The bridge in Laxey is due to be shut again – on the anniversary of the flood that destroyed the old one.

The structure collapsed on December 3 last year after a bus had stopped on it.

Work is scheduled to take place to apply what the Department of Infrastructure describes as ‘the finishing touches’ to the replacement bridge.

The bridge, which has been open to traffic since September 31 will close to enable the deck to be surfaced.

The DoI has applied for a road closure order to run from November 28 to December 9.

However, the DoI says the bridge is likely to be closed for no more than three days while the work takes place. The duration of the closure order is to allow for any possible delays caused by bad weather.

The final surfacing of the bridge cannot take place until other key elements of the scheme have been finished, the DoI says.

Manx Telecom is currently installing new telecommunications infrastructure to provide more residents and businesses in lower Laxey with access to high-speed broadband services.

The telecommunications work is scheduled for completion on Wednesday, November 30, at which point staff and machinery will move on site to lay the permanent asphalt surface on the bridge deck.

Schoolchildren speaking Manx will be seen and heard on Channel 4 tomorrow.

The Manx language will be heard on Channel 4 from this week after pupils from the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh recorded programme announcements.

The primary school in St John’s, which teaches its 67 pupils in Manx, was chosen to take part in Channel 4’s Voices of 4 project, launched to celebrate diversity across the British Isles.

The project gives a voice to people who have a special connection to the number four and reflects Channel 4’s commitment to championing alternative voices.

Headteacher Julie Matthews said: ‘Channel 4 wanted to involve Year 4 [aged eight and nine] pupils at the world’s only Manx Gaelic school.

‘We were asked to make a sample video and, after viewing it, Channel 4 confirmed it would include us in the project.

‘The Channel 4 film crew came over in early November and recorded individual pupils and the whole class announcing programmes in Manx.

‘We have already been told our announcements will precede The Simpsons at 6pm tomorrow (Wednesday) and Sunday Brunch at 9.30am on November 20 and we are excited to see which others they will use.

‘Our announcements will be subtitled in English and I was involved in checking those prior to broadcast.’

Mrs Matthews continued: ‘It’s fantastic that we will hear Manx Gaelic spoken on Channel 4 in a fun way.

‘Our children work hard to become fluent Manx speakers and are at the vanguard of the language’s resurgence. It’s pleasing that Channel 4 is featuring Manx in this way.’

Voices of 4 runs until December 11.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle gave a state of the nation speech in Tynwald as he unveiled the framework for a Programme for Government.

Insisting the ‘bedrock on which we build a new future for our island is solid’, he outlined a range of measures to encourage economic growth – including action on work permits, utility charges, planning and education.

The sewerage rate had been due to go up by about 33 per cent, an average of £50, next year but will now increase by inflation only.

Mr Quayle told Tynwald he was also looking for reform of the telecoms infrastructure, pre-school education and the benefits system.

There will be proposals to expand the range of work permit exemptions in response to skills shortages that are hindering business expansion.

The next sewerage rate increase will be restricted to inflation only and the Manx Utilities Authority will be asked to consider a similar approach for water and electricity costs.

Work to reform the planning system will aim to achieve ‘substantial progress’ within the next 18 months. Mr Quayle said growth should not come at any cost, but there was a consensus that the current system ‘is not responsive enough.’

A new strategy for lifelong learning is to be developed, ‘which will ensure our people are able to get the skills they need, when they need them, ready for the workplace of the future.’

Recommendations for improvement to telecoms and internet provision are to be progressed, including a more active role for the Communications Commission in monitoring pricing and quality.

The Chief Minister said there was inconsistent pre-school provision across the island, and the system needed urgent overhaul. ‘I want to ensure that all our children are receiving the best start in life’, he told Tynwald.

Finally, he said reform of the benefits system to be intensified and policy work on needs and means testing to be completed in the first year of the administration. Mr Quayle said the system should provide ‘a truly tailored package of care for those who need it most’ but at no additional cost.

The planned freeze in the sewerage rate had earlier in the Tynwald sitting been announced by Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan.

Mr Cannan said the Manx Utility Authority’s strategy has been based on a long term financial plan whose primary objective was to pay its outstanding debt which amounts £570m.

