The European continental markets, held in Douglas, should not sell the same goods as local traders.

This was the verdict reached by Castletown Commissioners after receiving a letter about the ‘great harm’ they do to retailers outside Douglas from Peter Birch, from the Original Manx Fudge Factory.

Mr Birch outlined his concerns about the impact of the markets – organised by the Douglas Development Partnership and held in Douglas in Manx Grand Prix week and also at Christmas – in a letter to local authorities and covered in last week’s Examiner South News.

Mr Birch said the markets ‘are deliberately intended to take trade away from the towns and villages and attract shoppers to Douglas and keep tourists in Douglas.’

He said he believes DDP is ‘deliberately trying to close as many retail businesses in outlying areas and villages so to drive you townsfolk and visitors to have to shop in Douglas … please help to stop them before they destroy the community spirit across this beautiful island.’

He also questioned whether the island derives any income from the markets.

He asked authorities to make their feelings known to MHKs.

The DDP’s Chris Pycroft said other areas could organise markets, his allegiance is to Douglas, there is direct income from licences and indirectly through buying food supplies and accommodation, etc.

Last week, September 3, Castletown Commissioners agreed to contact Mr Pycroft and they wrote: ‘They (commissioners) appreciate that markets selling goods not available from local traders offer an alternative service to Island residents, it is not equitable that this be allowed when they are in direct competition. In addition, they should be encouraged to move the markets out of Douglas at times, and also that the Continental stall holders should pay all appropriate stall fees and taxes.’

First Names Group is sponsoring the Charity, Cultural and Social Enterprise Award at this year’s Isle of Man Newspapers’ Awards for Excellence. Isle of Man managing director Gary Hepburn explains why this category has such significance for the company.

‘It struck a chord with us,’ says Gary Hepburn. ‘A cornerstone of our brand is that we are committed to the prosperity of our employees, clients and the communities in which we operate. It is important for us to ensure that we get our culture right for our own people and to give back to the local community.’

First Names Group is an award-winning global operation with offices in eight locations around the world – the Isle of Man, Jersey, Ireland, Switzerland, Japan, UK, Cyprus and the BVI.

Its combination of experience and entrepreneurial spirit has seen the company named as one of Private Client Practitioner’s Top 25 Trust Companies in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The brand embodies the importance of putting people and client relationships at the heart of their organisation, as Gary Hepburn explains:

‘Our determination to create a people-centric culture is woven in to the rationale behind the company name - First Names. It’s people who have built our success: the skilled, experienced professionals within the company and the clients and intermediaries who repeatedly put their trust in us.

‘People are at the front and centre of our corporate culture. That means getting the right people and getting it right for them by giving them the right environment in which to flourish.’

Each of the group’s locations around the world has its own distinctive areas of expertise and some of the services offered will be unique to that location. First Names Group employs 160 people on the Isle of Man to provide trust, corporate services, fund and leisure services. The office has significant expertise in property and trading structures, as well as yachts, aircraft and a niche e-gaming service.

Other locations in the group will direct enquiries in these areas to the Isle of Man, thus also bringing business to the island.

In so far as the e-gaming sector is concerned, the Isle of Man office has developed a tailored trust solution that ensures the security of funds deposited by players. Gary was featured in the industry periodical, the STEP Journal, discussing the significance of the innovation which is offered exclusively through First Names Group Isle of Man.

Leisure Services is an area exclusive to the Isle of Man office. It administers in excess of £2.5bn worth of property assets, designs bespoke structures for more than 300 resort developments worldwide, and provides services to over 650,000 consumers.

When it comes to charitable giving the company tends to do it quietly, without too much fanfare. It has a policy of responding to requests for charitable and community support that come from its own First Names: ‘The spirit of the organisation is very much about giving back and we feel that this is best achieved by responding to our own people’s interests and passions rather than a less personal corporate approach,’ says Gary Hepburn.

First Names Group is planning to launch a new corporate social responsibility programme (CSR) in 2014.

www.iomtoday.co.im/afe

The most-viewed stories on iomtoday.co.im last week (September 1 to 7) were:

1 Arrests on prostitution

2 Resident diagnosed with CJD

3 Maltese cross over bendy bus fires

4 Samantha Barks supports Dunlops’ fight for home

5 Tributes paid to woman who died of sCJD

6 New shipping line delay

7 Fudge producer’s call to drop continental markets

8 No injuries in Chester Street car park incident

9 Restaurateur sets up fresh Manx venture

10 Windows smashed by man wielding a hammer

‘Don’t pay more than the tax due!’

