MANX Electricity Authority (MEA) staff are on stand-by 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in case there are any problems with the power supply.

And as the weather causes the majority of the MEA’s network challenges, it’s vital that they are prepared to react quickly.

The authority’s public relations manager Alison Cottier explained: ‘The MEA regularly undertakes exercises with its overhead line crews and underground cable teams, engineers and administrative support staff to ensure any unplanned power outages are dealt with as quickly and safely as possible.

‘The infrastructure the MEA maintains for the island is of a high standard, as are the staff that are continually providing support to that infrastructure.

‘Gone are the days of regular power losses and most people now take it for granted that should they “flick a switch”, their need for power and light will be provided.’

But the ability to ensure power is constantly available doesn’t happen by itself, and there are maintenance programmes covering the electricity network.

The weather provides MEA with the majority of its network challenges – with wind, lightning and snow making life difficult for staff. The MEA’s response to faults is a finely tuned operation. Engineers , who co-ordinate the response from the central control room at the MEA’s headquarters in Ballacottier Business Park in Douglas, are notified, and administrative staff respond to customer phone calls.

Meanwhile, the overhead line crews and underground cable teams responsible for locating and fixing the problem are despatched to site.

The work normally involves isolating a fault area and then back-feeding the supply to customers to provide power while the fault is being repaired.

Underground cable repairs are regularly done working ‘live’.

The MEA has a variety of support vehicles that ensure it is able to approach any fault in any location.

Alison said: ‘This is essential on an island of varied terrain as the alternative would be to bring in specialised vehicles from across the water to support us which could potentially mean long periods of power loss for customers.’

The MEA is proud that its reliability ranks among the best in Europe.

As well as providing security of supply to large organisations it also provides people who require ‘power for life’, such as those using defibrillators at home.

The MEA has a secure database of all those on the network who are potentially vulnerable. It’s a free service and anybody with concerns can register.

JUST months after Christine Barton set up a Rock Choir in the island, she is now encouraging people to sign up to a second choir.

In August, the private singing and piano teacher – who retired from working in schools in 2010 – started a Rock Choir in Onchan, to be an upbeat choir that was accessible to everyone who wanted to sing, regardless of experience or music training.

Following the success of the choir – she is now having to turn people away because it has reached 60 members – she is now encouraging women of all abilities, over the age of 13, to join the Laxey choir.

In Onchan, the choir has so far been working on a range of rock and pop music.

This will continue at both venues, but she also plans to explore upbeat popular music from the 1940s to the present day for future concerts, including Motown.

She described Rock Choir as being a ‘dynamic combination of movement, music and teamwork’.

‘In fact, to quote a recent television programme, literally “A choir that rocks!”,’ she said.

The Onchan choir has only been rehearsing since September, but it has already performed twice in public.

The first performance was at Hospice Isle of Man’s Christmas Fair, in the Villa Marina in Douglas, at the end of November. And their second concert took place in December, at the Pavilion Ballroom, Riverside Restaurant in Laxey, in memory of Deemster Mike Kerruish and in aid of the Braddan hospice.

The plan is for the two choirs to come together for performance, which it is hoped will give more scope to tackle more exciting and adventurous projects.

The Onchan choir has already played with a band made up of lead guitar (Ken Mitchell), bass guitar (Robert Mitchell), drums (Barney Kimberley), and piano (Dave Holland), but with a larger choir, there will also be a need for a bigger band.

Christine hopes that through more numerous and larger concerts the choirs will continue to raise money for charity.

The next concert will take place at 2pm on March 25, at Laxey Pavillion, followed by a concert at Tower House, in Douglas, on June 17.

There are also plans to perform during TT Practice Week.

Tickets for the concerts will be available at Peter Norris Music in Douglas.

Rehearsals take place at the Pavillion Ballroom at Riverside Restaurant, Glen Gardens, Laxey, on Wednesdays from 7pm to 8.30pm.

For more information contact Christine on 861671/471116 or email {mailto:festina@manx.net|festina@manx.net}.

A GOVERNMENT department has been the first to warn staff of possible job cuts – within hours of Chief Minister Allan Bell announcing that the public sector wage bill will have to be slashed by 10 per cent.

Chief executive at the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure, Nick Black, has written to all staff informing them that ‘significant’ savings will have to be made this year and for the next three financial years – and that changes are being planned to the way the department is managed, structured and staffed.

He warned them: ‘Posts will be changed to fit the new structure where possible. Some posts will be lost.’

Mr Black said he hoped to protect frontline services ‘as far as is possible’ but efficiencies would have to be found ‘wherever possible’. He insisted there would be full consultation with staff and their representatives before final decisions were made regarding posts that may be lost or significantly changed.

The Council of Ministers finalised the 2012/13 budgets for each government department on January 16. In a public statement released on Monday, Chief Minister Allan Bell said that to rebalance public finances – set to be cut by a third or £175 million in the wake of the VAT shock – the annual salary bill of government will have to be reduced by 10 per cent over the next three to four years.

Mr Black told the Manx Independent that details of the number of job losses would be confirmed in the next week or so once proposals for the new departmental structure were finalised.

‘We are looking at staff across the pay and grade ranges and potentially across the range of operations of the department,’ he said, adding that he was hopeful that those affected could be redeployed in other roles within government.

The Department of Community Culture and Leisure is facing a squeeze not just from its revenue budget but from its income too as a result of the economic downturn in the island, the UK and further afield which is having an impact on visitor numbers.

Mr Black said: ‘The department is consulting with staff and their unions about possible changes to its structure and staffing.

‘We expect to be facing reductions in its funding in future years. We are also facing the difficult trading conditions that affect any business with an income that relies heavily on discretionary spending. We are progressing a number of options to reduce costs and to increase income.

‘As 77 per cent of our revenue budget is allocated to staffing we cannot afford to ignore the potential for savings in staff costs.

‘Over the coming days we will be providing more information about what changes are being considered and how their posts could be affected. Once we have completed the proper consultation and finalised our plans we will inform staff about what changes will happen and what options are available to them.’

The department currently has a full-time equivalent head count of 416.

