Olympic taekwondo star Sarah Stevenson MBE took part in this weekend’s Viking boat race in Peel.

Stevenson, 30, was visiting the island to hold a seminar over the weekend with local club Manx Taekwondo.

She won a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the first ever British medallist in the sport, and was World Champion in 2001 and 2011.

At the opening ceremony of London 2012 she was chosen to take the competitor’s oath.

Manx Taekwondo club instructor Rod Nielsen said: ‘It’s amazing to get someone of Sarah’s standard over to our club for the weekend.

‘All our kids are going to learn so much from her. It’s brilliant, and an extra little bonus that she’s agreed to compete in our rowing team while she’s here too.’

Stevenson started her career by becoming Junior World Champion in 1998 and two years later was third in the Olympic qualifying tournament, sealing a place in Beijing in the women’s 67kg class.

These achievements brought her to the attention of Jackie Chan, who was so impressed with her, he decided to sponsor her whilst he was in the UK filming the movie Shanghai Noon.

She now runs her own development programme, Sarah Stevenson Inspires, which helps coach taekwondo athletes between the ages of 11 and 19.

Union boss Bobby Morton claims Bus Vannin management is using a new tactic against drivers in the long-running dispute - suspensions.

Unite’s UK-based national officer for passenger transport insisted the sticking point in the dispute was no longer money but that there would be no resolution while the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure insisted on increasing driving time to 4 hours 30 minutes from the original 3 hours 45 minutes.

Mr Morton said he had now been granted a work permit and would be able to visit the island regularly to meeting with staff representatives, with his next trip planned next week to decide on the union’s next step.

He told the Examiner: ‘The only development [since the 12 day strike during TT] has been company coming down heavily with suspensions left, right and centre.

‘We have two suspension at the weekend and there have been others as well. One guy was suspended for being a passenger in a car that was driving slowly in front of a bus, apparently endangering passengers. This is a new tactic on the part of management and it’s intimidation.’

investigations

In a statement, the DCCL said: ‘There are two drivers currently on precautionary suspension whilst matters are investigated. The department cannot make any further comments about the subject of these investigations.’

Mr Morton said he had found it ‘quite bizarre’ that he had to apply for a work permit and claimed he had been ‘singled out for special treatment’.

He added: ‘It was not possible to end the dispute while I wasn’t allowed on the island. I’m aware of many people travelling from the UK to the island to work on a regular basis including engineers from Arriva – and they didn’t require work permits.

‘It was a distraction but I’m back now and intend to keep in regular contact with staff representatives. I’m thinking of coming over next week to decide on the next step.’

Mr Morton added: ‘There was an offer made to our people on the Tuesday prior to the TT races but all they came up with was £450 in lieu of a wage rise. Drivers speak to me regularly and they say this is not about money. Bus Vannin and DCCL can throw as much money on the table as they want but the main bugbear is the 4 hours 30 minutes maximum driving time. While that’s still on the table this won’t be closed.’

He said some drivers were unhappy that they were sent home after the last strike ended. ‘For anyone sent home who wasn’t paid we will put in a claim for unlawful deduction of wages,’ he said.

Some 79 employment tribunal claims have already been lodged by no fewer than 63 bus drivers.

The DCCL insists that changing the bus drivers’ hours is necessary to make the savings needed. It points out that in central London a driver is expected to drive for up to five and a half hours before a break. The four and a half hour maximum includes a 10 minute toilet break.

In a statement it said: ‘It is important to understand that the department is not asking drivers to work longer hours – it simply requires them to spend more of their work time at the wheel. A driving time of 4 hours and 30 minutes is vital for improved efficiency and is in line with Unite the Union’s National Charter for minimum standards in bus driving.

‘The department remains willing to settle the dispute and the offer made to drivers before TT week is still on the table.’

The addition of two new directors to the board of Cains Fiduciaries Limited leaves the Douglas-headquartered company well placed to capitalise on opportunities in an ever changing business environment, said director Oliver Webster.

Ryan Cregeen and Stuart Gibson will be joining the board in July as John Killip steps down after seven years as one of its directors.

Oliver Webster said the depth and breadth of the skills and experience of Cains Fiduciaries’ directors and its relationship managers are a key strength. ‘Ryan and Stuart both bring valuable skill sets and extensive experience which complement our offering and are important in delivering the service excellence that makes Cains and the Isle of Man in general attractive,’ he said. Prior to joining Cains in 2009, Ryan Cregeen was the finance director of Security Capital European Realty, a European real estate fund based in London.

At Cains he is responsible for heading up a team managing a portfolio of corporate and institutional clients with a focus on commercial real estate funds, institutional investment funds and listed holding companies.

