We were well and truly Wimbledoned again last week on BBC television – and also on BBC Radio 4.

The latter’s dramatic news from the centre court was that ‘Serena Williams has knocked out her sister Venus.’ It was important news for me.

Now I am able to understand why players prowl around the courts during games with their fists clenched in a threatening manner.

There was also a photograph in the Daily Telegraph of a pretty girl in the crowd with her mouth wide agape, just like Andy Murray’s. It was Mr Murray’s wife, Kim, if that tells us anything.

Incidentally about 10 years ago a player called Tim Henman carried all the hopes of winning Wimbledon for Britain, and his fans used to gather in their hundreds to watch his big matches on wide screen television on a place christened Henman Hill.

I wonder if next year we will see them gathered on Mount Murray.

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There have been no new crossword clues sent for this week so I will have rely again on one of those sent by Karl Campbell in Australia. It was in the cryptic in Woman’s Day as follows: ‘Act strangely after fellow displays unknown tailless creature’ (4 3).

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Grexit has featured constantly in the world’s news media and there is no need to explain what it is. Similarly I can see a French departure from the EU being called a Frexit and a British departure a Brexit?

Andorra is not a member of the EU but its currency is the Euro. If it jumps will this be an Andrexit?

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Last week I wanted to talk to somebody and I introduced myself by saying: ‘Hello. My name is Terry Cringle.” We shook hands and he looked at me with some interest before saying: “Hello. Aren’t you the Terry Cringle who used to be on Manx Radio?’

That’s what happens when the only programme you do these days is called ‘The History Man.’

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The DoI, the Department of Impracticality, still wants to move the horse trams on to the promenade walkway. This will mean that all the walkway strollers, the families with children and the people jogging or on bicycles or walking dogs, will have to be moved into the space occupied by the present tram tracks.

Then we really will have to shunt the cars out of the way - for health and safety reasons.

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In my Funnies File the Examiner reported in 1998 that the Ben-my-Chree had been ‘launched by Mrs Joan Gelling, wife of the Chief Minister. She cost £24 million.’

I didn’t know our chief ministers had that kind of money.

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Geoff Aston has sent me a list of ‘Different ways of looking at things.’ For instance: Two men are talking. One says: ‘I didn’t sleep with my wife before we got married. Did you?’ The other replies: ‘I’m not sure What was her maiden name?’

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Crossword: Manx cat

Twenty four finance officials from all over the world have given a huge thumbs-up to the island.

Delegates from the Caribbean, East Asia, the Pacific, Africa and the rest of the world have been taking part in the seventh annual two week programme run by the Small Countries Financial Management Centre (SCFMC).

They hold high ranking jobs in their respective countries often helping to hold the purse strings in governments or banks.

James Webb, from the Cook Islands in the middle of the Pacific, which has a population of 15,000 people, works as economic advisor in the budget and economic team in the government there.

He told Business News: ‘I’ve worked in Australia before in treasury and finance but being in a small place (like the Cook Islands) you can see the impact and you can do a lot more to contribute.’

Ironically he heard of the small countries programme through someone who once worked in the Isle of Man.

‘The financial services commissioner in the Cook Islands is from the Isle of Man, Paul Heckles. He used to be here in the Isle of Man in fiancial supervisory and he went across to the Cooks about 11 years ago. He has sent his staff across here before and he’s been trying to get me here for some time.’

He said he was enjoying the programme. ‘It’s about leadership, negotiation, general policy and management, a whole bunch of things. So I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how good the course has been so far.’

James, 31, said he has been to the British Isles before so is used to the weather and Mr Heckles had also offered some advice.

James said the weather in the Cook Islands is similar to nearby Hawaii.

He has been keeping in touch with his wife who is expecting their child later this year.

James was full of praise for the Isle of Man. He said: ‘I think it’s great. The thing is when you’re small and trying to find your place in the world you often downplay yourselves because you always see your problems.

‘I guess it’s a point to recognise that the Isle of Man has a lot to offer other small principalities in how to get past that barrier.

