I started to write about Christmas in last week’s column and got tangled up in good intentions and toys.

So carrying on with the same theme of how things were much different then than they are today, let’s see if I can get past the pork butcher’s window.

We live in a world dominated by the three Ts: Tesco, Television and Terrorism. Now before the OFT ring me up, I would like to clear the air and set the record straight.

I am not in any way connecting Tesco with terrorism.

It’s just that Tesco is the only supermarket chain that begins with the letter ‘T’, and I like alliteration .

My memories about Christmas past probably start about 1945 or 1946.

The war was over and things were starting to return to normal. My father was home after spending the last five years in the RAF based in Scotland. He was back at work in Quiggin’s timber yard in Lake Road. I suppose the financial status of the family had risen from completely skint to nearly skint.

I can remember the ration books and the treats. The programmes on the wireless, the concerts in the church, the ‘Just William’ books and the family card games.

I can remember the Christmas ‘Police Treat’ for kids low down on the treat ladder.

A week before Christmas the Constabulary would lay on a cartoon show in the Picture House and hotpot in St George’s Hall. We would be sent home with a paper hat, an apple and an orange. I never thought of myself as deprived but I never had any difficulty getting a ticket.

We had enough to eat and a warm house. Whatever Father Christmas put into our pillow case was a complete surprise and most welcome.

Television, it’s programming and advertising, are huge influences on our lives today.

We did not have supermarkets nor did we have television. We had shops and urban shopping centres. By and large our shops were specialists. Butchers, bakers and grocers, etc. Now we have supermarkets.

It’s easy for people of my generation to look at life today with all its excesses and extravagances and be critical.

But we were the architects of today’s world. We always wanted our children to have an easier life than we ever had and likewise with their children, our grandchildren.

You only reap from what you sow.

Consider terrorism. Today’s terrorists are the children and grandchildren of people like us. Ordinary.

It is easy to view things with hindsight and I freely admit I know nothing about Middle Eastern politics.

But how can our leaders believe the way to counter the acts of terrorism which plague us today is to drop bombs on other countries?

I was listening to a World Service broadcast and the journalist reported there were at least 400,000 Syrian children living with their families in refugee camps in Lebanon alone. There are refugee camps all over Europe. Those families have no hope, no dignity, no future. I wonder who they will blame.

It certainly won’t be their Prophet. Heaven help us all.

When I was a lad there was one thing we could all look forward to: a job when we left school. Now, a degree is no guarantee you will find work.

The final difference is the result of inflation. How much things cost. In 1962 when I started work in Strand Street, my wage was (in today’s currency) £8.50 per week.

I think the current minimum wage is just over £7 per hour.

And finally, an unusual statistic which serves no purpose and means absolutely nothing. Before currency decimalisation the pound in your pocket was 240 pennies, weighing 2250gm.

After decimalisation your pound is 100p, weighing 360gm. We really did get more for our money.

There’s a lot to be said for being 75. Happy Christmas.

Two reigning world motorcycling champions are in the line-up for Boxing Day’s two-man enduro at West Kimmeragh, Bride.

Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea will be sharing his 450 Kawasaki motocrosser with former TT and British Superstock regular Gavin Hunt, while Junior Enduro World Champion Jamie McCanney is pairing up with British Enduro Clubman Championship rider Richard Curphey.

Others sure to be in the mix are leading local road racers (and motocrossers) Mikey Evans and Ryan Cringle, British Enduro Expert class champion Jake Subachus and Jamie Cringle, brothers Matty and Mark Lund, fellow siblings Robbie and Mark Turner, TT aces Dan and Ryan Kneen plus Darren Fowden and Craig Norrey.

A total of 66 pairs have entered the Ramsey MCC event, which lasts for three hours. Registration on the day will be from 9am for an 11.30 start.

Spectators are asked to park sensibly, both inside the venue and on the Andreas to Bride Road, taking notice of the no parking areas.

l Manx Trials Club is holding the final round of its Azzy Paints-sponsored twinshock/pre-65 trial on Sunday, December 27 at Chibbanagh Plantation, near Braaid crossroads.

Signing on will be from 10am for a 10.30am start. No modern bikes please.

l Ramsey MCC’s annual New year pairs trial takes place at West Kimmeragh, Bride on Saturday, January 2. Registration will be from 10am for an 11.30 start.

