THE new Customer Services Centre at postal headquarters saw more than 2,000 customers use the facility in the first month of opening.

The Centre officially opened its doors on December 3, following a major five-month refurbishment of the former mail collection and postage sales area and investment into the local community.

The Centre now offers all post office services from foreign exchange, vehicle licensing, banking facilities, MoneyGram and packaging materials being available.

Previously it mainly served as a mail collection centre with limited retail services on offer.

However within one month of being up and running, 2,332 customers have visited the new facility.

Lisa Duckworth, commercial director, Isle of Man Post Office said: ‘We are delighted with the footfall during the first month of trading.

‘Naturally the Christmas mail volumes boosted the customer numbers however this aside, our overall footfall was up on previous years.’

She added: ‘The new Centre is a welcome addition to Postal headquarters for our customers. Not only can they choose from any of the services we offer, but we have long opening hours designed to suit the busy lives everyone leads and with convenient parking right outside, the new Centre enhances our customers’ experience.’

It’s open six days a week from 7am to 7.30pm Monday to Friday and 7am to 12.30pm on Saturday throughout the year and provides significantly more space with a single queuing system, three counter positions and two unique self-service features.

A Pay and Post kiosk allows customers to beat the queues for carrying out general postal transactions.

The machine enables customers to weigh, stamp and pay for packages to be posted quickly and efficiently, using a simple touch screen device. As well as the postal capabilities, customers can also pay their electricity, gas, phone bills and Government rates using the kiosk.

Meanwhile the self-service PO Box facility enables customers who currently subscribe to this service to collect their mail without having to queue. The Centre was also constructed in consideration of the needs of disabled customers, working in conjunction with the Disability Access Office run by Crossroads Care offering a hearing loop, a disabled level counter and tactile signage.

A spokesman said: ‘Isle of Man Post Office welcomes any feedback from customers about their experiences and uses this information to make improvements where possible. If you would like to share any feedback, get in touch with our dedicated Customer Services team on 664664, we would be delighted to hear what people think of our new Customer Services Centre.

THE island must be alert to the uncertainty created by David Cameron’s plan to hold a referendum on the UK staying in the European Union.

This warning came from Chief Minister Allan Bell in his annual ‘State of the Nation’ address to Compliance Institute.

He told 180 delegates as Friday’s briefing at the Mount Murray Hotel: ‘We must be very alert to the uncertainty that may be created by Mr Cameron’s proposals to change the UK’s relationship with the European Union and any possible constitutional issues which may arise from a referendum, recognising the impact that may have on potential investors confidence in the UK.’

Mr Bell pointed out that last year’s conference considered whether the Isle of Man was sitting in ‘the eye of the storm’. And while this year, delegates were asked to discuss if the island was steering a safe passage to calmer waters, this underestimated the environment in which we live and are struggling to understand.

‘To fully grasp the scale of the challenges facing the Isle of Man today economically, fiscally, socially and politically our question must encompass a fundamental belief in climate change, not merely a change in the weather,’ he said.

He said the world had changed with the global financial crisis of 2008, the island had entered this new era with the extra challenge of losing nearly one third of its income through the revision of the VAT agreement.

‘Collectively these changes have confronted the island, our business community and government with an unprecedented range of challenges which will test us all over the next few years,’ Mr Bell said.

But he told delegates we start from a position of strength, with the Manx economy currently growing by around 3 per cent net and is projected to continue growing at a similar pace in the year ahead, while unemployment remains low at 2.3 per cent and government has about £1.5 billion in reserve.

He said: ‘As Chief Minister I can give you my absolute assurance today that government’s commitment to further diversification and continued economic expansion remains central to our long term recovery strategy of growing the economy, rebalancing our finances and protecting the vulnerable.’

Mr Bell said the events of 2008 triggered a radical change in both the public and political mood across the western world and as a responsible government, they would have to be ‘deaf or foolish in the extreme’ to ignore the debate surrounding the morality of aggressive tax planning.

‘What started with a few critical voices has now grown into a crescendo of demand for greater transparency and fairness in tax liability. The debate will not go away and determined action is already underway in many countries to respond to public demand,’ he said.

