain accessible via the A2 Douglas to Ramsey coast road and via the A3 Ballacraine to Ramsey Road.’

Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK said: ‘Improvements to the Mountain Road not only support the safe and successful running of the TT and Manx Grand Prix, they also provide year-round benefits for local motorists.

‘The department is carrying out this work over a Saturday evening and Sunday to reduce peak-time disruption to road users and to retailers in Ramsey.’

The Festival of Motorcycling will be held between August 20 and September 2, and includes competitive racing on the 37.73-mile Mountain Course for two events, the Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix.

Douglas lifeboat and coastguard were called out to rescue a dog and sheep from cliffs yesterday (Sunday) evening at 6.12pm.

The RNLI’s ‘Sir William Hillary’ was launched to go to Port Grenaugh after receiving a report of a dog having gone over the cliff.

When the lifeboat arrived the coastguard had already rescued the dog but there was also a sheep down on the rocks.

The coastguard had secured the sheep in a net bag but had been unable to retrieve it.

The lifeboat was unable to get close enough to the bottom of the cliff and volunteer crewmen Peter Cowin and Donald Bottomley had to use an inflatable dinghy to go ashore and recover the animal.

They got the sheep into the dinghy and returned to the lifeboat with the sheep being returned to its owner who was waiting on the beach.

This year’s Christmas lights ceremony should still take place outside Douglas town hall, according to most councillors.

One recommendation was to re-site the stage towards the bottom end of Ridegeway Street which would make full use of the space available when most people arrive from the Victoria Street direction.

Councillors were told the usual position directly outside the town hall created a bottle neck and the space beyond, towards Lord Street, was not properly used.

Health and safety consultants, the police and the licensing court were all in favour of the revision, councillors were told. A further recommendation was to hire a security firm to control numbers entering and leaving the event.

However, councillors favoured retaining the 2014 model with the stage positioned outside the town hall.

Other proposals for this year’s event included using snow machines positioned on the first floor of the town hall and an improvement to the sound system. Options for a higher stage giving more people a better view, and hire of a big screen to stream the event live are also to be investigated.

Regeneration Committee chairman Stephen Pitts said he was actively trying to hire a big screen for the event.

On crowd control, he said: ‘We have previously had a barrier mid-way and there are various ways to address the over-crowding issue. A screen would certainly help, but of course it’s more cost.’

He said around 7,000 people attended last year’s event, which also marks the first night of Douglas late-night shopping. A total of 22 private security staff were also employed.

We’re receiving an average of 15 phone calls per day about fledglings at the moment, and as regular readers will know our advice is that the young birds should be left in situ as long as there is no immediate danger to them from predators.

We also receive a large number of calls about birds that are injured, usually with damaged wings that are, sadly, likely to broken.

We always ask if the caller can take the bird straight to a vet for immediate treatment, free of charge, but a surprising number of people say that they are afraid of birds and so they can’t pick up the injured animal.

Apparently the top three phobias are fear of heights, spiders and giving presentations, but a fear of birds (or ‘ornithophobia’) must surely be in the top 10.

While the society’s staff are not qualified to provide true aversion therapy, we would like to help people overcome their fear by introducing them to the birds in our aviary.

In due course actually handling a bird, a pet one rather than a wild one, could be arranged. If you think we can help you in this way please call 851672 or e-mail juana@manxspca.com.

Fear of mice is another common phobia, but what about gerbils?

We have three lovely young females called Lily, Rose and Poppy in our small animals unit.

They are all different colours with one all black, one grey and white, and one light brown.

They are very playful and, unlike hamsters, they are active during the day and so they make good pets for children. They will need lots of attention and handling under adult supervision, and in return they will provide endless amusement.

For a small donation we will rehome this trio with their fabulous purpose-built gerbil cage, which has lots of tunnelling space and climbing ledges.

The small animals unit is also home to some very unusual guests called Button and Smudge.

If you are looking for a pet that needs no exercise, then these two beautiful White’s tree frogs might be for you.

They should only be handled when absolutely necessary and so they are not suitable for young children, and they eat live insects such as crickets and mealworms and so they’re not for the fainthearted owner.

