AN MHK is calling for a wholesale review of Tynwald members pay.

Alfred Cannan, who chairs the Civil Service Commission, has hit out at the ‘gesture politics’ of those MHKs and MLCs who have refused to take a pay rise, arguing that such lack of ‘discipline’ risks ‘breaking down the integrity of the system’.

Mr Cannan declined to take the 1.2 per cent pay rise last year but said his stance had ‘on reflection not achieved anything.’

He said he had not turned down the recently announced 20p per hour increase.

Tynwald members’ pay is linked to that of the island’s 2,300-plus civil servants whose pay award, backdated to April, amounts to an average of 1.08 per cent, as revealed in last week’s Manx Independent.

It works out at an extra £386 a year for a 37 hours week and will take the basic salary of an MHK and MLC to £37,822.

But the Michael MHK plans to table a motion to next month’s Tynwald sitting calling for an independent body to be appointed to review the whole system.

He told the Manx Independent: ‘We’ve got a situation where some members have decided they want to set their own pay scale. taking a 5 per cent pay cut or refusing to accept a pay rise.

‘In my view we’ve got to avoid a situation where we get into gesture politics. We need to have some discipline or the whole integrity of the system breaks down.’

Among those who had turned down pay rises have been the Chief Minister Allan Bell, Treasury Minister Eddie Teare and Agriculture Minister Phil Gawne.

Three MHKs - Mr Teare, Kate Beecroft (Lib Van, Douglas South) and Laurence Skelly (Rushen) – and two MLCs (Dudley Butt and Clare Christian) say they are contributing a higher voluntary contribution to their salary of 5 per cent.

Mr Cannan said it wasn’t just pay rates that need to be addressed but members’ expenses, pensions and fuel allowances as well. ‘The whole issue needs looking at,’ he said.

He added: ‘An independent body needs to look at and review the situation to see if there is a more modern and effective way of doing it.’

Among the issues it could look at is whether expenses should be included in MHKs’ salaries, he said.

But what would happen if the independent body concluded Tynwald members are not paid enough compared with other jurisdictions - a conclusion that would not go down well with the electorate?

‘Tynwald would have to debate that,’ he replied.

He insisted the public wanted to see policy, leadership and direction from their politicians - and they wanted a firm idea of how members are paid.

Turning to the issue of pay for government workers as a whole, Mr Cannan said he was going to ask Treasury and the Office of Human Resources to find a ‘simpler much clearer strategy going forward’.

‘The system for negotiating pay for the previous year is wrong. The UK Chancellor George Osborne is setting pay for two to three years in advance.

‘It’s turned into a quite a farce with pay awards.’

He said lot of areas needed addressing including the fact that binding arbitration is available in civil service pay negotiations. This can force the employer’s hand as arbitration can end up being more costly than an agreed settlement.

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PEEL Clothworkers’ School head teacher Simon Jones will retire next summer after 31 years in teaching, 23 of them as a head teacher.

In retirement, his ‘learning plan’ includes acquiring at least one new skill a year ‘to add to my meagre collection’.

A Liverpudlian, Mr Jones trained as a teacher in Ambleside in the 1970s. After two years as an ambulance man with Lincolnshire Health Authority, he entered teaching there.

His first significant promotion was to the Liverpool school he attended as a child. Three former teachers became colleagues: ‘It took me half a term to stop calling them “Sir” or “Mrs Anderson”.’

In 1990, Mr Jones was appointed to his first headship, in Lincolnshire, where his children Sarah and Philip grew up and were educated. This rural school remained the centre of his professional life for 15 years.

Mr Jones was then appointed as a consultant head teacher by the English education department, supporting schools and new heads in Lincolnshire. At this time he completed his masters degree in primary school leadership and management.

The headship at Victoria Road School in Castletown appealed and Mr Jones relocated in 2005. He took on the additional role of Leadership and Management Programme leader, training up the primary school managers of the future.

The bigger Peel Clothworkers’ offered new challenges and he became head in 2009.

Highlights include working with the Parents, Teachers and Friends’ Association to create an adventure playground and a library, accompanying children on the annual visit to Kingswood Adventure Centre in England, continuing to teach regularly, and running the school with colleagues he describes as ‘amongst the best I have worked with’.

