Isle of Man Government News

2016 TT Visitor Survey Results show positive year for TT

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:12:41 GMT

The Department of Economic Development’s annual visitor survey for the TT has shown another positive year for the Isle of Man TT.

The key findings of the 2016 study were:

Just over 42,000 visitors came for the TT in 2016 – in line with the number in 2015.
On average, visitors stayed 6.6 nights on the Island and spent £738 on the trip. Total expenditure of TT visitors in 2016 is an estimated £31.3 million. This represents a contribution to Manx National Income of £22.5 million and an Exchequer Benefit of £4.1 million.
The event attracted both new visitors as well as regular fans: 26% had not visited previously for the TT, while 22% also visited for other motorsport events such as the Festival of Motorcycling and the Southern 100.
The number of visitors to the Island for TT peaked on Sunday 5^th June reaching just over 26,000.
Over 40 nationalities were picked up in the survey. While the bulk (86.6%) were from the UK and Ireland, 9.4% came from Europe and 4.0% from further afield.

Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for the Department of Economic Development commented:

‘I would like to thank our Motorsport Team at the Department and our many partners in Government, as well as the private and voluntary sectors, for continuing to deliver a top class event with huge economic benefit to the Island’s residents.

‘The figures this year show a trend towards a more balanced distribution of visitors across the event. Similar to a mature business, delivering big growth numbers for an established event is particularly challenging without significant new investment and additional resource. Comparable visitor numbers to 2015 also show that transport challenges in 2016 were largely overcome. These are positive results and show the further potential for the event.

‘These results support our strategy to grow the TT when there is capacity. The Department remains convinced that Vision Nine can help us deliver further growth. So important is this single event to the tourism calendar, any single change to the TT must be carefully considered at every stage before implementation. I am confident that the decision to maintain the Department’s responsibility for TT2017, before handing over to Vision Nine, will be in the best interests of the Island in the long term.’

David Cretney MLC, Member of the Department with responsibility for Tourism and Motorsport also commented:

‘The results of this year’s visitor survey continue to highlight both the event’s lasting appeal for repeat visitors as well as the potential for further growth. In 2016, for the TT alone, we have successfully delivered £4.1 million back to the Treasury, with much of the £31.3 million visitor spend going directly to local businesses. We believe we can build on this fantastic achievement and deliver further growth in both the TT and the Festival of Motorcycling.’

In 2011, the Department implemented a new marketing strategy for annual motorcycle events. The result of this has been both increased numbers of visitors and increased visitor spend on Island. In 2016 26% of visitors had not previously visited for the TT which represents over 11,000 people new to the event and 1 in every 4 people a potential new repeat customer.

Election Inspection Notice - House of Keys General Election 2016

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:38 GMT

Pursuant to paragraph 57(2) of the Representation of the People Regulations 2015 (the “2015 Regulations”) notice is hereby given that the following documents shall be available for public inspection by prior appointment only from Monday 10 October 2016 to Friday 4 November 2016 between the hours of 10.00 am and 4.00 pm at the Public Counter, Isle of Man Courts of Justice, Deemsters Walk, Bucks Road, Douglas.

The documents which are available for inspection are the documents specified in Regulation 55 of the 2015 Regulations apart from ballot papers and counterfoils as specified in Regulation 57(2) of the 2015 Regulations.

Any person wishing to inspect such documents may do so by prior appointment by contacting Alison Kelly at Isle of Man Courts of Justice, Deemsters Walk, Bucks Road, Douglas, telephone 687505. To avoid delay any person making an appointment is advised to identify the particular document, or documents desired to be inspected, or the one or more constituencies of interest.

PLEASE NOTE that anyone undertaking an inspection will do so under the supervision of a member of the General Registry staff; that the taking of a copy, or a photograph of the documents will not be permitted; and that no document may be marked.

Securing the future of day services for older people

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:38 GMT

Despite a recent tendering exercise, the Department of Health and Social Care has been unable to identify an external provider of day services for older people that can operate the service within the resources available. As a result, the Department will operate the service directly through its Adult Social Care Directorate, with effect from Monday 3 October 2016.

Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, said:

'Day services offer an important avenue of support for many older people, helping them to remain independent for as long as possible, as well as providing an opportunity to interact and engage in activities together, make new friends and learn new skills.

'It is regrettable that the Department has not been able to commission an external provider that can run the services within the allocated budget. Whilst not ideal, as with any externally commissioned service, the Department remains the provider of last resort, and in this instance, there is little option for Government but to provide the services direct to remain within the current cost envelope.'

Day services for older people have been commissioned by the Department for a number of years, with a third party paid to run the service on its behalf. The current provider, Age Concern Isle of Man, chose not to bid for the day services contract.

The Department is working closely with Age Concern Isle of Man, to ensure that, where possible, services continue in their current form with minimal changes for users. Staff and service users have been told of the change and the priority for the Department is to ensure that there is a smooth transition and stability. There will be opportunities for staff to transfer from the current provider in order to remain with the service and ensure continuity of provision for the people the service supports.

Golf skills to the fore as disability sports programme starts

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:38 GMT

Children with special educational needs took part in tri-golf – a mini version of the popular sport – at the National Sports Centre this week.

The sport is one of six included in Manx Sport and Recreation’s (MSR) Disability School Sports Programme, which runs throughout the school year.

‘More than 40 children enjoyed skill-based putting and chipping games in a fun and fully inclusive environment,’

said Zoe Crowe, Disability Sports Development Officer with MSR.

‘Tri-golf helps children develop core personal skills such as respect, co-operation, perseverance, concentration and self-motivation.

‘The entire programme reflects our commitment – set out in our Strategy for Sport – to open up physical activity to those with disabilities.’

The event was run in conjunction with the Isle of Man Golf Union.

MSR thanked Melanie Jansen, the Island’s Golf Development Officer, and Andy Patterson, a golf professional, and their volunteers.

Isle of Man Post Office raised £224 for Jeans for Genes Day

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:38 GMT

Isle of Man Post Office staff swapped the lower part of their business attire for smart jeans on Jeans for Genes Day, September 23, and raised a generous amount of money for the genetic disorder charity.

Post Office staff also brought in an assortment of sweet and savoury foods on the day, which were then sold to help raise additional funds for the charity. The activities raised a grand total of £224.31p.

Jeans for Genes Day raises money for Genetic Disorders UK, the charity that aims to transform the lives of children with genetic disorders. 1 in 25 children in the UK are born with a genetic disorder – that amounts to more than 30,000 babies born each year.

Sarah Read, Isle of Man Post Sponsorship Committee Chairman said:

'Jeans for Genes Day does so much good work for children with genetic disorders therefore the decision to raise funds to support their all-important work was easy. The team here at the Post Office is always ready to support and take part in fundraising activities. The donation buckets filled up fast on the day and it was easy to drum up staff enthusiasm for the initiative which the Post Office is a regular supporter of.'

Isle of Man Post Office Sponsorship Committee aims to support a variety of local initiatives throughout the year and is always keen to hear from individuals and organisations looking for support which it may be able to help with.

Please visit https://www.jeansforgenesday.org/ to find out more about Jeans for Genes Day.

Record attendance at Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:40 GMT

A record 10,000 people attended the 2016 Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival – beating the previous record by nearly 3,000.

The event, held in the Villa Marina Gardens on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September and sponsored by Magnet IoM Ltd, is a showcase of the finest Manx produce.

Last year just over 7,000 people flocked to the festival – equalling the number of visitors in the event’s first year, when TV stars The Hairy Bikers proved a big draw.

Richard Ronan, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said:

‘This year’s event had even more stands to enjoy, including 12 first-time exhibitors, plenty of opportunities to sample local food and drink, lots for all the family to do plus an extended entertainment programme.

‘The festival’s popularity reflects the growth in Isle of Man food and drink, being driven by my Department’s Food Matters strategy, and the growing desire among people to support local food and drink producers and businesses.