Last year, five staff on the heritage railways were made redundant as part of a restructuring of the department that resulted in 22 posts being lost.

In his message to staff, Mr Black said he has made a strong case for services such as the buses, the NSC and Villa-Gaiety complex to continue to be operated within public ownership – but with private sector efficiency. ‘I do not believe that the private sector is by definition better than us but we must do all that we can do to prove that we can deliver great services with great value,’ he said.

THERE is no clear-cut case for new employment legislation to be introduced in the island to protect worker’s rights, the Economic Development Minister told his fellow MHKs.

Unions joined forces ahead of September’s general election to press the case for TUPE to be brought in.

TUPE is the acronym for ‘Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)’ – a piece of legislation that protects terms and conditions of employment if your employment transfers to another employer.

Introduced in the UK in 1981 following a European Community Council directive of 1977, TUPE protects areas like workers’ salary, hours and leave. It also means new employers need to consult about changes within 90 days of taking over.

Calls for its introduction here came following fears that the Steam Packet would be sold off with the launch of Mezeron’s now-abandoned rival freight service.

In the House of Keys, Brenda Cannell (Douglas South) asked Mr Shimmin whether his department’s review of employment legislation included consideration of TUPE. She said there was a ‘moral obligation’ to ensure island workers were not left behind other jurisdictions.

But the Minister said there was not a clear cut argument that TUPE acted in employees’ best interests. He warned against ‘blindly following something’ if it was not felt to be in the best interests of the Isle of Man.

He said the UK was presently reviewing the effectiveness of TUPE amid concerns by some businesses that it was ‘overly bureaucratic’ and provided ‘gold-plated protection’.

He pointed out that the European directive was not applicable to the Isle of Man and there was no obligation to pass legislation here to give effect to its provisions.

Mr Shimmin added: ‘There are arguments both for and against introducing additional provisions similar to the UK’s regulations. However, the department is of the view that the impact that new regulations might have on otherwise normal commercial activity would need to be very carefully considered, particularly at this critical time.’

He said his department’s employment law priorities were to introduce a Control of Employment Bill and an Equality Bill.

‘I would be prepared to look closely at the case for TUPE once those bills have been dealt with,’ he said.

THE PUBLIC are being invited to offer their views in an online survey about the Manx Grand Prix and help shape its future.

The move is part of a wide ranging review of the MGP Festival announced in December by the Department of Economic Development.

Heather Smallwood, the department’s head of marketing, said: ‘We are looking for feedback from anyone who may have a valid point of view based on their previous experiences around the event. 

‘I would encourage anyone, whether they have attended the Manx Grand Prix Festival or not, to help us with our research so that we can build up an accurate picture of its successes and areas for improvement.’

The survey which went live on the internet on Friday is part of a review of costs, benefits and future potential of the races which are the second biggest government-sponsored event after the TT.

In all there are 20 questions in the survey, which is on the official mgpfestival.com website, and they invite feedback on all aspects of the festival including whether people have attended the event, why they attend, how they rate the event and whether they consider it value for money.

The full review should be complete by April 2012.

Results of the survey will contribute to the overall review of the festival’s long-term structure and viability.

Various focus groups are also being used to canvass views from individuals and associations within the motorcycle industry including sponsors, journalists, competitors, event organisers and officials.

The 2012 Manx Grand Prix Festival, which runs from August 18 to September 2, will not be affected by the review. The two-week festival currently includes the Manx Grand Prix Races, the Classic Trial, the Two Day Trial and the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Festival of Jurby and Rally.

{http://www.mgpfestival.com/MGP-Festival-2012/MGP-Festival-Questionnaire.aspx|www.mgpfestival.com/MGP-Festival-2012/MGP-Festival-Questionnaire.aspx}.

ALMOST 50 instances of pollution were notified to the authorities over the past year but fewer than half of these were substantiated according to a report published recently.

The 2011 River Pollution Report lists 48 incidents reported of suspected pollution in the island’s rivers, harbours or beaches, but in more than half of those cases investigation failed to reveal any evidence of actual pollution.

Most pollution incidents during the year related to suspended solids in the water – such as dirt, silt, sand and dust – or sewage. As a result, water can be discoloured and fish eggs, fry and insects can be smothered. Such contamination can also kill fish as well as the many insects which need very clean water to thrive.

Oil spills and pollution from farm waste such as spilt slurry were less common, continuing the trend of the past few years and probably mirroring a degree of economic decline.

Some of the call-outs were sparked by natural phenomena such as foam in rivers, which proved to result from natural compounds released by plant or animal decay rather than spilled detergents. Similarly, oily sheens on water which sparked fears of petrol or diesel spills turned out to have natural causes such as bacteria.

A real pollution incident can require many visits by the DEFA’s Environmental Protection Unit (EPU), firstly to identify the pollution, then to stop it and finally to clean up the site sufficiently for it to recover.

Dr Calum MacNeil of the EPU, who compiled the report with Dr Phil Styles, said: ‘The public are urged to contact us immediately they witness water pollution, rather than leave it days – or even weeks – to report the incident, because by then the damage may well have been done and the polluter not identified or held to account.’

The report, entitled River Pollution Incidents Isle of Man 2011, is available on the DEFA website {http://www.gov.im/daff/enviro/protection/water.xml|www.gov.im/daff/enviro/protection/water.xml}.

The report provides details of the various individual incidents of pollution.

CANADA Life International Limited (CLI) has maintained its overall five-star financial strength rating from actuarially based consultancy AKG for the ninth straight year.

AKG confirmed CLI’s status as a key player in the offshore investment market by making it the only offshore provider to have maintained an overall 5-star Annual Review rating for the ninth consecutive year.

CLI is understood to hold the highest AKG rating given to an offshore life company, including high ratings for its service, its image and strategy and its annual performance.

CLI Institutional Limited (CLII) was also assessed by AKG and maintained its 5-star financial strength rating. CLII’s target market is ultra high net worth investors looking to invest £1 million plus.

Sean Christian, managing director said: ‘AKG assess every major household name insurer that operates offshore and so we’re delighted to be awarded 5-star ratings for both of our offshore companies again this year.

