It took almost three years, three reports and no fewer than three consultations to redraw the island’s political map.

And the lawyer who chaired the Boundary Review Commission has expressed dismay that only now, just before the general election, that some voters say they didn’t know the changes had been made.

It’s the new constituency of Garff, which now includes Howstrake and Lakeside, which were formerly in Onchan, that has prompted the biggest opposition.

But Boundary Review Committee chairman Sally Bolton said residents in Onchan and Garff had plenty of opportunity to put forward their views.

She said: ‘I’m surprised and somewhat disappointed. It’s not for want of trying. We made every effort to engage as many people as we could in the changes.

‘It’s been a privilege to be part of this. Even if people don’t agree with what we have done, we have set a template which I can’t see they can diverge from. There are two prinicples – equal numbers of members in each constituency and constituencies of roughly the same size. I don’t see how you could argue against that.’

It took nearly three years, with three reports and consultations at each stage.

Ms Bolton pointed out that it was not part of the Boundary Review Committee’s remit to choose the names for the new constituencies. Working titles were given to the new constituencies but the names were subject to a consultation by the Chief Secretary’s Office, to which there were 33 responses.

Ultimately it was down to Tynwald to decide the names of the new constituencies and Ms Bolton said there was nothing stopping Tynwald changing the names in the future.

The Boundary Review Committee was appointed to review the number and boundaries of the Keys constituencies, following a Tynwald vote in July 2010.

In a first consultation, held between mid-January 2011 and the end of March that year, the public was asked to give their views on changes to existing boundaries, the size of constituencies and number of members per constituency.

A first report was submitted to Tynwald in December 2011. The court approved the principle that each constituency should return an equal number of members, that constituencies should be of an equivalent size and that no constituency should exceed 15 per cent above or below the average population figure.

Further public consultation took place between January and June 2012 and the committee then recommended to Tynwald in its second interim report that there should be 12 constituencies each returning two MHKs. This recommendation was approved in October 2012 and the Committee was directed to complete its work by defining the boundaries of the new-look constituencies.

Following the third and final report, the June 2013 sitting of Tynwald supported a motion to redraw the island’s political map and end decades of inequality amongst voters in elections to the Keys.

Members agreed a new structure of 12 equal constituencies – each represented by two MHKs and with an average population of around 7,000 – to replace the traditional mixture of three, two and one seat constituencies which has long been criticised as unfair and undemocratic.

Under initial proposals, Birch Hill estate in Onchan would have been split between two constituencies.

But following lobbying by Tynwald members and commissioners, the boundary committee revised its plans with the whole of Birch Hill staying in Onchan and, instead, 2,141 residents in Howstrake including Lakeside Gardens moving from Onchan into Garff constituency.

Following the work of the Boundary Review Committee further views were sought by the Chief Secretary’s Office on the constituency names before the drafting of legislation to bring them into effect.

While the public had previously been asked to put forward their views concerning constituency names, the Chief Secretary’s Office invited formal submissions on this between September and October 2013.

The working title for Garff had been ‘East’ while that of Onchan had been ‘Onchan Urban’.

The name of Garff received most support during the consultation but other suggestions were that it should become ‘Garff and Onchan’. ‘Eastern Parishes’, the Manx name of ‘Garff’ or ‘Onchan Howstrake’.

Treasury officials have denied that figures given for the island’s rate of inflation are misleading.

The Federation of International Employers accused the Manx government of getting the figures for the Retail Price Index ‘seriously wrong’ - and claims this could cost island-based companies dear.

Robin E.J Chater, the Federation’s secretary-general said: ‘The latest government statistical agency to get their statistics seriously wrong is the UK Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man.

‘The error could cost companies operating on the island a considerable amount - as it involves the Retail Price Index.

‘The latest figure for August 2016 gives the annual rate as 4.0 per cent, or 4.6 per cent excluding housing. This compares to a consumer price index that is much lower at -0.5 per cent for the same period.

‘However, when calculated using the official weights for each item in the constituent ‘shopping basket’ the annual rate should be +0.33 per cent whilst the rate without housing would be even lower, not higher.

‘The difference between the correct figure and the published “official” figure is 3.67 per cent. If translated into a cost of living payroll adjustment for a typical 100-person company it would amount to a needless additional cost of over £130,000.’

Mr Chater said the Federation had advised the Manx government to consult HM Treasury to get some guidance. ‘However, officials are usually angry and defensive when we point out their mistakes (which we frequently do),’ he added.

A government spokesman said: ‘It is a presentational issue, the numbers are not wrong.

‘The column being referred to is the “12-month change” column of the CPI/RPI report. This shows the contribution to the overall rate of inflation derived from each sub category and is intended to show how much of the 4 per cent overall figure comes from say food or travel.

‘The actual rate of inflation within each category is not shown and therefore the calculation as made by Mr Chater cannot be done from the information provided.’

The spokesman said that from next month, the tablulated summary for the rate of inflation will be altered with the heading for the 12 month change column altered to “Contribution to all items 12 months percentage change” to avoid any further confusion.

Inflation is measured by both the Retail Price Index and the Consumer Price Index. Each take a basket of goods – food, clothes, petrol - looking at what they cost last year, looking at what they cost now, and finding the proportional difference. RPI always gives a bigger figure for inflation than the CPI.