‘Although hosted by DEFA, the event only happens as a result of tremendous teamwork and hard work right across the food and drink sector. Everyone from the volunteer committee to our all-important sponsors, producers, retailers, caterers and other volunteers come together to make the event the highlight of the calendar it is.’

There was a high standard among the 60 exhibitors, making the job of choosing the best stand difficult for the Minister and BBC presenter and celebrity farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, the guest of honour at the festival.

They awarded the accolade to BallaKarran Meat Company.

Visitors are invited to give their feedback on the festival via www.gov.im/food

Feedback so far has highlighted that the festival is a great day out and praised the wide variety of local produce on sale, the opportunity to meet producers and the relaxed atmosphere.

For year-round updates about the festival, like the Facebook page Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival 2016, following @iomfoodanddrink on Twitter or visit http://iomfoodanddrink.com/

Treasury Minister welcomes unchanged credit rating

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:39 GMT

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare has welcomed the announcement this week of the Isle of Man’s unchanged Aa1 credit rating by Moody’s Investors Service.

The Minister said:

‘I am very pleased that this latest report from Moody’s underlines the Island’s Aa1 rating and demonstrates the Isle of Man’s continued and sustained economic success.

‘Our credit rating was revised from Aa1 stable to Aa1 negative by Moody’s in June this year following the UK’s Brexit vote and their latest report reaffirms that change. As reported at the time, the change was due to the uncertainty brought about by the Brexit vote for the UK’s future growth prospects – our change mirrored that of the UK and was beyond our control.’

Mr Teare concluded:

‘Whilst it is undeniable that there are future uncertainties and risks, it is vitally important that the main message from this report is heard. Public finances are strong and the Island can be relied upon by its investors to provide a stable, pro-business environment in which they can flourish.'

https://www.moodys.com/credit-ratings/Isle-of-Man-Government-of-credit-rating-600052342

Work at Lezayre Road in Ramsey to start next year

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:38 GMT

Work to reconstruct the highway and install new water and drainage systems at Lezayre Road in Ramsey has been postponed until next year.

The decision was taken following a constructive meeting on Wednesday evening between the Department of Infrastructure and a range of local stakeholders.

Work originally started on Monday 26 September. In response to local requests to keep the road open, the Department had tried to work with traffic lights in operation.

However, it quickly became apparent that there was insufficient space to operate the site and maintain public safety.

Wednesday’s meeting brought together local representatives including the town’s two MHKs, Ramsey Town Commissioners, the schools, the police, the Chamber of Commerce and the business community.

The meeting agreed that the work could not take place without the road being closed for a period of time. It was also accepted that a compromise would be required and that all parties would work proactively to help the Department prepare its plans for the future road closure.

Jim Davidson, Project Co-ordinator at the Department of Infrastructure, said:

‘The Department was asked to try to keep the road open while the work at Lezayre Road was carried out, but it soon became clear that this was not safe. Public safety is of paramount importance. Last night’s meeting was very positive and there was a shared sense that all parties needed to work together over the coming months to mitigate the effects of the road closure when it comes. A working group will be set up to help review and refine the Department’s closure plans, as everyone accepts there is no easy solution to this matter.’

Latest independent healthcare review published

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:42 GMT

The West Midlands Quality Review Service has published its sixth report as part of the ongoing external peer reviews of the Island’s health services.

The report covers a number of areas across the health service:

Noble’s Hospital: Renal, stroke and imaging services
Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital: inpatient care (Martin Ward), the Minor Injuries Unit, and the operating theatres
Mental Health Service: inpatient care for older people (Grianagh Court), crisis response and home treatment, and community mental health services
Adult community nursing.

Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, welcomed the findings of the report, which has the highest level of compliance with the quality standards of any of the reports to date.

Commenting on the findings, the Minister said:

'Once again the findings of this latest review demonstrate that there are many aspects of our healthcare services the community can be proud of, but that there remains room for improvement and opportunities to learn.