‘Places such as the Isle of Man have done very well in that particular strategy.

‘It may not work for everyone but at least they are sharing that strategy and that learning . They are connecting people and we are getting a lot of perspectives on things such as development of financial services.’

James said the Isle of Man programme was offering something that was not always available for small states around the world.

The Isle of Man is a recognised international finance centre with a high reputation for regulation and financial management.

programme

The Programme is spread over a fortnight, the first week in the island with teaching at the Nunnery and then the group transfers to Oxford for the final week. Its mixture of academic and practitioner expertise is a key part of its effectiveness.

Florinda Aru is from the South Pacific ocean nation of Vanuatu, which earlier this year was battered by the terrifying Cyclone Pam.

Florinda has a senior position working for the Central Bank in Vanuatu.

She said: ‘It’s been three months since the cyclone and we’ve been receiving a lot of aid.

‘The cyclone was very destructive but people are being very resilient and are picking up from where the cyclone left us.

‘Reconstruction is coming back very slowly though it will cost the country so much money to build back everything and especially because the country depended a lot on tourism.

‘A lot of the tourist resorts were damaged. As it is now we are slowly building back, but it will take a while.

biological clock

Florinda said her journey to the Isle of Man was long and arduous but it was well worth it even though she had to battle jet lag.

‘We are closer to Australia so it takes us three hours to get to Sydney. And then from Sydney to Singapore takes eight hours and then from Singapore to London it takes 13 hours.

‘My biological clock has been a bit messed up because there’s 10 hours difference with home. When it’s dark here it’s broad daylight back home.’

The long journey undertaken by officials on the trips to the island was touched upon by Lieutenant Governor Adam Wood during a reception at Government House.

globe

He told delegates: ‘We’ve been able to draw so many of you from across the globe.

‘This is an island characterised by the generosity of its people and their strong sense of community and their interest in charitable giving.

‘But actually in international development charities can take you so far but what is transformational is government. And it’s the role of governments, of finance ministries, central banks and others, and the policies and standards they aspire to and keep that can actually transform the economic progress in countries.

‘And so to attract people to this event future leaders in finance ministries and central banks and elsewhere is crucial to the assistance this island hopes to give others who are facing similar challenges of a small nation and seeking to see their own populations benefit.’

His Excellency said the reception was always something that he looked forward to.

He said he has visited many of the countries represented on the course.

Executive director Mark Shimmin said this year’s programme was going very well.

He hopes for those countries represented on the Programme, that it aims to improve the management of the financial sector to positively impact growth and poverty reduction, to improve the capacity of small countries to respond to international standards and regulation and to enhance the leadership skills of the participants so that they can both apply the tools effectively and engage and inspire others to follow their lead.

Chief Minister Allan Bell was at the reception at Government House.

Shortly after the reception he told Business News: ‘This is the seventh year and I don’t think it could have been envisaged (at the start) how successful it has become.

‘I’m told that we have had the 170th attendee this year.

‘So we are building up quite a following world wide in all sorts of influential places. I think the benefit of the scheme has been well proven.

‘We are building up quite an awareness of the Isle of Man .’

safe

The programme is also safe for a number of years yet.

Mr Bell said: ‘The Council of Ministers has just agreed to extend the funding for a few more years so it is very secure and we want to build on that.

‘The main aim is to help small countries learn from our experience in dealing with financial regulation, dealing with the international community. We have had a tough learning experience over the past 30 years and it is quite appropriate that we pass on the benefit of that experience.

‘ We are also building up quite a good number of brownie points with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with their politicians in Westminster who are now aware of it and see the Isle of Man in a different light altogether to the old hackneyed ‘‘tax haven’’ label.

‘And seeing the Isle of Man in a very different light, being proactive and helping small countries to develop.

‘So they see us as the good guys for once.’

This year’s programme has been packed with information.

Phajo Dorjee from Bhutan, located in the Himalayas , provided perhaps the most striking look at the reception. He was in his national dress called the Gho. He works for the Central Bank in Bhutan and said this was how he normally dressed to go to the office.

