Perspective - Manx Radio

Since 1992 the Department of Education has been teaching Manx to the Island’s children. For just over a third of a century now most children have been learning a bit of Manx at primary school, and some have been learning a lot more at secondary school. As part of Blein ny Gaelgey - Year of the Manx Language - Perspective continues its series of talks with the movers and shakers of the Manx language with head of the Department of Education’s Manx Language Service, Cathy Clucas. Cathy Clucas has been at the heart of the Manx language revival for three decades - she must have been very young when she started …

The No Offshore Turbines 4 Isle of Man pressure group is fighting to stop the Mooir Vannin windfarm being developed. The group expresses concerns about the impact of 87 turbines, 80 storeys high being built from 6 miles off the east coast of the Isle of Man. They feel that the developer Orsted and the Isle of Man Government are not being open about the proposal. We hear from NOT4IOM and Garff Commissioners on this week’s Perspective. In a bizarre twist MHKs have been told that they can’t talk to the public about the development for fear of prejudicing a future government decision on the project. In an election year? … you couldn’t make this up!

With Easter Day upon us it seems appropriate to hear from one of the Island’s Christian leaders. Canon Philip Gillespie has recently returned to the Island after a number of years teaching in Rome. At a time when the world seems as far away from love, peace and kindness as it’s ever been perhaps it’s time to hear from gentle, humble leaders, who really do care about our lives and fulfilment. There’s little doubt that the world would be a better place if we all lived gentler and humbler lives but it seems most of us struggle to do that. We could all do with a bit more love and peace in our lives … and maybe the odd Easter egg or two.

A few weeks ago we heard two of the debates from the special International Women’s Day junior Tynwald sitting, at which students from the Island’s secondary schools and UCM raised several issues that concern them. There were three other debates on Legal Protections and Accountability Measures to Address Gender‐Based Violence, Mental Health and Neurological Conditions and Education in Gender Discrimination which we’ll hear in full on this week’s Perspective. Powerful comment from voices which sadly all too often go unheard.

In Tynwald this week there appeared to be some relative calm after the choppy political waters of recent sittings. The impact of the Iran War, an urgent question on bed spaces at Nobles and the ongoing work at the White Hoe were covered in question time. There was also a heated debate about the future of the post office an interesting discussion on scrutiny of government’s response to Tynwald decisions and the Horse Trams trotted a little closer to the finishing line. That’s all squeezed in to this week’s Perspective. No neigh sayers on this week’s show.

Last week in a special International Women’s Day junior Tynwald sitting, students from the Island’s secondary schools and UCM raised several issues that are important to them and really should be important to us all. The students voices were very powerful and the evidence presented was quite shocking. We’ll hear two of the debates, on Gaps in Women’s Healthcare and Period Poverty, on Perspective this week, and the other three debates on a future show. It takes a lot to move and inspire me in political discourse these days and these debates succeeded on both counts.

Last week Culture Vannin teamed up with Mooinjer Veggey to celebrate International Mother Languages Day. As part of the Year of the Manx Language they invited second language communities to come together to explore the richness of linguistic diversity in the Isle of Man. Find more about the Island’s amazing cultural communities on this week’s Perspective Are we doing enough to share Manx culture with others? Can our passion for our own languages and heritage bring us all together? Perhaps we could build the Tower of Babel on the old Lord Street site?

What did the Treasury Minister actually deliver in last Tuesday’s Tynwald sitting? Was it a give away pre-election budget through prudent use of reserves to help kick start the economy or a reckless raid on government’s hard earned savings. I suspect the answer lies somewhere between the two but what did Tynwald members make of it? What is clear is the vast majority of earners will be better off in the next tax year but is the continued use of reserves sustainable? Hopefully the extra money the government is keen to stuff in our back pockets won’t come at a cost after the election.

Government finances have read a little like recent weather forecasts, with a gloomy outlook, risk of budget overtopping particularly in health, and economic storms battering our sparse reserves. One former Treasury Minister who wasn’t afraid to grapple with the economic challenges of the day was Eddie Teare. He talks to Perspective about how he went about preparing a budget and considers what next week’s Budget might deliver. As if economic circumstances were’nt bad enough the aftermath of last month’s sackings has caused some disaffection in Tynwald ranks. Will next week’s Budget include brighter spells and sunny uplands?

Manx farmers are being challenged at the moment with several significant issues hitting all at once. As if the debilitating cattle disease Blue-tongue, a change in UK and IoM cattle health status, and ongoing problems with the meatplant weren’t bad enough a very wet winter and uncertainly over animal waste charging are adding to farmers woes. Can the Isle of Man Government’s stated aim of achieving food security for us be delivered in such trying circumstances. There’s no doubt times are hard for Manx farmers who are all hoping things will mooooove in a better direction soon.