That’s the advice of a leading Manx accountant, who is warning Manx residents to make filling in their tax return their priority – or risk facing an immediate £100 penalty.

Pauline Smith, a director of Colby-based Greenwave Chartered Accountants, has already seen an increase in people requiring help to complete their 2012-2013 return, which is due on Sunday, October 6, and believes those who haven’t yet begun theirs should get their paperwork in place before it’s too late.

‘With this year’s return being due on a Sunday, people could also consider registering to use the Government’s Online Services facility to give them a little bit of an extra buffer’ she added.

‘This will allow them to review previous assessments and give them an immediate calculation of the tax due.

Some figures are even completed for you already on the online return where the Tax Office already has the information to hand, such as wages and benefits.’

Pauline is also offering some further advice to people yet to complete their returns, including:

l Research the expenses that can be claimed against taxable income

l Make sure you have a record of all taxable income for the year, as well as relevant expenses that can be reclaimed, as you will need to include both of these

l Business owners will need to submit sole trader accounts or the dividend figures from their company accounts – professional assistance may be needed to do this

l In the case of people who have complex tax affairs which may delay establishment of final income figures, a default assessment can be requested in order to allow more time to finalise the figures

Pauline said: ‘Tax affairs for some people can be relatively straight forward and they can complete their returns within a few minutes, but inevitably for a lot of people it will require more time and paperwork to do this.

‘I would always advocate seeking professional help in cases where tax affairs are likely to be more complicated in order to avoid any expensive mistakes.

‘A little time and effort now will certainly reduce any headaches – or costly financial penalties – in the long run!’

Greenwave Chartered Accountants provides technical, problem-solving solutions for businesses and individuals who require a bespoke, personal service which complements their busy professional or personal lives.

Greenwave Chartered Accountants can be contacted on 838434. Or the company can be contacted via enquiries@greenwave.im, as well as via the company’s website, www.greenwave.im and its Facebook page. Personal tax returns can be prepared from £100 .

The island needs to move away from its current ‘disjointed’ approach to waste management.

That’s the view of John Wrigley, head of waste and fleet management at the Department of Infrastructure, who believes central and local government need to work together in a co-ordinated strategy on waste collection and disposal.

He was speaking after villagers in Port St Mary were praised by the commissioners’ office for responding to a letter asking them to reduce the amount of rubbish they put in bins and to recycle more.

Figures shown to the commissioners at a board meeting last month show that the tonnage of waste generated in the village has reduced since technical officer Brian Boyle wrote to residents warning them about increases in waste disposal charges.

Central government is withdrawing the subsidy for using the Energy from Waste plant and the bill is being picked up by ratepayers, increasing every year from £57.35 per tonne in April this year to £161.35 per tonne by 2018.

But Mr Wrigley pointed out that the Energy from Waste plant was a fixed cost - and residents would have to pick up that cost one way or the other, either as taxpayers or ratepayers.

He said: ‘We need a joined up strategy on how we collect and manage our waste. At the moment it’s very disjointed.’

Mr Wrigley said the amount of waste going to the Energy from Waste plant had seen a slight reduction but maintained this was more to do with the economic slowdown.

There remains a public misconception that most of island’s waste heads straight for the Incinerator. In fact only 16 per cent goes straight to the Energy from Waste plant and 50 per cent of total waste is recycled.

Mr Wrigley said there was a lot of ‘shroud waving’ about the use of the Incinerator but in reality it remained an important part of the island’s waste strategy.

It was designed to deal with a maximum of 60,000 tonnes of waste annually but Mr Wrigley said it was unlikely that levels of household waste would ever reach that capacity. He said levels had remained relatively static at around 53,000 tonnes and the closest to capacity that it has reached is 58,000 tonnes.

The government’s strategy is to move towards becoming a zero waste island, with a target by the year 2022 to recycle 70 per cent of all waste and reduce waste to landfill to 5 per cent.

Recovery by the Energy from Waste plant would account for the remaining 25 per cent.