The finance officials from across the world boarded their bus safe in the knowledge they have new friends in the Isle of Man.

The president of Tynwald has paid tribute to former MLC and MHK for Middle Arnold Callin who had died at the age of 90.

Mr Callin, who held two Ministerial posts during his long political career, passed away peacefully at the Marathon Court nursing home in Douglas on June 29.

His funeral service took place last Friday at St Peter’s Church, Onchan.

Born in 1924 at Shenharra Farm near St John’s and educated at Peel Clothworkers School, Arnold Alured Callin saw service with the Royal Navy during the Second World War in the Persian Gulf and seven months on a Polish destroyer.

After the war he became a director WH Chapman Ltd before moving in 1953 to Isle of Man Farmers Ltd where he was general manager and company secretary until his retirement in 1986.

He moved to Onchan in 1951 following his marriage.

Mr Callin was first elected to Onchan Village Commissioners aged 30 in November 1954 and was chairman of the commissioners on five occasions.

In 1976 he was elected to the House of Keys as member for Middle, which at that time included Onchan, and was elevated to LegCo in 1985.

Before retiring from politics in 1995, he was Minister for Highways, Ports and Properties and for Home Affairs.

Reunited with his late wife Joan and granddaughter Rebekah, he leave two daughters, two sons in law and four grandchildren.

Tynwald president Clare Christian served with Mr Callin on the Health Services Board when she was first elected in 1980. She said: ‘He was very committed, very conscientious. Those in Tynwald will remember him very well and recognise the considerable contribution he made.’

The owner of an unsightly property in Douglas has been given an ultimatum after being taken to court by Douglas council.

Councillor Richie McNicholl, who is chairman of the council’s Environmental Services Committee, said the council had been locked in a long standing dispute over the state of Braddan Lodge on Quarterbridge Road.

‘The background is that an extension was started off on the property. There was a dispute over the extension and the building work ground to a halt. There was no one living there,’ he said.

‘There was a dispute with the planners and nothing happened there for years. Neighbours were complaining to the council because the building work was incomplete and things deteriorated.

‘We’ve been engaged in this for years and taken the owner to court a few times.’

But Councillor McNicholl said a recent court judgment had found in the council’s favour and now the owner has to take remedial action and sort out the problem at the house and make the building good again.

Councillor McNicholl said there was some progress on a number of other houses around the capital which had featured on the council’s list of dilapidated properties.

A house on Prince’s Street which was a long standing feature on the list had had some boarding up work done on a rear offshoot, complying with what had been requested.

Work had also been done on a house in Brighton Terrace, he said, which included removal of scaffolding at the front and painting of a door and windowsill, but he added there was more work that needed addressing behind the property where it was overlooked by residents from Kensington Road.

Councillor McNicholl said he was also hopeful of some progress soon with two properties on South Quay in Douglas.

Fire crews last night dealt with a blaze that started when a washing machine began to leak.

At about 9.45pm crews from Castletown were called to a property on the Ballamodha Straight near Ballasalla.

The house was full of smoke and the home owner said a washing machine was on fire.

Firefighters found a damaged four-way extension socket into which the washing machine was plugged.

The washing machine had developed a leak, which was spraying water onto the electrical extension socket causing it to short out and develop into a small fire.

The extension cable was removed from the house and fire crews told the home owner to get advice from a qualified electrician to check.

Crews remained on scene for about 20 minutes.

The deal to ditch the Isle of Man’s loss-making Crown post offices took a step further today.

Isle of Man Post Office has signed the contract with Mannin Retail Ltd to provide postal services in central Douglas, starting in September of this year.

It means the capital will lose its Crown post office, which entailed greater costs, as the town centre facility becomes a sub-post office.

In Ramsey, where the decision to downgrade the post office led to protests at the beginning of the year, a consortium of interested people has got together to form Ramsey Courthouse Ltd. It is still in negotiations with post chiefs about taking over responsibility for running the post office.

Again, it will become a sub post office.