‘2011 was an outstanding year and we had a number of success stories including record sales of £1.2bn.’

February sees an exciting new selection of books from the classy stable at Oxford University Press Children’s Books.

From picture books that catch the eyes of toddlers through the middle reading years and into the more adventurous world of teen fiction, there’s a book for all ages and all abilities.

Teenage readers have never had it so good. Some of the best writers for the adult market are turning their attentions to young adult fiction and producing stories of breathtaking sophistication and innovation.

Matt Dickinson, noted for The Other Side of Everest, the book which charted his own terrifying experiences on the treacherous North Face, and the adult fiction thrillers High Risk and Black Ice, brings us Mortal Chaos (paperback, £6.99), the first of a superb teen series inspired by the science of Chaos Theory, otherwise known as the Butterfly Effect.

Using the theory that even the biggest and most disastrous events (a plane crash, a tornado, an avalanche) can be caused by tiny and sometimes barely noticeable changes that happen in the natural world, he weaves together a cleverly-paced suspense tale of life, death and chaos.

The first beating of a Purple Hairstreak butterfly’s iridescent wings unleashes mayhem across the planet when it startles a baby rabbit discovering the wonders of the world outside its burrow.

In an intricate web of cause and effect, that moment in quiet Sauncy Wood in Wiltshire will change and end lives from 18-year-old Japanese girl Kuni attempting a record solo climb on Everest and six-year-old Bakili in Malawi under attack from a pack of starving and savage baboons to a former US Gulf War veteran contemplating suicide and murder and airline pilot Tina Curtis heading out in her car for a long commute to Heathrow Airport.

Through fascinating interconnections, this group of people and a slowly increasing band of other victims become ensnared in a rolling drama which links them together in a battle for life and death.

Some will survive cataclysmic events... others won’t.

Dickinson’s wickedly wonderful adventure relies on a fast-moving momentum created by a narrative shaved to the bone and short, punchy chapters which draw in the reader and make it virtually impossible to resist turning the page.

Mortal Chaos is a thrilling concept that will appeal to both male and female teenagers ... and the good news is that the next in the series, Deep Oblivion, is due out this July.

And if you are looking for books to encourage your children to begin reading alone, check out Ali Sparkes’ fun-filled SWITCH series which takes kids on freaky, funky and fact-filled rollercoaster ride!

Youngsters aged seven and over will enjoy the adventures of daring twin brothers Josh and Danny Phillips and their nutty next door neighbour Petty Potts, a scientist only interested in her top secret Switch spray which turns humans into all creatures great and small.

And guess who Petty most likes ‘Switching’? Josh and Danny of course!

Their magical conversion into turtles, lizards, geckos and chameleons causes all kinds of chaos and danger but the super siblings are more than a match for Petty’s potty experiments.

In Lizard Loopy (paperback, £4.99), Petty’s new lizard formula is ready for testing, and Josh and Danny are eager to help. But as Josh and Danny are trying it out in the safety of Petty’s secret underground lab, they’re interrupted by an intruder’s attempt to get in to Petty’s house.

Soon, they’re on the run and making the most of their amazing speed and agility by whizzing up a tree. But in no time they’re surrounded by bird droppings and in serious danger of being swallowed whole by two moody owls...

And there’s trouble in Chameleon Chaos (paperback, £4.99) when Petty’s most recent spray doesn’t seem to be working, not that Josh and Danny were all that excited about being chameleons anyway – alligators would be much better!

At school the next day, time seems to be going too fast for the twins, and when one of Danny’s eyeballs rolls right round in its socket, they know things are getting weird. While Danny is distracted by the leafy coolness of his teacher’s pot plant, Josh is causing a stir in PE, escaping the class bullies by climbing right up to the top of the gym ropes! How long will it be before the boys are boys again?

Turtle Terror (paperback, £4.99) sees the twins on holiday with their parents in Cornwall where the last person they expect to see is Petty Potts holding a turtle under each arm.

A trip to the ruined fort on the nearby rocky island takes too long and the tide comes in, trapping the boys. Luckily, they have a bottle filled with Switch spray and turn themselves into leatherback turtles! Their swim back to mainland is filled with danger ... will Danny be able to save Josh from the fishing net before he Switches back in to a boy?

And in Gecko Gladiator (paperback, £4.99), Petty relocates her secret lab to the VERY pink and VERY girly Princess Land! Reluctantly, the twins fight their way through hordes of excited girls dressed as fairies to the back of a shop where a single door stands between them and Petty’s new lab.

Switching into geckos, the boys have no problems getting under the door and up the walls. It’s on the way out that things start to get really tricky . . . the Switch back hasn’t gone well, and although Josh and Danny have normal legs, they’re giant geckos from the waist up!

Illustrator Ross Collins adds an extra dimension of fun with his action-packed illustrations and each book comes with an activity section at the back with quizzes and games.

Ideal inspiration for young readers who need a little coaxing...

They say every picture tells a story and there is no better way to describe Quack Quack Moo, We See You! (paperback, £5.99), the delightfully funny and engaging new book from talented duo Mij Kelly and Katharine McEwen.

This bright, breezy and mischievous picture book will be a favourite with children aged two and over who cannot help but fall in love with the amazing Poppa Bombola.

Kelly’s endearing rhythmic, rhyming text, which is repeated to encourage little ones to join in the fun, combines perfectly with McEwen’s exuberant illustrations which are bursting with life and energy.

Poppa Bombola is searching high and low for his little girl. Is she by the duck pond? Is she in the cowshed? Could she even be in the chicken coop? While Poppa Bombola is in a frantic flap, someone very dear (and very near) to him is enjoying a laughter-filled farmyard ride!

Luckily for Poppa Bombola, the farmyard animals are on hand to help him find his darling daughter...

FORMER Douglas South MHK Bill Malarkey is aiming to make a political comeback.

He will stand in Murray’s Ward where two other candidates – Ritchie McNicholl and George Campbell – are also standing.

Mr Malarkey’s announcement has coincided with news that Jim Mitchell would not seek re-election to Murray’s in April. Mr Mitchell, who been in political life for more than 25 years.