Could the skids about to be put on plans to introduce bendy buses in the Isle of Man?

A joint report by the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure and the Department of Infrastructure is ready to go to the Council of Ministers for a decision.

But iomtoday understands that the report recommends the articulated vehicles should not be introduced.

If CoMin votes not to proceed with the bendy bus plan, the DCCL will have to find £300,000 of savings elsewhere.

DCCL Minister Graham Cregeen said: ‘A paper is ready to go to CoMin very shortly. The DCCL and DoI report has a recommendation but it will be for CoMin to make a decision.’

Mr Cregeen said that CoMin could overrule the recommendation – and approve the introduction of the bendy buses if the report advised against, or vote against if the recommendation was to proceed with the vehicles’ purchase.

Bus Vannin claimed that bendy buses would save £300,000 in staffing and fuel costs, plus £3m of capital costs saved in replacing older buses.

But there has been public concern about their reliability and safety on school services, given there would be standing room only for up to 90 children.

Highways director Richard Pearson has questioned their suitability for use on Manx roads.

Further concerns about safety were raised last week with news that transport officials in Malta have ordered a fleet of ex-London bendys to be taken off the roads after three vehicles in as many days caught fire.

Asked where the department would find the savings if the vessels are not introduced, Mr Cregeen replied. ‘We are looking at lots of things anyway - some more unpalatable than others.’

Those ‘unpalatable’ options are likely to include cuts to services.

The Minister said he did not think the situation in Malta was relevant as he did not know the circumstances behind the fires.

Meanwhile, Mr Cregeen confirmed that director of operations Michael Cartwright is no longer employed by Bus Vannin.

Steam Packet bosses say they were surprised a rival shipping line had planned to launch services in October - without having secured either a ship or berths.

Ellan Vannin Line founder Captain Kurt Buchholz confirmed last week that the launch of a daily roll-on, roll off container freight service between Douglas and Heysham would not now take place until the later this year and possibly not until the spring.

He said negotiations were still underway over the purchase of a ro-ro container vessel from its current owner, which the Examiner has learned is Norwegian shipping line Nor Lines.

MV Cometa, built in 1981, currently operates scheduled services between the Danish port of Hirtshals and along the Norwegian coast from Oslofjord to Hammerfest.

Nor Lines chief executive officer Toralf Ekrheim confirmed: ‘We have been approached about possible sale of the vessel for Isle of Man service.’

Peel Ports confirmed no agreement or contract has been entered into for the use of a berth at Heysham and director of ports Ann Reynolds said no berth has been secured at Douglas - although berths are available.

Steam Packet chief executive Mark Woodward said the company would fight to protect its business.

He said: ‘We are all too aware of the difficulty in sourcing suitable vessels, which we have to do each year when bringing in charters to assist with the busy TT period and occasionally when the Ben has to undergo planned maintenance.

‘We were surprised, therefore, to learn that Ellan Vannin Line had announced a launch date of October for its freight services without having secured a vessel or, indeed, without having secured berths at Heysham and Douglas.

‘The recent re-financing of the Steam Packet Company has put it on a firm financial footing; we do not fear competition and will fight as hard as is necessary in order to retain all our freight customers.

‘We will endeavour to protect our business and to continue to provide the stable, extensive and reliable freight and passenger services which the user agreement has helped to secure for the island.

‘We do not think it is in the island’s interests to return to the uncertainty and disruption that prevailed before the user agreement. Recent experience with the airlines provides a timely reminder of what could happen if opportunists are allowed to undermine the core purpose of the user agreement.

‘Competition has to be fair. Ellan Vannin Line is not required to provide loss-making passenger services and is aiming to provide freight services for which there is already plenty of capacity on the Ben-my-Chree.

‘I note Ellan Vannin Line has professed a wish to be a truly Manx company providing a quality service. However, they seem to be intent on operating an old ship and say they will not pay UK rates for all their seafarers, as the Steam Packet Company does. Like us, they should also flag their ship in the Isle of Man.’

l What do you think? Email us at opinions@newsiom.co.im or write to the address on our letters pages, see p22 and 23.

Three undergraduates have gained valuable career experience after Douglas Borough Council engaged them under the Department of Economic Development’s STEP scheme to work on projects that will help determine the size, shape and scope of future services.

