If I am elected as a member for Douglas East, I will dedicate myself full time to that role.

And I will finish up my work for the Manx TaxPayers’ Alliance.

As the potential member for Douglas East, I will, of course, continue to fight for high levels of government transparency, hold government officials to account and ensure that taxpayers get good value for money.

I will serve full time as a member of Tynwald for all of us.

But – and it’s an important but –

As you know, some members of Tynwald are appointed to serve in the Council of Ministers.

It is difficult to imagine that I will be appointed to serve as a minister in my first term.

So, as a result, I want to be absolutely clear.

In addition to serving as a member for Douglas East, I will also continue my volunteer work for the community.

I will continue to volunteer for the Isle of Man Food Bank,

I might not be able to deliver food at the same time as Tynwald is sitting, of course, but I will find a way to combine my volunteer service with my broader service in Tynwald.

I will continue to volunteer for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission because I think it is really important to protect our islands heritage and to share that story with the next generation.

I will continue to work for the Manx Cooperative Society, assuming they will continue to have me, as a connector and a catalyst for local charitable causes.

I will continue to serve as a referee for local netball on Sunday mornings and I will continue to welcome players of any gender into netball.

I will continue to serve on the board of the Manx Hockey Association and help engage people in the many great sporting clubs of our island because that sport is really important.

My community involvement will help me to be the public voice to the government.

It is helpful because when I deliver food packages to families in need, I see firsthand that some members of our community need a safety net when they stumble.

As a referee for Sunday morning sport, blowing the whistle when players commit a foul is, I think it’ll be useful practice for keeping an eye on government officials.

That community service will help me to be a better member for Douglas East and will help me to serve all of us.

Michael Josem is a long-term consumer advocate, most prominently as a global leader in combating fraud in the online gambling industry. He was in part the inspiration for the 20th Century Fox Movie, Runner Runner, starring Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake.

Josem has over a decade of experience as a senior business leader working across various high-tech and online industries, and takes action to build a better community. His primary volunteer roles include service for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and Graih, the homelessness charity.