The two MHKs vying to be Chief Minister were challenged to demonstrate how the island’s young people could be given good reason to stay or return.
During a lengthy hustings meeting with MHKs, Kirriee Jenkins and Chris Thomas were asked by Douglas East MHK Joney Faragher what the next government could do to give young people a reason to stay in the island and build a career here,
Faragher, a member of the Manx Labour Party, also asked what incentive there was for university students to return after their studies.
She asked the candidates to consider how they could assist with career opportunities and housing.
Thomas was the first to respond.
Provide Career Opportunities
“If the island works for people, provides them with career opportunities and life opportunities, they will be delighted,” he said.
“They will stay here and people will start flooding home.”
That meant providing expanded and diversified opportunities compared with what was available now, he said.
He said the government needed to change the way it funded people, not only focusing on university students but moving through apprenticeships and “treating people who stay here equally to people who go across”.
He argued that there was money available from banks if they can “work out the right system” to help people “do up” houses and buy first homes.
Digital Nomads
Jenkins said the lack of opportunities for young people and absence of any encouragement for them to stay was an “overriding” theme of the messages she received on the election campaign trail.
The island had to adapt to the changes in the way people worked, with an increasing number of “digital nomads”. This meant it was vital to make connectivity easier for people.
There needed to be more in terms of career opportunities and pathways for young people to fulfil their ambitions.
She said there had not been focus in the right areas of the economy, causing people to leave the island for career purposes.
Those who moved away for career reasons should know they could return to the island as a “safe haven”.
“We need to make sure it is easier for people who want to have families, we need to make it easier for people to move through the housing ladder. Not just first-time buyers, but moving through that ladder.”
The House of Keys sits on October 13 to vote for a new Chief Minister.