He said given changes in economic circumstances he was commissioning an independent review, led by Treasury.

in the meantime the sewerage rate will rise by inflation only and a motion on this will be brought to the December Tynwald. The water rate will also increase in line with inflation. Electricty tariffs for 2017-18 will be considered in January.

The benefits of the new Heysham to M6 link road are already being seen.

That’s according to Steam Packet Company chief executive Mark Woodward, after the £140m Bay Gateway road opened to motorists on October 31.

The three-mile dual carriageway means ferry passengers can now avoid congestion in Lancaster, reducing journey times to and from the port.

Mr Woodward said: ‘The opening of the Bay Gateway is a very welcome development, reducing the travelling time between Heysham and the motorway network.

‘In the first few days, the benefits of the direct link have been clear to see.’

The major road project, which started in 2014, connects the Heysham and Morecambe peninsula to Junction 34 of the M6.

The dual carriageway also features a footpath and cycleway along the entire route.

The project has also involved a fully remodelled Junction 34, with new slip roads, a new bridge being built over the River Lune and the creation of a 600-space park and ride site.

It’s hoped the new road will provide better access for residents, businesses and tourists to the area.

Heysham is the closest port to several major offshore infrastructure projects. These include the proposed National Grid Connection of Moorside nuclear power station in Cumbria and the Dong Energy Walney Extension wind farm.

Meanwhile, Mr Woodward has welcomed the announcement that Peel Ports will invest £10 million in Heysham port.

The work will include replacing an old linkspan used by Seatruck Ferries, an additional pontoon to support offshore crew transfer vessels and improvements to the port’s IT and terminal operating systems.

Mr Woodward said: ‘Heysham is integral to the Isle of Man’s sea services, providing a well-positioned port for passenger and freight traffic, so we are please to see such a substantial investment in improving traffic access.’

He added: ‘While the improvements will not directly affect operations to and from the Isle of Man, being chiefly focused on replacing an old linkspan with a new version to be used by Seatruck Ferries, it is a positive sign.

‘We hope the improvements will continue, with access to the port being fully maintained with regular dredging of the approach channel and ongoing enhancements to the operation of Heysham port.’

The work on the port is due to start this month and the expected completion date is October 2017.

Steam Packet passengers have a long wait after the Ben-my-Chree was beset with what the company is calling ‘technical difficulties’.

T

The revised timetable:

Today:

Heysham to Douglas 2.15pm – In addition to the technical issue, tidal conditions mean that this sailing will be delayed until 7.30pm with an approximate arrival time in Douglas of 11pm.

Douglas to Heysham 7.45pm – This sailing will now leave at 9pm with an expected time of arrival of 11.15pm and will be operated by Manannan. Passengers should check in no later than 8.30pm.

Tomorrow (Wednesday)

Heysham to Douglas 2.15am – This sailing will be operated by Manannan and will depart as scheduled with an arrival time of 4.30am.

Douglas to Heysham 8.45am – This sailing will leave as scheduled and be operated by Ben-my-Chree.

The new link road for Heysham has been hailed as good news by the Steam Packet. Read our story here

A number of householders in the Douglas East area are being asked to provide census information for a second time despite having submitted a return in the spring.

The official letter, addressed to ‘The Occupier’ on Cabinet Office headed note paper, informs householders the number of under 16 year olds recorded on the census for that area does not match expectations, following a review of the statistics provided.

The letter goes on to say: ‘If you have inadvertently omitted any under 16s (born after April 24, 2000) then please contact the Census Office to provide us with their details so that we can add them to your census form. Alternatively, you can email their details to us.’

Information such as name, sex, date and place of birth and residence details are requested. The letter then concludes by asking housholders to confirm information already supplied on the original form.

‘If there are no individuals under 16 in your household, it would be helpful if you could contact us so that we can update our records and mark your census form as complete,’ it says.

The census, which is completed every five years in the Isle of Man, was carried out on April 24 this year and forms were to be returned by the deadline on May 6.

However, a government spokesman said the data provided on under 16s in some areas did not tally with other records such as school roll numbers, suggesting entries could be missing from some forms.

A spokesman said: ‘It is important that the census results are as complete and accurate as possible.

‘In comparing returns received with school population figures the census team have identified potential under-reporting in certain areas of children and young people under the age of 16, which may have been caused by misreading of the census forms and the unintentional omission of younger members of households.