Third-year Queen’s University Belfast student James Allen, studying for an MEng in computer games development, was working in the ICT section, creating an interactive map of Noble’s Park for the Council’s website which incorporated a number of mini computer games and was compatible with tablet and smartphone devices.

His work not only won praise from his mentor, head of ICT Daniel Looney, but also saw the 20-year-old former St Ninian’s High School student win the Isle of Man STEP Scheme 2013 Best Presentation award.

James said: ‘The whole experience has shown me just how many different career options I may be able to pursue in the “real world” after university.

‘I’ve been able to put what I’m studying to practical use, which has meant that in the course of my research I’ve had to go out and talk to people involved with Noble’s Park, so that’s been particularly useful in helping develop my social skills.’

Leah Boardman, 26, from Ballabeg and a former Castle Rushen High School student, is in her third year of fashion journalism studies at Southampton Solent University.

She was working on a project in waste management looking at the number and frequency of households using the council’s kerbside recycling service.

The project also saw her conduct an audit to assess the amount of waste being deposited in wheeled bins and interview users at the eastern district civic amenity site to identify customers’ recycling practices.

Leah said: ‘As a fashion journalist student working on a waste management project I have had to be flexible in my approach, which has been very useful.

‘And what’s been interesting is that I’ve had my eyes opened to just how many different types of job opportunities are out there after university.’

Third-year Preston University architecture undergraduate Mike Quayle was engaged by Douglas Development Partnership to assist with a bid for Purple Flag accreditation, the scheme that looks at the quality of a town’s night-time environment.

The project required him to arrange an initial ‘snapshot’ workshop with a cross section of organisations and agencies, gather information to measure how well Douglas rates as an appealing night-time destination then run an overnight assessment exercise to observe how the town operates during the evening.

The 21-year-old from Colby said: ‘It was a really interesting project to be working on, meeting people on site from so many different types of businesses. This was a valuable experience which has definitely helped improve my communication and research skills.’ At a reception to congratulate the students and their mentors the Mayor of Douglas Councillor Carol Malarkey said: ‘The STEP scheme provides mutually beneficial advantages. The students gain valuable real-life work experience while the Council has the opportunity to progress projects that otherwise may not have been possible at this time of limited resources.’ Council leader Councillor David Christian added: ‘It is thanks to our STEP students and the support and guidance of our senior officers who have mentored them so ably that we, as a local authority, are able to move forward.’

Charlotte Atkinson started a new life in Plymouth last week with 5.30am training sessions consisting of a run, a series of gym circuits and a swim set, all before school!

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games probable has been successful in achieving both a swimming and academic scholarship at Plymouth College to study her A levels.

The Braddan teenager is also delighted to have received a Gubay Chase Your Dream Award, through Isle of Man Sport, to assist furthering her swimming career.

Charlotte is training with Plymouth Leander Swimming Club where, similar to Grant Halsall, she is under Olympic coach Jon Rudd.

The Leander squad includes Ruta Meilutyte, the 16-year-old Olympic and world champion and double world record holder, as well as other Olympians, international medallists and British record holders.

In July, Charlotte won two gold, four silver and one bronze medal at the NatWest Island Games in Bermuda and now holds three Island Games record times.

Her 50 metre butterfly time of 27.73 seconds places her No.1 in the UK short-course rankings for 16-year-old girls.

During 2012, Charlotte set 69 new Isle of Man records and achieved Commonwealth Games consideration times in 12 different events on 43 occasions. She also qualified in two events for the British Gas Swimming Championships in June, which doubled up as selection trials for the 2013 Swimming World Championships.

Charlotte (right) has been a member of Douglas Amateur Swimming Club since she was seven-years-old and she would like to thank everyone involved in swimming in the island, plus Isle of Man Sport Aid, the Cavendish Scholarship and the Kelly Holmes Sporting Excellence Programme for helping her achieve the success she has enjoyed so far.

Vagabonds were pushed all the way for their 24-28 bonus point away win away at South Lancs/Cheshire Division Two newcomers Port Sunlight on Saturday.

It was an open but bruising opening game of the season that went right to the wire.

The Manx team were caught cold in the first 30 minutes by the physicality and the mobility of the Merseysiders; rapid centre Dave Tarr and flankers Tom Blackburn and Chris Ramsden with number eight Alan Bedson all causing havoc.