In the same statement, former Douglas South MHK Bill Malarkey has announced his intention for the seat being vacated by Mr Mitchell, who has agreed to be his proposer.

Mr Malarkey said: ‘Jim has served the people of Douglas for many years and will be a hard act to follow.’

He added: ‘During my time in Tynwald I was committed to fighting for a better deal for Douglas ratepayers who are always burdened with extra cost that should be supported at a national level and the Bowl was a perfect example. If elected I promise to carry on that fight using the knowledge and contacts gained during my time working within government for the good of Douglas.’

The former MHK, who lost his seat in last year’s general election, continued: ‘We need to fight the introduction of out of town retail parks and concentrate on regenerating Douglas town centre and that includes a purpose built bus station on the old bus station site not more retail units, and I am committed to continue the hard work to move the town in a forward direction.’

Douglas Mayor Ritchie McNicholl last week announced his intention to defend his seat in the same ward.

Mr McNicholl, an electrician from Westminster Drive, Douglas, has been a member of the council for 19 years.

‘I do hope, because I enjoy council work, that I am successful,’ Mr McNicholl told his council colleagues.

There are three seats in Murray’s ward. George Campbell, of Westminster Drive, has already announced plans to contest the seat in the April 26 election.

The other sitting councillor in the ward is Helen Callow. She has not announced whether she intends to defend her seat.

A MOTORBIKE rider has died following an accident on the Baldrine to Laxey road yesterday evening.

The accident, involving a black Yamaha bike and a silver Honda Jazz car, happened at about 5.20pm yesterday (Wednesday) near to the Ballabeg MER tram crossing.

Police say the Honda was heading towards Baldrine and the Yamaha towards Laxey when the accident happened.

The Yamaha rider suffered fatal injuries.

The occupants of the other vehicle were unhurt.

Following the tragedy, the road was closed for about six hours while police carried out investigations at the scene.

Any witnesses are asked to contact police on 631212.

Cavaliers looked to extend their unbeaten league record against a Turkey team short on size in the men’s basketball league last Thursday.

Neither side were pleased after a dismal first quarter that saw both teams fail to get into double figures. The second quarter was slightly better and Turkeys edged out to a narrow four-point margin at the break.

This was the Cavaliers first game since before Christmas but they finally managed to shed some rust for a much more efficient third quarter with the excellent Phil Evans making some big shots early on. A sweet three-pointer at the end from schoolboy prodigy Callum Randall gave Cavaliers a six-point cushion going into the final quarter.

A pair of threes from Evans and Paul Kilic sandwiched a surprise three from Wig Bregazzi to start the period but it was the coast-to-coast, ball-carrying layup of big Bob Gibson that really raised some eyebrows.

Cavaliers held a nine-point advantage with three minutes to go but Turkeys mounted a furious comeback on the back of some great shooting from Paul Ellison and Gavin Stephenson and had a chance to tie the game with three seconds left but Ellison missed the open jumper and Cavaliers held onto the ball for a fortunate win.

Phillies 58, PokerStars 46

The contrasting styles of Phillies, with their rapid-fire, run-and-gun offense against the much bigger and methodical PokerStars provided an interesting clash that was much closer than the final scoreline suggests.

PokerStars defence, marshalled by the imposing Michael Josem, restricted a lot of the driving opportunities for the Phillies and reduced them to launching long jumpers for long periods in the game.

That strategy works when the opposing team isn’t shooting well but Thursday wasn’t one of those nights, as Luke Genenza and the Manuel brothers put on a shooting clinic. PokerStars got their points in the paint in the main and Josem worked well with Eric Hibbs to dominate the key but Phillies were just able to do enough.

Celton Warriors 70, Tigers 47

With both teams ravaged by injuries recently, there were murmurings around the watching spectators that an upset might be on the cards as Tigers looked to sneak one over Warriors. Resplendent in their brand new kits, courtesy of new sponsor Celton Manx, the Warriors set about business with an early shooting display from Chris Wolfendale who buried a trio of opening quarter threes.

Another triple of long-range baskets from Wolfendale in the second extended their lead and Warriors rarely looked back, despite the best efforts of a returning Sean Doyle. A third quarter rally led by Ben Kneale and Dave Boyle pulled Tigers closer but Warriors moved up another gear to run out comfortable winners.

NFU Marvels 62, Manx Demolition 17

Marvels showed no mercy in a first half demolition of their own that kept the youngsters to a solitary Matt Middleton basket. By the time they scored their second after half-time, they were facing a 38-point deficit that they were never going to recover from.

Cup and possible league contenders Fellas took on league newcomers Little Devils at the NSC in week 16 of the Women’s Basketball League.

Growing in numbers by the week, Fellas arrived with nine players ready to continue their recent winning streak but the first few minutes of the opening quarter saw points being scored from both teams and it looked like Fellas may have a fight on their hands. 

Despite being under careful instruction from their coach Lorna Kirkham, Little Devils had their work cut out going into the second quarter 23 points behind. A good half-time team talk seemed to do the trick, however, as Little Devils came out fighting, scoring 14 points in the third period compared to Fellas’ 10. 

But it was too little, too late for the young team as Danielle Murphy and Amber Carridge ensured Fellas converted enough baskets into an unassailable lead to take victory once again.

Buchanan and Pitts Slammers 69, Saints 25

Saints, who have been hit or miss this season, took on the ruthless league leaders Slammers in an ‘anything-could-happen’ game. With a solid defensive strategy and dogged determination, Slammers had full control of this game from tip-off, leaving Saints trailing by 20 points going into the second quarter. 

Lesley Patterson was on top form for the Slammers notching up 18 points over the course of the game, while the mighty Sarah Maddrell scored 29. 

Tired legs, a lack of subs and team spirit at an all-time low, Saints were unable to turn the game around and the final score reflected the ache in Saints hearts at this harsh defeat. Can this result be avenged when both teams meet again this week in the Women’s Fun Cup? The match tips off at 6pm.

The Manx Independent is in shops this afternoon.