'A common theme since the first report in April 2014 is praise for staff. Each report has noted their dedication, professionalism and compassion – demonstrating the commitment of our workforce and their desire to ensure that good quality care for patients is at the core of everything they do.

'It is important that we continue to learn from the findings and recommendations of the report and use these to carefully assess future service developments against our finite resources and the objectives of our five year health and social care strategy.'

Some of the highlights in the report include the Martin Ward at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital where reviewers found 'staffing levels were high and staff were working collaboratively to deliver high quality care'. The hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit was also praised for its high patient satisfaction and short waiting times.

The adult community nursing team was recognised as a well-led team with 'motivated, enthusiastic staff'.

At Noble’s Hospital reviewers noted patients’ perceptions that renal services had improved considerably and that the 'nurse staffing ratio on the dialysis units was very good'. The stroke service was recognised for its 'significant developments over the previous 10 years', as well as its enthusiastic team and strong leadership. The reviewing team also noted the work taking place to develop a single stroke unit for acute care and rehabilitation. Radiology services were found to be 'well-organised, with a forward thinking management team' and well-equipped with a good asset replacement programme for equipment.

The Mental Health Service’s staff were praised, with reviewers finding highly skilled staff 'willing to ‘go the extra mile’ to provide good care” and a 'good strategy… which had led to a good understanding of the gaps in service and the challenges faced'.

Eight immediate risks were highlighted, all of which have been addressed and the actions reviewed by the WMQRS. Amongst a range of recommendations and areas for consideration, were several the Department is already actively working to address: recruiting to difficult to fill vacancies, the need for a new inpatient mental health unit, which is currently under construction, and integrating the delivery of care.

Report confirms continued economic growth

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 12:50:01 GMT

The GDP of the Isle of Man reached £4.51 billion in 2014/15 after real growth of 5.0% during the year, according to the latest national income report published today.

The report, from the Economic Affairs unit of the Cabinet Office, confirms that this was the 32nd successive year of growth for the Island’s economy.

Key results include:

Growth in GDP of 4.5%, or 5.0% in real terms (compared to 4.5% in 2013/14).
Growth in GNP of 0.9%, or 1.4% in real terms (compared to 5.1% in 2013/14).
Growth in e-Gaming and Insurance were the main drivers of growth during the year

growing by 22% and 7% respectively in real terms. E-Gaming remains the largest economic sector at 19.5%, followed by Insurance on 14.9%.

A reduction in losses incurred by companies from the Tourist Accommodation sector has allowed it to strongly bounce back, with growth of 80% compared to 2013/14.

Chief Minister Allan Bell welcomed the report but added a note of caution. He said:

‘The headline figures are reassuring, showing growth returning to pre 2008/09 levels and confirming the overall strength of the Island’s economy. However, it is clear that some sectors are not doing so well and the reality of a two-speed economy has to be recognised.’

It should be emphasised that the accounts contained within this report relate to the year 2014/15 and do not necessarily reflect the current position of the Island’s economy.

The report is available online.

NOTES

National income accounts for the Isle of Man have been produced annually since 1969/70, providing a measure of the size and growth of the Manx economy. They highlight the changing importance of sectors within the economy and the emergence of new economic activity.

The main national accounting aggregates are Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross

National Product (GNP), now being referred to as Gross National Income (GNI).

GDP represents the monetary value of all goods and services produced within the Island’s

economy over a one year period. It also provides a measure of both personal and corporate income derived from economic activity on the Island.

GNI also takes account of net income received from abroad in the form of interest, rents, profits and dividends and represents the total income of all Manx residents and companies.

Planned Peel Swingbridge works

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:29 GMT

It is our intention to replace the worn out track on the Peel Swing Bridge during the week commencing 3rd October.

This is weather dependent and a final decision will be made nearer the time, once forecasts have been issued.

Unfortunately there may be disruption to pedestrian traffic during this week, with the bridge not being available, although there should be no impact on vessels since the bridge will be swung off for the main part of the works.

The work will take 7 – 10 days.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Further information can be found on the 'Peel Harbours' link on the right hand side of this page.

