One of the candidates in tomorrow’s Douglas South by-election was not available to discuss politics with her rivals at a public meeting last night.

A requisition meeting was called in the constituency for would-be MHKs to face the public.

While Keith Fitton (Liberal Vannin), Captain Kurt Buchholz and Bill Malarkey, who lost his seat in the constituency in the 2011 general election, attended, Amy Burns did not.

Mrs Burns sent a statement to be read out to the constituents at the meeting.

It reads:

‘This is not a decision I have taken lightly to not attend this requisition meeting.

‘I will be attending another meeting arranged with other electorates (sic) of Douglas South, organised prior to this invitation.

‘Also, with the limited timeframe available and short notice I have decided to concentrate on what my electorate have asked me to do.

‘As the numbers were so low at the Douglas North meeting last week I feel this is more beneficial for my campaign and the electorate as a whole. I will also be canvassing door to door on Tuesday & Wednesday to the areas I have yet to cover.

‘I do not feel a Liberal Vannin-engineered requisition meeting would be more beneficial to my campaign than answering what the electorate have asked of me, and they are my one and only agenda.

‘However, if anyone in attendance would like to send me any questions or arrange a meeting in the short space of time left then I will be more than happy to do this. During my campaign I have been attending several meetings arranged by the electorate and this has proven so beneficial to me and them alike.

‘If I am blessed and elected on Thursday my intention is to introduce weekly surgeries and be available to everyone. That is my preferred method of communicating, being more focused on the individual(s) concerned rather than media constructed presentations which limit people’s interactions with me as we have all witnessed over the last few weeks.’

Mrs Burns has written on this website and the Isle of Man Examiner to say why she thinks she deserves to be an MHK

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/politics/douglas-south-amy-burns-1-7267836|Click here to read it.}

On Isle of Man Newspapers’ Facebook page, Mrs Burns has responded to one reader who said: ‘If she is not prepared to stand up in front of and face the electorate at this stage, does that tell us something?’

Mrs Burns replied: ‘I understand your response and apologise that you feel this way.

‘Unfortunately I didn’t get an invite till extremely short notice when another meeting had been put in place.

‘I have conducted and stood up in front of five meetings with up to 60 people over the past few weeks and it has served well and given electorate a chance to ask me what they needed to. But thank you for your feedback.’

Four candidates are standing the Douglas South election tomorrow. There are three standing in a by-election for Douglas North.

Each has written for us to say why they’d be the best candidate.

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/keys-by-elections-douglas-north-and-douglas-south-go-to-the-polls-1-7268317|Click here for links}

Requisition meetings are frequently called before elections.

For example, {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/120-pack-into-hall-to-hear-candidates-1-5680437|this video} shows one in Douglas West two years ago.

The Chief Minister has suggested the Manx taxpayer could help to fund a new landing stage for Manx ferries in Liverpool.

The current landing stage, near the Liver building, is in disrepair and money is needed to construct a new one. So far no agreement has been reached but Allan Bell told the Isle of Man Examiner he had not ruled out financial support from the government.

‘We are looking at the options and we are open to all suggestions,’ he said.

‘It is conceivable that the Isle of Man government might build the landing stage but in any event the people of the Isle of Man can rest assured there will be continued access to Liverpool. No decision has yet been made on funding but it is an option.’

Mr Bell said the long term plans by officials in Liverpool were to build a cruise liner berth at the current landing stage so in any event the berth for the Isle of Man ferry would move.

The current agreement with the Isle of Man to use the Liverpool landing stage expires in around 18 months, Mr Bell said, so securing an alternative was a priority.

Peel Ports, owner of the Pier Head landing stage, says it needs substantial commitment from the Steam Packet before investing £15m in a landin stage.

But the Steam Packet says it cannot give that commitment without a deal to extend the user agreement, which gives it effective monopoly use of the landing stage in Douglas. The current user agreement has another five years to run with an option to extend it until 2026.

Peel Ports, which owns the landing stage, has said it wants a significant financial commitment from the Steam Packet before it invests the money required for a replacement landing stage.

At the end of last year the government asked for expressions of interest in operating ferry services from the island.

