Liberal Vannin News – March /April 2021

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LIBERAL VANNIN IN ACTION

Our media releases in March on the Vehicle Duty debacle and Animal Welfare Bill can be seen at:

Another CoMin Car Crash – Liberal Vannin

What’s the Game With Animal Welfare? – Liberal Vannin

We followed up on the Animal Welfare media release with an online discussion on March 25th, led by guest speaker, Nicola Dixon of the FOAL (Focus on Animal Law) Group. The main issues highlighted during this discussion were:

1. Ways to strengthen the bill include:

  1. Ensuring, wherever meaningful, that actions outlined in the bill must happen, rather than may happen
    1. Including a time period within which key actions must happen
    1. The establishment of an Advisory Group on Animal Welfare, that includes IoM Constabulary, Animal Charities, Veterinary Officers
    1. A register of people convicted of serious offences against animals

2. Enforcement issues

2.1 Clarifying IoM Constabulary’s role in enforcing existing and new legislation / regulation

2.2 Involvement of MSPCA and other animal charities in investigations

2.3 Government Veterinary Officer – power to visit premises without warning

2.4 Early intervention, followed by mediation and education is often the most effective action and the legislation should enable this

Since then, Manx Wildlife Trust and former MLC, David Cretney have also supported our position, calling for mountain hares to be given protected status, rather than being classed as “game”.

GENERAL ELECTION & LOCAL ELECTIONS

If you’ve ever considered running for public office, either as a local Commissioner or Councillor or as a Member of the House of Keys now is a good time to get involved!

The Island is facing some significant challenges ahead and if you think you could make a difference please get in touch with the Party. Liberal Vannin is seeking committed, compassionate and of course liberal minded candidates to contest both local (July) and national (September) elections this year. Please also see our media release encouraging candidates to come forward at:

2021 Election Year – Liberal Vannin

COMING UP

Our next public meeting will be another Question Time panel, this time on Housing. The meeting may be held on Thursday, May 13th at the Christian Science Meeting Room, Woodbourne Road, Douglas at 7.30pm. We’re hoping to present a wide range of views on the panel, so it should be a lively debate. Keep an eye out for registration details, which will be circulated nearer the time.