However, they are fascinating to observe in their vivarium, which needs to be kept humid and heated, and they like to climb on plants and branches.

Keeping reptiles requires dedication and commitment because they need such careful husbandry, but we are reasonably sure that these two are both young females and so baby frogs should not be an issue!

They will live for approximately 10 years and so have a lifetime of reptilian enjoyment to give to their new owner – could this be you?

Our cat of the week is called Alfie, a very handsome black Manxie.

He came into the cattery as a stray from Castletown but unfortunately no owner came forward for him.

He spent a couple of weeks at the vets when he first arrived but he has now made a full recovery and is fit and well.

He enjoys being stroked and fussed over and he has a very, very loud purr, although he can be quite aloof at times and he prefers his own company.

He isn’t enjoying being in the cattery because he doesn’t like being around the other cats, and so we really need to find a home for him as quickly as possible.

We thought we had found a home for Amigo, our super-friendly four-year-old Staffie, but sadly things haven’t worked out.

He is very stressed by a kennels environment and so he lives with foster carers.

Because he is not at Ard Jerkyll we can’t simply bring him out to meet prospective adopters, which is making it harder to rehome him. If you would like more information about him, or you would like to arrange a ‘no-obligation meeting’ with him, please contact the kennels team.

Our experienced kennels team also provide a first class dog boarding service.

If you are booking your dog into a kennels this summer please make sure that you inspect the pens and exercise areas for yourself.

Are they large enough? Are they secure? Are they clean? Are they heated?

Is there ready access to outdoor space

The ManxSPCA kennels provides all this and more for £15.00 per night, with discounts for two or more dogs.

Kevin Moore and Shirley Price topped the qualifying boards in the men’s and women’s Grant Thornton Isle of Man Golf Championships at the weekend.

Played over 36 holes on Saturday and Sunday at Peel Golf Club, the two championships were run concurrently for the first time, with more than 90 men and 23 women taking part.

There was bad news for Kayleigh Dawson who was tipped to challenge for the women’s honours at her home course but was forced to withdraw through a foot injury.

This means that Price and defending champion Breeshey Jansen are favourites to land the crown after both successfully negotiated the qualifiers.

Also making it through to the last-eight knockout stages were Jane Gaines, Christina Skelly, Gail Corrin, Catherine Cassidy, Dee Lewis and Lindsey Tickell.

In the men’s section Moore recorded rounds of 70 and 66 to edge past impressive youngster Robert Noon who picked up the award for best under-21 player. Last year’s runner-up Andrew Challenor safely made it through, as did newly-crowed junior island champion Alex McAuley.

Completing the last-16 qualifiers were Robert Braide, Chris Kneen, Paul Lowey, Tom Gandy, newcomer Michael Charmer, Lee Morgan, Jason Cubbon, Geoffrey Rice, Peter Glover, Daryl Callister, Neil Caine and Keith Ward, the latter after a playoff with Godfrey Kelly.

More in Tuesday’s Isle of Man Examiner.

In this special article, advocate Gill Christian of Keystone Law, says a judgment by Deemster Doyle shows Isle of Man law does not automatically follow English law

Illustrating clearly that UK and Isle of Man law are not necessarily one and the same, Deemster Doyle delivered judgment in a trusts case that explicitly recognises the potential for differences in approach and outcome between the two legal systems.

Significantly, the judgment has substantial implications for professional trustees in the Isle of Man and potentially further afield, as well as for those who advise them.

Overview of the case

The case in question concerned two parties: the defendant trustee, CD, and the claimant, AB. In 2012 the defendant granted a number of call options over trust assets, ultimately in favour of the claimant, who had that year become a UK resident.

It then transpired that the call options had potential adverse UK CGT [capital gains tax] consequences for the claimant, which could have been avoided by putting in place appropriate nominee agreements, however this was not identified.

The claimant (AB) applied to set aside the call options on the grounds of the principle in Hastings-Bass, being the principle that the court may set aside actions taken by trustees that have unintended consequences, and on the grounds of equitable mistake.

