LEADING international trust and corporate services provider Equiom has promoted two members of staff within its Isle of Man office.

Fiona Noon and John Newman have both joined the management team at the firm’s island headquarters in Victoria Street, Douglas.

The promotions form part of the company’s expansion plans following the acquisition last year of Andium Trust Company Limited in Jersey and to further support their operations in Cyprus and Malta.

Equiom’s client services director, Aidan Davin said: ‘Equiom is expanding by both organic and acquisitive growth and as such we need to ensure that the same Equiom experience - our customer service excellence, collaborative partnerships and our key focus of putting clients at the heart of everything we do remains our number one priority regardless of which Equiom office you choose to do business with.

‘Our people are vital to achieving these goals and to the ongoing success of the business.

‘Fiona and John have both taken on additional responsibilities to support the expansion and I wish them every success in their new roles’.

In her new role as manager – fiduciary services, Fiona will be responsible for managing multiple administration teams within Equiom’s core fiduciary services in addition to her new role as the relationship point for Equiom (Cyprus) Limited.

Fiona has more than 25 years’ experience in the offshore financial arena and spent 15 years with Coutts before joining Equiom in 2005. Fiona is also relationship lead for a diverse portfolio of clients. In his new role as manager – client accounting, John will be responsible for managing a team of accountants who prepare financial statements and tax compliance for a large and varied portfolio of clients, in addition to providing operational support for Equiom’s other offices.

John has more than 26 years experience and originally trained with a leading UK accountancy firm before joining Ernst & Young Trust Company in 2000 and has remained with the company through its various guises.

THE Isle of Man’s position in the global economy is set to be questioned in a topical debate, featuring a cast of local key decision makers and influencers.

The Three Feet Debate will propose the motion that ‘This house believes that in this economic climate the Isle of Man is not sufficiently global in its outlook to stand on its own three feet’.

The event will be held at the Palace Hotel in Douglas on Wednesday, April 17, sponsored by ILS Fiduciaries, in conjunction with the Isle of Man Junior Chamber of Commerce,

An impressive line-up of speakers will join ILS chief executive Officer Chris Eaton, who will chair the debate.

The proposing team will include Courtenay Heading, inward investment advisor - Technologies at Isle of Man Government, and Greg Jones, tax partner at KPMG.

Those opposing the motion are John Spellman, director of financial services at Isle of Man Government, and Phillip Dearden, director at PKF, which is now part of the BDO international network.

The proposing team will address the traditional over-reliance on the UK market, including FATCA, how there are no work permits in cyber-space and how it’s survival of the cheapest in a 24-hour world.

The opposing team will argue the island’s global outlook with two out of three deposits coming from non-UK, the Isle of Man’s relationship with the UK, the need to consider wider markets given the changing patterns of wealth creation and demographics and how the nature of business is changing so it is our businesses that need to evolve.

Chris Eaton said: ‘I’m looking forward to this event and to hearing the opinions of those on the two teams, as well as those expressed by the floor.

‘This is a unique event, the style of which is not often staged in the island, and it’s an opportunity to discuss an extremely topical subject and hear the opinions of key decision-makers in the island. We are delighted to have secured speakers of such experience.’

Contribution from the floor will be encouraged during the debate and ILS would welcome the opinions of the Isle of Man community prior to the debate through its discussion pages on LinkedIn and its poll on The ILS Group Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ILS-Group/430997436953606

http://www.linkedin.com/company/977472?trk=prof-0-ovw-curr_pos

The registration and buffet will be available from 5.30pm, with the presentation beginning at 6pm; with an expected finish of 7pm. Admission is £10 to members and £15 to non-members.

For further information contact events@jcc.im

Murderous mind games are what Alex Delaware does best.

As a brilliant psychologist and ‘Crime Reader’ for Los Angeles Police Department, he is used to peering into the darkest corners of the human soul. So who better to search out the truth behind the disturbing discovery of dead babies?

Best-selling author of over 30 top-class novels and himself a former clinical psychologist, Jonathan Kellerman returns with another chapter of his hard-hitting ‘Crime Reader’ series in which Delaware and his cynical sidekick Lieutenant Milo Sturgis face one of their most fanatical and deranged killers yet.

With his razor-sharp brain, gift for pithy dialogue and ability to home in on the criminal mind, Kellerman’s deep, dark books have built up a huge fan base. His trusty trademarks are style, intelligence, logic and humanity, and a knack for telling a story through a sequence of addictively descriptive word ‘pictures’ which set the scene and render reading pauses virtually impossible!

