A BMW estate car was damaged while parked up in a cafe car park.
It happened overnight Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25, while the vehicle was parked in the lower car park at Café Rosa, Lezayre Road, Glen Duff.
The car sustained damage to a front headlight and bonnet apparently from another vehicle, said police.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Ramsey Police Station on 812234 or Police Headquarters on 631212.
A senior civil servant is likely to be censured by Tynwald over his part in an affair in which a government minister misled the House of Keys.
David Killip, the chief executive of the Department of Health, is criticised in a report to Tynwald of the Standards and Members’ Interests Committee.
The issue stems back to a letter sent by hospital consultants expressing concerns about management at Noble’s Hospital.
{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/consultants-concerns-about-the-hospital-1-5737105|Click here to read a story about that.}
Health Minister David Anderson told the House of Keys in June: ‘Some of those consultants subsequently withdrew their support for that letter because they believed it overstepped the mark and there where other processes which they could have gone down in place to relay their concerns to management about clinical areas of concern.’
In fact, none of them had.
The issue led to 10 backbenchers calling for Mr Anderson to resign.
{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/backbenchers-want-anderson-to-go-1-5964840|Click here to read that story.}
The matter was sent to Tynwald’s Standards and Members’ Interests Committee.
Its report is due to go to Tynwald on February 18.
It concludes:
1. That Mr Anderson’s personal statement and his other statements were not correct, in that the consultants stood by both the content of the letter and the medium, while regretting in some cases the impact of the letter in making (consultant urologist Stephen) Upsdell resign.
2. Mr Anderson was sincere when he made the personal statement of June 25 and earlier on June 11 and he did not knowingly mislead the House.
3. The House was misled because of a series of miscommunications within the hospital and the Department of Health - the personal statement as drafted should not have been issued in the terms in which it was given. The Minister bears responsibility for this.
Although the Minister is personally responsible for the statements which he made, he was badly let down by the officials who advised him.
The personal statement was insufficiently vetted by the department’s officers and there was insufficient care given to preparing this important matter, for which the chief officer of the department, Mr Killip, deserves censure.
Mr Killip has sent a letter to Tynwald, via the Clerk of Tynwald, Roger Phillips, in which he makes a number of observations.
He concludes: ‘I accepted responsibility for the circumstances relating to the minister’s personal statement, a matter regarding which I have proffered an apology to my minister. With regard to Tynwald, I have separately written to Madam President (Clare Christian).’
To comment on this story, email opinions@newsiom.co.im
It has been confirmed that the Isle of Man’s FA Inter-League Cup semi-final with the Humber Premier League will take place on Saturday, March 22.
The tie will be hosted at Conference North outfit North Ferriby United’s 2,700-capacity Grange Lane ground near Hull.
If Steve Burns’s islanders advance past the Yorkshire outfit, they will face either the Dorset Premier League, the Hertfordshire Senior County League or the Worthing and District League in the final, the latter two meeting in the competition’s outstanding quarter-final this Saturday.
As an added incentive for the Manx, the victor of their semi with the HPL will host the final on April 26 teeing up potentially another grand occasion at the Bowl.
A challenge has been launched aimed at helping entrepreneurs in the Isle of Man gain backing for their business ideas.
Entrants are sought for the challenge by Siliconiom, which aims to identify the brightest new ideas in the island and help take them to the next level.
Pictured at the launch are, from left, Kevin Cowley (PricewaterhouseCoopers), Martin Elliott (Acclaim), Economic Development Minister John ShimminMHK, Richard Ebbutt (Continent 8), Charlotte Mason (Siliconiom), Peter Craig (PricewaterhouseCoopers) and Steve Hawkins (Siliconiom).
Visit www.continent8.com/our-company/isle-of-man-entrepreneur-challenge to find out more.
The National Sports Centre has been officially recognised as one of the best sport and recreation facilities in the British Isles.
Every two years the NSC is independently assessed under the QUEST quality management scheme, and in total there are around 1,000 leisure centres and swimming pools that participate in the scheme. The NSC, after a two day rigorous assessment, has been rated in the ‘excellent’ category.
Leisure Minister Graham Cregeen MHK said: ‘The rating of the NSC is a just reward for the team who work tirelessly to ensure services provided are the highest quality.’
PwC Men’s Premier
Paragon Valkyrs A will be looking to secure back-to-back victories over LJ Skye Ramsey A when the two sides meet at the NSC on Saturday afternoon.
Will Margot’s Valkyrs side enjoyed a comfortable 9-0 victory over the northerners when they met last weekend and will feel confident of victory again as they continue their title bid.
Opponents Ramsey will be hoping for an improved performance this time around.