‘We have written to householders in those areas that have not reported any under 16s, asking them to confirm that there are no such persons in the household or, if there are, to provide details as required.

‘We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and we do very much appreciate the co-operation of householders in helping to clarify this issue.’

One correspondent to Isle of Man Newspapers, Kelly Keating, described the affair as ‘ridiculous bureaucracy at its most idiotic’.

He said: ‘I am stupefied that the government office has agreed this letter, and that I now have to contact them to confirm, for a second time, that no children were resident in my household on Census night,’

The reintroduction of Douglas Borough Council’s apprenticeship programme has seen six new apprentices begin their training.

Apprentice gardeners Thomas Corlett, Cameron Mallinson and Conylt Welsh, together with apprentice electrician Oliver Dunne, apprentice mechanic Sam Stannard-Duke and apprentice plumber Joshua Sharpe, were welcomed to the council by council leader David Christian , who was joined by Councillor Claire Wells, chief officers and representatives from human resources.

Apprenticeship training is being delivered in conjunction with the Department of Economic Development and University College Isle of Man (UCM), of which Councillor Christian is a member of the board of governors.

Councillor Christian said: ‘In these uncertain economic times apprenticeship opportunities in the private sector are fewer, especially in the building trade. The council, along with the Isle of Man Government, recognises the importance to the Manx economy of a skilled workforce, and it was against this background that we have reintroduced the apprenticeship programme.

‘The council provides a wide range of services, so is able to offer a particularly diverse programme of on-the-job training through which young people can learn transferable skills, gain qualifications and be better prepared for the increasingly competitive jobs market.

‘Apprenticeships also provide a practical introduction to the wider world of work and offer rewards that exceed the monetary, as they give young people a sense of purpose and worth.

‘In revitalising its apprenticeship scheme the council is not only helping to equip young people with skills to set them on productive career pathways but also making its contribution towards supporting a resilient, diverse economy. On behalf of Douglas Borough Council I wish Cameron, Conylt, Joshua, Oliver, Thomas and Sam every success.’

UCM programme manager, construction, Corelli Bentham said: ‘UCM is delighted to be working in partnership with Douglas Borough Council and the Department of Economic Development to offer an apprenticeship in horticulture. This is an exciting opportunity for the students to begin their career in gardening and grounds work while combining a full-time job and developing practical skills with training.’

The wandering swan which gained notoriety for hassling the residents of Castletown for food has died.

For the past few weeks the swan would leave the harbour area searching for its breakfast, experiencing several near misses with cars and buses as she made her way to the shops where she’d stand outside waiting for them to open. She even stole food from children.

To try and keep her out of town, businesses and the local authority erected posters asking people to only feed her in the harbour area.

Resident and wildlife enthusiast Barbara Cole began delivering breakfast in bed – feeding her at the harbourbefore she began her forage.

But last week Barbara spotted her in a sorry state, unable to stand up near the boat park.

Barbara clambered down the harbour side, wrapped her in a towel and took her to her Victoria Road home.

The swan’s condition deteriorated, so Barbara and her husband David took her to the vet Ard Beiyn.

There, an attempted investigative X-ray was aborted when she got worse still. A drip was also stopped and she was then euthanised.

A post-mortem examination revealed no indication of why she was so thin, but undigested grain was found, meaning this was indeed a very hungry swan. A resident noted her partner had died earlier this year, so perhaps the bird’s demise was due to a broken heart.

Fresh from his shock election victory, iomtoday can reveal another bombshell about Donald Trump – he could claim Manx ancestry!

Trump’s lineage may be traced, it could be argued, all the way back to the Viking Kings of Mann and the Isles.

This connection is through his mother the late Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born in May 1912 in the Hebridean Isle of Lewis.

The MacLeods of Lewis have long claimed lineal descent from the Norse kings of the Isle of Man, and the clan’s coat of arms even features two Manx triskelions.

A thousand years ago, the Isle of Man was the seat of power for a now largely forgotten Norse sea kingdom that also comprised the Inner and Outer Hebrides, Skye and the islands of the Clyde.

According to one MacLeod tradition, the eponymous Leod who is said to have founded the clan was a younger son of Olaf the Black, King of Mann who ruled from 1229 to 1237.

