The island’s Attorney General remains on full pay though he is still suspended from duty, according to Chief Minister Allan Bell.

Mr Bell was responding to a Keys question from Onchan MHK Peter Karran who wanted to know what proportion of his full salary Attorney General Stephen Harding was receiving.

Mr Bell told Keys members: ‘I am conscious that this is a protracted case. I understand that His Excellency is doing everything that can be done to expedite the matter.

‘I can confirm that, as is normal in any matter where there is a question which needs to be resolved through further investigation and a hearing undertaken by an independent person, an employee remains on full pay.’

Mr Bell added he was unable to provide any further information or an estimate of the time scale for resolution of the matter because he said it was an issue to be dealt with by the island’s Lieutenant Governor Adam Wood.

‘As such, it would be inappropriate to demand an accelerated timescale if it caused detriment to either party’s position,’ Mr Bell said.

John Quinn is currently the island’s acting Attorner General.

The new 60th anniversary grandstand for the Southern 100 International Road Races was officially opened on Saturday.

Named ‘The Derek Nicholson Diamond Jubilee Grandstand’, the 171-seater covered stand is currently at the end of Castletown bypass but will be moved to the start/finish line for next year’s races.

Derek is the Southern 100 club president and has done all the fundraising for the new £70,000 stand.

He said: ‘I spoke to people around the island who might be interested and have some spare cash. Thanks must go to the Manx Lottery Trust, the Lord Caulfield Trust, the Isle of Man Federation of Young Farmers, Dandara and Tower Insurance.’

Derek also thanked the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and Manx Independent Carriers, who both provided free transport services for the stand to the island from Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire.

‘The new stand wasn’t due to be delivered until August so we had already hired one for this year,’ said Derek, explaining the new stand’s current location.

The stand is also be available for hire for other events around the island.

With a bumper entry this year, racing was scheduled to start on Monday and will continue today (Tuesday) with practices at 6.15pm and racing at 8pm. Racing continues on Wednesday evening, then all day Thursday, ending with the traditional open air prize presentation at 8.30pm between the Viking and Sidings pubs, by Castletown railway station.

Roads close: Tuesday (tonight) and Wednesday, 6.05pm to 9.40pm, Thursday, 9.50am to 12.15pm and 1pm to 5.45pm.

Out of the three Crown Dependencies – Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey – the Isle of Man is the least vulnerable when assessing economic, social and environmental factors facing each island.

‘Guernsey is in the most vulnerable position at the moment,’ said Chris Brock, managing director of Guernsey-based Island Global Research.

He was the guest speaker at the June breakfast seminar hosted by the Isle of Man branch of the Institute of Directors.

Mr Brock, whose theme was ‘Island Challenges and the Social Life Cycle of an Island’, said: ‘The Isle of Man is now beginning to look at how it should ‘reinvent’ itself, having gone through a stress situation.’

He went on: ‘It is currently more of a challenge to attract businesses to Guernsey than the Isle of Man or Jersey due to a number of factors including air and sea links connectivity and high on-island unit costs.

‘Other areas of concern include the very heavy reliance of Guernsey on direct taxation, particularly when taking into account the aging demographic profile and the lack of available land to meet economic and social needs. De-population is also now a real concern.’

Mr Brock’s company has undertaken considerable research on islands across the world.

vulnerability factors

He told guests that, in total, 20 vulnerability factors have been identified which are directly relevant to islands.

In addition to land availability and air and sea links, amongst other factors the risks associated with climate change, levels of national debt, energy security, law and order, and ICT connectivity are all monitored and an overall risk assessment made of each island.

Mr Brock concluded by saying: ‘There is no question that external challenges facing islands around the world are growing.

‘These include: ongoing economic uncertainty, greater regulation, and geo-political problems such as economic migration and civil conflict.

‘A number of islands are now well positioned to meet these challenges including the Isle of Man particularly if the economy is diversely based.

‘The primary purpose of the Island Global Research programme is to identify where best practice is being adopted so that other jurisdictions can learn and adapt.’

‘This is not about cost saving - it’s about reaching a sustainable position.’

That was the message from Treasury Minister Eddie Teare as he unveiled a raft of radical measures to reform the state pension and benefits which will go to Tynwald for approval in principle this month.

The proposals include raising the retirement age and introducing a flat-rate £180 a week state pension, phasing out the Manx pension supplement, replacing working age benefits with a single Manx benefit and bringing in a £25,000 a year cap on benefits.