PwC Men’s Division One
LJ Skye Ramsey B will be aiming to claim their first points of the season when they meet Paragon Valkyrs B at QEII.
Matt Greenbank’s Ramsey have lost both games so far this season and will be keen to reverse that trend with victory here.
Opponents Valkyrs recorded their first win of the campaign with an impressive victory over Vikings B on Saturday.
Captain Chris Killey will be hoping his side can replicate that performance this time around.
PwC Men’s Division Two
Two sides looking to add to their points tally go head-to-head when Vikings Colts meet Paragon Valkyrs C in the Saturday’s late fixture at QEII.
Mike Flowers Valkyrs side were defeated by Vikings earlier in the season but have been victorious in their last two matches and will be hoping to extend that winning run to three matches.
Ian Duggua’s Vikings were defeated by Castletown B in their last match and will be aiming to return to winning ways.
PwC Women’s Premier
LJ Skye Ramsey A will be hoping to continue their good run of form when they meet Paragon Valkyrs A in Saturday afternoon’s fixture at the Grammar School.
Ellen Robinson’s Ramsey side have suffered only one defeat all season at the hands of reigning champions Vikings A. Leanne Miller’s Valkyrs side suffered defeat on the opening day of the season but have shown improvement since then which has seen them win two matches in a row. This promises to be a close match which either side could win.
PwC Women’s Division One
LJ Skye Ramsey B will be hoping to extend their winning run to three matches when they meet Fearless Saracens.
The northern side have enjoyed comfortable victories in their last two games which has seen them emerge as possible title contenders. Opponents Saracens have shown improvement this season and can’t afford to be underestimated or they could claim a shock victory.
PwC Mixed Under-16s’
Vikings will be aiming to further stretch their lead at the top of the PwC Mixed Under-16s’ League when they meet HQ Harlequins at the NSC on Saturday morning.
Vikings will be keen to improve on last week’s performance which saw them drop points for the first time this season in a 0-0 draw with Bacchas.
Harlequins have the potential to secure victory and if they are able to field their strongest side they could claim both points.
‘There is no conspiracy to hide anything’ insisted Chief Minister Allan Bell as he was quizzed by MHKs over the legal advice given for the Sefton bail-out.
Controversy continues to dog the bail-out deal announced in April last year, in which government approved a £1.3m loan repayable over five years and a £3.2m sale and lease back agreement for the Middlemarch site.
At the time, Mr Bell said it was designed to prevent the debt-ridden group from going under.
An investigation by Tynwald’s Economic Policy Review Committee into the affair concluded the government was right to act as it did. It’s report will be debated in Tynwald at this month’s sitting.
But questions remain about the legal advice given for the bail-out. In Tynwald last month, acting Attorney General John Quinn, former legal counsel and major shareholder of the Sefton Group, said he could not comment as he was professionally conflicted.
And with no authority to ask another senior officer from the AG’s department on his behalf, Lib Van MHK Kate Beecroft (Douglas South) said she found that situation ‘totally unacceptable’.
In the House of Keys this week, Alfred Cannan (Michael) asked Mr Bell if he would publish the legal guidance.
The Chief Minister replied that he had written to all Tynwald members in April providing an overview of the law in relation to the loans to Sefton Group. Brenda Cannell (Douglas East) and Kate Beecroft (Lib Van, Douglas South) both asked why extracts rather than the full advice had been published.
‘There is no conspiracy to hide anything,’ Mr Bell said, insisting it was not normal practice to publish legal advice from the Attorney General’s department.
Mr Cannan asked whether the legal advice was only sought afterwards to clarify the interpretation that the Ministers had actually put on the wording in the various Acts and policy documents relied on to give the loan. Mr Bell replied that it was his understanding that there was ‘no specific advice given at the outset’.
Economic Development Minster John Shimmin, replying to a separate question from Mr Cannan, confirmed that the Sefton Group had settled a number of government debts by June 30 last year, as required by the terms of the loan agreement. It has also paid the remaining balance of the first loan, as required by July 31.
He said the Group had also confirmed in writing that all local trade creditors outstanding at the time of the restructure have been cleared, although this could not be independently verified.
Mr Shimmin said the Sefton Group had reduced its debts by £72 million over three years in order to keep on trading.
The Water Authority has no contingency plan should Tynwald vote down the controversial ‘toilet tax’ at this month’s sitting.
Questions about the £50 a property sewerage charge, due to be brought in from April, dominated this week’s House of Keys question time.
Chairman of the Water and Sewerage Authority John Houghton admitted the charge was ‘quite, quite unfair’ but added: ‘We have to do it - our hands are tied’.