Treasury chiefs have dismissed an election candidate’s claims that the island could go bankrupt in four years.

The claims were made by Douglas Central candidate Richard Falk.

He said: ‘Once the cash reserve is at zero — which it will be very soon — we are effectively insolvent. If we spend the National Insurance fund, we can stave off bankruptcy for a few more years but will have no way of paying future pensions.’

But financial controller at the Treasury Caldric Randall said that at the budgeted levels of expenditure the reserves can cover the anticipated requirement ‘for many years’ and if the budgeted assumptions hold would be able to do so ‘for many years’.

In 2015/16, due to a number of contributing factors, there was actually a net increase in the externally invested reserves, he said.

Last year’s budget had assumed that we would expend £78m from our reserves in addition to £27m from the capital account, giving a grand total of £106m being spent from reserves.

The budget also anticipated reserve income at £29m. This meant that the net impact would have been a reduction in reserves of £77m.

A medium term financial strategy was put in place which would see reliance on reserves reducing over time from £109m in 2016-17 to £54m by 2021-22.

But the actual position for 2015/16 was much better than anticipated due to a higher level of investment income and a lower capital spend.

Expenditure from the National Insurance Investment Account was £16m and from other reserves was £66m.

The investment income generated on the National Insurance Investment Account was £57m and on the other reserves £41m.

There was a net contribution to the capital fund of £2m.

This meant that the actual impact on reserves, excluding the MUA repayment Fund and the National Insurance Investment Account, was a decrease of £25m.

The National Insurance Investment Account increased by £41m.

Market value of externally managed funds and proportion held in cash as at the end of March this year was £1,458,833,000.

Other candidates standing in Douglas Central are Captain Kurt Buchholz, Ann Corlett, Sara Hackman, Michelle Inglis and Chris Thomas.

A group of 15 cyclists will attempt to ride as many laps as possible round the TT Course from midday on Saturday until midday on Sunday.

Many of them are riding to raise money for charities.

The cyclists come from the UK and many of them are riding in pairs, but there are two veteran men solo cyclists and Kirstie Harper, the first woman to ever attempt the challenge solo.

The 2016 24hr challenge builds on the success of last year’s Half Bike Heroes challenge when four men rode their folding bicycles around the Mountain Course for 24 hours. They raised over £10,190.34 for the Brain Tumour Charity.

The 37.73-mile route is set to be busy on Saturday evening as former world trials champion Dougie Lampkin is scheduled to undertake his wheelie challenge between 5pm and 8.30pm.

Employees from international eGaming company Newfield have raised thousands of pounds for charity after enduring the gruelling Toughmann Challenge.

Alexandria Smith, Victoria Creasey, Sam Jones and Hollie McGowan took on the 10-kilometre course and its 25 obstacles to raise money for the Hyperbaric Chamber, facing steep climbs, an ice bath and plenty of mud.

Through a JustGiving page and donations from colleagues, family and friends they collected £2,421.70. Entry fees for the event, held in Ballaugh last month, were paid for by Newfield.

The Hyperbaric Chamber, which uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat conditions like decompression sickness and aid recovery from injury, was chosen by employees at Newfield as it its charity of the year for 2016. The Toughmann Challenge was just one of a series of events which will raise money for the Chamber during the year.

Newfield director Mark Reynolds said: ‘Toughmann is a test of physical and mental strength which attracts hundreds of competitors every year. Just completing the course is an accomplishment, and Alex, Victoria, Sam and Hollie achieved that as well as raising an amazing amount of money for the Hyperbaric Chamber.

‘I’d like to congratulate all four for their dedication and determination, and thank everyone who supported them by making donations.

The money will make a real difference in supporting this important charity continue to offer its vital services.’

Newfield is committed to the Isle of Man, supporting events and sports through sponsorship and encouraging staff to get involved in community activities.

Another request has been made for a candidate to fill the vacant seat on the board of Port Erin Commissioners.

The authority is one commissioner down after the local authority elections in April when not enough candidates came forward.

Clerk Jason Roberts told commissioners if they were considering reducing the board size, the local government unit would accept them continuing one member down.

Gerry Callister proposed they request nominations and, if received, hold a by-election. He was seconded by Phil Crellin and supported by the majority of the board.

Jurby Country Fayre takes place on Saturday, 1pm to 4pm at Jurby Parish Hall.

Vegetables, home-made cakes and jams will be on sale and there will be bric-a-brac and books for sale and a raffle.

Tables are available at £5 - call Grace on 492585.

The event is organised by the Jurby Endowments Committee alongside Jurby Parish Commissioners to raise funds which are then distributed to parishioners to help with heating costs.

The Jurby Best Gardens Competition winners will be awarded their prizes at 3.30pm.

Emergency services in the island are to be kitted out with oxygen masks designed for animals.

The island’s branch of charity Paws For Therapy have raised funds for the masks and are now just awaiting their arrival from the USA.

The charity arranges for suitably assessed dogs to carry out therapeutic visits to hospices, nursing, residential and care homes, day care centres, special needs units and schools.

Mary Sims, chairman of Paws for Therapy (Isle of Man) said: ‘This year we have had a one-off specific fundraising campaign to raise funds to kit out the emergency response vehicles of the island’s Fire and Rescue Service, Coastguards and hopefully RNLI boats, with specific animal-shaped oxygen masks.