Isle of Man Newspapers would like to wish all its readers a very merry Christmas.

We are grateful for all your support over the past year and hope that you will continue to return to the Isle of Man’s leading news website as we enter 2016.

Please note the Isle of Man Courier is not being printed this week, due to Christmas Day falling on a Friday, but the Isle of Man Examiner and Manx Independent will both still be available when shops reopen on Boxing Day.

Looking ahead, next week’s titles will each feature 16-page Year in Pictures pullouts which promise to stir the memories and make us think about another hugely eventful 12 months. The Examiner will cover January to June, including a spread on the Isle of Man TT, while the Manx Independent will cover July to December, including two pages on the Island Games in Jersey.

Have a wonderful Christmas Day and remember to keep visiting iomtoday for the latest news and sports stories over the holiday period.

Staff will be back in our Peel Road office on Monday morning to ensure the Isle of Man Examiner is printed that evening and in shops from first thing on Tuesday morning.

If you have a story, call the newsroom on 695657 or email newsdesk@newiom.co.im

If you would like to place an advert, call 670000 or email ads@newsiom.co.im

Merry Christmas!

Imagine what it would be like to spend Christmas on your own. It may surprise you that although we live in a close-knit community, many older people on this island spend the festive period alone. In this feature we look at how charities such as Isle of Man Live at Home scheme are helping to make a difference

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Your friendship is priceless.

This heartfelt Christmas card message was written by one of the 650 older people in the island who are helped all year round by the Isle of Man Live At Home scheme.

Four simple words which convey appreciation for the friendship and practical help provided by the charity’s staff and volunteers.

Out of all the older people who are members of the six Live At Home schemes here, around 80 per cent live alone.

Loneliness and isolation among the over-60s is an issue of growing concern, and its negative impact can be magnified at this time of year when so many of us are looking forward to spending time with family and friends.

Jan Farrell is manager of the Douglas Live At Home scheme.

‘Loneliness among older people is something which is increasing in every country with an ageing population. The Isle of Man is no different, but living on an island brings additional challenges.

‘If someone has a disability, and no family on the island, they may find it difficult to travel by air or sea to spend Christmas with sons, daughters and grandchildren who live off-island. But older people who have family here may also find that they spend a lot of time on their own because their sons and daughters may be busy working and looking after their own children.

‘Unfortunately, that’s just part of modern life, and older people understand that it’s just not possible for their family to spend as much time with them as they would like – but it means that they can spend a lot of time alone, and that’s where we try to help.’

Live At Home schemes organise regular social groups, lunch clubs, and film clubs, provide help with transport and offer advice on accessing other support services.

There are also befriending schemes in which volunteers make regular visits to an older person just to have a chat or a cup of tea.

‘Our volunteers may start out as a befriender to an older person, but long-lasting friendships often develop over time,’ says Jan. ‘For our members who don’t have many visitors, knowing that a befriender will visit is something which they really look forward to.

‘Sometimes even couples may experience loneliness too, and may need some company from a befriender.

‘Quite often, caring for a loved one with complex needs brings its own difficulties and can severely restrict a couple’s ability to go out. So recieving a visit, or being able to attend a social event with the peace of mind that their loved one is in good company, can make a huge difference.’

At this time of year the charity organises more events and makes sure that all of the older people who are scheme members have at least one ‘Christmas experience’, be that a Christmas lunch, attending a party or carol service, or going on a shopping trip to buy decorations or presents.

Those who can’t get out to go to events are presented with a Christmas hamper delivered to their home.

This year 19 first year student nurses based at Keyll Darree also supported the charity by organising a shoebox appeal and collecting gifts which were presented at a special Live At Home Christmas craft and afternoon tea event held at the charity’s HQ at Willaston Church on December 16.

Another Christmas scheme supporting the charity is being backed by Shoprite and Victoria House Nursery.

Nursery children have decorated shopping trolleys which are placed near to the checkout at Shoprite’s stores in Douglas (Victoria Road), Onchan, Peel, Ramsey and at the Iceland store in Douglas.

Shoppers are asked to buy an extra Christmas gift or food item suitable for an older person – and all of these gifts and treats are distributed by Live At Home schemes across the island.