The proposals have been drawn up following a 640-page report by consultants Ci65 which said the island’s ‘out of date and broken’ welfare system has not kept pace with the ageing population, has become too complex and risks failing the vulnerable.

Ci65 estimated that if current polices continued, the National Insurance Fund - out of which the state pension and some benefits are paid - will be exhausted by 2047, seven years earlier that previously projected.

The proposed £180 a week state pension is higher than the current pension but you would have to work longer to receive it.

It may mean children born today would have to work until they are 74 to claim their state pension.

A Ci65 recommendations that the island should break away from the reciprocal arrangements with the UK has not been followed, however. Instead, Treasury is proposing that the reciprocal link is maintained, but modified to provide greater flexibility.

Mr Teare said a consultation on Ci65’s recommendation had elicited 400 responses. He said there had been broad support from a single-tier pension and strong support for a 10 year minimum qualifying period.

He said there had been concerns expressed about people having to work 45 years to qualify for the state pension, especially among those in manual jobs or professions like medics where you go through a long period of training before starting your career.

Mr Teare said the current multitude of working age benefits were confusing. These would be abolished and replaced with a single Manx benefit that would be easy to understand and would avoid the need to make multiple claims.

He said only about 10 people would be affected by a £25,000 a year benefits cap.

Tynwald will be asked to agree a set of high-level principles for reform, which will allow for more detailed arrangements to be drawn up.

Me Teare said detailed proposals would be brought to Tynwald this time next year at the very earliest.

No reciprocal agreements exist between the Isle of Man and the UK or any other jurisdictions to allow disabled blue badge holders parking concessions abroad.

The information was provided by Chief Minister Allan Bell in answer to a House of Keys question from Douglas South MHK Kate Beecroft.

Mr Bell said: ‘I am aware that a holder of a blue badge issued in the Isle of Man had been challenged on the validity of their blue badge in the UK.’

But he added: ‘The European Union’s arrangements for the issuing and recognition of parking cards for people with disabilities are set out in Council Recommendations.

‘These recommendations, which established the current standard blue badge design are non-binding on the member states and do not apply to the Isle of Man.’

He said EU member states were not required to recognise the blue badges issued by other member states, even though they were recommended to do so. Similarly there is no requirement on any member state to recognise a similar looking blue badge issued in the Isle of Man.

The disabled people’s blue badge scheme allows parking concessions for the disabled.

Gary Lamb has now begun his new role as Manx Telecom’s chief executive officer.

The company’s former finance director was announced as the new CEO at the end of May but did not take up the role until last Wednesday (July 1).

Gary joined Manx Telecom as finance director in October 2011 and has been instrumental in the company’s development since then.

Prior to joining the communication solutions provider, he held a diverse range of senior roles and has spent 20 years working in the Isle of Man operating within the local business community and internationally.

Gary said: ‘I am delighted to take up the role as chief executive officer at an exciting time in the company’s evolution.

‘We have a great team of people working for the company and together we will continue to serve our valued customers and support the Isle of Man Government to attract new business to the island.

‘We look forward to growing the company on the island, continuing to support the local community, and using our leading technology and skilled workforce to expand our business off-island.’

He takes over as CEO from Mike Dee who had held the post since 2011.

The company has commenced recruitment for a new chief financial officer and shareholders will be updated in due course.

Paul Tierney has been appointed as interim chief financial officer with effect from June 22.

Paul is a professional interim CFO with 14 years’ experience of senior interim finance positions.

Most recently he has held senior short-term roles at Lantmannen Unibake UK, a privately-held bakery products manufacturer, One Fifty One Plc, a €300million energy and environment investment company, and Hearst Magazines UK, one of the country’s leading media companies with 20 magazine brands and 20 digital assets.

St Patrick’s Church in Peel is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

A mass was held to honour the Patrick Street landmark with the Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon, Archbishop of Liverpool, the guest of honour, and the church filled to capacity.

The church was designed by the famous English architect, Welby Pugin.

The land on which the church stands was purchased for £72 in 1856. The laying of the foundation stone took place on December 14, 1864 and the first mass was celebrated on June 18, 1865.

At the outset, Irish families linked to the fishing industry who came to Peel to live were prominent among the congregation.

Some of the descendants of these families still live in Peel and remain part of the parish.

Today, the parish reflects on the diverse island community and the congregation has shown steady growth in recent years.

In addition the church hall contributes much to the local community and is regularly used by local groups for meetings and various social events.