He gained his ACA qualification at Deloitte (London) in 1997, having graduated with a first-class honours degree in theoretical physics from St Andrew’s University.

Stuart Gibson, who joined Cains in 2010, heads up a team managing a portfolio of high-net worth private clients, using a variety of structures for succession, investment and tax planning purposes.

He was previously a director of Close Trustees (Isle of Man) Limited. An associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, Stuart Gibson has more than 20 years’ experience in the offshore fiduciary industry having also worked in the Cayman Islands and the Channel Islands.

‘We are a niche team and not a volume driven business’, said Oliver Webster. ‘We service client groups, with collective assets materially in excess of $12.5bn. Russia and India have been particularly important geographical areas for us, and UK commercial real estate the most important sector in recent times.’

In the current economic climate, restructuring is another active area of the business at the moment. ‘Banks have clearly over lent to commercial real estate structures and on other asset classes in the past and we are working to facilitate the restructuring and reorganisation of these problem cases with the banks or in some cases where receivers have been appointed.’

Oliver Webster praised the contribution of John Killip, who has been with the company since its inception. ‘John is a real stalwart of the fiduciary business so we are very pleased that, while he will be stepping down from the board, he will still be with us in a relationship manager role going forward.’

John Killip, whose background is in banking, joined Cains in 1988, quickly establishing himself in its company administration department and has been instrumental in the businesses growth over this time.

So near, yet so far. The Isle of Man women’s side were two minutes away from a famous victory over Manchester City when the latter scored a late equaliser at the Bowl on Saturday.

The Manx, however, can take a lot of positives from the scoreline, especially as when the two sides last met over a month ago the Mancunian outfit won convincingly 7-2.

With the Manx having a rare fixture played on home soil, it was a gutsy, determined display that will put them in good stead for the forthcoming Umbro Cup tournament at Keele in July.

However, it was the performance of goalkeeper Chloe Swales that caught the eye of the spectators as she pulled off a number of class saves, most notably during the second half as City pushed for a leveller.

With around a couple of hundred in the crowd, the hosts were penned in their own half for much of the opening throes as the visitors maintained possession. However, the chances that City did muster went wide or easily dealt with by the Manx net-minder.

The first well-worked opportunity, which fell to the Manx on the half-hour mark, resulted in the opening goal. Eleanor Gawne’s diagonal through-ball was latched onto by Rebecca Cole’s storming run and she rounded the City goalkeeper before guiding the ball into the empty net.

The Isle of Man came close to netting a second when Jade Burden was put clear only to be denied by the visiting shot-stopper.

With only seconds remaining of the first half, the Manx doubled their lead. A well-engineered move saw Burden find Gawne staring straight at the opposing goal. The Gymns striker placed her effort into the bottom right corner of the net to double the hosts’ advantage.

In the second half, the Manx put in a resilient defensive performance with Sarah O’Reilly and Kym Hicklin pillars at the heart of the defence. As the half wore on Swales continued to perform acrobatics between the sticks.

The visitors also hit the woodwork twice, but the hosts replied and came close to netting a third following an O’Reilly free-kick as Burden slid in at the far post but couldn’t quite make a telling connection.

However, City’s superior technique and fitness levels started to show in the closing stages and in the 80th minute Alice Heys cut in before placing an effort into the bottom-right corner to reduce the arrears.

With only two minutes remaining, the Sky Blues launched the ball forward to Coral O’Keefe who chipped in the equaliser.

Isle of Man v Manchester City: Chloe Swales, Sarah Denny, Kym Hicklin, Sarah O’Reilly, Kayleigh Whitehead, Gillian Christian, Rebecca Cole (Hattie Castle 70m), Eleanor Gawne, Bekkie Colquitt, Jade Burden, Kiera Morgan (Lauren Christian 86m).

l Ayre Utd will be holding its AGM at 7.30pm on Monday, June 24 at the clubhouse. All members are asked to attend any new faces will be made most welcome.

l Douglas and District Football Club’s AGM will be held at the Cat With No Tail at 2.15pm, Saturday, June 22. All members are asked to attend. The club is also looking for new first team and combination team managers. If you are interested in either role, contact Dave Mathieson 435341 or email douglasanddistrictfc@yahoo.co.uk

l Ramsey’s AGM will be held on Monday, June 24 at the Ballacloan clubhouse at 7pm.

All present and future members are welcome.

Kensington Road Tennis Club are running coaching sessions on Tuesday evenings for three weeks.

Sessions cost £5 and racquets and balls will be provided.