In today’s Indy, Samantha Barks tells us all about the moment she realised she was set for movie stardom and looks ahead to her role in the film version of Les Miserables.

We report on the school children whose portraits are set to appear in Buckingham Palace.

There are job fears as Manx Radio faces cut backs.

And find out what Manx National Heritage contributes to the Manx economy.

Plus there’s news on a merger between Paddy’s Market and Robinsons and we have an update on the latest situation in our Pride in Mann competition.

In this week’s Independent, there is also your free Green Living supplement and the chance to get your hands on a bag for life.

Sport reports as a 15-year-old schoolgirl swimmer from the island qualifies for the Olympic trials and there’s bad news for TT star Ian Hutchinson, who has suffered a broken leg. Plus all the usual previews of the weekend sporting action.

The controversial land swap deal at Kirk Michael is coming under new scrutiny, West News reports

Find out why a stage school has opened in Ramsey with this week’s North News.

South News has a picture update on demolition work taking place on Port Erin seafront.

What Where When looks ahead to a special school show and talks to a local rock band as they launch their new album.

The Manx Independent is in shops from this afternoon.

CHAMBER of Commerce chief executive Mike Hennessy has welcomed Douglas Council’s plans to invest £12.7m to redevelop Cambrian Place, in Lord Street, Douglas.

Plans are expected to be submitted this month to transform the site into a 460-space multi-storey car park, also providing a new home for the Henry Bloom Noble Library, offices for the council’s ICT operation and public toilets.

Mr Hennessy said: ‘This announcement has arrived at a time when activity in the construction industry is at a premium.

‘The area around the ferry terminal end of Lord Street – often a visitor’s first impression of our capital – has looked downtrodden for as long as I have been on the island – 11 years – and this is undoubtedly positive progress.’

Related article: {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/traffic-and-transport/multi_storey_car_park_plan_for_douglas_town_centre_1_4192942|Multi-storey car park plan for Douglas town centre}.

The Chamber of Commerce opposed the Manx Government’s decision in 2009 to grant a 999-year lease to developers Asket Hawk for a hotel.

Mr Hennessy said: ‘Chamber opposed the decision made in 2009 regards the bus station site on the grounds that we feared “nothing would happen any time soon”, but that is water under the bridge now and we hope that this latest news may prompt developments there too.

‘This aspiration, aligned with the emerging plans of both the brewery and the Sefton Group in the immediate vicinity, would represent significant “regeneration” work in itself, fully complementing the proposed refurbishments in and around Strand Street.’

He added: ‘This is good news on several levels and should also positively impact on our retail offering as a result of increased town centre parking availability.’

Announcing the plans, Douglas Council leader David Christian said the scheme would create a ‘landmark development’, which would prove to be a ‘valuable asset to the council and the town’.

He said there was an urgent need for more car parking in the town and that being able to own the library site – instead of leasing the current premises in Victoria Street – will lead to savings.

The development will be tendered by Cumbria-based developer Time & Tide.

MEMBERS both human and canine from the Isle of Man branch of the Search and Rescue Dog Association (SARDA) travelled to Scotland this month for five days’ training in winter skills.

Andy Dunn, Malcolm Stewart and search dog Max met with counterparts from SARDA Wales, basing themselves in Glencoe in the West Highlands of Scotland for the programme of team exercises.

The first day saw the group head for a day in the Nevis mountain range, where Andy said the hard snow and sunny conditions proved ideal for going over ice axe and crampon skills that would be needed for the rest of the week, before the evening’s lecture on avalanche avoidance, beacons and digging.

Over the following two days on the north face of Ben Nevis and up Buachaille Etive Beag, dogs were used for searching and trained to locate and dig out avalanche victims, while knowledge of snow shelters and transceivers (communication devices) was refreshed.

Later in the week came a joint exercise with the Royal Navy Sea King.

‘Bodies’ were taken up onto Buachaille Etive Beag and then the dogs and handlers following behind in a second flight for a search scenario in the snow, before having to make their way down on foot as the helicopter had been forced out by the heavy snow and strong winds.

Andy said it was a great end to a great week and thanked all who took part.

Only members of the island’s police force, coastguard, fire service or Civil Defence – the services that form the Isle of Man Search and Rescue Group – can become a SARDA dog handler.

SARDA Isle of Man currently have two qualified search dog teams, and were called out five times in 2011– including helping search for an injured walker on Snaefell in December.

Information on the association can be found at {http://www.sardaiom.im.sardaiom.im}

WHO needs Jose Mourinho when you’ve got Christian ‘Jose’ Forbes?

An Apology

In last week’s edition of January 26, we carried an article which suggested that Andy ‘Phoenix’ Kneale may have been responsible for some, all, or an intermediate amount of the training of Bacchas Under-13s.

We have since been contacted by a representative of the club who has informed us that, while Mr Kneale expressed a desire to assist in training Bacchas’ next generation, the club had taken steps to ensure that his impact was minimised by repeatedly giving him an incorrect venue, time and date for the training of said youth, although Mr Kneale had become aware of the correct time and date and had, of recent weeks, assisted.

Following suggestions within last week’s blog that Mr Kneale had trained the team to an extent that they had an enormously close game and lost only 4-3 against the league leaders, Jon Whiting of Bacchas expressed that Mr Kneale was responsible for only defensive training and bears no responsibility for any goals at the other end. We are only too happy to put the matter straight and would like to apologise for any concern or distress caused.

Who needs Mourinho?

While we are on the subject of influential characters for the next generation of Manx hockey superstars, we are obliged to cover the next promising managerial talent coming through Vikings HQ, Christian ‘Jose’ Forbes. See him in all managerial glory as per the picture above, masterminding Vikings B’s victory over Harlequins at the weekend on Vikings preferred side of the white lines for him.

Of course, we cannot categorise Mr Forbes as having purely a managerial capacity in the team, as many have seen him tearing about a hockey pitch spearheading the team in the direction of success. (To avoid the inevitable apology next week, we should clarify that we may have used a touch of artistic licence there). A couple of people told us they had once seen him loitering near the back somewhere pointing the team in the direction of the pub.

