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Apparently the Isle of Man abattoir is to be taken over by a new operator.

Can we expect that it will be used efficiently at last, so our farmstock may be spared from being exported live for slaughter in the UK.

Or Europe in order to satisfy farmers’ desire for maximum profit, regardless of the undeniable distress, fear and suffering it causes?

To an observer, that desire is rooted in unnecessary greed. I see no poverty-stricken farmers these days.

Witness the vast array of brand new, state-of-the-art equipment they invest in to achieve tax relief on top of all the cushioning and perks they also enjoy.

OK, they work hard but there’s more to life than money.

Perhaps some might pause to ponder what route to death they would choose if they were farmstock (yes, farmstock does have feelings, including fear) and choose it for their stock in future.

Such a farmer would be worthy of respect.

Meanwhile, all power to the brave petition to ban live export, at least for the purpose of direct slaughter. If, as we are told, the Isle of Man has the highest of welfare standards, why does it baulk at imposing such a ban?

Incidentally, as a delivery driver, I witness poor welfare conditions, inflicted on cattle in particular, that maybe aren’t intended for the public eye, when wandering around looking for someone to sign for the goods.

The DEFA would do well to justify its claims of welfare excellence by taking action against offenders.

More regular inspections would be a start, maybe in the guise of a delivery man to see things as they really are, without prior warning.

OK, so a lot of people want meat (in today’s affluent society they also waste a lot of what the animals have suffered to produce). Animals are bred to satisfy that requirement. Mainly their lives are short.

Please, someone, make sure that that short life is in clean and comfortable conditions with, also, access to natural habitat for at least a part of it. Some compassion thrown in would be appreciated by animals and consumers alike.

J Quayle, Douglas.

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With reference to article ‘Time bomb birth rate’, front page, Isle of Man Examiner, January 24 edition.

Birth rate figures supplied by Treasury’s economic affairs unit, indicate that the fall in birthrate figures fell for the sixth consecutive year causing the natural population to shrink by 94.

Would the forementioned unit blindly release figures of ‘abortions’ over the last six consecutive years?

Not forgetting of course possible abortions due to, possible abortions due to, possible physical or mental defects in the unborn.

Mr Craine might then be able to arrive at a more accurate account relating to the birth rate time bomb and comment more accurately.

B Kerwin, Douglas.

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During the Second World War, many pregnant women in concentration camps had their babies forcibly aborted. The ‘method’ commonly employed was a Nazi officer’s jackboot, stamped on the mother’s abdomen, with the inevitable grisly consequences.

The fiends who did this were rightly convicted of ‘crimes against humanity’ at the Nuremberg trials, the court having ruled that the unborn babies were just as human as their wounded, grieving mothers.

However, some 20 years afterwards the 1967 Abortion Act was passed here in the UK– and the deliberate killing of unborn human life suddenly became a ‘choice’, a ‘service’ and a ‘women’s right’.

This is one of the worst examples of double standards in human history, when abortion is deemed all wrong if it suits one agenda, then gets the nod of approval when it suits another.

Abortion is either a human wrong or a human right, but it can’t be both.

Patrick McKay, Ampthill, Bedfordshire.

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Copy of letter to Bill Malarkey MHK, Minister of Home Affairs

Dear Minister Malarkey,

I am writing to you regarding Ramsey Courthouse and the news that your department is planning to sell it on the open market, along with the gardens which have been upgraded with funds from the regeneration committee and are now used for community attractions with a computerised lighting system provided by Ramsey Town Commissioners.

The gardens also house the Ramsey Cenotaph which is one of the nicest on the island.

I would urge you to reconsider this position due to its historic role in Ramsey, its importance to the community, its central position to the town centre and what that lends itself to, and the fact that it is such an iconic symbol in our heritage.

Ramsey Courthouse has been central to the community in Ramsey for over 200 years.

Firstly, it was built on land provided by a local landowner of the day and the building itself was funded chiefly from public subscriptions.

While not in use for matters of law, part of the express conditions for funding was that the High Bailiff allow the Courthouse to be used by the townsfolk for concerts, meetings and balls. Almost immediately the Courthouse became a centre for entertainment and was known locally as the ‘Theatre Royal’.

It was used to hold musicales, shows and plays often for the benefit of local families in desperate need of help or as general fundraisers for the Poor Society of Ramsey.

ver the next hundred or so years, many local and national clubs, societies, churches, businesses and groups used the Courthouse for their regular meetings, AGMs and EGMs, and gatherings.

The Courthouse was central to House of Keys elections serving as both a polling station and counting house for multiple sheadings in the north.

Tynwald Court held numerous committee inquiries there and the Harbours and Agricultural Commissions also utilised the facilities for their meetings.

In addition, Ramsey Courthouse was the home for town meetings where key issues of the day were discussed, debated and voted on.

Some of the most critical decisions made in Ramsey’s municipal history were voted on, here in public meetings. The Ramsey Town Bill in 1865 was read out to a gathering of 500+ townsfolk – all 100 clauses, the reading of which alone took 2.5 hours.

