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In the Examiner of March 28 you quote the Chief Minister as saying: ‘It will be difficult for the Isle of Man to grow the working population while the adult minimum wage is lower than in the UK.’

But I don’t understand how he thinks that increasing the minimum wage by 7 per cent will create more jobs.

The only way to increase the working population is for businesses to expand and employ more people.

We have already seen in the UK the crisis brought on by mandatory higher wages, and a number of adult social care providers have been forced to close.

Enforcing higher wage costs on employers is not the way for the island to become more competitive and to grow its economy.

However much we wish the lower paid to be paid more and to be treated fairly, to make it illegal for them to work for less than £7.50 an hour does them no favours if the jobs disappear.

The economic philosopher Joan Robinson put it rather well: ‘The misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all.’

Peter Verstage, Majestic Apartments, Onchan.

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I write with regard to the proposed Private Member’s Bill on abortion which has been proposed by Dr Alex Allinson.

He wishes to have our current law on abortion changed so that it reflects or is the same as, the 1967 Abortion Act in the UK, about which there was an article in the Manx Independent.

The article mentions the UK 1967 Abortion Act as though it is the ‘cure-all’ we should be aiming for in the Isle of Man. However, anyone who listens to the news or has been reading the UK newspapers over the past few weeks will surely have noticed that the 1967 Abortion Act was shown in a very negative light.

When it was first passed, the 1967 Act was not intended to become abortion on demand.

At the time, those who were pro-life said this is what it would lead to, because once that particular legal door had been opened, it would continue to be pushed by the pro-abortion lobby.

These views were rubbished, but it is exactly what happened. In 1995 when the Isle of Man law on abortion was changed, those of us who opposed the change said that it was the ‘thin end of the wedge’.

Again, a door had been opened and it would eventually be pushed further — and so it has. It may have taken 20 years or so, but Dr Allinson has proved that we were right.

In this case, we would rather have been wrong.

The main abortion provider in the UK is the Marie Stopes clinics.

A number of newspaper articles about Marie Stopes recently likened the abortion ‘industry’ to a ‘conveyor belt’, with girls pressurised into abortions without being given a chance to think properly about it.

The poor girl whose own abortion experience appeared in the Manx newspaper a few weeks ago, quite obviously had a miserable and horrendous experience. I have yet to read of anyone – whatever their views – relating their abortion as ‘pleasant’. How can it be?

Yet this is what is being promoted by a doctor as a compassionate answer to an unwanted pregnancy.

Dr Allinson et al are wanting to change our laws on abortion so that babies can be destroyed up to birth.

This is put forward as a caring solution for girls and women who don’t want their baby, or maybe just feel they will not be able to cope with one. There are other more caring answers.

Instead of destroying a child, how about a caring government spending some of its money on enabling mothers to keep their babies?

How about proper counselling, safe places either on the island or off, where very young girls with no family support can be taught how to look after their child?

How about offering them financial help to do so?

Or if that is out of the question, there are many couples desperate to adopt a baby. That is real care and compassion: that is real choice.

Most girls do not want an abortion – they just see no alternative, and often this is because they are not offered one.

Instead they are more or less made to feel that they are irresponsible if they don’t have an abortion. Pro-choicers in reality offer no choice – they only offer abortion.

Has no one noticed that?

Thank goodness not all our doctors hold the same views as Dr Allinson.

In the Daily Mail a few weeks ago, a doctor spoke of his years in an abortion clinic and how he ultimately became sickened by it.

He has to live with his memories (and so will the mothers encouraged to have an abortion). Those calling for a change in the law seem to assume that all young people accept abortion these days, but I can assure them that they do not.

A member of my own family is coming to the end of qualifying as a doctor, and is extremely concerned about the future. There are many other young doctors in a similar position who could not countenance abortion, and do not want to be involved in the taking of life.

If this bill is accepted it could have the effect of deterring potential doctors from entering the medical profession. It could also deter good doctors from coming to the island.

Finally, young people often think abortion is acceptable, not because they are callous and uncaring, but because they have no idea what abortion really is.

They are told that they are just removing ‘a clump of cells’.

Those who offer abortion as a choice know very well what abortion is.

Doctors know perfectly well that abortion causes the death of a baby, but they will never mention that word.

We want our doctors to take care of us from birth to death, and we need to trust them.

How will we be able do that when we know that some of them feel morally justified in leaving a healthy full term baby to die alone?

This is happening now in the UK and doctors and nurses see it every day.

Do we really want doctors for our children and grandchildren who in some weird way think this is compassionate and caring?

Susan Richardson, Belle Vue Park, Peel.

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There is no such thing as the Poo Fairy.

Yes, I know it is a tireless never-ending story to which no successful solution has ever been found.

We are so fortunate on the Isle of Man to have so many beautiful wide open spaces to enjoy and to give our pets the chance to run free and get the exercise much needed to keep them healthy.

Most, I believe, respect our forests and coastlines and clean up after them; the biggest critics of the ‘disrespectful’ are indeed dog owners themselves.

The areas of my personal concern are Langness (we fought long and hard to retain our rights of free movement there), Fort Island and Scarlett, all area’s of significant natural heritage and beauty, for birds, flowers, history and enjoyment – it is sad that children can no longer run free without the risk of standing in dog ‘poo’.

Malew Commissioners have taken this problem seriously, and have provided polite, but hopefully poignant posters in relevant places, but, seriously, will the offenders take any notice? I say, probably not.

But one thing you can be sure of, they will be the ones shouting the loudest if the privilege of letting their dogs run free is removed.

If I can reach but one conscience this letter will not be a complete waste.

M Reilly, Castletown.

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Are the ratepayers and residents of the Isle of Man in general aware that the ‘Cosy Nook’ – much loved outdoor café and magnet for tourists and locals alike in Port Erin is not yet open, and when it will open is a matter for conjecture?

This sorry state of affairs has come about purely through lack of care and proper maintenance by Port Erin Commissioners.

A 2014 structural report on the building suggested that major roof work was necessary, yet for the past three years only temporary patch up work has been done, leading to serious ingress of water.

A more recent report has not been made available to the tenant, apparently because the ‘Freedom of Information’ act does not apply until next January. What it is to live in a democracy.

Earlier this year rumours abounded that changes were afoot regarding the ‘Cosy Nook’. Maybe the commissioners have their own agenda for this iconic building and site? It would be good, as a ratepayer, to be informed of any changes, so that they can be fought, robustly.

Judith C Newbold, Port Erin.