However, others suggest an alternative genealogy for Leod, in which he was a third cousin, some removed, from Magnus the last King of Mann.

But there is little in the way of evidence. Almost nothing is known about Leod and he does not appear in any contemporary records. Even the Three Legs of Man did not appear on the MacLeods’ coat of arms until the 17th century.

Indeed, some scholars believe the clan’s direct descent to the Kings of Man has been fabricated – but that might not stop Donald Trump from making that claim. And whether the Isle of Man will want to claim him as one of our own is another matter.

Douglas North MHK Ralph Peake last week made a suggestion to the House of Keys that work permit restrictions should be dropped for a year to tackle the island’s skills shortage.

Mr Peake believes that it would allow businesses to offer attractive job opportunities for people looking to move to the island.

Minister for Economic Development Laurence Skelly urged caution, insisting the system was working well.

However, he said that a recent consultation found a lot of support for bringing in further work exemptions for roles in the financial and professional services industry, and further liberalisation of the work permit system as a whole.

The Examiner visited Douglas town centre to find out people’s views on whether it should be suspended for a year.

----------------------------

STEVE WOODWARD, 52, ANDREAS:

‘No, I don’t think it should be dropped. I just think it’s a fairer system to give local people better job prospects, especially the younger generation. If they’re bringing older people with more experience how are the younger ones going to get experience to fill the jobs? I just think it shouldn’t be dropped.

‘I don’t think dropping it would benefit the Manx economy, I think it’s better to keep it local and keep local jobs for local people. I think there could probably be better further education on the island, for example utilising the University College a bit more.

‘I think that would be a better option to boost the Manx economy, from my point of view anyway.’

----------------------------

DAVID WINNELL, 35, DOUGLAS:

‘I think if it’s temporarily suspended I don’t see that being a problem if it’s due to a skills shortage. The main benefit would be covering jobs that we can’t cover with the current workforce.

‘Obviously you don’t want to extend that out too widely to just anyone, it’s got to be for the jobs we can’t cover because obviously we want people living here to have a fair chance to get suitable work.

‘I suppose one of the first things that comes to mind, if they were to suspend it for a year, would be that people wouldn’t necessarily be able to get here easily.’

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RACHEL RANSON, 36, ANDREAS:

‘I do personally think it should be scrapped for a year because I think we need to attract people to work over here in order to create an environment that has a bit of competition.

‘If you’re the best person for the job you should get the job, so if the local people are the best people for the job then they should get them.

‘I think over here we have a shortage of people that are good enough for the jobs at times so I think we’re hindering ourselves by not letting people come over and take those positions.

‘The work permits scheme limits the speed you can get people over here for employment, however there’s obviously ways round it that people have discovered over the years.

‘I don’t think it really serves what it’s supposed to do. I think it puts people off.

‘I have friends in all kinds of industries and they struggle sometimes to get the work permits correct when they are the best people to do that kind of work.’

----------------------------

LILLIAN COOPER, 68, WILLASTON:

‘Certainly it should be dropped. If we’ve got a skills shortage then we need more skilled people.

‘The situation is, to be quite honest, a lot of Manx people won’t do these things. If you’re going to make it awkward for people then they won’t come here, will they?’

----------------------------

SEAN DOYLE, 22, DOUGLAS:

‘I don’t really know if it should be dropped, obviously there are jobs that need to be taken.

‘I don’t know whether there’s a massive restriction on people coming over and whether they work.

‘I don’t think it would have a major effect and I don’t see why it would have a huge effect in a negative or positive way.

‘I think jobs should be open to everyone, nowadays everyone is everywhere, there’s different cultures and nationalities everywhere.’

----------------------------

REBECCA CHEETHAM, 32, DOUGLAS:

‘I got a work permit when I moved over in 2006 and it helped me get residency on the island.

‘My employer did it and sorted it all out for me.

‘I think the work permit brings people with new skill sets and there is a shortage of people with certain skills, so I think they should keep it but I do think you should recruit island-wide first.’

Harry Eyres recently travelled to Birmingham to represent the Isle of Man at the British Gymnastics National Development Finals.

Harry had gained a qualifying score at the Isle of Man Championships and was therefore selected to attend this event which saw the very best young gymnasts in the UK compete over the weekend.