‘Our initial aim was focusing on the Fire Service, for animals who have suffered from the effects of smoke-inhalation where human-shaped masks are very ineffective in administering oxygen to animals.

‘But such was the phenomenal response from the Manx public to our campaign that, once we had raised sufficient funds to kit out every fire vehicle on the island, we extended our campaign to any other emergency service in the island where it would be appropriate for them to carry such masks, and they were willing to do so.

‘The masks are imported from the USA by a charity in the UK called Smokey Paws who are a not-for-profit organisation and their mission is to kit out every fire station in the UK with sets of three different-sized masks.

‘We have ordered 30 masks from Smokey Paws which will hopefully be received in the near future when we will be making presentation.’

The campaign was launched with a stand at the Southern Agricultural Show at the end of July and continued with another stand at the Royal Manx Show a fortnight later. A vehicle from the Fire and Rescue Service was also present at the stand at both shows.

Paws for Therapy (Isle of Man) was formed in 2007. Their work is undertaken by volunteers with their own friendly, temperament-tested and vaccinated dogs in their own community.

To become a volunteer and go on visits with your animal you must have owned it for at least six months. You must also provide two letters of reference and evidence of vaccination.

Read more about the work Paws for Therapy (Isle of Man) do by visiting their website at www.pawsfortherapy.org.im or email them via info@pawsfortherapy.org.im

Another proposal to erect three 10kw wind turbines on the headland overlooking Port Erin bay has been submitted on property owned by billionaire property magnate John Whittaker.

This is the second time permission has been sought for the plan (14/00632/B) by Cheeseden Investments Ltd.

Each turbine will be 15 metres high and have a seven-metre diameter grey blade.

Mr Whittaker is chairman of the Peel Group, which owns a number of properties and businesses, including Liverpool Airport, and has an estimated fortune of £2.34bn, placing him 47th in the Sunday Times rich list.

His company moved into the energy sector in 2008 with the opening of Scout Moor Wind Farm on the West Pennine Moors in Greater Manchester.

His home, Ballaman, previously the residence of racing driver Nigel Mansell, includes a helicopter landing site and is in Rushen parish.

When first submitted, in 2014, the plan prompted many objections from those worried about the visual impact of the turbines.

The latest application includes additional information.

Architect Kelly-Lewthwaite wrote relating to objections from Isle of Man Airport on the grounds of ‘interference to their navigation systems’, it said the applicant could accept a conditional approval of the plan first.

The latest submission also includes minutes of a meeting between Tony Woods, airfield operations manager, and two consultants representing Cheeseden. It said that in 2014 the airport instructed NATS (National Air Traffic Services, part of the Civil Aviation Authority) to undertake an assessment of the impact of the proposed wind turbines on the new radar being commissioned. The report stated that ‘the turbines would be visible to the radar which could lead to unwanted radar returns being displayed to the controller.’

Cheeseden challenged this.

Relating to the visual impact, Kelly-Lewthwaite said that in May, an experimental pole was erected where the turbines would go.

Though it had been there for four months, there ‘does not appear to have been any third parties (sic) complaints/ objections’.

Rushen Eco-Energy wrote on behalf of the applicant that there is already alternative energy production such as ground heat source pumps, solar panels and mechanical ventilation at Ballaman, but they need electricity to run them which could be provided by wind energy.

Relating to concerns about airport radar interference, Rushen Eco-Energy wrote the manufacturer of the turbine would be prepared to supply the airport with a turbine for them to test to resolve any concerns.

Objectors include Port Erin resident Hugh Davidson, who said: ‘This is the application to which 39 people, including two government ministers, and eight organisations posted objections. The primary basis of the objections was damage to landscape character and visual impact, and inappropriate overdevelopment on a headland of outstanding natural beauty. These key issues are not addressed in the additions to the application.’

Approval, he said, could lead to more turbines and ‘industrialisation’ of the headlands.

A Douglas holidaymaker travelling to meet a cruise ship in the south of England was horrified to find her flight from Ronaldsway had been overbooked and she was on standby.

Judith Bartram, who lives at Derby Square, arrived to check in at Ronaldsway around 6am for a pre-booked 8am flight to London City airport on September 1.

The flight was part of her holiday package.

‘But when I handed my suitcase over they said they weren’t putting it on the plane yet as I was on standby,’ she said. ‘That was the first I knew about it. I was so shocked I could hardly speak.

‘I needed to be in Dover to meet the ship before 4pm. Travel arrangements were all in place but if I didn’t get on the flight, there was no other way of getting there before the ship left. They just dismissed it, saying I’d “probably” get on, otherwise I should claim on my holiday insurance!

‘I just want other BA passengers here to know this could happen to them and the outcome may not be happy.’

BA told them the flight was overbooked by five passengers and a full capacity had already checked in online. In total, four people were left waiting anxiously by the departures gate, wondering if their plans were ruined.

‘It was really disturbing because we just didn’t know what was going to happen. I stood to lose my holiday and I just couldn’t believe that five people – who had already checked in online – would simply fail to show up,’ she said.

In the event, all four passengers did get on the flight, but not until they had endured a nail-biting wait as their plans hung in the balance.

A BA spokesman said it was routine to overbook flights.