The Kensington Road Courts are next to the Finch Hill Bowling Green and just around the corner from the old Noble’s Hospital.

Karen Faragher, the current Island champion and fully qualified coach will be taking the sessions in a friendly atmosphere where all standards will be catered for.

Following the course there will be an opportunity to join a friendly club with very reasonable charges that caters for all abilities. Further information from Karen on 472413 and Tania on 302642.

Andrew Roche knocked 30 seconds of his season’s best time in the latest round of the Conister Bank 10 League at Sandygate last Wednesday.

The Ellan Vannin CC/Appleby veteran rider completed the time trial in 21min 01sec to claim victory 23 seconds ahead of Team Manx Telecom’s Tom Black who was the leading senior with a season’s best 21:24. He was 27s ahead of Darren Bell (Ellan Vannin) in third on 21.57 while Josh Knights took the top junior honours just a single second ahead of fellow Manx Viking Wheelers/Shoprite rider Jake Kelly.

Leon Mazzone (Team Manx Telecom) was a further 22 seconds back in sixth and Gianni Epifani (Manx Viking Wheelers) was the second veteran in 22.34 for seventh overall. Rounding off the top- 10 finishers were Jamie Dudley (MVW), Peter Gage (TMT)and Marty Warren (MVW) who all completed the course in under 23 minutes.

Royal London 360 rider Matthew Bostock was the leading juvenile in 11th place with a time of exactly 23 minutes, with team-mate Nathan Draper next best in that class in 14th overall just under 30 seconds further back.

Once again Laura Wasley was the leading lady as she dipped under the 25-minute mark in a time of 24.32 for 31st place overall.

Fellow MVW rider Anna Christian marked her return from injury with a personal best for 35th place 13 seconds back and Natalie Arrowsmith (TMT) just sneaked into the top 40 in 39th.

Elizabeth Holden, also back from injury, was in 42nd place with a time of 25 minutes exactly. Special mention to 15-year-old Phoebe Ferguson whose time was a personal best by a superb one and a half minutes.

Conister Bank 10 League results from Wednesday, June 12: 1, Andrew Roche 21mins 01sec; 2, Tom Black 21:24; 3, Darren Bell 21:57; 4, Josh Knights 22:03; 5, Jake Kelly 22:04; 6, Leon Mazzone 22:26; 7, Gianni Epifani 22:34; 8, Jamie Dudley 22:46; 9, Peter Gage 22:47; 10, Marty Warren 22:50; 11, Matthew Bostock 23:00; 12, Rob Cormode 23:11; 13, Paul Kneen 23:17; 14, Nathan Draper 23:29; 15, Mark Harrison 23:36; 16, Matthew Draper 23:37; 17, Leslie Corran 23:39; 18, Kelvin Potter 23:46; 19, Conor Davies 23:49; 20, Richard Moore 23:53; 21, Joseph Haddock 23:58; 22, Russell Collister 24:01; 23, Elliott Moore 24:07; 24, Nigel Tebay 24:08; 25, Peter Doyle 24:10; 26=, Owen Dudley 24:13 and Rob Quine 24:13; 28, Gary McManus 24:17; 29, Graham Bradley 24:20; 30, Colin Whiteway 24:30; 31, Laura Wasley 24:32; 32, Jordan Barry 24:40; 33, Joseph Ricciardi 24:41; 34, Paul Keen 24:44; 35, Anna Christian 24:45; 36, Andrew Brooks 24:46; 37, Nigel Clucas 24:50; 38, Craig Hindle 24:52; 39, Natalie Arrowsmith 24:56; 40, Jamie Fletcher 24:57; 41, Steve Looker 24:58; 42, Elizabeth Holden 25:00; 43, Jonathan Kelly 25:03; 44, Stuart Mason 25:04; 45, William Draper 25:25; 46, Alison Clague 25:26; 47, Michael Moss 25:28; 48, Nathan Hinks 25:59; 49, Phoebe Ferguson 26:07; 50, Andy Bostock 26:23; 51, Daniel Scarffe 26:29; 52, Stuart Garry 26:30; 53, Mario Ricciardi 26:53; 54, Steve Mallon 27:09; 55, Richard Fletcher 27:12; 56, Joanne Hawkins 27:14; 57, Guy Hatton 27:17; 58, Chris Hestleton 27:49; 59, Derek Scarffe 27:57; 60, David Ronan 28:02; 61, Paula Gelling 28:11; 62, Stewart Bennett 28:31; 63, Callum Clague 28:55; 64, Eddie Fryer 28:56; 65, Chris Hattersley 29:45; 66, Lucas Mudie 29:57; 67, Adam Kelly 29:58; 68, Adam Scarffe 31:58; 69, Wendy Fallon 32:33; 70, Emily Bridson 33:19; 71, Keith Redhead 33:36.

l Due to the GHS round of the series taking place this Wednesday there will be no availability for private time trials. However, any new cyclists are welcoming to attend the following week’s session.

