• Manx Airlines eject Manx Gaelic
• MEA v Manx Workers
• Your life in their hands...
• Caring quote of the month
• Walker seeks candidates from Finance Sector
• Dirty money to launder?
• Book news
• Understanding the incinerator debate - a guide
• Questionnaire

Manx Airlines has recently decided to remove Manx Gaelic from its welcome to passengers on board its aircraft. The impact of this decision was brushed aside by Manx Airline's spokesmen as merely an internal policy matter. At the time of the British Airways take-over of Manx Airlines, Chief Minister Miles Walker sought assurances that the Manxness of the airline would remain and he felt able to reassure his admiring public that Manx Airlines would retain its Manx characteristics.

I'm sure it will come as no surprise to us that another major company in the Isle of Man has chosen to ignore the wishes of Miles Walker. The surprising thing about all this is that Manx Airlines have chosen to cut an aspect of their service which had considerable support from its passengers and had generated prominent press coverage both for Manx Airlines and the Isle of Man.

That this decision was not publicly announced shows, I believe, that Manx Airlines were aware of the sensitivity of this decision. Manx Airlines was wrong to sneak this through without letting their customers know about it, they were wrong to ignore the public appeal of the Manx they had used and they should urgently review this policy shift and reinstate Manx into their service.

Cultural Officer

This is the countdown to back-door privatisation.

The M.E.A. is one of the most important public utilities in Mannin. The investigation into its future, conducted some four years ago, received substantial evidence from a wide range of parties (including Mec Vannin) that both privatisation and a cable-link were unacceptable to the healthy future of our electricity supplies.

Within three years of these findings, a certain Mr. Machin has been imported to the island, clearly with a brief of "shaking down" the operation in preparation for privatisation and cable-linking into the nuclear contaminated U.K. grid.

The plan is to cater for the spiralling demand for electricity at peak limes in winter by importing electricity from a cable-link. To pay for this, our own plant will run at full load 24 hours a day, all year round and export it via the cable during off-peak loading. Nonetheless, to make our electricity "attractive" in economic terms to the U.K. companies, its price will have to drop substantially.

This will mean selling off the Manx generation concern at knockdown price and allowing the buyer to invest in a level of plant automation that becomes viable in 24 hour generation operations. The result is that there will be no M.E.A. generation work force as such: Plant and possibly even distribution maintenance will be carried out by "flying gangs" - workers employed by the parent operation in the U.K to be dispatched only when break-down / maintenance requirements make it economically viable to do so.

The result? A large number of unemployed Manx workers, an increase of over 100% in all forms of pollution associated with electricity generation, no anti-nuclear argument for our government and a substantial loss of revenue. Although the M.E.A. will continue to exist as a company for tax purposes, all money other than the tax will be taken out of our economy.

Mec Vannin has written to Miles Walker, seeking an urgent inquiry into the future conduct of the M.E.A. The current dispute between management and workers, which has resulted in two skilled men being sacked, has clearly been orchestrated by the management. The two individuals concerned just happened to be two of the most prominent members of the T.G.W.U. in the workforce. It was the T.G.W.U.'s submission in conjunction with Mec Vannin's that ultimately blocked the privatisation proposal four years ago.

These men were acting within the terms of a recognised dispute and yet were sacked, in the words of the I.O.M. Trades Council, "with apparent government sanction."

A Trades Council press release on the subject continued, "If these are the politics of this government, they are the politics of Fascism and deserve to be labelled as such. If Trade Unions behaved in the way the Manx government behaved last week, the media, political organisations, the Church and all elements of civil society would be outraged. The Union movement keenly await such condemnation."

Mec Vannin's should be apparent.

Mec Vannin was one of the many groups which objected to the siting of the new hospital at Ballamona. The need to upgrade hospital facilities on an ongoing basis is accepted, but the logic behind the choice of Ballamona for a central acute facility is totally flawed.

Although several hundred thousand pounds of tax-payers were spent in retrospectively attempting to justify the site selection, it was made painfully clear at the enquiry that the only criteria for its selection was the fact that it was owned by the D.H.S.S.

The evidence submitted to the enquiry by the D.o.T. clearly indicated the inadequate access to the site, which was addressed in the original scheme by the infamous "flyover". This bridge across the Dhoo Valley is not included in the final scheme, but it is part of the D.o.T.'s Douglas traffic management scheme. In other words, the "fly-over" is an integral part of the Ballamona development.

The Department of Education's original evidence made it clear the Braddan Primary School would be subject to unacceptable disruption in its current situation should the scheme go ahead. At literally the last minute, new evidence was submitted, totally withdrawing the department's opposition. Leaked documents showed that the Department of Education had been "nobbled" in order to present "more favourable" evidence.