When young couple Matt Ruche and his pregnant wife Holly take possession of their dream home in the Cheviot Hills area of Los Angeles, they can’t wait to renovate the mansion which is suffering from decades of neglect.

What they hadn’t reckoned on was the gruesome package buried in their garden. Swaddled in 60-year-old sheets of newspaper inside a rusted metal strongbox is the skeleton of a baby, not a newborn but one that had lived for several months.

The case hits the media and theories abound. The most likely culprit is a mysterious woman, employed as private nurse to wealthy L.A. families during the Second World War, and Milo calls in Alex to give insight into the perpetrator’s motives.

But before Alex can properly get to work on the case, a young woman is found in a park near the Ruches’ home. She has been shot in the head at close range in an execution-style killing, but even more chilling is the discovery in the same park of another baby’s skeleton... and this one died more recently, its bones scrubbed clean and polished.

As Milo and Alex delve into the past, they stir up tales of a beautiful nurse with a mystery lover, a handsome, wealthy doctor who seems too good to be true, and a hospital with a notorious reputation.

The problem is that all of them are long gone, along with any records of newborn babies, until the spectre of fame rears its head and the case unexpectedly twists in the direction of the highest echelons of celebrity privilege.

Entering this protected world, Alex little imagines the macabre layer just below the surface, a decadent quagmire of unholy rituals and grisly sacrifice, and before their work is done, Alex and Milo will have confronted unprecedented narcissism, cruelty, deceit and a cold but fiendish attack on the human spirit that shakes both men to the core...

If plot, suspense, characterisation, credibility and the ability to surprise are the best ingredients for a crime thriller, then Kellerman has mastered them all. Guilt is an ingenious psychological page-turner, full of twists and turns, excellent police procedural detail and emotional rollercoaster rides.

Harrowing but utterly gripping.

(Headline, hardback, £16.99)

I AM now a seasoned veteran of the current outbreak of flamboyant digger-pokery in Douglas.

I can’t avoid it. I call in at the Examiner office next to Pulrose Bridge every weekday morning, largely in the forlorn hope that one day they’re going to offer me more money. There is no escape for me.

What the Department of Infrastructure is doing on Peel Road is resurfacing it from the Brown Bobby to Quarter Bridge.

This means the end for what are known to veteran motorists as the Corporation Bumps.

As I understand it they were a series of transverse rises built into the road surface on the approach to Pulrose Bridge by Douglas Corporation when it still had digger-pokery within its fiefdom.

They were designed to slow us down; they must be the first traffic calming system ever seen in the town.

But they are not what I have in mind today. It’s about traffic cones.

There’s a lot of them resident in the Isle of Man in these turbulent times. In fact I have been wondering fretfully if they are taking over, that there are now more of them than there are of us, the Manx people. It’s a compelling thought.

I took this up with the DoI’s director of highways, Mr Richard Pearson, known more informally as the Colossus of Roads.

A busy man, he was kind enough to consider the question with as much seriousness as he could muster.

But all he could tell me was that while our cones (and they are ours) do run into thousands he hasn’t had time to count them.

They also have adventurous lives. As Mr Pearson put it, they often go walkabout. ‘Cone With the Wind’ so to speak.

After convivial nights out, people turn them into hats for public statues or send them out to sea. They get kidnapped by householders who want to station a pair in the road outside their front doors to falsely declare a private parking space which has DoI authority.

All this means the DoI has to send out search parties to round up and re-capture its traffic cones. It cannot afford to run out of them if digger-pokery is to continue.

It was people playing naughty games with traffic cones in the UK which led Prime Minister John Major to set up his Cones Hotline, where people could report cone crime.

We don’t have one in the Isle of Man so far. There is a risk that frivolous persons will ring up to order a double raspberry ripple.

But if anybody wants a traffic cone or two of their very own, how much do they cost?

The patient Mr Pearson was game to the last. ‘I don’t know,’ he confessed. ‘Let’s say somewhere between a fiver and a tenner. OK?’

Lastly, let us consider the DoI Minister Mr David Cretney MHK. I can assure embittered Manx motorists that he is good man, a dedicated public servant. When he was Tourism Minister a while back he was known as the Minister of Fun.

Try and go on thinking of him like that.

• RICHARD Hetherington emails to report renting a hire car at Faro Airport. The paperwork had his Manx address and postcode correct – with the words Isle of Man followed by ‘Aberdeen City.’

