FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH

Tooilley Thieyn Noa?

Shiuish ta jeean er Radio Vannin as y cloudeyrys ayns Mannin va fakin ny clashtyn reeshtagh veih ny jantee thallooin dy vel genney dy hieyn ayns Mannin. T'eh jeeaghyn dy vel roauyr dy oikyn as thieyn braew stoamey nagh vod adsyn ta shirrey thieyn fordrail goll er troggal ec yn traa t'ayn. Myr shen cha nel thieyn cooie ayn dauesyn ta shirrey kionnaghey thie noa son y chied keayrt as ta ny jantee thallooin laccal acyryn neuventit son lheid ny thieyn shoh y hroggal.

Cha nel mee dy bollagh noi ny jantee thallooin (wahll, breagerey mish) as ta lane fys aym dy vel eh jeeaghyn dy vel tooilley feme son thieyn ayns Mannin 'sy lhing ain jiu na va rieau. Ta fys mie aym neesht dy vel dy chooilley pheiagh ta jannoo dellalys shirrey tooilley argid glen ec jerrey y vlein argidoil, as cha nhegin dooin shen y yarrood. Dy jed whilleen dy hieyn er hroggal as ta ny jantee thallooin geearree hig ad dy ve berchagh dy liooar - cha nee shirveish y theay agh shirveish daue hene t'ayn!

Dagh blein ta'n chaghteraght cheddin currit dooin lioroosyn ta geearree mooadaghey ny cosnaghyn oc - mannagh vel tooilley thieyn as oikyn troggit dy leah hig geyre-ghaue da'n vargey thieys. Yioym rish dy nhegin da paart dy hieyn goll er troggal dagh blein agh car ny jeih bleeaney as feed t'er n'gholl shaghey ta'n shenn Ellan Vannin er ve stroiet lesh steatyn-thie graney neu-vriwnyssit. Cha nod yn ellan ain gymmyrkey whillin dy hieyn goll er troggal car ny jeih bleeaney as feed shoh cheet er lhiam.

Agh cha nee mish my lomarcan ta smooinaghtyn myr shoh. Coardail rish yn Reayrtys Gallup va jeant ayns 1990 cha row agh 10% dooin ayns Mannin geearree mooadaghey yn earroo dy lieh va cummal er nyn ellan. Va shoh mysh jeih bleeaney er dy henney as ta kiare ny queig thousane dy noanee er jeet gys shoh neayr's shen.

Myr shen t'eh feer scanshoil nagh vel yn reiltys ain geiyrt er yn raad ta soilshit liorish ny jantee thallooin as thie. Shegin dooin ooilley smooinaghtyn dy dowin er yn chummey vees er nyn ellan 'sy traa ry-heet mannagh dermayd sthap er ny steatyn-thie ta sthampey foue ny lheeannagyn glass Vannin.

Mysh feed blein er dy henney v'adsyn va boirrey mychione ny gaueyn jeh roauyr dy hollaghar 'syn aer, er y thalloo as 'sy cheayn as yn aght va farrysyn cheerey as boodeeyssyn goll er lhiasaghey dy neuymmyrkagh, coontit dy ve ass nyn geayll. Nish ta ooilley ny reiltyssyn mooarey cur scansh trome da shoh myr t'eh baghtal nish dy jean caghlaaghyn mooarey cheet mannagh dermayd arrym da'n theihll.

Nagh vel eh traa dooin ayns Mannin dy chooney lesh Tinvaal dy chroo polaseeyn foddee yn ellan shoh gymmyrkey as nagh vel mhilley yn edd ain hene. Ny smoo na shen lhig dooin shaghney ny shenn aghtyn tootagh as jollysagh va geiyrt er argid ny lomarcan gyn scansh da'n cheer as da'n theay.

More New Houses?

Those who are keen followers of Manx current affairs will have read in the papers or heard on Manx Radio that once again estate agents are warning of a shortage of houses in the Isle of Man. It appears that too many office blocks and fine grand houses, which those who want houses can't afford, are being built at the moment. Consequently there are no houses suitable for those who want to buy a new house for the first time and the estate agents are now wanting some virgin acres on which to build such houses.

I can understand the estate agent's position and I appreciate that there appears to be a much greater demand for new houses in the Isle of Man in this modern age than ever there was. I also know that everyone in business wants to increase their profits at the end of each financial year, and we should not forget this. If as many houses were built as the etate agents are calling for their profits would indeed rise - after all their businesses exist primarily to serve the interests of their directors and shareholders not the general public!

Each year the same message is presented to us by those who wish to maximise their profits - 'if more houses and offices aren't built soon there'll be a crisis in the property market'. While we all accept that some houses will have to be built each year we have seen over the past 30 years or so unsightly poorly planned housing estates despoil the old Isle of Man. Our island can not sustain even a fraction of this number of houses being built over the next 30 years.

Its not just me that thinks this. According to the 1990 Gallup survey which was carried out for the Manx Government only 10% of the population wanted to see the population of the Isle of Man increase. This was nearly 10 years ago and we've had another three or four thousand new residents since then.

So it is important that our Government does not follow the road plotted by the estate agents and developers. We must think seriously what sort of island we will have in the future if we don't stop the new houses smothering the green fields of Mann.

About twenty years ago those who worried about pollution of the land, air and sea and the unsustainability of economic and social development were dismissed as cranks and nutcases. Now most of the major Governments in the west are taking these worries very seriously as it is clear that significant (potentially damaging) environmental and social changes will occur if we don't alter our ways.

Is it not now time for us in the Isle of Man to help Tynwald create policies for sustainable development for our island which do not lead to us spoiling our own nest? More than that should we not renounce the narrow minded profit centred approach to development which has so vigorously been pursued in the past, pursued as it was without a care for the people or country.

Phil Gawne