The competition comprised of six pieces: floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and horizontal (high) bar. In addition to this, the boys performed PPP which is a physical preparation programme.

Harry performed consistently well across all seven pieces and was thrilled to finish with an improved overall ranking over last year’s competition.

Harry gained valuable experience and he is eager to build on what he has learnt.

Thanks must go to his coach Tatiana Tsyganov for all her expertise and guidance over the weekend and the time she has given up to go with him to the event, and to Manx Gymnastics Centre of Excellence and the Isle of Man Gymnastics Association.

It’s probably four decades since a Mini secured the Manx Rally Championship, but Lancastrians Daniel Harper and Chris Campbell achieved the feat at the weekend.

The PokerStars Rally formed the finale to a shortened four-round Eurocars Motorsports.com-sponsored series and Harper and Campbell secured the title in style with victory on the two-day event.

Driving a 1600cc BMW Mini Cooper S, they set an initial time of 4min 36sec on the opening five-mile Lhen stage in the far north-west of the island to grab an initial lead of five seconds over Welshmen Jamie Jukes and Dave Williams in the rapid two-litre Suzuki Swift.

Next were leading locals Will Heavey and late stand-in Barrie Ford in the Mitsubishi Evolution 6.5 at another four seconds.

Jukes and Williams had been lucky to get away with an off-road excursion at the second junction, on the Jurby to Lhen coast road.

In steadily worsening conditions, with thick mist on SS3 up Tholt-y-Will and down Branywell/Druidale, third-placed Stu Bainborough and Charlotte Shimmin retired their No.1 seeded Mitsubishi Evo VI went off the road, dropping seven minutes.

Jukes and Campbell dropped to fourth behind Heavey/Ford (Mitsubishi Evo IV) and the father and daughter crew of Timmy and Cliona Collins (Mitsubishi Evo X), as Harper’s lead stretched to 31s.

TT ace Michael Dunlop and co-driver Rob Fagg had gambled on a dry tyre in their Ford Escort MkII, but managed change those at the first service. They set the fastest time by nine seconds on SS4, lap two through the Lhen stage, only to crash out backwards into a hedge on SS5 at Glascoe.

Kex Walker and Dannii Matthews set the fastest time on the final stage of the night, The Mountain, to move up to sixth overall.

Heavey/Ford were precisely 40s down on overall leaders Harper/Campbell, with Jukes/Williams third.

George Collister and Adam Yates (BMW 325) dropped 40s with a shunt at Tholt-y-Will. They were fifth, half-a-minute down on Timmy and Cliona Collins.

The rain eventually stopped but roads remained damp and, in some places, extremely wet in places on Saturday morning. Jukes was caught out on SS7, putting the Suzuki on its side in Glen Roy.

Harper and Campbell extended their lead to 1m 14s after the first three stages of the second day, while Heavey and Ford continued their trouble-free run in second spot.

Kex Walker hit a bank at a chicane on the Creg-ny-Baa test, one of several crews caught out on standing water, but Timmy Collins was unable to take advantage as he was struggling with gearbox issues.

Harper and Campbell’s BMW Mini broke a driveshaft on the next stage, forcing them to limp through the next three stages before they could get to service, surrendering the lead to locals Heavey and Ford.

With the issue fixed Harper launched an assault on the new leaders, regaining the lead on the penultimate stage, Creg-ny-Baa. with a time 16s faster than Heavey and Ford, whose Mitsubishi was suffering suspension issues.

Burnley man Harper sealed victory and the Manx Rally Championship on the final run up through West Baldwin and Injebreck, reaching the stage finish on the Brandywell Road 11s faster than Heavey/Ford.

This gave the BMW Mini pair a 16s margin of victory, but this was extended to 1m 16s after a one-minute penalty was imposed on Heavey/Ford for checking into the final ‘MC’ control one minute early.

Heavey and Ford were then on the exact same time as Walker/Matthews, so the runners-up spot was decided on count-back, which Heavey and Ford took courtesy of a better time on the opening stage of the weekend.

Timmy and Cliona Collins held on to fourth ahead of Collister/Yates, who had swapped times with Walker/Matthews throughout the second day.

Dan Colley and Jim Callister finished sixth in another BMW, with newcomer Nathan Cafearo (Mitsubishi Evo IX) next after going off in the same place as Walker.