Former Infrastructure Minister Michelle Haywood had the fairly straightforward task of bringing forward a Local Government Bill which was generally supported by local authorities. Along came Lawrie Hooper with an amendment which caused angst and anger among local authorities and was subsequently used as a one of the reasons for the Minister’s sacking. Find out what the Bill actually does and why the amendment caused so much consternation on Perspective . With so much they agree how did the Minister and local government become so divided?

What Tynwald lacked in length this week it more than made up for in big announcements and policy changes. The Order Paper soon had the hefty addition of a statement on the Chief Minister’s reshuffle with two Ministers either ‘stepping down’ or being sacked depending on who you listened to. While Alf Cannan’s statement and a cooling in enthusiasm on the living wage grabbed the headlines, homelessness, the Island’s cattle health status and a call for a forensic audit of health were also covered. Is that the popular sound of a screeching u-turn I hear?

Blein ny Gaelgey is a year-long, Island-wide celebration of the Manx language. The Year’s website claims that it’s for everybody – Manx speakers, people who don’t know any Manx yet, people who call the Isle of Man home, and visitors to these shores and it will be fun and accessible, and provide ways to engage for everyone! On Perspective this week we hear from two of those hoping we’ll all be dusting down our Moghrey Mies and Fastyr Mies and making Blein ny Gaelgey a great occasion for our Manx Language. If you’re a little cynical about the language then this week’s show might well soften even the hardest of hearts.

Jane Kelly is the Emergency Planning Officer for the Isle of Man Government and leads the Civil Defence team. We’ve probably all relied on her team’s expertise during storm and weather events, and though we might not know it we are all a lot safer because of the plans she and her team have created for the unlikely but possible emergency events we could face. Find out more about her work on Perspective. Are we becoming too reliant on government to solve all our problems and could we perhaps do a bit more to help our selves?

On Perspective this week we hear from local historian John Manley about his research into the history of Ballamona Hospital. Prior to Ballamona life in the Isle of Man for people with mental illness was pretty bleak so the opening of a dedicated hospital to provide care was a major step forward. The hospital closed in the 1990s as it was deemed to be better to support people in the community.

It’s probably not unreasonable to say that over the past year Perspective has delivered a fair proportion of political angst and reflected the increasing polarisation of political debate. As it’s Christmas and we reflect on Christian messages of hope and peace I thought for the last Perspective of 2025 we should give you a more positive and encouraging program. Michael Manning, the eighth Manx Bard has recently published a collection of his poetry titled Graih. Michael Manning want’s to sing some new songs of hope and positivity. Will anyone listen? Let’s hope so.

And it came to pass that there came unto Manx Radio’s studio three wise men, one formerly from Douglas East, bringing with them gifts of gall, frank insights and mirth. On Perspective we take an irreverent look back over 2025 - the good, the bad and the ugly …. and that’s just the guests. Is instability the new political norm and if so what is that doing the frayed nerves of citizens here and across the world? With the hospitality sector struggling to make ends meet is it any wonder that there was no room in the inn! Nollick Ghennal Erriu!

December Tynwald extended into a third day with members keen to milk every minute of debating time as we enter election year. Questions strayed into a lively debate on the state of the Manx economy, with Ministers doing their best to look for positives while questioners being a little less optimistic. There was also a question on support for first time buyers with several members trying to pin the blame for the very slow pace of change on either their predecessors or successors. Plenty of stars rising in the East in this week’s Tynwald.

You may have noticed that local authorities have been sharpening their pitchforks and gathering fiery brands as they attempt to oppose a new piece of law which would give government power to impose functions and standards on them. Government’s position appears to be that local Commissioners and Councillors shouldn’t be able to shirk their statutory responsibilities and Legislative Council has been drafted in to try to broker the peace. Also, a Tynwald committee is gently nudging government to properly register all the land it owns. Does government know what it owns? Pitchforks at dawn on a misty field that may or may not belong to government. A Perspective not to be missed.

With Leigh Morris vacating his leadership role in the Manx Wildlife Trust earlier this year Graham Makepeace-Warne took over as CEO. He tells Perspective why the Isle of Man needs a Wildlife Trust and what his organisation supports. He explains why wildlife needs our help and we enjoy some of the benefits that being out in the wild in the winter time can have for our health and well being. Species and habitat destruction has been incredibly prolific over the passed half century or so with over 70% of the world’s wildlife lost. It seem that talking about the Birds and the Bees has never been more necessary!