An MHK has appealed for more information about Year of Our Island celebrations.

Clare Bettison (Douglas East) said she visited the campaign’s Facebook page which, although it listed a number of things that had already happened, had the message: ’2018 Year of Our Island does not have any upcoming events.’

She told the House of Keys on Tuesday: ’It is an incredibly positive idea to have 2018 Year of Our Island, yet when I go on the Facebook page for 2018 Year of Our Island and look at upcoming events it says none to show - and that is right now.

’When I look at this month on the gov.im website, it talks about things that will be planned, but there are no dates.’

She said the public needed ’something tangible’ so people could make plans.

’Otherwise we run the risk of people not being able to attend,’ she warned.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas said Ms Bettison had a good point and the website would be changing soon.

’The whole point is this is not about our brand, this is about working together to actually encourage everybody in government and beyond into the partnership world to work together to make sure that, by the end of the year, our island is not only still a special place to live and work, it is even more of a special place to live and work,’ he said.

Earlier, Mr Thomas had gone into more detail about the concept of Year of Our Island and some of the events.

The idea was to provide ’smallish’ grants and partner with other traditional events, while supporting and promoting the arts, sport and the environment, and tie-in with campaigns such as locate.im and Visit Isle of Man.

Ultimately the aim was to ’increase the number of positive stories, to encourage community events and activity’.

’Year of Our Island goes way beyond government,’ Mr Thomas said.

He cited Douglas Council wanting to make it the ’year of our capital’, Arbory Commissioners announcing more activities for younger people and Onchan Commissioners hosting several ’dark skies’ star-gazing events.

’The first local authority to receive a grant was Port Erin Commissioners for its Festival of Returning Light in February,’ he added.

’Castletown Civic Centre was the venue for the launch of the Isle of Man Art Festival last week for which Year of Our Island helped with printing costs.

’Another Year of Our Island grant has been made down south for the Creative Network to help establish a new Culture Art Walk along the Silverburn.’

About 20 primary schools were taking part in a scheme to create a garden on a regeneration site in St John’s.

’This month, there is also a series of events and activities that celebrate our innovation and creativity, some of which I have already mentioned.’

They ranged from Peel Festival of Fire to having a presence at ISLEXPO.

The issue was first raised by Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew). To laughter from colleagues, Mr Thomas presented him with a Year of Our Island goodie bag. Similar bags were later handed to the media.