‘At Christmas time we are surrounded by scenes of families and friendship in the media and around town, and this can intensify the emotions an older person may feel if they know that they won’t be with their own family or friends over the festive period.

‘And, even for those who do spend Christmas with their loved ones, loneliness can still be an issue in the New Year when friends and family have gone home – so this is something that we need to address all year round.’

There are six Live At Home Schemes in the island – western, northern, Onchan, Douglas, Laxey, Lonan, and Northern Men In Sheds – which are all run by the local branch of the UK-based MHA charity.

Jo Dixon, Island Live at Home manager, says that the need for the type of services the charity provides is going to increase significantly in the years ahead.

‘Isle of Man population projections indicate that the greatest increase over the next 20 years will be in the over-65 age group, which is expected to increase by 75 per cent over this period.

‘The cost of health care for people over the age of 80 will almost double. Over the same period the number of working age people is projected to increase by only 2% and the number of children by 7 per cent, representing a major shift in the population profile. There is now increasing research which shows that the type of services we provide results in social and emotional benefits, and benefits to the physical health of older people – and the demographic trend indicates that the demand for our services is only going to increase.

‘We rely on our Live At Home team, including our wonderful volunteers, and the great Manx public who are so generous in giving donations and supporting our fundraising events. We will need their support more than ever in the years ahead.’

If you want to volunteer to help one of the Isle of Man Live At Home schemes – or are over 60 and want to take part in its activities or know someone who does – phone 616571, email Isleofman.liveathome@mha.org.uk or find the charity on Facebook. You can also visit the Live At Home Scheme website www.mha.org.uk

With competitive matches taking a break until January 9 there is plenty of time to fit in the usual round of festive rugby games.

The action starts as usual on Boxing Day with four games scheduled to be played.

Vagabonds play the Young Farmers in the Paul Cleland Memorial game while at King William’s College and Port-e-Chee we have Douglas and Southern Nomads both playing their annual Under-30 v Over-30 matches.

There’s also action at Poulsom Park where Castletown’s current side take on the club’s ‘stars’ from the past.

Then on January 2 the Jim Nicholson Front Row All-Stars will be playing Western Vikings at Ramsey’s Mooragh Park in their annual charity challenge match.

The Front Row use the game to raise money for worthy causes.

Last year’s events were also supported by Vagabonds, Douglas, the Young Farmers and Vagabonds’ women’s side and raised more than £2,000. This will be donated to injured travelling marshal Paul Hunt to help him adapt his home following his life changing-accident at TT2014.

Paul will be attending the Boxing Day festivities at Ballafletcher this year.

Front Row figurehead Jim Nicholson said: ‘The idea of this game came from the late Dave Phillips and it was for us old prop forwards to put something back into the sport.

‘Paul Hunt was injured doing exactly that at the TT and doing something to help him was an easy choice to make.

‘This year’s money will be donated to the Isle of Man Rugby Referees’ Society to help them with kit and travel costs.

‘Without them there’s no rugby and as the refs themselves are former players putting something back in, they fit just nicely with what we’re trying to do.’

As we hurtle steadily towards the end of the year, for many it’s a time to relax and start winding down.

For the various bands and their members at this time of year, that’s not the case.

For some bands, it can be said that they become even busier with their schedule of live dates as the prospect of packed pubs, full of somewhat inebriated folks, absolutely up for a good night out and the fantastic atmosphere that can create in the venue for both band and punter!

Last Saturday night at The Creek in Peel with A Little Bitta’ Rosie and at Amber in Douglas with Ed Force One can attest to that.

This year is certainly no exception as despite having fewer venues and some would say fewer bands on the island as there were only a few years ago, the live schedule over the Christmas and New Year period seems to be as healthy as ever.

For those in need of a break from the house and the festivities, here are a pick of the bunch between now and the New Year!

The Tides are a band whose name has been banded around numerous times recently.

The line-up features Danny Foulis and Kaysee Crain on guitars and vocals with Mike Jelski on bass for their live shows formed back in February of this year.

And they cite their influences from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye at one end, through to Van Morrison, Tracey Chapman, Ed Sheeran, Oasis and Jake Bugg at the other end of the spectrum.

The band head to Bath and Bottle in Douglas on Christmas Eve (tonight) at 9pm and then make an appearance in Ramsey at Bar Logo at 10pm on Boxing Day.

