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ISLEOFMANEXAMINER

www.iomtoday.co.im Tuesday, September 14, 2021

GENERAL ELECTION frontrunners for the post as AlfCannanandAlexAllinson. AFGHANS: I don’t the is- land is geared up to be able to supportrefugeesappropriate- ly and I thinkwewouldbe do- ingthemadisservicebytaking themin.Wearea small island with no cultural support or community level support for them. We are not entitled to any oftheUKfundingaswearenot part of the UK and nor do we have access to the UK health support networks. So while we can access the relocation scheme itself we have had confirmed by theUKwe can’t access the funding that goes with it or the priority health- care.Manyrefugeesafterwhat they have been through and suffered have specific medi- cal needs that can’t bemet on island, even for our own cur- rent residents and need to be met in theUK. So it means them travel- ling to the UK for the support theymayrequire.Equally, the lawas it standsdoesnot allow for benefits or housing to be claimed for thefirstfiveyears of residency. To allow this for refugees we would have to change the law and would to meet legal equality obliga- tions have to do so for every- one coming to the island. The monies to support refugees wouldalsohave to come from

changing anything. Although it shows solidarity for a cause it doesn’t actually physically create the changes it seeks to promote. I’m afirm believer that if you support a cause you should be campaigning for that cause and seeking to create change not simply sig- nifying support via a gesture. WRITER: StephenKing. HERO: Lord Liverpool, who served as Prime Minis- ter from 1812-1827 (15 years, a record no one since has sur- passed). He took over the office af- ter thefirst and so far only as- sassination of an incumbent. Itwas a timeof revolution, so- cial turbulenceandnotforget- tingtheNapoleonicWarswere in full flowaswell. Aswithallgovernmentshis was not without controversy with the Six Acts and Peter- loo Massacre, but he helped steady the ship of state at was an exceptionally uncertain and dangerous time. He also brought a level of stability to the country after the Napole- onicWars, built the economy and his administration set thegroundwork forwhatwas to become a decade later the foundationsofVictorianBrit- ain. Now very much a forgot- tenPrimeMinistercompared toothermorefamousmodern dayfigures. KEVINOLIPHANT-SMITH OCCUPATION: Contact tracing investigator; commu- nity swabbing teammember; Villa Gaiety staff, trade union representative (all current). CARBON: Introduce free bus travel island wide to en- courage less car usage. SOCIAL CARE: No, as the government have continu- ouslyproventhat theycannot managepublic fundswithout hugewastage.Weneedbetter managementofhealthandso- cial carefundstoensurethese are being utilised correctly. COVID: None, I believe it is a personal choice for each individual to make and the government should not be bringing inanymeasures that could conflict with an indi- vidual’sbasic rights tochoose what is the correct decision for their ownbody. ONE GOVT CUT: The Emergency Powers Acts have given managers free rein to employmanymore staff, this wasdoneoutofpanicoriginal- ly and nowwe still havemany of these employees perform- ingbasicadministrationroles which are no longer needed. CANNABIS: Yes LOCAL GOVT: I would be in favor of four, North , South, East,West. ABORTIONREFORM: Yes EQUALMARRIAGE: Yes ASSISTEDDYING: Yes YOUNG PEOPLE: Provid- ing more on island training and educational support as well as introducing further legislative change for first time buyers assistance this LEGCO: Yes BISHOP: No

the international aid monies decreasing the external sup- port the island currently pro- vides. LEGISLATION: Local Au- thority Reform Bill. It’s well over time to reform our local authority systemwith five lo- calauthoritiesofdecentsizes. This would allow govern- ment to decentralise and place many services where they belong in the hands of local representatives. This al- lowgovernment togetonwith concentratingonnationaland international priorities. The last major restruc- ture was in the 1890s and its time to get on and get the job done, its one of issues where theargument isalways“nowis not the time”well if after 120- 130 years its not now the time when is it! GBPARTY:Itwoulddepend what thepartieswereoffering inany givenelection. I tend to be very independently mind- ed and my support wouldn’t just automatically go to one party. BREXIT: Yes. I believe it opens up trading opportuni- ties around the world and it gives the island as well an op- portunitytotakepart inthose deals that we believe are ben- eficial tous. KNEE: No. I don’t believe it actually achieves anything or has had a direct impact on

Aswell asbecomingMHKswhen theyareelected, theyaremembersof Tynwald. TheHouseof Keys tends to concentrateon legislationwhileTynwald –whichcomprisesMHKs andMembersof theLegislativeCouncil sitting together – looks at policyandfinance.MHKs andMLCs sit onTynwaldHill onTynwaldDay, July5

