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‘Isle of Man in numbers 2017’ shows that real GDP (gross domestic product) rose from £3,786m to £4,514m between 2010/2011 and 2014/15. An increase of £728m. At a seemingly very healthy average annual rise of 4½ per cent.

At £50,000 per capita GDP our economy seems to be thriving and yet it’s been reported that over 25 per cent of households are struggling with the imposition of punitive social expenditure cuts and unfair charges impinging on the well-being of the less well off, even as the economy still appears to be growing.

However, a breakdown of the figures show that the bulk of the above £728m has been generated by company income, which has rose by £589m in the period, whereas personal income only rose by £124m.

Company income as a contribution to GDP in 2014/15 was £2,770m, personal income £1,336m.

The significance in these figures lies in the fact that under the Isle of Man’s tax strategy personal income is by far the main driver of income tax revenue as the bulk of companies pay zero company tax, only banking and large retailers paying 10 per cent under zero/10.

This has resulted in personal income generating over 10 times income tax revenue annually as compared to company tax even as company income has grown to be over twice that of personal income.

Is it any wonder that families are struggling with personal incomes stagnating as company incomes soar, with a seemingly healthy 4 per cent growth rate and per capita GDP of £50,000 not reflective of the financial well-being of the general population.

Treasury receipts totalled £560 million in 2015/16 of which income tax revenue provided £200 million and Customs and Excise provided £350 milliom.

This equates to barely 11 per cent of GDP, where the UK’s is nearer to 35 per cent.

Finally, recent rises in the minimum wage in both the UK and Isle of Man is welcome but I recently read that if the original level set in the early 1990s by the UK had risen in line with GDP growth the minimum wage would now by twice the current £7.50.

This would also apply to the Isle of Man, and perhaps more so as we are supposed to have achieved uninterrupted growth even as the UK was adversely affected by the financial crisis.

In the Isle of Man, to counteract the difference somewhat, a levy on E-sector profits should be instigated.

The sector represents 28 per cent of the economy whilst providing only around 1500 jobs within a workforce of 40,000.

The proceeds could go towards a progressive tax credit system, boosting the incomes of those struggling on low incomes.

The economy and treasury would not suffer unduly as most of it would be immediately spent in the economy with Treasury benefiting from indirect taxation.

Just a suggestion; after all, the UK has at least got a semblance of a tax credit system, unlike the Isle of Man at present.

C A Brown, Colby

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In 2013 Members voted unanimously for a Tynwald policy of reducing our carbon emissions by 80 per cent of 1990 levels, by the year 2050.

Sadly our government has declined to set any meaningful interim targets, as most other countries have done, but the headline commitment was made.

The rather shaming reality is that is that our per capita annual emissions from 1991 to 2011 actually increased from around 8.2 tonnes per person to around 10 tonnes per person, with some minor variations.

The DEFA confirms that it is fair to say we have generally flatlined around the 10 tonnes mark: by comparison the UK figures from 1990 to 2011 reduced from 9.7 to 7.1 tonnes per person.

The Delivering the Programme for Government document accepted by Tynwald this month contains some very contentious comments on this topic.

Under respective headings Enterprise and Opportunity Island, page 13, and Responsible Island, page 17, are identical statements that ‘We have a commitment to contain the amount of greenhouse gases we produce’.

The fact is that, despite our clearly failing to make any headway, Tynwald has made a commitment to radically reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we produce, not simply to contain.

This shift to the term ‘contain’ may be a glaring error, repeated in two sections of the document, but that would be surprising as it is something the government is extremely proud to publicise and champion.

The alternative might be that this is a major shift in government policy, made without adequate debate.

I will be copying this to the Chief Minister, asking him to publically clarify his position, and requesting that, if it is an abandonment of the 80/50 Tynwald policy, that he take the matter back to Tynwald Court so that members can properly address the intention to reverse their policy of 2013.

Pete Christian, Coordinator, Friends of Earth

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I welcomed your article on the failure of the island to adopt up to date standards

I am a lifelong annual visitor to the island, an ex employee of North West Water and a keen sea swimmer.

It disgusts me that your island is house building on quite a large scale and yet has not the infrastructure to deal with the subsequent sewage.

Which should come first?

I was particularly interested in Peel and watch the house building each year from the camp site.

R D Gelder, UK

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Here we go again! Yet another ‘over-kill’ reaction to a problem. Will the Manx Government never learn?

They did it with the Meat Plant – too big to be viable. Ditto the Incinerator.

The Iris Scheme and Sewage Treatment Plant: far too big and complicated, so much so that they had to stop half way, leaving Peel, Kirk Michael, Laxey and Ramsey etc with raw sewage still flowing into the sea whilst Douglas and the south’s is treated to a degree of purity suitable for emptying into an inland lake!

To save ruining Castletown with a high wall enclosing most of the inner harbour, why not design a lock gate at the ‘pinch-point where sits the swing bridge?

We are already being committed to paying for one lock gate in the new harbour arrangements at Liverpool.

If the Thames Barrier can save London from flooding, why can’t a lock gate save Castletown on the, once in 10 year, occasion?

I must confess to not being the originator of this idea – it was mentioned this morning on Manx Radio – but feel sure it is a good one.

Ian K Bleasdale, Church Road, Maughold

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I am very upset at news of the closure of Foxdale post office.

Some of us do not do technology, also I can’t send birthday, Easter, Christmas presents, unless the post office is here.

I think a petition is in order. Our village is important to us.

We have all had to get through the road works, and now the post office use the excuse of the last four years.

I can’t say what I really think but where is Geoffrey Boot when we need him?

Rachael Beaumont, Main Road, Foxdale

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I would like to say ‘thank you’ to the pupils from Ramsey Grammar School who handed in the purse I dropped outside Ramsey Co-op at lunchtime on April 26. They are a credit to their parents and school. I thought I would have to start cancelling all my cards!

Maggie Meddings, Kella Road, Sulby