‘It is my belief that this fundamental change in international, public and political opinion will only continue to grow and now represents a new evolving orthodoxy in relation to the acceptability of the role of the international business centres, such as the Isle of Man which we ignore at our peril.’

Mr Bell said he believed the FATCA automatic tax information agreement was negotiating with the US and the similar agreement it was taking the lead among small international business centres in negotiating with the UK would eventually become the international standard.

‘This decision gives the Isle of Man a golden opportunity to reposition itself, once and for all, as a fully transparent, well regulated international business centre, which can no longer be labelled a secrecy jurisdiction and that these measures will strengthen the Island in the long term.

‘Government will do all that it can to reduce the additional compliance burden that will flow from these agreements,’ he added. ‘We are also very aware of industry concerns relating to non-doms.’

A SERIES of academic studies of legislatures world wide has been bolstered by a contribution from Tynwald.

‘Legislatures of Small States: A Comparative Study’, is the latest in the Library of Legislative Studies series of books from academic publisher Routledge and includes a chapter on the Isle of Man written by deputy clerk of Tynwald Jonathan King with the support of clerk of Tynwald Roger Phillips.

The section on the Isle of Man came after the book’s editor, dean and director of operations at Wroxton College, Oxfordshire Dr Nicholas Baldwin, sought a contribution to the work from the then President of Tynwald Noel Cringle OBE.

President of Tynwald Clare Christian and Speaker of the House of Keys Steve Rodan have congratulated Mr King on the publication.

A first draft of the chapter was submitted in December 2010 and revised in March 2011. The book was published in December 2012.

Mr King explained: ‘Contributing to the study has provided a further opportunity to raise the island’s profile, in particular by informing people about our unique parliamentary tradition.

‘I would hope that the book will prove of particular interest to students and scholars of international politics, comparative politics and legislative studies.’

MANX Special Olympics athlete Gareth Cowin has died during the World Winter Games in South Korea.

Mr Cowin, 25, contracted a deadly virus earlier this week, and his family were informed early this morning that he had passed away.

The floor hockey team member was one of a Special Olympics squad of 16 which set off from the Isle of Man on Friday, arriving in South Korea on Sunday ahead of the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang yesterday.

Gareth was a keen sportsman, having collected a gold medal in Athens in 2011 as a part of the five-a-side football squad at the World Summer Games.

His father Kevin Cowin has flown out to South Korea.

The squad will continue to compete at the games.

I HAVE broached one of my Christmas presents, a pair of trousers given by my daughter-in-law Sarah, who seems to be permanently aggrieved by my standard of dress.

She buys the best does my Sarah (she’s a Ramsey girl if that tells you anything), and the trousers bear the name of the cherished fashion label Gap.

Gap is perhaps an apposite name for these trousers, especially in relation to the gap in front which every man needs when it comes to pointing Percy at the porcelain.

The trousers are a class item, fashioned in dark brown lightweight corduroy and cut by a master. They slid on easily when I donned them for the first time and after fastening the top button at the waist I reached for the zip.

There wasn’t one.

All right, I am well aware that elderly gentlemen lurching out of senility and into insanity are all too often prone to forget to do up their flies.

But surely, I thought, this was no reason for people like Gap to decide there is no longer any point in making trousers for them with a zip they don’t use.

This wasn’t the case. Instead of a zip, my new trousers had buttons. I can’t remember when I last wore trousers with fly buttons. I have a feeling I would have been a pupil at Douglas High School for Boys at the time.

Now I had them again, three excluding the waist button. It was a struggle doing them up. A man gets used to zipping and unzipping as the occasion requires. Buttoning takes more time and a good deal of manual dexterity.

I managed in the end and set off to work and as the day wore on I needed to access whatever gap was made available to me by Gap.

In the men’s lavatory at Manx Radio I had trouble getting two buttons undone and then even more trouble doing them up again afterwards. It took time.

I wondered about what would happen when I had to stand with other men in a public urinal. They might wonder what the hell I was doing down there for so long and so vigorously.

But I’m used to them now. I have also found a label telling me they were made for Gap in Sri Lanka and that the company is doing its part in saving the planet by way of running a water quality programme in places like Sri Lanka.

The text read: ‘We are working to ensure that the water we use does not harm the environment.’