‘Over the years, I have taught and/or influenced about 4,000 children – with only a few exceptions delightful individuals. This has been a pleasure and a privilege,’ he said.

He plans to go surfing, take up yoga and write poetry. In 2013 he will climb Kilimanjaro and, the following year, will walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats with an old school friend, raising money for Oxfam.

Professionally, he is setting up as a freelance educational consultant and will offer his services both here and abroad: ‘I have a few more years before reaching my sell-by date.’

Director of education Martin Barrow said: ‘Mr Jones has contributed significantly to the development of the two schools he has been head teacher of on the island and has played a key role in leading the Leadership and Management Programme for primary teachers.

‘The department wishes him every success for the new venture he has planned as well as for a long, healthy and happy retirement.’

The DEC will advertise for Mr Jones’ successor shortly.

THE mysteries of thermal energy storage will be unveiled in a free presentation at the Villa Marina later this month.

The presentation, organised by Epsilon Consultants (IOM) Ltd in association with the Institute of Engineering and Technology takes place at 2pm in the Broadway cinema.

IFTech, a ‘green’ energy company which is presenting the talk, has completed more than 500 projects around the world using underground thermal energy storage.

The process allows a reduction in demand for fossil fuel by storing hot and cold energy below ground for use as required to heat or air condition buildings.

Michael Glanfield, a director of Epsilon said IFTech had an international reputation for its green energy projects.

Describing the technology involved he said: ‘It is really an application suitable for large concerns like factories. In the summer there will be large roof areas that heat up.

‘There is technology now to capture that excess heat and it can then be stored underground and utilised during the winter to heat a building.

‘During the winter that space can get very cold and that cold energy can also be stored underground and used to cool the building in summer.’

He said the system could potentially reduce fossil fuel usage by 60 to 70 per cent and his company already had one client in the island who might be interested in using such a system.

‘One of the exciting features that will be discussed is the opportunity for the applications to be used in the Isle of Man,’ he said.

A key geological feature is aqifer – permeable water bearing rock – which is needed below ground for the technology to work successfully.

This does feature in the island, he said, which means the technology should be feasible here.

The talk is entitled Exploring the opportunities on the Isle of Man for underground thermal energy storage and it takes place on Friday October 26 at 2pm.

Refreshments will be served beforehand at 1pm.

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TIME is running out for a negotiated settlement in the bus drivers’ dispute.

Notices to terminate the exisitng contracts of the island’s 110 bus drivers were served a week last Saturday.

The first of the notice periods are due to expire this week. Notice periods depends on length of service of each driver and ranges from two to 12 weeks.

Further talks between management and the union were held on Friday to try to resolve the issue.

Nick Black, chief executive for the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure said: ‘Unfortunately, an agreement has not been reached. The department faces extremely difficult financial challenges and achieving budget targets in this financial year is imperative. The proposals put forward by Unite the Union did not achieve the level of savings required.

‘I appreciate the difficulty that drivers face but their basic and enhanced rates of pay remain unaffected. The subject of these negotiations has been the additional allowance for paid lunch breaks. Whilst I accept there will be an unwelcome financial impact on drivers, savings have to be made and the paid lunch break was identified as something that the Department could no longer afford or justify.’

All drivers are being offered immediate re-employment on new terms and conditions, based on those that were twice recommended to them for acceptance by their union but were rejected at ballot.

Under the offer rejected by the Unite membership, drivers’ lunch breaks will no longer be paid, sick pay will reduce to being based on 37 hours per week and maximum driving time will increase from three hours 45 minutes to four hours 10 minutes,

Mr Black added: ‘The department has done everything to ensure a fair conclusion for its drivers. Negotiations have been conducted since March 2012.

‘The initial ballot was delayed to allow for union elections; a second ballot was held after the Department’s preferred solution, one which had a lesser financial impact on the drivers, was not put to them. That ballot, which had the union’s recommendation to accept, was delayed at the union’s request. A third unsuccessful ballot was held, again with the union recommendation to accept. Further delays were not an option and it was with great regret that the department had to issue notice of termination letters with the offer of new contracts. Despite that, we remained open for negotiations and proposals that would achieve the required level of savings. This has not yet been possible.’