He asks: ‘Should we be worried?’

Only if we see Alex Salmond knocking about asking for referendum signatures.

• MARJORIE Higgins says she saw in the Examiner a house for rent at Saddle Mews surrounded by ‘many cured lawns.’

Smokers seem to be welcome.

• A MANX crossword clue has come in from Redvers Skillicorn in Bristol. It was in the Western Mail, as follows: Was head of island when old (7) – managed

A NEW set of stamps commemorating the life of popular entertainer Robin Gibb, who died in May last year, is being launched shortly by the Isle of Man Post Office.

In conjunction with this, the Post Office is also making an appeal for Bee Gees memorabilia and in particular items relating to his early life when the family lived at 50 St Catherine’s Drive in Douglas during the 1950s.

Dot Tilbury of the Post Office’s philatelic bureau said the idea came about when she heard about Robin Gibb making a music album which was to be called 50 St Catherine’s Drive.

‘Out of all of the Bee Gees I think Robin held the Isle of Man closest in his heart so we approached the family and they were delighted about the issue of stamps,’ she said.

The stamps are to be officially launched on April 24 although the album which inspired them will not be released until the autumn.

As part of the launch, the Post Office is trying to amass as much memorabilia as they can commemorating one of its more famous citizens of recent years.

Mrs Tilbury said: ‘I’m sure there are some people who remember the Gibbs living in their home on the island at 50 St Catherine’s Drive in the early 1950s.

‘We would love to find any photographs from this time which would add an extra something special to this stamp issue and hear first-hand memories from this bygone time.

‘If you have something to contribute, please contact us.’

If anyone has any cine film or any othe memorabilia in addition to photographs taken in or around the house in St Catherine’s Drive in the 1950s, they should get in touch.

Robin Gibb’s parents Hugh and Barbara moved to the Isle of Man in 1946 and lived at St Catherine’s Drive from the late 1940s. Twins Robin and Maurice were born in 1949 while the family lived there.

The family later moved to Spring Valley before then relocating to Chapel House at the Strang, then Snaefell Road in Willaston.

Barry went to Braddan School in September 1951, then Tynwald Street infants and when he was seven to Demesne Road School.

The family left the Isle of Man in 1955 when the twins were five and moved to Manchester.

Barry and Maurice returned to the Isle of Man in the mid-1970s, after a spell in Australia. Anyone who can help with the appeal for photographs and memorabilia of Robin Gibb should contact Lucy Webster-Thompson on 698492 or email {mailto:lucy.webster-thompson@iompost.com|lucy.webster-thompson(at)iompost.com}.

THE Isle of Man Agricultural Benevolent Trust has started giving out emergency support to farmers whose businesses were devastated by the recent heavy snowfall.

Numerous referrals for financial help have been received by the charity.

A spokesman said: ‘Some emergency support has already been directed to assist with immediate and pressing requests which have been referred to the trust’s directors. Support issued to date has been to help with personal welfare issues of an urgent nature in keeping with the trust’s declared policy, these decisions have been made in the strictest of confidence.’

In the past financial assistance was given in cases of accident, illness and genuine hardship, and not usually as a result of ‘commercially challenging situations’.

He said: ‘The unique circumstances of this extreme weather event mean that policy has had to be set aside.

‘Each case will continue to be assessed individually by our legal and financial advisors who will make a recommendation to the directors.’

He said referrals will be appraised once the full scale of the impact of the extreme weather has been evidenced, and will take into account the assistance DEFA Minister Phil Gawne has indicated he is prepared to bring forward, and the outcome of pending insurance claims.

‘The trust members are acutely aware that much of the inevitable hardship which will arise from the effects of the weather will not materialise for several months.’

He thanked everyone who has helped to raise or who plan to raise funds for the trust, saying: ‘Both the generosity of the Manx community and the originality of the fundraising ideas together with the practical assistance in digging for livestock have provided a huge boost to the morale of many hard pressed farmers.’

Donate online by following the link on the trust’s Facebook page.

A LONDON company which operates at more than 50 UK festivals a year, including Glastonbury, hopes to set up camp in the island for TT Race Week.

Hotel Bell Tent wants to rent Ballakermeen High School’s playing field and some of its facilities to provide 60 canvas bell tents for TT visitors.

It has applied to government planners (13/00367/C) for the temporary change of use of the Douglas school’s playing field for one week, May 30 to June 7.