Further improvements for Mines Road junction

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:44 GMT

Following an agreement between the Department of Infrastructure and a landowner in Foxdale, work will take place at Mines Road junction to enhance visibility for motorists looking down the hill towards the village.

Planning approval has now been received for the junction improvements and the retaining structures required for the work have been ordered. The road will not now close until late October when the Department has received confirmation of the delivery date for the materials.

Jim Davidson, Project Co-ordinator, said:

‘This change is great news for the village as it will create a much better junction for many years to come. I’d like to thank all those involved in reaching an agreement to enable this work to be carried out.’

The work at Mines Road junction is the first phase of a major reconstruction of the main road through Higher Foxdale. The scheme, which is scheduled for completion before next year’s TT Festival, will provide a road that is capable of meeting traffic and drainage requirements throughout its design life of 40 years.

Residents, businesses and other local stakeholders will be kept informed of the scheme’s progress and details of the revised bus timetables will be published in due course.

Additional information, including site maps, road closures and diversion routes, is available on the Current and Recent Projects section of the Department of Infrastructure website.

Isle of Man Post Office celebrates the Island's UNESCO status as a world biosphere region in latest stamp issue

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:44 GMT

Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to present a set of five stamps in celebration of it being part of the Europa stamp project for 2016, “Ecology in Europe - Think Green” and the Island recently being awarded United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) status as a world biosphere region. The stamps which have been designed locally by Isle of Man Advertising are due for issue 7th October 2016.

Biosphere regions are sites across the globe endorsed by UNESCO as being outstanding places for nature and for people, where there is a healthy balance between the two. There are currently 669 biosphere regions in 120 countries worldwide. UNESCO biosphere status for the Isle of Man recognises the Island as being a special place to live, work and visit, and the first entire country to gain this prestigious accolade. To earn this accolade, the Island has committed to taking care of its nature and wildlife, as well as culture, heritage and communities. Maintaining and improving the Island’s infrastructure and economy in ways that respect and support its environment as well as helping more people to understand what makes the Island so special and encouraging active involvement in keeping it that way.

The 45p stamp shows an image of one of the Island’s beaches and celebrates its unique environment and culture which has been recognised with the UNESCO biosphere status.

The 77p stamp shares the winning image created by Cyprus Post artist, Ms Doxia Sergidou and was chosen from 24 entries by Europa stamps to mark the 60th anniversary of the Europa stamp movement. The stamp shows a hand actively replacing the grey colour, representing environmental pollution with the green to symbolise environmental living and hope and that “it is in our hand to create a greener planet“.

Featured on the £1.13 stamp is an image of the Island’s energy from waste plant which is used to convert 60,000 tonnes of commercial and domestic waste every year, producing ten per cent of the Island’s electricity using its state of the art technology and onsite laboratory.

The Island is also gaining a reputation for developing green technology, most notably through the advancement of electric bike racing, an image of which is depicted in the £1.47 stamp. In 2009 the electric bike made history with the first race around the Mountain Course for electric powered bikes, eight years on the TT Zero is going strong with the outright lap record – an average speed of 119.27mph around the 37 ¾ mile circuit.

Finally, the £2.33p stamp is inspired by the Island’s renewable energy production. At the heart of Tholt-y-Will stands a building containing two 600 watt kilowatt turbines powered by water from the nearby Black Eary and Sulby Reservoirs, together they produce four gigawatt hours of hydro-electric power every year, meeting one per cent of the Island’s annual demand.

Peter Longworth, Project Lead UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man (UBIOM project) said:

'This year saw the Isle of Man recognised as a special place for people and nature by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). This acknowledges the entire Isle of Man and surrounding seas as an official World Biosphere Region. We were very proud to become the world’s first entire Island Nation with UNESCO Biosphere status, another World First for the Isle of Man.

In recognition of this prestigious accolade from a respected global organisation, we were delighted that the Isle of Man Post Office designed a range of commemorative stamps for the occasion of Dr Han Qunli travelling to the Isle of Man.