The Steam Packet is urging a quick resolution to the situation so it knows its long-term future before it invests more money on ferries and facilities.

When the government placed its notice looking for expressions of interest, the intention was to report to the July Tynwald.

Meanwhile, Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK has been holding meetings with Peel Ports about the facilities in Liverpool.

The island’s sea link to Liverpool is so important that the Department of Economic Development, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury have all been consulted about it.

In Keys last week Mr Bell suggested the Manx government might want to secure ownership of the landing stage to secure the berthing right well into the future for the people of the Isle of Man rather than a specific company.

Mr Bell was responding to a question from Onchan MHK Peter Karran who inquired about the negotiations.

But he added: ‘There’s no question of a take it or leave it situation. We are aware of the time frame. There will be no gun held to our head. Discussions are amicable. We are developing a good working relationship in Liverpool.’

In Tynwald this week Michael MHK Alfred Cannan will ask what progress has been made following the invitation for expressions of interest.

When services are no able to dock in Liverpool, the Steam Packet has been docking in Birkenhead instead.

Grown green bowls in the Isle of Man has seen a resurgence of late with a lot of development work taking place at all levels of the game.

Neil Withers is working tirelessly to make the sport truly accessible from the grass roots up with the new Bowls for All project.

The work he has started could see him meet, and potentially exceed, his aspirations of making the game more accessible by providing more coaches, more equipment and providing more sessions where newcomers to sport can try for free in the very near future.

Neil is looking to achieve his aims by sourcing funding to purchase necessary equipment and coaching aids. Subject to meeting the criteria requested, this project will be a massive step forward for the sport.

He is also keen that clubs wanting to benefit from the scheme put something back and really open themselves up to people wanting to try the game. To achieve this he has tied it in with existing work in the bowls development plan to launch a charter standard.

Development officer Mark Kneen has adjusted the charter to encompass all the aspirations of the Bowls for All scheme and a draft of the proposed three tiered charter will be circulated around clubs soon.

It is envisaged that clubs achieving level one charter club status will reap the rewards by receiving equipment and support to continually develop their club as a breeding ground for new players. Neil should be commended by his vision, foresight and tireless effort to achieve his goal which will definitely seal a victory for bowls in the Isle of Man.

Employees at Zurich International Life recently celebrated the company reaching the significant milestone of USD 10 billion Assets Under Management (AUM) with a reception led by the company’s chief executive officer Clive Baker.

More than 220 employees joined in the celebration at the insurance company’s base on Athol Street in Douglas and enjoyed taking a look back at how the milestone has been reached.

Established 33 years ago, Zurich International Life achieved USD 3 billion AUM in 2002, reaching USD 5 billion AUM in 2007.

Seven years later and the company has reached USD10 billion AUM, with further growth plans in place for the future.

Clive Baker said: ‘Reaching this milestone is a fantastic achievement for our employees, and is testament to their continued hard work in staying ahead of the market and providing solutions which meet the challenging demands of our customers and distributors worldwide.

‘Our retail business in the Middle East continues to perform well and we are also seeing significant growth from the international corporate savings market.

‘I am looking forward to seeing how long it takes us to reach our next major milestone!’

Zurich International Life Limited is a company incorporated in the Isle of Man and operates through regional branch offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Taiwan and Argentina. It was established in the Isle of Man in 1982, and employs 220 staff from its office on Athol Street, Douglas.

Ellan Vannin manager Chris Bass Sr has named his squads for both next weekend’s Niamh Challenge Cup and June’s ConIFA Euros.

Sean Quaye will captain the 19-man selection for the Bowl-based tournament against Alderney, Felvidek (Upper Hungary) and Panjab FA. It includes several new faces as Bass Sr and coaches Lee Dixon and Paul O’Brien fine tune their plans.

With goalkeeper Max Thomas unavailable, the St George’s supremo has picked DHSOB’s Sam Holliday to vie with Grand Slam winner Andy Perry for the no. 1 shirt.

Holliday’s Old Boys team-mate Phil Knox also comes into the reckoning alongside Laxey youngster Tom Smith and St George’s winger Jamie Skillen who is back home after a stint at university in the United States.