The incorporation of the commissioners and the development of the Mooragh Estate along with the borrowing of money to buy the quarterland there, develop the harbour and the building of the swing bridge were all decided in this iconic building.

In recent history, the Courthouse has been home to the police station and most latterly the Crown post office.

The regeneration project over the past few years has only served to cement the community’s love for the area.

The initial consultation quickly ascertained this was an area deemed to be the heart of Ramsey – the consultation further found the community wished to see this area better used to strengthen that position.

So we saw the police re-homed in the town hall, freeing up surrounding area from police vehicles, and we saw the Courthouse become a community hub with the addition of the post office in the Courthouse building.

Natural footfall increased and feedback to the regeneration scheme was positive as it complemented the feelings held so dear. The Courthouse area with its seating, and music, singing and dancing licence had become a vibrant centre of the town once more. When the then Chief Minister and Ramsey MHK Allan Bell formally opened the area there was much pride about ‘our’ Courthouse.

In subsequent years, when the threat of closure of the Crown post office and relocation to Spar came about, the strength of feeling for ‘our’ Courthouse came to the fore once again.

Almost as important to retaining ‘our’ beloved Crown post office was the importance of retaining control over ‘our’ Courthouse and what the building would be used for and certainly the setting up of the ‘Plan B’ Ramsey Courthouse Limited to tender for the sub-post office brought many ideas for additional uses for the building which are still valid today.

To understand the Ramsey community, you have to look at 20th Century history.

Brick by brick the community was dissected in the demolition of South Ramsey, which was a long drawn out and protracted affair over nearly 40 years.

As close-knit families were broken up and displaced across the town and some out to the surrounding villages, the community spirit suffered a great blow.

Gradually in my lifetime, we have fought for this community spirit and it is finally back stronger than ever.

The Courthouse is just as symbolic of that spirit as it is of being one of the few building’s spared in the demolition.

In addition to the obvious ties to the community, Ramsey Courthouse and grounds represent a further important piece of Manx heritage.

The building came about after the 4th Duke of Atholl asked a renowned architect, George Steuart, to come to the island and review a number of our public buildings.

Some designs were never used but he did design Ramsey Courthouse, an almost identical Courthouse in Douglas on Red Pier (also designed by him and both now demolished), the Castle Mona and an obelisk memorial to the 3rd Duke of Atholl in Kirk Braddan Church.

His bequest of land to his son later gave rise to the original Villa Marina built by that son.

After the local authority elections in April 2016, Ramsey Town Commissioners formed a committee to work specifically on the use of the Courthouse for the people of Ramsey and had set up a survey, which ironically came out around the same time as it was announced it was being sold off.

I am led to believe that the way the commissioners intended to finance the transfer to RTC has been discussed during meetings between our Ramsey MHKs and members of your department so I can understand the shock that many of us have had this last week on hearing the different plans.

To see such an iconic building that is representative of so much history, socio-economic importance and political purpose pass to private ownership would be nothing short of criminal.

Too often we have heard said of past administrations, ‘they know the cost of everything but the value of nothing’.

I absolutely realise that Tynwald has to review the value of its estate but please remember value is not just in revenue raised.

This area has value in the community. If your department were to pass the building and grounds into Ramsey Town Commissioners ownership, the people of Ramsey would ensure that their representatives make excellent trustees of this wonderful asset and ensure that its future use is in keeping with the community will and is in keeping with the original intentions of its founders.

Jacqui Kneen, Gladstone Avenue, Ramsey.

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Isn’t it time we stopped giving money to foreign governments, who spend it either on armaments or propping up corrupt and repressive regimes?

Does the Council of Ministers (salary £49,000 + expenses) realise that there are people living day to day on this island and surviving just on less than they would spend on entertaining.

Donald Trump might not be to everyone’s liking but he is prepared to put America first and he should be applauded for that.

The Isle of Man Government needs to put her people first, the problems in these third world countries are not of our making and therefore we should feel no compulsion to give financial aid.

Too many bright young people Manx born and bred are leaving the island because not only is it so expensive to live here but the jobs that are available are going to candidates from off-island.

We need to act now or I can see that the next generation will predominantly not have any Manx ancestry.

Mark Watson, Tynwald Road, Douglas.

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Re: The up and down sides of electric vehicles.

A response to the debate. Is EV parking in Chester Street free?

Regarding the ‘free’ fuel, in the last year we have utilised the top-up facility three or four times, charging at about 10 amperes which is worth about 22p per hour.

We occasionally volunteer in Douglas, in the three hours we get all of 66p worth. Less if our battery is well up.

Hardly worth getting out of bed for!

The weight of batteries, and road wear.

I noted that article, and I found it dubious research.

The weight of fuel carried by the average car is some 20 to 40 litres, weighing some 18 to 36 kg, still less than the average battery pack, however, the drive train is much lighter with no clutch or multi ration gearbox. So. something of a trade-off.