It will also be our great pleasure to provide Dr Han Qunli, Secretary of UNESCOs Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, with a set of these stamps when he visits the Island to formally present us with Membership of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) on 1st of November 2016.'

Maxine Cannon, Isle of Man Stamps & Coins General Manager said:

'Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to present a set of stamps in celebration of our Island being awarded UNESCO biosphere status and the world’s first entire country to gain this prestigious accolade.'

She continues:

'Peter Longworth has provided great assistance to us with this stamp issue and we would like to thank him for all his support.'

The stamp collection is available to pre-order from today and can be purchased at www.iompost.com/biosphere

Conservation in Action: Carbon Dating the Giant Deer

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:44 GMT

Manx National Heritage has for the first time been able to scientifically date the Giant Deer skeleton, one of the Manx Museum’s most popular exhibits.

Familiar to generations of visitors to the Manx Museum, The Giant Deer is a significant and complete artefact that until recently had not been conserved since it was put on display over one hundred years ago.

In 2015, the skeleton was carefully removed from its former display and taken to a conservation facility within the Museum complex, where a team from the Manx Museum and the Lancashire Conservation Studios completed the cleaning and conservation of the skeleton.

The work afforded conservators an opportunity to find out more about the life and death of this magnificent creature.

Christopher Weeks, MNH Objects Conservator said:

'It was important to make the very most of the opportunities that dismantling, cleaning and conserving the deer gave us. We removed three tiny samples of bone for radiocarbon dating by the Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit.

All three samples provided dates which were statistically consistent with each other and show clearly that the deer died about 14,500 years ago, over four thousand years before the earliest evidence of human habitation yet found on the island.

We’d now like to know whether the deer was native to the island or crossed land bridges from England or Ireland to get here.'

It is hoped that tooth samples submitted for DNA sequencing will shed light on this and other mysteries.

The skeleton is on display in the refurbished Geology Gallery at the Manx Museum, open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Admission is free, donations welcome.

Financial Sanctions: Terrorism and Other Crime (Financial Restrictions) Act 2014

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:41 GMT

The Terrorism and Other Crime (Financial Restrictions) Act 2014 (“the 2014 Act”) implements the terrorist asset-freezing requirements of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) and Council Regulation (EU) No 2580/2001.

The EU asset freeze in respect of FUERZAS ARMADAS REVOLUCIONARIAS DE COLOMBIA (FARC) has been suspended, following the publication of Council Regulation (EU) No 2016/170. However, FARC remains listed in both the United Kingdom and Isle of Man under anti-terrorism legislation (in the Island the 2014 Act).

The Treasury maintains its lists of persons and entities affected by the various regimes so that they correspond with those adopted by the United Kingdom, therefore FARC is also still subject to an asset freeze in the Isle of Man.

AMENDMENT

Entity

FUERZAS ARMADAS REVOLUCIONARIAS DE COLOMBIA

a.k.a.:

FARC
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia

Other Information: [Both UK listing and EU listing.] UK listing only.

Group ID: 7418

Further details of the sanctions regime related to Terrorism and links to the Consolidated List of individuals and entities subject to other financial sanctions regimes may be found on the Customs and Excise pages of the Isle of Man Government website.

New e-Gaming Company moves to the Isle of Man

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:14:13 GMT

Niche e-Gaming company, Sporaga, has recently been granted a licence to develop their company operations on the Isle of Man.

Mark Robson, Head of e-Gaming at the Department of Economic Development, commented:

‘For the last couple of years we have seen growth not only in our traditional areas of e-Gaming but also in new niche areas such as Daily Fantasy Sports. This demonstrates the enduring appeal of the Isle of Man as a home for innovation and is testament to the Island’s supportive ecosystem for new companies. It is a pleasure to welcome Sporaga to the Isle of Man and I hope their success will inspire similar diversification across our thriving e-gaming sector.’