Mr Black said: ‘The department’s position has always been and remains the same; we will accept an alternative proposal that achieves the same level of savings. This remains an option until the last minute. However, I must emphasise that achieving the budget targets is not an option for the department but a necessity.’

TREASURY Minister Eddie Teare MHK says he was able to highlight the island’s contribution to the global economy when he attended the largest annual gathering of the world’s finance ministers.

Mr Teare represented the island in Tokyo at the 2012 meetings of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Commonwealth Finance Ministers.

The summit brought together central bankers, ministers of finance, private sector executives and leading academics to discuss issues of global importance, including the world economic outlook.

The debate focused on international efforts to stimulate economic growth and create jobs.

During the event, Mr Teare had an opportunity to meet UK Chancellor George Osborne who arrived in Tokyo following his address at the Conservative Party autumn conference.

Mr Teare said: ‘I held very positive and productive discussions with Mr Osborne on a range of issues of mutual interest.

‘I was able to reaffirm the Isle of Man’s vital role as a provider of financial flows to UK and international markets in terms of liquidity, listed companies and investment. I believe the UK and Isle of Man benefit from each other’s success and I outlined ways of strengthening our working relationships, in particular with the City and North West business community, to secure future economic growth and employment opportunities.’

Mr Teare also used his attendance at the meetings in Tokyo to enhance the Isle of Man’s reputation as an internationally responsible country with a dynamic, diversified and well-regulated business sector.

He said: ‘The island’s support for the Small Countries Financial Management Programme and introduction of legislation to block so-called vulture funds, has earned positive international recognition. It helps to set us apart from many other countries and demonstrates our commitment to playing a full and constructive role in the global community.’

He added: ‘In line with some of the aspirations outlined in the Chief Minister’s “Agenda for Change” we must continue to raise the Isle of Man’s international profile and continue to work in partnership with other countries. The World Bank and IMF events in Tokyo provided a unique opportunity to engage with the world’s finance leaders and to position the Isle of Man on the international stage.’

Graffiti relating to the death of a police officer whose family live in Port St Mary was daubed on a garage door in the south of the island in the early hours of Saturday.

PC Fiona Bone, 32, was killed alongside PC Nicola Hughes, 23, in Manchester last month. The graffiti referred to the killings, as well as the Hillsborough tragedy. A 33-year-old man from the south of the island has been charged with criminal damage and will appear in court this morning (Monday).

A NEW post-16 unit for those with special educational needs will be created at the Isle of Man College.

Education and Children Minister Tim Crookall successfully secured the £1,773,000 needed to pay for it in Tynwald last week.

Mr Crookall said in order to complete the department’s inclusive provision for special needs students, a post-16 resource in the further education community was necessary. He explained: ‘The proposed new provision at the College will provide in a single setting, a hub for the variety of agencies and adult services to work together with students, sharing expertise and responsibility in providing and supporting young adults with lifelong learning, in a seamless transition to adult life and integration within our island community. These are members of our community who need the greatest support throughout their lives.’

Pressure is currently being put on the existing secondary units, said Mr Crookall, with temporary mobile classrooms providing some of the accommodation. He acknowledged some students may choose to stay on at the secondary units, even with the new unit. But he said parents, teachers and students had been consulted on the move and had responded positively. Mr Crookall said there were expected to be 100 special educational needs students across the secondary roll and it is likely the new College provision would open with 22 students. The work is due to begin on October 29 and be completed by August 23.

Mr Crookall concluded: ‘This College resource will provide equality of opportunity, promote inclusion and establish lifelong learning and care pathways for these most vulnerable members of our society. Freedom to Flourish is for all, not just those who can - every child matters, not just those who are able.’ Tynwald voted unanimously in favour of the spend.

KRAFTY Kids, at Tower House, in Douglas, is holding a Hop-tu-Naa party on Saturday.

The proceeds from a raffle held at the event will be donated to Crossroads Caring for Carers Isle of Man.

The party takes place from midday until 3pm, and will feature fancy dress competitions, Krafty Halloween ideas for all ages, a face painter and candy floss.

Buy raffle tickets (£1 a strip) at the party, or in advance from Tower House.