A Douglas consultant plastic surgeon is calling on the UK Government to carry out further investigations into PIP breast implants.

It comes after the Swedish Medical Products Agency last week ordered women with the implants to have them removed as a preventative measure.

It reported that one of the types of implant contained an irritant substance, resulting in tissue inflammation in about one third of cases.

The French breast implants caused a health scare across Europe and South America last year.

A UK report in June 2012 found the PIP implants, made with unauthorised silicone filler, had double the rupture rate of other implants.

The company that made the implants is facing legal action in France.

Kevin Hancock, who is a council member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), said: ‘As a surgeon who has witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of the PIP implant scandal, I have been campaigning for many months for more rigorous testing to be done on the long-term effects of these products – especially as so many women are still living with them inside their bodies.

‘In light of the new evidence to come out of Sweden, I’m hoping this will urge [UK] Government ministers to carry out further investigations into the faulty devices.

‘The reality is that these implants are simply not suited to the human body.’

About 300,000 women in 65 countries are believed to have received PIP implants.

Europe was a major market, but more than half went to South America.

It is thought that about 47,000 British women had the implants.

Private clinics fitted 95 per cent of the implants, mostly for breast reconstruction following cancer. The remainder were performed by the NHS.

In the UK, a review by NHS medical director professor Sir Bruce Keogh said: ‘On the basis of the information we have, we do not think it is necessary to recommend the routine removal of these implants.’

But it highlighted that anxiety about the implants was itself a health concern and women should be able to have them removed if they wanted to.

A review by Sir Bruce into the cosmetic industry in general after concerns over PIP implants is due imminently.

BAAPS president Rajiv Grover said: ‘It is known that there is a subgroup of PIP implants in which the concentration of an irritant compound (known as D4) is higher than in others, but there is no way of knowing which ones are affected. This is why the Swedish government has made the decision to remove all PIPs as a preventative measure.’

Mr Hancock consults and operates at Noble’s Hospital’s Private Patients Unit and in UK hospitals.

Douglas’s lifeboat crew were called out at 3.30am today to carry out a medical evacuation from a fishing boat about 18 miles east of Douglas.

The Sir William Hillary was launched under the command of volunteer coxswain Neal Corran after the fishing vessel skipper had reported a crewman suffering from chest pains and tingling sensations in his limbs.

The crewman was transferred to the lifeboat and brought into the Liner Berth between the Victoria and King Edward Piers in Douglas harbour where the lifeboat was met by the Port Authorities and the casualty given into the care of a waiting ambulance crew.

The lifeboat was re-housed, washed down, re-fuelled and reported ready again for service at 5:15am.

Douglas RNLI lifeboat Sir William Hillary is pictured landing the casualty at Liner Berth, Douglas harbour.

Revised proposals for parliamentary boundary changes will ‘still fracture the community of Onchan’, according to chairman of the village’s commissioners who is urging Tynwald members to vote against the plan.

Tynwald will be asked this week to approve historical changes to the island’s political map.

Under Boundary Review Committee proposals, the current hotpotch of three, two and one-seat constituencies will be replaced with 12 constituencies each with two MHKs and a population of about 7,000.

But the proposals for the North and Onchan came in for much criticism. A geographically large new North constituency would have brought together Michael and Ayre with Maughold, currently in Garff while the Birch Hill estate in Onchan would have been split between two constituencies.

Following lobbying by Tynwald members and commissioners, however, the boundary committee revised its plans with Maughold now moving from the proposed North constituency to the East and the whole of Birch Hill retained in the Onchan Urban constituency. Instead, Howstrake including Lakeside Gardens will be moved from Onchan Urban into the East constituency.

Now Onchan District Commissioners chairman Rob Callister has written to all Tynwald members seek their support to respect ‘community above convenience by dismissing the proposals to split the community of Onchan’.

He said: ‘The revised report of the Boundary Commission still fractures the community of Onchan to support a purely number-crunching exercise. The proposals create a series of areas which will not all be representative of the communities they serve.’

Onchan MHK David Quirk said he would be voting against. He said: ‘No time was given to voters of Howstrake to make comment in a full and proper manner. No time was given for the local authority, never mind the politicians, to organise meetings so voters could express their views.’