For more information on the band, visit www.facebook.com/thetidesiom

Boxing Day (Saturday) also sees The Creek, in Peel, play host to Konstruktion.

Made up by Joy White on vocals and Nige B on keys and vocals the band are still relatively new to the local scene but have been incredibly busy this year.

They specialise in live versions of dance anthems from the modern chart to ‘old skool’ classics.

If a little bit of Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Rihanna and Lady Gaga at one end through to Diana Ross and Tina Turner at the other end of the spectrum takes your fancy then this will be well worth a look at.

For more information on the band and their forthcoming dates, visit www.facebook.com/iommusic

Clubnight, Kitsch ‘n’ Sync takes place on Boxing Day at Artisan in Douglas.

Headed up by DJs Rebel Solution and Kym Holland, this club night which is still in its infancy and growing ever more popular plays the best in house, funk, soul and beyond.

The night kicks off at 8pm.

Boxing Day also sees Sam Webbs in Douglas playing host to classic rock covers band, Penthouse Dive.

The three-piece band that features Mark Riley on guitar and vocals, Mark Cleator on bass and Mark Brabbs on drums play covers from the likes of ZZ Top, Foo Fighters, The Police and Irish rock band Thin Lizzy.

For more information on the band and any of their forthcoming shows, please visit www.facebook.com/groups/penthousedive

Things have been a little quieter than normal in the Nick Barlow and The Bad Noise camp in recent months with only a handful of shows played since the summer.

That said, the Modern Bluesesque behemoth undertake a hometown show at The Creek on Sunday.

For further information on the band, visit www.facebook.com/nickbarlowandthebadnoise

Staying in Peel now as it were and fellow city dwellers 3 Million are also undertaking a couple of hometown dates over the festive period.

With influences ranging from Neil Young and Oasis to Nirvana, the band appear at The Highwayman on New Year’s Eve and The Creek on Saturday, January 2.

Their Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com/3MillionIOM

Moving to New Year’s Eve now and you can catch The Bird and The Beards rolling up to the Creek.

This acoustic four-piece has been doing the rounds on the live circuit here for a number of years now and their set list is certainly what you would call eclectic.

The band line-up that includes Steph Tomlinson on vocals, Nell Kneale and Mike Giles on guitars and Neil Bashaw on cajon pull a set out that includes Sting, The Stereophonics, Kenny Loggins, Eric Carmen, Donna Summer and I believe there’s even talk of an acoustic version of Ricky Martin’s Livin’ La Vida Loca, you heard it here first.

Well, I did say it was eclectic!

For those that haven’t seen them yet, The Bird and The Beards are well worth checking out if you’re over Peel way that night.

Next up, a band that needs almost no introduction.

For those in and around Laxey or indeed, heading that way on New Year’s Eve you may just want to get yourself to The Mines Tavern.

Hugely popular Two-Tone, Ska band Buncha Skankers present Skankster’s Paradise.

For the uninitiated, this band have been entertaining the Manx gig-goers for a number of years now and specialise in genre defining classics from the likes of The Specials, Desmond Dekker and The Aces, Bad Manners, Prince Buster, The Selecter and Madness and that’s just merely scratching the surface.

The night kicks off at 9pm and is free entry.

Further information can be found at www.facebook.com/events/515872361919945

Finally, following the huge success (unsurprisingly!) of the Davy Knowles show at The Bay in Port Erin last weekend, Davy has also scheduled a further appearance back there on his old stomping ground on New Year’s Eve.

This will be the only further date added for the island this year in addition to the two already sold out shows at Port St Mary Town Hall that take place on Boxing Day and Monday, December 28.

Further information can be found at Davy’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/DavyKnowles

That’s just a few options for you over the next week.

Further live dates and events can also be found at either www.facebook.com/groups/isleofmangigs or www.gigmann.com

As I sign off dear reader, I’ll say a very Happy Christmas to you all, enjoy and stay safe!

An illustrated talk by Howard Parkin of the IoM Astronomical Society entitled ‘Star of Bethlehem’ will take place at Living Hope Community Church, Port St Mary, early in the new year.

It will be held on Wednesday, January 6, a day known as epiphany and, in the island, as Old Christmas Day, starting at 7.30pm

Admission is free, but donations will go to Christian Aid.