Interestingly, this is the first decision in the Isle of Man courts on the Hastings-Bass principle, thus accepting that the principle forms part of Isle of Man law, and on the law relating to relief for equitable mistake following its reformulation by the UK Supreme Court in Pitt v Holt1, which was commented on extensively.

Decision

The court found that the defendant was alive to the need to consider any adverse tax implications in the jurisdictions where the claimant was resident, but the defendant did not obtain UK advice and the call options were granted without the benefit of such advice. Had advice been sought, such that the defendant became aware of the potential adverse UK tax consequences, it was decided that the defendant would not have granted the options.

It was argued by the defence that the obligation to obtain tax advice was dependent on circumstances, and that in this case the trustee had acted reasonably. 
The court was unpersuaded and set aside the call options, declaring them void.

What does this mean for trustees?

The main practical implication emerging from the case is that the onus of ensuring tax advice on the consequences of trustee decisions is accessed and considered, lies with the trustee. If this responsibility is neglected, the trustee could find itself in breach of duty.

It may be that the court is setting a higher threshold than a ‘reasonableness’ test, placing a responsibility on the trustee to positively ensure that the tax consequences of trustee decisions in all relevant jurisdictions are considered as part of the decision-making process.

What does this mean for Practitioners and

trustees day-to day?

The safest approach going forward for trustees asked to exercise discretion is to ensure advice from tax advisors obtained by the trustee before making decisions. Of course this approach may give rise to additional costs, and commercially there may be a balance to be struck; there may be less costly solutions which provide an acceptable degree of protection.

Isle of Man steps away from English case law

The judgment in AB v CD is also of considerable interest thanks to comments made on the judgment of Lord Walker in Pitt v Holt. Lord Walker had said, in relation to equitable mistake, that in some cases of artificial tax avoidance the court might think it right to refuse relief on the grounds of public policy, referring to the increasing condemnation of artificial tax avoidance. Deemster Doyle viewed this as a ‘UK policy kite’, and the judgment indicates that the Isle of Man courts might not be inclined to share Lord Walker’s views in this respect.

Rejecting Lord Walker’s remark that certain offshore trustees may see their duty as ‘unquestioning obedience to the settlor’s wishes’, Deemster Doyle observed that such comments do not reflect the modern offshore trust environment in the Isle of Man.

Of Pitt v Holt, the Deemster said that no assumption that Manx law would automatically follow English law should be made, especially in respect of a decision largely driven by UK policy and UK tax revenue considerations.

He noted that English precedent is not binding on the Manx courts, and that there may be differences between Isle of Man and UK public policy.

A final point of interest in the case is the wide ranging order made by the court to protect the identity of the settlor, the trustee and the beneficiaries. Although supporting the requirement for open justice, the court judged confidentiality appropriate in this case, given the relevance of privacy concerns where private family trusts are involved.

The fastest legal system in the world?

What is exceptionally clear from this judgment is that the Isle of Man Court is very aware of the nuances of Manx practice, and the commercial reality of business life, when applying legal principles.

With the process through from the claim form being issued to the final hearing and the court’s judgment being completed within just several weeks, it is difficult to imagine any other jurisdiction in the world resolving this matter for the parties with any more expedition.

l Acting for the claimant: Gillian Christian as consultant to Advocate John Rimmer (also of Keystone Law) and Robert Ham QC.

l Acting for defendant: Kevin O’Loughlin and Christopher Arrowsmith of Simcocks.

l Full judgment can be found at https://www.judgments.im/content/J1766.htm

A new strategy to repair empty council properties should ensure they are turned around and re-rented more quickly in the future.

According to Housing committee chairman Councillor David Ashford, the council has now engaged an independent contractor to carry out the more major repairs needed on some properties before reletting.

Council workmen will still carry out the basic maintenance needed on council houses and flats before reletting but a separate team, engaged after a tendering process, will deal with those properties that require more comprehensive structural work.

‘The result should be a general drop in the number of voids and it should also free up the housing maintenance team so they can get on with the day-to-day regular maintenance such as painting sills and gable ends,’ he said.