Conor Doyle is also likely to make his eagerly-anticipated Ellan Vannin debut after being ruled out of last summer’s ConIFA World Football Cup.

Niamh Challenge Cup squad: Andy Perry (St George’s), Sam Holliday (DHSOB), Jack McVey (St George’s), Philip Knox (DHSOB), Frank Jones (St George’s), Tom Smith (Laxey), Conor Doyle (St George’s), Daniel Bell (Peel), Ciaran McNulty (St George’s), Adam Cregeen (Peel), Chris Bass Jr (St Georges), Stephen Riding (Rushen), Calum Morrissey (St George’s), Furo Davies (Rushen), Sean Quaye (St George’s), Jamie Skillen (St George’s/Missouri Baptist University), Sam Caine (St George’s), Liam Doyle (St George’s/Ohio State), Liam Cowin (St George’s).

Bass Sr has to make several tweaks to the squad for the trip to Hungary in mid-June.

The imminent arrival of Calum Morrissey’s second child rules him out, while Peel duo Marc Kelly and Lee Gale miss out because of work commitments. Recent injuries mean Rowan Richardson (Blackpool) and Celtic starlet Kieran Tierney are also unavailable.

The Geordies boss will have Josh Kelly (Peel), Derry City’s Seamus Sharkey and Alex Harrison at his disposal, the latter flying back from new Australian club Atlona City.

ConIFA Euros squad: Sam Holliday (DHSOB), Andy Perry (St George’s), Jack McVey (St George’s), Philip Knox (DHSOB), Frank Jones (St George’s), Daniel Bell (Peel), Conor Doyle (St George’s), Adam Cregeen (Peel), Josh Kelly (Peel), Ciaran McNulty (St George’s), Stephen Riding (Rushen), Chris Bass Jr (St George’s), Furo Davies (Rushen), Sean Quaye (St George’s), Alex Harrison (St George’s/Altona City), Sam Caine (St George’s), Seamus Sharkey (St George’s/Derry City), Liam Cowin (St George’s), Jamie Skillen (St George’s/Missouri Baptist University), Liam Doyle (St George’s/Ohio State).

More local services – including waste management and housing – could be delivered at a local level.

Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne says the transfer of a range of highway maintenance functions on to local authorities has been very successful – and he wants to move on to the next phase.

A total of 17 out of 24 local authorities have now signed a formal agreement to take on services transferred from cental government. Many have already started to carry out hedge cutting, street sweeping, verge clearing and weed spraying.

Mr Gawne said: ‘I anticipate the rest will sign up in the next few weeks. It’s been very successful and we are now moving on to the next phase looking at the thorny issues of waste and housing.’

He said he hoped those discussions would result in agreement by December.

Only one local authority had any negative comments, he added.

Castletown Commissioners is one of the authorities that has agreed to deliver more services and has taken on a private contractor to carry out additional street sweeping duties.

Chairman Alwyn Collister said it made sense for certain functions to be better provided at the local level. He said: ‘It’s in the early stages. We’ve a contractor to do the cleaning for us but he only started two weeks ago. Our own men are doing the job with the smaller sweeper.’

Deputy chairman Kevin Weir agreed: ‘It’s worked out very well. It’s started very positively.’

The initial transfer of functions has had no impact on the rates as waste disposal charges were frozen this year.

But asked about the impact on the rates if further services are transferred, Mr Collister admitted: ‘I worry how much it will cost at the end of the day.’

Mr Weir pointed out there has been no increase in Castletown’s rates for five years.

Mr Gawne insisted: ‘This is not about the transfer of costs. We want to make sure we don’t have duplication. I am approaching this with an open mind and no fixed view on what needs to change. This approach has been welcomed as it allows all views to be treated equally and fairly, rather than central government dictating to local authorities.’

Tomorrow (Friday) the Epilepsy and Psychogenic Seizure Association is hosting Epilepsy Action’s public awareness day.

This is one of many activities taking place during the British Epilepsy Awareness Week.

