FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH

Money Set to Flow from New Marina!?

I've not been taking much notice of the great marina debates of the past year or so. My feet belong firmly on dry land so, apart from when a wave lands on the car when I'm driving along the Shore Road, I generally keep my distance from nautical matters.

Recently though I have discovered conversations being increasingly drawn seaward. The proposed new marina for Port St Mary seems to be as popular with the natives as its shelved counterpart in Ramsey.

It would appear that the Government, in a gesture closely mimicking an investment by the World Bank in some third world hydro-electric scheme, has set its heart on splashing out big money on a big scheme for Port St Mary. This noble move is to be taken to try to breath life back into the flagging economic heart of the Port.

Grand schemes and big budget enterprises are apparently quite popular with the ruling classes. However, it has been suggested that the long millions to be spent on this scheme might be more productively invested in providing incentives to small businesses to set up in the Port.

Of course such things as small business development initiatives require more thought, time and care to implement and do not provide those charged with setting up and running such schemes the great kudos, simplicity of management and short term completion that the great marina project would offer. Perhaps this is why the scheme is being pushed so strongly or maybe the decision has been taken that we must have a marina somewhere on the Island and Port St Mary is the only place left (why has the deep water in Port Erin not been considered?).

Well, no doubt this latest marina debate will be vexing us all in the south in the coming months and hopefully the right decision will be made. I for one am far from convinced that the economic benefits will be sufficient to balance the considerable initial cost of the scheme, but as a farmer who am I to comment?

Homeowner's to Pay for Polluters?

An interesting new scheme is to be introduced next year whereby rate payers are to be asked to pay for the pollution produced by us all. The idea behind the scheme is that those of us who produce rubbish should pay for its disposal. The principle is sound - the more rubbish we create, the more we have to pay, so we are being financially encouraged to pollute less.

The only problem is there are considerably fewer rate payers than tax payers and currently waste disposal is funded through central Government from taxation. So as of next year a smaller number of people (the rate payers) will be increasingly asked to shoulder the burden of payments for waste disposal for all of us. So the polluter pays less while the homeowner pays through the nose. It would appear that the policy has drifted some considerable distance from the original sound principle.

That's enough politics for this year. Who knows there might be a Christmas special next time - let me know if you've got any events planned for the foolish fortnight!

Argid dy Liooar veih'n
Stashoon Birling Noa!?

Cha nel mee er ve goaill tastey jeh ny rosaghyn dowin er stashoon birling ta er ve bio car ny bleeantyn shoh chaie. Share dooys thalloo bog yn Ellan, as er lhimmey jeh tonn ny ghaa ta brishey sheese er my ghleashtan tra ta mee gimman er Raad y Traie, ta mee shaghney cooishyn bentyn rish y cheayn.

Dy mennick ny laghyn shoh ta mee cummal cooishyn lesh Manninee as anaase mooar oc er cooishyn shiaulteyragh. T'eh jeeaghyn dy vel yn stashoon birling noa t'ad geearree troggal ayns Purt le Moirrey cur wheesh dy boirey orrin sy jiass as yn fer va shaghnit ec Rhumsaa.

Strooys dy vel yn Reiltys ain jeean agglagh er cur argid mooar da cummey mooar ayns y Phurt, kiart gollrish Banc y Theihll cur argid tootagh da troggal doour mooar erskyn towse ayns cheer boght ennagh. Ta bun yn eie oc mie dy liooar er y fa dy vel ad prowal aavioghey yn cree brisht argidoil ayns Purt le Moirrey.

T'adsyn ta reill nyn Ellan slane graihagh er plannyn mooarey lesh tashtyn argid feer berchagh ny laghyn shoh. Agh ta paart dy leih er chur yn faaue dooys dy beeagh ny millioonyn dy phunt vees ceaut er y chooish jannoo foddey share myr ve currit da cleayney colughtyn beggey dy chur er bun oik ny shapp sy Phurt.

Gyn ouyrys bee lheid yn cleaynaght shoh ayns feme jeh smooinaght dowin as ram traa yn chooish shoh y chooilleeney my vees eh rieau as cha jig ass y chooish gien mie, caa vraew son jalloo ayns ny pabyryn ny cummey aashagh dy reiyrey. Foddee dy vel shen y fa dy vel ad cha jeean er y stashoon birling ny foddee dy vel peiagh ennagh er reih dy bee stashoon birling troggit boayl ennagh ayns Mannin as ta Purt le Moirrey yn voayl s'jerree faagit (cre'n fa nagh vel ad er ve smooinaghtyn er ny ushtaghyn dowin ec Purt Chiarn?).

Wahll, gyn dooyt erbee bee yn ronsaghey shoh bio as lajer sy jiass rish meeghyn dy liooar sy vlein noa as s'treish lhiam dy bee yn reih kiart yn reih ocsyn. Er lhiam pene dy bee roauyr dy argid ceaut son yn argid beg vees cosnit er ash veih oc she eirinagh mish gyn ys erbee er y keayn!

Nee Adsyn as Thieyn Oc
Geeck son Nyn Drustyr!

Ta red feer anaasagh er jeet ass RRYasCh vees jeant bio sy vlein shoh cheet as shen aght noa son eeck son geddyn rey rish yn trustyr ain ooilley raad vees adsyn ta geeck keeshyn baljagh geeck ny smoo as ny smoo. Ta'n eie cooyl y chooish mie er bashtal as shen dy lhisagh shinyn ta croo trustyr geeck son geddyn rey rish. S'mie shen dy jarroo - ny smoo trustey crooit ny smoo argid eeckit as myr shen ta shin greinnit trustyr sloo y yannoo.

Ta boirey vooar lesh yn chooish as shen dy vel foddey sloo dy eeckeyderyn keesh baljagh na ecckederyn keeshyn elley ayn as ec yn tra t'ayn she keesh meanagh ta ymmydit son geddyn rey rish trustyr. Myr shoh bee'n earroo sloo dy eeckederyn keesh baljagh shirrit dy eeck ny smoo as ny smoo car ny bleeantyn shoh cheet son cur ersooyl yn jummalys ain ooilley. Myr shen nee eshyn ta croo jummalys geeck ny sloo as eshyn as thie echey ceau argid dy liooar er y chooish. T'eh jeeaghyn dooys nagh vel yn polasee dy bollagh kianlt chionn rish yn bun-smooinaght v'ayn sy toshiaght.

Shen ny cooishyn politickagh jeant as harrish son blein elley. Er lhiam dy bee yn cholloo screeut mychione y Nollick yn nah cheayrt as myr shen cur fys dou mychione taghyrt erbee ta goll er cummal car y chegeesh ommidjagh my sailt!


Phil Gawne