‘Many airlines operate overbooking policies because experience shows a small number of passengers do not turn up for the flight. If all such seats were left empty, it would stop other customers from travelling on the day they wanted.

‘By careful monitoring of booking and load patterns, we do our best to maximise the number of customers able to travel.

‘On the rare occasions when the number of booked customers turning up exceeds the seats available, we usually resolve it by offering a financial sum to customers willing to accept a confirmed booking on an alternative flight.’

Voters are going to the polls in what is being billed as one of the most important Manx elections in a generation.

There are 63 candidates across the 12 constituencies who are seeking your vote.

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CLICK HERE: ELECTION LIVE 2016

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There’s been some big changes to parliamentary boundaries. The old system of 15 one, two and three seat constituencies has been replaced and now voters are being asked to elect two MHKs in each of 12 new-look constituencies.

Voters in Douglas East will have eight candidates to choose from but in the new combined constituency of Glenfaba and Peel there are just three.

There are seven candidates standing in Arbory, Castletown and Malew, six each in Ayre and Michael and Douglas Central, five in Douglas North, Garff, Onchan, Ramsey and Rushen and four apiece in Douglas South and Middle.

There are 13 female candidates standing - nearly double the number who stood in the 2011 general election.

Polling stations opened at 8am and will close at 8pm tonight.

Poll cards should have dropped through the letterboxes the week before the election. These give the location of your polling station. If you are registered to vote but have not received your poll card, you are still entitled to vote.

When you reach the polling station you will be directed to a poll clerk. You will be required to provide your name and address to the clerk who will check your name is on the electoral register.

You will then be given a ballot paper and you should mark your vote on the ballot paper secretly in one of the voting compartments. Put one X in the space to the right opposite the name of the candidate or candidates you wish to vote for.

You may vote for not more than two candidates. If you put any other mark on the ballot paper, your vote may not be counted.

Once you have marked your X or Xs, fold the ballot paper in two, show the official mark on the back to the presiding officer and put the paper into the ballot box.

If you spoil the ballot paper by mistake do not destroy it – give it back to the presiding officer and ask for another.

If you have difficulty marking your ballot paper and need help, ask to speak to the returning officer as soon as you arrive at the polling station. They are there to help you and if required may mark the ballot paper on your behalf.

Some people have already voted. Advance voters could vote on a day before polling day, at a time and venue agreed with the returning officer, whether or not they were on-island today.

Others have been allowed, in exceptional circumstances, to appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf.

A general election candidate has hit back after the Treasury dismissed his claims about the perilous state of the Manx economy.

Richard Falk, a former Conservative councillor on Worthing Borough Council in Sussex who quit local politics in England midway through his term of office, was responding to a story on page 14 of today’s Manx Independent and reported here.

Douglas Central candidate Mr Falk’s response echoes the concerns he raised in last week’s Examiner in the questionnaire when he suggested that the island should ‘deal with our alarming financial situation and prevent the island from progressing towards bankruptcy’.

After reading Mr Falk’s comments and seeing his election literature, which includes the legend ‘Falk or bust’, Isle of Man Newspapers contacted the Treasury for a comment.

The comments from the Treasury formed the basis of our Manx Independent story.

A statement from Mr Falk reads:

‘They [the government] have massaged the figures relating to the general reserve, and readers can check this for themselves. Download the detailed Government accounts (dark blue books) for 2012/13 (which contains the restated and final figures for 2010/11) and 2014/15.

‘In each case, look carefully at the balance sheet on page 22. Between 2010/11 and 2014/15, the reserve fund fell from £420,466,000 to £342,068,000 and internal funds and reserves from £101,239,000 to £78,069,000 – a modest decline totalling £101,568,000.

‘Between 2010/11 and 2014/15, our current assets – mainly made up of short-term deposits and cash at bank and in hand, plus a small amount of debtors, stocks and works in progress – declined from £943,682,000 to £649,271,000.

‘This could mean that we had switched cash into long-term investments — but we did not. In 2010/11, long-term investments were £1,162,141,000 and in 2014/15 were £1,205,737,000 – meaning that they have not even kept pace with inflation.

‘In other words, the amount of money we have on hand to spend fell almost £300,000,000 in four years whilst the reserve declined by just over £100,000,000. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that the Government redefined the general reserve in a cynical attempt to mask the decline.

‘Former Treasury Minister Eddie Teare himself admitted that we are heading for insolvency in an answer to Alf Cannan in the Keys last November: “The actual true reserves are in the region of £1⁄2 billion. The other reserves are what we call hypothecated. So they are set aside for, for example, the Public Sector Pension Reserve and the National Health Insurance Reserve. The National Health Insurance Reserve is about £750 million. The Public Sector Pension would be just over £200 million. So between those there is about £1 billion. So that leaves us with about £500 million in total. The burn rate: you can actually work it out. If we continue to drawdown at £78 million to £80 million a year, you have got six to seven years.”

‘Mr Teare says we have six to seven years from last year. I say we have four years. The Isle of Man Government is now saying that we are in no danger at all, and people should not vote for anyone who rocks the boat and tells the truth. I intend to send them a clear and unequivocal message at the polls.’

During the requisition meeting for the constituency rival Chris Thomas also questioned many of Mr Falk’s assumptions.