Kyle Collister and Chris Sharpe-Simkiss impressed in the Peugeot 106 for the 1600cc class victory, despite hitting a wall on SS10, holding off Walter Bridson and Stephen Christian (Honda Civic).

More on the Manx Rally Championship in Thursday’s Manx Independent.

Eleven young people from across the island have taken up positions with companies including Manx Telecom, PDMS and Antelle as part of their first year of study with University College Isle of Man.

The students are studying and working as part of the Isle of Man’s new ICT Apprenticeship Scheme.

Neal Kelly, infrastructure and facilities manager at PDMS, said: ‘As a technology company we always recruit talented people, but have struggled to find enough candidates with the right experience in the past.

‘As a result, my team decided to change our recruitment strategy and we now more often choose to develop people into IT professionals, rather than just hiring ready-made employees.

‘The ICT Apprenticeship Scheme is a perfect fit for this approach and came along at the right time for our businesses.’

Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for the Department of Economic Development said: ‘The launch of this scheme is a credit to the Manx ICT Association (MICTA), the Department of Education and Children and the Department of Economic Development’s Employment and Skills team.

‘All of these organisations are working towards supporting the flourishing ICT and E-Business sectors on the Island. We look forward to building on the success of the scheme’s launch in the years to come.’

Graham Cregeen MHK, Minister for Education and Children said: ‘Equipping our young people with the skills they need for success within the Manx economy is fundamental to our strategy.

‘These apprentices will not only benefit from top-class training from University College Isle of Man, but gain real world work experience and income.

‘Apprenticeships are a great alternative to traditional further and higher education routes and the strong support from industry has been encouraging.’

Kurt Roosen, chairman of Manx ICT Association said: ‘MICTA and its members are delighted with this joint initiative, which is essential to promote and nurture the skilled people we need to grow our industry – we certainly hope to grow this year on year.’

Passenger numbers are still rising and Flybe sees further opportunities for growth.

Simon Laffin, executive chairman of the company, says the aviationmarket is tough at the moment but Flybe has a ‘robust balance sheet and cash position’.

The Flybe Group has published its interim management report for the six months to September 30.

The airline operates direct flights from Ronaldsway to places including Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester.

The figures show profit after tax stood at £13.4 million, down 50 per cent from £26.8million.

The group’s revenue rose by more than £43 million but costs went up by more than £48 million.

Simon Laffin, executive chairman, said: ‘We have completed the transformation, which started three years ago.

‘Next year, for the first time since the IPO [Initial Public Offering] in 2010, we will have control over our aircraft capacity.

‘We can begin to move from being a supply-driven business to a demand-driven business.

‘This will free us for even greater focus on implementation excellence and refining route profitability.

‘As passenger numbers are still rising across the industry, we see further revenue opportunities.

‘The aviation market is tough at the moment, with excess seat capacity in the European short-haul market coupled with a weaker pound, and both business and consumer uncertainty impacting all airlines.

‘However, Flybe has a robust balance sheet and cash position.

‘From this strong position, over the next 12 months, we will open our first European base in Dusseldorf and continue to cautiously test routes to maximise the returns from our existing capacity.

‘Our aviation services are growing well, particularly as we support the RAF A400M turboprop. White Label flying revenue is also growing, through delivery of the SAS contract. The Board is confident of Flybe’s resilience in this market.

‘Our strategy is unchanged and we will further secure our place as the leading European regional airline.’

Increased levels of new business have been reported by island-based Hansard Global.

The FTSE listed company is a specialist long-term savings provider and is confident of delivering growth during the rest of the financial year.

A trading statement issued by the Lord Street, Douglas company paints an optimistic picture.

It covers the period from July 1 to September 30 - which is the first quarter of the company’s financial year.

The report points out that:

l New business totalled £33.9m in Present Value of New Business Premiums (PVNBP) terms approximately 73 per cent higher than the same quarter last year.

l The Middle East and Africa and the Rest of the World regions continue to be the key drivers of this growth, says Hansard Global, in line with the continued implementation of the company’s strategy.

l Assets under administration have increased since the last quarter by £58m or six per cent to £982m.

l The company has ‘continued to deliver significantly increased new business levels compared to the prior financial year.’