He said that WASA, in conjunction with Treasury, has reviewed several options and timescales for the introduction of the sewerage charge and the Council of Ministers had approved both the scale of the charge and the timetable for implementation at a meeting on January 16 this year.
And he revealed that the board originally proposed a £75 charge per property per year to be introduced from April 2015 - but CoMin subsequently agreed it should be brought forward to 2014 at £50 per property, rising to £100 in 2015.
MHKs were told it was estimated the charge would raise £2 million for WASA which the chairman said would offset Treasury funding lost over this and the last financial years.
He said an order would be brought to this month’s Tynwald sitting allowing for the charge to be brought in from April.
Brenda Cannell (Douglas East) asked what contingency was in place if members voted it down. Mr Houghton replied: ‘The authority has no contingency. This is forced on us. It will simply mean it’s back to the drawing board.’
Mrs Cannell suggested the board could be in breach of the law if the charge was brought in before 2015, claiming it would have had to have been signed before January 31 in the financial year before it is to take effect.
But Mr Houghton insisted ‘all legislative provisions are in place. It was signed before the date mentioned’.
Replying to a question from Zac Hall (Onchan), he confirmed the charge would apply equally to homes, businesses, church halls and charities.
He confirmed there had been no consultation before the flat-rate charge had been brought forward. There would be full consultation, however, on any plans to charge for trade effluent and it would be two to three years before any charge came in.
Peter Karran, (Lib Van. Onchan), claimed this ‘poll tax on toilets’ would end up costing each household £250 per year – a figure questioned by the WASA chairman.
Mr Houghton said there was ‘no doubt’ the charge would have been attached to the water rate if the rating system had been fair and equitable.
Earlier, Treasury Minister Eddie Teare said it was intention to complete a review of rateable values of properties between March 2015 and September 2016.
Chief Minister Allan Bell said the aim of such a review was not to raise extra revenue but make the system fairer. He said a great deal of work had been done on this previously so ‘we can hit the ground running’. He said the cost of implementation had previously been estimated at £1 million.
Leonard Singer (Ramsey) suggested it would be fairer to place a charge on each adult in a household.
Mr Bell replied: ‘Mrs Thatcher had the same idea – it was called the Poll Tax. I can’t say I will be very enamoured to follow the same route.’
Chris Thomas (Douglas West) asked if alternatives to the rating system was being considered.
The Chief Minister said: ‘We are still continuing with the existing system and trying to modernise it and make it more appropriate.’
TT and Motorsport development manager Paul Phillips and friends will be taking part in ‘L’etape de Mann’ charity cycle ride on Sunday, April 13.
The road ride, criss-crossing the island’s highest peaks, will emulate the 2014 Etape du Tour in terms of distance covered and meters climbed.
This year’s Etape will cross the infamous Col du Tourmalet and Hautacam Tour de France climbs and will ascend a total of 3,500 metres in 98 miles.
The Manx version will cover the same mileage and involve the same total ascent as the Etape.
Joining Paul on the ride will be a small number of local cycling friends, along with a handful of well-known TT competitors.
It isn’t a race, but it will be a very challenging ride aimed at raising money for Rebecca House Children’s Hospice (the children’s wing at Isle of Man Hospice).
Rebecca House provides respite, palliative and end of life care for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions from birth to 18 years.
The facility helped care for Paul and wife Julie’s son, Freddie, in the early months of his life after originally being hospitalised in Liverpool. He was initially very poorly and Rebecca House gave the couple tremendous support at a difficult time.
To help the group of cyclists raise as much money as possible for Rebecca House, you can sponsor them on our ride. Donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/teams/letapedumann
As with the rest of this weekend’s previews, the look ahead to Saturday’s three Paddy Power FA Cup first round ties has a wet weather warning attached to it.
With the forecast again poor for the back end of the week, even at this early stage in proceedings it looks unlikely that all three of the rearranged games will go ahead.
It’s a shame, not only for fixture supremo Tony Mepham’s frazzled brain cells, but also because the three games look like potential cup crackers on paper.
All three pit Canada Life Premier League against JCK Division Two, with the latter’s standard bearers aiming to emulate the feats of Pulrose and pull off a ‘cupset’.
Of the three ties the most likely to go ahead is at Ballafletcher where Corinthians face Colby.
The Whites’ pitch was fit to play last weekend, but the strong winds at the exposed location meant the game was called off.
Corinthians are inconsistent to say the least and the southerners will travel to the capital with a giant-killing on their agenda.
Just round the corner at Garey Mooar, Union Mills welcome Marown to Garey Mooar.