Boundary Committee chairman Sally Bolton said the original proposal for Birch Hill had come in for ‘quite strong opposition’ from local MHKs but also residents. ‘Onchan is a bit of an anomaly,’ she said, adding that Tynwald members at a presentation last week were broadly supportive. ‘A bigger issue was what the new constituencies should be called,’ she said.

Committee member Bob Riding said: ‘Tynwald can’t afford to vote against this.’ Fellow member Terry Groves agreed: ‘It’s constitutional evolution.’

Sixth-formers deciding where to go to university will have an opportunity to talk to some experts later this week.

The 27th Isle of Man Higher Education Conference will take place on Thursday and Friday at Ballakermeen High School, Douglas.

Universities and other institutions of higher education have been invited to the island to meet the students and parents.

The number of institutions represented has increased over the years.

More than 70 organisations will attend this year, including several which are here for the first time. These are the University of Leeds, Swansea Metropolitan University, the University of Strathclyde and the New College of Humanities in London.

Ballakermeen headteacher Adrienne Burnett said: ‘The event has grown in strength enormously over recent years and we are delighted that we can again offer our young people the chance to access key university staff who work at the cutting edge of the application process.

‘This year the conference will again be well attended, partly as a result of contacts we have established with the colleges and universities

‘The main reason, however, is word of mouth, as delegates pass on the benefits of coming to the Isle of Man conference to their colleagues. It is not just local hospitality that attracts them; they see the island’s students as worthy candidates for admission.

‘They are particularly impressed by how articulate they are, the clarity of their questions and how they have already carried out a substantial amount of focused research into their future options.

‘We are pleased that, in the face of cuts to universities’ budgets, so many delegates have decided to attend our event again this year.

‘As well as advice from individual institutions, we offer general advice during the introductory talks. Other bodies attending include theological colleges and Christian gap year opportunities; Student Awards and the Careers Service.

‘Also attending will be Study Options, which is a firm endorsed by the Department of Education for organising gap year experiences in Australia and New Zealand. I would consider the conference to be a “one-stop-shop” to meet all the needs of an aspiring higher education student and one not to be missed.’

The conference opens on Thursday at 7pm in the studio theatre at Ballakermeen with presentations by Jane Murphy from the University of Huddersfield and Andrea Bourne from the University of York. They will be addressing parents and students about the application process for higher education. They will also be commenting on the different types of institutions and the variety and types of courses on offer.

Following this briefing, from 7.30 pm onwards parents and students will be able to talk individually to the representatives from each university and Higher Education institution in the school’s sports hall, to get advice and information.

Ian Kay, head of sixth form at Ballakermeen, said: ‘In the face of ever more demanding entry requirements and competition for places on courses, research prior to completing the UCAS application has never been so important.

‘This really is the key to completing a successful application and, in the light of the current economic situation, our young people are becoming increasingly aware of the associated costs of going to university and are eager to make the most informed decisions possible. This is the prime opportunity for parents and students to find out about courses, entry requirements and the style of the different institutions of higher education.

‘As well as having the opportunity to talk to the representatives from over seventy universities, there will also be the chance to find out about courses available in higher education on the Isle of Man.

‘Representatives from the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education, which offers an ever increasing number of undergraduate degree programmes, will be available to speak to students at the event.

Additionally, there will also be a stand representing the Department of Health nurse training programme at Keyll Darree, which has been offering a nursing degree programme on island, in association with the University of Chester, for the last five years.’

The Thursday night session is open to students from Year 10 [14- and 15-year-olds] upwards and their parents.

During the day on Friday, all of the post-16 students from the island’s schools will be attending, as will students from the Isle of Man College.

Members of the public interested in applying to university as mature students or recent A-level students who chose not to attend university after their examinations, are all welcome to attend either session.

The event will enable students to gain some idea of the requirements of the courses for which they will be applying in just over one year’s time.

This will be helpful 15- and 16-year-olds in making their final choice of post-16 course, as many courses have specific ‘A’ level requirements.

The Friday sessions take place from 9.15am to 12pm and 1.15pm to 2.45pm.

A team of nine golfers will be aiming to tackle four of the island’s courses in just one day tomorrow as part of the Macmillan Cancer Support’s Longest Day Golf Challenge.

Wicus Wessels, Richard Corke, Oliver Steriopulos, Peel Taggart, Gareth Morris, Daniel Laughlin, Pierre Goosen, Jaco Jansen and Garreth Roome will attempt to play all 72 holes at Douglas, Peel, Rowany and Castletown teeing off at Pulrose at 4.30am in the morning.

