Candidate Views - Ramsey
Click to viewWhat is your view on health care provision on the Island?
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Health care is good on the Island, but there are increased waiting times for some of our services - dentistry waiting lists in particular are unacceptably long and need to be shortened.
National Health dental treatment should be available to all, poor oral health can create greater problems in the future. We should concentrate on recruiting and consulting the health staff involved directly with the patients and wards, not managers.We should be wary of treating those suffering from alcohol and drug dependency, to the detriment of other patients.
Basic health care is good but the increase in waiting list times to see a Consultant and receive treatment in several specialities is unacceptable.
The health of the nation depends on the early detection of diseases and for that we need the best medical equipment which is expensive. It is therefore necessary to identify and reduce wastage, streamline and introduce efficiences within the NHS to be able to implement the service the people of Ramsey and the island need and deserve.
Click to viewDoes the Island provide a good education?
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Yes! The quality of teaching in the schools on the Island is extremely high and the support given to students heading to universities is exceptional.
We must ensure that the quality of Manx education in the future is not compromised as a result of poor decisions made in the past.
Yes, but I feel input from potential employers from year 10 onwards, could help to produce more marketable students.
The Education service on the island is good.The support given to our students at University is important.
Having put two children through the State system here and having one child still at school I believe our young people receive the encouragement and attention they need.
The curriculum should include the understanding of Manx politics to encourage involvement and an understanding in the way the island is run and the importance of voting in a democracy.
Click to viewShould the Island be independent?
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This is a very complex issue. On balance my opinion is no, we do well out of our close links to the UK but recent events show that perhaps this needs re-evaluating.
We need a full review of our status and of our links to the UK. There should be a lot of publi consultation so that everyone who wants to offer an opinion is able to do so. People should have access to all the facts that are available so that the right decision can be made for the Island.
No,I feel the cost and administration involved, exceeds the benefits of remaining a crown dependency.
With the recent events instigated by the UK, our so called friend and neighbour,it is time for a full review of our status.We are blandly told by this Government that Independence is not an option but the people of this island are not given the complete thinking behind this statement.
There should be a full and frank review of our position seeking the views of the people ,business and anyone who wishes to contribute a considered opinion.There is no urgent decision to be made but all the facts should be placed before the people and a decision can then be made as to what is best for the Isle of Man.
Click to viewWhat are your views on the islands taxation regime and VAT?
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The current taxation system is of great benefit to the Island in attracting both businesses and workers to the Island. However it has to be remembered that the current tax system is a means to an end (job creation and wealth generation on the Island). If is stops fufilling this goal then it needs to be revisited and the government needs to be willing to do this.
The current government has turned the VAT situation into an utter shambles. We are expected to blindly follow where they lead and this is an unacceptable state of affairs.
The government had known for years that the UK would be coming to revisit the VAT arrangements and yet there were no contingency plans to help soften the blow. On top of this, when the Island was already reeling from the effects of their poor planning, they didn't put up a fight when the UK came back for round two!
We should have a stronger voice re the VAT agreement, or maybe consider our own VAT regime?
Taxation.... keeping low tax levels is clearly to the advantage of the people and to business but depending on circumstances those levels cannot be 'untouchable' if this means that the services provided to the people will deteriorate to an unacceptable level.A rational judgement has to be made
VAT... The Government is guilty
a) in the fact that they have known for years that we were receiving more that we were entitled to.
b) that they have not had plans ready to implement when the UK decided to grab the money back
c) they have had no 'fight'to get a better deal and so the bully came back for more
d) to claim that losing up to £190 million is a 'good deal' This is living in 'cloud cuckoo land'
Click to viewIs inflation hurting the Isle of Man?
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With inflation being higher than wage increases there is a real impact on household budgets which is not good for island, also there is nothing to suggest that this is going to change in the near future.
Yes,but not only the Island.
Inflation is hitting hard being at a higher level than the UK and wage increases here being almost non-existent. For older and retired people inflation on items such as fuel and food is far higher whilst their income is increasing negligibly. This is making living difficult for many people who this winter may have to choose between food or fuel.
Click to viewShould there be state owned monopolies or free market competition?
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I am fully in favour of a reduction in the scope of government. State owned monopolies are exactly the opposite of this.
There are some instances where the current arrangements work well (like the post office) but on balance I would much rather there be independent, private firms running our utilities.