The move to close the Crown post offices, which are run directly by the Post Office rather than subcontracted, came to save money.

The Post Office incurs losses of £750,000 a year with its directly-staffed Ramsey and Regent Street post offices accounting for over two thirds of this loss.

Post Office bosses say switching to sub-post offices would reduce its operating losses by £360,000 a year.

The original plan had been to move post office facilities into nearby Spar shops run by Mannin Retail. However, under the Ramsey Courthouse Ltd proposals, the post office will stay in the Courthouse building in Ramsey.

Mannin Retail, which operates the Spar in the island, already run five post offices around the island. Mannin Retail will take over the running of the Regent Street post office in early September. The Douglas post office will remain in the Regent Street building for the short term, continuing to offer the full range of postal services whilst preparations are made for a new shared store in central Douglas.

This arrangement allows the Regent Street building to continue to be occupied while Isle of Man Post Office considers plans for the redevelopment of the property.

To improve service to customers Mannin Retail will extend opening hours from 8.45am to 5.45pm on weekdays, opening an extra 15 minutes at each end of the day.

Also, as part of a trial to extend weekend opening hours, the centrally based post office will remain open until 4pm on Saturdays. Currently Regent Street Post Office closes at 12.30pm.

Graham Cregeen MHK, Chairman of Isle of Man Post Office said: ‘We are confident that the existing service levels will be maintained and we are particularly pleased with the improved opening hours which are even better for our customers. With a number of our employees having chosen to take up positions with Mannin Retail, we are confident this transition will be as smooth as possible for our customers.’

Peter Whittaker, managing director of Mannin Retail Ltd, said: ‘Continuity is key. There will be no fundamental changes, but we aim to improve the post office experience for customers by applying our proven standards as a convenience chain to the comprehensive services on offer.’

A display showing the extreme measures Castletown must take to defend itself from future flooding is at the Civic Centre.

They include erecting walls between the inner harbour area and Victoria Road and Hope Street and rock armour on the beach by the promenade.

The recommendations, made by environmental company JBA consultants, have been drawn up following a public meeting about flooding in town in February.

The town has suffered from severe flooding in the past, most recently in January 2014, [VIDEO] when high tides and severe storm surges led to the flooding of many houses in the harbour area – particularly Hope Street - which were left under several feet of water, causing misery for many householders.

Afterwards, town MHK Richard Ronan called on government to take urgent action to repair and strengthen the island’s sea defences. He said: ‘Castletown and the south eastern coastline of the island clearly need much stronger sea defences, those people living in homes that have flooded need easy access to domestic and business flood water barrier systems, and an element of instruction and ongoing updating in preparing for such issues.’

On Monday, the town’s authority discussed the recommendations.

Chairman Alwyn Collister said: ‘I do not like big stones on the beach.’

He added: ‘There’s a wall to be built opposite the brewery and water tight seals to stop the water going into Victoria Road also a wall on the other side.’ James Quine asked: ‘Won’t water come up through the drains?’

But he was told flaps would stop this happening.

Kevin Weir said: ‘After the public meeting they have come back with plans. It’s all going to cost an awful lot of money, we have people looking at it, it can only be a benefit for Castletown.’

Feedback from the public on the proposals is requested before a further meeting between the authority, Department of Infrastructure and JBA on July 23

A teenager from Merseyside has appeared in court facing two heroin-related charges.

Kyle David Roscoe, aged 18, whose address was given in court as no fixed abode, entered a ‘no plea’ response to the charges.

He has been charged with possessing 20 plastic wraps of heroin with intent to supply on July 13, unlawfully supplying heroin worth around £14,000 between December 31, 2014 and July 14, 2015, and two counts of theft on July 11.

Mr Roscoe will be committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery for the alleged supplying offences while the two charges of theft will be dealt with at the summary court.

The case has been adjourned until July 23.

If a bit of Soul and classic blues is your thing, then you may want to get yourself down to the Amber Bar on Saturday night. The Douglas venue plays host to four-piece outfit Borderline.

