What kind of island do Manx people want?

[Max Power]

Well, here we are again, anxiously awaiting another New Year and all that it will bring us with our ‘new normal’ and new government.

Events over the past two years and more recently have made me begin to ask the question, ‘what sort of island do we want to live in?’  

 

We have lots of threads on here asking a similar question on a variety of subjects, we just seem to stagger from one total car crash to another, with seemingly no real strategy whatsoever. Politicians come and go, with lots of well meaning words and ideas, lots of rhetoric about preserving our ‘wonderful Manx way of life’ which seems to be code for letting everything slide into the toilet whilst blocking just about everything which looks like making someone a bit of cash.

 

The latest little rumour involves the delayed Lord Street development, seemingly held up because government want a slice of the parking action on a site they don’t own? Isn’t this what gangsters do?

Then there are all of the other smaller developments, in which which people are prepared to invest their own money, happen to be professional operators but seemingly get blocked at every turn by a minority of NIMBY’s and government ineptitude.  We all know of plenty of projects which just get crapped on, fall away and at a great loss to the island, its inhabitants and the declining tourism sector.

 

Then we have prime government sites, eyesores, awaiting the next big thing. Well, that thing will never happen as long as we are run as a fiefdom by civil servants seeking greater and greater powers.

 

So the question remains, ‘what kind of island do we want?’ An island which is alive and vibrant, appealing to residents and tourists alike, or the dowdy and dull cripple which the place has declined into over the past forty odd years? What do we have to do to attract the people we need to come here and remain?

 

 

[the stinking enigma]

I'll take Barbados. Thanks

[the stinking enigma]

When can you deliver?

[Passing Time]

Bit of a far fetched hope but I would like our politicians to remember they were voted in to work for the Isle of Man and not some flyboys in Liverpool.

[2112]

5 minutes ago, Max Power said:

Well, here we are again, anxiously awaiting another New Year and all that it will bring us with our ‘new normal’ and new government.

Events over the past two years and more recently have made me begin to ask the question, ‘what sort of island do we want to live in?’  

 

We have lots of threads on here asking a similar question on a variety of subjects, we just seem to stagger from one total car crash to another, with seemingly no real strategy whatsoever. Politicians come and go, with lots of well meaning words and ideas, lots of rhetoric about preserving our ‘wonderful Manx way of life’ which seems to be code for letting everything slide into the toilet whilst blocking just about everything which looks like making someone a bit of cash.

 

The latest little rumour involves the delayed Lord Street development, seemingly held up because government want a slice of the parking action on a site they don’t own? Isn’t this what gangsters do?

Then there are all of the other smaller developments, in which which people are prepared to invest their own money, happen to be professional operators but seemingly get blocked at every turn by a minority of NIMBY’s and government ineptitude.  We all know of plenty of projects which just get crapped on, fall away and at a great loss to the island, its inhabitants and the declining tourism sector.

 

Then we have prime government sites, eyesores, awaiting the next big thing. Well, that thing will never happen as long as we are run as a fiefdom by civil servants seeking greater and greater powers.

 

So the question remains, ‘what kind of island do we want?’ An island which is alive and vibrant, appealing to residents and tourists alike, or the dowdy and dull cripple which the place has declined into over the past forty odd years? What do we have to do to attract the people we need to come here and remain?

 

 

Valid points.

The old Lord Street Bus Station site/Government car park, has been a godsend for its owners. It’s never going to be redeveloped certainly in the lifespan of this parliamentary term. The Car park opposite is used as a border control Covid checkpoint Charlie. Owning a car park is a growth industry, and particularly lucrative when it came from the taxpayer and I’ll be surprised if the site realised full resale value. Let’s face it, Dandara owns the land opposite Tesco, but it’s unlikely that it will be built upon, when it’s more easier to have it as a car park. 

[snowman]

I want an island were people aren't anxious

 

A word thrown around with abandonment - even in the first post

 

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by snowman

[WTF]

an 18th century one ??

[Banker]

We need at least another 10000 population, preferably with the large majority under 50 to contribute to health etc, higher population would bring more facilities eg bowling alley, cinemas, restaurants etc 

[finlo]

10 minutes ago, Banker said:

We need at least another 10000 population, preferably with the large majority under 50 to contribute to health etc, higher population would bring more facilities eg bowling alley, cinemas, restaurants etc 

10,000 would be great!