In a response to the story on Mr Falk, Mr Thomas says: ‘Public finances are fragile, but government reserves are as large now as they were in 2011 and external auditors have signed off government accounts.

‘That’s undeniable.

‘What has reduced since 2011 is the government’s ‘net assets’, down as much as the public service pensions actuarial liability is up. Admittedly the Public Service Employees Pension and Reserve Funds have been drawn down by £100 million, and the Media Development Fund has halved in value, but this has been offset by an increase in in the National Insurance Fund and in the Manx Currency Account.

‘Isle of Man NI Fund is bedrock for state pensions and social security. Economic growth needs to be made more useful by raising people’s incomes and making money go further. Confidence is key in this.

‘Negotiations are on-going to reduce benefits and increase contributions inside a cost envelope surrounding public service pensions. Audited government accounts for the most recent financial year should be available with the first Tynwald order paper. Unaudited accounts have been published for some time.’

In a comment on our story Mr Falk says: ‘The Isle of Man Government is running scared. When did you last see them and their pliant colleagues in the press attempting to head off a challenge by a particular candidate? They know that if I get in I will be able to spotlight their incompetence and their economic mismanagement mercilessly.’

Mr Falk is mistaken if he believes that the story came about because of collusion between the government and Isle of Man Newspapers.

It was Isle of Man Newspapers that contacted the Treasury for a comment.

Our reporter had seen his comments in his manifesto about imminent bankruptcy and, as a responsible journalist, tried to verify them or find out what the Treasury thought about them.

The other candidates standing in Douglas Central are Kurt Buchholz, Ann Corlett, Sara Hackman, Michelle Inglis and Chris Thomas.

This week, Isle of Man Friends of the Earth’s Cat Turner looks at measures being taken to deal with some unwelcome guests

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The Manx Wildlife Trust does a great job in, among other things, teaching people about invasive non-native species (INNS), especially those in our seas.

These are a worry for many reasons: upsetting the balance of delicate ecosystems; preying on our native species; and sometimes bringing disease with them.

They’re bad for biodiversity and the economy alike.

They include things like wireweed, which clogs the propellers of boats and competes with our local weeds, and soft shell clams.

You can find out more here: manxwt.org.uk/manx-wildlife/manx-marine/marine-invasive-non-native-species.

INNS can find their way into our waters in a number of ways – climate change is one, of course, with species following the changing temperature to new areas where they weren’t viable before. But sometimes they get transported here by other means. One, which the MWT mentions, is in the ballast-water that ships take on, and then release, as they travserse the globe.

But this last method may be going to come under control, thankfully.

On September 8, a new convention was triggered when Finland accedded to it: this means that a minimum requirement for 35 per cent of world merchant shipping became committed to it, and so it’ll come into force a year from that date – on September 8, 2017.

The convention is the ‘International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments’.

For short, it’s known as the BWM Convention, and it’s been drafted with the specific aim of stopping invasive aquatic species from spreading. It’ll do this by setting new ballast standards, and rules on its management.

The US and UK have yet to sign up to the BWM Convention.

Ships take on ballast water from wherever they’re sailing, so they’ll remain stable when they have unloaded their cargos.

But many don’t treat it to get rid of contaminants, so when they release it again a raft of microbes, animals and algae come with it.

And, of course, as international trade grows, so does the problem.

Under the BWM Convention, ships used in international trade will have to manage their ballast properly, including treating it using UV light, electrochlorination or filters. They’ll also have to keep records of what they’re doing.

It’s a step in the right direction. Doubtless shipping groups will claim that they’re suffering unreasonable additional costs – but if they don’t do this, the cost to the world’s ecosystems and economy could be vastly higher.

WHEN I launched into today’s columnar adventure there had been a 1p coin sitting on a shelf in the men’s toilet close by reception at Manx Radio for two weeks and showing no sign of disappearing.

I know this because this toilet is near the holding pen in Broadcasting House where I am one of those who have their work places. We all use it.

But why is this 1p there? Where did it come from?

The most likely reason is that someone had found the coin lying on the floor and put it in the toilet for the person who had dropped it by accident to retrieve. Or is it?

Who would miss a paltry 1p after losing it?

It would also be possible for anybody like me who had noticed the coin lying there to trouser it and go on his way enriched if only marginally. But who would go to the bother for just 1p?

It might well also be some kind of psychological and sociological test set up by the management of Manx Radio for the denizens of Broadcasting House. To what purpose however? They have more important things to do.

But, when you come to consider it all, who cares anyway? What it shows is that this men’s toilet is a good place to go for a pee.

THIS photograph was taken by Mrs Fiona Kirkham, who happens to be a friend of mine, when she was away on a cruise with family and friends and called in at Marseilles.

You must admit that the restaurant Isis looks like a pretty good place for a blow out.

THERE is still a dire shortage of crossword clues.

In the circumstances I have had to fall back on the general knowledge crossword in the Daily Telegraph where one of the questions asked for the name of the capital of the Isle of Man.

Let me think now.

THE Manx Independent carried the following headline last week: ‘Rider hit by car suffered leg break.’

That must have bowled him over.

Colin Lurcook, who lives in Latimer Road, Oxford, emails to tell me: ‘I was searching for something unconnected with your name when one of those mysterious computer algorithms directed me to the Amazon site where it said startlingly: “Low prices on Terry Cringle.”

