BBC Channel Islands Live: 2-6 April

Summary

Sarah Groves murder: Five years on
Les Miserables writer's house given €3m for restoration
Man charged over jet ski crash
£2.5m paid out in 'compromise agreements' to States of Guernsey staff
Old Daimler car found buried in Guernsey garden
Jersey killer Damian Rzeszowski dies in prison
Updates from Tuesday 3 April until Friday 6 April 2018

Live Reporting

'Extension' granted to passport bidding processpublished at 15:22 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
BBC News
The UK government has granted a two-week extension to the bidding process for the contract to make the new British passports.
Current passport maker, De La Rue - whose founder Thomas de la Rue was from Guernsey - earlier announced it was preparing to take the UK government to court over plans to award the contract for new, blue British passports to a Franco-Dutch firm.
The British company says it believes it remains the best option in the "national interest".
Media caption,
De La Rue boss Martin Sutherland tells BBC Breakfast losing the post-Brexit passport printing contract was a shock
UK company De La Rue had requested the longer "standstill period", which has been agreed by the Home Office.
It now means a decision will now be made on Tuesday, 17 April.
The extension "will give all bidders the chance to find out more detail and get more information from the Home Office… this is standard process", a spokesman said.
Existing passport holders will continue to use their existing burgundy passports until they expire.
More on this story:
Target Russian oligarchs, says Putin’s ‘number one enemy’published at 15:18 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Jersey Evening Post
Jersey could have the impact of a country 100 times its size if it imposes sanctions on corrupt Russian oligarchs, according to the man who calls himself Vladimir Putin’s ‘number one enemy’, external.
'Depth charge' detonated off Castle Cornetpublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Rob England
BBC News Online
A partly corroded World War Two era "German depth charge" was destroyed on Sunday, Guernsey Police said.
The Royal Navy assisted in the operation, which took place near Castle Cornet at about 14:30.
It followed the discover of a parachute mine on Saturday.
Image source, Guernsey Police
Le Foulon the wrong place for a crematorium, say funeral directorspublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Guernsey Press
Funeral directors are unimpressed by plans for a new £3.9m. crematorium proposed by the States’ Trading Supervisory Board, external.
Work on Jersey road to last two weekspublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
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Bicycle group praise 'terrific' e-cycle schemepublished at 14:00 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Rob England
BBC News Online
A scheme to support islanders who want to buy electric bikes in Guernsey has been welcomed by the Guernsey Bicycle Group.
Sam Field, from the organisation, said it could "transform" the way islanders use bicycles, making them part of "everyday transport" and not just a form of exercise.
The States, in partnership with local bicycle businesses, are offering a 25% discount on e-cycles which cost up to £1,500.
He says the ability to ride around the island "without worrying about breaking a sweat on hills" was an opportunity "many people have been waiting for."
Image source, Getty Images
A similar scheme was introduced in Jersey in 2016, external.
Senator Philip Bailhache 'will not seek re-election'published at 13:41 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Rob England
BBC News Online
Jersey's Minister for External Relations, Senator Sir Philip Bailhache "will not be standing for re-election", the States has announced.
Sir Philip was first elected as deputy of Grouville in 1972, before being appointed as Solicitor General in 1975 and as Attorney General in 1986.
He later served as Deputy Bailiff in 1994 before becoming Bailiff of Jersey for 14 years (1995-2009) after which he retired from office.
He was re-elected to the States as a senator in 2011 and became Jersey's first ever minister for external relations in 2013, which he carried on in 2014.
Quote Message
It has been a privilege to represent the island as Minister for External Relations for the last five years, and to have led the government’s response to the challenges of Brexit during the past two of them. I think that we are currently as well placed as it is possible to be in these uncertain times, and I am confident that the first class officials in the Ministry of External Relations will continue to give good advice to my successor."
Senator Sir Philip Bailhache
Islanders go to the polling booths on 16 May.
Alderney boxer to face Pakistan in Commonwealth Gamespublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Jack Murley
Channel Islands Sports Producer
Alderney's Billy Le Poullain has found out who he will be facing in the opening round of the boxing at the Commonwealth Games.
He will take on Pakistan's Gul Zaib on Thursday at about 05:00 BST.
Le Poullain is the first boxer to represent the Bailiwick of Guernsey at the Games.
States of Jerseypublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Live coverage of the States of Jersey meeting from BBC Radio Jersey.
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The Channel Islands at the Commonwealth Games - some factspublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Jack Murley
Channel Islands Sports Producer
Ahead of tomorrow's opening ceremony, athletes from Jersey and Guernsey are in Australia making final preparations for the Commonwealth Games this week.
Here's a few facts about each island's team:
Jersey:
- The island has been competing at the Commonwealth Games since Cardiff in 1958
- At these games athletes will compete in eight different sports; athletics, badminton, cycling, gymnastics, lawn bowls, shooting, triathlon and swimming
- Jersey’s flag-bearer is cyclist Dan Halkwsworth. Who is the first person ever to compete at three games in three different sports, swimming in Melbourne in 2006, triathlon in Glasgow in 2014 and now cycling in Gold Coast in 2018
Guernsey
- The island has been competing at the Commonwealth Games since Edinburgh in 1970
- At these games athletes are competing in eight different sports, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, lawn bowls, shooting, triathlon, and swimming
- Guernsey’s flag-bearer Matthew Guille is already a Commonwealth medallist, having won silver at the shooting in the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in 1982
In total 71 different nations and territories are taking part in the competition on Australia's Gold Coast.
More than 6,600 athletes and team officials will be involved in the games over the next 10 days or so.