Still, any captain who merges the 80s foppish cappy look with the carefree ‘hands on the hips’ style ticks every box with us. See how he influences the young Vikings generation either side with his ‘I’m in control of this situation’ pose? In the future, Alex Cain seems destined to step out of his mentor’s shadow and adopt his casual managerial style - sorry Alex that was a bit out of order, there’s still time...

Mark Bratt is a very polite chap

It’s true, as good friends of the Castletown’s ‘ginger wall’ we can confirm that Mr Bratt is indeed, one of the politest chaps we know. Always ready with a charming word or a friendly wave, Mark is rarely seen having a cross word (and in Castletown’s back-line that is no easy feat). However this week, the nice guy of Manx hockey even outdid himself for politeness...

During the second half of Bacchas’ victory over Castletown A at the weekend, Karl Moore (Graham Crowe’s new best friend and ale supplier) hit such a venomous shot from the top of the D that Mark had no choice but to flick over the NSC fence for a long corner. Now usually Mr Bratt would take these balls down and break into an attack, but as Karl had struck it so well Mark felt the easiest thing would be to edge it over the fence.

This is where his exceeding manners came into play. Knowing he had to clear the fence for a breather for his under pressure team-mates, Mark glanced backwards to see a carpark full of both Bacchas and Castletown cars. A lesser or more brutish man would not have worried where the ball landed, but not our hero. With split-second timing, he realised the only fair thing to do would be to hit his own car to save the insurance on the opposition vehicles...which he did with incredible accuracy.

Mr Bratt, on behalf of Bacchas, Castletown and anyone else who happened to be parked in the NSC car park on Saturday, we doff our caps to your exceeding politeness and your dented Punto...

All mixed up Congratulations to Jon Whiting, not only for his second blog mention of the week (and there’s more to come), but also for winning the anagrams competition last week. Accordingly, we have awarded Jon with the opportunity to do this week’s predictions (below). With the style, if not the looks, of Sandra Bullock, Mr Whiting made a tearful and passionate acceptance speech during which he noted his success was down to being laid up because of a recent operation. We were somewhat astonished at the speed with which he responded last week. Close second, or as we like to refer to it ‘first loser’, was Paul Harris.

Jon also wins a bottle of Crabbies from Thad and, in an addition to the blog after the last edit Pasty saw last week, a foot-rub from the latter. Following the occasion last year when Pasty was sold in a Valkyrs fundraiser to Russ and Emma Miller for 24 hours hard labour, this now means Pasty’s list of ‘People I must continue to avoid forever’ has been extended to three.

Special merit to Hayley Crowe as well, who submitted her entry several days after we’d lost interest, but offered that if she had won she wished to donate her foot-rub and pint to David Quayle on the condition that both were provided after David had reached his final destination in the forthcoming Parish Walk. Thanks, Hayley. Whether Mr Whiting will extend the same courtesy to Mr Quayle in donating his foot-rub to his ailing Parish Walk feet remains to be seen.

Dingbats

As a special treat, we will be running a twice weekly ‘dingbats’ competition on our Facebook page where will publish the name of a well-known Manx hockey player using only pictures but no words (kind of a cryptic pictionary). It’s easier to do than explain! We’ll publish a dingbat on a Sunday night and a Tuesday night, if you are interested then the first one will go online on Sunday, good luck!

Predictions

There are a number of ways we could describe Zara’s performance in last week’s predictions but we feel that ‘hopeless’ sums it up rather nicely. Another unpredictable week up and down the leagues led to Zara gaining a paltry six points from the 17 games, with Thad and Pasty not faring much better on nine each for the week. Zara’s only consolation was that she did manage to perform slightly better than Bacchas Bear - I guess that’s what happens when we allow uncouth, grizzly, lumbering creatures in Bacchas’ shirts to do the predictions, we’ll definitely be sure not to make that mistake again!

So, onto this week’s predictions and as mentioned above we have Jon Whiting chancing his arm this week. Good luck Jon, we hope it’s as successful as your anagram solving, if it all goes wrong we’re sure you can grin and bear it...

Viva La Resistance!

Pasty and Thad

* Jen - we know it’s topical, but ‘The Secret Diary of Jennifer Dougal, aged 37 and 3/4’ doesn’t quite have the same ring to it