[Max Power]

9 minutes ago, Banker said:

We need at least another 10000 population, preferably with the large majority under 50 to contribute to health etc, higher population would bring more facilities eg bowling alley, cinemas, restaurants etc 

So, how do we achieve that with the current attitudes which our politicians always support?

[Non-Believer]

An Island where Government-handled improvements and projects are competently planned and executed on time and within budget. With at least an equal emphasis on the maintenance of what we already have.

A political and governance system that remembers that the electorate put it in place to serve that electorate. One that recognises and rewards ability and success rather than rewarding mediocrity, time-served and failure as matter of course.

And above all, a system with accountability across its whole spectrum.

[2112]

31 minutes ago, Banker said:

We need at least another 10000 population, preferably with the large majority under 50 to contribute to health etc, higher population would bring more facilities eg bowling alley, cinemas, restaurants etc 

More car parks

[finlo]

44 minutes ago, Banker said:

We need at least another 10000 population, preferably with the large majority under 50 to contribute to health etc, higher population would bring more facilities eg bowling alley, cinemas, restaurants etc 

 

Do we not have a bowling alley, cinemas and restaurants then?

[A fool and his money.....]

34 minutes ago, Banker said:

We need at least another 10000 population, preferably with the large majority under 50 to contribute to health etc, higher population would bring more facilities eg bowling alley, cinemas, restaurants etc 

Dude, go and live in a city. There are some amazing cities around the world with all the facilities you mention and more. I've been privileged enough to live in three of them - you can literally do what you want, when you want to, it's amazing.

The IOM is not such a place, nor should it aspire to be. An extra 10,000 population would change the place in many ways for the worse, and would make little difference in the way you want it to. Yes there would be a few more restaurants etc. but not many, and it would be a very poor imitation of a vibrant city.

If you choose to live here why choose to change the place? I have never understood this. Don't get me wrong, I welcome natural change, things move on and show should we, but attempting to cause it artificially is a nonsense if you ask me.

We shouldn't be paying people to come and live here as we currently do, all that locate.im bollocks. There's plenty of room here for anyone who would like to move here, but encouraging them with things like the tax cap and NI holidays just attract the wrong type of people, they won't be happy when they get here and will want to change the place to something it is not, as you do.

I appreciate that this is done with an ageing population in mind and pension shortfalls and all that, but as far as I can see nothing has been done to discourage old duffers from moving here in their droves, which makes it kind of pointless as this is the kind of place that naturally appeals to them. Also, what happens when these new workers retire, do we import more to pay for their pensions.

Lets stop pretending to be a get rich quick international finance centre and make an honest, modest living as a pleasant, windswept island in the middle of the Irish Sea where anyone who wants to live here can afford accommodation and be happy with what we are. 

[Omobono]

27 minutes ago, Banker said:

We need at least another 10000 population, preferably with the large majority under 50 to contribute to health etc, higher population would bring more facilities eg bowling alley, cinemas, restaurants etc 

you must be joking  you cant get a doctor ,dentist , parking place  in town     half the Island does not  have  an  adequate sewage  treatment system ,  you wait 2 years for a hospital procedure , schools are full to bursting , traffic problems in Douglas  ,shortage of water in warmer weather ,  what we want is someone the revitalise the tourism sector , where we can attract 350.000  visitors , who subsidise our transport   links , sea  and air  eat out in pubs and restaurants  and spend millions in the local economy 

100.000  local population  wont come anywhere near to generating that level of income , and you don't have to build  1000's of additional houses for them all to live in ,and the massive infrastructure  thats required to support it 

the beauty  , uniqueness   ,    and   Manx way of life   fast being eroded , we have never been a little England  even though some in government might  like to think so 

Government needs to deal with the priorities ,and stop growing like a huge cancer  waisting huge amounts of money  and overpopulating the Island with  questionable second raters   to the workforce and pension pool ,

the next few years will be make or break for this Island , living standards have plummeted , and the cost of residing  here have  rocketed ,   and there are not too many new ideas coming out of the  powers that be