Bernard Moffatt's blog

Something called the Isle of Man business network is debating population transference - well they actually term it ‘relaxation of work permits’ but it's the same thing

One of the protagonists enrages me from the outset by saying this is necessary because of our ageing population. Is there nothing I ask myself that us ‘oldies’ are not responsible for. It's totally irrational I know but then thats what us old folk are like I decide I hate the Isle of Man business network and they get pride of place on my dart board with the Chamber and Alf Cannan.

All the indications of the Islands continuing economic decline seem confirmed by this news item. Don’t expect any in depth analysis just the usual obfuscation from the government news machine and ‘the boys and girls on the head’:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/island-drops-from-57th-t...

Manx Radio have an item today about plastics pollution in the Irish Sea. However the question of pollution is more complex and these waters have been used for the disposal of all manner of toxic items from munitions, radiation waste and domestic and commercial sewage.

I first attended a conference as a speaker in Liverpool in 1986 which focused on the varying forms of pollution in the Irish and Celtic seas. Since that time I’ve spoken in places as diverse as Skibbereen, Dublin and Ballycastle on both general and topic specific pollution.

‘Amnesty Ireland call for investigation to establish if human rights abuses occurred’

Large crowds of people have protested in Dublin about the action of Police and a Security firm to evict homeless protesters. The mainstream media (msm)reported two hundred people but as usual msm cannot be believed and this twitter feeds from a protester show that the crowd is vast:

The trees felled so a housing development in Peel could go ahead may be gone but active campaigner Trevor Cowin has not.

Trevor sends me a copy of an email in which he points out to DEFA how he believes it has broken its own rules by sanctioning the creative forestry on the fringe of Peel. It seems a persuasive argument and you would think given the Islands biosphere status much trumpeted by DEFA and COMIN someone would take it seriously.

More than a few raised eyebrows in Ireland as new Garda boss Drew Harris told recruits last week to be ‘honest coppers’ and show ‘empathy’.Harris himself comes from a background in the RUC and PSNI and there are enough skeletons in the cupboard of that force to fill a graveyard or two:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/be-operationally-honest-ga...

Breton language activist group AI’TA! is to cooperate with reunification campaigners of 44=Bzh over bilingual signage in Loire Atlantique.

Bilingual signage is now being placed in Brittany but Loire Atlantique which was hived of from historic Brittany is not included in the bilingual signage programme although many Breton speakers still live their.

Balaclava clad members of An Garda Síochána (the Irish Police) have brutally evicted homeless protesters from a house they were occupying in Frederick Street Dublin. The police secured the area for a group of private security men, also masked, who evicted those in the property. It is an illustration of how police forces facilitate business interests and are used to oppress peaceful protest in a phenomena not simply peculiar to Ireland.

Interesting documentary here I came across on S4C about the Welsh soprano Gwawr Edwards and a tour she made of the Welsh community in Ohio. It was made sometime ago and is getting a rerun on the online platform of S4C on BBC iplayer.

Although you can count on Manx Radio News to bore us rigid with what transpires at the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce AGM later this week it will be something of a feat of journalistic genius because the AGM itself lasts just 90 minutes and for part of that time they are stuffing their faces. Yes you heard it here - the Chamber are pigging out as Manx food banks ‘thrive’!