In the application Tobyn Cleeves, of Hotel Bell Tent, explained: ‘We would like to rent the playing field and some facilities from the school during the TT to provide temporary accommodation with our canvas bell tents.

‘As it’s accommodation and not hospitality, there would be low noise impact and we will be policing out of hours noise. The school is delivering letters to the immediate houses.’

The plan is for campers to use the on-site parking, school canteen – serving hot and cold food – and the toilet and shower facilities.

The company would provide 24 hour CCTV coverage and manned security.

And campers would be provided with wristbands for extra security.

Mr Cleeves said: ‘At Hotel Bell Tent we are aware of the lateness of this application, but we have been informed by many parties on the island that there is a much needed demand for accommodation during TT week.’

He added: ‘We are expecting to bring 60 tents over for 2013 with people booking for two different blocks, May 30 to June 3, and June 3 to June 7.

‘Including crew, security and guests we would expect 300 people on site at a time.’

All the tents would be ‘decked out with luxury inflatable mattresses, jute doormats for boots and shoes, block colour Indian rugs as flooring, low level hand-painted bedside tables and beautiful tea light candle chandeliers’.

In his submission, Mr Cleeves said: ‘We have over five years’ experience in providing event accommodation for sporting events, festivals and private parties and we endeavour to continue our professional work at the Isle of Man TT with a swift set up and take down of the camp, efficient cleaning of the site and attentive and considerate working relationship with all parties involved.’

Meanwhile, residents have until April 26 to register for the TT Homestay scheme.

So far, just over 1,500 bed spaces have been made available – but the Department of Economic Development expects this figure to increase significantly over the coming weeks as inspections on accommodation are carried out.

Homestay can be offered during TT for any number of nights between May 25 and June 9.

All homestay accommodation is inspected by Isle of Man Tourism to ensure it meets the required quality standard as detailed in the Homestay Hosts’ information pack at {http://www.visitisleofman.com.visitisleofman.com}

To register for the Homestay scheme call 686802 or email {mailto:homestay@gov.im|homestay(at)gov.im}

In 2012, the department registered just under 800 properties.

Last month, an appeal against the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure’s approved plan for a temporary camping area inside the National Sports Centre track was withdrawn.

The Isle of Man Athletics Association had called on athletes and residents to oppose the plan, saying the development would ‘definitely adversely affect training in the build-up to the Island Games’.

• What do you think? Email {mailto:opinions@newsiom.co.im|opinions(at)newsiom.co.im}

FORMER army commando Carl Underwood swapped one gun for another when he left the army and returned to his native Isle of Man to start Laser Mayhem.

Within days of returning to the island Mr Underwood had set up taster sessions which ran throughout the Easter holidays in a large caged area at Onchan Park racetrack.

‘I was in the army for 23 years from the age of 17 and have done tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia. I was based in Ireland for the last four years and started this two days after returning to the Isle of Man,’ he said.

The sessions have proved very popular with children of all ages.

‘The youngest has been about six but we had one lady in her 70s,’ Mr Underwood said.

‘She shot lots of people - mostly in her own team to be honest but she had a great time.’

Shortly the business will relocate to South Barrule at the Watertrough Park plantation near to the Ape Mann Adventure park and Mr Underwood plans to run weekend sessions as well as taking corporate and private bookings during the week.

‘I’ve had a lot of interest from various different businesses who are keen on doing corporate team building events,’ he said.

‘And of course the children love it because it is very similar to the computer games they already play but it gets them out into the fresh air rather than being up in their bedrooms.’

Mr Underwood, who lives in Onchan with his wife Tracy and three children, two boys aged 13 and nine and a 16-year-old daughter, said his own family had already tried it out.

‘They really enjoyed it so we are looking forward to getting it launched down at South Barrule,’ he said.

Players are equipped with special guns as well as full camouflage gear and camouflage paint, which no doubt comes into its own once the attraction is set up in the plantation.

The guns are life-like replicas of the real thing but instead of firing bullets they send out an infra-red signal which registers electronically if it finds its target.

To help this happen, the guns also have genuine red dot laser sights, so they can hit targets up to 400 yards away. In fact, Mr Underwood said they were so good, the Royal Marine Commandos use them when training for operations in Afghanistan.

South Barrule is a popular outdoor activities site and currently boasts Segway, Mountain Bike Trails, the Ape Mann Adventure Park and now Laser-Mayhem.