‘Thinking there may be some cheap Chinese replicas of yourself, like some sort of Terry Cringle doll, I pressed the mouse and discovered it was only about some books that you had written about the Isle of Man.

‘I was relieved to know I wouldn’t be watching “Fake Britain” on TV and discovering that there were some fake Terry Cringle dolls circulating the toy shops of the UK.’

No Colin. I am what might be called, and I hope not, a living doll.

ONE more Malapropism, this time one which came from, some years ago, a dear friend of mine, Mrs Nettie Ellis.

She was at King William’s College to see a display in the swimming pool by some of the boys and she exclaimed: ‘They are like young Madonnas.’

She meant young Adonises.

TUCK in Castletown has been on to say that in my Times Past feature in the Examiner I referred to ‘the Team Packet Company.’ He says: ‘Very surprised to catch you out Mr Cringle.’

Are you all at it?

FUNNIES File: The Irish Times once published a correction as follows: ‘Today’s What’s On Today was inadvertently published yesterday.’

SIGN. In the front yard of a funeral home: ‘Drive carefully. We’ll wait.’

Stephen John Maguire and Olga Maguire, both of 1 Pinehurst Avenue, Saddlestone, bought 40 Ashberry Avenue, Douglas, for £285,000.

It was bought from Anne McCombs.

Other recent transactions lodged at the General Registry in Douglas are as follows:

Graeme Mark Peate and Gemma Cookson sold 10 Church Avenue, Onchan, for £190,000, to John Malcolm Crebbin, of 9 Ballahane Close, Port Erin.

Nicholas Charles Harris, of The Haven, Agneash, Lonan, sold 31 All Saints Park, Lonan, for £188,000, to Christopher Declan Carroon, of 7 Cronk-y-Berry Avenue, Onchan, and Sarah Louise Boyd, of 150 Fairways Crescent, Mount Murray, Braddan.

Oliver David Hibbert sold Eastfield, situate on Ramsey to Bride High Road, Lezayre, for £185,000, to Paul William Watterson, of East Craig, St Judes.

Mark Tarleton Hodgson, of Hampshire, and Edward Tarleton Hodgson , of Rotherham, sold 10 Somerset Road, Douglas, for £185,000, to Michael Forbes Batey and Laura Jane Batey, both of 96 Cronk Liauyr, Tromode Park, Douglas.

David Brown sold 70 Erin Way, Port Erin, for £178,000, to Gillian Ruth Lockett, of Flat 1, The Brambles, Traaie Meanagh Drive, Port Erin.

Petra Doris Dudek, of 5 Devonshire Crescent, Douglas, sold 12 Linden Grove, Douglas, for £170,000, to Rachel Sarah Quayle.

Jonathan Mark Summers Christian, of Canada, Adrian Summers Christian, of Riverside Lodge, Lower Foxdale, and Steven Michael Christian, of Thie Eoin, 13 Harcroft Road, Saddlestone, sold Unit 3, The Wine Cellar, Tennis Road, Douglas, for £165,000, to Prepositus Limited, whose registered office is situate at 4 Ballaquane Road, Peel.

Adrian William Gilmour, by personal representatives, Gillian Elizabeth Gilmour-Huber, of Germany, as personal representative, and Gerard Michael Hanny, of Ballavilley, Kirby Hill, Douglas, as personal representative, sold 10 Africa Court, Douglas, for £155,000, to The PSV Pension Scheme, by trustees, Boal & Co (Pensions) Limited, whose registered office is situated at Marquis House, Isle of Man Business Park, Braddan, as trustee, William Alan Teare, as trustee, and Jean Marion Teare , as trustee, both of Creg-Dy-Shee, The Lhargan, Port St Mary.

Joanne Cubbon, of Glebe Farm, St Mark’s, sold a parcel of land situate at St Mark’s, for £62,500, to Simon Alvin Harding and Carole Victoria Harding, both of Arragon Lodge, Arragon, Santon.

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We publish details of all house sales unless we receive a written request from the police or probation services.

Sometimes I wake up at early o’clock and switch the radio on to see if I can guess what time it is.

That may sound a bit strange but Radio 4 changes to BBC World Service for several hours and is being broadcast to various time zones simultaneously. So somewhere in the world folk will be eating their cornflakes and elsewhere others will be off to the pub.

Last night I switched on just in time to hear that somewhere in the world, some bloke called Ali Bongo was having a bit of a disagreement with another bloke, Mr Ping. I went straight back to sleep.

Now you know how you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and realise you have just understood the meaning of life, or you have just thought of an invention that would solve all known problems, but when daylight comes you’ve forgotten what it was. Well that never happens to something trivial. You remember every last detail.

At this stage, I must apologise to Messrs Bongo and Ping for implying their dispute is trivial. Trivial it is not, but with regard to the Isle of Man it is low on our priorities list, which is of course why I remembered it.

It would appear the incumbent President of the African state of Gabon, Mr Ali Bongo Ondimba, had narrowly held onto the President’s job, but this was disputed by the challenger for the Presidency Mr Jean Ping. Alleged irregularities during the election are still being investigated.

I hope their dispute will soon be resolved but the latest BBC news from Gabon reported that the Ping HQ had been bombed by a helicopter belonging to the Presidential Guard. Not much hope for a quick result there, then.