The Millers will have to pay close attention to Silver Boot revelation Stuart Morris, but their own free-scoring nature of late should give them the edge over the promotion hopefuls.
Another side hoping to gauge their potential as a top-flight outfit next season will be Douglas Royal.
Gavin Gawne’s Ballafletcher residents currently sit second in the second tier standings and make the trip over the Mountain to play Ramsey.
Royal’s strike force has impressed this season, but a home draw should see Brian Carney’s side through.
The Paddy Power FA Cup’s two outstanding Preliminary Round ties will again try their best to beat the weather this Saturday.
The past month’s wet and windy weather has made for a fragmented start to the prestigious competition, with these games originally down to played on January 4.
The forecast doesn’t look too great again for this weekend, but if it does abate Peel v Laxey will be one of the star attractions.
The two clubs have already put a contingency plan in place, in the event that the Douglas Road pitch is unplayable. The game looks likely to be switched to the Bowl kicking-off around 4.30pm. A final decision on this is likely to come on Friday afternoon.
Wherever the game is played picking a winner is tough with the pair only a couple of points apart in the top-flight standings and having drawn their sole league meeting this term.
Peel might be a bit rusty having not kicked a ball in anger so far this year because of postponements, but then again Laxey have only played the once in the same period and that was a 1-1 draw with Ramsey on January 11.
Grand-Slam chasing St George’s look favourites to advance from the afternoon’s other scheduled preliminary round tie.
Chris Bass Sr’s Glencrutchery Road juggernauts make the trip north to relegation-threatened Ramsey Youth Centre and Old Boys.
Geordies’ start to the new calendar year has also been a disrupted one, but the vast majority of the squad will have gleaned some extra sharpness having been involved in the island side’s recent Inter-League Cup success over West Riding.
In the corresponding league fixture Geordies triumphed 8-0 suggesting a long day at the office for Ray Leach’s youngsters if the game does indeed beat the weather.
A government minister is proposing to introduce a law to abolish the Legislative Council.
Phil Gawne, who’s the Minister of Environment, Food and Agriculture and one of Rushen’s three MHKs, is seeking leaving to introduce the measure in next week’s House of Keys sitting.
The issue of LegCo reform has been a running sore in Manx politics, with recent attempts to reform it meeting failure.
Legislative Council is a second chamber of the Manx parliament. It revises laws.
Members are not elected directly by the public. They are elected by MHKs and the Bishop gets a seat automatically.
MLCs also sit in Tynwald and take on jobs in government departments, for which they get extra money.
The ‘household name’ of Island Aggregates is living on in the island.
The new owners are keen to retain the heritage and history associated with the business.
As part of the operations a rebranding of the company’s fleet has begun and the first wagon with the new livery was unveiled last week.
Stephen Smyth, new general manager, is keen to stress the heritage of Island Aggregates.
He told Business News the background to his arrival here is that the Island Aggregates business was taken over last year.
It was previously known as Cemex Island Aggregates.
Dublin based CRH plc, a ‘top five player in the world’ acquired the Northern Ireland and Isle of Man operations from Cemex.
CRH’s Northern Ireland business is known as Northstone NI ltd. The Isle of Man business is now a subsidiary of Northstone.
Mr Smyth said: ‘After the acquisition the previous director/ general manager Mike Shaw was retained as a consultant.
‘I took up the reins last September.
‘But really what I want to get across is that we are starting to rebrand the fleet.
‘The first truckmixer has been badged up with the new livery etc.
‘It mirrors the Northstone colour scheme with distinctive red and black writing.
‘And we are keen to point out that we have returned to being known as Island Aggregates Ltd.
‘That’s the name tied in with heritage really.
‘The first company known as Island Aggregates in the island kicked off in 1946 , extracting gravel up at the Point of Ayre.
‘And the company in its current form began life in 1957 and there has been a number of buy outs and changes of ownership in the intervening half century, culminating in the most recent one.
‘It’s a familiar name. I’m keen to get out there that it is a household name within the construction industry in theisland.
‘There’s a rich heritage and basically down the years the vast majority of the island’s civil engineering infrastructure, housing and notable developments have been founded on Island Aggregates concrete.’
Mr Smyth said the core business is the quarrying of sand and gravel at the Point of Ayre.
‘We have two readymix concrete plants strategically located, one at Jurby and one down at Santon to cover the Douglas area and the south of the island.
‘The sand and gravel is quarried and transported by tipper by road to the concrete plants and the other obvious ingredient is cement that comes by boat to Ramsey.’
He went on to talk about the difficulties that have faced the construction industry in recent years.
‘Our cubic metre output has suffered through the downturn in the same way that construction output and activity has.
