In the Celtic equivalent of the waiting room for ‘Tír na nÓg’

One of the great advantages of being in the Celtic equivalent of the waiting room for ‘Tír na nÓg’ is that media focus tends to drift away. Indeed the only query from Manx Radio of late was Howard Caine ringing up to ask if ‘I really had gone’!

I mean I have to be honest you still get the odd media interview occasionally - as happened yesterday when a five strong TV crew from a major European broadcaster dropped into my front room to seek my views on the TT. Now if there’s one thing about the TT I really like that is that it provides an opportunity for me to address a wider audience on my loathing for the event. It also ensures that I can castigate the government, the police and the Coroner of Inquests for what I perceive are their shortcomings - and by heaven did I give it dixie. It doesn’t matter to me if (as with last year's foray on the BBC) most of it ends up on the ‘cutting room floor’ it’s just so refreshing to get it of my chest!

Anyway back to the present. Today I was advised by a chum who telephones me regularly that I got a mention on the Mannin Line. Apparently my views were being invited on the subject of ‘modern day slavery and exploitation’. For some reason best known to Manx Radio the midday Sunday slot of presenter Roger Watterson offered this as today's subject for debate.

I’m bound to say not having a radio (I use the laptop for the news clips) I wasn't able to oblige. However I have to say that whilst I deplore the manner in which Manx workers on low wages and incomes are treated even Chief Minister Howard Quayle and COMIN are not (I hope) into modern day slavery.

Still had I heard and been minded to contribute I would have said that the minimum wage for Manx workers is an obscenity and the sooner ALL workers receive a properly calculated LIVING WAGE of at least £10 per hour the sooner we can call ourselves a decent society.

Of course at present the Radio or indeed any local media are not interested in this or that they are more focused on the ‘Carnival of Carnage’ and giving us the witterings of some UK TV airhead and minor celeb on the subject.

Sometimes I think I loath the ACU as much as the Chamber of Commerce but at least with the former I can forget them for most of the year! For low paid Manx workers however the year long struggle to survive is a living nightmare.

Image: ‘Tir na nog’ - bikes are definitely not de rigueur!