Good for them. What I am trying to ensure is that my water does not harm the environment of the floor in the men’s lavs at Manx Radio.

One more thing. When I was a boy I had to unfasten only one button. Now, for a man full grown, it takes two.

• NEIL Rough, of Queen’s Promenade, Douglas, e-mails to draw attention to a front page advertisement in the Isle of Man Courier for a ‘3-course carvery followed by Rod Stewart.’

Neil muses: ‘I wonder if he tastes of haggis.’

In fact what was on offer was Rod Stuart who impersonates the other Rod.

I wonder if he was coming over on the boat . . .

• JOHN Cannell, of Tromode, says he saw on television Manx students protesting outside Tynwald against the imposition of university fees. One held up a placard pleading: ‘Enroll now.’ They want people to sine up with them?

• KEN and Audrey Fogelman send in the following two Manx clues which appeared in one crossword in the Guardian: 18 across. Article follows lives by top cat and top soldier, where house has keys (4, 2, 3): Isle of Man.10 across. Remove protection from 18 (4): Peel

THE MANX Wildlife Trust is celebrating after a firm responded to its plea for help for financial support.

In August we reported the role of its education officer was in serious jeopardy after the Department of Education and Children stopped a £15,000 annual grant.

But the trust has now said it was delighted to announce that financial support had been secured to allow the post to continue thanks to Nedbank Private Wealth.

As a long-standing supporter of the MWT, through the charity’s corporate membership scheme, the bank was keen to see the education officer’s valuable work with local children continue.

An MWT spokesman said: ‘Since September last year, the MWT has been charging schools for the services provided by Kath Smith, the trust’s education officer for the past 10 years, in an attempt to cover costs.

‘Unfortunately, though, whilst the charges were very competitive and schools were still keen for their pupils to benefit from Kath’s expertise, the trust has seen a considerable reduction in bookings.

‘The 12 months’ financial support provided by Nedbank Private Wealth will now allow the trust to once again provide the education officer service to schools free of charge which, in turn, will allow more than 3,000 local children to benefit from a range of environmental education sessions this year.’

Over the years, Kath has made regular visits to schools, youth clubs, Brownie packs and other organisations for young people running a variety of wildlife-related activities and taking the children on field trips.

It gives them a chance experience, for example, rock-pooling, bird spotting and pond dipping in a fun and safe environment.

During the school holidays, Kath also organises similar activities for the public at coastal and countryside locations around the island. Kath is also responsible for running Manx Wildlife Watch – the trust’s junior arm.

Janet Taylor of Nedbank Private Wealth said: ‘During these times of austerity, it is vital that the education of our island’s children does not suffer and the understanding of our impact on the environment must continue to grow.

‘The education officer role is crucial in fulfilling both these objectives and therefore we are delighted to support the post and look forward to seeing increased school bookings as a result.’

MOTORISTS are being warned today that there could be disruption to one of the main routes into Douglas for 80 weeks.

The Department of Infrastructure has plans to refurbish Peel Road.

The Manx Independent has the details on its front-page story today.

The front page picture is of Gareth Cowin, the Special Olympian who died in Korea earlier this week.

Inside, we report on the housing plan battle in Kirk Michael. Residents are celebrating victory after Heritage Homes’ plan was refused. However, they might be interested to read the response from the company.

The paper also reports on the bus station U-turn. We ask the Douglas development manager his view after Victoria Street was ditched as a possible venue for the bus station.

Meanwhile, Peter Duke pays tribute to his staff after making redundancies.

The Manx Independent has a number of stories from the House of Keys. The Bell administration is accused of being perceived like a dictatorship by one member.

We also look back at the chairlift to Cunningham’s Camp, which is to be demolished.

In sport, we celebrate David Knight’s win at the Extreme Enduro and report on Phil Cringle’s call up for the Scotland rugby team.

Our What, Where, When supplement looks forward to Ed Byrne’s appearance at the Villa Marina and includes the Isle of Man’s two-page What’s On guide.

The Manx Independent is in the shops now.

OFFER some Manx hospitality to TT visitors and earn yourself up to £1,500 tax free – that’s the offer being made to householders as the government seeks to boost its Homestay register.

To join the scheme for the TT festival, people need to register their homes in exchange for a small fee.