The other highly contentious issue is the plundering of an initial £44 million of our benefit money for the project. Although Tynwald have managed to get away with this in the eyes of the law, they certainly haven't in the eyes of anyone with a sense of justice. That money was collected for the purpose of paying benefits to the contributors. The excuse was that the fund had unexpectedly over-performed. No fund acquires an extra £44 million overnight and yet no attempts were made to reduce N.I. contributions or enhance benefits to reflect the increased growth.

Now here's the salt in the wound. The hospital is designed to cater for a population of 85,000. The Manx population has been in steady decline for the past forty years. Manx workers' N.I. contributions have been taken to ensure the best of health care for a new wave of tax-dodgers. Excuse me while I throw up.

Mark Kermode.

The probable change of government in the U.K. is bringing to our shores a substantial number of high net worth individuals who are active in the top end of the (housing) market. This will have reverberations through all price bands as the stock of property diminishes future buyers will be forced into the middle price band, having a knock-on effect right down the line. This is good news for all...."

David Creane, Chairman of Cowley Groves (IOM Examiner Business News, 25-6-96)

Good news for all except young Manx couple trying to get a foot-hold in the housing market.

In the first place, as MHKs tend to blindly and obediently follow the wishes and demands of their Finance Sector masters, why should the head of "Shady Deals Overseas Ltd' wish to take a massive salary cut, and commit himself to a long term (5 year) stay in the Isle of Man?

Secondly, the work of Finance Sector bosses brings them in to contact with drugs smugglers, terrorists, tax evaders and thoroughly dishonest, disreputable, immoral and corrupt people as it is. They hardly need to become elected to the House of Keys!

P.G

Then welcome to I.O.M.P.L.C. where you will be given every assistance to process the profits of serious crime!

The Isle of Man - a low tax, low morality area

We can offer you: COMPLETE SECRECY

No questions asked about where your money comes from. We couldn't care less if you're a drug trafficker, terrorist, bank robber, arms dealer, currency swindler, tax evader or the Russian mafia. Our financial laundering services are second to none and can help you remove even the toughest of criminal 'stains' from your ill-gotten gains.

A VEIL OF RESPECTABILITY

Use the numerous "respectable' big banking and insurance names now with offshore subsidiaries in the I.O.M. as fronts to legitimise your money. We can recommend numerous 'respected' Manx advocates, accountants and businessmen ready to act as your paid intermediaries. They will give you every assistance in circumventing the 'know your customer' rules which in theory we operate here. Or, if you require complete anonymity, why not set up your own NON-RESIDENT COMPANY. Despite recent hard-hitting criticism from Deemster J. Corrin, the Island's top law man, this world 'renowned' vehicle for money laundering continues to flourish here. After all, it does provide government with £5 million of revenue from company registration fees each year. Nominee directors and bogus brass plates available for hire on request.

UNDER-REGULATION

Don't be worried by the recent noises made by our government about our increasingly high standards of financial regulation and tight government supervision of the F.S. industry. Take a look at our pitifully small fraud squad if you want to see how keen our government really is to crack down on the multi-million pound dirty money industry, the biggest area of criminal activity on the island.

NON-EXISTENT SUPERVISION

Our Financial Supervision Commission does not actively police the industry but relies on the industry to regulate itself and report any suspicious transactions (yes really - a bit like leaving the monkeys in charge of the zoo.) The threatened move to introduce some degree of accountability into this system of self regulation - i.e. the Corporate Agents proposal has fortunately come to nothing in the face of strong opposition from the F.S. industry. Likewise, you may rest assured that we are still not a party to the initiatives of the Financial Action Task Force - a body set up by the G7 nations to combat international money laundering.

A FEW NOTABLE CUSTOMERS

Obviously it would be highly imprudent and unprofessional to list the vast body of money launderers who have profited through the services of I.O.M. P.L.C. However, we list below of some of those who for one reason or other have fallen foul of the law in other jurisdictions (not in the I.O.M., please note). This should give you some indication of the scale and range of the high quality business being transacted here.
 