He said the number of empty properties was artificially high for a time because houses were needed to accommodate existing tenants whose usual homes were being refurbished as part of the Willaston scheme. However, he said 40 homes were due soon to be relet.

Accountants had a day off work to help a primary school.

A team from Grant Thornton redeveloped Braddan School’s outdoor learning area.

More than 15 staff painted, tidied, planted and helped to complete what the school calls the ‘foundation stage outside area’.

The area, which will be used by the school’s younger pupils, now features a mud kitchen, play house, toadstool table and seats, and benches.

The Grant Thornton team also helped fill new plant tubs, create a surround for the mud kitchen and put wood chips in the area.

The company also donated money towards the cost of materials.

Braddan School reception class teacher Tracy Roberts said: ‘We are overwhelmed with the generosity we have been shown, which will enhance our outdoor learning for years to come. It means a lot to our school and with all our new resources it will help lots of children in many ways.

‘The reception team would like to say a huge thank you to Grant Thornton for all its help, time and generous donations towards redeveloping our Foundation Stage Outside Area. We’d also like to thank Haldane Fisher (IOM) Ltd, Lee Partington and Brian Skelly for their generosity.’

She added: ‘The reception children are looking forward to dishing up lots of mud pies, messy milkshakes and sloppy smoothies!’

Martin Kneale, a director at Grant Thornton, said: ‘Grant Thornton is committed to supporting our island community, whether that is through donations to charities and organisations, sponsorship of community and sporting events or rolling up our sleeves and getting “hands on”.

‘There were plenty of volunteers to help with the work at Braddan School, and as a business we were more than happy to give them time away from the office to get involved. It’s great to hear their efforts were appreciated, and I know from speaking to them that they felt an enormous sense of pride and satisfaction from helping refurbish the outdoor learning area.

‘We hope all reception classes at Braddan School enjoy the new outdoor area for years to come.’

Thursdays throughout the summer holidays will have the X-tra Factor at The Curraghs Wildlife Park.

During the school summer holidays, there will be extra events and fun activities for the whole family to enjoy on Thursdays.

The little train will also be running every Thursday from midday.

A ‘what’s on guide’ with all the feeding time talks and animal encounters will also be running most days throughout the school holidays.

For more information see www.curraghswildlifepark.im

A floral demonstration and afternoon tea will be held in aid of Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association.

It will take place on Saturday, July 23 from 2pm to 4.30pm at the Millennium Hall in Crosby.

The demonstration will be given by Jenny Corrin and there will also be raffles and a plant stall.

Admission is by ticket only. Tickets cost £10 and can be obtained by calling 471168.

A plan to build seven dwellings on land at Maine Road in Port Erin received the local authority’s support last week.

The proposal (16/00665/B) is by Forest Homes Development Limited to build on land - which is owned by the authority and a woman living in Halifax - at the car park and a house called ‘Whitestones’ and a former coastguard store, Maine Road.

John Booth, writing on behalf of his father Clarence John, who owns the property next to the site, said it will have a ‘negative’ affect on his father’s property and not ‘fit in’ with the two storey houses next door. However the authority agreed the proposal is not excessively high and they supported the plan.

A stunt company director faces jail after a human cannonball from the Isle of Man lost his life when a show ground act went tragically wrong.

Matt Cranch, 24, was killed when his safety net collapsed while he was flying through the air after being fired from a cannon.

He fell 40ft to the ground during a performance in front of hundreds of spectators at the Kent County Show in 2011.

An inquest last year heard Mr Cranch had become a stuntman just one week before the tragedy.

Scott May, who runs Stunts UK Ltd, admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act on behalf of himself and his company at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court, in a case brought by Maidstone Borough Council.

The 39-year-old, of Penzance, Cornwall, was granted unconditional bail pending sentence. The maximum penalty for the offence is an unlimited fine and a two-year jail term.

Mr Cranch, who went to school in the island but had moved to Newquay, was fired from a cannon during Scott May’s Daredevil Stunt Show.

The powerful recoil caused the safety net to collapse while he was mid air. His death was ruled to have been an accident at an inquest last year.

Mark Watson, prosecuting, said: ‘In a nut shell the prosecution’s case concerns failures in regard to the operation and design of the mechanism, training of staff and risk assessment.