Number 10 Lewis Ramsden put the home side ahead with a penalty, and the early pressure also left space for winger Andrew Jenks to score, which Ramsden converted. Vagabonds responded quickly with a line out drive that delivered tighthead Kev Birchall to the try line. Number 12 Mark McGreal added the extras.

The hosts were soon back on the front foot with a move finished off by flanker Ramsden, and there was disruption when a late hit ended Vagas fullback Sam Brennan’s afternoon, though from there the visitors stepped up; a sure pushover try from the scrum went begging, though wrong was righted with another line out drive try from lock Greg Whyte, McGreal converting to put Vagas back in touch 17-14.

In the second half, big shifts from Whyte and flanker Ross Pulman helped scrum half Lucas Veradi get clean ball to a dangerous backline; stand off Aidan O’Shea, centres McGreal and Liver and winger turned full back Tom Gascoyne all making breaks.

Veradi helped himself to a darting try and winger-in-a-hooker’s-body James Clarke finished off a slick move for the try bonus point. McGreal converted both to put Vagas in control at 17-28, though Tarr crashed over to close the gap and leave it anyone’s game into the last 15 minutes.

Birchall and his opposite number were shown yellow after too many scrum re-sets, and in the closing stages it was a case of Vagas defending hard until the welcome sound of the final whistle signalled a winning start to the season.

The government and people of the Isle of Man have been thanked for continuing to support the development of educational facilities in Nepal.

Manx funding has assisted the construction of more than 25 schools in the Asian country.

Tek Magar, a former Queen’s Gurkha Engineer, recently visited with his family to say a personal thank you to the Isle of Man for helping to realise his lifelong ambition.

Tek grew up in Hangpang in the district of Taplejung, east Nepal, and learned to write by using a stick in the soil. He always dreamed that his village would one day have a proper school.

Tek and his family raised more than £13,000 towards a new building and equipment and the project was completed thanks to a grant from the Isle of Man Government’s International Development Committee.

The school, which has about 250 pupils, continues a long association between the Isle of Man and the Pahar Trust, a charity which has helped to build and equip schools in many remote Nepali villages.

Howard Green MBE, chairman of the trust, introduced Tek, his wife Indra, son Sangum – who has been a Queen’s Gurkha Engineer for eight years – and daughter Sabhana, to Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK and Phil Gawne MHK, chairman of the International Development Committee.

Tek thanked the ministers for their support and presented them with a traditional silver khukhari knife as a token of appreciation.

The Chief Minister said: ‘The Isle of Man has a reputation as a responsible and caring nation and we take our commitment to supporting international development projects very seriously indeed. It was a pleasure to meet Tek and his family and hear how assistance provided by the island has played a part in helping to improve the lives of hundreds of Nepali schoolchildren.’

Today, Tuesday

LEICESTER: 2.20 Freemason (Jockey Ryan Moore) 2.50 Talented Kid (Frannie Norton) 3.20 Autopilot (Jimmy Fortune) 3.50 Nautilus (William Buick) 4.20 My Painter (William Buick) 4.50 Monsieur Joe (Jim Crowley) 5.20 Stag Hill

REDCAR choice: 5.0 Man From Seville (L Morris - NAP)

WORCESTER choice : 3.40 The Cockney Mackem (Sam Twiston-Davies - NB)

An exhibition of the work of the 20th century German artist Kurt Schwitters is to be held at the Sayle Gallery, Douglas, to mark the 65th anniversary of his death.

It will also commemorate his internment on the Isle of Man during the Second World War.

‘Kurt Schwitters: Responses to Place’ is being curated for the Sayle Gallery by Professor Fran Lloyd of Kingston University London, and is timed to follow the ‘Schwitters in Britain’ exhibition which took place at Tate Britain in London earlier this year, and more recently at the Sprengel Museum in Schwitters’ home city of Hannover.

The title ‘Responses to Place’ reflects Schwitters’ work created during and after his internment in the Hutchinson Square camp, in Douglas.

Despite writing in a letter to the New Statesman and Nation in August 1940 that ‘art cannot live behind barbed wire’, Schwitters was given an attic studio where he worked every day for almost a year and a half - with limited materials - and enjoyed the company of other internees and camp officials.

