Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Condor Ferries has defended its new Travel Etiquette guide - saying it wants to create a "harmonious environment" for its passengers.

After a national polling agency published details of what annoys travellers, the company decided to come up with a list of guidelines for people using its services.

They include asking people not to be too loud, too drunk, or too smelly.

Chief executive Paul Luxon said the guide was mean to provide a "common-sense approach" to ferry travel.

He said he didn't intend to take the fun out of journeys, just to make people aware of how their behaviour affects people around them.

Etiquette expert Jean Broke-Smith said people need to be more considerate of those around them by doing things like keeping their voices down.

Condor's "Golden rules" for travelling attracted some ridicule on Twitter - one user posted his "Ten rules for being a good ferry company".

BBC Radio Jersey

Two pieces of land for sale on Jersey's coastline should be bought by the National Trust, according to a group which aims to preserve the island's character.

The trust says it wants to buy the land - which is located at St Catherine and St Ouen's Bay - to make sure it can't be spoiled.

Now the National Park Working Group, external has added its support, and said that instead of letting the land fall into private hands, it should be bought by an organisation which would make sure it kept its character.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Jersey's Chamber of Commerce has called for restraint in light of an agreement between Reform Jersey and the chief minister to raise the minimum wage to £10 per hour.

The current rate is £7.50, but the minimum wage is reviewed each year, with Jersey's Employment Forum - who carry out the review - asking for people's opinions yesterday.

Image source, The States of Jersey

In a statement, the Chamber of Commerce refers to The Oxera Report, which was prepared for Jersey's government in June last year, and looked at the economic implications of raising the minimum wage to £7.88 or £8.40.

The report concluded that there would be an increase in firms’ costs, a number of job losses, reduced hours, increased prices for consumers, and lower firm profits.

The job losses in the forecast were concentrated in the hospitality, agriculture, and retail sectors.

"The combination of these direct and indirect effects would be likely to result in lower economic activity overall."

The chamber said it has previously taken part in the Employment Forum consultation process, and "remains open to dialogue with the new government".

"However, we would call for restraint in making such unresearched promises, which have raised serious concerns from local businesses."

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Statistics Jersey has launched the 2018 Opinions and Lifestyle Survey.

Run annually, the survey provides "important information to help government plan and deliver policy and public services".

The topics included in this year's survey:

• Future housing needs and satisfaction with housing
• Voting in the recent elections
• General health and well being
• Energy efficiency, recycling and reuse

About 3,500 households will randomly receive questionnaires through the post, or they can complete them online.

The responses will be confidential and grouped together in the results, which will be published towards the end of the year.

Condor comes under fire after including the rule in its new "travel etiquette guide".

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

The minimum wage should not be used "as a bargaining chip for block votes of support" according to the president of Jersey's Chamber of Commerce.

Senator John Le Fondre signed an agreement with Reform Jersey in order to secure his role as the island's new chief minister.

Within that agreement was a policy that minimum wage shall be "progressively increased toward £10 per hour, with consideration given to benefits in kind provided by employers in agriculture and hospitality".

But the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Eliot Lincoln, said the increase suggested by Reform Jersey, and agreed by the chief minister, would force companies out of business, increase unemployment, reduce hours and raise prices for consumers.

He said any increase in the minimum wage will have an effect on businesses - especially in hospitality, agriculture and retail - and must be considered "very carefully and in full light of the consequences over a realistic timeline, rather than utilised as a bargaining chip for block votes of support”.

The minimum wage is reviewed each year, with Jersey's Employment Forum - who carry out the review - asking for people's opinions yesterday.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Almost 600 of the 700 walkers completed this year's Rotary Walk around Guernsey.

The event, which sees participants take on 39 miles (63km) of Guernsey's coastline, took place at the weekend.

Walkers normally start in the early hours of the morning and finish in the evening.

Organiser Chris Russell said it was great to see so many people finishing the "tough event".

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

More elections have been held for scrutiny panels in Jersey this morning.

Deputy Kirsten Morel will chair the Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel, while Deputy Rob Ward heads up the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

The States of Jersey is voting in members of its scrutiny panels today.

The role of scrutiny panels in Jersey's government is to hold to account the department they are assigned.

There are five scrutiny panels and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The scrutiny panels are made up entirely from States members, excluding ministers, while PAC does have some external members.

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat has been elected as chair of the new Health and Social Security Panel.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

A consultation on the creation of a "Guernsey Green Fund" has come to an end - and it will be created this summer.

It will give investors the opportunity to put their money into initiatives tackling climate change.

Image source, Getty Images

The Guernsey Financial Services Commission is hoping to capitalise on the $1tn that's spent on combating climate change every year.

Businesses will have to meet a set of strict criteria to become a part of the fund.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

A member of Guernsey's Committee for Economic Development has suggested the island could operate a full open skies policy in the future.

Yesterday it was announced that the States would be asked to maintain the Guernsey to Gatwick and Guernsey to Alderney routes as lifeline services, while opening up all other routes to competition.

Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen said the fact this proposal includes an option to review the terms in the first five years is "good news" for the States.

Historically, the States of Guernsey has limited which airlines can operate on certain routes, to try and maintain "lifeline routes", but this new policy letter - set to be debated next month - is a step towards making Guernsey's air industry more competitive.

Not all members of the Committee for Economic Development agree with the proposals however.

Deputy Joe Mooney doesn't feel like they go far enough. He said that while he supports a move towards open skies, he feels there should be full competition on all routes.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

The new president of the political committee which oversees Aurigny, Guernsey Electricity and Guernsey Water will be elected later this month.

