A Rushen hustings meeting will be held this Thursday evening to give people an opportunity to raise in a public forum the issues they think should be a priority for the next government. In what is a fairly novel approach this meeting is not called by candidates and doesn’t invite candidates to share their views with the public, but instead it invites the public to share their views on what really matters to them. This should be a refreshing change to the tried and tested formula of previous hustings, but will we learn anything new from the process. I certainly hope so!

Renewable energy firm IPV Flexgen will be hosting a public consultation at Andreas Parish Hall on Wednesday between 10.00am and 7.00pm to share updated proposals for the redevelopment of Andreas Airfield. This farmer led project includes agricultural growing units, an Anaerobic Digestor plant, ground mounted solar PV and battery storage to provide the site with electricity and heat. Could this project develop into a sustainable energy scheme that most people can get behind? IPV Flexgen claims to be paving the way for a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for farming. Let’s hope they’re right.

Last month the Positive Action Group held a meeting to discuss our failing policies on dealing with drugs. They invited speakers from the Transform Drug Policy Foundation and Anyone’s Child and I spoke to them for this evening’s Agenda. Our drugs enforcement regime has the same effect as pruning a bush according to our speakers, merely encouraging growth in other areas, so is it time for a radical rethink? Criminalising drug use appears to be doing little to discourage use of recreational drugs so should the Isle of Man consider a more radical approach which could save lives?