‘There were recent figures put out by the government about the general economy on the up but there were certain sectors, retail and construction which were still very much in the doldrums.
‘And there was a figure of quarry outputs comparing between 2001 and 2012. In 2012 it was 41 per cent.
‘When you consider that things got busier during the mid 2,o00s it was a much higher figure.
‘In reality the contraction has been a lot more steep even than that 41 per cent.
‘The contraction has been great in the last five or six years.
‘That said, on a brighter note, our 2013 outputs have shown not growth but a slowing down of the decline if you want to call it that.
‘The industry in the island is dependent greatly on government and on the capital projects programme.
‘Certainly what I have picked up on is that the purse strings have tightened greatly especially in the last three or four years on that.
‘In addition there is not so much private money.
‘Having come from Ireland I have seen the boost and subsequent bust in house building and private development over there. I think the island has been fortunate in that it was not so acute.
‘But private developers have not been as busy in the last couple of years
‘I would say an encouraging sign is that, talking to the main players, [in construction] they are predicting a busier year in 2014 on the private housing side of things. There are a few new schemes kicking off there in 2014.’
He said the company’s customers range from the small one man builder building a house extension, the DIY enthusiast building a garden wall and then the next load from the plant may be going to a government project.
‘It’s the whole spectrum we cover.
‘There is a slowing down of the decline. You cannot say with any confidence at this stage that the green shoots are pushing through. It’s still too early really.’
On a personal level Mr Smyth’s two teenage sons still live in Northern Ireland. He loves the Isle of Man.
Ramsey man Ronnie Corkish is a long standing member of staff having risen through the ranks, starting off as a driver and is now in charge of customer and sales liaison.
He has researched the history of Island Agregates through the years and a book is in the offing.
He said the name Island Aggregates is a household name in the island and there was a rich history behind the business.
‘
A nice lady in Ramsey – and there have always been many such in my experience – bought me a walking stick not long ago, one of those high end items which can be folded up into three easy-to-pack segments.
She told me: ‘Most of us get to need one in time.’
I have sported it on occasion since then, usually away from the basilisk stare of the Manx public. It was not seen as a permanent accoutrement until my duff foot tossed me down a flight of six concrete steps off every one of which I bounced.
(This was not, let me say, during what the late Alistair Cooke always referred to ‘the social hour of 6pm’ but when I was leaving the front door of the Examiner offices after my regular morning call there).
After this my doctor told me to use a walking stick. ‘If you won’t listen to your body, listen to me,’ she said severely.
This decided me that I had to deploy my stick in a stylishly impressive way as possible and I thought back to a 1956 circus film called ‘Trapeze’ in which Burt Lancaster was a crippled acrobat whose right leg was rendered useless in a fall while trying to do a new series of somersaults.
As he walked about with grim determination he gripped his stick firmly in his right hand in support of his duff leg and he was the picture of suffering bravely borne by a proud and still strong man.
As a result you should think of me as Burt when you see me – just try for goodness sake! – and remember that in the movie he got Gina Lollobrigida in the end instead of Tony Curtis.
For a full test flight of my stick I chose a visit to London last week.
I thought the stick might give me kindly and courteous free passage through the seething crowds of the West End.
It didn’t. You take your chance down there.
In Regent Street I was tapping along like Blind Pew in ‘Treasure Island’ when a large woman ahead of me stopped and turned suddenly to look in a shop window and caught me a shoulder charge with a bulging haversack on her back.
She turned on me and snarled: ‘Look where you’re going.’
I was looking – at the pavement coming up to meet me.
In my mind I was tempted to tell her witheringly: ‘I won this stick in Afghanistan lady.’
But I reflected that she wouldn’t believe such a thing of a white-haired old buffer of scant military presence.
I apologised instead.
I was helped to my feet and dusted down by a man also carrying a walking stick which he waved at me.
‘We have to stick together brother,’ he said genially.
But now me and my stick are back in the Isle of Man and taking to the streets.
I will not be seen, definitively, as a cripple.
I can still do some walking unaided so things aren’t that bad. But if people do feel obliged to press their spare change into my left hand, please do so.
It might also be useful in warding off the attentions of importunate young women.
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I have had a letter from T.White of Faaie ny Cabbal, Kirk Michael, recalling my reference last week to the telephone box at Derbyhaven which has been saved by Malew parish commissioners from de-commissioning and was pictured in the Examiner with a ‘to let’ sign next to it erected, I said, by Heritage Homes.
I got the name wrong, even after looking at the photograph. The sign really belongs to Harmony Homes, estate agents, of 25 Church Road, Port Erin, to whom I apologise for my carelessness.