This incident made me think about our own general election. It is, of course, election day today, with 63 hopefuls – I make it 50 men and 13 women – vying for your votes.

So at least that should answer the ‘why aren’t there more women in the House of Keys?’ brigade. Because they obviously don’t want to be in the House of Keys, is what I think they’re telling us.

A more worrying fact about the next House is there are only 17 past members (male and female) who are seeking re-election and some of these have only got a few months’ service under their belts.

So no matter how you look at the numbers, just over 50 per cent of the new House will have had any parliamentary experience whatsoever.

One thing is certain, the election of the new Chief Minister will be very interesting. And whoever draws that short straw will then have to select his (or her) team of departmental Ministers.

You can just imagine the scenario. A new minister for the environment with responsibilities that include the IRIS scheme, who doesn’t even know where the toilets are in the government buildings.

And last, but by no means least, there is the ‘still to be resolved’ situation of Mr John Houghton, who is seeking re-election in Douglas North*.

The question that no one seems able to answer is that if Mr Houghton is elected will he be allowed to take his seat in the chamber or will he be still on the naughty step?

We should all be relieved that the President of Tynwald, Mr Steve Rodan, doesn’t have a helicopter.

Politics will always produce characters. They could have colourful names like President Ali Bongo Ondimba or they could be controversial, like would-be president Donald Trump.

Will our new House of Keys produce any characters? We shall see. A quick dredge into the memory came up with names such as the sadly missed Clifford Irving, John Bell and Hugh McLeod.

In more recent times I can recall professional wrestler Phil Kermode, and top of the list, the one and only, Peter Karran. Members may come and go and are forgotten but characters last for ever.

Good luck to all candidates.

* The other candidates seeking election in the constituency of Douglas North are: Karen Angela, David Ashford,Ralph Peake and Lynn Sirdefield.

The Steam Packet is running into problems at its main port in England.

The ferry company is blaming a ‘failure of an agreed dredging programme’ for disruption to services from tomorrow (Friday) to Monday.

A revised schedule for Ben-my-Chree services has been announced as a combination of tidal conditions and a lack of agreed dredging at Heysham means there will be insufficient under keel clearance for the vessel to operate its planned sailings.

The following sailings have been rescheduled:

Friday:

Douglas to Heysham 8am will now leave at 9am.

Douglas to Heysham 7pm will now leave at 6.30pm

Saturday:

Douglas to Heysham 8.45am will now leave at 7.30am.

Sunday:

Heysham to Douglas 2.15pm will now leave at 2.45pm.

Monday

Heysham to Douglas 2.15am will now depart at 1am

All other services over the weekend will depart as scheduled.

Access to Heysham Port has been disrupted in the past due to a build-up of silt at the harbour entrance needing to be cleared. Issues caused by the silt are exacerbated at times of low tide water depths and can be affected by weather conditions

Steam Packet chief executive Mark Woodward said: ‘It is deeply frustrating that our passengers are facing disruption due to essential dredging work not being completed as agreed.

‘We and other operators who use Heysham have repeatedly called for a comprehensive and ongoing programme to ensure the removal of silt to avoid this problem. This week’s survey, the results of which were announced only yesterday afternoon, has forced us to reschedule services due to insufficient depths of water available to safely use the port at our scheduled times.

‘This causes unnecessary inconvenience to our passengers and freight customers due to circumstances beyond our control.

‘This situation was anticipated by operators, who asked for action to be taken to avoid this situation. While dredging has now commenced the latest depth soundings show that it has failed to achieve the promised depth and we cannot be confident it will be completed before Friday to give sufficient under keel clearance for the vessel to operate safely.

‘Therefore, to allow our customers some time to plan ahead we are announcing this revised schedule now and contacting any passengers affected.’

He added: ‘The need for silt dredging at Heysham is an ongoing issue faced by all operators using the port but is perhaps more vital to the Steam Packet Company as the only operator of scheduled passenger services to Heysham. We will be raising this issue and asking Isle of Man Government to support our calls for action at Heysham Port to deliver what is necessary and what has been promised to ensure timely passenger services in future.’

TheatreFest returns this weekend with three brand new performances at Ballakermeen’s Studio Theatre.

First to the stage will be the debut of TheatreFest ‘15 playwriting competition’s winning play, Morning Star by Stephen Harper, on Friday evening.

There will also be a pop-up performance of the work staged at the Rover’s Return pub in Douglas on Sunday.

Saturday evening will 
see a double bill of new works, Megan and Me, and Journey.

Isle of Man Arts Council vice-chairman Michael Lees said: ‘Once again we’re offering an exciting double bill.

‘Last year saw the premiere of the engaging new musical For Tonight – which clearly delighted the audience and showcased the talents of a good number of accomplished local artists – and the devised piece Invisible Chains.

‘TheatreFest15 demonstrated to great effect how a devised work is very much the sum of its parts, reflecting the input from everyone involved, on stage and behind the scenes.

‘It’s the very essence of community theatre, providing opportunities for people who have never acted before, and for more established performers to be challenged and take their acting skills into new directions – a new “journey” as it were for the entire cast, the director and the audience.’

Morning Star is a period play based around the slave trade in 1848.

The piece captures an authentic atmosphere of the time and the harsh reality of slavery but still engages with the audience.

