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| Loss of MGP Would Spell Doom for Tourism
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Douglas East MHK Brenda Cannell will be seeking
further compensation for the tourist industry if the
Manx Grand Prix is cancelled owing to the ongoing
threat of foot-and-mouth.
Mrs Cannell believes the event should go ahead and
claims that it could be policed and marshalled
successfully.
She will take her fight for tourism to Tynwald today
(Tuesday) when she will ask Treasury Minister Richard
Corkill whether it is the intention to submit a
further raft of compensation packages to the industry
if the August event is cancelled and, if so, when the
decision will be taken.
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Talking about the cancellation of the TT she said: 'It
has affected the entire industry. If they are going to
remove the last little bit of cream from the cake in
the MGP, it will be enough to see some of the
businesses off completely.'
She believes any compensation packages should at the
very least mirror those which were announced following
the TT cancellation.
The Tourist Accommodation Support Fund Scheme, which
benefited members of the accommodation sector, was
approved at the May sitting of Tynwald.
A further package, which will aid businesses that can
produce evidence of deep and lasting damage owing to
the reduction in trade, is to go before July's
sitting.
Mrs Cannell believes the government should continue to
look at the prospect of picking up any interest on
loans that have had to be taken out by small
businesses struggling because of the races being
scrapped.
Meanwhile, Onchan MHK Geoff Cannell will also be
increasing the pressure on the Council of Ministers to
make a decision on the MGP.
He is due to ask Chief Minister Donald Gelling when he
will be in a position to announce whether the races
can go ahead.
Mr Cannell believes a decision should be made at the
end of this month because people need to know as soon
as possible.
He is also due to hit back at criticism of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Alex
Downie by Sefton Hotel boss Chris Robertshaw, a member
of the Department of Tourism and Leisure's marketing
partnership.
TT commentator Mr Cannell is due to ask Tourism and
Leisure Minister David Cretney whether he agrees with
Mr Robertshaw's views on the TT and MGP and whether Mr
Cretney's department believes the criticism of Mr
Downie was justified.
Mr Cannell said: 'This question goes back to Mr
Robertshaw's vitriolic outburst at Mr Downie.
'He virtually accused him of bully boy tactics [over
the TT decision],which I resented as a member of the
government.
'I think the decision was taken after every possible
angle was explored. It was most uncalled for and most
unprofessional.'
He said he also found Mr Robertshaw's comments
'petulant'.
Pressure is now mounting for a decision to be made on
the MGP in August following the cancellation of its
two major support events, the Manx Classic Weekend
Trial and the Manx National Two-Day Trial.
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