Priest at the church for 18 years has been Father Brian O Mahony Cssp, who is also the priest of Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Maughold in Ramsey.

Father O Mahony makes weekly visits to those who are housebound, detained in prison or in hospital, as well as attending numerous meetings.

At St Patrick’s there are also eight Special Ministers of the Eucharist, who fulfil a number of duties including leading communion services.

They also visit the housebound and sick at Noble’s Hospital with holy communion.

The church also has a small St Vincent’s de Paul (SVP) group who donate money to the wider community in the island for families to buy necessities such as school uniforms, and to assist the elderly and homeless.

The SVP is an international Christian voluntary organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing practical assistance to those in need – irrespective of ideology, faith, ethnicity, age or gender.

Frequent fundraising events for drug and alcohol support groups, cancer research groups, the RNLI and Children in Need are held at the hall adjoining the church for which Father O Mahony does not charge.

Assessing value for money on local authority housing projects depends on the type of work being undertaken.

This was the view of Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne, in response to a Keys question from Onchan MHK Peter Karran.

Mr Karran wanted to know what steps were taken to ensure housing authorities got best value when refurbishment programmes were undertaken on their housing.

In the case of more minor projects, generally funded from the local authority’s own revenue budget, Mr Gawne said local authorities had to take responsibility themselves for balancing the requirements of cost, quality and value for money.

‘It is the authority which sources the labour and specifies the standards and finishes required,’ he said.

For higher value work, like re-roofing, this was funded usually from borrowing and this required the authority to go through a petitions process conforming to guidelines set out in legislation. The work would also be done in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure.

‘This ensures the work receives the same level of scrutiny as any government capital project,’ he said.

The concerns of people with disabilities will be heard during the redevelopment work on Douglas promenades, according to the Department of Infrastructure.

The department has met representatives of the Manx Blind Welfare Society (MBWS) and other groups after they raised safety concerns about the proposal for a ‘shared space’ scheme.

The project will deliver a new road layout on Douglas promenades featuring narrower traffic lanes and no traffic signals or zebra crossings, which is intended to slow traffic and increase driver awareness.

A spokesman for the Department of Infrastructure told iomtoday: ‘The Department is fully aware of the concerns that have been raised and will continue to take account of these issues as the proposals are developed in more detail.’

The views of visually impaired people will be sounded out in a survey organised by MBWS, he added.

MBWS chief executive officer Ian Cooil said: ‘I wrote to the Infrastructure Minister on behalf of the Society several weeks ago expressing concerns over the scheme, particularly in terms of safety.

‘His office has responded positively by promoting further discussion which will include canvassing the views of blind and visually impaired people.’

The DoI also gave assurances that the Douglas scheme will have extra safety features following the publication of a report that calls for all shared space schemes in the UK to be halted.

Based on a survey of 600 people, former Paralympian Lord Holmes, who is blind, described shared spaces as ‘dangerous and costly planning follies’.

‘Town centres are being turned into dangerous third-world traffic free-for-alls,’ he said. ‘Shared space is not a safe place.’

A sandstone grinding wheel has been taken from the gateway of a field in Sandygate - and the owner wants it back.

Police are appealing for information following the theft, but have not released any further details.

The owner of the stone is aware that whoever took it may not have realised it belonged to somebody and simply wishes to have it returned.

If you can help, contact Ramsey police station on 812234 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.

The island gains a raised profile in the rest of the world and it costs us nothing extra, that’s the view of the Chief Minister on the Small Countries Financial Management Programme.

The scheme, which helps small nations around the world, has been running for a number of years now and the latest one is about to be launched, welcoming 24 participants from as far afield as the Caribbean, Africa, the Pacific and Indian Ocean, for the start of the seventh round of lectures and seminars.

Allan Bell said the government budgeted around £3 million per year in its international development budget which funds the programme.

‘So it’s not costing us any more than it would anyway,’ he said.

‘This is just more targeted and offers the countries long term benefits. One of the benefits to us is the political kudos that we get out of it. It’s not just third world countries, but those that have been beset by war, for example,’ he said.

‘They go away with warm feelings for the Isle of Man and that helps to show us in a positive light around the world.’

The education programme started yesterday, (July 6) and aims to promote the growth and prosperity of small state economies by helping them to build their expertise in government financial administration. The plan is to give the participants a more powerful voice on the internationl stage by improving their negotiating skills and knowledge of best practice in areas such as rsk assessment, debt and cash managment and regulatory collaboration. In some instances the countries have populations of perhaps only 40 or 50,000 people and lack the expertise of a larger jurisdiction.