Stephen, a retired BT manager who now lives in Norfolk, said: ‘If ever a play were suited to being performed in a pub, it’s Morning Star, as it’s set in a Bristol inn, The Blind Fiddler.’

Megan and Me is a new musical review written by well-known Manx musician David Holland together with Lisa Kreisky and Kristene Sutcliffe of Stage Door Entertainment, curators of TheatreFest16, who also take the adult roles of Megan (played by Kristene) and Melissa (Lisa).

The play – a’ black box’ style performance – explores the relationship between the two women, tracing their friendship through the years and is very loosely based on the characters of Mimi and Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème, but brought right up to date.

The young Megan is played by Rhona Wilson, the teenager by Ali Waters, while Tara Kneen is the young Melissa and Alexandra Slater takes the teenage role.

Lisa explained: ‘This is a show all about the girls. We watch snapshots of their lives and how their friendship has developed and blossomed over the years: from humble beginnings, through teenage tantrums to enduring friendship.’

Kristene added: ‘Megan and Me has proved a fantastic vehicle for David Holland’s talent which absolutely shines through.

‘He’s achieved his ambition to write a musical review in which we’re thrilled to be performing his brilliant songs and which is a show that will delight the audience with its compelling mix of comedy and pathos.’

Meanwhile Journeys is a piece of devised theatre with a community company of actors directed by accomplished theatre director John Young, who was brought up in the Isle of Man.

The content of the devised piece was discovered though ‘intensive’ rehearsals on the evenings leading up to the performance.

He said the challenge was that they only had a week to make the show, adding: ‘But that’s the exciting part!’

John is a former resident assistant director at the leading off-West End theatre, the Finborough Theatre, and emerging trainee director with Clwyd Theatr.

He is currently involved in a new play, To Dream Again, by Toby Hulse for Theatr Clwyd which opened in June and transfers to London for a five-week run in February 2017.

Both Friday and Saturday’s performances start at 7.30pm.

Tickets for each evening cost £10 or £8 for senior citizens and under-16s.

They are available from the Welcome Centre in the Sea Terminal, from Villa/Gaiety box office on 600555 and online at www.villagaiety.com

Festival tickets covering all three evenings’ performances are £15. The Morning Star pop-up performance at the Rovers Return pub is at midday on Sunday. There’s free seating and admittance.

Hopes are fading fast that Walter the racing pigeon will make it home.

Walter was found in Tony and Sue McMaster’s Farmhill garden last week.

He had been racing from Skibbereen in County Cork and was due to fly back to owner Sean McLoughlin’s home in Crossgar, Count Down.

But for some reason he got blown off course and ended up in the Isle of Man.

Sue appealed for help to get him home - and the Steam Packet kindly offered to take him back to Northern Ireland where he was released on Saturday night.

Bernard McLoughlin of the Irish Homing Union has since spoken to the owner - but there has been no sign of Walter having made it back to Crossgar.

Bernard said: ‘He should have been home by now.

‘The pigeon could be have been more injured than originally thought. What I imagine happened, and the probable reason why he was in the Isle of Man in the first place, is that he fell victim to a bird of prey. He may have been attacked and got spooked.’

Bernard said he was contacted by people from all over the UK and Ireland who have found homing pigeons that have got lost.

He said: ‘Most pigeon men are glad to see them home’. Injuries can heal and the birds can race again - and even if they can’t they could be used for breeding, he added.

And he said not all was lost in Walter’s case. He said one of his own birds had flown home in May - and when he checked his records, he discovered it had set off the previous August.

A wreath has been laid at the grave of the mother of women’s rights campaigner Emmeline Pankhurst in memory of her part in securing women the vote in the UK.

Sophia Jane Goulden was a women’s rights campaigner in her own right who died in April 1910 aged 76 and was buried in Braddan cemetery.

With island-wide elections taking place today (Thursday), local group ‘The Friends of Sophia Goulden’, decided to pay tribute to Mrs Goulden.

The group decided to make the tribute after hearing a talk on Mrs Goulden by Pam Crowe who suggested that a tribute should be made each election year at the grave in Braddan.

Ms Crowe said: ‘Sophia Goulding encouraged her daughter from the age of eight to take an interest in women’s rights. I suggested that she should be commemorated before each election and we should urge women to use their vote.’

Mrs Goulden was born in the area of Laxey in 1834, as Sophia Jane Craine, although her precise birthplace is not known.

She later moved to Douglas where her family ran a boarding house.

She married Robert Goulden, from Manchester, at Braddan Church in 1853 and the couple moved to Manchester.

Mrs Goulden was an early supporter of the fight for women’s suffrage, sometimes taking eldest daughter Emmeline with her to meetings.

Emmeline Pankhurst grew up to become a famous political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote.

She died in 1928, aged 69, and was interred in Brompton cemetary in London.

Women who were householders, over the age of 30, were given the right to vote in the UK in 1918 but women over the age of 21 did not get the right until 1928.

In 1881, the Isle of Man enacted the Manx Election Act, which gave women who owned property the right to vote.

The island was the first nation to grant women the right to vote in a national election.

The Friends of Sophia Goulden are also hoping to form a charity to raise funds to look after Mrs Goulden’s grave and for a statue to be erected in Laxey in her honour.