Sign up for the event at {http://www.facebook.com/krafty.kids.online|www.facebook.com/krafty.kids.online}.

Krafty Kids describes itself as an ‘arts and crafts store just for children’. Crossroads helps improve the lives of the estimated 10,000 carers in the island.

A BUSINESS mentoring programme to help young people settle into the work place was held at The Forum, Mount Havelock.

Supported by Manx Youth Opportunities (MYO) and funded by the Manx Education Foundation, the workshop was designed to train managers in the skills required for coaching and mentoring. For some it was an opportunity to polish existing skills, for others it was a very new experience.

Mairi Lockwood, office manager at Luviair, Ramsey said: ‘The training was particularly useful for me as Luviair brings young people into the company for work experience. The two points that clicked most with me were understanding what it is to be a mentor and using structure within this role.

‘The training has given me confidence that with the right preparation and mindset the results can be very positive.’

Would be mentors from Heron and Brearley, Sleepwell Hotel Group, Isle of Man Creamery, Luviair and Blue Sea International, took part in a range of practical activities designed to develop skills and build confidence to mentor within their organisations.

Developed and delivered by Angelena Boden, a coach and mentor of many years’ experience, delegates appreciated how different learning styles affect the mentor’s approach, learned how to plan and structure a mentoring/coaching session and actively put their new skills into practice under supervision.

Nigel McFarlane from Credo, a counselling and mentoring service for young people said: ‘I have always regarded business mentoring as a useful process for any organisation. Angelena’s course, with her effortless training style which belies a depth of knowledge and skill, served to reinforce this. It was a thoroughly worthwhile and enjoyable day.’

Stephen Keeley, finance director of Isle of Man Creamery, found the course to be personally beneficial as well as an encouragement to take on a young person into the business.

One of the biggest issues facing young people who go into work either via preparation for work courses, college or straight from school is that they feel unsupported and misunderstood.

They need someone they can go to with any problem, be it work or home related. Many young people are struggling to overcome emotional problems and domestic barriers to making a smooth transition into the adult world.

Mentors can really help with this process.

A PLAN TO unite all three radio stations under the same roof is being considered by government.

Today’s Isle of Man Examiner reveals more about the idea.

The large wind farm support ship, which sheltered in Douglas Bay over the weekend, is the main front page picture, while another page one story concerns a man who has been jailed after assaulting a police officer.

Inside, the government’s deficit figures are revealed. They look worrying, at least at first glance.

We also talk to Allan Bell about the Freedom of Information Bill, which was not on the list of 15 bills for this legislative year.

In other news, as you know, Hop-tu-Naa is coming up. But it’s been a bad harvest for moots (turnips) as you’ll discover on page 5. We suspect Jinnie the Witch is to blame.

On the same page, we ask what the threshold will be for means-tested child benefit.

Further in the paper, we report the findings of the court that looked at Tesco’s bid for an alcohol licence for its proposed store in Castletown.

We also meet a woman who was conned out of £400 by a man whom she ‘met’ on uniformdating.com.

The latest survey into the cleanliness of the sea water around the island also features this week. It looks like things are getting better.

On page 46 we look forward to this week’s House of Keys sitting and the Council of Ministers’ roadshow. It’s off to Port Erin tomorrow.

The back page has Peter Kennaugh on it. He’s receiving an award from the chief minister.

Inside, there’s our usual comprehensive coverage of football, rugby, hockey and a lot of minor sports too.

Our eight-page business section includes a look at one Manx company’s bid to build links with Russia.

Meanwhile, the Examiner also meets the first man in the island to drive and own a Nissan Leaf, the remarkable electric car that’s built in England and is tipped by many to be the future of motoring.

The paper includes all your other favourites, such as the letters pages, Terry Cringle’s column and the social calendar.

And you can also find out what reviewer Angela Gregory thought of Milton Jones.

The island’s favourite newspaper is in the shops now.

TOMORROW will see the first sitting of the House of Keys following the long summer recess and there are 22 questions down for oral answer.

The Pinewood Shepperton deal dominates questions, with Alfred Cannan (Michael) tabling three, Howard Quayle (Middle) one) and vocal opponent of the deal Kate Beecroft (LibVan, Douglas South) four.