The band consists of Heinrich Koop, Keith Randall, Alan Presford and Nigel Johnson and play a set that mixes rhythm ‘n’ blues, 50s rockabilly, New Orleans r‘n’b, psychobilly, country and western swing, 60s soul, Chicago blues, Texas jump, swamp blues and Delta blues. Their musical influences include Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Robert Cray, Albert King, BB King, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Jerry Lee Lewis, Moon Mullican, Little Walter, Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker and Ray Charles.

The doors for this show open at 8pm with the band hitting the stage from around 9pm. The band’s Facebook can be found atfacebook.com/pages/Borderline/578145575594045

Venturing across the road from Amber sees classic rock covers band Penthouse Dive make another of their regular appearances at Jak’s Bar.

The three-piece band that features Mark Riley on guitar/vocals, Mark Cleator on bass and Mark Brabbs on drums play a set that features covers from the likes of ZZ Top, Foo Fighters, The Police and Thin Lizzy among many others. For more information on the band and any of their forthcoming shows, visit facebook.com/groups/penthousedive

As reported in this very column a few weeks back, the long-time and hugely popular Manx Pink Floyd tribute band Pigs On The Wing have announced a show due to take place at The Gaiety Theatre.

The event will take place during Grand Prix week on Thursday, August 27, and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band started way back in 1995 by vocalist/guitarist Pete Williamson and guitarist James Craig when they were classmates at the QEII High School in Peel.

Expect the classics, from the likes of Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Another Brick In The Wall and Shine On You Crazy Diamond among many others, as the band takes you on a two-hour journey through the extensive Pink Floyd back catalogue.

Tickets are now on sale and priced at £15. They can be bought directly from the box office at The Gaiety Theatre or online via villagaiety.ticketsolve.com

For more information on the band visit facebook.com/pages/Pigs-On-The-Wing

More next week!

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Steve Leach brings the latest rumblings, murmurings, news and views on forthcoming events in and around the island’s music scene. Help support the scene by emailing leachsteve@hotmail.com

A driver had to be cut out of a car after an accident this afternoon in Ballaugh.

Emergency services were called at about 2.10pm to the main road in the village.

The crash involved a Renault van and a Vauxhall Signum car whose driver was inside the vehicle.

Kirk Michael firefighters stabilised the vehicles while the officer in charge of the Ramsey crew liaised with the ambulance service to plan the best course of action.

The ambulance crew gave medical attention to the driver while the Ramsey crew, using hydraulic cutting equipment, removed the roof of the vehicle.

Once removed from the vehicle the driver was placed in the ambulance to be transferred to Noble’s Hospital.

The driver of the van suffered minor arm injuries, which were tended to by ambulance staff on scene.

Duty officer Colin Kirkham said: ‘The incident showed again how well the fire and rescue service, police and ambulance service work together when faced with incidents that require the attendance of all.

‘We regularly have joined up training exercises which allows all personnel to appreciate the needs of each of the services when faced with live incidents.’

Young motorists will be given tips on improving their driving skills in Castletown tomorrow (Friday).

Castle Rushen High School car park will host the latest in the series of events called ‘Manx Motor Meet’, which taken place at a number of other venues in the past.

It takes place between 7pm and 9.30pm. Participants will hear useful tips and guidance, learn how to change a wheel safely and to enter competitions. There will also be free refreshments, a demonstration by the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service and an opportunity to sit in the passenger seat during a special auto test.

The event is a joint initiative involving the police, the government’s youth services, Manx Auto Sport and a radio station. The aim is to encourage safer driving and support efforts to cut the number of casualties and serious incidents on the roads.

Ramsey RNLI lifeboat crew will be showing off their lifesaving skills at the station’s annual lifeboat day this Saturday.

As usual, the event will be centred in the area around Ramsey RNLI lifeboat station on South Promenade in the town.

Ramsey Lifeboat Day is an opportunity to find out more about the town’s lifeboat, catch up with its volunteers, have some fun and raise funds for the RNLI’s lifesaving work.