The group, who also undertook the challenge last year, have had support from PwC, Dougherty Quinn, MXMG, Argosy and SMP Partners, but further donations can be made to be contacting Wessels on 499079 or at www.justgiving.com/IoM-Longestday

The Treasury Minister surprised Tynwald today by announcing that the Manx Electricity Authority and the island’s Water and Sewerage Authority might merge.

Eddie Teare has circulated the following letter to Tynwald members:

‘I am writing to you as chairman of government’s Business Change Steering Group to provide you with an update on the work of the group in relation to the Manx Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

;As you will know, in January this year Tynwald agreed a Council of Ministers report on the Scope and Structure of Government. This included a commitment to a comprehensive review of the efficiency and effectiveness of services across Government to see what can be done differently to achieve better value for the public’s money. The Council of Ministers is due to report back to Tynwald in December this year.

‘Under the auspices of the Business Change Steering Group, an initial review process was undertaken which will now be progressed. The work is detailed and time-consuming, but must be carried out in a structured and logical manner to ensure that all options are considered.

‘One of the many options that are being explored is a possible merger of the MEA and WASA to create a single utility authority for the Isle of Man. Initial research indicates potential for significant efficiency savings to be realised by merging the two authorities. Among the objectives for such a merger would be the ability to trade at a surplus within a short space of time, thereby avoiding the need for Treasury loans to be written off or an enforced sale of assets.

‘I must stress that examination of this option is still in its early stages and that over the coming months we will be talking to all relevant parties before a conclusion is reached. We will, of course, also ensure there is appropriate consultation and develop a robust business case to support any proposal which may come forward. Any recommendation for change would also be subject to approval by the Council of Ministers and by Tynwald.’

More on this story in the Manx Independent on Thursday.

The island’s public health watchdogs have issued a warning to people after a case of rabies in Spain.

A dog in the city of Toledo, central Spain, was confirmed to have rabies on June 5.

The public health division of the island’s Department of Health says that those travelling to the new risk areas of Spain listed below should avoid contact with wild and domestic animals.

A spokesman said: ‘If they are licked, scratched or bitten by a wild or domestic animal they should wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and seek urgent medical advice, either in Spain or on their return from their GP.’

The areas of Spain at increased risk are now considered to be:

A perimeter of 20km radius around the city of Toledo

The municipality of Monzón, city of Huesca in Aragón

The district of Sant Martí of Barcelona

The municipalities of Banyoles and Porqueres, Girona

The municipalities of Montcada i Reixach and Piera in Barcelona.

Factfile:

There is no change to the rabies risk in other areas of Spain.

Spain had previously been free of rabies since 1978.

Since 1946, 25 cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, all imported.

Rabies is a very serious infection which affects the central nervous system. It can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages as symptoms may be non-specific (that is, common to many infections). Initial symptoms can include anxiety, headaches and fever, and later on the effects of the encephalitis intensify. There are spasms of the swallowing muscles, making it difficult or impossible for patients to drink (hydrophobia), and respiratory failure sets in.

Cycle criterium racing in the town centre is due a return to Ramsey, with an Isle of Man Bank-sponsored series of five events coming to the town on Saturday July 7.

There will be competitions for all ages from age six upwards on road bikes, plus a mountain bike category.

In Ramsey on the day roads will close at 6pm. Find entry forms at www.sasevents.im

People helped out after the island’s worst snow storms for 50 years have been invited to a special reception at Government House on Thursday.

Representatives from a wide range of emergency services and public utilities will go, along with members of the public who went to the aid of stranded neighbours or helped to rescue livestock.

The reception, to be hosted by Lieutenant Governor Adam Wood, is an annual event held in honour of the Queen’s official birthday in June.

Each year residents are invited to Government House in recognition of their efforts within a particular sector, such as charity work or service to the community.

This year Mr Wood was keen to pay tribute to some of the people involved in the wake of the severe weather in March.

Guests at Thursday’s reception will include members of the emergency services, Manx Electricity Authority, Water and Sewerage Authority, Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, Department of Infrastructure, animal waste plant, farming community and general public.

The Lieutenant Governor said: ‘I am looking forward to meeting everyone and hearing their stories about the snow and how it affected them.

‘The weather in March was exceptional but so was the response of the Manx public, many of whom worked for long hours in extreme conditions to protect lives and restore normality. This reception is an opportunity to mark that tremendous effort and for me to personally thank some of those who helped.’

Pauline Pescodd, Mr Wood’s private secretary, added: ‘Regrettably, not everyone can be invited to the reception because of the restriction on numbers at Government House. However, there will be more than 200 people in attendance in what will be a celebration of their outstanding dedication to the community.’

