FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH
Mie Jeant Edgar - Nearey er ny Olteynyn Elley!

Ta palchey dy lieh er ve smooinaghtyn dy dowin er ny resoonyn nagh daink yn theay magh ayns earrooyn mooarey ec y reihys cadjin. Dy jarroo ta mee hene er screeu beggan er chooish ny keayrtyn. Nagh vel bing er ve pointit y boirey mooar shoh y ronsaghey?

Wahll, t'eh feer cronnal dooin ooilley nish nagh nee agh spotch t'ayn yn aght ta ny olteynyn ooilley goll mygeayrt gra dy vel ad boirit agglagh er feayr-chooishaght y theay cadjin. Car y reihys va nane jeh ny feyshtyn smoo va goll mygeayrt bentyn rish mooadys yn earroo dy chummaltee Vannin. "Lhisagh bishaghey yn earroo dy chummaltee noa ve currit fo stiurey yn reiltys" dooyrt yn chooid smoo jeusyn va cosney stiagh ec y reihys.

Shoh nane jeh ny cooishyn smoo scanshoil ayns Mannin ec y traa t'ayn as tra ren Edgar Quine MHK cur y chooish roish ny kiare as feed cha ren agh yn ard shirveishagh loayrt gra dy lhisagh red ennagh ve jeant tra ennagh 'sy traa ry-heet - nagh vel yn chaghteraght cheddin er jeet veih'n reiltys rish ny smoo na jeih blein nish? She scammyltagh dy vel y chooish shoh er ve faagit gyn bree ny dryss - nagh vel berchys dy liooar ec ny troggalee as jantee thalloo hannah.

Adsyn ren goll mygeayrt roish yn reihys cadjin gra dy lhisagh red ennagh ve jeant er y chooish shoh, freill shoh ayns cooinaght y nah cheayrt ta shiu loayrt mychione feayr-cooishaght y theay. Va shin jerkal riu ny boiraghyn mooar y kiartaghey as ec y chooid sloo ny gialdinyn eu y ve freilt.

Chan yrrys eh nagh vel shin goll magh nyn reih y chu my vees ny politickeyryn ain cha jarroodagh cha tappee as shoh!

Keishtaghan Mooinjer Veggey

Ta keishtaghan mooar er ve reaghit ec Mooinjer Veggey car ny meeghyn shoh chaie as va wheesh as £1119 cosnit. Va'n chied aundyr scoltit eddyr daa ven feer tushtagh ren cheet lesh yn earroo dy freggyrtyn kiart cheddin as shen Bnr R.A Brew veih Rhumsaa as Bnr Jean Renshaw veih Skylley Maayl.

Ta booise Vooinjer Veggey currit da Glynne Shearman yn ven ren croo y keishtaghan lesh aigney flaieeagh as ren cooney dy mie. Booise neesht da Sarah Christian ren reaghey ny creckeyderyn as y lheid, da ny creckeyderyn hene as gyn ouyrys dauesyn ooilley ren kionnaghey y keishtaghan ren cooney Mooinjer Veggey.

Gura mie ayd voish 'Amnesty'

Tammylt beg er dy henney screeu mee 'sy cholloo shoh mychione Ngawang Choepel, ny 'er kynney-chiaullaght veih Tibet. Va'n dooinney boght shoh ruggit ayns Tibet agh va'n lught-thie echey eignit chea dys yn Injey ayns 1968 tra nagh row eh agh daa vlein dy eash.

Hie ny bleeantyn shaghey as raink Ngawang gys Tibet ayns 1995 boayl ve goit seose ec ny Sheenee son chymsaghey fys, kiaull as stoo cooie elley son jannoo fillym feanishagh mychione ellynyn tradishoonagh cloiet voish Tibet. Er yn Eedoo laa Jerrey Geuree (y vee shoh chaie) v'eh feayslit ec ny Sheenee as nish t'eh ayns ny SU fo'n er-lhee ta jeeaghyn er yn chingys aaney as chingys ayns ny scowanyn echey hooar eh chouds v'eh prisoonit.