Homestay can be offered for any number of nights during the TT, which runs this year from May 25 to June 9.

Figures so far suggest an increase in the number of visitors which is why the government has issued its plea. Anyone wanting to sign up has until April 26 to do so. The registration fee is £15 and in return householders receive public liability insurance up to a maximum of £5m.

Accommodation can be offered on a self catering basis or householders can offer to provide meals. Last year, to help meet increasing demand for TT accommodation, temporary chalets were erected in Noble’s Park.

For further information download the Homestay Hosts’ information pack from.visitisleofman.com/homestay. Anyone wanting to register for the scheme should call the Homestay team on 686802 or email homestay@gov.im

AN acting Attorney General has been appointed.

John Quinn has been appointed – officially by the Queen – for a period of 12 months and will act as legal adviser to the Lieutenant Governor, Council of Ministers, government departments and statutory boards, while the current role holder, Stephen Harding, is suspended pending a court case.

The acting Attorney General will offer guidance on matters of law and he will also be responsible for representing the Crown in the prosecution of offences and for the drafting of government legislation.

Mr Quinn is a past president of the Isle of Man Law Society.

He said: ‘It is a great honour to be appointed by Her Majesty The Queen to the post of Acting Attorney General. I will endeavour to serve the Crown and the Isle of Man community to the best of my abilities over the next 12 months. This is a challenging role and one I am very much looking forward to.’

Mr Quinn will take up the appointment in March.

More on this story in Monday’s Examiner

MEDICS are warning the Manx public after an outbreak of measles in England.

There have been 46 confirmed cases and 50 suspected cases in the North East since September 2012. The outbreak in the North West is continuing with 40 confirmed cases from Heysham and Morecambe, with the majority of the cases are in children. Measles is extremely infectious and children who are not immunised are at a high risk of developing measles. Measles can be a serious illness and should not be dismissed as a common childhood ailment.

In the North East, a quarter of cases required hospital treatment. In the North West, a third were hospitalised and some of them needed intensive care treatment for the serious complications of measles.

The most effective way to prevent measles is by vaccination.

Two doses of MMR vaccine will give a high degree of protection.

MMR is normally offered when a child is around 12 to 13 months of age and a second dose is offered at three years and four months.

The Manx Department of Health offered the following advice to parents:

Ensure that your child has had the recommended two doses of MMR, if old enough to have received it. If the child has not, please make an appointment with your GP surgery for vaccination. If you are unsure whether your child has had the two doses of MMR, please check with your GP surgery.

If you think your child has measles (fever and skin rash) – DO NOT attend A & E, MEDS or your GP surgery. If you require medical advice, please telephone for advice and only if advised to do so attend A & E, MEDS or your GP surgery.

DO NOT send your child to school for at least four days after the onset of rash. In some cases the child may still be unwell after four days; in this case keep your child at home until he/she feels well enough to attend school.

Ensure that the affected child minimised any contact with pregnant women, people who have weak immune systems and babies who are too young to be vaccinated.

MORE tributes have been paid to Special Olympian Gareth Cowin, who died while representing the island in Korea on Tuesday.

The International Organising Committee of Special Olympics have decided that these games will now be re-named ‘Gareth’s Games’ in his memory.

Ribbons are being produced for athletes from all the countries across the world represented at the games to wear during the closing ceremony.

Chairman of Special Olympics Isle of Man, George Campbell, said: ‘We could not think of a more fitting tribute to Gareth. I have been in contact by phone with Beryl Wooldridge, who is heading up the delegation, over the last 24 hours who has confirmed that whilst the team are all very upset they are rallying together and going out and playing their games for Gareth – exactly how he would have wanted it.’

His former headteacher, Adrienne Burnett, of Ballakermeen High School in Douglas, has also paid a tribute.

She said: ‘We were shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of Gareth Cowin, a former student at BHS.

‘Gareth was a cheerful and popular boy at school, and had developed into a fine sportsman.

‘As a student Gareth rose to meet some daunting challenges with determination and good humour.

‘We have followed Gareth’s sporting career with great interest and we are very proud of his achievements.

‘All of us who remember Gareth are very sad to hear that he has lost his life at such a young age, and our thoughts and sincere sympathy are with his family.’

