FROM: TRISTRAM C. LLEWELLYN JONES, The Cronk, The Colony, Port Lewaigue.
IN England during the 1970s my parents, as a matter of conscience, decided to home school me.
This was their right. The local authorities, as a matter of prejudice, decided
to intrude on the issue and for several years they bullied and harassed my parents.
An implied threat, ever present, was the authorities right to 'knock on the door' and remove me from my parents for their own subjective reasons. I was, therefore, horrified to learn that the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill includes a clause allowing the Department of Education to intrude on families who home school their children. The Explanatory Notes to the Bill state: 'In the view of the Member moving the Bill its provisions are compatible with the Convention rights within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 2001.'
Yet on reading the bill it becomes apparent that long established family freedoms will be curtailed.
Clause five allows the department to interfere with what parents teach their children at home.
Clause six allows the department to fine parents for non-attendance and gives the police authority to physically take children from their parents and remove them to school in cases deemed as 'non attendance' by the department. This is a volatile cocktail to say the least.
The department works for us – not vice versa.
From September 2009 the power to authorise term time absence transfers to the department who will have the power to fine parents.
My children's elderly grandfather lives across.
When he dies the department will authorise absence for a funeral. However, should he fall terminally ill the rules disallow absence.
Where is the justice in that?
The issue at stake is freedom of conscience.
Like it or not the Isle of Man has adopted the Human Rights Act locally and our politicians cannot ignore this fact.
Lord Falconer, in his timely lecture this month, explained to the Isle of Man Law Society that the Human Rights Act is very effective in reversing legislation which impinges on freedom.It is clear that the bill interferes with the right to a family and private life and to parents freedom to teach children according to their conscience.
If this bill passes without amendment then the way is paved for a plethora of legal actions against the department as parents find their rights are impinged.
The minister may mean well when she wants to fill databases with information about our children.
But she is being being very badly advised by her department who seem intent on pushing through 'cut and paste' legislation from England.
Politicians come and go but less well meaning people will always abuse loopholes in the law.
Families stand to get bullied by the provisions of the bill.
Not least, the poor publicity created by high profile human rights actions will be damaging for the external image of the Isle of Man.
Our politicians duty is to fully debate public concerns over this bill and ensure human rights compliance.
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FROM: MRS J. TAYLOR, Mount Murray Hotel, Santon.
The MHK who stated, on the subject of the dog ban, that the people had reclaimed their parks, probably thought that he was speaking for the majority of the public.
But the Isle of Man is an animal friendly place, and I wonder what sort of person would prefer to be in a park that is dog-free.
Obviously the people who have to clean up the mess left by irresponsible owners, would rather not have to do this, but if somebody had been there to enforce a fine on these people and ban dangerous dogs originally, a complete ban wouldn't be necessary.
Anyone who is scared of dogs should be accompanied by someone, or maybe should seek counselling, as dogs and people have shared public places since the beginning of time.
But then there are other people who would prefer not to be confronted by a dog that would readily jump to its owner's defence; someone hiding in the bushes for example, waiting for an opportunity to attack, rob or stalk a vulnerable walker.
The homeless person sleeping on the bench might not be too pleased to find his last scrap of lunch eaten by a dog, drug dealers would also hardly welcome the sight of a dog walker if it turns out to be an undercover police officer with a sniffer dog.
On the Hastings website a while ago (www.hastingsobserver.co.uk) there was a letter, concerning the banning of dogs on leads from parks. It stated that people no longer felt safe walking in them. Banning dogs completely could prove to be a lot worse.
Having come across a few unsavoury-looking characters while walking in public places myself recently, has convinced me that the more dog walkers around, the better.
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FROM: DR J.P SLESS, 3 Ascot Mews, The Paddocks, Ballasalla, IM9 2DH.
THE surprise expressed regarding Alistair Darling's remarks seems remarkable.
As my letter of March 19, 2002, pointed out, the finance sector has been on borrowed time for a decade.
Similarly, claiming that the British are 'ill-informed and engaged in a conspiracy against us', may make interesting media headlines, but, it hardly helps us shake off UK interference.
Why is the Isle of Man being singled out?
The fishing expedition by government representatives to Whitehall to retrieve KSF's IoM millions frozen in London was ill-advised.
So was the government guarantee of £50,000 per depositor as it advertised the Island's wealth even as it over-egged it.
More importantly the UK bank bail-out resulted in the British government owning the dominant stake in a number of our high street banks.
Putting it simply the British government has backed these financial institutions with guarantees of £500 billion, whilst they continue to offer services to clients who defraud the British taxpayer.