Education chiefs in the Isle of Man have about 12 months to decide whether they will follow UK Education Secretary Michael Gove’s proposals to replace GCSEs with a new qualification.

In England, a plan emerging from the Department for Education is to replace GCSEs with more rigorous I levels, with numbered grades and no coursework or controlled assessment, from 2015.

Paul Craine, co-ordinating adviser for 11-19 education, said the Department of Education and Children doesn’t have to follow this decision.

As the three-country (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) commitment to standardised GCSEs appears to be coming to an end, the island will have choices. It wouldn’t be viable to introduce our own system but island students could sit exams of another jurisdiction.

It isn’t the first time the department has faced the decision of following Mr Gove’s proposals for GCSE reform or looking elsewhere. In September 2012, he announced proposals for a more demanding English Baccalaureate Certificate (EBC) to be introduced in 2015.

It featured extra grades above the current top level and the lowest grade would have been equivalent to about a C.

One exam board would offer each subject. But in February, and under great pressure, plans for the EBC were scrapped.

Mr Craine said: ‘We are now back to where we were, in that it looks as though the DEC will have a decision to make. We are in exactly the same position as we were in with the English Baccalaureate Certificate. We need more information about the direction being taken in England and the plans of Wales and Northern Ireland.’

Last month, Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews and Northern Ireland’s Education Minister John O’Dowd held talks about introducing a joint GCSE award.

Mr Craine said it looked like Wales and Northern Ireland were both committed to retaining modular GCSEs: ‘If we decide we are going with Northern Ireland and Wales it’s not a major change. It’s about an evolution of the system not a revolution. If we decide we’re going with the English version it would be a significant change.

‘We don’t want to have a system in place that would disadvantage students going on to A-levels and applying for university. They are being reformed in England too and it increasingly appears Wales and Northern Ireland are not going to follow that reform.’

The DEC wants to be in a position to be clear to staff over 12 months before the changes would take place: ‘We know we have a decision to make before this time next year.’

The timetable for making the decision is not entirely under the DEC’s control as they need to have the necessary detailed information first. The DEC will continue to hold talks with Wales and Northern Ireland and to look at the direction England’s education system is moving in. Talks will also continue with Jersey and Guernsey, which face a similar decision.

He added: ‘We haven’t ruled out the alternatives beyond that. We are being broad-minded. We have considered what the Scottish system has to offer – that would be a great change and would appear to be the least likely option at this stage.’

It was World Elder Abuse Day last Saturday and I have to apologise to my fellow elders of the Isle of Man for not being able to warn them in advance of this dire threat to their safety and well-being.

The news release announcing it which was sent to me was strictly embargoed until one o’clock on the Saturday morning itself when most of us elders would have been fast asleep in bed.

As a result those innocents who found themselves subjected to foul language and brutally attacked by masked thugs with baseball bats while out doing their shopping in downtown Douglas last Saturday have a right to feel aggrieved.

I stayed in bed myself.

The most alarming aspect of this situation is that the authorities world-wide who, as I have been warning for months, are planning a cull of old people who insist on increasing in numbers and threatening the survival of mankind by their obstinacy in staying alive, have now launched World Elder Abuse Day as a preliminary offensive.

The worst is still to come.

The giveaway is in the occasion’s full name which is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

It is alerting potential abusers to be aware of what is expected of them and it reports the progress being made so far by way of research into what success has been achieved so far.

Three countries are spotlighted – Mozambique, Peru and Kyrgzstan. In each a sample of 100 people was questioned and this revealed the percentage of old people who have been abused so far.

In every case the percentage is high but not high enough yet.

It was actually lowest in Kyrgyzstan, so much so that I would go and live there if I knew where the hell it is.

A terrifying aspect in Mozambique is that the abuse takes the form of accusing the elderly of witchcraft. If they spread this to the Isle of Man we will see innocent oldsters being rolled down Slieau Whuallian in spiked barrels again, like we used to.

In the event there are no research figures for the Isle of Man. They very likely couldn’t spell Slieau Whuallian.

But back to the contents of the news release. This has let slip the fact that World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is going to take place annually in future, always on January 15th.

I recommend everybody of a certain or even uncertain age to put that in their 2014 diaries and, as I did this year, stay in bed.

Otherwise there is an element of sheer Gothic horror to be observed. The release was sent out by a Mr Kulcsar which sounds bad enough.

His first name is Attila. Honest.

l John Kerruish in Peel tells me that the Examiner report of TT rider Hutchy Hutchinson being caught speeding on King Edward Road in Onchan said he was filmed by a ‘convert camera’ on a policeman’s motorbike.