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would certainly help. FIRST-TIMEBUYERS: PLANNING: No RESIDENCY QUALIFICA- SECONDHOMETAX: Yes GENEROUS SCHEMES: SPEEDLIMIT: No AIRLINE: Yes CHIEF MINISTER: Juan AFGHANS: We don’t have the infrastructure to offer them the support they re- quire to resettle, under the UK resettlement scheme this wouldberequiredfor themto berelocatedtoaspecificarea. TheUKresettlementcommit- tee look at all of this informa- tionbeforedecidingonwhich area to relocate any refugees, looking at our current infra- structure such as lack of GPs, educational support, health- care,housing,translators.The UKcommitteewouldnoteven consider us. LEGISLATION: Changes with recruitment known as blind applications to remove any possibility of discrimina- tion during the recruitment stage (Equality Act update needed). New first-time buy- ers scheme as well as rent to buy. Medicinal cannabis as well as decriminalisation, planning committee reform, changes to Legal Aid Legisla- tion to give a fair representa- tion to our island residents, Animal welfare legislation, TaxLegislationChanges toal- lowcouples tobe jointlytaxed without entering into a mar- riage or civil partnership. GB PARTY:I don’t know enough about all the UK par- ties to be able to make that choice. I’ve followed the Con- servativesandtheLabourpar- ty’s on goings in the UK and I don’t feel I would vote for ei- ther of those. BREXIT: Yes KNEE: No WRITER: Carl Jung HERO: NelsonMandela TION: Yes Yes Watterson.

SECONDHOMETAX: No SPEEDLIMIT: No, lifelong

OCCUPATION(beforepoli- tics): Business owner. CARBON:Changebuilding control regulations for new homes, immediately. SOCIALCARE: No,aSocial CareTax. COVID: Continue free movement for fully vaccinat- ed. ONE GOVT CUT: Change culture to one of working as a teamwithprivatesector, rath- er than in house, begin with leisure. CANNABIS: This is a jour- ney of understanding, be- ginning with a local medical cannabis product being li- censed and in future availa- bleonprescription.Following this decriminalisation, then a process to understand how licensing can become a safe reality. LOCALGOVT: Consult the constituents,whatdotheyex- pect their local authorities to be responsible for and paid for by the rates. I would advo- cate improved use of shared services to provide best value formoney. LEGCO:Thesystemworks, ifMLCs’ role isoneof scrutiny and outside of Government. BISHOP:No, butdoeshave valued input. ABORTIONREFORM: Yes, and successfully introduced accesszones forabortoinser- vices. EQUALMARRIAGE: Yes. ASSISTEDDYING:Idosup- port theprinciple,andcareful wording. YOUNGPEOPLE: Refunds ofpartof student loananden- courage the reinvigoration of Douglas. FIRST-TIMEBUYERS: Build,eco-homes(non-fos- sil fuel) on government land (VictoriaRoadandParkRoad), residentandbuyersqualifica- tion, buyhomewithoption to purchase plot when their in- comeincreases.Onlyeversold to qualifying residents.

driving skills.

AIRLINE:No,manypriori-

ties above this.

CHIEFMINSTER:Fromthe ministerswho are returned. AFGHANS: Continue to support refugees around the worldwith£2.5million Inter- nationalDevelopmentannual budget. LEGISLATION: One that will create a new trade sector and create 600 to 1,000 jobs, IslandGreenEnergyHub. GBPARTY: Conservative BREXIT: Leave KNEE: Yes WRITER:DrSpencerJohn- son -WhoMovedmy cheese. HERO: CharlieKerruish. JOHNWANNENBURGH OCCUPATION(beforepoli- tics): Owner/Operator of The Sporting andDiningClub CARBON: Consume local and seasonal products. SOCIALCARE: No. COVID: Introduce travel vaccinemandates. ONE GOVT CUT: Place an immediate moratorium on further staff hiring, Manx Care andhealth staffexempt- ed. CANNABIS: Absolutely. LOCAL GOVT: Five (four plus Douglas) local authori- ties. LEGCO: No, the election system we have now is best, although it is not perfect. I wouldhowever liketosee itas a revising chamber only,with nomore thanfivemembers. BISHOP: No ABORTIONREFORM: Yes EQUALMARRIAGE?Yes ASSISTED DYING: Abso- lutely, and this is clear in my manifesto. YOUNG PEOPLE: I would like to see an introduction of a Manx Home Loans Scheme to assist our young people in finding deposits to buy their ownhomesandbecomestake- holders inour island.

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