It was in fact a fertile and stimulating time, and the Sayle Gallery’s exhibition reflects this in both Schwitters’ own work, and in that of other Hutchinson Square internee artists also included in the exhibition.

Although often described as Dadaist, Schwitters described his own work as ‘Merz’ to distance it from other art movements such as cubism or futurism.

After the First World War, he was inspired by the changes in Germany and by the events of the Russian Revolution.

In 1919, Schwitters started to make collages and assemblages from found objects – creating new art from old items, much as he saw a new world emerging out of the war. Inevitably, this revolutionary art failed to meet the accepted criteria of the time.

Following the takeover by the Nazis in the 1930s, Schwitters’ work was prominently exhibited in the infamous ‘Degenerate Art’ shows in Germany, where art that did not meet the Nazis’ political agenda, or artistic vision, was condemned to ridicule.

t was this that prompted Kurt Schwitters’ flight from Germany in 1937, first to Norway to avoid arrest by the Gestapo and then, following the German invasion in 1940, to Scotland, where he was arrested by the British as an ‘enemy alien’ and sent to the Isle of Man.

Damian Ciappelli, Chairman of the Sayle Gallery, said: ‘The Sayle Gallery is delighted to be able to host this prestigious exhibition of Schwitters’ later work, and is especially grateful to the Tate, the Sprengel Museum in Hannover and other public and private lenders for their generosity.

‘With the considerable support of the Isle of Man Arts Council and Manx Heritage Foundation, and drawing once again on the curatorial skills of Professor Fran Lloyd, we have been able to put together an exhibition of work by this influential artist with a particular connection and relevance to both Douglas and the Isle of Man, much of which is rarely seen.’

‘Kurt Schwitters: Responses to Place’ includes work loaned by the Tate, the Sprengel Museum, Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria, the Armitt Museum and Library in Ambleside, the Hatton Gallery, Great North Museum, University of Newcastle, the Imperial War Museum, the Manx Museum, Douglas and various private collections.

Mr Ciappelli added: ‘At the Sayle Gallery we have two aims: to both promote art produced by artists connected to the Isle of Man and to enable visitors to see work which they’d otherwise have to go off the island to find. It is rare that we can combine both of these, and we’re indebted once again to David Wertheim of the Arts Council for his knowledge and perseverance in bringing together ‘Kurt Schwitters: Responses to Place’. It promises to be an historic and very exciting exhibition indeed.

The exhibition is sponsored by Zurich International Life. It will run from September 27 to October 27.

There’s an interesting extra ‘twilight’ meeting at Beverley this evening. (Tuesday.) There’s some interest for Manx punters as Thirsk trainer David Nicholls has brought Mister Manannan over to the Westwood track to ride in the 5.40 pm. Fallon catches the eye as the horse’s jockey.

Today, Tuesday

BEVERLEY: 4.35 pm Scottish Academy ( Jockey Joe Fanning) 5.05 My History (Joe Fanning) 5.40 Lucky Numbers (David Nolan) 6.10 Dubai Dynamo (P McDonald) 6.40 Blue Atlantic (Joe Fanning) 7.10 Violent Velocity (J Doyle)

The Manx Independent incorrectly listed an open day at the Independent Living Centre on Ballakermeen Road on September 11 in its ‘What’s On’ section last week.

The Independent Living Centre is only open to the public on the first Wednesday of each month, from 9.30am to 3.30pm, on a drop-in basis.

All other times are by appointment only. To make an appointment, please telephone 642561.

The Centre has arranged to open tomorrow just in case members of the public have seen the incorrect information in the Manx Independent dated Sept 5.

For information, the future dates the centre will be open until Christmas are October 2, November 6 and December 4.

The United Kingdom’s prime minister, David Cameron, has said that the Isle of Man is not a tax haven.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron highlighted the action taken by the Isle of Man and the other Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories on international tax matters.

He told MPs that Britain’s Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories deserve support for the steps they have taken to promote transparency and fairness.

Responding to questions about his statement on the G20 summit in St Petersburg, Mr Cameron said: ‘I do not think it is fair any longer to refer to any of the Overseas Territories or Crown Dependencies as tax havens. They have taken action to make sure that they have fair and open tax systems.’