Regarding road wear, the drive systems on most EVs is much softer, in acceleration, and in regenerative braking.

Tyres, brake pads and disks last longer, producing fewer particulates, so healthier in town.

Energy source efficiency; your correspondent had a point. Power from the diesel plants at Pulrose and Peel efficiency about 45 per cent is not brilliant.

I understand that most of the energy consumed here is either by the gas turbines with heat recovery at about 60+ per cent efficiency, or via the link cable to the UK.

This UK energy is mixed sources: nuclear, gas and renewable. The efficiency and emissions of these is under strict control, unlike the average diesel on the roads of Mann.

The distribution losses to Ramsey, well forget it! If it is half of one per cent, that is about it.

The charge discharge efficiency in EVs is high, at about 90 per cent, about the same as your condensing boiler.

Leaving home with the equivalent of two gallons in the tank is OK in the island, but you are always aware of the gauge.

Then, when the batteries need replacing, well, maybe it goes to Rambo’s car yard in the sky!

Battery cars have progressed, but not yet quite far enough.

When it comes to health, the UK promoted diesels and that has led to the premature death through lung disease of just how many?

I am guilty as the next owning two diesel-powered vehicles! That is not sustainable!

Joe O’Hanlon, Ballamoar Farm, Lower Foxdale.

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I would like to draw your readers’ attention again to the dangers to wildlife of helium balloons, which are still released misguidedly by many people as some sort of celebration.

Burst and ripped balloons are particularly hazardous to marine mammals and seabirds, causing multiple deaths through strangulation or even slow starvation once ingested, as they block the throat and digestive tract.

Commercial companies promoting the sale of balloons, one such here in the island, make much of the claim that latex balloons are as biodegradable as oak leaves.

Two points must be raised, the first being that oak leaves are indeed biodegradable, but as most gardeners know they are very slow to break down naturally, taking two or more years to genuinely degrade.

Latex balloons in marine environments take considerably longer, and during this time are a severe threat to many creatures, some of them of threatened status.

The second point is that this claim of biodegradability is based apparently exclusively on a paper by one DK Burchette, from 1989, titled ‘A study of the effect of balloon releases on the environment’.

It must be emphasised that this is an unpublished report to the Environmental Committee National Association of Balloon Artists.

As such it is in no way an authoritative peer reviewed, or even published, scientific source, and affords no credibility to claims of biodegradability.

Readers might care to look at the websites of the Marine Conservation Society UK, or Balloons Blow, to see the unpalatable truth behind the release of these harmful items.

P. Christian, Co-ordinator, Isle of Man Friends of the Earth.

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I would like to thank paramedic Neil, all staff on Coronary Care Unit and Dr Walters and team for all of their professional care and attention I received recently at Noble’s Hospital.

On January 6, I woke up not feeling too good, thank goodness Jamie (my partner) was at home.

My general condition became worse when an elephant (heffalump) sat on my chest!

I was having a heart attack. 999 was called by Jamie, next thing a first responder attended to me, then the paramedics, into the ambulance and off to CCU.

For the next five days, then home.

Now I’m on a waiting list for an angiogram in Liverpool Chest and Heart Hospital, of which I have now had Professor Stables and team performed a successful coronary artery stent and I am now recovering from this life-changing event.

A big thank you to my family, Jamie, Ali and Rob, my good friends and neighbours for all their support, not forgetting my employers, Island Shellfish and Hospice Isle of Man.

Jane Saywell, Ballacriy Park, Colby.

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They started off their panto at the Admiral Benbow

as they got into their roles to perform the annual show

With cat-like tread the pirates crept upon the stage

waving all their swords in a pirate rage

black dog was a baddie, Purity was a tart

with thigh high boots and fish nets she really looked the part

Long John Silver mastered walking with a crutch

limping round the stage and being very butch

Captain Bones was ill, when suddenly he dies

he staggered round and round with lots of awful cries

Olive and Popeye came rushing to the stage

they wanted to be shipmates, they’d been waiting for an age

A very posh cast member was now on as the squire

along with Dr Liversy they found a crew to hire

So all aboard the ship, they called it a rude name

and for those who didn’t get it , it really was a shame

As they sailed off to an island looking for the treasure

it was obvious the audience were getting lots of pleasure

The captain of the ship with his wife upon his arm

were trying to keep daughter Meg from getting into harm

Natives did the Hakka some were very scary

A Jim discovered Ben Gunn looking very hairy

There was a full sized parrot, it wasn’t easy being green

As Jim hid in a barrel hoping he had not be seen

Olive and Popeye came back showing all they’d got

and when the natives saw them they put them in a pot

with the end now fast approaching there was not much more to say

so they ended their fantastic show with a song called Perfect Day

Thanks went to the helpers and all who’d taken part

it was such a great night out and had been from the start

One pirate played a fiddle, there was smoke and gunfire too

and the audience joined in when you had to hiss and boo

The singing was fantastic, they all got a big cheer

and I for one can’t wait until they’re back again next year

Poetry Pam, name and address supplied