All I want to know now is how much they want from anybody looking for a telephone box to live in.
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This week’s wacky website belongs to “Who Represents”, an agency which attends to the needs of celebrities, otherwise known as www.whorepresents.com
Those in the know will be aware that the Isle of Man has a wealth of musical talent, none more than relative newcomer, Mae Challis.
At the age of just 15, Mae has just won the recent The Next Big Thing competition that took place at the Gaiety Theatre.
Mae was born in Sittingbourne, Kent, on May 6, 1998, and moved to the island at the age of seven. As a singer and guitarist, Mae has also added keyboards and drums to her musical capabilities. She lists her influences from Queen, Oasis, KT Tunstall and Joni Mitchell to more contemporary performers like Hurts, Coldplay, Train, James Morrison, Skrillex, Bruno Mars and Emeli Sande.
‘Winning The Next Big Thing was a dream start to 2014 ’ she said, ‘and it’s definitely given me the motivation to develop and grow as a musician and a singer/songwriter.
‘Music is a serious career choice for me and whilst I know it’s one of the toughest businesses to succeed in, I feel I now have one foot on the rung of the ladder and I fully intend to keep climbing!
‘Playing live for me is like being at home and although I love playing all of my instruments, one of my many ambitions for this year is to get a good band behind me.’
One to watch I think!
Now, if you’re a fan of prog rock you just might want to get yourself to Bar Logo in Ramsey this Saturday night (February 8) for the debut gig by new band Kvarken.
This band features David Brew on vocals, Kev Cleator on guitar, Chris Glaister on keys and vocals, Dave Callaghan on bass and Jonny JJ Peacock on drums. They list their influences from seventies prog rock acts like Pink Floyd, Yes, Rush and Genesis to a mix of more modern offerings such as Muse and Radiohead.
The gig starts at 9.30pm and is free entry.
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Steve Leach brings the rumblings, murmuring, news and views on forthcoming events in and around the Manx music scene every week in the manx Independent. Email him on leachsteve@hotmail.com
The economy’s in trouble. People are trying to fix it. The problem is, they’re fixing an outdated and flawed model which measures the wrong things, and fails the people it’s meant to serve, says IoMFoE’s Cat Turner
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We’ve been reading lots lately about the island (and the world’s) economic woes and various proposed solutions.
Most of the ones I’m hearing about in the island are based on increasing ‘growth’ – basically perpetuating the same tired old system, which widens the gaps between rich and poor and is based on damaging patterns of consumption.
This consumer-based model is trashing our environment as it eats up the planet’s resources, pollutes our environment, traps millions in the misery of debt and wage slavery.
Plus it uses advertising and the media to convince us that we’re worthless if we don’t own the right things.
The only people it enriches are those who own the companies producing all this stuff.
Not only that, but this mindless, careless cycle works to increase the costs of energy, raw materials and manufactured goods.
This is bad for business. It’s worse for people, and combines with increased stealth taxes on individuals (toilet tax, anyone?) and bigger breaks for corporatons, to make for an unholy mix of social injustice and a generally rubbish quality of life for many.
And, of course, this isn’t jus happening at home.
Some countries, and some social groups, are suffering much more than others.
Unless we ditch this outdated model, it’s only going to get worse. The Isle of Man’s economy is pathetically dependent on fossil fuels for its basic needs (and I don’t just mean energy and heat), and while fossil fuel prices bounce around we’ve never been more vulnerable – both in terms of cost, and of actual supply.
Your power and heat bills aren’t going to fall, until your energy supplier takes a deep breath and starts making real inroads towards a renewable energy contribution to our electricity supply.
We know from the detailed work that’s gone into analysing various options, that there would be an initial small addition to today’s electricity unit prices if an onshore windfarm, for example, were established (the developers take on the capital costs of the setup).
But it won’t take long for fossil-fuel based energy price rises to outstrip this cost.
It’s the choice between a small increase now, and then price and supply security, or perpetual price increases – and the risk of blackouts if our fossil fuel supplies are cut.
With the UK facing its own supply crisis, and brownouts forecast by the Government in the next year or so, this is a real possibility.
If you regard the job of a government to support a fair society where the wellbeing of the population is top priority, then a short-term approach isn’t good enough.
Rising GDP, for example, is a meaningless metric if it comes at the expense of greater social injustice and a population which is unhealthier, more insecure, more worried and isolated and less connected one to another.
Low unemployment is also meaningless if the reality is that people are underemployed, underpaid or have no job security.
That’s a vulnerability with a massive spin-off of problems, socially and economically.
If the warming climate means that the risk from flooding or other natural disasters is increasing (and it is), that is a key vulnerability.