Once again Douglas’s lifeboat will be joining Ramsey’s lifeboat.

Lifeboat crew will be on hand to answer questions, assisted by their families, friends and supporters, who all look forward to welcoming visitors from 11.30am to late afternoon for a family day out.

The day will start with a performance by the Northern Spirit Baton Twirlers and the launch of Ramsey Lifeboat. Ramsey Town Band will provide music from noon onwards. Stormy Stan, RNLI mascot, will be on hand throughout the day.

As always there will be plenty to see and do including Ramsey Fire and Rescue Service demonstrating their life-saving skills, excitement with the Venture Centre, RNLI sea safety advice, an opportunity to try out the Manx Model Boat Club’s ‘Av A Go’ radio--controlled model boats, a tombola, a home-made cake stall organised by the Ramsey RNLI Shop volunteers, refreshments, candy floss and an array of other stalls.

Simultaneously, and in support of Ramsey Lifeboat Day, Kayak Fishing Isle of Man, in association with Ramsey Outdoors and Rods ’n’ Reels, are running a kayak fishing competition in Ramsey Bay from 10.30am.

The Ramsey Ladies’ Lifeboat Guild, which has been raising funds for the RNLI charity since 1913, will also be in action on the day with its annual RNLI street collection and flag day.

Saturday will see the 52nd annual running of the World Championship Viking Longboat Races in Peel, with 65 teams competing for the title.

The event is due to start at 11am with the running order being mens’ teams followed by the ladies’ and finally all the mixed teams.

Last year’s winners in each of the main categories were Farghers Lift Men, Central Young Farmers Ladies and Raven Raiders.

The event is held in Association with Royal London 360, who have been the main sponsors of the event since the early 2000s.

All teams have a nominated Manx charity with the top three teams in the main event winning £500, £250 and £150 going to their respected charity.

Roads close around the Tongue and Weather Glass Corner at 10.30am and are due to reopen no later than 5pm.

The Longboat Races have seen a variety of characters and teams slugging it out for the winning prize.

This year there will be 650 rowers split into 65 teams taking part.

They must row from the harbour mouth to a buoy in the bay and back as fast as possible, though depending on the weather, the route can be changed.

The championship title itself is decided on handicap, whereby the fastest teams each have a handicap imposed, which is calculated on the quickest times recorded last year.

The event has become a massive favourite in the Peel social calendar as well as raising loads for charity with thousands of people gathering at the harbour side and outside the quayside pubs.

Many of the teams dress up for the event and amuse the crowds with Viking hats, cow masks, etc.

For more information visit the Peel Viking Longboats Facebook page www.facebook.com/PeelVikingLongboats

For the results and pictures of the action see next week’s Isle of Man Examiner, in shops Tuesday.

Sixth form students, business mentors, Government partners and interested students gathered at the Manx ICT Association’s offices at The Forum in Douglas to celebrate a successful first year for the IT Career Academy.

The Academy is an initiative that has been backed by the Department of Economic Development and Department of Education and Children. Students from Castle Rushen High School, QE2 High School and Ramsey Grammar School have enhanced their A Level Computing study with Career Academy membership.

This has already provided them with a visit to LinkedIn’s HQ in London, masterclasses from sector experts within their A Level lessons and regular support from business mentors in their place of work.

It was also announced at the event that the Isle of Man’s IT Career Academy programme is also changing its name to ‘Career Ready, IOM’ in line with its parent organisation based in London. The approach has been so successful that the whole charitable organisation is developing to embrace a wider student intake.

Graham Cregeen MHK, the political Member with responsibility for Employment and Skills in the Department of Economic Development said: ‘The Academy provides a great opportunity for the students to rapidly develop their employability skills and experience, which will be key to their success when making job applications.

‘It is vital that we can provide a workforce with the relevant IT skills.

‘Government’s Vision2020 strategy forecast that our economy is expected to grow further over the next few years driven by the creation of hundreds of new jobs to work in the e-business sector, which is expected to represent around a quarter of our economy by 2020.’

Academy students will soon be going out on paid internships during the Summer holidays.

