Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Senator Sam Mezec said he is "delighted and proud" to be appointed as Jersey's first minister for children and housing.

Jersey's chief minister signed a ministerial decision on Tuesday to change the title of minister for housing to add responsibility for children as well.

Deputy Mezec has frequently spoken out on children's issues, including the Jersey Care Inquiry.

Tuesday was the one-year anniversary of the release of the Jersey Care Inquiry report, and Senator Mezec said Jersey’s children and young people needed "more than good intentions", including "concrete and decisive action", as well as "our public service to treat this as an urgent priority".

On his appointment to the role of minister for children and housing, Senator Mezec said he was "delighted and proud", and that he would be "a voice in government".

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Deputy Carolyn Labey has been appointed as Jersey's first minister for international development.

A statement from the States of Jersey said the creation of the role "emphasises the island’s responsibilities as a credible international actor and a long-term force for good in the world".

Deputy Labey was elected as the chair of the overseas aid commission last month, a decision that Chief Minister John Le Fondré said he "warmly welcomed".

Image source, Carolyn Labey

BBC Weather

Rather cloudy at times through Wednesday.

Although many places will stay dry, showers will cross the area from the southeast. A few bright spells will also develop at times.

Maximum temperature: 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F).

Jersey:

Guernsey:

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

The organisers of the Sark Folk Festival have said the festival will return, external in 2019.

The festival will take place from 5 to 7 July.

After taking a year off to "regroup and re-energise", organisers said they were "incredibly excited" to "bring back folk and roots music to the beautiful island of Sark".

Festival founder Simon Harvey is standing down from his role as chairman.

He will be replaced by Josh de Kooker, who will be responsible for the planning of the festival, while a new role of festival director will be taken on by Paul Le Huray, who will be responsible for the operation of the festival over the weekend.

Posting on Facebook, the organisers said further announcements about the 2019 festival would be made "in due course".

Guernsey Press

Pupils from Blanchelande College have been getting their wetsuits on to take part in a four-day scuba diving course., external

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Jersey's chief minister has signed a ministerial decision confirming his intention to appoint Senator Sam Mezec to the new role of minister for children and housing.

Senator John Le Fondré had already signed an agreement before his election to the top job promising Senator Mezec the role in part of a deal with Reform Jersey to secure crucial votes.

He has kept his promise, and said: "Providing the best quality of care, protection and support to all children and young people in our community is our priority, and I am certain that Senator Mezec, as minister for children and housing, will ensure the well-being of children is at the heart of this new role."

Senator Mezec will retain his housing responsibilities, as his role has simply been renamed to minister for children and housing.

BBC Radio Guernsey

A youth shadow committee has been set up by the States of Guernsey to encourage young people to share their views with the Education Sport and Culture Committee.

Members of the new shadow committee will meet for the first time in September.

Once appointed, shadow committee members from the island's States-run secondary and special schools will be committed for two years on a voluntary basis.

President of Education Sport and Culture Matt Fallaize (pictured) said the advantage was that it would mean there were the same young people sitting around the table for two years, enabling them to become more familiar with the issues.

BBC Radio Jersey

Changes are being made to Jersey's legal system in an attempt to try to prosecute people more successfully for serious sexual offences, according to the attorney general.

It comes after the island's Law Officers' Department said the number of successful prosecutions of such cases in 2017 was "disappointing".

Robert Macrae QC said that, in light of the 2017 results, and following consultation with the States of Jersey Police, officials had been given training in building strong cases with good evidence.

He said the aim was to shift the focus away from the reaction of the alleged victim and towards and the conduct and state of mind of the defendant at the time of the offence.

The States have also passed a new sexual offences law, external and a new criminal procedures law, external.

BBC Weather

Staying partly cloudy tonight. Most places will again be dry, but a few overnight showers will continue to drift in from the south.

Minimum temperature: 14 to 17C (57 to 63F).

Partly cloudy and again on Wednesday, with some further spells of warm, hazy sunshine. Staying dry again for most, but a few showers will again likely move in from the southeast at times.