Gordon Marr group chief executive officer, said: ‘We are pleased that our increased levels of new business continue to demonstrate the sustainability of the trend established over the past 12 months and it is particularly encouraging to achieve further growth in comparison with the final quarter of the 2016 financial year.

‘Despite global political and economic uncertainties ahead, we are confident of making further progress on our strategic goals and delivering continued growth during the remainder of the year.’

The report later gives a general outlook.

It notes: ‘We maintain our confidence for continued growth during the remainder of the financial year although the rate of growth in comparison to prior year periods will likely slow given the significant step up in new business levels from Q2 FY 2016.

‘There may be global economic uncertainty and market volatility associated with political developments in the US and UK but these are not expected to impact directly on our distribution capabilities.

‘We therefore remain optimistic that we can continue to grow business levels through the ongoing delivery of our strategy across the regions in which we operate.’

The report also notes that new relationships established in Latin America have ‘started to contribute new business and we expect these to develop further over the course of the year.’

Hansard Global plc is the holding company of the Hansard Group of companies.

The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange in December 2006.

The Group is a specialist long-term savings provider, based in the island.

The Group offers a range of ‘flexible and tax-efficient investment products within a life assurance contract wrapper, designed to appeal to affluent, international investors.’

Our photographers took a number of pictures on Remembrance Sunday.

Here are a few of them.

Fisheries Minister Geoffrey Boot faced questions in Tynwald about how new daily quotas for king scallops will be policed.

A temporary daily limit of 1,400kg per vessel per day was brought in with effect from Tuesday, following talks between the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and the fishing industry.

In Tynwald, Mr Boot said almost 800 tonnes of king scallops were taken in the first six days of the season. That’s 24 per cent of the total landings recorded last year. Some 41 per cent was landed to island processors.

He told members: ‘As a result, local processors are now oversupplied. Furthermore, the price of scallops on the fresh market has dropped.

‘This situation is simply not sustainable – an estimated 24 per cent of the entire fishery caught in one week. It is not sustainable for the future and it will not be the case in the future.’

The king scallop fishery is worth £4.5m to our economy – and double that when processing is carried out here.

Mr Boot said the catch limit of 1,400 kilos a day will be in force for six weeks, protecting the fishery during the initial part of the season.

He said this is in addition to restrictions already in place, including a curfew where no fishing is permitted between 6pm and 6am and a limit on the number of dredgers used per vessel. The number of licences issued has also been reduced, by 40 per cent in the 3-12 mile zone and by 53 per cent in the 0-3 mile zone.

Tim Crookall MLC welcomed the quota but suggested it had come in two weeks too late. He asked how it would be policed.

Mr Boot said four fisheries officers carry out enforcement duties at sea and on land including quayside landing checks and factory inspections. Satellite monitoring allows vessels to be tracked. But he admitted: ‘Enforcement is not easy, Between November 1 and 8, there were three sea patrols and two over the curfew hours to ensure compliance there. There was one shore check and one factory check.’

A teenager from Ramsey has been fined heavily after crashing his car into a field while being unfit to drive, then leaving the scene.

Oliver John Kermeen, of Cronk Elfin, was later found by police hiding behind his wardrobe at his home.

The 19-year-old was disqualified from driving for 12 months by a magistrates’ court and ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the court how, on June 8 at 2.40am, emergency services were called to a field on the Laxey to Ramsey Road after a report of an accident.

When police and ambulance arrived, a Mini Cooper S was in a field but the two occupants had left the car.

The court heard that Kermeen had veered from the left-hand side of the road and hit banking and foliage, causing the car to roll and end up in the field.

An airbag had been deployed which had blood on it, so there were concerns for the missing occupants of the car.

The passenger was located and had injuries to his face and was subsequently taken to hospital.

Enquiries led police to Kermeen’s address where he was found, hiding behind a wardrobe.

In the car police found 1.8 grams of cannabis, said to have a street value of £36.

Kermeen took a breathalyser test which produced a result of 26 – the legal limit being 35.

However, after an expert’s report was produced, Kermeen agreed that he would have been over the limit at the time of the crash, but with a reading of no more than 50.

In a police interview Kermeen said that had been ‘careless’ and lost control of the car. He admitted drinking, but over a period of time, though he confessed to feeling a bit ‘giddy’ when he got in the car.