Gareth, who was 25, contracted a virus and his family learned on Wednesday he had died.

He was a part of the floor hockey team, which left the island on Friday and arrived in South Korea on Sunday, ahead of the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang on Tuesday.

Gareth had represented the island in 2009 in the World Winter Games in Idaho, USA, and was a part of the World Summer Games football squad in Athens in 2011.

His devastated team-mates played on after his death after his family insisted that that is what Gareth would have wanted.

KIRK Michael residents opposed to Heritage Homes’ planning application to build 95 homes on land next to Michael School are celebrating after it was thrown out by the Council of Ministers.

The developer has said it will now look to progress an alternative housing scheme for the site.

The controversial scheme was dependent on a land-swap deal, agreed by Tynwald in 2011, involving part of the school’s corner field being conveyed to landowner Pinecrest Investments to afford access to the development.

CoMin followed planning inspector Ruth MacKenzie’s recommendation that the application be refused.

It was ruled the development would ‘neither preserve nor enhance the character or the appearance of the Kirk Michael Conservation Area and would detrimentally affect important views out of the conservation area’.

In addition, it was decided the location of the junction of the proposed estate road at Douglas Road Corner could ‘prejudice future decisions about a possible relief road for Michael’.

Michael MHK Alfred Cannan said: ‘I am pleased for the residents, in particular the residents’ group who put together a thoughtful, detailed and at times inspiring defence of the right to have this thrown out. But it’s been going on for a year and a half. It should never have got to this stage.’

He said questions needed to be asked on whether CoMin was right to have allowed the developer to come back with a second application, saying: ‘It was refused on exactly the same grounds’.

Heritage Homes’ initial plan (11/01250/B) for the same site for 100 dwellings – with associated infrastructure, new school field and playground, public open space and landscaping – was refused in February 2012.

Former Michael MHK David Cannan said: ‘I am absolutely delighted for the people of Kirk Michael that the iconic Douglas Road corner entrance to Kirk Michael has been preserved.

‘I hope this is now the end of the matter.

‘This battle started in 2007 and my fight was carried on by Alfred when I retired. This has been rejected twice. I hope that [developer] Dandara will not pursue this matter further.’

A Heritage Homes spokesman said: ‘Despite the disappointing outcome of this application the land remains zoned for residential development.

‘We will continue to work with the landowner and other parties to try and progress an alternative scheme for this site that will help to meet the need for new housing as recognised by the inspector.’

The inspector said 95 dwellings, including 24 affordable units ‘would meet a need’.

INVESTIGATIONS are continuing to identify the cause of unreliable results of hormone testing of tissue from breast cancer patients, MHKs heard.

It was announced last week that Noble’s Hospital is reviewing the cases of a number of patients who are receiving treatment for breast cancer.

A total of 22 patients have been contacted directly by the hospital and have been invited to attend a clinic appointment to discuss their treatment with the breast care team.

The issue is not with the diagnosis of breast cancer, which is correct in all cases, but with the subsequent hormone testing of tissue which is carried out to decide the appropriate additional treatment for individual patients.

It is likely that a similar number of further patients will be identified by the end of the review which could look at cases going back three years.

Replying to a Keys question from Brenda Cannell (Douglas East) about why the hormone testing was wrongly diagnosed, Mr Anderson said: ‘It would be wrong to speculate while the investigations are on-going and limited information is available. To do so would not be of benefit to our patients.

Mrs Cannell said she was aware of ‘at least one confirmed case’ where a patient had developed secondary cancer.

But Mr Anderson declined to comment on areas of clinical confidentiality.

He said: ‘The department has already notified all patients currently known to be affected. Arrangements are being made for these women to be seen as soon as possible. Tests are being undertaken on a further set of results at a laboratory in the UK. Any further patients who need to have their treatment reviewed will be seen promptly. At present, all hormone tissue testing is being undertaken by a laboratory in the UK.’

DOUGLAS North MHKs are calling for a reduction in rent for tenants of Willaston estate whose homes are blighted by damp penetration and structural problems.

John Houghton and Bill Henderson have written to Social Care Minister Chris Robertshaw urging him to reduce rents for the tenants in 111 homes affected by this ‘serious and deteriorating situation’.