The government supports the SCMP in conjunction with the World Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Small States Network for Economic Development and Oxford University. Funding is provided from the International Development Committee of the Council of Ministers.

The island charity the Small Countries Financial Management Centre is responsible for the organisation of the programme which involves some of the world’s leading practitioners and professors.

The experts use real life case studies to demonstrate how other small countries can tackle common challenges.

Mr Bell was instrumental in launching the Small Countries Financial Management Programme in 2009 when he was Treasury Minister.

Mr Bell said: ‘The Isle of Man’s own economic journey from a declining tourist resort with increasing unemployment and emigration into a flourishing international business centre has really struck a chord with participants. We have experienced and overcome a number of challenges that are currently being faced by other small nations.

‘The programme provides small developing countries with something that was not previously available to them. In a constantly changing world, this example of friendship and mutual support is an encouraging reminder of what can be achieved when countries work together.’

Participants in the SCFMP, representing regulatory bodies, central banks and ministries of finance has started an intensive fortnight of study at the Nunnery in Douglas before switching to Oxford for the final week.

Three friends from the West Midlands made what is now their traditional two-yearly pilgrimage to the Isle of Man to cycle a chartiy lap of the TT course.

John Gidlow, Ian Mander and Stewart Anderson first made the trip in 2009 returning with their bicycles in 2011 and 2013 and have so far raised around £3,500 in total for the Joey Dunlop Foundation.

‘We thought we would do things in style this time so we are taking longer over the trip and staying in a guest house. Every time before, it’s been the late ferry and we’ve just spent a day here, cycled the lap then gone home again on the next boat,’ said John, who also brought his 1962 Triumph with him this time.

‘It’s two laps for me today. One human powered lap then one cheating, which is a bit easier,’ he said.

The intention had been to take part in the Joey Dunlop lap, originally planned to take place on July 2, but that has now been rescheduled for August 23, the middle Sunday between Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT race and practice week.

‘So we are here today for our own Joey Dunlop 15th anniversary lap,’ John said.

‘Last time we came in March 2013 there had been snow and and if we had been a day later we would have been stuck in it. On that occasion we came down the mountain and looked back at the illuminated sign and it said ‘Mountain Closed’.

‘We thought it might be better in July,’ he added, peering through the swirling mist and getting a fleeting glimpse of Braddan Church on the opposite side of the road.

All three men said they were delighted and privileged to contribute to the Joey Dunlop Foundation project which provides year-round holiday accommodation for any disabled visitors to the island. The house at Braddan Bridge is to be extended shortly to increase the accommodation it can offer.

‘Of course one of the great advantages of setting off slightly later in the day this time is that the pubs will be open. It’s very important for an athlete to stay hydrated along the route,’ he said.

The three expected to complete the route in just under three hours, hydration stops excepted.

Anyone wanting to donate can do so via Just Giving on the JDF website. See Facebook A Lap for Joey.

Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce announced several important appointments at its AGM.

Michael Crowe stepped down as president after two years in the role and handed over the chain of office to Micky Swindale.

Micky, who is an associate director of KPMG Isle of Man and Gibraltar, becomes the the first woman president of Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce.

During eight years as a Chamber member her roles have included chairman of the Employment and Training Committee, and the last two years as vice-president.

Chris Allen, general Manager at Triumph Actuation Systems (UK and IOM), takes over as vice-president, and is replaced as chairman of the Manufacturing and Technical Industries (MTI) Committee by David Hester, general Manager at Swagelok.

Stuart McCudden, Mike Shaw and Nick Verardi, all past presidents, retired from Chamber Council.

Jane Dellar, chief executive of Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce, congratulated the new president, vice-president and MTI committee chairman on their appointments, and expressed gratitude on behalf of Chamber to the outgoing president Michael Crowe for his ‘unwavering dedication’.

Michael, who before becoming president served as treasurer and vice-president, will remain on Chamber’s executive in the office of past president.

She also thanked the three retiring council members for their ‘many years of service to Chamber’ and from a personal perspective for ‘their support, wisdom and guidance’.

For more information about Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce go to www.iomchamber.org.im or call 674941.

Lord Digby Jones was the guest speaker at the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce gala dinner held at the Villa Marina.

Lord Jones is well known for his forthright attitude towards business and politics, and for his appearances on radio and television – most notably in ‘The New Troubleshooter’ BBC series.