St Matthew’s Church in Douglas will host an evening of carols and readings on Tuesday at 8pm.

The guest soloist is Kristene Sutcliffe, with organist Dr Peter Litman.

The choir will be conducted by John Riley.

There will be a retiring collection for the Young Carers’ Project.

Mince pies and mulled wine will be served afterwards.

A pension furore raged earlier this year.

We were told radical action was needed. This from politicians who, I seem to remember, negotiated the new pensions.

When I started as a union official, pensions in the public sector had been established for over a decade and I had retired by the time Alf Cannan emerged waving his GUS agreement shouting ‘pensions in our time’!

The problems with public sector pensions were indentified early on. It was clear by 1977 that the manual workers’ No 1 scheme could not fund itself so most manual workers joined the 1977 scheme.

By the early 1990s, post-axwell, the government commissioned an actuarial review. The actuary explained that if the ‘rag bag’ of schemes were not harmonised down to six, with increased contributions, trouble would occur later. The unions signed up.

He produced his report and the government quietly binned it. It was buried so deep that the experts the government brought in later, pre GUS, knew nothing about it!

In the early 1990s something else happened. The No 1 scheme failed new tests brought in post-Maxwell. The contributors were told: ‘You won’t get what we thought. You’ll have to pay more NI to top up your state pension’.

The unions tried to rectify it. We spent the next decade talking to government. Indeed the last person I gave this an airing in front of was the PSPA with Chris Robertshaw sitting on it.

It was to no avail. So at age 65 the manual workers’ No 1 scheme pensioners who have retired early on medical grounds are subject to something called ‘claw-back’. The theory is ‘clawed-back’ pension is then offset by increased state pension paid for by increased NI contributions. The only thing is, it doesn’t.

We are not talking a great number of people. When the scheme collapsed there were about 45. By the time I and a No 1 scheme contributor got an airing in front of Chris and his PSPA chums there were fewer than 20. The government had talked for 10+ years whilst the problem ‘resolved itself naturally’. It would not have taken a great deal to fix. We were/are talking about modest pensions whose recipients will be amazed at suggestions that people can get pension pots of £400,000 and £40,000 a year.

I was a union official for 22 years and never came across a pension remotely near that level. On occasion you would do a calculation for a medical retirement and the person would say: I can’t manage on that, I’ll try and work on. Some worked on and then shortly after retiring they died. Many times I thought ‘if he had died a few months earlier his wife would have got the death in service benefit – now she’ll get buttons’!

So, who has unleashed this pensions mayhem on us? Back in 1973 a manual worker on the Highway Board didn’t want a pension taking a percentage out of what was then poverty pay but the politicians of the day introduced it. In 1977 they upped the percentage. In the 1990s some schemes failed so they made them pay additional NI. Promises made, promises broken.

Then along comes GUS complicating an already complex situation and we all know who the architects and administrators of that were!

How do we fund pensions going forward? Well, start by adopting the stance that actuary adopted 25 years ago. Quietly set out the problems, listen to the views, then set out a solution.

Finally, to all those critics of PS pensions I say this: you weren’t so vocal years ago when a lot of people were paying in, few drawing out, and some many instances dying before they reached pensions age. You weren’t screeching to the heavens when schemes like the manual workers’ No 1 failed. Like those in government you probably thought ‘the problem will resolve itself naturally’.

If anyone deserves to be angry, it is workers enrolled in these ‘Ponzi’ schemes.

The semi-finals of the Isle of Man Billiards and Snooker Association Champion of Champions competition were held at Douglas Snooker Club over the weekend.

The first semi on Saturday afternoon saw current island champion John Kennish take on Peter Kirkham in the best-of-11 match.

The first frame saw both players trying to settle in, however several in-offs by Kirkham gave his opponent the advantage and Kennish took the opener. The second frame was another close one but an early 30 break was enough to enable Kennish to go 2-0 ahead.

The third frame was a little easier for the island champion as he made a 47 clearance up to the pink to make it 3-0. Kennish took a commanding lead in the fourth with breaks of 24 and 32, only for Peniata to fight back with a 29 but then found himself snookered.

The cue ball was put back three times before Kennish found an opening to take the colours down to the brown which was sufficient to take the frame and a 4-0 lead.