If local, community-owned businesses which contribute to the resilience of our economy are threatened by online shopping and large chain businesses which threaten to undercut them (and make profits from you and me to send to distant shareholders), that’s another.
We need to be honest and clear about these challenges, and engage in some brave and forward-thinking remodelling of the way we do things so as to create a new kind of local economy, and a new local infrastructure that helps our community become more resilient, sustainable and fair.
And full of happiness and fun, too, as that’s usually a byproduct of localsim and a better connected community!
This includes transforming the existing organisations and businesses that work here – and, excitingly, creating new enterprises and meaningful livelihoods that offer equality of opportunity, so that all our population have the chance of flourishing. ‘Freedom to flourish’. ‘The Isle of Man, Where You Can’. These slogans need to be meaningful to all of us, not just a privileged few.
Around the world, including island economies like our own, this thinking’s already happening and over the coming months we’ll be showing you some examples.
We hope they’ll inspire our readers, and our leaders, to move with the times and take the brave, courageous steps that are needed.
The second silverware of the season is up for grabs shortly and the two domestic matches this weekend will help identify the finalists of the Manx Plate.
Ramsey B undoubtedly face the tough route if they’re to make the final.
They pulled off a shock in the earlier round when they beat Douglas B.
This week they travel to Ballafletcher to take on Manx Shield champions Vagabonds B.
The sides had two very close games in the Shield with Vagas edging them both but not by much.
Both sides, however, are likely to be affected by the strength of their respective first teams.
Ramsey skipper Jim Lantry will be hoping that the old adage ‘third time lucky’ will ring true, but on paper Vagas B should start as favourites for a spot in the final.
In the other semi, Castletown take on Western Vikings at Poulsom Park.
Town definitely need a result this season and this could be it.
Only a point separated them in their final Shield meeting and even then it was a last kick of the game penalty from Mark Venables which sealed the deal for Vikings.
With a margin as tight as that it’s almost impossible to call, but I will go for a Vikings win after their impressive triumph against Ramsey B a fortnight ago.
Saturday’s Fixtures
South Lancashire/ Cheshire Division One
Douglas v New Brighton venue tbc
South Lancashire/Cheshire Division Two
Ormskirk v Ramsey @ Ormskirk
Oswestry v Vagabonds @ Oswestry
Women’s Championship North Two
Vagabonds v Sheffield @ B’fletcher ko 12pm
Manx Plate semi-finals ko 2.15pm
Vagabonds B v Ramsey B @ Ballafletcher
Castletown v W’Vikings @ Poulsom Park
Argon Technologies Douglas host runaway league leaders New Brighton on Saturday in South Lancashire and Cheshire Division One.
This is a big game for the Manx men as they aim to kick start 2014 with a bang and what better way than to do this with a victory against the league leaders.
Third-place Douglas have a strong squad available this week, with Ben Pote, Dan Creer and Rob Todd all battling it out for the prop positions.
There’s also competition at hooker with Craig Lea and Nick Hughes competing for the dubious honour of the number two shirt.
In the back row the long awaited home debut of Akkie Van Den Berg could come to fruition and the former Vagabond will do battle with Niall Killey, Lance Wyllie, Craig McGee and Stephen Tansell to start.
In the backline Christian ‘Bosh’ Brew goes back into centres and he will be joined by Ryan Maddox.
Out wide Carl Markl-Ferns, Callum Randle and James Wood complete the side, with Bryn Snellgrove and Shaun Wyllie at half-backs.
Douglas were right in the game until the last play in the reverse fixture with the Merseyside outfit and will look for a little more composure this time round to secure the quick ball they so crave.
Having missed a fixture last week the boys are up for this one and are raring to go.
Kick-off is 2.15pm and all are welcome to attend this top-of-the-table clash.
l Round-up of all the weekend’s rugby, including Douglas’s big match with New Brighton in Final Whistle, the eight-page sports supplement inside Tuesday’s Examiner.
An attempt by Charles ‘Buster’ Lewin to sue Braddan Commissioners has been thrown out of court.
Mr Lewin, who is currently in jail after for his part in trying to rig a House of Keys by-election, was dismissed from the local authority in 2007 for gross misconduct.
He was seeking damages for wrongful dismissal and loss of pension rights. He was claiming more than £1million.
{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/election-trial-sentencing-buster-lewin-jailed-1-5236175|To read a story on the election court case, click here}
The case was struck out by Deemster Christie in the High Court on Thursday, February 6.
A spokesman for Braddan Commissioners said: ‘While Mr Lewin had always claimed that the damages he was seeking were considerable, he did not produce anything to the courts to substantiate that claim.
