Isle of Old People

[Derek Flint 4,179]

31 minutes ago, Lagman said:

Is that best for us though? Do we want a bigger population?

Pandemic wise  - I'd say the islands have handled it pretty well and if we get other waves of it, the last place I'd want to be is in a city of millions.

If we had a public sector that cut its cloth accordingly, and a government that had more realistic ambitions, I would tend to agree.

[Lagman 665]

11 minutes ago, Derek Flint said:

a government that had more realistic ambitions

Well, considering the amount of freemason's in governments, I'm not sure what would qualify as realistic in those terms.

Depopulation, 6uild 6ack 6etter etc?

[TerryFuchwit 706]

59 minutes ago, Lagman said:

It seems to be what has happened elsewhere -

 

You're making zero sense. None at all.  You made an assertion that our birth rates will be compromised because abortions can be done on island.  That is simply rubbish.

[BallaDoc 578]

55 minutes ago, Derek Flint said:

A population of 100k would be easily sustainable.

That's an interesting use of the word "sustainable".  Every year the IOM imports around 25 million litres each of
petrol and diesel, a similar amount each of kerosene and gasoil (heating oils), 110 million cubic metres of natural gas (to heat homes and generate electricity at the Pulrose power station) and an unknown quantity of food - at least, unknown to me because I wasn't able to find any figures, even from this Tynwald paper which didn't seem to want to talk about it:

 https://www.tynwald.org.im/business/opqp/sittings/Tynwald 20142016/2014-GD-0076.pdf

This is anything but sustainable, and the more people we have on the island, the less sustainable it becomes.  In contrast, the population of 30,000-ish in the 1700's and before, was sustainable because then the islanders lived largely on their own resources. 

[Blackajah 82]

There is a definite bias in favour of the old on the IOM.   MHKs govern on the promise that 'we won't change anything dearie....vote for me'.      If you have young children, you're safe in the knowledge that little or no serious action will be taken against paedophiles who may target them.    Then, when you have teenagers, if they want to smoke a bit of pot, they will be banged up in jail for it, whereas on the adjacent isle, a blind eye may well be turned.    A lot of rental accommodation is substandard, some landlords are actively against measures to improve.   Why?   This impacts younger people who can't afford to buy.    Builders and property companies are allowed to swamp the place with 'executive' housing at ridiculous prices; with far fewer affordable homes being built.     IOMG seriously need to stop all retirees buying property; fine if they want to rent - and no NHS care without a large upfront fee or pay privately.     HQ too busy crowing on national TV about the covid-free bollocks.    He should be ordering an enquiry over the 22 recorded suicides.   I don't think he cares anything about it.   

[Manxtoffee 32]

Of course Howard doesn’t care - he’s in possibly the most cushy position of the lot of them why would he change anything. And now Gef print bloody t-shirts with Howard O’Clock emblazoned across them. What a joke it all is. 

[Manxtoffee 32]

11 hours ago, Banker said:

There’s more young leaving than coming over past 5/10 years and with births falling it’s not good for future economic growth. 

I agree it’s declining but this is an issue with any small community. Go to the cities where all of the young people flock and you’ll find different issues - overcrowding, a buckling NHS, impossible housing market, very competitive job market. I know where I’d rather be. We sustain ourselves far better over here and I think in the not so distant future we may see a reversal. 

[slinkydevil 5,058]

I've changed my mind. I'd like to see a reduction to a population of 1000.

Be nice to me and I'll try and get you on the list.

 

[Andy Onchan 4,690]

12 hours ago, Max Power said:

Quarterbridge would be fun....

DOI designers would be in a state of perpetual orgasm if they had to deal with something like that.

[Andy Onchan 4,690]

12 hours ago, Anyone said:

At least 200,000 . Otherwise it’s not sustainable. Never happen though and we all know why.

On what basis did you work that out?

[Andy Onchan 4,690]

1 hour ago, TerryFuchwit said:

You're making zero sense. None at all.  You made an assertion that our birth rates will be compromised because abortions can be done on island.  That is simply rubbish.

Nonsense, even?

[TerryFuchwit 706]

20 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

Nonsense, even?

Yeh. And BS, naive, made up etc.

Take your pick.

[Andy Onchan 4,690]

1 minute ago, TerryFuchwit said:

Yeh. And BS, naive, made up etc.

Take your pick.

I'll stick with nonsense 

[Banker 1,957]

4 hours ago, Manxtoffee said:

I agree it’s declining but this is an issue with any small community. Go to the cities where all of the young people flock and you’ll find different issues - overcrowding, a buckling NHS, impossible housing market, very competitive job market. I know where I’d rather be. We sustain ourselves far better over here and I think in the not so distant future we may see a reversal. 

But if it’s a small community in uk anywhere they have central government funding pensions etc we don’t have the luxury of printing money to pay for pensions etc.

Channel Islands populations are growing so why has ours been falling, lack of action by Government?

[Apple 1,330]

5 hours ago, Derek Flint said:

If we had a public sector that cut its cloth accordingly, and a government that had more realistic ambitions, I would tend to agree.

I think Derek that the island has access to lots of money, but waste has gone on and that is the politicians. They all like a building with their name in the foyer or on a brick near the gate. That should stop.

As for population size, the new Hospital was built to accommodate an estimated 85,000 on the island. I remember the bi=g conference in the Villa when they were looking into all these issues around 1999.

@Blackajah. Some good points there. The minimum standards for property to let needs an urgent review, and second home ownership for Manx residents needs to recognise the impact on young people trying to get on the property ladder.