After the interval Kennish was clearly focussed and ready to finish the match as he knocked in a 50 break to take the fifth frame before a 58 break was enough to secure the sixth. Those who saw the match all said that the 6-0 scoreline did not reflect the overall quality of the play from both players.

The second semi-final on Sunday evening was between multiple island champion Damian Evans and current professional Darryl Hill.

The first frame was quite tense as neither player wanted to leave an opening but in the end it was Hill who took the vital pots on the colours to win the frame.

The second saw some good potting from Hill with a break of 50 followed by a clearance of 35 to take the frame. The third frame was all one-way traffic and the audience witnessed the skill of Evans who knocked in a beautiful 77 to take the frame. Another tight frame followed and once again it was Hill who sank the key pots to take a 3-1 lead.

After the interval Hill made a 30 break to take the fifth frame before a 53 break was enough to open up a 5-1 lead. At this point everyone expected an early night but clearly Evans had other ideas as he dug in to take the seventh frame.

The eighth was probably the best of the night. Evans started off with a 46 break before Hill hit back with a 33 which should have been more but a major ‘kick’ caused him to lose position. However, this bad luck was balanced by a fluke on the black later in the frame but in the end it was Evans who cleared the colours to take the frame and the fightback was certainly on at 5-3.

More good safety and key pots from Evans saw him take frame nine to make it 5-4 but in the 10th frame Hill got the first opening and his 54 break was enough for him to see out a very entertaining and closely-contested match 6-4.

Thanks go to the referees for both semi-finals and to Graham and Sue France for closing the club during the matches and to sponsors Fowler and Co.

The final will take place on Monday, December 28 with the first session of seven frames starting at 2pm and the final session of eight frames at 7pm.

Workmates gathered to wish a happy retirement to a living legend of the island’s construction industry.

Ronnie Corkish retires this week after a long, distinguished career with Island Aggregates Limited.

Ramsey man Ronnie has worked for the quarry materials and ready-mixed concrete supplier for a total of 
42 years in two spells with the company, passing the milestone of 30 years in his current spell earlier this month.

Starting out as a HGV driver, Ronnie became supervisor for many years at the company’s Santon concrete plant.

Most recently he’s been a familiar and popular face around the island’s construction sites in his role as sales and customer liaison representative.

Ronnie’s family joined his current colleagues at Ramsey’s Harbour Bistro last Saturday for a meal to mark his retirement and celebrate his outstanding contribution to the firm

Presenting him with a number of gifts to mark the occasion, Island Aggregates general manager Stephen Smyth paid tribute to Ronnie’s loyalty and dedication, noting particularly the renowned passion he brought to all of his roles and demanded from those around him.

Ronnie, who will be succeeded in his sales role by another Ramsey man, Ross Walker, plans to use his well-earned free time to pursue his interests in photography, video and gardening.

Down the years Ronnie has also built up a huge amount of research on the history of Island Aggregates, a name which dates back to 1946, and on the island’s construction industry generally, which he plans to turn 
into a book.

Microgaming’s new office building is starting to take shape in Circular Road in Douglas.

The five-storey building, which is next to Microgaming’s current office, MGS House, is on track to be completed by 2017.

Construction officially began in April on the project which will see a third-floor walkway spanning Hillside Terrace connecting the two buildings.

Douglas architects Savage and Chadwick have designed the office and Auldyn Construction is responsible for the construction of the building.

Other Manx companies Bell Burton Associates, Curtins, March Consultants Ltd and SMS Ltd are also involved with the design and construction of the Microgaming office.

Microgaming produces a range of online games.

The Douglas company is live-streaming the construction of the new building.

To watch the feed visit www.microgaming.co.uk/our-culture/2017

Government has nothing to fear from Freedom of Information.

That was the message from Policy and Reform Minister John Shimmin as he asked Tynwald to close an unintended loophole in the legislation.

The Freedom of Information Act comes into effect from February 1 next year, but initially only in respect of the Cabinet Office and the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.

It will then be extended in stages over the following two years to other departments and all public authorities, including local authorities, and is due to be fully in force by February 1, 2018.

But in Tynwald this week Mr Shimmin, sought an amendment to prevent the initial restrictions being undermined. He explained that as many human resources functions and Government Technology Services come under the Cabinet Office, people might have tempted to use that link to request information relating to other departments or public bodies.