‘The focus of criticism relates to the management of health and safety in relation to the safety net designed to catch Mr Cranch. The net included a quick release catch which failed and a) was not necessary and created a self evident risk and b) had not been properly maintained, designed or operated.’

He said Mr Cranch had been ‘ejected from the barrel at significant speed and struck the ground causing catastrophic injuries’.

Tanya Robinson, defending, said: ‘My client cannot say he took all reasonable steps to reduce the risk of injury.

‘Mr May accepts he as managing director and health and safety officer was responsible. He wants Mr Cranch’s family to know he is truly sorry for what happened.

‘The defence disputes this was a flagrant or deliberate breach motivated by profit. As far as the defendant is concerned the show is his life and he took matters of safety very seriously. He will say he did not realise the risk of failure and they used the trigger release mechanism about 1,000 times without any problems.’

Manx charity Junior Achievement Isle of Man and Barclays have celebrated five years of open days for high school students.

Each year students spend a morning at Barclays in partnership with Junior Achievement learning about the varied job opportunities a career in banking offers.

Barclays’ Bal Jandu said: ‘This was our fifth year of running the Junior Achievement Barclays school open days and to date we have seen more than 250 students take part.

‘The sessions are open to year 10 students in all six secondary schools in the Isle of Man and they provide an invaluable insight into the financial workplace, its values and the diverse array of jobs available

‘Students are always amazed to learn of the variety of job opportunities and training the bank offers.

‘Barclays works with the local community to upskill the next generation and set them up on a pathway to success.

‘These open days help teach the students important life skills which will support them as they move from school to further education or the workplace.

‘I have been organising the school open days from the start and I thoroughly enjoy them; it’s very rewarding to see the students embracing the experience, which will help them to shape their career choices.’

St Ninian’s High School teacher Steve Ryder-Clague said: ‘The sessions were excellent real-world experiences of working life for our students.

‘They were extremely informative about the diversity of jobs within the financial industry.

‘Barclays staff worked well with our students and were a pleasure to be with during the morning…and the organisation by Junior Achievement was first-class too.’

Comments from students included: ‘Really enjoyed myself. Found it informative’; ‘Opened up my mind to the possibilities in the finance sector’; ‘The questions I asked were answered with confidence and with integrity’; ‘Learnt a lot about Barclays’; ‘I would like to work there’.

Junior Achievement programme manager Joy Spence said: ‘These open days are a real eye-opener for young people at a pivotal time in their life when they’re on the brink of leaving school and having to consider the next step to take.

‘These session also complement programmes we deliver in schools, such as “It’s All About Money” which teaches students how to become financially adept adults; “Get A Job” that helps young people acquire the skills needed when applying and attending an interview for a job; our mock interview workshops; “Learn to Earn”, helping year nine students develop the soft skills employers expect today; and our flagship company programme where year 12 students set up and run their own company over an academic year.

‘All that we do at Junior Achievement is about preparing young people for the complex and highly competitive world of work. In this Barclays’ support is invaluable, the open days giving students a flavour of just how varied a career in banking can be - from legal to marketing, IT to accounting opportunities, and more. Importantly the sessions go a long way to dispelling the myth that banking’s just about figures and handling cash. Rather it offers young people global opportunities to reach their potential so we are very grateful to Barclays for their long-standing support.’

To find how more about Junior Achievement visit www.jaiom.im, call 666266 or follow Junior Achievement Isle of Man on Facebook.

Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne will this week seek Tynwald approval for the government to buy a site for a new Liverpool ferry terminal – for a price of up to £3.5m.

But TravelWatch has expressed concern at the distance of the new berth from the city centre for foot passengers and the lack of a bus stop.

It said the scheme is too serious to be rushed through in the last days of this administration - and it has called on the Manx government to contact Liverpool Riverside MP Louise Ellman as a matter of urgency, to resolve what it says are ‘conflicting interests’.

Meanwhile, there’s been a surprise intervention by UNESCO which has called for a two-year halt on development on the waterfront over fears it could damage the city’s world heritage status.