Area manager Cliff Challenger and council member Jayne Burton from Epilepsy Action will be there, together with volunteers from EPSA Isle of Man and the Isle of Man Epilepsy Action Group. Information leaflets relevant for people living in the island will be available.

About one in 100 people is diagnosed with epilepsy, there is no estimate of the number of people with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES).

At present there is no resident specialist here who is able to help those with epilepsy and PNES.

The Isle of Man Charity EPSA IOM supports people in the Isle of Man with PNES by providing information, increasing awareness and campaigning for better services.

See www.epsaiom.org for more details.

EPSA thanked Celton Manx for itssupport in providing publicity and information leaflets.

An island appeal for funds for ShelterBoxes after the earthquake in Nepal has topped £9,000.

Launched by the Rotary clubs of Onchan, Douglas and Douglas Bay with the help of Douglas Inner Wheel, the appeal is raising funds to provide clean water and shelter.

Spokesman Nigel Dobson said: ‘We can only imagine the what it is like to lose your home, possessions and in many cases a family member because the Earth shook for 30 seconds. Anything we can do to assist this extremely poor nation to start on the road to recovery has to be worthwhile.’

ShelterBox is a Rotary-sponsored charity that sends survival equipment to stricken areas around the world, has people on the ground in Nepal and works closely with the 72 Rotary clubs in Nepal, one of which was meeting at the time of the first quake and lost most of its members.

Each box contain much more than at tent. A typical box will contain a four man tent, groundsheet, thermal blankets, enamel cups and crockery, a water purification kit to supply two litres of water per person, per day for a year for a family of four, a sewing kit, hammer and nails, soap and toothbrushes and much more.

‘Donations have come from such a wide variety of places,’ said Nigel. ‘One morning I was opening the post and an envelope contained a cheque for £20 from an old solider who served with the Ghurkhas in his youth, the next envelope contained a cheque for £1,000 with no clue as to who had sent it. We have had collections from churches, donations at a community choir performance and people just dropping a cheque in the post as well as donations from a number of the Islands businesses. They even had a collection at the tax office.

‘We can’t thank the people of the island enough as they once again show their generosity. But the need is still there. The disaster is no longer making headlines but people are still without clean water, without shelter, without basic first aid kit so we will continue to appeal for funds to do what little we can to help.

‘To date ShelterBox has provided shelter for over 1,000 people, we hope to do more.’

To donate to this appeal, send a cheque made to Onchan Rotary to Rotary Earthquake Appeal, c/o The Liverpool Arms, Baldrine, IM4 6AE or contact Nigel Dobson on 215515 or email nigel@suremail.im

Island Financial Solutions (IFS) has appointed Stephen Cryer, a leading figure in the Isle of Man financial services industry, to strengthen its corporate pension activities.

Stephen has worked in the Isle of Man for more than 20 years, during which time he enjoyed a long and successful career with Aviva Life (Norwich Union), where he was responsible for the development of all local Aviva Life business.

IFS director Mike Twist said the appointment was a major boost for the Bucks Road, Douglas based company and has already led to the introduction of a ground-breaking IFS Pensions Charter, specifically aimed at under-serviced local companies.

‘We already have a loyal and established retail client base across the island and Stephen’s in-depth knowledge and contacts within the business sector will provide IFS with a firm foothold in the Island’s corporate pensions sector,’ said Mike.

‘The IFS Pensions Charter has been developed by Steve to address the needs of local businesses who are not currently receiving the service delivery they expect or deserve,’ he added.

In tandem with the charter, IFS has also unveiled a pension MOT service, providing businesses owners and their employees with annual reviews, fund advice, legislation updates and yearly financial presentations, across a wide spectrum of subjects.

Save The Children are holding a coffee afternoon on Saturday to raise funds for the Nepal Earthquake sppeal.

The event will be held in the Port Erin Methodist Church Hall from 2pm to 4pm.

Admission is £1, and the price includes refreshments.

Organisers say the stalls will include raffle, cakes and much more.

Save The Children have already reached more than 67,000 people by providing hygiene kits and have set up mobile health clinics to provide basic primary health care.

The BMX track in Ramsey is not an ‘eyesore’, according to Iain Clague from BMX Isle of Man.