Laxey edge closer to Canada Life Combination One title with big win over Castletown

Canada Life Combination One

Castletown 2-16 Laxey

St John’s 1-4 DHSOB

Gymns 0-4 St Mary’s

JCK Combination Two

Foxdale 1-3 Michael

CUSTODIANS of war memorials are being encouraged to ensure the memorials are in good repair ahead of the centenary of the start of the First World War next year.

Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK, chairman of the Preservation of War Memorials Committee, said: ‘I work closely with the Armed Forces and believe we owe it those commemorated to make sure no memorial is neglected or forgotten.’

There are about 150 war memorials in the island.

MOTORISTS could be forgiven for driving past the former wool control centre in Peel Road, Douglas, without noticing the premises.

But what many people don’t realise is the building, near the Brown Bobby petrol station, was a very important Manx military building.

You have a chance to own a slice of history – the government has put the premises on the market for £345,000 through estate agents Black Grace Cowley.

Major Robert Swan Stephen, commander of the Second Douglas Volunteer Rifles bought the Heritage from the Goldie family in 1895 with the intention of building a drill shed for the Isle of Man Volunteers.

It was opened in June 1896 and became the Corps Headquarters.

In March 1915, officers and enlisted men who had volunteered for service overseas as members of the First Manx Service Company in the First World War used the drill hall. And it was in constant use during the war.

In 1938, when The Manx Regiment was formed, it again became the main recruiting office and headquarters.

On the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the unit was mobilised and sent to the UK for defensive duties. By May 1940, the L.D.V. (later re-named the Home Guard) had been formed in readiness for the possible invasion of the British Isles and the drill hall was manned by D Company, 1st Battalion.

D Company’s task was to guard Douglas Railway Station, which was classed as a vulnerable site which might be attacked. They continued to man the drill hall until they were stood down in November 1944.

After the war, Sea Cadets used it until it was taken over by the government for use as a wool control centre, to sort and grade wool.

In 2008, the Department of Agriculture announced it would no longer use the premises as the wool control centre and was looking for new premises.

In the description, it says: ‘The building is substantially stone built under a pitched corrugated roof with a large sliding door providing access into the main warehouse area. There is an adjoining building to the rear of the warehouse and former shooting range to the lower ground floor.’

It says the property offers open-plan light industrial accommodation of about 3,386sq/ft with an additional usable space of some 580sq/ft in the adjoining building to the south elevation. The lower ground floor former shooting range provides about 1,362 sq/ft of usable space.

A HIGHWAYS review is to take place into two Castletown streets following concerns about pedestrian safety and congestion.

The issues in Malew Street and The Crofts were raised at a meeting hosted by Castletown Commissioners, and attended by Department of Infrastructure highway division officers, Castletown MHK Richard Ronan and representatives from the Fire and Rescue Service and police.

The highways division will carry out a review of pedestrian safety, parking and congestion to ‘determine the best way to establish a coordinated traffic management plan for these streets’.

Residents and businesses are encouraged to send suggestion or comments by May 16 to: Highways Division, Department of Infrastructure, Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, IM1 2RF or email networkplanning.doi@gov.im

THE Department of Community, Culture and Leisure has confirmed it’s waiting for the findings of the Independent Working Group before commenting on the bendy bus trial.

Minister Graham Cregeen MHK said: ‘It is the responsibility of the Independent Working Group to determine the outcome of the trial and we await their findings before taking any further actions or making any decisions.’

He added: ‘I can assure the public the department has not committed to purchasing any articulated buses.

‘The recent trial was to examine the feasibility of using articulated buses on Manx roads. The Independent Working Group, not the department, will determine this. Until the report is completed though, it would be inappropriate for the department to make any further comments.’

The month-long trial ended on March 15.

A TYNWALD scrutiny committee is inviting the public to give their views on pre-school education.

The Social Affairs Policy Review Committee is investigating whether the Department of Education’s controversial policy to privatise the pre-schools has offered best value for money.

As part of its investigation, the committee is looking to gather opinion from members of the public regarding the implementation of the new policy.

A survey has been compile which is available for completion on line at http://www.smart-survey.co.uk/s/Pre-SchoolSurvey or the document is available for printing from the committee’s page on the Tynwald website (http://www.tynwald.org.im/business/committee/SAPRC/Pages/default.aspx).

Hard copies can also be obtained from the Tynwald Information Service, based at the Legislative Buildings on Finch Road, Douglas

Completed surveys must be returned to the Committee Secretariat, Office of the Clerk of Tynwald, Legislative Buildings, Finch Road, Douglas, IM1 3PW by Friday May 17.