However, now, the UK is in a position to dictate to these institutions how they conduct their business. They can threaten to reduce their support.
The Isle of Man also represents a tempting target.
Although the real prize is the Channel Islands, we have limited leadership, and closer ties with the UK, ie the common purse agreement.
Inject into this noxious brew the hostility of president elect Obama towards tax havens, and an economic recession and one can see that the status quo is untenable.
What can be done? Five or 10 years ago, in a more favourable paradigm, there might have been a case for going independent but now the timing could scarcely be less propitious.
Meanwhile, Bernard Moffatt's solution of turning towards Europe is not attractive.
Brussels' hostility towards tax havens is institutionalised.
The EU would also mean asylum seekers, higher costs for employers, and an end to meat derogation.
The first step would be to cut our losses not increase our exposure through guarantees to depositors.
In the event of a large bank failure, we could not fulfil the current guarantee. Thereafter, we will need to negotiate to retain a vestige of local autonomy on tax and other matters, in return for revoking the tax status of companies whose activities and beneficial owners are not based on the Island, and non-domiciled individuals.
This would lead to a exodus of migrant workers on the Isle of Man, and a number of unsold houses.
The Manx economy would contract. Still, like an addict coming off heroin, things would not be all bad.
The price of property would come down.
The government would have to find more productive work for the local population.
The cost of living would also drop, whilst a sense of community returned to Douglas.
Then, again, we will have preserved some of the legacy of the Kilbrandon report (1973) with a degree of self-governance.
The alternative is to ignore which way the wind is blowing.
The UK, responsible for the Island's good governance, may legislate the finance sector out of existence.
The finance industry would have cost the cause of Manx nationalism more dearly than the smuggling industry did our forefathers.
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FROM: MARGARET TEARE, 25 Rourkes Link, Bishopscourt, Downpatrick, Co.Down, Northern lreland, BT30 7DQ.
I am trying to find my birth mother and brothers and sisters.
My mum's name was Irene Lillian O'hare or Lillian Irene O'hare.
I was born on November 17, 1962, in the Jane Crookall.
I know that I have three siblings older than me who lived with their maternal grandmother. I was put up for adoption in 1963 and my name then was Margaret O'Hare.
My brother was born on June 15, 1966. His name was Adrian James O'Hare, he is now John Teare as my adoptive parents adopted him.
I have had counselling and help getting me this far and now I need your help in tracing any member of my real family, the three elder children must know John and I were born and I would love to hear from them.
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FROM: JANE FLETCHER, Leonard Cheshire Disability Director Innovative Projects.
DO you know someone who is disabled who would like to run a business and needs support?
This week, November 17-23, is National Enterprise Week. Ready to Start is an employment initiative run by Leonard Cheshire Disability in partnership with Barclays which backs disabled people to begin their own business.
Ready to Start supports more than 1,000 disabled entrepreneurs across the UK to unlock their hidden potential and start a business.
Self-employment is a workable option for disabled people, particularly as they still face unacceptable barriers to entering the job market and are more likely than non-disabled people to live in poverty.
Ready to Start provides disabled entrepreneurs with a business buddy, distance mentor, free computer equipment, software, training courses tailored to their needs, start-up advice and information about relevant trade bodies and business associations to help them network locally.
Schani Cave is a disabled man who has set up in business as a Pilates and dance instructor.
His business dream became a reality thanks to some invaluable back-up from his Barclays Buddy, Daniel McLaren.
If you know someone who is disabled, with designs on running a business and would like to know how to make a start visit www.readytostart.org.uk or call 08456 717173.
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FROM: ROGER BLACK MBE, On behalf of The Children's Trust.
I WOULD like to make an urgent appeal to runners, who have secured their own place in the Flora London Marathon 2009, to join The Children's Trust team – the official charity of next year's famous event.
The Children's Trust, which will also be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009, aims to make it a memorable event by recruiting 1,000 runners – its biggest team ever. It is a great opportunity for runners to help make a difference to the lives of some of the UK's most severely disabled children, including children with acquired brain injuries, who receive care, education and therapy at the Trust.
As a result of money raised through the marathon, the charity is hoping to reach out to help more children. If you have your own place in the Flora London Marathon 2009 and have not made a decision on which charity to support, I urge you to sign-up now and help The Children's Trust to achieve its goal of 1,000 runners.
By doing so you will be helping to enhance the lives of some very special children.
To find out more please visit www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/londonmarathon or telephone 01737 365018. Thank you.
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