But Tynwald unanimously approved an amended order that only information specific to GTS held by the Cabinet Office for its own purposes would be subject to FOI, and similarly only human resources information listed in the schedule of public bodies would be available.

Mr Shimmin told the court: ‘Government is slowly realising they should have nothing to fear from this. Across departments and offices, politically, we have built up an air of fear and suspicion among our own staff as well as the public. And that will take a bit of time.

‘Tynwald has dictated the speed of this. We will have all government departments on by the start of 2017. However, I would like to move quicker if some departments will come on board earlier.

‘We will be getting more data available for the public and that is a little bit scary for some officers and even Ministers. We have to make sure the officers believe that this is not going to be a witch hunt against them. They work with us to actually get the information out to where it belongs – to the people.’

Lib Van MHK Peter Karran (Onchan) said he believes FOI might save rather than lose money as it would help get good governance and better value for money.

Competition is definitely good for the public – but the sheer size of the proposal is a matter for concern.

That’s the view of car dealer David Mylchreest on the plans for a new £14.5 million car showroom off Cooil Road in Braddan.

Mr Mylchreest, along with Ocean Ford and Eurocars, was one of five objectors to the planning application by Channel Islands-based Jacksons for the multi-franchise dealership.

But Mr Mylchreest said he seriously questions the applicants’ claims of a £1 million per week turnover, which he feels is optimistic given the size and population of the Isle of Man.

‘The Manx motor trade is just not big enough to give a return on a £14,5 million investment,’ he said. ‘I find it very hard to believe it could stack up. I have been in the business for over 40 years and I find the whole thing just amazing, the sheer size of it.’

The new showroom is likely to offer makes currently not available new in the island but, again, not all of these are likely to find a market, according to Mr Mylchreest.

‘Audi is an excellent brand but there are other makes, such as Volvo, which we tried a few years ago and found were simply not viable here in the island,’ he said.

‘I expect the government is attracted by the promise of jobs and economic growth but I don’t think that is guaranteed because business may simply transfer from existing dealerships. If they collapse, choice is lost.

‘Our annual sales of new cars to retail customers are under 1,000.’

The 10-acre site received planning permission on December 17, just over one month from its application date on November 10. The closing date for objections to the plans is January 7.

‘I’ve spoke to other dealers and we are definitely all singing from the same hymn sheet on this,’ he said.

Manx snowboarder Brandon Cain has secured a place in the Great Britain snowboard cross junior squad from next year.

The talented 17-year-old will join up with the GB squad next October after impressing the British Ski and Snowboard coaches during a recent selection camp.

This marks the latest step in his rapid rise through the sport, having only taken up snowboarding a few years ago.

Brandon has been a keen BMX racer since the age of five and has tasted considerable success on two wheels, winning various age group titles in the Manx BMX Championships as well as claiming a fine ninth place finish at the British BMX Championships.

Having started skiing at the age of six, he then switched to snowboarding at 11 and was encouraged by his father Mickey to try his hand at snowboard cross because of its similarities with BMX riding. The youngster took to the sport naturally and has progressed ever since.

He has closely followed the career of the Isle of Man’s Zoe Gillings-Brier, who has been competing at the highest level for a number of years, and is determined to follow in her footsteps.

‘I’d never really heard of snowboard cross until I saw it at the Winter Olympics but straightaway I thought I could do that.’ says Brandon. ‘I then discovered Zoe was also from the Isle of Man and so we were able to get in touch with her.’

While following Zoe and messaging via Facebook, the opportunity arose for Brandon to attend a series of one-day trials in the UK in snowboarding which are a precursor to participating in summer selection camps in Austria.

Mickey contacted Zoe and her coach/husband Dan who then decided that Brandon’s skill level was already good enough for the teenager to advance straight to the selection camps at Hintertux in Austria.

The week-long camp - during which he learned about diet, lifestyle and fitness amongst other things - proved successful, with the coach being satisfied that Brandon had the potential and right attitude to join the British elite junior squad.

As Brandon is currently in his last year of a two-year engineering course at Isle of Man College, team bosses encouraged him to finish the course prior to joining the squad full-time next October.

Following on from his selection confirmation, the Cain family approached Chris Quine at the Isle of Man Institute of Sport and arranged for Brandon to undergo a 10-week strength and conditioning programme.

