Legislative Council elections – Thanks and tributes to Mr E A Crowe MLC, Mr A F Downie OBE MLC and Mr D M W Butt MLC The President: That concludes the business on our Order Paper, Hon. Members, and after a busy and important sitting I am sure that the Legislative Council elections are not at the forefront of your minds. However, this is the last sitting of Tynwald before four of our number conclude their term of office at the end of February, and I think it is therefore fitting that I take a few moments, Hon. Members, to acknowledge the contribution that these four Hon. Members have made to this Court in both parliamentary and governmental roles. (Several Members: Hear, hear.) I understand that the Hon. Member, Mr Braidwood, will be seeking re-election and so I will confine myself to thanking him for his service thus far. His future is… I was going to say ‘in the lap of the gods’, (Laughter) but that rather elevates the status of a certain Branch! On the other hand, Mr Crowe and Mr Downie, and lately the Hon. Member Mr Butt, have decided to bring down the curtain on their parliamentary careers after 13, 24 and 10 years respectively. The Hon. Member, Mr Crowe, joined the Court in 1995 as an MHK representing Douglas North. Prior to that he had built up a wealth of experience through a working lifetime, first as a teacher – which profession took him to England and Canada – a period in his family’s building business here in the Island, and then many years of involvement in banking and insurance, which though largely here in the Island also led him to spend a number of years in Australia. Most of his time in Tynwald has been as a Member of the Legislative Council, but whether as a Member of the Keys or of Council he has worked diligently for our Island. (Several Members: Hear, hear.) His breadth of experience allied to his professional qualifications gave weight to his valuable contributions in Departments such as Economic Development and as Chair of the Financial Supervision Commission, to his parliamentary contributions in serving on bodies such as the Public Accounts Committee, and to his interventions in the consideration of legislation in the Legislative Council, where his background was particularly helpful in unravelling for his colleagues the complexities of Bills relating to banking, insurance, trusts and company law. Alan Crowe might be described as ‘the quiet man of Manx politics’, (Mr Quirk: Hear, hear.) but that is in no way to diminish his valuable work. (Several Members: Hear, hear.) Quietly spoken, sincere and conscientious, he has exemplified the belief that to have the courage of your convictions does not require a show of defensiveness, obstinacy or defiance, but simply to stick to what you believe in and express your views calmly. He has also been prepared to listen to the views of others, a valuable trait in a debating chamber. (Several Members: Hear, hear.) In acknowledging your two periods of service to the Court, Hon. Member, on behalf of all our colleagues I wish you well and hope that with Dorothy you have many happy years of retirement together. (Several Members: Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member Mr Downie too had the benefit of the enriching experience of travel as a marine engineer and of self-employment in the Island, along with public service as a member of Douglas Borough Council, to equip him for his role as a Member of this Court. He was first elected as a Member of the House of Keys for West Douglas in 1991 and then to the Legislative Council in 2005. It is not surprising that over this long and continuous parliamentary service he has built up an extensive and varied record of involvement in a wide variety of boards and Departments, as well as serving on committees of all Branches of Tynwald and of the Council of Ministers. As a Minister in two Departments he immersed himself into having an in-depth understanding of his areas of responsibility and has been an enthusiastic salesman for this Island in many spheres. He has perhaps been mainly associated in our minds in recent times with the Shipping and Aircraft Register developments, as well as being a great advocate for the growth of the space and e-gaming sectors of the economy, to mention but a few of his particular interests. Tynwald 18 Feb 2015 On the parliamentary front he has embraced the importance of parliamentary democracy and of being outward looking through his vigorous representation of Tynwald at parliamentary conferences and seminars around the Commonwealth. He was indeed chosen to act as an election observer from the Isle of Man branch of CPA, as well as being involved in capacity building of inexperienced new Members in another small Island jurisdiction. Alex’s wide-ranging personal interests and general knowledge have led him to know people in many spheres with whom he has engaged to spread the word about our Island. In this Court, Alex, you have had a reputation as being our most travelled Member (Laughter). I have no doubt that in your retirement you will miss the political element of your life – Mr Downie: I’m going to Mars! (Laughter and interjection) The President: We do know, Hon. Member! I wish you well with that one – I hope it is not on the first trip! We do know you have many other interests and I am quite sure the political void will soon be filled with those activities. I understand you have more travel in mind – this time with your wife, Margaret, to accompany you wherever you may be going. Maybe she won’t want to go to Mars, (Laughter) but may you and Margaret continue your metaphorical and literal journeys together for many years to come. (Several Members: Hear, hear.) Finally, I come to the Hon. Member Mr Butt, who has only very recently made his decision not to seek re-election after his term ends. The Hon. Member served in the Police Force for something like 40 years, where he travelled up through the ranks and also engaged very much with the communities in which he was involved, particularly in Laxey, in the world of football and of course with other sports. After a small respite between 2001, when he retired from the Police Force, he was elected to the Legislative Council in 2005, and as a Member who has come in from the outside has brought with him valuable experience, which has contributed to our deliberations both in that Chamber and in this Hon. Court. (Two Members: Hear, hear.) For 10 years he has given service in Government in many areas. He has been on many committees – Scrutiny Committees, Select Committees – and indeed I think has been probably the first Children’s Champion for Looked After Children. One of his characteristics has been his interests in serving the young people in our community and those who are disadvantaged. He has been interested in improving joined-up Government in terms of the care which we offer and present to those groups of our community. He has worked in the areas of health in particular and in agriculture, and indeed has been a member of the Public Accounts and some very difficult Select Committees. His experience as a prosecuting inspector I think brought him to the Legislative Council with a considerable familiarity with the law, which has been very beneficial to our Council in our deliberations. (Several Members: Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member has been notable for his thorough preparation before he goes to committees or Council and undertakes any other element of his work in Departments. We have been well served by the Hon. Member Mr Butt, and wish him, too, many happy years of retirement along with Marjorie – with the freedom now to get out on your bike or train harder for the Parish Walk. (Several Members: Hear, hear.) Hon. Members, all three of these Members are due our thanks for their committed and extensive service to this Hon. Court and to the Island. We thank you, Hon. Members. Members: Hear, hear. (Applause) The Speaker: Madam President, if I may, on behalf of the Members of the House of Keys, endorse every word that you have said in tribute to our three retiring colleagues and thank them for the contribution they have made – very significant contribution – to the political life of the Isle of Tynwald 18 Feb 2015 Man, and say how very much they will be missed (Several Members: Hear, hear.) as colleagues in this Hon. Court. (Mrs Cannell: Hear, hear.) On behalf of the Keys, I thank you all. Members: Hear, hear. (Applause) The President: Hon. Members – Did you wish to speak, Mr Downie? I think the Members wish to add to our… Mr Crowe: With a tear in my eye (Several Members: Aah!) and a frog in my throat – Mr Watterson: You need to see a doctor! (Laughter) Mr Crowe: – I would just like to thank the Hon. President of Tynwald, the Speaker and all of you here present for the very kind words that you have said and the expression of thanks to me and my fellow colleagues who are leaving. What I would like to say is that it has been an honour and a privilege to serve the people of the Isle of Man, firstly as an MHK and latterly as an MLC, and I would like to place on record my thanks to the voters of North Douglas who put me here in 1995 and 1996 and to thank the House of Keys, who put me into this honoured position in 1998, 2007 and 2010.