They have formally applies to his department to apply the status of ‘Special Situation’ to all tenancies on Willaston estate and implement a rent reduction for those tenants by a maximum of 10 points.

If approved, affected tenants could have their rents reduced by as much as £12 per week.

The two MHKs say the properties should be monitored under Special Situation Status until they are brought up to an acceptable standard.

Douglas Council housing chiefs believe cavity wall insulation installed in the homes under a central government scheme could be to blame for the damp problem. They warn that if a pilot scheme to remedy the problems isn’t successful up to 130 houses in Willaston may have to be demolished.

But the Social Care Minister insists the problem isn’t the installation of cavity wall insulation but because the external fabric has reached the end of its effective life.

In their letter Mr Houghton and Mr Henderson say: ‘The department will be aware of a very serious and deteriorating situation on Willaston estate whereby penetrating and rising damp break-out is affecting these properties. The principal cause acknowledged by all is due to the cavity wall insulation programme which was applied a number of years ago.

‘Other properties have been identified with serious structural failure and properties and are no longer weather-tight, or resistant to rising/descending or penetrating damp.’

Douglas Council’s housing maintenance department lists 111 properties affected by damp in Willaston. That figure is rising, say the two MHKs. A pilot scheme is under way on six homes on the estate to investigate the problems and identify the causes.

The work will involve renewal of the roof coverings, fascias, soffits and rainwater goods as well as rebuilding the outer leaf of the external walls.

NEWLY-appointed general secretary of the Prospect union, Mike Clancy, listened to public sector concerns over the Scope of Government report and redundancy negotiations during a visit to the island on Tuesday.

Mr Clancy, who took up the position on January 1 after being deputy general secretary since 2005, met public sector members in the Manx Electricity Authority and Government Officers’ Association.

He said there were some major concerns for the public sector as a result of the Scope of Government review – and that this was causing ‘considerable anxiety’.

At this month’s sitting,Tynwald approved the principle of a smaller, simple and less bureaucratic government. Government departments, statutory boards and offices have until December 31 to review all service delivery functions.

Mr Clancy said that as the Manx government considers contracting out some services, it should take into account mistakes made by the UK government.

He said in some cases, benefits in terms of cost reduction had not been delivered, and that service delivery was now being insourced.

When asked what stance the union would be taking with negotiations, he said: ‘We are up for a constructive discussion about difficult issues but we won’t be pushed around.’

He said the union wanted to work with government to deal with the challenges the government faces but that it had to be a ‘two-way street’ with government working to address members concerns.

‘People will remember how they are treated at this time when the economic conditions give employers a bit more leverage. Government is no different in that respect. How well they take into account staff issues will be remembered.’

Mr Clancy said members were also anxious about proposed changes to public sector redundancy.

The government is reviewing rates of redundancy pay civil servants can receive. At present, a civil servant could be eligible for a lump sum severance payment of up to three years’ pay. The employees’ side has proposed cash compensation in cases of compulsory redundancy to be based on length of service up to a maximum of 12 months’ pay. In cases such as voluntary redundancy, the maximum would be 21 months’ pay.

Prospect has about 1,800 members in the island.

MEANS testing over tuition fees was a stealth tax on high-income earners, it was claimed in the House of Keys.

The claim was made by Michael MHK Alfred Cannan who quizzed Treasury Minister Eddie Teare over the proposal for a sliding scale of means tested contributions towards university tuition fees to apply to families with an income above £100,000.

Mr Teare told MHKs: ‘The Treasury supports the general principle that means testing can be a fair and appropriate method for determining the level of support that an individual or family receives from government. In order to complete the rebalancing of government finances, as scheduled by 2016, all departments will be making difficult decisions responding to reduced budgets.’

But Mr Cannan said the proposed policy was at odds with the stated principles of the recently delivered Tax Strategy.

He said: ‘I have to disagree with the Treasury Minister, because whichever way you look at it, this is a tax.

‘It is a stealth tax, and it is a tax on a particular section of society.

Vote on this issue using the web poll panel at the right of this article.

‘In comparison with the Tax Strategy – which aims to be fair, supportive of economic development, easy to understand, simple to administer and build on the international reputation of the Isle of Man – this means testing proposed for university tuition fees meets none of these principles, and it will put at risk jobs and economic development, as well as being socially divisive and inconsistent with other areas of government policy?’

