“Your Parliament – Your Voice”
From the Office of the Speaker
Last week I spoke of the new government elected in the Isle of Man and the appointment of Chief Minister Allan Bell. You can read more about the new Isle of Man Government in this week’s Linking Hands across the World – a weekly chat about some of the great features of the Isle of Man with whom we are linked through the Cultural Agreement signed between our Islands in July this year. My letter to Chief Minister Bell on your behalf reads as follows:
Office of the Speaker
18 October 2011
The Hon Allan Bell MHKChief Minister Isle of Man Government
Chief Minister’s Office
Douglas Isle of Man I1M1 3PG
British Isles
Dear Chief Minister,
I write to offer you my warmest congratulations on your recent election to the most prestigious position of Chief Minister and to wish you on behalf of the Norfolk Island Parliament a most rewarding term of office.
My wonderful memories of my visit to the Isle of Man in July as official guest on Tynwald Day remain as fresh as they did on my return home to Norfolk. You will recall President Cringle and me at the Tynwald Banquet signing the cultural agreement between our two Islands and I attach a copy of the agreement of which a signed and framed copy, together with the Isle of Man flag, now forms part of a cultural display in the Committee Room adjacent to our Assembly Chamber.
I look forward to working with you and President Clare Christian to build on the aspirations set down in the Agreement. We are already taking steps to do that with a weekly column in our local paper in which we publish excerpts from your 2009 Isle of Man Government Guide and I attach last week’s column for your information. I also attach a copy of last week’s column of Your Parliament Your Voice in which we have featured your appointment as Chief Minister.
It is certainly my wish that at the very least we can achieve an exchange of visits on our respective National Days – 5 July on Tynwald Day and 8 June (Bounty Anniversary Day) on Norfolk Island.
With very warm wishes from
Robin Adams JP MLA
Speaker
A brief visit by Michael Keen MP, Federal Member for Stirling and Shadow Minister for Justice and Customs in the Australian Liberal Party
Shadow Minister Keenan visited our shores for the first time this week, arriving mid morning Thursday on Norfolk Air from Brisbane. He was accompanied by his Adviser Ms Amelia McManus. Albeit a short visit, it was nevertheless a busy time for Mr Keenan, who met informally with Members of the Government followed by a wider meeting with other Members of the Assembly at Kingston in the afternoon. A short tour of our Island with the Administrator and the Chief Minister followed and I am sure that Mr Keenan would quickly have come to appreciate what a beautiful Island we have. A reception at Government House hosted by His Honour the Administrator and Mrs Walsh provided Mr Keenan the opportunity to meet members of the community and hear a broad cross section of views on the current negotiations with the Commonwealth. He departed Norfolk for Melbourne Friday morning. Members of the community may recall that I thanked Mr Keenan in our Parliament last December for his supportive words about our Island during debate on the Territories Law Reform Bill.
Press Release from Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (the CPA) in London
I invite your attention to a press release published this week from the CPA headed “New Communications Technologies to Strengthen Democracy” which readers may find of topical interest.
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