Around 230 guests attended the gala dinner and listened to a speech by the former CBI director general and Minister of State for UK Trade & Investment in which he focused on the subject of globalisation.

The evening also marked the end of Michael Crowe’s two year tenure as Chamber President and he formally handed over the chain of office to Micky Swindale – associate director of KPMG Isle of Man – who becomes the the first woman president of Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce. (See page 46)

The evening marked the highpoint of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Isle of Man Chamber.

In his final speech as president, Mr Crowe thanked Lord Jones and guests, which included representatives from Wirral Chamber of Commerce for attending the evening.

He congratulated Mrs Swindale on her appointment as President and led a round of applause for Stuart McCudden, Mike Shaw and Nick Verardi, all past Presidents, who announced at the AGM that they are retiring from Chamber Council.

Mr Crowe thanked Chamber members past and present for their help and support during his term of office, and acknowledged the continued importance of Chamber working with Isle of Man Government and Chambers of Commerce in the north west of England. He then went on to outline his views on the economic challenges facing the Isle of Man.

Mr Crowe also paid tribute to former Chamber President Mike Henthorn who died in May this year, and said that the Island had lost ‘a giant of the business community’.

A minute’s silence was held at the Chamber AGM earlier in the day, and a raffle was held at the gala dinner to raise funds for Cruse Bereavement Care which is a charity Mr Henthorn had supported for many years.

In her speech, Jane Dellar, chief executive of Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce, also congratulated Mrs Swindale on her appointment, and then praised the contribution of Michael Crowe: ‘As our President for the last two years, and our Vice-President and Treasurer before that, he has been unwavering in his dedication.

‘He is decorous with a wonderfully wicked sense of humour, and I would like to thank him for all the work, much of it unseen, which he has done for Chamber – and for the support he has given me personally.

‘Fortunately, he remains on Chamber’s executive in the office of Past President, so we have a few more years of his wisdom to benefit from.’

Chamber wishes to thank Celton Manx, KPMG, PokerStars and Tynwald Mills as the main sponsors of the gala dinner event.

Paul Fielding and his wife Grace from Onchan thought they had struck a good deal when they booked a return vehicle crossing with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for £149 on the busy Tuesday immediately after TT.

Until, that is, they were told they could not buy a return crossing if their vehicle was only travelling one way.

Mr Fielding, who lives at West Drive, said: ‘We were going away to collect a trike so we wanted to travel to the UK with no vehicle then return with the trike.

‘When the booking clerk realised that, she said we had no option but to book a single crossing for the trike and a single crossing for two footpassengers, which was a lot more expensive.’

Moreover, Mr Fielding said he was told if they went ahead and booked the cheaper return but arrived with no vehicle, they would simply be surcharged to the level of two single crossings.

‘The way I see it, is we were booking a vehicle space on the boat and if we chose not to put a vehicle in it for one leg of the journey, that’s up to us,’ he said.

The original return fare was £146, whereas the two single fares worked out at £297, more than double. He said the staff had been polite and helpful and, while the company had since given a partial refund of around £60 this still left him out of pocket.

We asked the Steam Packet why Mr Fielding was not permitted to book the return crossing and only use a vehicle space one way.

We also asked if a traveller would be penalised if a vehicle broke down on the way to catch the return ferry and had to be left behind.

Steam Packet chief executive Mark Woodward said: ‘Travelling one way as foot passengers and returning with a trike does not comply with the terms of the special offer. Thus they were correctly charged one way as foot passengers and one way with the vehicle.

‘This is normal practice throughout the travel industry. Single fully flexible/refundable airfares can also be significantly more expensive than discounted special offer returns which inevitably have terms or restrictions attached – it is comparing apples with pears.

‘Our special offers for cars are designed to encourage additional return trips and they have proved very popular over the past 20 years.’

The Gough Law practice is understood to have become the first law firm in the island to achieve ‘Lexcel’ accreditation from the Law Society of England & Wales.

They are one of only 24 international law firms , outside of England and Wales, to be awarded the prestigious quality mark for excellence in legal practice management and client care.

The accreditation is designed specifically for the legal profession and assures that a practice excels in all aspects of business management,client care and risk.

Andrew Caplen, president of the Law Society of England & Wales said: ‘Gaining and maintaining Lexcel is no mean feat.

‘There are many facets of being a Lexcel accredited law firm, including client care. A commitment to customer service in today’s ever more competitive legal services market is vital. The scheme is a beacon of quality to clients and potential clients alike.’