‘We had a nice tirade there,’ the Minister replied. He insisted: ‘This is fair. It is socially fair, and I feel comfortable with it.’

He said, at the moment, the means-testing would be based on gross income.

Kate Beecroft (Lib Van, Douglas South) suggested some wealthy individuals could structure their affairs so that on paper they appeared to have very little income, and will be able to receive funding for their children to go to university.

Mr Teare said the Income Tax department would take a close interest in any aggressive tax planning. He suggested basing the scheme on net income would have provided ‘an ideal opportunity for tax management’.

• What do you think? Email {mailto:opinions@newsiom.co.im|opinions(at)newsiom.co.im} or sign in to add your comment below.

A VAN and a motorcycle were involved in an incident last night (Wednesday) which led to a road in the south of the Isle of Man being shut while investigations took place.

The motorcyclist, who is understood to be man from Port St Mary, sustained serious injuries, while the driver of the van, a man from Ballasalla, was uninjured.

The incident happened at around 6.10pm on the main Douglas to Ballasalla Road in the area of Ballawoods Straight, between the Blackboards and Ballasalla.

The road was closed whilst police conducted enquiries at the scene.

Police are eager to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Headquarters on 631212.

TRACEY Meredith has been promoted to senior manager of the consulting department at Moore Stephens.

‘It’s great that she’s now part of the senior management team. Tracey thoroughly deserves this promotion,’ said Dawn Webb, partner in Moore Stephens Isle of Man.

‘Her organisation, leadership and hard work really motivate others in the firm.’

Tracey joined Moore Stephens in 2011 after a long career in tax that included working in HMRC and now has developed a speciality in offshore taxation.

She also regularly supports local business by presenting on the basic principles of taxation at the Small Business Start Up Scheme courses run through the Department of Economic Development.

She said: ‘I’m ecstatic – it’s a fantastic way to start 2013,’ said Tracey.

‘I appreciate the confidence the firm has in me to be given this opportunity.

‘I’m really eager to start the New Year building on what has been a successful time at Moore Stephens – I am now looking forward to new challenges ahead and taking the department forward.’

Moore Stephens Isle of Man offers services including personal wealth management and financial planning, fiduciary services, trust and company administration, yachting and aviation services, insurance brokerage/luxury asset insurance, corporate pensions and personal retirement solutions, investigations and forensic, audit and assurance, accounting, corporate recovery, taxation advice and consulting and HR services, all under one roof.

THE public regard the government these days as a dictatorship, a backbench MHK claimed in the House of Keys.

Brenda Cannell (Douglas East) spoke out as Chief Minister Allan Bell came under fire for the decision to sack Bill Henderson as member of Treasury.

Douglas North MHK Mr Henderson lost his government job after Treasury Minister Eddie Teare claimed he could no longer trust him after he changed his mind over whether to support the government on the tuition fees policy.

Mrs Cannell said: ‘Does the Chief Minister appreciate that the public out there are regarding his government these days as a dictatorship? Not a true democracy, but a dictating government. There have been four sackings in the time of this administration.’

Those previous sackings have all take place within the Department of Education – Zac Hall and John Houghton lost their jobs as department members for failing to support the Minister over the pre-school privatisation and they were then followed by Lib Van leader Peter Karran, who was ousted for breaching rules on collective responsbility over the Pinewood deal.

Mr Teare and Mr Bell have previously told Isle of Man Newspapers that Mr Henderson’s sacking had nothing to do with collective responsibilty but about a breach of the Minister’s trust.

In the Keys, however, the Chief Minister appeared to suggest this was a matter of collective responsbility.

He told MHKs: ‘In matters of collective responsibility, the same standards are expected of a Minister in respect of their Council of Ministers participation, as are expected of a political member in respect of their departmental participation.

‘However, it is the circumstances of each case that must be considered and the intent to the person involved in any suspected breach of the Code. In any case, where a breach is suspected, the event and the evidence will be reviewed. Any mitigating circumstances will be taken into account.

‘The Code is not a rule book and while some people try to draw comparisons between certain scenarios and suggest that any penalty ought to be the same, in my experience no two issues are identical.’