He added: ‘It might have been an eyesore three or four years ago, but come and see the difference now! And this has all been done by a handful of parents.’

Iain was responding to comments about the BMX track made by Port Erin Commissioners last month when discussing creating a track in Breagle Glen. Phil Crellin said: ‘[The track at] Ramsey is an eyesore, although it’s a good facility and lot of people go there.’

Mr Clague said hundreds of hours have gone into creating and maintaining the facility, which caters for around 45 regular users aged from four to 52.

He said: ‘Pete Corfield spent his day off with a strimmer there the other day. Steve Dillon and Pete spent most of the week putting up the fence round and tidying up the place in general. Marty Downey from Island Drainage and Jimmy Collins from Mann Construction gave us machinery that we drove ourselves to make the track.

‘When you sit down and work it out, the machinery and labour, you are looking at an £80,000 track. We have spent £1,500, The Manx Lottery Trust gave us £21,500 for the tarmac, which was laid 15 months ago.

‘Pat and Arthur Corrin donated cash and gardening equipment. There is never a day when there is not a kid on it.’

The track now attracts high profile BMXers such as world champions and Olympians Kelvin Batey and Shanaze Reade, who visited in February. From August, Ian Brooks from Preston with his two sons will be offering coaching. ‘We have never been able to get people from England before. From now on, when they see the track, they say: “We will come over”.’

To raise the profile further requires more finance. ‘We are very, very close to having a regional series in the Isle of Man, all we need is financial help ... The government should realise BMX is an Olympic sport, we [the island] could have names in the sport, it’s a big thing.’

Any changes to the island’s relationship with its Lieutenant Governor are not exactly at the top of the government’s priority list, Chief Minister Allan Bell has said.

Mr Bell was responding to calls by Manx nationalist party Mec Vannin to make the Lieutenant Governor vacate the official governor’s residence at Governor’s Hill in Douglas and to pay for his accommodation.

The nationalists, who discussed the matter at their recent annual meeting, also said the title of Lieutenant Governor was an outmoded label and should be changed.

But Mr Bell pointed out the Lieutenant Governor, currently Adam Wood, who took up the post in 2011, is appointed by the queen.

‘The appointment is made by the queen and it is for her to decide what she calls her representative. The role has changed in the past 30 years. In the past he had much greater powers and presided over Tynwald, for instance. Those powers have now diminished and he is little more than a nominal representative and not engaged to any degree in the political process,’ he said.

Tynwald unanimously approved spending £7.223m on a new purpose-built mental health facility at Noble’s Hospital.

Health Minister Howard Quayle described the move as a ‘fantastic step forward’ in the provision of mental health services and stressed further improvements would follow.

He accepted £7.2m was a lot of money but added he was delighted that following a competitive tendering exercise, the project had come in £500,000 less than was budgeted for.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK said the department had come forward with a ‘robust’ business case. ‘I’m content we did get value for money,’ he said.

Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK said the project would send out a united message of the government’s wholehearted commitment to providing the required standard of service for one of the most vulnerable sections of our community.

Peter Karran (Lib Van, Onchan) sought reassurances that resources would be ring-fenced to staff the facility. ‘We don’t want a repeat of the ridiculous situation where we splashed out millions of pounds for a new drug unit that was never used.’

Mr Quayle explained the current 20-bed acute in-patient mental health facility at Grianagh Court, which has had 100 per cent occupancy for the past four years, was originally built as a unit for the elderly mentally infirm in the early 1990s and was refurbished in 2004.

But he said the building is no longer fit for purpose and further refurbishment and extension was not viable.

Mr Quayle said after a number of options had been appraised, it was decided the only feasible option was to build an extension on to Geddyn Reesht, the Mental Health Service’s in-patient rehabilitation unit.

This would provide a new purpose-built 26 bed facility, increasing capacity by 30 per cent and with the option for further extension if required.

Contractor JCK has won the competitive tender for the project.

The senior and junior members of Ramsey RUFC are taking part in a sponsored cycling challenge around the island’s rugby grounds on Saturday.