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JON’S PREDICTIONS

Men’s

Ramsey Men’s A 2 v 2 Castletown Men’s A

Valkyrs Men’s A 1 v 1 Bacchas Men’s A

Vikings Men’s A 4 v 2 Bacchas Men’s B

Castletown Men’s B 2 v 1 Bacchas Men’s Colts

Vikings Men’s B 3 v 4 Saracens Men’s A

Valkyrs Men’s B 3 v 1 Harlequins (IoM) Men’s A

Vikings Men’s C 2 v 4 Valkyrs Men’s C

Bacchas Men’s C 6 v 1 Castletown Men’s C

Women’s

Vikings Women’s B 2 v 2 Bacchas Women’s B

Valkyrs Women’s A 3 v 1 Castletown Women’s A

Vikings Women’s A 4 v 1 Bacchas Women’s A

Ramsey Women’s B 2 v 5 Harlequins (IoM) Women’s

Castletown Women’s B 5 v 0 Saracens Women’s

Bacchas Women’s C 3 v 1 Valkyrs Women’s C

Vikings Women’s C 2 v 5 Castletown Women’s C

U16s

Valkyrs Mixed U16 0 v 6 Vikings Mixed U16

Bacchas Mixed U16 3 v 1 Ramsey Rogues and Rascals

PASTY’S PREDICTIONS

Men’s

Ramsey Men’s A 2 v 3 Castletown Men’s A

Valkyrs Men’s A 2 v 2 Bacchas Men’s A

Vikings Men’s A 4 v 2 Bacchas Men’s B

Castletown Men’s B 1 v 3 Bacchas Men’s Colts

Vikings Men’s B 2 v 2 Saracens Men’s A

Valkyrs Men’s B 2 v 1 Harlequins (IoM) Men’s A

Vikings Men’s C 1 v 1 Valkyrs Men’s C

Bacchas Men’s C 0 v 0 Castletown Men’s C

Women’s

Vikings Women’s B 1 v 3 Bacchas Women’s B

Valkyrs Women’s A 1 v 2 Castletown Women’s A

Vikings Women’s A 4 v 1 Bacchas Women’s A

Ramsey Women’s B 0 v 5 Harlequins (IoM) Women’s

Castletown Women’s B 5 v 0 Saracens Women’s

Bacchas Women’s C 1 v 2 Valkyrs Women’s C

Vikings Women’s C 0 v 1 Castletown Women’s C

U16s

Valkyrs Mixed U16 0 v 2 Vikings Mixed U16

Bacchas Mixed U16 4 v 2 Ramsey Rogues and Rascals

THAD’S PREDICTIONS

Men’s

Ramsey Men’s A 1 v 3 Castletown Men’s A

Valkyrs Men’s A 2 v 3 Bacchas Men’s A

Vikings Men’s A 4 v 0 Bacchas Men’s B

Castletown Men’s B 2 v 2 Bacchas Men’s Colts

Vikings Men’s B 2 v 3 Saracens Men’s A

Valkyrs Men’s B 3 v 1 Harlequins (IoM) Men’s A

Vikings Men’s C 1 v 2 Valkyrs Men’s C

Bacchas Men’s C 5 v 0 Castletown Men’s C

Women’s

Vikings Women’s B 2 v 0 Bacchas Women’s B

Valkyrs Women’s A 2 v 3 Castletown Women’s A

Vikings Women’s A 5 v 1 Bacchas Women’s A

Ramsey Women’s B 3 v 1 Harlequins (IoM) Women’s

Castletown Women’s B 4 v 0 Saracens Women’s

Bacchas Women’s C 0 v 2 Valkyrs Women’s C

Vikings Women’s C 1 v 2 Castletown Women’s C

U16s

Valkyrs Mixed U16 2 v 5 Vikings Mixed U16

Bacchas Mixed U16 3 v 1 Ramsey Rogues and Rascals

64: Up & Running in St Siggy

So where did January go? Or December come to that – a quick check has revealed the last Blog was posted in November – that nice Mr Parry will be wrathful with me, but I can plead extenuating circumstances with our earliest and busiest start to the season yet. Temperatures refused to drop and Autumn seemed to linger interminably until the first snowfall arrived out of the blue bang on time for our first chalet-full in the run up to Christmas – 2 families testing the new facilities almost to breaking point. In blizzard conditions the minibus set out for the village within minutes of their arrival to get the keen skiers kitted up ready for the morning. Fortunately I had the foresight to fit our trusty spike-spider chain system to the wheels, but it soon became obvious driving on chains was going to add time to village run, with the added complication that on a ploughed section of road they set up a teeth-jarring vibration and so have to be hastily dropped off.

Mrs C set up a dedicated boot-room in the basement beautifully heated but unfortunately only accessible through the garage. However the Lift Company in the village finally got round to unveiling their locker-room (only 12 months behind schedule) boasting state of the art computer controlled 4-man ski lockers complete with boot warmers. So now no more early morning booting up in the garage – the pampered guests can drive in in civvies and climb into their toasty boots at the telecabine before gliding effortlessly up the escalator to the pistes – skiing 21st century style.

Christmas came and went in a flurry – the Boss yet again scouring the valley to secure a suitable tree and Alex’s mum’s pudding the highlight of the Christmas Dinner. Optimistically operating without employed help enjoyed in the 2 previous seasons (Lyndy, Gez, where are you?!) the operation came close to breaking point but blood is thicker than water and our wonderful offspring dropped everything and jetted in to man the pumps and as innovation became routine we got the new operation onto a more settled course.

Principal outcome – more skiing! Joy though it is to entertain, at some stage the staff need their own time away from the chalet and out on the white stuff. And with record snowfalls piling up outside the window we’ve firmly decided no opportunity is to be wasted this season. Wednesdays are sacrosanct – on our day off we’re going to get out, but also other opportunities have been snatched when time permits; even an hour following the morning delivery run can be guaranteed to put a smile on the face and a spring in the step.

The snow levels really are unprecedented; and with Siberian airflows setting up later this week nothing is going to be lost. Included in the chalet purchase was a gleaming snow-blower; hardly likely to be used, I sniffed at the time. Serves me right; on Tuesday I spent an hour clearing the drive in the morning only to have to repeat the operation in the evening following a day’s continous snowfall. There’s a foot of powder perched precariously on the balcony rail and Ffin is in doggy heaven bounding through snowy billows on his morning constitutional. The hot-tub despite my gloomy prognostications has proved a runaway success and we’re finally learning the tips and wrinkles of feeding the beast and regulating it’s temperature.

Some experimentation on the menus; with a good level of returning guests it’s important to ring some changes and it keeps life interesting for the chef. The new kitchen performs well, the dining table is a joy and the seating areas seem to work for the differing parties that ebb and flow through the chalet. So we got a lot right, but there also a tweak list for the summer, things that perhaps we could not have foreseen but only find out with the chalet up and running.

No time now though, high season is nearly upon us; a constantly full chalet, pistes, shops and restaurants packed to capacity, roads clogged and parking impossible – but hopefully there’ll still be a moment to file an up-date on the latest happening in Chalet Plein Air.

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THE Isle of Man has become ‘collateral damage’ in a wider debate going on in UK politics, Chief Minister Allan Bell told MHKs – adding that he was determined to enhance the island’s relationship with Westminster.

He was quizzed in the House of Keys by Bill Henderson (Douglas North) over comments made by Labour leader Ed Miliband who suggested the Isle of Man should be blacklisted as a tax haven by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

In fact, we are on the OECD’s white list of countries that comply with global standards for tax co-operation and information exchange.

Mr Bell told Mr Henderson: ‘I fully share the member’s concern on this and I am sure every member feels the same way but we have to understand the politics of the moment, the internal politics of the Labour Party and the political requirements of the coalition government, and sometimes small jurisdictions inadvertently become collateral damage in the wider debate that is going on.’