But why is the Manx taxpayer getting involved at all?

In late 2014, the Peel Group began urgent discussions with the Steam Packet over the landing stage which it said has reached the end of its working life. But it said it could only invest £15m in a replacement facility if the ferry operator could guarantee a long-term commitment to the route – a guarantee that could not be given while the future of the user agreement is still uncertain. At that point the Manx government intervened.

In its report to Tynwald, the Department of Infrastructure says doing nothing is not an option. It expects the current landing stage to be taken out of use and redeveloped for a cruise liner terminal by 2019. The current agreement with the Steam Packet over its use runs out in December this year and there is no obligation on Peel Ports to enter into a new deal.

Refurbishing the existing landing stage is not an option, claims the DoI, and so the only alternative is to find a different site.

The DoI’s report to Tynwald lists three options to design and build the £25m facility at Princes Half Tide Dock – the taxpayer funds the entire cost, we could buy the completed facility from Peel or the development is funded and delivered by the Steam Packet,

It recommends the latter – but says no work should begin until agreement has been reached with the ferry operator. But TravelWatch has warned of the danger of it becoming a white elephant. It says other options should be considered including refurbishing and extended the current Pier Head site as a combined cruise liner and ferry terminal.

Getting Mrs Ellman to intervene and bring the parties together, it claims, would allow the pros and cons of all options to be evaluated.

Next year’s Manx National Two-Day Trial will take place on the corresponding weekend to this one, at the end of the Southern 100.

Over the last 60 years, the two-day has provided one of the most popular traditional events for riders from all parts of the UK, Ireland and further afield.

More recently, it has suffered because of the increasing popularity of other aspects of the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling, that includes the Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix races.

Unfortunately for the trial, this has led to more expensive ferry prices, a shortage of accommodation and increasingly difficult logistical problems for the organisers.

The organising committee has been monitoring this situation closely and listening to feedback from competitors. It became increasingly clear that for the event to survive and grow back to the numbers it enjoyed not too many years ago, something needed to change.

To move a popular event like the ‘Manx’ isn’t an easy job. The national trials calendar is full of events on virtually every weekend of the year from January to December, so to avoid clashing with other long-established events the committee has spent many hours looking at the problem.

In addition, there are many events already established on the local sporting calendar that need to be carefully considered such as sports festivals, car rallying, mountain bike races and other mass-participation events like the Parish Walk.

Following long hours of discussion and debate the committee agreed that the dates of the Manx Two Day Trial will change from 2017 onwards. The dates for next year will be July 15 and 16, the weekend following the Southern 100. It will hopefully retain this position thereafter.

Chairman of the organising committee, Robbie Lace, commented: ‘The new dates have been discussed with various land owners, Isle of Man Government and various other interested parties and all are in favour of the new plan.

‘This will enable all of the problems that have arisen in recent years to be easily dealt with and offers us massive potential to build the trial back up to its previous entry levels.

‘Restrictions on land use because of road closures for racing won’t affect us anymore and the costs involved in competitors travelling to the island and the accommodation availability when they are here will be dramatically reduced, so hopefully it’s good news for everyone.’

Robbie continued: ‘We’ve been talking to travel companies and they are very excited about the deals they can put together for us. We have agreed to use Sally Helwich at www.iomevents.com as our event travel partner to make sure everyone gets the best deal possible.

‘These are very exciting times for the event and the whole of the committee is excited about the changes.’

l Meanwhile, preparations are now at full speed for the 2016 event which will take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend for the final time.

Rhyl Football Club’s under-19s enjoyed success on their trip to the island last week.

The Welsh Premier League outfit’s academy side defeated two Isle of Man FA representative teams during their three-match tour.

On Thursday evening, the visitors defeated a scratch senior representative side 4-3 - Rhyl scoring the winner with the last kick of the game.

The Welsh side took a first-half lead thanks to a Tom Mann effort before doubling their lead when Connor Rankin struck in the 57th minute.

Alex Holden pulled a goal back for the Manx on the hour mark with Darren Hudgeon equalising four minutes later.