Carlos Rodriguez, the Chief Executive of Sporaga, commented:

‘The Isle of Man is, in my opinion, the Mecca of Gaming and some of my initial conversations with the Gambling Commissioners have been very positive. They spoke with such passion and sincerity about the Island’s commitment to small businesses and their understanding of the e-gaming industry rules and regulations were very impressive.

‘In making the decision to base Sporaga on the Isle of Man, I took into account the transparency, tax regime and overall peaceful nature of the Island and its beauty. For me, this was exactly the type of place where I would base my businesses and raise a family.’

Sporaga is focussed on the international football market and the company now offers 13 leagues from different countries around the world. Having completed beta testing in Brazil earlier this year, the company plans to increase its player acquisition strategy and expand to other BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is similar to fantasy sports games where participants pick their dream sports team from different players and enter a competition to win prizes and money. The difference is the duration of DFS is much shorter, often running over one day, as opposed to traditional fantasy sports that may run for months.

Amir Khawaja, CTO (left) and Carlos Rodriguez, CEO (right)

Financial Sanctions: Iraq

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:41 GMT

This news release is issued in respect of the restrictive measures directed against Iraq.

On 16 September 2016 the United Nations Security Council Committee approved the removal of 19 entities from the UN Iraq list.

The entities removed from the list are no longer subject to an asset freeze. Full details can be found in the attached annex.

Further details of the sanctions regime related to Iraq and links to the Consolidated List of Individuals and entities subject to other financial sanctions regimes may be found on the Customs and Excise pages of the Isle of Man Government website.

Financial Sanctions: Ukraine

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:41 GMT

This news release is issued in respect of measures taken against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine.

Annex I to Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 has been amended with effect from 16 September 2016, following the publication of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2016/1661.

Amendments

Thirty three individuals and ten entities have had their details amended and remain subject to an asset freeze. Full details can be found in the attached annex.

Financial institutions and other persons are required to check whether they maintain any accounts or otherwise hold funds, financial assets, economic benefits and economic resources for the designated individuals and entities. If so, they must freeze such accounts or funds and, unless licensed by the Treasury, refrain from dealing with said funds or economic resources, and suspend the provision of any financial services. They must also report their findings to the Sanctions Officer at the Customs and Excise Division of the Treasury. Where a relevant institution has already reported details of accounts, other funds or economic resources held frozen for the designated individuals and entities they are not required to report these details again.

Further details of the sanctions regime related to Ukraine and links to the Consolidated List of individuals and entities subject to other financial sanctions regimes may be found on the Customs and Excise pages of the Isle of Man Government website.

Safety Notice – Tommee Tippee Steamer Blender – Replacement Blades

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:47 GMT

The Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading wants to make the public aware of a safety notice which has been issued in relation to the Tommee Tippee Steamer Blender.

A possible safety issue has been identified by the manufacturer after complaints by customers of the jug being scratched by the blades of their unit in certain circumstances.

A revised blade is being made available to all customers and customers can identify if their unit is affected and order the revised blades at http://www.tommeetippee.co.uk/steamer-blender-update

The manufacturer advises that in the meantime, customers should check the jug for signs of scratching after each use to avoid the possibility of fragments of plastic entering a child’s mouth.

Financial Sanctions: Libya

Tue, 22 May 2018 13:18:41 GMT

This news release is issued in respect of the asset freezing measures relating to Libya.

Annex III to Council Regulation (EU) No 2016/44 has been amended with effect from 22 September 2016, following the publication of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2016/1687. The following entry has been removed from the Consolidated List and is no longer subject to an asset freeze.

Delisting

Individual

Colonel JUWADI Taher

Title: Colonel

Position: Fourth in Revolutionary Guard chain of command.

Other Information: EU listing. Not UN. Key member of the Qadhafi regime. As such closely associated with the former regime of Muammar Qadhafi. Listed on: 24/05/2011. Last Updated: 22/09/2016. Group ID: 11988.

Further details of the sanctions regime related to Libya and links to the Consolidated List of individuals and entities subject to other financial sanctions regimes may be found on the Customs and Excise pages of the Isle of Man Government web site.