The Social Affairs PRC is chaired by Douglas East MHK Brenda Cannell, its other members being Speaker Steve Rodan SHK and former MLC David Callister.

TEAMS are being encouraged to sign up for the annual Isle of Man Adventure Race.

Hosted by Adventurous Experiences, of Patrick Road, Peel, the challenging multi-disciplinary event takes place on September 21 and 22 – later than in previous years.

The amateur adventure race on Sunday, September 22, September, involves teams of four, each completing two of the five activities: sea swim, sea kayak, mountain bike, hill run, and rope climb.

And new for this year, an elite category has been introduced, and will take place on Saturday, September 21.

It will see teams of two complete all five activities: sea kayak, mountain bike, mystery challenge, hill run and an assault course.

Adventurous Experiences owner and lead coach Keirron Tastagh explained: ‘We introduced the elite to create a “real” adventure race, and option for increased challenge and ability, without taking away from or changing the fun amateur team event.

So far, 12 teams have entered the amateur race and eight teams have signed up for the elite one.

When asked what people got out of taking part, Keirron explained there were many factors.

‘People certainly enjoy the training as a team, and the physical challenge of the race on the day,’ he said.

‘They also enjoy the social aspects, and the routes being generally “off the road”.

‘It’s also an inexpensive action packed day, with like-minded people.’

In previous years the race has taken part in mid-June.

But Keirron said it would take place in September ‘largely due to adverse weather delaying team training’.

In addition, it has been announced that the Viking Longboat Races are taking place in mid-June, and a team from Adventurous Experiences is keen to enter having won the mixed category in 2011.

Entry costs £60 per person and includes free kayak training (for entries received by May 31), a social BBQ on the Saturday evening and a race T-shirt.

For booking details, call Adventurous Experiences on 843034 or email info@adventurousexperiences.com

For more details about the Isle of Man Adventure Race visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/IsleOfManAdventureRace

Alternatively email Keirron at Keirron@adventurousexperiences.com

The weekend is sponsored by PWC and supported by the Steam Packet Company, Mylchreests and Green Mann Spring.

The Isle of Man Adventure Race was launched in June 2010.

And since then it has seen a steady growth in both competitors and supporters.

With the launch of the elite category this year, Keirron believes the planned staged development is confirming the potential of the race as a major Manx event.

MICHAEL Hooper has been crowned the Canada Life Player of the Month for March after a series of impressive displays for DHSOB.

The Old Boys midfielder has been at his dominant best for the Blackberry Lane outfit in recent weeks and has played a pivotal role in firing Brian Gartland’s men up to third in the table.

As such, Old Boys still have a chance of pipping Laxey to second place in the table, or maybe even fight for the title should long-time leaders St George’s slip-up during their final games of the season.

Hooper’s ratings for March have been enough to lift him to joint 18th in the overall season rankings.

DHSOB’s form over the past few months has been nothing short of superb, having gone unbeaten in the league since October, therefore it is no great surprise that another Old Boys star was also in the running for the monthly award.

Striker Callum Stewart also impressed Eric Clague’s esteemed ratings panel during March, firing in four crucial goals during his side’s three games during the month to earn him the runner-up spot.

Gymns’ near-annual Great Escape has certainly been in full swing during recent weeks, with victory over Marown and a draw at Castletown putting them within touching distance of Premier League safety.

Starring for the Tromode outfit has been defender Danny Kewley whose performances for Jonathan Broad’s men have been a major factor in the side’s recent upturn in form, therefore he is the third highest ranked player for March.

Just missing out on a place in the top three but clinching the Canada Life Young Player of the Month award for the second time this season is Rushen’s Mike Williams.

The Spaniards’ forward won the award back in October and repeated that form with several good displays for the Croit Lowey outfit, including a two-goal haul during a 5-1 thrashing of Union Mills.