In order to achieve the accreditation, the team has undergone a rigorous process of reviewing and creating new policies and procedures throughout and working them into the firm’s existing system in order to achieve the strict requirements of the international standard.

The new policies were put into practice for three months prior to an onsite assessment by a qualified Lexcel assessor.

During the two day assessment, all relevant documentation was reviewed, staff at all levels were interviewed and a random selection of working files was inspected.

The firm was recommended for the accreditation and received its certificate from the Law Society shortly thereafter.

Practice manager, Helen Gough said: ‘We are extremely proud of our achievement which will benefit both ourselves and our clients.

‘We strive to provide an excellent service and the Lexcel accreditation is formal recognition of our efforts.

‘It was an arduous process which all in all took about eight months to complete and was something that we could not have done without the involvement and support of our whole team.

‘I am confident that it will be of significant value to Gough Law and its clients going forward.’

The firm will be reassessed annually to ensure that the Lexcel quality standard is maintained.

Gough Law is a specialist firm of litigation advocates offering advice and assistance in the conduct of contentious legal disputes. Further information about the firm can be found at www.goughlaw.im

The Friends of Kewaigue School are holding a coffee and pamper morning tomorrow (Friday) at the Foot and Health Clinic, Lake Road, Douglas from 9.30am to 11.30am.

Owner Lisa Perrie and her team of therapists will be on hand to provide pampering treatments to guests while refreshments are served.

Peel City Women’s Institute will host a talk next Tuesday (July 14) at the Guild Room at the Methodist Church in Athol Street in Peel.

‘Diving to the Titanic’ with Shaun O’Connell start at 10am.

New faces are always welcome.

For more information contact Sybil Sharpe on 844454 or via email at asharpe@manx.net

The 30,000th playing of the last post commemorating the casualties of the First World War, is to be celebrated at fire stations around the island today (Thursday).

Members of the public are being invited to go along to their local fire station tonight where the island’s fire brigade will join firemen across the world to commemorate the official Last Post ceremony in Belgium.

All seven of the island’s fire stations in Douglas, Peel, Ramsey, Castletown, Port Erin, Laxey and Kirk Michael will mark the occasion with a reading of a commemorative text followed by a moment of silence. At each of the fire stations a buglar will play the Last Post, which is the traditional final salute to the fallen.

Events at Douglas fire station will be led by chief fire officer Kevin Groom, who will welcome guests at 6.45pm before the Last Post is sounded at 7pm. A similar schedule will be followed at the other six fire stations around the island.

Traditionally the Last Post has been played under the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres, every evening since 1928, with the exception of the war years 1940-44. This has always been played by fire station volunteers from around Ypres where the 30,000th ceremony takes place today.

The daily tribute at the Menin Gate is organised by the last Post Association as a way to remember the thousands of casualties from the First World War, including those people whose bodies were never recovered. The official ceremony in Belgium is to be streamed live on the internet. Further information can be found at www.gonewest.be/en/last-post/30000th-last-post

Today’s front page story reveals how, while the Treasury Minister has this week told us we must work longer to earn a pension, the brakes have been applied to mooted changes to pensions for civil service employees - with some proposals abandoned altogether.

Reporter Adrian Darbyshire tells readers: ‘Members of the government’s unified pension scheme have now been informed by the Public Sector Pensions Authority’s pensions committee that the July timescale for reaching agreement on reforms is ‘unrealistic’ and is being put back until the end of the year. And two key proposals have been removed altogether, with the approval of Council of Ministers – raising the normal minimum retirement age from 55 to 58 and taxing lump sums above £200,000.’

Pick up a copy of today’s paper to read the full story.

Elsewhere in the Indy, we’ve got pictures from this week’s amazing scenes in Laxey where a tram toppled over, news on how businessman Roy Tilleard has won a high court bid to overturn a planning decision on his Callow’s Yard development in Castletown, a story on how two students with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy took their wheelchairs cross-country in aid of charity and an obituary of Angela Drower, the granddaughter of the founder of Cunningham’s Camp.

There’s also lots of pictures from the Tynwald Garden Party, new from the courts and a Pride in Mann nomination for Katie Blackburn, who helps people with disabilities to ride horses.

Meanwhile, the sports pages have all the latest from the Tour de France, Southern 100, the island’s busy golf scene and a round-up of the Island Games.

Your Manx Independent is in shops now.