Mr Quayle wants to know what safeguards are in place to protect government’s Media Development Fund, while Mr Cannan wants to know why the deal changed from that originally put to members in June.

Other subjects under the spotlight include government’s policy on purchases from local suppliers, members’ pensions and the bus drivers’ pay dispute.

Bill Henderson (Douglas North) will ask Community, Culture and Leisure Minister Graham Cregeen whether further negotiation with the drivers is possible and why notice of termination of contract was served on the drivers as part of the effort to resolve the issues at hand.

There are three questions for written answer and they cover small claims arbitration, savings to departmental budgets and supply teacher levels.

The Sunbeds Bill, which restricts the use of sunbeds, is down for its second reading, as is the Financial Services (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill and the Licensing (Amendment) Bill.

The Cash in Postal Packets Bill and the Income Tax Bill are down for consideration of clauses and the Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill is down for a third reading.

The sitting will begin at 10am tomorrow.

THE next ‘Roamin’ CoMin’ meeting takes place tomorrow night (Tuesday) in Port Erin – and Chief Minister Allan Bell says he is looking forward to a ‘lively public debate’.

Taking place at the Erin Arts Centre, the event is the third in a series of regional meetings which allow island residents to tackle government ministers on matters of national importance.

It will follow a similar format to events held at the Manx Museum in March and Peel Centenary Centre in June.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK and Social Care Minister Chris Robertshaw MHK will deliver brief presentations, while members of the public can ask ministers about key issues and challenges facing the Isle of Man during an open question and answer session.

Mr Bell, who will chair tomorrow’s session, said: ‘The community meeting in Port Erin is now just a few days away and I expect there will be robust exchanges and some strong opinions expressed.

‘These events are an important part of my promise to promote open and transparent government and to work with the public in the best interests of the Isle of Man.

‘They are extremely valuable in terms of generating direct and honest dialogue with local people and we take on board the ideas, comments and concerns that are voiced.’

The community meeting at the Erin Arts Centre will start at 7.30pm, with doors opening at 7pm.

The event is free and open to all members of the public.

There is a limit on the number of people the venue can accommodate and seats will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. No bookings will be taken.

Looking further ahead, the community meeting in the north of the island will be held in Ramsey on January 30, 2013.

Police are investigating after money was stolen from an unattended vehicle in the area of Main Road, Glen Vine.

Someone took about £210 in Manx and Bank of England notes, US$300 and 100 Dominican pesos.

The Dominican pesos are particularly rare.

Anyone who may have information that can assist the police inquiries is being asked to contact Peel police on 842208.

The incident happened on Sunday, October 14, or early the next day.

Police are investigating damage that took place to the front window of a residential property in Ballaquane Park, Peel, at about 9.30pm on Thursday.

The double-glazed window concerned was cracked and police are anxious to hear from anybody who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area.

Anyone who may have information that can assist the police inquires should contact Peel police station on 842208.

TREASURY Minister Eddie Teare highlighted the island’s contribution to the global economy as the world’s finance ministers met in Tokyo at the 2012 meetings of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Commonwealth Finance Ministers.

During the event, Mr Teare met UK Chancellor George Osborne who arrived in Tokyo after his address at the Conservative Party autumn conference.

Mr Teare said: ‘I held positive and productive discussions with Mr Osborne. I was able to reaffirm the Isle of Man’s vital role as a provider of financial flows to UK and international markets in terms of liquidity, listed companies and investment.

‘I believe the UK and Isle of Man benefit from each other’s success and I outlined ways of strengthening our working relationships, in particular with the City and North West business community.’

Mr Teare added: ‘In line with some of the aspirations outlined in the Chief Minister’s “Agenda for Change” we must continue to raise the Isle of Man’s international profile and continue to work with other countries. The World Bank and IMF events in Tokyo provided a unique opportunity to engage with the world’s finance leaders and to position the Isle of Man on the international stage.’

Vote on this issue in this week’s online poll.

‘I REMAIN optimistic to meet a renewable energy target,’ the Minister who brought forward the policy told Tynwald.

The Manx government agreed in 2010 to having 15 per cent of electricity generated from renewable sources by the year 2015.