Player ratings for March: 1, Michael Hooper (DHSOB) 8.5 points; 2, Callum Stewart (DHSOB) 6.5; 3, Danny Kewley (Gymns) 5; 4, Mike Williams (Rushen) 4; 5, Craig Stewart (DHSOB) 3.5; 6=, Chris Bass Jr (St George’s), Nick Bowden (Gymns), Neil Brogan (Laxey), Andy Crennell (Peel), Lee Gale (Peel), Alex Guy (Rushen), Aaron Hawley (Rushen), Sam Ingham (St John’s), Johnny Myers (St George’s), David Quirk (DHSOB), Paul Rowley (Laxey), Ashley Webster (Laxey) all on 3; 18=, Jackson Brown (Laxey), Eric Kelly (St John’s), Dominic McGreevy (St Mary’s), Damyan Petkov (St John’s) all on 2.5.

l THE race to pick up the Gordon Clague Memorial Trophy as Football Writers’ Player of the Year looks set to go the distance with only a couple of points separating the top six.

St George’s Johnny Myers leads the way with 34 points a full point ahead of St John’s player-manager Nick Hurt who has racked up 33 points for the campaign thus far.

A further point behind Hurt come Laxey duo Neil Brogan and Ashley Webster.

St Mary’s skipper Dominic McGreevy currently lies fifth in the seasonal standings with 31 points, just ahead of club-mate Brian Crellin and DHSOB’s Callum Stewart who have both amassed 30 points.

Completing the top 10 are former winners of the coveted accolade Chris Bass Jr (St George’s) and Steven Priestnal (St Mary’s) who sit either side of Bass Jr’s Glencrutchery Road brethren Frank Jones.

Top goalkeeper in the standings is St John’s Bulgarian stopper Damyan Petkov who sits in 23 one place behind top under-21 Mike Williams of Rushen.

Overall player ratings: 1, Johnny Myers (St George’s) 34 points; 2, Nick Hurt (St John’s) 33; 3=, Neil Brogan and Ashley Webster (both Laxey) 32; 5, Dominic McGreevy (St Mary’s) 31; 6=, Brian Crellin (St Mary’s) and Callum Stewart (DHSOB) 30; 8=, Chris Bass Jr and Frank Jones (both St George’s) 28.5; 10, Steven Priestnal (St Mary’s) 27.5; 11=, Lee Gale (Peel) and Mark Wolfenden (Laxey) 27; 13, Michael Baker (Rushen) 26.5; 14, Marc Kelly (Peel) 26; 15, Ciaran McNulty (St George’s) 25; 16, Adam Cregeen (Rushen) 24.5; 17, Karl Clark (St Mary’s) 24; 18=, Michael Hooper (DHSOB), Stephen Riding (Rushen) and Julian Ringham (St George’s) 23.5; 21, Louis Thornton (Corinthians) 23; 22, Mike Williams (Rushen) 22.5; 23, Damyan Petkov (St John’s) 22; 24, Craig Stewart (DHSOB) 21; 25, Chris Kelly (Union Mills) 20.

A BODY was found after firefighters and police attended an incident near the Point of Ayre last night (Tuesday).

A member of the public contacted emergency services just before 8pm to report a car on fire on the Cranstal Road, Bride, near to the Point of Ayre lighthouse.

After firefighters extinguished the blaze, police discovered the body of a person inside the vehicle.

Officers are now investigating what is being described as an unexplained death.

It is believed there were other people and vehicles in the area who may have information that is relevant to the enquiry. They are asked to contact police headquarters in Douglas on 631212.

THE new heads of the Attorney General’s Chambers and Isle of Man Law Society say they are looking forward to working together during what is expected to be a challenging time for the Manx legal profession.

Long-serving advocate John Quinn was officially sworn-in as Acting Attorney General in March, while Simcocks director Kevin O’Riordan began his two-year term of office as president of the Isle of Man Law Society in January.

Mr Quinn, himself a former President of the Isle of Man Law Society, has managed and developed several legal practices over a 30-year career.

Mr O’Riordan, a practising English solicitor as well as an Isle of Man advocate, has been named as a leader in his field by the independent directory Chambers UK, and recommended by the Legal 500 guide to the UK’s best law firms.

As well as dealing with their day-to-day responsibilities, the Attorney General’s Chambers and Law Society also have significant roles to play in the proposed reform of the Isle of Man’s criminal justice system.

Both organisations are represented on the Criminal Justice Board, which also comprises the heads of the Department of Home Affairs, the police, General Registry and the prison and probation service.

The board hopes to achieve improvements by modernising processes, streamlining administration and reducing the number of low-level offences appearing before the courts.

Mr Quinn, who has been appointed as acting Attorney General for a period of 12 months, said: ‘This is without doubt an important time for the legal profession in the Isle of Man and Chambers is committed to working in partnership with the Law Society and areas of Government to drive forward significant change.’