This helped him prepare for another trip to Hinterlux last month where he joined up with Gillings-Brier and her fellow GB athletes for their pre-season training camp.

‘The training camp was great, I loved it. I got on great with everyone there and it was good working with both freestyle and snowboardcross coaches.’ commented Brandon.

‘The feedback I received was also good, with coaches being placed after every jump ready to give instant feedback at the end of each run.’

The GB team even permitted Brandon’s younger brother Tyler, aged 14, to stay and train with the squad in order to judge his potential in skicross, the skiing version of snowboard cross.

Although the junior skicross programme is not quite ready, it is hoped that Tyler may be able to follow a similar path to Brandon.

At the end of the training week, performance coach Dan Brier was full of praise for how well Brandon was performing, as well as advising on where to improve and what happens next.

The Cain family are planning on hitting the slopes again during the February half-term before Brandon hopefully joins up with the GB team at Easter.

When Brandon finishes college next summer he may need to join Great Britain for some summer training prior to beginning life on the Team GB junior athlete program in October as a full-time member.

In the meantime, the talented teen will juggle education with his two jobs as a car valet and a butcher whilst preparing to compete in the Scottish Ski and Boarder Cross Championships in March.

The British Indoor Ski and Snowboard Cross Championships are also on the agenda and, looking further ahead, Cain is aiming high: European championships, world championships and eventually the Winter Olympics.

Brandon is currently in the process of applying for Isle of Man Sport Aid, while he also receives support from Simon Bottomley of Nasaleze.

If anyone is interested in supporting Brandon in his fledgling snowboard cross career, contact him on 338001 or brandoncain@manx.net or his father on 438525 or thecaingang1861@gmail.com

DAVE NORTON

Treasury has launched a consultation on a proposed new scheme offering relief from income tax to investors in growing island-based businesses.

The Manx Enterprise Investment Scheme is part of a package of initiatives to boost the economy, increase business funding and grow the working population, announced by Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK in July this year.

The aim of the scheme is to encourage investment in small higher-risk trading companies, resident in the Isle of Man, by offering income tax relief to investors who subscribe for new shares. The maximum tax relief available for an individual will be £20,000 in a tax year while for a jointly assessed couple it will be £40,000. It is anticipated that the additional finance raised will help businesses to grow, resulting in additional jobs in the island and subsequent growth in the local economy.

The consultation document published this week outlines how the scheme will operate. It also addresses the criteria that the company and the investor must satisfy in order to qualify under the scheme.

The document invites responses to a number of questions and welcomes comments and suggestions about the proposals.

Closing date for submissions is Friday February 5 2016 and the document is available in the consultations section of the government website: www.gov.im/about-the-government/government/government-consultations

A total of 25 homes – including two four-bedroom properties – were bought on the open market this year with the help of the government’s first-time buyers’ schemes.

Questions about the schemes were raised in Tynwald by Lib Van MHK Peter Karran (Onchan). In his written reply, Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne said there had been more activity in 2015-16 than in recent years, with 25 open market purchases approved or completed with assistance totalling £1.1m as at November 30. Two of these homes had four bedrooms.

In total 49 applicants have had help from the new scheme, totalling £1.5m paid or approved as at the end of November. Mr Gawne said the schemes intended to provide a foot on the property ladder for qualifying first-time buyers.

They do not preclude the purchase of larger properties but are not intended to support the purchase of property that significantly exceeds the buyer’s basic housing requirements.

Vandals have damaged vehicles parked in the car park between Close Caarjys and Bircham Avenue Close, Ramsey.

They struck between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

Police are investigating. They appealed for anyone with information about the incident to ring 631212.

The Steam Packet is warning about potential disruption to its services.

After the 2.15am sailing from Heysham overnight tomorrow, the timetable is in jeopardy.

It means that the rest of tomorrow’s sailings could be cancelled.

The sailing in the early hours of Wednesday from Heysham to the island is also, obviously, in doubt too.

Stormy weather is forecast.

To see the latest from the Steam Packet directly, {https://www.steam-packet.com/LatestSailings|click here}

Jonny William and Jack Cain, both aged three, are pictured with Father Christmas, who spent some time behind Douglas’s tram horses instead of his reindeer before he delivered presents all around the world.

The publicity stunt helped to pull in crowds to the town.