Responsibility for the upkeep of the Solway Harvester memorial stone rests with the Solway Harvester Trust, the Minister for Infrastructure has confirmed.
In a written reply to Douglas North MHK John Wannenburgh, Minister Tim Crookall said the memorial, gifted to the Isle of Man by the Galloway communities in tribute to the seven fishermen who died in the 2000 tragedy, is not a government asset and does not sit on land owned or maintained by his Department.
Mr Crookall noted that the memorial holds “considerable significance” for the island and for the families affected, but explained that the site at Douglas Head involves a complex mix of public trust land, local authority management and unregistered land.
Central Registry has confirmed that no government department holds title to the area.
While the Department of Infrastructure has no statutory responsibility for the memorial, the Minister said it remains mindful of the sensitivity of the issue and would be willing to help facilitate discussions between interested parties to ensure the site continues to be treated with respect.
The full written answer can be found here.