Michael MHK Alfred Cannan suggested that Mr Henderson had been ‘perfectly entitled to change his mind and support his pre-declared position on university fees.’

But Mr Bell replied: ‘I think by now, the member for Michael must understand the principle of collective responsibility. Mr Henderson’s case is no different from anyone else’s.’

Mrs Kate Beecroft queried how Mr Henderson could have ruled by collective responsibility, when he was in Treasury not Education. Mr Bell replied that he would have been covered by the same rules as the tuition fees issue was very much part of the Budget.

EXPERIENCED events organiser Dawn Midwood has set up a new business designed for single people to meet up for sociable meals and other gatherings.

Mother-of-two Dawn, who lives in Maughold, said the main objective of Divine Diners is that members are able to meet in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere.

‘We are like an extended family, everybody gets on so well with each other,’ said Dawn who once ran her own PR agency.

Her full-time job is working as a sales rep.

But she launched Divine Diners as a hobby and has seen interest grow over the last few months. Originally from Chesterfield in Derbyshire, Dawn, a divorcee, has in the last few days launched a website publicising the group.

But that is about as far as she goes for new technology.

She told Business News: ‘People join to widen their social network.

‘I have nothing to do with Twitter or Facebook. People say to me sometimes: ‘‘Why don’t you use Facebook or Twitter? ’’ and I tell them that we are all meeting together and doing something together. There’s a whole range of things we do together including both formal and informal meals; film events, art and casino nights along with expert guest speakers and occasional live music.

‘I am helping to create real friends and not virtual friends.

‘I have neither the time or inclination to use things like Facebook or Twitter. Who needs them when you have real friends and real people?

‘That’s what the club is all about, with people forging real friendship.’

Dawn added: ‘That to me is far more important than any of the social networking sites you can go on.

‘And I think quite a lot of them can be quite dangerous too. You hear of people getting into all sorts of problems because of these sites.

‘Really I’m more of a people person, anyway, than gadgets.

‘But I felt we had to embrace some new technology by starting up the website. But as for Twitter and Facebook you can forget that. I’m not interested and most of the people in the group aren’t interested either. They want to meet each other, to speak to each other and go out socially.

‘You see I haven’t time. I think it’s wasted time sitting at a computer. To me what is more important is going out and meeting people face to face, having friendships and going out socially and meeting people. That is far more important than sending out messages on Twitter or Facebook or whatever.

‘Perhaps it’s just me and I’m a bit old fashioned that way!’

Dawn told how the group enjoyed an artistic watercolours night at The Mill, St John’s with Ramsey artist Michael Starkey. ‘He’s a lovely guy and it was so refreshing. He taught us how to paint. He painted a picture on the night which I will auction for Manx Blind Welfare.’

Dawn said she believes in meeting people face to face. If anyone expresses an interest in joining Divine Diners she always arranges to meet them for an interview.

The group has members aged from their early 30s right up to about 70.

‘Within the group we have people from various professions.’

Dawn insists it is not a dating agency but if people want to meet up outside the group all well and good. And in fact some members have arranged to go on holiday together.

‘I’ve got a lot of professional people and people who work nine to five jobs and people who are new to the island and don’t know that many people.

‘We’ve had some couples dating within the group but that’s not what it is all about. It’s about finding friendships.

‘I would like to think that if we continue to get new members we will continue to grow and maybe I can think about expanding. Summer balls and things like that would be great.’

Dawn decided to form the group because she feels it is much needed in the island.

‘It’s great really, they are a wonderful bunch of people in the group.’

Dawn has a great deal of experience in event management – previously organising the opening night at The Island Film Studios, various weddings, balls, charity events, dinners, and fashion shows. She was also responsible for the Men of Mann and Women of Mann calendars.

Dawn says that it is often difficult for people to widen their social circle of friends after separation, divorce or the death of a partner or being new to the island. ‘Divine Diners helps to overcome the barriers and enjoy new found friendships or relationships,’ she said. Dawn’s son Ryan Cleator, 30, owns a company called IT Works and her daughter Rachel Cleator is a dietician based at Noble’s Hospital.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Divine Diners can contact Dawn through the new website or by email.

dining@manx.net