The aim is to score a try at each, including the northerners’ former pitches at Ramsey Grammar School and ‘Goose Green’ in Bride. The event, which is approximately 60 miles in length, is being generously supported by Ernst & Young IoM and is the first of the club’s summer fundraising events.

Riders can choose to attempt the entire course, setting off from Mooragh Park at 8.30am, or different sections of it, while under-15 and u13s will cycle from QEII School, Peel and Andreas respectively.

At 4.30pm the 12 and under age groups will start a one-hour cycling challenge on a course set out on the Mooragh Promenade Walkway opposite the clubhouse.

The conclusion of this is set to coincide with the arrival of the senior group back at the Mooragh and the whole group will then come together for the eighth and final try to be scored by club president Robert Jelski.

A club barbeque and family evening including a raffle is then planned.

Club secretary Will Moffatt said: ‘We have a wonderful family club with a thriving junior section and fantastic volunteers here at Ramsey. The club management team has recently committed to a summer of fundraising of which this is the first event.

‘The whole club is involved and it is the brainchild of former player and now junior coach Mark ‘Jasper’ Corkill. Our hope is that by the time of the Rugby World Cup later this year we will have paid off the RFU loan taken out to build the Clubhouse. All money raised will be reinvested in the Club which is a registered charity for the benefit of all its members and the community.’

Ramsey Rugby Club would like to thank Ernst & Young IoM for its generous support in this event and the Harbour Bistro, Ramsey who are providing lunch for the riders and support crew.

There are a few well-known characters on this picture of Marown’s Cowell Cup winning side from 1971.

They beat Pulrose United 4-1 in a replay after a 3-3 draw in the original match. In doing so, Marown broke a run of a possible eight consecutive wins in the competition by Rushen United between 1967 and 1974. It was the Crosby side’s only win in the history of the competition, then for under-18s.

(Back row, left to right) Brian Cowley, Robert Corkill, Peter Kelly, Willie Christian, Derek ‘Decca’ Corkill, David Crellin.

(Front) Brian ‘Bert’ Kelly, Peter Quayle, Terry Kelly, David ‘Spud’ Cain, Paul Crellin, David Anderson and Albert Kermode.

Brothers Brian and Terry Kelly emigrated to Sydney, Australia at different stages over the next decade, where they remain.

The Cowell Cup is far right. Also pictured is the Combination Two shield, with the Fred Faragher fair play trophy (centre) and the Woods Cup (far left). Marown beat Gymns 3-2 in the latter final after another replay (0-0 original score).

This week’s Manx Independent has the latest on the burglary investigation.

Inside, there is the latest from Tynwald and the courts, including a report on the jailing of a well-known tree pruner.

Island Life looks forward to Paul Merton’s appearance and has two pages of What’s On.

Our sports section previews the weekend sport.

This week’s Manx Independent is in the shops now.

An ‘internal investigation’ is under way at the Isle of Man government’s income tax office after hundreds of personal email addresses belonging to island residents were sent out by mistake.

The addresses were contained in a three-line email sent out shortly before 5pm yesterday (Wednesday) evening publicising the Income Tax Division’s Twitter account.

Bulk emails to large numbers of recipients are normally sent in such a way as to protect people’s identities. However, yesterday’s message sent from no_reply_tax.ITD@itd.treasury.gov.im presented a huge list of names and email addresses, many belonging to government employees.

More than four hours later, at 9.28pm, a further email was sent from the same address to apologise for the mistake.

It read: ‘You may have received an email today that regrettably contained the email addresses of other people.

‘The Income Tax Division regards your information as sensitive and confidential, and apologises unreservedly for this unacceptable lapse, which was a genuine mistake by a member of staff.

‘We can confirm that this mistake is in no way related to any of Government’s core online systems and that no information was released other than the ‘email addresses.

‘The Division has initiated an internal investigation to see how this occurred and what steps are needed to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

‘Please accept our sincere apologies.’

Onchan MHK Peter Karran caused a bit of a stir at question time in the House of Keys last week when he wondered saucily if Treasury Minister Eddie Teare was ‘playing the dumb blonde again’.

Eddie is not, in any sense of the word, dumb, and he is not in any sense of the word, blonde or, in his case, blond.