This part of the programme is unique because it provides an extended opportunity for employers to use the developing IT skills of students to complete or support a piece of work.

They also have the opportunity to see the students in the workplace and assess their readiness to enter the sector.

Jessica Swales, student Member of the IT Academy Board said: ‘When I started this programme I was really shy and I would never have believed that I could stand up here and talk confidently to all of you this evening.

‘I would strongly recommend Career Ready to Year 11 students who are considering it because it can dramatically improve your employability level whilst supporting your A level success.’

Graham Kinrade, Coordinating Adviser ICT, Department of Education and Children said: ‘The Department of Education and Children are very pleased to be involved in this exciting initiative that aims to support students wishing to enter the rapidly growing IT Sector on the island.

‘It is excellent to see such positive engagement and we look forward to witnessing the continued success of the Academy.

Isle of Man Friends of the Earth will stage a family cycle day based in Douglas on Sunday.

Participants are invited to gather at 10.30am for an 11am start at the Bottleneck car park, near the Sea Terminal.

There are three different ways to take part: for children, and anyone else who’d like to support them, there’ll be a fun ride to the War Memorial and back; for mountainbikers, the ride will head to Ard Jerkyll Tearooms, via Archallagan Plantation for some off-road fun; road-riders are also invited to ride to Ard Jerkyll. The aim will be to arrive at roughly the same time as the mountainbikers.

IoM FoE’s Cat Turner said: ‘The event’s free to all, and it could be the perfect way to meet some new friends and find out more about biking on the island.’

For more information, email iomfoe@manx.net, see IoMFoE’s Facebook Event page or drop into the Green Centre on Wednesday or Saturday for details.

A LibVan MHK is urging Tynwald members to take the lead – and pay for their government parking spaces.

Douglas South MHK Kate Beecroft has tabled a motion for next week’s Tynwald sitting calling for all MHKs and MLCs to pay for their parking in the reserved car park in Tynwald from the start of the next parliamentary session.

Mrs Beecroft told iomtoday: ‘We are told that we are all in this together and yet Tynwald as a whole is not making a real contribution. I just think it’s wrong.

‘We are not talking about huge sums to charge for car parking but we will be leading by example.’

Mrs Beecroft said she would happily pay for the convenience and security of using a reserved parking space.

‘It might not raise a lot of money but if we looking at departments to save £10K then you have to consider everything,’ she said. ‘I certainly hope the majority of members would not have a problem - they should be paying.’

The Manx Independent and iomtoday reported last month that senior civil servants have slammed the brakes on plans to end free reserved space parking in central Douglas for government staff and Tynwald members.

A £275-a-year fee for an allocated parking space in the central Douglas disc zone was to have been brought in from April 1 as part of a package of measures to raise money for the cash-strapped Department of Infrastructure.

But following an internal consultation, a working group of Cabinet Office and DoI officers reported back to Ministers to say the issue was more complicated than first thought – and the plan would be put on hold pending a further review.

The internal consultation with Tynwald members, the judiciary and public servants carried out over four weeks in January and February attracted 126 responses. Some suggested there are anomalies in the current system for allocating spaces, with some staff having spaces they don’t use and others not having a space when they need one.

There were also concerns that charging would penalise front-line staff such as health workers – while others said it was not fair staff would have to pay to park in central Douglas when they would not have to if their office was just down the road out of town.

The draft policy recognised current provision is neither ‘fair nor defensible’.

Douglas Council currently has 53 empty council properties despite a 367-strong waiting list, though this compares favourably to last year (462) and 502 in 2014.

Councillors were told the vacancies had arisen mainly because some tenants had transferred to the new Hazel Court sheltered housing complex vacating a number of larger family houses,

However, these will need money spending on them before they can be relet. An ideal managable level of empty properties was 20, councillors heard, whereas the current level of 54 made it ‘very difficult ever to catch up’.

Councillor Betty Quirk pointed out money was being lost while ever the properties were empty and Councillor John Faragher asked for a list of empty properties and the reasons for this.