Maximum temperature: 18 to 21C (64 to 70F).

Jersey:

Guernsey:

BBC Radio Guernsey

The insect, which can damage honey bee colonies, was found in Route Des Fauconnaires.

A Guernsey States spokesman said not Asian hornet nests have been located, but efforts are being concentrated on the four sightings so far this year.

As well as the one found in the trap the hornet has been seen near Capelles, the Castel Church and the Longfrie.

The insects were first spotted last year and the States launched a campaign to try to locate any nests with help from the public.

Image source, States of Guernsey

The spokesman said at this time of year nests would be about the size of a tennis ball.

Islanders are being urged to check land and property and report any sightings by email asianhornet@gov.gg , externalincluding the location, the direction the hornet came from and flew towards and·contact details, the Asian hornet watch app or on 01481 234567.

Del Crookes
BBC News Online

A decision not to spend money on sea defences at Fontenelle Bay was made because they "would require significant investment which would not be justified".

Deputy Barry Brehaut, President of Guernsey's Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure, was responding to criticism from Vale Commons Council member, Roger Dadd.

Mr Dadd claimed the States committee had adopted a "do nothing" policy for the area.

But in a letter to him, Mr Brehaut said they were simply following advice from a group of experts who surveyed the coast in 2009.

He said instead of protecting the area, maintaining the defences could cause more harm than good.

Guernsey Press

Inspired by the inventions of would-be musicians from a Paraguayan slum, students from Elizabeth College will be putting on a performance using instruments made from junk., external

Is football coming home? "Psychic" tortoise Corbie has not been wrong so far.

Del Crookes
BBC News Online

The President of Guernsey's Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure, Barry Brehaut, has defended a decision not to repair coastal defences at Fontenelle Bay.

It's after criticism from Roger Dadd, from the Vale Commons Council, who accused the committee of adopting a "do nothing" policy for the area.

Mr Dadd said he was worried there would be no path left for people to walk on if defences were not repaired.

But Mr Brehaut said it had been decided to follow advice from Royal HaskoningDHV, an engineering consultancy firm which undertook a full survey of the island's coast in 2009.

In a letter to Mr Dadd, he said they were told by the company that maintaining the rock armour "would require significant investment which would not be justified".

BBC Radio Jersey

More than £5,000 of tax payers' money was spent on a dinner for States members who retired at the end of the last political term.

The meal - which took place at the Town Hall in May - catered for 87 people.

The evening meal was arranged and paid for by the Bailiff's Chambers.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

The man who has been promised the role of Jersey's first children's minister has said there's been a "fundamental misunderstanding" over the concept of the "corporate parent".

Senator Sam Mezec was speaking one year after the release of the Jersey Care Inquiry report, which looked back at the abuse of children in care in the island since 1945.

The "corporate parent" is the idea that a child in care is ultimately looked after by society as a whole. It also involves all agencies involved in providing care and safeguarding.

Senator Mezec said that people had previously looked to the health and social services minister to be the "corporate parent", which was a misunderstanding of the term.

The sixth recommendation in the Jersey Care Inquiry report focused on the idea of the corporate parent, and said that a briefing session on the topic was held after the 2014 election, but an "unacceptable" proportion of States members actually attended.

The report recommended making this briefing mandatory.

Jersey Evening Post

The island is still failing children in its care, external, Ofsted investigators have found – one year since the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry made similar findings.

The new CEO of the Jersey FA says the island must continue discussions with Uefa about a tournament involving Jersey.

BBC Radio Jersey

The States of Jersey is offering businesses grants from a £300,000 fund to train people to fill the skills gap.

Last year, businesses who employed non-local workers were charged £50 to fund the project to train local people.

The aim is to reduce the reliance on workers from abroad, and to cut the skills shortage.

The grants would help businesses send employees on courses including leadership, customer service, IT and project management, the States said.

Jersey Evening Post

The island’s competition watchdog is asking First Tower residents for their views on what should happen to their local convenience store, external after no buyers came forward to take over the Checkers Xpress.