Mr Bell said he had ‘swiftly and firmly refuted’ the UK Leader of the Opposition’s comments and clearly set out the weight of evidence that showed the Isle of Man’s proactive stance towards tax regulation.

He pointed out it was not for any politician to declare who should be on the OECD black list. ‘The process of assessing where countries are placed on OECD lists is rightly based on a careful and dispassionate consideration of the evidence, not political decrees. The evidence on this matter is clear: the Isle of Man has repeatedly been judged to be co-operative and compliant with internationally agreed standards.

He added: ‘As Chief Minister, I am determined to enhance our relationship with the UK, as I have previously made clear. Essential to this ambition is maintaining close contact with our UK counterparts.

‘I will be engaging with the Leader of the Opposition’s comments as part of my ongoing contact programme. In terms of impact, I think the comments were driven by rhetoric, as opposed to policy. These events serve to remind us of the importance of maintaining a close dialogue with UK counterparts, which I am committed to do.’

iomtoday is still waiting for the Labour Party to respond to our questions.

On January 16 we asked the Labour Party central office whether Mr Miliband genuinely believes the Isle of Man is not as well regulated as the UK, and asked the party to provide figures showing the number of people/amount of money that has been put into the Isle of Man illegally and what evidence it had of the island’s non-co-operation with UK authorities.

We also asked the party to confirm whether it was referring to the legal practice of tax avoidance or the illegal one of tax evasion.

Despite repeated requests for a response, the Labour Party has yet to reply.

Friday, February 3

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• Our Sporting Life exhibition, Manx Museum, Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm. Until September 1.

• Friends Exhibition, Garretts Gallery, Unit 11, Kirby Farm Industrial Estate, Vicarage Road, Braddan. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, 10am-6pm. Until February 29.

• Over The Rainbow by Lorraine Cleasby, textile art exhibition, Erin Arts Centre, Port Erin. From February 8 until March 2.

Friday, February 3

• Step in Time, Ballroom Dance, Youth Art Centre, Kensington Road, Douglas, 4-6pm; Also Saturday 10am-1pm, Tuesday 4-6pm, Wednesday 4-6pm, Thursday 4-6pm. Also Dynamix 7-9pm; Also Dance Exchange 4-6pm.

• Sequence dancing, Onchan Pensioner’s Social Club, Morton Hall, Onchan, 2pm.

• Acrobatics, Dance Factory, Onchan Park, 4.30pm.

• Modern Dance, Dance Factory, Onchan Park, 5.45pm. Also Thursday at 4.30pm.

• Tap Jnr, Dance Factory, Onchan Park, 6.45pm. Also Tap Adv at 7.30pm. Also Beginners Tap, Tuesday at 4.30pm.

• Argentinian Tango beginners class, St Paul’s Hall, Ramsey, 7pm. Call 880650 or 324110.

• Line Dancing, Ebenezer Hall, Kirk Michael, 7pm. Beginners welcome, adults £3.50, children £1.50 including tea and biscuits. Call 878687.

Saturday, February 4

• Dance Time for children, Port Erin Methodist Hall, sessions from 9.30am. £2.50 per half hour session. Call 835696.

• Stage Snr, Dance Factory, Onchan Park, 4pm. Also Stage Int at 5pm,

• Social sequence dancing, Onchan Methodist Church hall, Onchan, 8pm-10.30pm. Call 829669.

• Social sequence dancing, Pulrose Methodist Church hall, Douglas, 8pm. Also Monday; Sunday, sequence dancing with latest dances only; Wednesday, sequence dancing. Call 842878.

Sunday, February 5

• Perree Bane Manx folk dancing, Ballasalla village hall, 7pm.

Monday, February 6

• Ballet, Viking Works, Riverside, Peel, 5.45pm. Also Thursday at 4.30pm.

• Irish Dance Prim/Int, Viking Works, Riverside, Peel, 6.30pm. Also Wednesday at 5.45pm. Beginners, Wednesday at 5pm.

• ‘Modern, street and stage dance classes at Rinkey Studios, Mill Road, Peel from 6pm - visit www.rinkey.co.uk for more information’?

• Country dancing, Willaston Hall, 7pm-9pm. Contact 628521.

• Ceroc Dance night, Masonic Hall, Woodbourne Road, Douglas, 7.30pm until 10.30pm.

• Line dancing, Port Erin Methodist Church hall, 8.15pm. Call 436219.

• Modern line dancing, Legion Hall, Onchan. Also Wednesday and Thursday, Call 670308.

Tuesday, February 7

• Adrenalyn, Youth Arts Centre, Kensington Road, Douglas 6-8pm. Also MNYT Junior, 6-7.30pm; Young Magicians 7.30-9pm, Johnny & the Dead 7.30-9.

• Sequence dancing and social, South Douglas Old Friends Assoc, 7.30pm. Admission £1.50.

• Beginners Line Dance, St John’s Football Club, 7.30pm-9pm. Call 462104.

• Sequence dancing with Port Erin Dancing Club, Port Erin Methodist Church hall, 8pm. Admission £1.50.

Wednesday, February 8

• Sequence dancing, Morton Hall, Castletown, 2pm. Admission £1.

• Ballroom dancing for children, Centenary Centre, Peel, 4pm. Call 450688.

• Ballet, Dance Factory, Onchan Park, 4.30pm.

• Modern Line Dance-ercise class for beginner, Legion Hall, Onchan, 7.15pm. £3.50 Ballroom dancing, Villa marina, Douglas, 8pm. Call Ellis Killey 623414

• Rhythmic dance, St Ninians Dance Studio, Douglas, 8pm.

Thursday, February 9

• Tea dance, South Douglas Old Friends Association, Finch Road, Douglas, 2pm.

• Dance classes for children, Centenary Hall, Peel, 4pm. Call 450688.

• Shake It classes, combines Latin moves with karate, Tango and hip hop moves 7pm to 8.15pm.

• Strictly Come Dancing for beginners, Royal British Legion, Port Erin, 8pm. £3.50 per person.

• Irish set dancing Douglas Old Friends’ Club, Douglas, 8pm. Call David on 457268.