Friends of the Earth believe the target will not be met partly because there is little incentive offered by government for people to invest in green technology.

In Tynwald Economic Development Minister John Shimmin was quizzed over the policy he had brought forward as chairman of the previous Council of Ministers’ energy and climate change sub-committee.

He said the recently-formed CoMin Environment and Infrastructure sub-committee, chaired by Environment Minister Phil Gawne MHK, with representatives from DED, DOI and the MEA, were considering the policy to generate 15 per cent from renewable sources by 2015, and will report back to Tynwald in ‘due course’.

David Quirk (Onchan) asked Mr Shimmin: ‘Are we on track to receive at least 15 per cent through renewables by the particular date? It was unanimous support of the particular House at the time and I am wondering is the Minister confident, or will he tell the court if we are not going to make the target?’

Mr Shimmin said there was significant time left before a final decision had to be made before the end of 2013. He said reports had shown the target was feasible.

‘It is then a case for Tynwald court collectively to come forward with their view as to whether this is appropriate. A 20 megawatt onshore windfarm would potentially generate the 12 per cent required, but as we have a number of persons in the public domain who are actively working against this, I think members of Tynwald require far more information before they could sign up to revisit and either support or turn down the policy of the previous court. I remain optimistic.’

A WOMAN from the north of the Isle of Man who was scammed out of £400 by a man she met on an online dating website is sharing her story so others don’t fall into the same trap.

A WOMAN from the north of the Isle of Man who was scammed out of £400 by a man she met on an online dating website is sharing her story so others don’t fall into the same trap.

The woman, who asked not to be named, has been told by police that she won’t be able to get the money back.

‘People have to be made aware that this is happening and not to be taken in by it, she said.

‘The minute they start asking for money is the time to stop.’

It started in July after she joined an online dating site, uniformdating.com for the first time.

She was contacted by a man who claimed to be a sergeant with the US Marines, serving in Afghanistan.

It was two weeks after they had been texting each other that he first asked her to send him money.

When asked why she had sent him the money, she said: ‘At the time I was very, very vulnerable.’

She had recently received the autopsy report into the death of her son, who died while serving in the Army.

‘I felt there was someone out there who really did care and who understood the military side of things.’

At his request, she agreed to send him £300, which he said was to help his daughter through her final year of university.

But after she sent him the money he then repeatedly started asking her for more.

He then asked for £1,000, which he reduced to £500 when she refused.

She finally sent him £100, which he said he would use to buy money for food from local people in Afghanistan.

That was when the alarm bells started ringing – but by then she had already sent him the money.

She refused to send him £550, which he said he needed for his redeployment back to the US.

‘He kept on and on about it.’

The man tried blackmailing her into giving him the money, saying that she had promised it to him.

‘He started to get angry with me because I wouldn’t hand it over,’ she said.

‘He will not stop making contact with me but I will not give him £550.’

She added: ‘I’ve reported it to the police. All they can say is “I’m sorry but you’ve been scammed. You willingly gave him money. You will never get it back”.’

The Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading has a leaflet explaining how residents can protect themselves against scams.

It says: ‘The “scammers” are extremely clever and all sorts of people get duped – not just the vulnerable members of society but also those amongst us who feel they have nothing to lose by responding to these contacts.

‘The truth is the losses can be terrifying – people lose thousands, often having their bank accounts cleared out through providing the “scammers” with their bank account details.

‘In the UK three million people fall victim to scams every year and residents of the Isle of Man are not immune.’

Read the leaflet online at www.gov.im/oft/consumers/scams.xml

IT has been a busy week in the annual fund conference calendar for Paul Kneen, managing director of Abacus’ fund operations in the Isle of Man and Malta.

Mr Kneen has recently returned from attending two significant events held in respective financial centres of the UK and Russia.

In London, Mr Kneen attended the Alternative Fund Governance and Regulation seminar, of which Abacus was one of the sponsors, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in Mayfair, where he discussed the results of a three month study.

The study measured the impact of regulation on alternative fund service providers and jurisdictions, with over 14,000 new regulatory measures being introduced globally in just 2011 alone.

Results of the study have shown that emergent fund managers will focus on locating business in the well known, high profile jurisdictions where corporate governance is a key factor in attracting and retaining investors.