Red arrows to return to Jersey Air Displaypublished at 13:18 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
BBC Radio Jersey
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, is due to be part of this year's Jersey International Air Display.
The team could not attend the event last year because of other commitments.
Air display organiser Mike Higgins said this year the team would be given a silver medal to celebrate the fact they have visited Jersey "more than any other location" in the past 50 years.
Image source, PA
You can see our coverage of last year's display here.
First five cruise ship visits of the season cancelledpublished at 13:07 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Rob England
BBC News Online
The 2018 cruise ship season in Guernsey has hit choppy waters already as the first batch of vessels have been cancelled due to bad weather.
Following on from the cancellations of the Astoria on 23 March and Saga Sapphire on 30 March the Marco Polo's visit was cancelled on Monday along with the Magellan and Saga Pearl II, which were due on arrvie on Wednesday.
Next week the Magellan, travelling from Honfleur to Amsterdam will make its second attempt to visit the island, along with the Queen Victoria travelling from La Rochelle to Southampton.
Last year visitor spending from cruise ships was worth about £4m to the local economy, according to the States, who used figures from a study by a local firm, Global Research.
Retiring Dean criticises 'difficult' residency rulespublished at 12:46 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
BBC Radio Jersey
There needs to be more "fairness" in education, housing and medical care, according to the Catholic Dean of Jersey.
Monsignor Nicholas France said issues in these areas he saw when he arrived in the island almost 20 years ago have still not been dealt with.
He is being forced to retire in September as he will be 75.
Monsignor France said in particular he was worried by the way the island "integrated people from other cultures", and said the "five-year rule" granting entitled for work, external residency status caused some people "difficulties".
Blue Islands looks to reduce flights after Waves decisionpublished at 12:34 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Rob England
BBC News Online
An airline will be seeking to change its licence agreement in order to reduce "loss-making flights" after restrictions were removed on one of its competitors.
Blue Islands says a "disappointing" decision by the Transport Licensing Authority (TLA) - to grant the airline Waves a licence to sell individual seats for their nine-seater aircraft - would have a "destabilising effect" on the market.
The company said Waves could entice a share of passengers "willing to pay a higher fare", adding, if the airline was to achieve as much as a 10% market share on inter-island routes, it could reduce Blue Island's turnover by £650,000 a year.
A spokesman said: "To adjust for that share loss, the Transport Licensing Authority’s decision means that Blue islands must remove some of its loss-making flights at certain times of the day to remain in equilibrium."
The move would "maintain the supply of seats to the market", according to the company, whilst reducing "over supply".
The TLA has been approached for comment.
Guille selected as Guernsey's flagbearerpublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Jack Murley
Channel Islands Sports Producer
Guernsey’s Matthew Guille will carry the flag for the island at Wednesday’s opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games, but that has not stopped him getting in some early practice in the shooting.
He has been out on the range at Belmont on Australia's Gold Coast, ahead of his 50m Rifle Prone event starting in a week’s time.
Guille is already a Commonwealth Games medallist, having won a silver in Brisbane in 1982.
Image source, Guernsey Commonwealth Games Association
Renewable energy 'not viable' in short term for Jerseypublished at 12:22 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Rob England
BBC News Online
It would be difficult for Jersey to "lead the way" in the renewable energy industry because of "cost" and "risk" factors, the CEO of Jersey Electricity has said.
Chris Ambler said although viable in the longer term generating tidal or wind energy would not deliver cheaper electricity prices for the island.
He said commercially available technology was "enormously costly", and without funding from larges bodies such as the EU, it was difficult to access.
"It would be difficult for us to lead on it because we do not have a technology industry," Mr Ambler said, adding work in the sector was largely technology led.
The company claims a third of Jersey's power comes from "certified renewable energy sources".
'New operators' could bid for Alderney air linkspublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
BBC Radio Guernsey
Aurigny, Guernsey's publicly funded airline, is not guaranteed to win the bid to run flights to Alderney, according to the chair of the island's Policy and Finance Committee.
The States of Alderney wants a public service agreement, external in place in a year's time, which would protect the future of certain air routes.
James Dent said it was "highly possible" the tender process may encourage "new operators" to bid for Alderney's air links.
The company that secures the agreement is due to be announced in the autumn.
More on this story:
- Alderney air links: 'We haven't achieved anything'
Jersey killer dies in prison in Englandpublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
The 37-year-old, who killed his wife and their two children, was serving a 30-year sentence.
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'Oyster card' style airport parking expected soonpublished at 11:52 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
BBC Radio Guernsey
A new "Oyster card" type paid parking system at Guernsey's airport could be in operation by mid-May, following delays.
The new system was due to launch in February, but Colin Le Ray, General Manager of the airport, said "challenges" slowed the process.
Mr Le Ray said it hoped further testing would resolve issues with the cards.
Oyster cards, which were introduced in 2003, are used to pay for London tubes, buses, trains and trams.
Dog 'bites cyclist' at traffic lightspublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 3 April 2018
Rob England
BBC News Online
A dog attacked a cyclist at traffic lights in Guernsey, police have said.
The cyclist was bitten by the dog on Les Banques at about 14:30 on Saturday.
Officers described the dog as a large black/grey and the animal seemed quite old.
A large number of people are thought to have been in the area at the time and police appealing for witnesses.