Last week the President of the States Trading Supervisory Board, Deputy Charles Parkinson, announced he was resigning from the position due to the conflict in duties since taking over as president of the Committee for Economic Development.

It's not yet known who the Policy and Resources Committee will be recommending for the job although it's understood a number of deputies have turned down the position.

In September, deputies will debate a change in the constitutional make-up of STSB, with Deputy Peter Ferbrache lodging a political petition to make it a full committee.

Deputy Ferbrache attempted to move that debate to an earlier date, but a vote on the move was tied, meaning the motion didn't pass.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

The new chief secretary of Education, Sport and Culture has resigned after just four months in the job.

Gus Paterson will leave the States of Guernsey in September to take up the role of chief executive officer at a private firm.

Mr Paterson says he enjoyed his short time in the role, but has been offered a job in the private sector that was "too good an opportunity to miss".

The States of Guernsey said an internal recruitment process will begin later to ensure a new chief secretary is in post before Mr Paterson leaves.

Jersey Evening Post

More than three times as many notifications about child safeguarding were made to a multi-agency group last year than in 2016, according to the States of Jersey Police’s annual report., external

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Condor's golden rules for travelling may include keeping your feet off the seats, not getting too drunk and not being smelly, but Twitter users have instead suggested some new rules... for being "a good ferry company".

The ferry operator, which travels between the Channel Islands, France, Portsmouth and Poole, has published 10 golden rules for being a considerate traveller, which CEO Paul Luxon said was to try and create "a harmonious environment" on board, and on general public transport.

The backlash didn't take long...

One Twitter user called @jviddy actually published his "Ten golden rules for being a good ferry company".

1. Run on time.
2. Don't cancel future sailings at random when people have holidays booked.
3. Buy ships appropriate for the seas you're operating in.
4. Don't cancel sailings at last minute without a good reason.
5. Don't book all your ships in for maintenance at the same time.
6. Try to keep fares at a reasonable level.
7. Answer your phones when people are trying to work out what's happening.
8. Design a timetable that offers good sailing times to all your customers, not just one group.

Where are numbers 9 and 10?

Well, he's got an answer for that too...

"Condor regrets to announce that due to unforeseen circumstances, numbers 9 and 10 have been cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to providing you with more humorous lists in the future."

Condor CEO Paul Luxon has been responding to Twitter users, and said that while he respects their views, he doesn't accept there has been an "inconsideration to passengers".

"Can we improve? Yes. Do we recognise that? Yes. Are we improving? Yes. Will we continue to - you betcha!"

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

The way Jersey ministers are supported in their roles could be changed.

Under proposals being considered this week, the politicians coming into assistant minister positions could be known as "junior ministers", and given responsibilities across several departments.

Jersey's government still hasn't appointed all of its assistant ministers.

Last week, the chief minister was pressed to reveal who would take up roles within his government, but Senator John Le Fondre is currently at a British Irish Parliamentary Association meeting in Ireland, and an announcement isn't expected until the end of the week.

Nine positions are still being considered, but with restrictions on how many politicians can be in the senior roles of Jersey's government, some ministers may be expected to assist their colleagues.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

The sight of Nazi symbols in Jersey is "especially offensive" to German tourists, according to the head of the Channel Islands Occupation Society.

Jersey police are appealing for information after a memorial to Russian slave workers who suffered during German occupation was vandalised with swastikas.

Vandals daubed 68 swastikas across the World War Two memorial at former German bunkers at Noirmont.

States of Jersey Police said they believe it happened between 18:00 on 8 June and 08:00 on 10 June.

Image source, Shane Boschat

Colin Isherwood, said it shows a "total lack of respect" and could damage the island's reputation.

BBC Radio Jersey

Jersey's coastguard will decide which lifeboat should be used in an emergency when the second independent service starts later this year

The Jersey Lifeboat Association's first all-weather boat is due to be in the island by Wednesday but will still need more work before it is used operationally.

The new service was set up after a dispute with the RNLI and the former St Helier crew.

The St Helier Lifeboat Station has since reopened with a new crew.

BBC Radio Jersey

Condor is encouraging passengers to spray themselves with deodorant before travelling.

Image source, Getty/BBC

The company, which travels between the Channel Islands, France, Portsmouth and Poole, has published 10 golden rules for being a considerate traveller.

They include keeping your feet off the seats, not getting too drunk and not shouting or singing... and not being smelly.

Condor said it followed a survey by One Poll, which sampled 2,000 adults online on appropriate travel behaviour.

So what exactly are the nation's top 10 travel annoyances, according to the poll?

• 1. Drunken behaviour (60%)
• 2. Body odour (49%)
• 3. People on mobile phones (37%)
• 4. Loud eating (29%)
• 5. Feet on seats (28%)
• 6. Singing/whistling (19%)
• 7. Very personal conversations (11%)
• 8. PDA's (public displays of affection) (8%)
• 9. Loud laughter (8%)
• 10. Complaining (7%)

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Only about 50 Guernsey households have agreed to take part in the States of Guernsey's Household Expenditure Survey.

The 12-month survey gathers information about the price of goods and services in the island to inform the Retail Price Index - also known as inflation.

When the States launched the survey in April, it said it needed at least 1,000 households to take part to ensure a "detailed and representative picture of spending".

Information gathered during the survey is anonymous, and the results are used to update the Retail Prices Index (RPI) basket, to ensure it remains accurate and relevant to what people in Guernsey spend their money on.

Without the desired sample size, the results of the survey may not be able to cover the right variety of income groups and social circumstances.

Image source, Getty Images

The RPI affects the value of many different government payments such as:

• Tax allowances
• Social Security benefit rates
• Pension payments
• Alimony
• Maintenance payments
• Wage negotiations
• Rental price reviews