Summary

  • Teaching union to meet with government over pay dispute

  • Sandpiper listed on stock exchange

  • Less carbon emitted by exporting waste

  • Updates from Friday 31 May 2019

  1. Tourism flow slower than anticipatedpublished at 12:35 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    BBC Radio Jersey

    The number of visitors coming to Jersey rose in 2018 to 725,000, however this is 5% short of the target set by Visit Jersey, the organisation responsible for tourism on the island.

    Those that did go to the island spent more money whilst on holiday, with the island's economy benefiting by £268m over the year.

    While this was a 10% increase on 2017 revenue, it was still 5% below the what the organisation had hoped for.

    The chairman of Visit Jersey, Kevin Keen, blamed the shortfall on the tourism industry's dependence on "external factors" like Brexit and quality transport links.

    Jersey Airport
    Image caption,

    Nearly 750,000 people came through the airport or harbour last year

  2. Pensioner hospitalised after being 'hit by car'published at 11:06 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    BBC Radio Jersey

    Jersey Police is appealing for information after an 84-year-old woman was knocked down and seriously injured in the St Peter's Marks and Spencer car park.

    Police said she was hit by a green Ford Fiesta at about 15:00 on Thursday 24 May.

    The woman was taken to A&E and is still in hospital. Her condition is not known.

  3. No legal protection for striking workerspublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Unite union members who went on strike on Wednesday over a pay dispute with the States are not protected under Guernsey law.

    Local law says that parties can refer an industrial dispute to a dedicated officer, who can then look to the Industrial Disputes Tribunal for final decision.

    Whilst strikes are not prohibited under the law, protection from "unfair dismissal" for an individual is only extended to union action that has been "authorised or consented to by their employer", according to employment lawyer Carly Parrott.

  4. Calls for ban on petrol and diesel vehiclespublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    BBC Radio Jersey

    The National Trust has challenged Jersey ministers to stick to the plan to reduce carbon emissions in the island by banning the sale of traditional diesel and petrol cars.

    The infrastructure minister, Deputy Kevin Lewis, proposed that by 2050, 90% of cars registered should be ultra low emission vehicles.

    The organisation is unhappy that no date has been set for the ban, which is intended to be part of the island's aim of becoming carbon neutral.

    Charles Aluto from the trust said the States need to give people incentives to swap to eco-friendly vehicles.

    However Deputy Lewis said he is not going to force people to give up their existing vehicles.

    Electric car charging
  5. 'Get Up, Get Dressed, Get Moving'published at 10:22 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    Adam Durbin
    BBC News Online

    Hospital Sign

    Patients at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital are being invited to take part in a campaign that encourages them to stay active.

    The initiative aims to accelerate recovery and reduce the length of time a person needs to spend in hospital, with staying active being particularly important for elderly patients.

    People over 80 can lose up to 10% of their muscle mass over every 10 days they spend in hospital, the equivalent of ageing by a decade.

    Staying active can help prevent this "avoidable" loss of strength, help to fight infection and improve patients' appetite, sleep and mood, according to a senior nurse at the hospital.

    Quote Message

    While we know that patients of all ages benefit from being more active, it is particularly important for older people. We want to raise awareness of the benefits of getting up, getting dressed and moving during a stay in hospital. We know patients who do change into their day clothes and take some gentle exercise as soon as they feel able to will feel so much better both mentally and physically.

    Gary Whitwam, Lead Nurse for Medicine, Princess Elizabeth Hospital

  6. Proposal for Jersey landlord licensepublished at 09:52 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    Adam Durbin
    BBC News Online

    Jersey residents are being urged to have their say on plans to make all landlords sign up for a licence, meaning that the island's government would have a record of all rented properties.

    Officials say the scheme would help ensure privately-rented homes meet minimum standards.

    The States of Jersey are to hold two public meetings on 11 June to provide further information to interested parties.

    There is also a form for comment on the government website, external, which is open until the end of June.

    Ariel view of St Helier
  7. Sandpiper listed on stock exchangepublished at 09:03 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    Adam Durbin
    BBC News Online

    Channel Islands retailer Sandpiper has listed on The International Stock Exchange.

    As part of the listing, 25.1m shares were sold at a price of £0.75 per share, taking the total value of shares in the company to £75m.

    Tony O’Neill, CEO of Sandpiper, said he welcomed the 120 new shareholders' investment in the company, the "vast majority" of whom are Channel Islands residents.

    "This listing is the culmination of strong performance over the last three years since the Company was taken into local ownership", he added.

    Quote Message

    Sandpiper joins a growing cluster of Channel Islands-headquartered companies which are listed on TISE. It is fantastic that this now includes a locally-owned business that is synonymous with well-known brands such as M&S, Costa Coffee, Burger King and Laura Ashley and which each of us in the islands interacts with on an almost daily basis.

    Fiona Le Poidevin, CEO, The International Stock Exchange Group

    Fiona Le PoidevinImage source, The International Stock Exchange Group
  8. Less carbon emitted by exporting wastepublished at 08:28 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    John Fernandez
    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Swedish officials who work with Guernsey's non-recyclable waste have said the environmental impact of exporting waste is far less than if it was dealt with locally.

    Klas Gustafsson from Tekniska Verken, a company that works with governments to process energy from waste technology, said for every tonne of waste exported from the UK, 385g less carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere.

    He said the economies of scale that Swedish plants enjoy make them significantly more efficient than equivalent UK facilities.

    Longue Hougue opening
  9. Channel Islands weather: Murky with occasional showerspublished at 08:12 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    BBC Weather

    A murky start with just a risk of the odd light shower through the morning.

    During the afternoon, skies will brighten significantly with warm sunshine to end the day.

    Jersey

    Weather

    Guernsey

    Weather
  10. Teaching union to meet with government over pay disputepublished at 08:04 British Summer Time 31 May 2019

    BBC Radio Jersey

    Representatives from the NASUWT, Jersey's biggest teaching union, are due to meet states negotiators in the hope of settling their ongoing pay dispute.

    The National Education Union said it is yet to hear the details of an improved pay offer, announced by the government earlier in May.

    The States of Jersey said they won't comment publicly on any potential offer, but it aims to reach an agreement "if at all possible" to bring the pay dispute to an end and provide certainty for teachers.

    jersey teachers strike