Mr O’Riordan added: ‘Encouraging progress has been made in terms of strengthening the links between the various relevant organisations. This will enable us to work together in trying to promote the interests of our profession and the Isle of Man in general.’

The current Attorney General, Stephen Harding, is suspended after he was charged with perverting the course of justice and perjury.

THE effects of some of the government’s cuts are now being felt.

Today’s Manx Independent talks to a blind couple about how their income has been affected.

The paper also reports on Kate Beecroft MHK’s motion before Tynwald. She wants to know why it’s taken so long for the Discrimination Disability Act to come into force here.

This week saw the launch of TT 2013. We went to the railway station to see the TT stars and have the story on page 3. On the back page we have more about the riders whose names have been given to corners on the course.

It’s been a busy week in the courts.

Among the cases we cover are of two men who were found with cocaine in their car. They’ve been locked up for more than four years each.

We also report on a woman who drank and drove after organising a charity night in a pub in Peel.

With the snow’s after effects still being felt, we find out what help the farmers are getting and find out why Glen Helen is closed.

In entertainment news, we preview Ruby Wax.

The Manx Independent also has two pages or What’s On listings.

It’s in the shops now

TEMPESTUOUS weather conditions did little to deter delegates from visiting The Claremont Hotel’s Sanderson Suite to attend KPMG’s ever-popular UK and Manx tax update.

Held in the wake of the UK Budget, the update featured a series of presentations by members of KPMG’s tax team.

These covered the UK Budget itself, February’s Manx Budget, as well as recent developments in VAT, the Isle of Man’s personal service company legislation, FATCA and the Isle of Man’s associated disclosure facility.

UK BUDGET

Kevin Loundes focused on the implications of the UK Budget from an offshore tax perspective, noting that it contained very few surprises, although this fact alone could be considered as a positive development for the island compared to last year’s Budget in which certain measures were introduced with potentially negative repercussions for local business.

Mr Loundes went on to describe some changes to key UK anti-avoidance rules before providing an overview of the UK’s General Anti-Abuse Rule (or GAAR).

Sandra Skuszka then provided a VAT update which included consideration of the proposed changes to the place of supply rules. These proposals will potentially result in significant changes to the way in which intra-EU business-to-consumer supplies of telecoms, broadcasting and electronic services are taxed. Ms Skuszka continued by summarising a number of recently issued HMRC “business briefs”, including one detailing changes to the banding of air passenger duty rates which will render air travel more expensive, particularly for private business jet owners.

An outline of the main tax and national insurance measures announced as part of the recent Manx Budget followed, during which Robert Rotherham discussed matters such as the extension of the employers’ national insurance ‘holiday’ and the introduction of a 10 per cent corporate income tax on Isle of Man retail profits. Mr Rotherham concluded by providing a recap of the tax position regarding distributions made by Isle of Man companies to their local shareholders, further guidance in respect of which has recently been issued by the Treasury.

Next up was Harley Richards with an Isle of Man employment tax update focussing primarily on recent developments concerning personal service companies, or PSCs, new legislation in respect of which is due to take effect in April 2014. Mr Richards identified potential complications with the proposals including the qualification and identification of workers under third-party employment and the application of VAT. A UK employment tax roundup followed, during which Mr Richards discussed the merger of the PAYE and NIC systems, proposed legislation governing Offshore Employment Intermediaries and the Real Time Information project.

David Parsons was the morning’s final speaker and covered the ongoing issue of FATCA, (the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the UK FATCA-equivalent, and the Isle of Man’s associated disclosure facility, the Manx Disclosure Facility (or MDF).

Following a brief refresher session on the implications of the US’s regime, Mr Parsons outlined the current status of the UK equivalent, which is based on the US model and due to come into effect on the same day.

Mr Parsons compared the approach to FATCA taken by the Isle of Man authorities to that adopted in certain other offshore and mainstream jurisdictions before moving on to summarise the main features of the MDF.

This facility is essentially designed as a “tax amnesty” similar to the existing Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility (“LDF”) and, as such, provides the opportunity for persons with Manx financial interests, and who have undeclared UK tax liabilities, to regularise their UK tax affairs in a controlled and comparatively efficient manner.

A brief comparison of the MDF with the Liechtenstein equivalent was followed by a short question and answer session, after which Mr Parsons closed the morning’s proceedings by thanking the audience for having braved the miserable weather conditions before wishing them the best of luck in their onward journeys.

www.kpmg.co.im