The copper wasn’t driving a convertible then?

l John Garfield in Ramsey wonders why in TT Week he saw a road sign at Ballaugh saying ‘Fan Zone.’

A place not to watch the Senior TT?

l This week’s Manx crossword club from Karl Campbell is: Supply soldiers to isle in the Irish Sea (3) – MAN. (Christine’s Cryptic X-Word Collection).

Isle of Man Bank who are the primary bankers for The Ramsey Steamship Company, presented a platter to the company chairman, Ramsey Cringle, before celebrations continued at a lunch which was also attended by the managing director, Tony Kennish.

The Ramsey Steamship Company has commissioned a book for the anniversary which documents the history of the company and the changes of the past 100 years.

Ramsey Cringle said: ‘The company has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Isle of Man Bank and we appreciate them marking this achievement with the presentation of a lovely platter.

‘We want this strong relationship to continue into the future and would like to thank the Bank and its staff for the friendly, helpful service it has provided over the years.’

Mark Dickinson, relationship manager at Isle of Man Bank, said: ‘The Ramsey Steamship Company has celebrated a significant milestone and we were delighted to make a small contribution to those celebrations. We have a strong partnership with the team and work with them on a regular basis at the Ramsey branch. We look forward to building on this relationship, hopefully over the next 100 years!’

PokerStars has been named as one of the best workplaces in the British Isles by The Great Place to Work Institute, the world’s largest consultancy specialising in workplace assessment and enhancement.

PokerStars was selected as one of the top 25 companies in the ‘Large Company’ category of the Institute’s annual survey which measures employee sentiment toward the companies they work for.

This is the second consecutive year that PokerStars has been named in the list.

Earlier this year PokerStars’ office in Costa Rica was named as one of the Best Workplaces in that country.

‘It’s an honour to be on the Great Place To Work Institute list of the UK’s Best Workplaces and it is a testament to the people-focus of our entire organisation,’ said Lynn Hunter, director of human resources at PokerStars.

‘Our commitment to being a great workplace starts at the executive level of our company and is reflected in every decision we make.’

Globally, 6,000 organisations around the world are surveyed, representing approximately 10 million employees.

PokerStars offices in both London and the Isle of Man were part of the analysis by The Great Place to Work Institute.

This process included surveying both employees and management to get a holistic view of the organisation’s HR policies and practices and how these are perceived by employees.

Tom O’Byrne, the chief executive of the Great Place to Work Institute said, ‘This year, we are delighted to recognise a record 80 organisations who have achieved the coveted status of Best Workplace, a workplace that has high trust and highly engaged employees. In the current economic climate, it has never been more crucial for organisations to recognise the importance of creating and maintaining great workplace cultures and understanding how this can improve performance.’

PokerStars operates the world’s most popular online poker sites, serving a global poker community of more than 50 million registered members.

Since it launched in 2001, PokerStars has become the first choice of the world’s top players, with more daily tournaments than anywhere else and with the best security online. Almost 100 billion hands have been dealt on PokerStars.com, which is more than any other site.

A farming company linked to the Isle of Man’s Health Minister, David Anderson MHK, has been fined £7,500 plus costs for polluting the River Neb.

Anderson Farms Ltd pleaded guilty to polluting controlled waters following the accidental slurry spill at Ballamoar Farm in Patrick.

Mr Anderson, who is a director of the company, branded the fine as ‘disproportionate’.

He said: ‘It was an accident by an employee. We have held our hands up. It was a costly mistake. We are putting things in place so this does not happen again. That will be very expensive and comes on top of this excessively high fine. The fine is disproportionate given the number of fish killed.

‘It is unfortunate we are having to deal with this after an extremely difficult year.’

He said the river pollution conviction would also have an impact on the farm’s Countryside Care payments.

The Deputy High Bailiff’s court heard that the spillage took place when a flap gate leading from the slurry tower to a holding area was accidently left open by an operative after he had finished filling his slurry tanker.

As a result, the holding tank overflowed into the river. The error was only discovered half an hour later.

A total of 28 fish died. Winston Taylor, representing Anderson Farms, said an eel had also been affected but had later recovered.

The company was fined £7,500 and ordered to pay £1,063.46 in costs.

Mr Anderson said the employee concerned no longer worked for the company but this had nothing to do with the river pollution incident.

He confirmed a similar accident happened some years ago involving a different employee who again was no longer working for the company.

Environment Minister Phil Gawne, whose department pursued the prosecution, said: ‘The department takes seriously any river pollution incident. We try to work with landowners and farmers as best we possibly can to ensure water courses are properly protected.’