Housing committee vice chairman Carol Malarkey said the major limiting factor on making the houses rentable again was lack of money. She said a team of three worked on the properties but some needed extensive work which could not always be done while they were occupied.

An MHK who quit his cabinet post in protest at the pace of change in government is calling for an emergency Tynwald debate on pension reform.

Former Policy and Reform Minister Chris Robertshaw says he is astonished that plans to raise the minimum retirement age for public sector staff to 58 were dropped – on the same day it was announced the rest of us will have to work longer to collect our state pension.

The Douglas East MHK told iomtoday: ‘More and more people are taking the view that government is working for government instead of for the people.

‘The government is trying to deal with some really difficult issues relating to the state pension. On the same day of the announcement we become aware that the Public Sector Pensions Authority had indicated they were content that the early retirement age remains at 55.’

Mr Robertshaw’s emergency motion calls for the PSPA’s joint working party to ‘review and reconsider its position regarding the early retirement age, and to report back to the October 2015 Tynwald.’

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare announced last week he would be seeking Tynwald support for a package of measures aimed at reforming the ‘unsustainable’ state pension and welfare system.

These include a new £180-a-week flat-rate pension, phasing out the Manx pension supplement, raising the retirement age, a £25,000 cap on benefits and replacing working age benefits with a single Manx benefit. Under the plans someone born today would have to work until they are 74.

But that same day it emerged a joint statement had been issued by the employer and staff side representatives of the PSPA’s pensions committee - chaired by John Shimmin, who replaced Mr Robertshaw as Minister for Policy and Reform.

This announced that the July timescale for reaching agreement on public sector pension reforms is ‘unrealistic’ and is being put back until the end of the year.

And it revealed 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.

The committee, which is made up of employer and staff side representatives, claimed the cost savings were ‘only marginal compared to their contentiousness and potential to obstruct progress towards a more sustainable scheme’.

But Mr Robertshaw says it is about perception of fairness in the short term - and these measures will produce savings in the long term.

The public sector pension scheme is an unfunded ‘pay as you go’ scheme. There’s no pot of money set aside or invested to pay for an indidual’s pension. Instead, contributions of existing members and the employer paying for the pensions of those who have retired.

The problem is that with government shrinking and more people taking early retirement or opting to transfer their pension entitlements, more money is going out than is being paid in. The shortfall between expenditure and income, picked up by the taxpayer, has risen from £10.7m a decade ago to an estimated £30.7m this financial year.

In the last financial year alone, £10.5m has been paid out in lump sums to government or ex-government employees. The biggest lump sum was more than £420,000.

The number of people out of work at the end of June was exactly the same as at the end of May.

There were 768 people registered.

However, the drop from 12 months earlier was 150, making it the lowest June unemployment figure in the Isle of Man for seven years. It’s 304 fewer than two years ago, when the jobless figure peaked.

During June this year 148 people signed on the register and 148 signed off.

The unemployment rate, the proportion of the economically active population registered as unemployed, is 1.7 per cent.

That’s a figure that compares well internationally. The UK’s equivalent was 5.6 per cent in May. The June figure has not yet been published.

In the USA it’s 5.3 per cent; Germany 4.7; Republic of Ireland 9.7; Spain 23.8; Greece 25.6.

During June 674 vacancies were notified to the Job Centre in Douglas. At the end of the month there were still 421 vacant positions.

However, as usual, a look deeper into the statistics reveals a big skills gap.

There were 55 vacancies in health at the end of the month but just 17 people with health qualifications out of work.

E-gaming, which has continued to grow, has 17 vacancies, but there are only four with a background in that industry looking for work.

But for people who’ve worked in construction, the situation looks poor. There were 112 of them looking for work at the end of the month and only 27 vacancies available.

The number out of work in June 1995 was 1,390.

The figures include 14 people who need work permits, 35 people under 18 and 50 who are signing on for credits only.

People aged under 18 and not claiming benefit are not included. There were 43 of them.

You can read this week’s Isle of Man Courier here.

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