A New Approach to Government A Manifesto by Chris Robertshaw Published by Chris Robertshaw, Bawshen Farm Crosby Isle of Man IM4 2DN for the 2011 General Election Printed by The Copy Shop, Douglas • Representation of the People Act 1995 All about voting The election takes place on Thursday 29th September 2011 Contact details Between the hours of 8am and 8pm www.chrisrobertshaw.com You should be sent a polling card by post Email in the next few weeks which will show your [email protected] ward by a four letter prefix to your polling number. Twitter @CRRobertshaw Please use this as a guide to Mobile where you should vote: 494318 Address TYNWald should vote at Scout Hall, Demesne Rd Bawshen Farm Crosby Isle of Man IM4 2DN DERBy should vote at Rosemount Church Hall WINDsor should vote at Loch Prom Methodist Church CREScent should vote at Loch Prom Methodist Church STRAnd should vote at Douglas Town Hall If however you wish to lodge an absent vote with the returning officer please ask for an application form from one of the following: By calling into any police station By going on Line to the Chief Secretary's website www.gov.im/cso By ringing me on 4943 18 and I will bring one round to you. This application form must be in by the 19th September if you are going to vote off island or 23rd September if you are going to vote on island. Please ring me if you need any guidance on filling out the form. Chris Robertshaw Personal Profile Elected to the House of Keys for the first time just over a year ago I am again standing as an independent candidate. Aged 63 and married to Joan, I have A New Approach two children and five grandsons. I retired in 2005 as Managing Director, Company Secretary and Registrar of Sefton Hotel Plc after a 35 year career in Conclusion tourism. At various times I was concurrently a director of the Manx Housing Trust which was dedicated to assisting those with particular housing difficulties, a member of the Isle of Man Hospital Administration Committee, a member of There can be NO doubt that the next few years will be very demanding as the government tries to deal with the imbalance in its budget. In this election the Tourism Marketing Partnership, founding managing director of an incoming candidates have quite rightly been quick to defend the importance of direct sell tour operator, a director of an IT company and a member of the protecting the health and education services and the vulnerable. When asked Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee. I am currently a director of the how this will be achieved the sensible and reasonable response is to argue that Charity Kemmyrk and a member of the Douglas Regeneration Committee, a we will have to cut our costs and grow the economy. I concur with all of that member of the Institute of Hospitality and a member of the Positive Action but it is the next question 'yes but how?' which is far more difficult to answer. Group. I was schooled in a catholic seminary and as a young man served in the British Army in Libya, Cyprus, Germany, England and Norway. If re-elected If you do decide you wish me to serve as your MHK in the next parliament then I would accept a government post if offered. I hope it is in part at least because I have done my best to try to begin to answer that last question in this manifesto. That is why the economy and the government's budget are set as the centre piece to this manifesto. It is all well Why I wish to represent Douglas East and good arguing for cuts but to do so without a clear focus as to how this might be done and how we might grow the economy in mitigation would be "Get Douglas right and we will be on the way to getting our whole economy an inadequate response. right" Neither cutting expenditure nor growing the economy will be easy in the Having spent most of my working life in the constituency I have chosen to stand current economic climate we find ourselves in and further difficulties could yet here again for one very simple reason. come our way. What is certain is that success cannot be achieved unless the people of the Isle of Man are well informed, understand the challenges ahead The future well being of the Isle of Man and its economy rests, to a great extent, and are able to play their part in the process. In the end though it can only be on whether or not we can make a success of our capital, - the heart of which achieved if there is a degree of trust in our government but sadly it has done is Douglas East. In my manifesto last year I said we had a whole range of little to deserve that trust in recent years - so there is much to do. problems that if not tackled head on, would be passed on to the next generation and that we must not let this happen. It is my sincere and fervent wish that we will be able to look back in five years time, smile, and say we, the people of the Isle of Man and its government did As events of the last year have unfolded this need has grow ever more urgent it and did it together. so I do not set out, as is the case with many manifestos, to make all sorts of promises to you that I cannot fulfil, rather I will try to set out a course of action I came into politics because I was one of the fortunate generation that saw almost unbroken economic growth during my career and I wish to do all I can for the Isle of Man as a whole but which will, in turn, have significant and to see that those who follow have every possible chance in life as well. beneficial impact on Douglas and which in time will make it a better place in which to live, work and relax. Thank you for bearing with, what is, quite a long manifesto. I make no apology for repeating what I said last year - Douglas East is the most important constituency in the Isle of Man and I would not wish to stand Chris Robertshaw anywhere else. 1 anifesto weakens their position in any negotiation with external bodies. If there is no M 20 ew 1 known position to defend then our representatives are likely to be much more N 1 amenable to alternative suggestions. This is yet another reason why the electorate should have the opportunity to choose policy as well as personality at a general election. A New A This greater clarity of purpose and confidence in leadership will better enable pproach to Go ver nment the Isle of Man to takes its place on an international stage when and where the opportunity offers itself and to robustly fight its corner. A M anifest Chri o by s Rob for t ert he 2011 shaw Gener al E My Manifesto - lection A New Approach The Customs and Excise Agreement The further agreed changes to the customs and excise agreement will have such an impact on government's budget that there have been, My manifesto was entitled a new Approach in 2006 and 2010 and so it is again because we are still waiting for understandably, calls to break with the UK and collect our indirect taxes. I “ “ would however caution against any knee jerk reactions. an administration to come forward that is capable and determined enough to tackle the challenges ahead – we can wait no longer’’ The fact is that the Isle of Man was doing incredible well under the earlier agreement and even now, with the adjustments made, we should not I spent some time in my last manifesto outlining what I thought was wrong but consider the outcome unfair, unreasonable or unattractive. The latest here I want to face the future and spell out what I believe we should be trying agreement still gives recognition to the estimated value of our off island to do to ensure the island has a bright future. internet purchases as well as that passing through on island businesses which As all our hopes and ambitions will rest on whether or not we are able to are registered for VAT through their UK parent. It also denies any requirement successfully develop and grow our economy on a sound and sustainable basis for customs barriers and associated costs. it is right that this should be the priority in my manifesto. It is here that the greatest challenge exists and therefore appears first under the heading The truth is that we must have previously known we were doing incredibly well Growing Our Economy. but chose to continue to expand our cost base regardless. If criticism should lie anywhere it must be with those who allowed this to happen despite knowing This then leads into and informs Towards a Better Capital which looks at how I the full facts. believe such an approach will impact for the better on Douglas. I also return to the subjects raised last year concerning the constituency, bringing them up We may wish to cancel the agreement in the future but we must first put our to date in the light of recent events and looking at where gains can be made.