But Mr Speaker was pretty testy about Mr Karran’s comment.

Mr Teare himself did not respond for all that he might, in this sort of friendly exchange of insults by Hon. Members, have accused Mr Karran of ‘ playing the Bearded Wonder again’.

I think Mr Teare might try it at the next sitting. It could bring the House down but Mr Speaker would be even more displeased about that.

Meanwhile the House of Keys General Election takes place in September next year. Mr Karran is rightly famous for always topping the poll in Onchan. I don’t know if he will be standing again but I hope so.

If not it might be hair today and gone tomorrow.

Just one more thing. I hope Hansard will credit Mr Karran with saying ‘dumb blond.’

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My car broke down as I drove down Summer Hill last week on my way to work.

I stood looking at it in despair as large numbers of other cars sped past in both directions, all drivers ignoring the white-haired old half-wit at the roadside.

After a couple of dozen cars had roared past, one stopped and out stepped a remarkably good-looking young lady who had decided to come to my assistance and help me get back on my way, which she did.

Later she rang my office to make sure I had made it there all right.

Her name, I found out, is Terry Canty. I also found out that she is married and has three children. When I thanked her she said: ‘It’s OK. I understand. I’ve got grandparents.’ She has a newly-adopted one now.

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Geoffrey Clark says I was wrong to give last week’s Manx crossword clue as ‘Follow a series of races to finish (7) – Attend.’ Numbers, I must admit, are not my thing.

He also pedanted: ‘I am not sure that it can be called a Manx crossword clue if it is not in a Manx publication. Surely if it is from another jurisdiction it is a crossword clue with a Manx connection/association.’

Now I can’t write properly either.

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This week’s Isle of Man-related crossword clue encountered by Barbara Taylor and Richard Hetherington was in the Telegraph cryptic as follows: ‘Man sits in this water (5, 3).’

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The Daily Telegraph reported: More than half of young people have no idea that VE Day marks the anniversary of the end the Second World War, a survey found. A new survey, by me, has found that the Daily Telegraph doesn’t know what VJ Day means.

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David Kennaugh says he heard Stu Peters on the Manx Radio programme ‘Talking Heads’ say there had been an increase in ‘strokes among young people across the water’ and he wants to know if that would be the breaststroke.

Sounds like David nearly wet himself.

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There were UK national newspaper stories criticising the Ticket Hall Cafe at Douglas Railway Station for serving people with breakfasts cooked on shovels.

The papers obviously thought these breakfasts should be panned.

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Crossword: IRISH SEA.

During the week that Tynwald debates the island’s approach to sustainability, Cat Turner looks at an example from across the water

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In past Green Columns, I’ve referred to Wales’s excellent Act for Future Generations – a statement of intent for sustainable living if ever there was one.

Building on this, the Environment (Wales) Bill was last week introduced into the Welsh National Assembly.

In 2013, the devolved Welsh Government published a White Paper ‘Towards the Sustainable Management of Wales’ Natural Resources’.

This built on ‘Sustaining a Living Wales’, which was a Green Paper on a new approach to natural resource management, discussing how to plan and manage Wales’ natural resources in a more sustainable and joined-up way.

It uses the ‘ecosystem approach’ developed by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, something the Isle of Man is also party to.

The White Paper set out plans for the new Environment (Wales) Bill, and sets a good example, one which various other countries are mirroring while some even go further.

It’ll be interesting to see whether our own government can show the same vision and leadership in developing a strategy for a sustainable Isle of Man.

In terms of natural resources, the new Bill puts duties on public authorities:

– Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the new ‘single environmental regulator’, must produce a Statement of Natural Resources Report, assessing the nation’s natural resources and how sustainably they’re being managed.

– The Government itself will produce a National Natural Resources Policy, with priorities and opportunities for managing Wales’ natural resources sustainably.

– NRW must prepare ‘area statements’ setting out the priorities, risks and opportunities for sustainable resource management for each area and exactly what actions it’ll take.

This is similar to the ‘area’ approach under two EU environmental Directives (the EU Water Framework Directive 2000 and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008).