The study also suggested that in future, fund managers will use a variety of different domiciles for different purposes, each best suited to the assets and the investors of a particular scheme.

Mr Kneen said, ‘While offshore jurisdictions may not always be as well recognised for their continued efforts to ensure the highest standards of financial integrity, the Isle of Man is often held up as the example of a pragmatic and flexible domicile well able to stand up to the scrutiny of its peers. It is an ideal jurisdiction for start-up funds seeking a well regulated, professionally administered domicile’.

In Moscow, Mr Kneen joined a delegation from the Isle of Man Funds Association to attend the Moscow International Financial Forum 2012, an event which included the Isle of Man Government’s Department of Economic Development and Isle of Man Funds Association among its sponsors.

The forum brought together global business leaders of banks, asset management companies, family offices and high net worth individuals to exchange ideas and views on the future servicing of investment flows into, and out of, the Commonwealth of Independent States (‘CIS’).

During the forum, the Isle of Man stand was well attended with delegates showing significant interest in the island’s financial services offering. Mr Kneen was also a speaker at the forum, providing the assembled delegates with an overview of high net worth and family office fund and trust structures available on the Isle of Man.

Mr Kneen said: ‘As a country with massive untapped natural resources combined with its recent moves toward a free market initiative, Russia has seen significant positive economic activity in the last few years and expects to see further wealth creation and asset expansion as a result.

‘The Isle of Man is well placed to provide an international base for inward and outward investment flows which will be necessary to ensure the future development of Russia’s economic growth.

‘With offices in the Isle of Man and Malta, Abacus has the experience and skills to provide bespoke solutions, tailored for a global client base and looks forward to developing its international business alongside the expanding markets of the CIS’.

www.abacusiom.com

NO riders or teams have yet been signed for the new-look Manx Grand Prix, which is to be named the Isle of Man Festival of Racing.

Replying to a question in Tynwald from John Houghton (Douglas North), Economic Development Minister John Shimmin said the Festival of Motorcycling will incorporate the Classic TT races and the MGP races, as well as the trials and other events associated with the old MGP Festival.

Mr Shimmin explained the Classic TT will feature classic machinery, while the Manx Grand Prix will feature modern machines only, under the compromise agreed with the Manx Motor Cycle Club, as previously announced by his department.

The Minister said no contracts had been negotiated or agreed yet with teams or riders for the Classic TT and, consequently, no appearance fees have been agreed.

‘This is work that will be completed over the next few months. We have no plans to pay prize money,’ he told Tynwald.

Manx Grand Prix competitors have never received any prize money or appearance fees in the past.

Mr Shimmin said the total budget for the event was still being determined.

‘The department is looking at a number of revenue generating opportunities and our expectation is that the additional costs will be defrayed by additional income. This work is ongoing,’ he said,

John Houghton (Douglas North) asked what was budgeted for start money and prize money for top riders brought over for the event.

Mr Shimmin accused Mr Houghton of attempting to undermine the work being carried out on the event and ‘revert us back to where we were in the past’.

‘I will not be dragged down that route,’ he added.

Mr Houghton asked for a figure for the projected increase in visitors.

Mr Shimmin replied that about 9,000 visitors came to the island for the previous Manx Grand Prix and his department’s target was to take this up to 20,000 by the year 2016.

He said: ‘It is obvious there is a new audience for a rebuilt TT classic event.

‘Rather than killing the Manx Grand Prix, we would hope to still encourage the existing 9,000 who have come for that purpose and build on that those who have come for the other associated events during the festival.’

l What do you think?

Email opinions@newsiom.co.im

LAXEY and Lonan Heritage Trust will operate the spooky Hop-tu-Naa trains at the Great Laxey Mines Railway on Saturday and Sunday, the eighth year of the popular event.

Running between 1pm and 7pm, costing £2 for adults and £1 for kids, the trains are decorated as ghost trains, with the main tunnel blocked to keep out light to allow for spooky lighting effects.

Trust secretary Vicki Hewison added: ‘The success and ultimate survival of the railway, which is operated entirely by volunteers, is down to the income and exposure we receive from events such as the Halloween Trains.’