There is a need to review all government spending and this means everything. If it turns out that privatisation of some of the monopolies would provide better, cheaper, more efficient services then this is something that should definately be looked into. Conversely, if the government run system proves to be the best then it should be maintained.
My main interest is that the Island has the best service that can be provided, whoever is in charge.
No, there isn't the demand for several utility providers. I do think the user agreement for the linkspan needs looking at.
There is a case to investigate privatisation of certain state owned monopolies such as IOM airport,electricity,gas.
Would anyone want the Government to run the ferry services? They cannot even run a bus to get the children to school on time in Ramsey
Under the present difficult financial circumstances there should be no 'sacred cows' and investigation into the running of services should be undertaken to determine what is best for the people of Ramsey and the Isle of Man.
Click to viewShould we have an open seas policy like the open sky’s policy?
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Ultimately, I think that a regular ferry service is preferable to an open seas policy which could leave us at risk of irregular ferry services.
There is a need to review the current arrangements and this question should be put to the Island community as a whole.
Not as such, but we could seek expressions of interest from ferry companies.
Unfortunately the Government signed a ridiculously long agreement with the Steam Packet Company which gave the Government little say in the quality, cost levels and consistency of the service.
An open seas policy could lose any guarantee of regular reliable services as the companies would seek to provide services in the busy times but not in the quiet.
This has happened under the 'open skies',policy where airlines have come and gone at will,routes have been commenced and then abandoned.A route licensing scheme would enable an airline to plan ahead with confidence in return for a guarantee of service quality, and acceptable pricing.
Click to viewDoes the Island do enough to protect its environment?
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The countryside on the Island is stunning. Less attractive are the towns in which most of us live. There should be more investment in the towns to help them really achieve their potential.
No, littering and dog-fouling go unpunished, everybody should appreciate how unacceptable it is. We should not risk the beauty of our countryside to appease the motor-sport fraternity.
We are so fortunate to have beautiful countryside to enjoy.It is in the Towns where there has been neglect in that the Dept of Infrastructure has wasted so much money on grandiose schemes whilst not attending to its responsibilities in maintaining the roads and pavements.
Click to viewWhere do you see the future of the Islands economy?
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The Islands future lies in having a diverse economy. The finance sector will always play a large part in the economy but this needs to be brought into balance by increasing growth in other areas.
The Island is a great place for companies to set up and is a great place to test new ideas and new technologies.
The Island needs to be promoted as a place for business, not just Douglas. There is a real need to make sure that there are more jobs created in Ramsey and the other towns.
It should be the role of government to help set the conditions that allow private enterprise to come to the Island and generate jobs and to help our economy grow.
Given the wide variety of expertise already here, we should try and encourage research and development institutes to the Island. People are always looking to enhance and improve things. However,we should be very wary of neglecting our traditional industries in the pursuit of new ones. We should test the water with new ventures, before over-committing our finances.
Continuing a diverse economy is extremely important in these difficult times.
It is necessary to be pro-active in seeking new areas of high quality business and attract them to establish on the Island by meeting face to face.
There are areas of the world which are expanding and have large natural resources. The Isle of Man is an excellent place for companies to establish a base for dealing in Europe and world-wide. The Island has always been a good 'test bed' for new technologies and should be positively promoted.It is necessary to establish advantageous terms for them to locate to the Isle of Man and to locate in Ramsey rather than be directed to Douglas.
Click to viewWhere do you think new jobs can be generated?
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The main areas for new jobs should come from new companies setting up on the Island and through growth of the companies that we already have.
We should encourage these jobs to be created outside of Douglas and the government shouls ensure there are incentives offered to make this happen.
Better marketing of the Island would bring the industries and therefore the jobs.
Attracting the new companies to the Island will create the new jobs and should there should be a guarantee from the Company that grants and support from Government will be subject to these new jobs being created. (see answer above)
Click to viewShould the Chief Minister and MLC’s be publicly elected?
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Emphatically Yes to both!
I admit there may be difficulties in creating a system where we directly elect the Chief Minister but this does not mean we shouldn't do it!
The people of the Isle of Man have the right to elect the person who will be leading the government.
The MLC's should also have to be publicly elected, this will make them directly accountable for the decisions they make.
Yes, let's show we know the true meaning of democracy.
Yes.
I have always supported MLC's being publicly elected.
I support the principle of the election of the Chief Minister so that the public have some idea of the policies of the person leading the Government for the following 5 years.
There are difficulties but I would be happy to investigate ways of electing the Chief Minister and bringing forward a Private Members Bill if required.