‘Unfortunately for the ratepayers the legal costs of this case have exceeded £250,000, however the authority was left with no choice but to defend the action because of his unjustified substantial claim, a stance that was supported with a legal opinion from Mr Philip Coppel QC.
‘We now intend to try to recover these costs from Mr Lewin as well as a substantial sum of money that they have lodged as a counter claim to Mr Lewin’s action.’
The commissioners thanked their legal team, and all their staff ‘who have endured a great deal of pressure and stress over these past four and a half ears as the matter slowly ground its way through the court system’.
The spokesman added: ‘We are encouraged that the unjustified actions of Mr Lewin have reached the correct conclusion and this now allows us to press on with our everyday work and development plans without the unwarranted time and financial restrictions caused by this failed litigation.
‘The authority hope that its ratepayers will now understand that the removal of this liability played a part in the authority’s 6p rate reduction announced last week.’
{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/braddan-rates-to-fall-by-6p-in-the-pound-1-6401351|Click here to read the story about the rates reduction.}
The first postponement of the weekend has already been made, Ronaldsway’s GH Corlett Woods Cup prelim tie with Gymns falling foul of a waterlogged pitch.
Also note that St Mary’s Premier League game with Rushen has been brought forward to 2pm in case the Bowl was needed to stage Peel’s FA Cup clash with Laxey.
However, the western club have posted on their Facebook page: ‘Following a pitch inspection by the ground staff and the Trustees, the pitch has been passed fit for tomorrow’s FA Cup Prelim Round tie with Laxey. With forecast bad weather, we will assess the pitch tomorrow also, but we are now unable to use the Bowl as an alternative. The xlub would like to thank the IoMFA Fixtures Committee and the staff at the NSC for their co-operation in offering a Plan B.’
Friday, February 7
Paddy Power Masters’ FA Cup prelims
8.35pm Braddan v Union Mills @ Bowl
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Saturday, February 8
Paddy Power FA Cup preliminary round
2pm Peel v Laxey
2pm RYCOB v St George’s
Paddy Power FA Cup first round
2pm Ramsey v Douglas Royal
2pm Union Mills v Marown
2pm Corinthians v Colby
GH Corlett Woods Cup preliminary round
2pm Onchan v Ayre United
2pm Malew v Pulrose United
2pm Ronaldsway P-P Gymns
Canada Life Premier League
2pm St Mary’s v Rushen Utd
2.30pm St John’s Utd v Castletown
JCK Division Two
2.30pm Braddan v Douglas and District
Canada Life Combination One
2.30pm St George’s v Peel
2.30pm Laxey v RYCOB
2.30pm Castletown v St John’s
2.30pm DHSOB v Ramsey
2.30pm Rushen v St Mary’s
JCK Combination Two
2.30pm Gymns v Foxdale
2.30pm Douglas and District v Colby
2.30pm Marown v Ayre
2.30pm Douglas Athletic v Douglas Royal
2.30pm Pulrose v Braddan
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Sunday, February 9
Warehouse Fitness Women’s League
2.30pm Colby v DHSOB
2.30pm Corinthians v Castletown
2.30pm Douglas Royal v Peel
Appleby 15-17 League
10.30am Peel v Union Mills
10.30am Ramsey A v Ramsey B
10.30am Laxey v St George’s
10.30am Colby v Corinthians
Paddy Power Masters’ FA Cup prelims
2.05pm Peel v Ronaldsway @ Bowl
3.35pm D and D v Corinthians @ Bow
For all the latest postponement news follow iomtoday.co.im’s Live Sport page.
Onchan Library is hosting a community display featuring local clubs, societies and organisations to celebrate its 70th anniversary this year.
The library opened during the war.
It is inviting everyone to call in and find out more about what’s happening in Onchan, try something new, or take a trip down memory lane via old photographs.
Residents and organisations have lent photographs and both Onchan School and the Brownies have created artwork.
Some local history from Onchan Crown Green Bowling Club shows that there were once five bowling greens in Onchan alone.
The display has generated requests for information about some of the exhibits, and visitors are asked to help. Can anyone name the ladies in a photo of Mike Hailwood racing through Onchan Village; give the location of some old cottages, or provide details about the demolition of a row of Onchan shops in the 70s?
Abbeylands Methodist Chapel also has a mystery to solve - why is a stone above the chapel door engraved ‘Abbeyland Wesleyan Chapel 1813’ when the chapel wasn’t built until 1845?
The display is on until February 11, with Onchan activity leaflets available to take away. Details are on the library web site www.library.onchan.org.im
More information about what’s happening in Onchan, and a collection of old photographs can also be viewed online at www.onchan.org.im