Speech by: Hon Howard Quayle MHK, Chief Minister
I would like to welcome you all and thank you for attending this very important event.
I am very honoured to introduce to you the representatives of the Armed Forces who have attended today to sign the Covenant:
- Commodore Phillip Waterhouse ADC RN on behalf of the Royal Navy
- Colonel Russell Miller OBE on behalf of the British Army
- Wing Commander Stephen Chaskin OBE on behalf of the Royal Air Force
- Colonel (Retired) Mark Underhill OBE DL, the Chief Executive of the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for the North West of England and the Isle of Man
I will be signing on behalf of the Isle of Man, along with the Speaker of the House of Keys, and the Armed Forces Champion for the Isle of Man, Juan Watterson.
The purpose of the Covenant is to encourage support for the Armed Forces Community working and residing in the Isle of Man and to recognise and remember the sacrifices made by members of this Armed Forces Community, especially those who have given the most.
For the Isle of Man Government and partner organisations, the Covenant provides an opportunity to bring our knowledge and expertise to bear on the provision of help and advice to members of the Armed Forces Community. It also presents an opportunity to build upon existing good work on the Island.
For the Armed Forces community, the Covenant encourages the integration of service life into civilian life and encourages members of the Armed Forces community to help this Island community.
This is a two-way agreement which recognises the debt we owe to those who serve, who have served, and who will serve in our armed forces.
- We will encourage our young people to carry on this tradition of service
- We will recognise, respect and celebrate their work on our behalf
- We will seek to ensure that their welfare and that of their families is protected
- Those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice we will cherish and remember always.
To those who have served in the past we thank you. To those returning home from service, we encourage you to take part in our Island’s activities, to walk amongst us in the Queen’s uniform and become a significant part of our society.
Today we forge a continuing bond. I commend this covenant and ask that it be signed on behalf of the Armed Forces community in the Isle of Man.