Ta fys ec Possan Vannin Amnesty International er 26 screeunyn va currit da ny Sheenee kyndagh rish y cholloo shoh as claareyn Bobby Bob as Juan Mooar. Va ram duillagyn fys goit neesht son cur mygeayrt Mannin as s'liklee dy row yn earroo kiart ny smoo na shen. Chammah's shen va da'eed dy chaartyn post, va jeant ec keayrtee er laa Tinvaal, currit da Ngawang Choepel hene. Smooinnee Amnesty dy beagh eh jesh dy chur nyn mooise jiuish ren cooney lesh y chooish as choard mee rish shen!

Well done Edgar - Where were the Rest of You?

Over the past few months there's been a lot of deep thought over the reasons why the public were so reluctant to come out and vote at the general election. I've even made a comment or two about this in the column and hasn't there been some sort of a committee set up to investigate the problem?

Well, after last weeks shenanigans in the keys its become very clear that our elected representatives have been weeping crocodile tears over the great problem of voter apathy. One of the major issues raised during the election campaign was the increasing Manx population. "The Government must introduce population controls to solve this problem urgently" the vast majority of vote seekers cried.

So no wonder then that Edgar Quine MHK chose the earliest opportunity (allowing some bedding in time for the new boys) to raise this very important issue which remains firmly on the lips of the 'man or woman' in the street. The Chief Minister gave a reply reminiscent of replies to this question which we've heard for over 10 years now - on the lines of we're reviewing the situation and something will have to be done about it some time in the future. An unsurprising and in some ways understandable response from Mr Corkhill (lets not be too rash now) but what ever happened to the other 15 or so MHKs who specifically said, when seeking election, that they wished to see residency controls introduced?

I'm no expert on the proceedings of Tynwald and the Keys but then neither are the vast amount of people who turned out to vote (and those that didn't for that matter). Perhaps there are procedural reasons why only two of our politicians were prepared to speak on this major issue. However, the perception given by the silent members to the general public is that MHKs are treating us all with contempt. The bold initiatives which were discussed and promised have been kicked into touch within a matter of months of the general election.

So those of you in high office who travel the country wringing your hands about how we might encourage more people to vote remember this. Those of us who did vote placed you in positions of power on the understanding that you would deal with all our problems, not just the easy ones!

Can anyone really be surprised that people are turned off by national politics after such a miserable performance from the new House of Keys last week?

Mooinjer Veggey Quiz

Mooinjer Veggey have been running a grand Quiz over the past few months which has raised a fantastic £1119. First prize was split between two very clever ladies who could not be separated Ms R.A Brew of Ramsey and Mrs Jean Renshaw of Kirk Michael.

Mooinjer Veggey would like to thank the creator of the quiz, Glynne Shearman whose fiendish brain and generous help were invaluable, Sarah Christian who co-ordinated the whole project, everyone who helped to sell the quiz, and finally all those who purchased the quiz in support of Mooinjer Veggey.

Thanks from Amnesty

Some time ago I wrote in the column about Ngawang Choepel, a Tibetan musicologist who was arrested by the Chinese for trying to make a documentary about traditional Tibetan performing arts. On 20th January the Chinese released him and he's now in the US undergoing tests for the liver and lung ailments he contracted during his prison term.

The Manx branch of Amnesty International know at least 26 letters went off to the Chinese as a result of the coverage in this column and Bob Carswell and John Kanneen's Manx Radio programmes. Many people took leaflets to distribute as well so the real figure could be higher. The Manx branch also sent off about 40 cards to Ngawang Choepel himself signed by visitors to the Tynwald Fair stall. Amnesty's Isle of Man Group felt it might be nice to thank all who helped in the campaign and who am I to argue?


Phil Gawne