He added: ‘It is very important that our focus should now shift to those territories and countries that really are tax havens. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, which matter so much — quite rightly — to the British people and members, have taken the necessary action and should get the backing for it.’

The prime minister’s views have been welcomed as a further endorsement of the Isle of Man’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of global standards.

His comments are in stark contrast to those made by his predecessor, Gordon Brown, and his Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, who dismissed the island as a ‘tax haven in the Irish Sea’ at the height of the Kaupthing affair in 2008.

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/gordon-brown-targets-isle-of-man-in-bbc-interview-1-1788328|Click here for a reminder of that story}

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare today said: ‘Mr Cameron’s remarks provide clear recognition of the Isle of Man’s constructive engagement with the international tax agenda.

‘With positive assessments by such organisations as the OECD, IMF and Financial Stability Board, we do not consider ourselves to be a tax haven.

‘The prime minister has now reinforced that message in very strong terms. It supports our view that the Isle of Man is a responsible business centre with a competitive, clear and simple tax regime.

‘The Isle of Man has led the way in respect of tax cooperation and transparency for the past 15 years and was the first nation to commit to a FATCA-style agreement with the UK to automatically share tax information. We have also produced an action plan to set out our position on tax information exchange and the identification of corporate beneficial ownership, and recently confirmed our intention to join the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Assistance in Tax Matters.’

He added: ‘The Isle of Man continues to work very closely with the UK and our international partners to drive forward measures to tackle tax evasion and fraud. There is increasing recognition of our willingness to be part of the solution, as highlighted by Mr Cameron’s comments in the House of Commons this week.’

-----------

From last week: Bell writes to Cameron

Recently crowned Junior Women’s National Road Race champion Anna Christian looks set to join Mark Cavendish in Great Britain colours at the UCI Road World Championships in Italy later this month.

The 18-year-old has been selected along with Bethany Hayward to take part in the junior women’s road race of the event that takes place in Florence between September 22-29.

The Douglas teen will tackle her 82.85 km race around the Tuscan capital on Friday, September 27, with Cavendish likely to be part of GB’s eight-strong team for Sunday 29’s 272.26km elite men’s race.

Isle of Man Darts Organisation will be hosting the Manx Nationals Darts Competitions this weekend, September 14-15, at the Crescent, Douglas.

The singles events will take place on Saturday with the men’s competition commencing at 1.30pm followed by the women at 2.30pm.

Sunday is intended to be a family day of darts, with men’s, women’s and mixed pairs competitions taking place and the action again commencing at 1.30pm.

There will also be a youth singles comp for the under-18s on Sunday starting at 3pm.

The entry fee is £5 per person and is open for both girls and boys.

IoMDO is keen to attract young players, so if there are any budding Phil Taylors in the island this is your opportunity to compete in a competition.

All events are open competitions and there is more than £1,000 in prize money on offer over the weekend.

IoMDO would like to thank the Crescent for hosting the event and their sponsorship towards the prize fund. All are welcome to attend, further details and entry forms are available by contacting the secretary by email on john.denny@manx.net or you can enter on the day.

Registrations will close 30 minutes before each event is due to commence.

l Ramsey Men’s Darts League’s AGM takes place this evening (Tuesday) at the Mitre Hotel, Parliament Street at 8pm.

Any items for the agenda should be emailed to Paul Arthur on aggie206@gmail.com or text 216082.

The Examiner reported the other week that the Isle of Man has signed yet another Tax Information Exchange Agreement with a foreign country.

This kind of thing is all to do with adopting transparency in relation to taxation and the new country we have in the bag is Switzerland.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare has been there to finalise the deal.

It’s the 29th that we have signed up to with other jurisdictions and, according to Mr Teare, it’s the first deal of its kind that Switzerland has agreed to. Now that makes it a big one.

Switzerland, as I understand these things, pretty well invented international tax havenry and it has been renowned for the secrecy maintained by the Gnomes of Zurich, who make the place sound like some kind of garden city.

Switzerland was the only place not to be invaded by Germany in the Second World War, allegedly because Hitler and Goering and Goebbels had their loot stashed away there in case things went wrong.

Now they’re ready to tell all. What, then, is the next country on the Manx Government’s hard-to-get list?