• Illegal Russian arms dealers operating through I.O.M. - Offshore Financial Review May 1992.
• U.K.'s Securities and Investment Board closes down £2.5 million unauthorised investment business in I.O.M. - Offshore Financial Review, May 1992.
• Loans scam operated from the I.O.M. defrauds New Zealanders of thousands of pounds. - Offshore Financial Review, August 1992.
• Manx companies 'used in rigging NIGH metal market. ' - Offshore Financial Review, December 1993.
• £11 million Brent-Walker fraud money laundered through an I.O.M. bank. - Daily Telegraph, May 11, 1994.
• Timeshare operator registered in I.O.M. admits laundering millions via offshore banks. - Examiner, June 21, 1994.
• Colombian drug cartel laundered money through I.O.M. - Offshore Financial Review, August, 1994.
• £57 million drugs cash 'in Island bank' -Examiner, January 17, 1995.
• 'Mafia hit squads could strike here' - Manx Independent, October 6, 1995.
• Brinks-Mat cash stashed in Manx bank. -Manx Independent, February 17. 1995.
• 'Isle of Man was used to launder millions of pounds of drug money' -Examiner July 2, 1996

An Collation have recently published two A5 format books that are likely to be of interest to a Manx / Celtic readership.

The first, "The Sons of the Ermine" (£3.50) is a detailed history of Brittany (Breech) in an easy to read categorised format. The next is "A Short History of the Manx Language" (£2.50) by Brian Stowell and Diarmuid O Breaslain and its title says it all.

Both books contain detailed information in a concise, easy to read form. They are available from Brian Stowell, 16 Hillary Road, Douglas.
 

"State of the Art Incinerator" - One that, by its clever technology, concentrates dioxins by filtration. "Incinerators are safe" - I stand to gain financially or politically by promoting incineration.
"With the option to incinerate sewage sludge" - We've finally lost it. We can't think what to do with our s*"t except set fire to it. The lights are on but nobody's home. We are a teapot.
"The government is committed to pursuing its recycling strategy" - The government is committed to continuing to have recyclable material segregated before dumping it.
"We don't want to make this an election issue" - Please don't make this an election issue as we haven't investigated the alternatives properly and we're up the creek without a paddle.
"D.L.G.E. scoping report" - We've decided you're going to have an incinerator, now we're going to decide how many Manx sod hedges and native trees to put around
it. Who knows, we might even have local craftsmen face it in Manx slate, with a stone plaque in Manx.
"I heard Bellamy say it's safe" - I didn't hear that he has made videos for I.C.I. agrochemicals and Dettox.
"I don't think it should be in the countryside" - I live in Foxdale.
"I think it should be in Douglas" - I live in Foxdale.
"Government waste hierarchy D: minimisation" - Skip diving.

Terry Groves has told Tynwald that if we don't have an incinerator site agreed this summer, there will be nowhere to put rubbish after September. Given that it will take five years at least to build and commission an incinerator, what difference is it going to make?
Terry Groves has stated his intent to pursue his department's policy without fear of unpopularity. Very well. If an incinerator is safe in Douglas, it is safe in Ramsey.
Terry Groves thinks that people who express an opinion (other than his own) are "rabble".
Terry Groves believes that Manx people who don't like the Manx government should leave the Isle of Man. Terry Groves used to be an estate agent.

Tick either a) or b) to complete each of the following statements.

1. The Manx language is:

a) central to the Manx identity.
b) quaint, but totally impractical.

2. Government resources should be targeted at:

a) Manx language development.
b) attracting more "big-name" retail outlets to put those dreadful local shops out of business.

3. Areas of outstanding scenic beauty are:

a) to be protected and preserved without question.
b) ideal for building exclusive homes, preferably mine.

4. Traditional Manx music and dance should be:

a) taught in all schools.
b) performed by tame natives for tourists and visiting royalty.

5. Footpaths and Rights of Way are:

a) There for the proper use of and enjoyment by all.
b) ideal for thrashing up and down in my 4x4 (except for those bloody walkers).

6. At Laa Columb Killey:
a) there is no place for the English national anthem. 
b) What on Earth is lair column killyer?

7. Finance sector growth should be:

a) restricted to reduce its overall importance to our economy.
b) given every possible encouragement - there's plenty of room here!

8. Isle of Man Newspapers:

a) need a truly independent Manx competitor.
b) are full of meaningless trivia (except for Fenella's page).

9. The Manx people should:

a) have a large stake in the Steam Packet Co. 
b) not be interested in travelling.

10. The Isle of Man has:

a) a unique Celtic heritage and a history of autonomy that should be realised in total independence.
b) a low tax regime and a rather convenient location, but one does need to escape to civilisation regularly.

Your results:

All "a": Congratulations. If you're not a member of Mec Vannin, you should be.
Mostly "a": You have potential.
Mostly "b": Have you considered therapy?
All "b": Sod off back from where you came from*.
"If this is the Isle of Man, we're very sorry. We didn't realise M.H.K.s read this sort of thing.