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Back Forwards

07.Aug 07 Decision re MGP pending
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It would appear the Council of Ministers meeting this week will be the forum for debate and a final decision about the running of this year's Manx Grand Prix 2007. The organising Manx Motorcycle Club met last night (Mon) to discuss the difficulties of running the event with Foot and Mouth restrictions imposed around the Mountain Course.
The organisers will meet again tomorrow (Wed 08 Aug 07). Practice for the Manx Grand Prix is scheduled to begin on Sat 18 Aug 07.
Two other events - the Manx Two Day Trial and the Manx Classic Two Day Trial - are also hanging in the balance with all off-road motorcycling voluntarily abandoned until further notice.
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07. Aug 07 'FMD risk' visitors arrive on Island (Manx Radio)
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Visitors who have recently been to Pirbright in Surrey - the epicentre of the UK Foot and Mouth alert - and who have been in contact with livestock, arrived recently in the Isle of Man. Because of the precautions in place, the visitors were identified and disinfected. The potential danger to Manx agriculture justifies the 'onerous' control measures being taken.
In Jersey, footpaths and most of the countryside remains open and only visitors thought to pose a real threat of transmitting Foot and Mouth Disease are being screened.
But Manx Agriculture Minister, Mr Gawne says, across our own island, there have been cases of people ignoring and even ripping down warning signs and notices. "if it continues, the Government will have to be much more heavy- handed in terms of prosecutions".

Three recent imports of livestock into the Island are currently being checked out by Government veterinary officers.
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07. Aug 07 Royal (No-)Show Packs Up
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The organisers will be starting the process of packing up the Royal Manx Show ground at Sulby this evening (Mon 06 Aug 07). The 'Royal' was one of the first casualties after news of the outbreak of 'foot and mouth' in Surrey on Friday.
Pics and audio at www.manxradio.com

04 Aug 07 FARMERS ON RED ALERT (http://www.manxradio.com)
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The Isle of Man's farming community is on red alert this morning, following the discovery of foot and mouth disease in cattle, on a farm in Guildford, Surrey. An immediate ban has been placed on the importation of livestock, and the movement of animals within the Island.
Footpaths will be closed as soon as possible, and members of the public are being asked not to go for walks in the country until further notice. Today's farmers' market, in the Villa Marina Colonnade, has been postponed.
The Manx government's animal health division will met at 8am (Saturday) to begin the task of working out where recently imported cattle, sheep and pigs have come from, and where in the Island they've gone.
Agriculture Minister Phil Gawne says identifying and visiting these animals is a priority. The last major outbreak of foot and mouth, in 2001, led to millions of livestock being destroyed in the United Kingdom.

OWN CONTRIBUTION
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NO WALKING UP AND DOWN SNAEFELL AS OF TODAY
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A sign at Laxey SMR station office declares that only return tickets are for sale and that only a limited part of the summit of Snaefell may be walked on. No descents by foot.

The MGP event is in question according to heresay.
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N.I. bans import of livestock from GB
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BBC news last night reported that Northern Ireland had placed a ban on movement of cattle, pigs and sheep from Great Britain
The Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland were the only meat exporters to Europe in 2001 when the last plague swept Great Britain and British meat exports were banned.

FERRY TRAFFIC
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Steps which will no doubt be reintroduced to protect the Isle of Man would include (if the same steps are taken as in 2001):
-Washing of vehicle tyres at Great Britain ports before boarding ferries
-Foot passengers required to walk through disinfecting foot baths
-Nobody who had recently visited a UK farm allowed to come to the island

As of the time of writing it is only a localized area of Surrey, England that is affected but the UK's DEFRA has been fast to place a movement ban and erect a quarentine zone around that area.
Let us hope that this will remain an isolated outbreak and let us also hope that farmers do not move cattle, sheep or pigs around as in 2001 when mass culling was finally necessary.
Bravo to the Manx Agricultural Authorities for acting promptly this time