Iwan Murray’s 73rd minute goal recaptured the lead for the visitors. Holden netted again for the Manx to make it 3-3 before Ryan Hulse scored the winner for Rhyl deep into added time.

On Saturday afternoon, the Welsh side defeated the Isle of Man FA’s under-18s 2-1. Ryan Hulse gave the Welsh a first-half lead, Danny Corrin equalising shortly after the restart.

Jack Williams scored the game’s winner in the 65th minute, flicking the ball into the net.

Rhyl played St George’s on Friday evening, the Glencrutchery Road side winning 7-2. All matches were played at the Bowl.

l Club sides Rhyl and Prestatyn FC and Wigan Athletic will join the Isle of Man FA’s women’s team in a triangular tournament at the end of the month.

The three-day Bowl-based competition starts on Friday, July 29.

johnners agm takes place this thursday

St John’s FC’s annual general meeting is to be held at the Mullen-e-Cloie clubhouse this Thursday, July 21, at 7pm.

Any member requiring a copy of the agenda in advance of the meeting should contact the secretary, Mike Stringer on 469157.

Award-winning business Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management is celebrating its 20th anniversary in the Isle of Man.

The company has firmly established itself as a key player in the island’s corporate sector and wider community over the last two decades, having won major industry awards, sponsored key local events and donated more than £60,000 to local causes.

Its local team has combined industry experience of more than 250 years and prides itself on delivering traditional wealth management through a highly personal service.

Dermot Hamill, head of wealth management at Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management in the Isle of Man, said: ‘It is incredible how far the team has come in 20 years.

‘Many of them have been employed by the business for a decade or more and that expertise, knowledge and dedication is of huge benefit to our clients.

‘As well as employing a highly-qualified local team, in the last year we have invested considerably in a new wealth management technology platform which is supporting our ambitious growth plans and is vital for our long-term strategy.’

The business was first established in the Isle of Man in 1996 through the acquisition of Grieg Middleton. There were then just three members of staff (two of whom are still with the business today) based at offices on Auckland Terrace in Ramsey.

The acquisitions of Tilney & Co in 2002 and Insinger de Beaufort in 2006 further grew the team which now comprises seven portfolio managers and four investment advisers.

As one of the fastest growing offices in the worldwide Canaccord Genuity group, the Isle of Man office in Bank Hill, Douglas manages £1.4 billion of assets.

As well as the Isle of Man, Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management has offices in London, Guernsey and Jersey where more than 120 investment professionals manage and administer approximately £12 billion of assets on behalf of a global client base.

The firm’s Isle of Man clients benefit from access to locally-based investment and fund managers backed by the strength and depth of the global business.

The Isle of Man team is able to draw on an abundance of product knowledge and insight into international markets, capture that expertise and tailor it for local clients.

The company also plays an active role in raising the profile of the island’s finance sector on the global stage.

It was named Isle of Man Investment Management Company of the Year for the third year in a row at the 2016 Citywealth International Financial Centre Awards.

Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management supports the island community through its charitable trust, which has donated almost £63,000 to local charities since its launch in 2004, and its sponsorships include Ramsey Golf Week, Vikings Hockey Club and the Isle of Man Newspapers Awards for Excellence.

‘The business has achieved a lot of success in the Isle of Man over the last two decades thanks to our knowledgeable team and loyal client base,’ said Mr Hamill. ‘We remain dedicated to offering the best investment solutions and will continue to innovate in anticipation of future wealth management requirements.’

The Speaker of the House of Keys is to become the President of Tynwald.

Tynwald today confirmed that Mr Rodan would take over from Clare Christian, who is stepping down after this month’s sitting.

The move means he won’t be standing in the general election in September. He has been MHK since 1995.

But his change in role will mean a pay cut.

The Speaker is {http://www.tynwald.org.im/memoff/remall/Pages/default.asp|entitled to 60 per cent more than the basic Tynwald members’ salary}.

The President gets only 50 per cent more.

So his salary will be £59,319.75.

Mr Rodan said: ‘I am deeply honoured to have been entrusted with presiding over Tynwald Court for the next five years, and thank my proposer, seconder and the members for placing their confidence in me.