Already, NRW is trialling area statements in the Rhondda, Tawe and Dyfi river catchment areas. They’re not hanging about – there’s a genuine and inspiring intent to live in accordance with modern values, and not the rather plundering approach which typified the 20th century and the noughties.

– Public authorities in England and Wales must already ‘have regard to the purpose of conserving biodiversity in carrying out their functions’, something we hope to see under the Isle of Man’s Biodiversity Strategy. The new Welsh Bill goes further – it says a public authority must ‘seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity in the exercise of functions in relation to Wales, and in doing so promote the resilience of ecosystems, so far as consistent with the proper exercise of those functions’.

– New powers for voluntary land management agreements will allow NRW to work with landowners to manage land sustainably. Management agreements can already protect designated land and species, but the new powers aren’t restricted to ‘designated’ land and species – they include restricting land use and requiring work to be undertaken. They’ll be binding on successors in title.

The aim is to be flexible, though. In theory, they could also meet wider objectives such as long-term management of flood risk, something that’s also of interest here in the island.

The Bill puts a duty on Welsh Ministers to meet climate change emissions targets, by ensuring that net Welsh emissions for 2050 are at least 80 per cent lower than the baseline (either 1990 or 1995).

It also requires them to introduce regulations setting interim targets, and five-yearly carbon budgets from 2016, which are consistent with the 2050 target.

This we sorely need in the island. We’re already somewhat behind the game.

There are also new provisions for charges for carrier bags. Ministers can set a charge, for example, on bags for life, on top of the current five pence on single-use bags.

This targets a rise in use of reusable carrier bags which are not necessarily reused by consumers. Retailers must donate the proceeds to good causes, not necessarily environmental ones.

There are powers to increase recycling, improve the quality of recyclates and ensure that materials that could have been recycled aren’t wasted.

They will:

– Require business and the public sector to separate recyclables before collection, covering paper, card, plastic, metal, glass, food and wood.

– Require separate collection of recyclables.

– Ban burning recyclables in energy from waste plants. This is desperately needed, to prevent energy from waste plants from derailing recycling efforts and deflecting development focus from true renewables.

– Ban disposal of food waste to sewers from non-domestic premises, so it can be made available for uses such as anaerobic digestion.

The new Bill amends current marine licensing charging powers, and includes provisions to improve the sustainability of shellfish fisheries.

It also tackles some issues relating to flood and coastal erosion, and land drainage.

It’s now been submitted to the National Assembly for scrutiny, and it’ll be interesting plotting its progress as our own government debates similar issues.

There’s a lot riding on this. Some would say, almost everything.

Our economy and wellbeing is so dependent on the environment it’s almost impossible to overstate its importance.

I’m keeping everything crossed.

Two island-based competitors will be the first two Manx people to take plart in the Paris Alsace race walk in France in June.

Karen Lawrie and Tony Mackintosh, from Douglas and Colby respectively, are taking party.

The race replaces the renowned Paris Colmar race walk this year.

They will each be accompanied by a support team including previous Parish Walk finishers, Paris Colmar finishers and Centurions.

Karen and Tony received their invitation immediately upon finishing the Chateau-Thierry 24-hour race walk in March.

Just 30 men and 15 women have been selected to compete in the event.

Male and female competitors will cover 275 miles and 190 miles respectively over the three days of the event, which will see Karen and Tony burn between 36,000 and 46,000 calories each.

Karen said: ‘Tony and I met during the 2013 Parish Walk. We got chatting, and haven’t stopped since! We are already keen participants in the local race walking circuit, but we’ve really stepped up our training in preparation for Paris Alsace, both averaging about 90 to 100 miles each week and undertaking a long 30-mile walk each month. We’re really thrilled to be taking part and representing the Isle of Man in the race this year.

Tony said: ‘There is so much planning to be done for competitive race walking events such as this.

‘We have hired a motorhome for each of our teams, and will need to provide food and allow for travel costs of all 10 team members, as well as purchasing essential kit and equipment.’

The competitors are being sponsored by SMP Partners will help cover costs of transport, food, kit and equipment for Karen and Tony and their support teams.