Well, Eddie, there’s Syria. But I’d keep away from there for a while. It would not be in keeping with the status and dignity of the Treasury Minister to pitch up in Damascus wearing one of those comical gas masks we children had to wear during the war.

There’s Egypt. It doesn’t seem to be quite so tricky there now as it has been. If Eddie pretended to be a tourist I think he would be welcomed with open arms.

But for me the really tough nut to crack under the hammer of taxation transparency is the Democratic Republic of North Korea and its Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un, he of the most ill-favoured looks of all the world’s leaders.

Kim – bit of a girlie name that – will have had his weekly delivery of the Examiner by now and he will have read about our tax agreement with Switzerland.

He might think Eddie will soon be on his way to Pyongyang.

Or will Eddie not fancy it?

All I can say is that Eddie is a deceptively mild-mannered chap who has been known to face down with impeccable cool, in Tynwald Court, the likes of Peter Karran and even Kate Beecroft.

Unfortunately nobody faces Kim down. His face itself is enough to put you off.

That Kim is not to be trifled with was shown the other day when he had his girl friend, a cabaret singer, publicly executed in front of her family.

There is a popular song called ‘Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover’ by Paul Simon. Kim knows only one. He leaves them for dead.

(I wonder what she did wrong. Tell him to get a better haircut? Lie down on the job perhaps?).

No, the fact is that it would be wrong to send Eddie to North Korea, especially at a time when I reckon there’s one or two other MHK’s who would like his job.

What about President Putin next time Minister? Just to keep your hand in.

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The Examiner reported that a children’s climbing frame at West View Park in Peel had been removed because of its worsening condition and Peel town commissioner Ian Davison was reported as saying they were ‘in the process of getting a replacement for the children.’

It sounds like the poor kids are being framed.

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Manx Radio received a media release from the police about damage caused in Ramsey in which the glass panes in the doorway of the Iceland store were ‘broken by a male welding a hammer.’

He obviously wanted to keep it in good repair.

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This time a really tricky Manx crossword clue from Richard Hetherington and seen in the Sunday Times Cryptic: Stars on island take small boat with a bite to eat (10,5) - PLOUGH-MAN-S-L(A)UNCH.

Ouch!

Two lads who were pals when pupils at an island school and then did the same course at college have both been taken on as apprentices with the same company.

Paul Mclear and Andrew Radcliffe were both unaware that the other had applied to Skanco when the firm advertised the two-year trainee roles which attracted more than 30 applicants.

The 20-year-olds were friends when they attended Queen Elizabeth II High School in Peel, and then studied for an HNC in computing at Isle of Man College.

Andrew Kermode, technical manager at professional IT services firm Skanco Business Systems Ltd, said: ‘We were particularly impressed with both Paul and Andrew.

‘We were looking for applicants who were genuinely interested in IT and not just saying ‘‘I want to work in IT’’ and both Paul and Andrew demonstrated that all important interest.’

Over the next two years they will benefit from a comprehensive training programme leading to industry qualifications and certificates, including the Higher National Certificate in Computing.

Mr Kermode said:‘We have run the apprenticeship scheme for over 20 years now and many of the engineers that we have trained in the scheme are still with us. Those who have left comment on what a great opportunity it gave them to get into IT.’

He added: ‘Paul and Andrew, who are both keen cyclists, have joined a company which is renowned for supporting the island’s sport, having recently committed to supporting the Commonwealth Games Association and the Isle of Man team for the Games in 2014.

‘We wish them all the best as they embark on their career with us.’

Paul, from Peel, said: ‘Working in IT is what I always wanted to do and in a job with prospects and Skanco, a respected name on the island, offers all that.

‘I recognise the opportunity I’ve been given and it’s just great that I’m where I always aspired to be.’ Andrew, from Ballaugh, was equally enthusiastic. He said: ‘I’m ambitious and wanted an apprenticeship so as to progress in the competitive IT sector, I couldn’t be happier.’

One of Skanco’s first apprentices was Richard Wheeler who, from being on his own admission a fresh-faced 18-year-old when he joined, is now a valued engineer with the company and married with a five-year-old daughter.

He said: ‘It‘s a great place to work, you are left to get on with the job and there’s no one sitting on your shoulder.’ Richard celebrated his 20 years with the company this year.

Paul and Andrew were the only two apprentices taken on by Skanco this year.