‘It has been a great privilege to represent the people of Garff in Tynwald for the past 21 years.

‘They have returned me as Member of the House of Keys for five successive elections, and I sincerely thank them for their consistent support, and hope I have repaid their trust in me to give them effective representation in our national parliament over the years. I have greatly enjoyed serving people as a constituency MHK, and helping with their concerns.’

Steve Rodan, who earned a living as a pharmacist, was elected at a by-election in May 1995 after serving or four years as a Laxey commissioner.

He was re-elected in 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011. He was the chairman of the planning committee for two years, then Minister for Education 1999-2004, followed by Minister for DHSS 2004 – 2006. After an unsuccessful bid as Chief Minister in 2006, he was elected Speaker of the House of Keys, re-elected in 2011, and holding the post for 10 years.

As President of Tynwald, Mr Rodan also will preside over sittings of the Legislative Council.

The body of an island-based businessman is still missing - more than seven months after the light aircraft he was flying crashed into the sea off the coast of Blackpool.

Experienced pilot Ian Stirling was flying solo when his Rockwell Commander light aircraft vanished in poor weather shortly before it was due to land in the resort last December.

His plane, which had taken off from Ronaldsway at just after 8.30am on December 3, was later found buried upside down in sand on the seabed. A salvage operation was launched, but the 73-year-old’s body remains unrecovered.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has now released its report into the crash. It concludes that the aircraft stalled at a dangerously low height and that the pilot was not qualified to fly using only his instruments.

The report states: ‘The aircraft was operating in weather conditions that would have been challenging for the pilot, who held no instrument flying qualification. The available evidence suggests the aircraft may have stalled at a height from which recovery was not possible.’

A search and rescue mission was launched after Mr Stirling’s single-engine plane lost contact with air traffic control around three miles off the coast, shortly after 9am on December 3.

Some 45 square nautical miles of water were scoured by lifeboats and helicopters.

An oil or fuel slick was spotted close to the where the plane went missing and debris - including a bag containing flight information - washed ashore hours later.

Mr Stirling, a wealthy businessman who divided his time between the Isle of Man and Scotland, held a private pilot’s licence and had clocked up more than 200 flying hours, but was not qualified for instrument-flying.

He had asked an air traffic controller at Blackpool whether he would be able to land during the bad weather, and said: ‘Of course it’s up to me. I can always divert back.’

A bank of low cloud was moving out to sea and radar showed the plane, after flying into the crowd, lost speed and height until it disappeared from radar.

The Rockwell Commander was found upside down on the seabed, intact but full of sand. Its landing gear was down.

Efforts to recover the plane failed, and it was not possible to access the cabin, where Mr Stirling’s body may remain. Some parts, including the engine, were successfully raised.

The plane hit the water at a steep angle. Accident investigators said a technical fault, or external influence such as a bird-strike, could not be entirely discounted.

A memorial service for Mr Stirling was held at Dunblane cathedral in January. The former director of building firm Allanwater Developments based in Bridge of Allan, had homes in Douglas and in Stirlingshire. He leaves wife Elizabeth and sons Mark, David and Jamie.

A Douglas man who got into a row with fairground security staff had a lock-knife, a court has been told.

Douglas magistrates heard police were called to a disturbance at the TT funfair on Loch Promenade, shortly before midnight on June 7.

When they arrived they found 36-year-old Brian Michael Mark Gilmour, of Stevenson’s Court, arguing with bouncers. Prosecutor James Robinson said Gilmour volunteered the information that he had a knife in his pocket. This was confirmed by a search. The defendant admitted carrying a knife in public.

He told police ‘I carry it in memory of my dad’, but refused to say more.

Gilmour’s advocate, Roger Kane, said the knife did indeed have sentimental value for the defendant, whose father had died in February, however, he said he did not oppose a forfeiture and destruction order.

‘It is not a defence but it does explain it. The knife was not carried with the intention of harming anyone,’ he said.

Magistrates’ chairman Brian Walton told him: ‘This was at the fair during TT.’

He received a six week prison sentence, an existing probation order continues and he was banned from on-licensed premises for six months.