Defending him in court advocate Dawn Jones said that her client had left the scene because he had lost his phone and his friend had no charge on his phone,

She added: ‘He didn’t want to confess to police he had had the accident, but not because he thought he was drunk.

‘He accepts he was behind the wardrobe. It was the stupid reaction of a young man.’

She added: ‘Mr Kermeen had been out having a social day, not particularly drinking a great deal. It was a classic case of not appreciating the effects of accummulation.

‘He was not unfit when he saw the doctor and blew under the limit.

‘It was always a question of countback and countbacks are notorious for having difficulties. It was a brave plea to hold his hands up and accept he was over the limit.’

Kermeen was fined £750 for driving while unfit and must also retake his test. He was fined £125 for cannabis possession.

A temporary fix for the northern section Douglas’s decaying promenade is to get under way at the end of this week.

The scheme, to scrape off the road surface and lay new asphalt, starts on Friday and should be finished by December 4.

The operation is planned as a stop-gap measure to return the surface to a usable state until a proper long-term scheme is finally agreed.

Phase one of the scheme covers the section between Broadway and the Palace Hotel. Parking on both sides of the road will be suspended on that section from midday on Friday and all vehicles should be moved before then.

This will last for one week and phase two, covering the section from the Palace Hotel to Summerhill, will start at midday on Friday, November 25. At this point, drivers will again be allowed to park on the phase one section of the road but will be barred from the phase two section.

The second phase of the work will also last for one week, ending on Sunday December 4.

A statement from the government’s Department of Infrastructure said the promenade would remain open to through traffic while the work was taking place but no sections would be coned off or traffic managment systems put in place until the rush hour had subsided on Friday.

Pedestrians will still be able to walk along the promenade and vehicle access to properties and side roads will also continue where possible. Traffic entering the contraflow system from the west side of the road will have to travel north first then turn at Summerhill in order to head towards Douglas town centre.

Proposals for the full-scale reconstruction of the promenade, from Victoria Street to Summerhill, along with a decision on the location of the horse tram tracks are expected to be put before Tynwald in December.

Last year, shoppers were charged to park on the promenade walkway in the run up to Christmas. However parking charges were suspended at weekends and during Thursday late-night shopping evenings. The charges levvied were the same as those in force at Chester Street car park.

No decision has yet been made on the scale of parking charges on the walkway this year or when they will be enforced, however they are expected to be in line with last year’s arrangements.

A 48-year-old man from Douglas has been put on probation after making nuisance phone calls to emergency services.

Jonathan Richard Fletcher, of Horse Shoe Avenue, was handed the 12-month probation order by magistrates after he admitted the charge.

The court heard how, on the evening of August 17, Fletcher made four 999 calls.

Starting at 6.48pm, Fletcher spoke to the emergency services joint control room.He told them that he wanted to arrange a conference call between himself, the police and the mental health services crisis referral team.

He said that it was like ‘stirring worms’ trying to get a response and that he thought they were playing ‘hokey cokey’ with him.

Fletcher was told that the 999 line was not for that purpose. However, shortly afterwards he called again to say that he had no credit on his mobile phone.

He was told again not to call, but made a third call saying that he was still expecting a call from the police or the crisis referral team.

Fletcher then made a fourth 999 call accusing court officials of fraud.

A fifth call was made from Fletcher’s number but was terminated before emergency services could answer.

Police attended Fletcher’s home at 9.10pm and arrested him.

While being arrested, he said: ‘I need help’.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the court how Fletcher had a lengthy record, including similar offences of making unnecessary 999 calls.

A probation report recommended the probation order as a sentence.

Defending Fletcher in court, advocate Roger Kane, referring to the probation order recommendation, said: ‘I am very pleased with the report, it’s been a long time coming for him.

‘This all started in 2010. He was 42 before he committed an offence, something’s gone wrong.

‘He has real problems in his life. There are lots of issues that need resolving.

‘He feels victimised, whether it be rightly or wrongly so.

‘Probation may help him find employment and alternative accommodation, as he is about to be evicted.

‘Mr Fletcher has never been given a probation order before and it can be a fruitful relationship. I hope he works with them.

‘Something needs to be done. I know he pushes the police’s patience. But he is vulnerable, even if he winds police up or makes a nuisance of himself.

‘I hope this leads to a bright future for him. I hope it does.’