14/07/2011 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening and welcome to BBC Channel Islands. Our headlines

tonight, serious questions about the future of education in Jersey.

Find out why the minister walked out of a BBC interview. But this is

a huge Parker if you read the paper, it is not. I mean it, it is not.

Also tonight, criminally underfunded. Demand grows for the

cash-strapped Victim Support services.

And working the worldwide web, a promo video to get youngsters into

Cutting subsidies to fee-paying schools, doing away with school

milk, GCSE results that appear to be lower than those in the UK, all

in all it has been a rocky year for Jersey's Education Department. Now

you are being asked to share your thoughts on the Isle of's school

set-up, although the Education Minister is not always keen to be

questioned on it, as our reporter Beckie Williams found out.

These children may be at the start of their schooling, but changes to

Jersey's education system could affect them the most. Their parents

are currently making important decisions about their next move.

What is in the News of the moment with private education, it should

be means tested. There are people who can afford to pay for their own

education without being subsidised by the States. It is fair that to

subsidise Foster befit his changed I'm not going to show how they will

accommodate children who will go to the state's school, so we're all

those children go? Disappointed when they took away the milk, but

otherwise the boys have been really happy here. Those views are being

taken into account. Parents and teachers are being asked to read

this 50 two-page document. In a dark questions about our education

system's selective nature, the courses available to adults and the

island, and support given to those with special needs. Earlier this

year it was revealed GCSE results at state schools in Jenia -- Jersey

appear to be lower than many UK schools. Ahead of the education it

-- the head of the education review group told the BBC he wants to see

changes, soon. I am not naive to think in of that league tables are

the be-all and end-all, and they can be too rigid. But I would like

to see a broader debate about how we judge effectiveness in our

schools and I think exam results would be part of that. But Jersey's

Education Minister says changes to our system are not needed, so I

asked him why did he want to cut subsidies to fee-paying schools?

The whole debate about fee-paying schools has been well rehearsed.

The importance of this document is that it is designed to cover all

sectors of education. It is time that be widened and broadened the

debate, not to focus on one small aspect of our education system.

when I pressed him further on the issue... If you do cut subsidies...

I am not going down the road. do not have -- I do have to ask you.

The you do not have to ask me, this is not about fee-paying schools.

But this is a huge part. If you read the paper, it is not. I mean

it, it is not. But this is going to be huge part of the education...

The education once -- the Education Minister wants your views.

At the end of the day there is going to be a huge amount of

pressure on the state system and the island...

More people in Guernsey are using the Victim Support services than

ever before. It offers advice and counselling for witnesses and

victims of crime. But as Mike Wilkins reports, the charity itself

needs help to keep going. Learning more about the effects of

crime, these people were attending an open day today at the Victim

Support centre within the Royal Court building. It is crucial for

this organisation that people from all walks of life are aware of what

support is available for victims and witnesses of crime in the

island. In this purpose-built facility there is a video camera

which enabled witnesses to give evidence in court without having

the intimidation of going to court itself and the numbers of people

using Victim Support has increased significantly over the years. In

2005, just over 70 people used the service, by the end of last year

that it increased to more than 500. With that increase comes an

increase in demand and a need for more funding. Victims and witnesses

are vital in order to have a court case, so we do need to encourage

witnesses to come forward, so that would not be a good thing, if we

had to reduce our service. We are just hoping and trying to be as

positive as we can that we can actually find some financial

support. The centre has one full- time member of staff and one part-

time -- part-time, helped out by ten volunteers. It is clear they

have done a good job of increasing awareness of the support they offer,

but if they don't get more funding than Victim Support could become a

victim of its own success. It's been used a more news in brief.

Air Southwest has confirmed the airline is to close after the end

of September. The airline, which was brought by Eastern

International Airways last year, says that following the closure of

Plymouth airport, Newquay flights will not be financially viable. The

currently up -- the company currently operates flights to

Newquay via Plymouth. Police are trying to trace those behind us

thousands of pounds worth of damage at Guernsey's Garenne Sports Stand.

Water flooded into offices putting them out of action because of fears

about electrical connections. Officers say 36 were deliberately

blocked and taps left on for about half-an-hour. -- sinks were

deliberately blocked. Sunday trading laws in Jersey could

be about to change. The parish constables would still debate --

would still decide which shops could trade. Those chosen can sell

everything they normally would, but premises over 500 square foot would

not be allowed to open. That is what has upset one shopkeeper in

particular, he says it could mean redundancies.

This farm shop has been going since 2003 and as you can see it now does

a bit more than sell fruit and vegetables. Whilst those original

stables are still on offer, this shop has grown is open seven days a

week but that could come to an end because it is too big. The owner of

this farm shop and Josie says some days -- says Sundays are his best

day of trading and he says if these rules are passed and the States he

will not be able to open and his profits will go down. It will have

a big impact on our staffing levels, because everybody works on a rota,

so there is one day out of the equation and it will mean

redundancies, and not to be open on a Sunday will not only be

detrimental for my business, but detrimental to the parish as a

whole and to community of Jersey. Constable Len Norman is from the

department responsible for bringing this proposition to the States.

There is no limit on size currently, so it should publicise can open

provided they sell goods on the government approved list, but this

new law strict -- will restrict the opening of shops to 500 square

metres if the proposition has approved and amended. REPORTER: Why

is that? I don't think there is an appetite for retailers or the

public for a free for all, so we want to keep Sunday Special and

restrict the number of share shops that can open those that can open

should not be restricted in what goods they can sell. The customers

keep coming. Those on both sides will be hoping whatever is decided

in the States next week will not stop the tills ringing.

You are watching the BBC and Channel Islands. Letwin Spotlight

was just in and Victoria, predicting the weather, how

forecasting has changed over the last 150 years.

Now to an unlikely internet hit. A government scheme to help young

people into work has seen a surge of success after a promotional

video filmed by one of the teenagers has been put upon line.

The advanced -- the Advance to Work programme offers work experience

and training and is seen as a It has racked up hundreds of views

and can be seen around the world. This is a promotional video for

advanced to work -- for Advance to Work, a Jersey scheme to help young

people find a job. Support. potential. Motivational. It was

made by teenagers on the scheme led by 18-year-old Elian Goncalves.

have never really done anything like that in the past and I never

took medium at school, and it was a great opportunity to try something

out. It worked out fine, great relief. At vans is a state funded

scheme to help young people gain confidence, skills and experience

in the working environment -- and vans. Idiot -- L Ian Gough -- Elian

Goncalves hopes this film will lead to success in the film industry and

there has been a surge of success for the scheme itself. Since the

video was put on YouTube earlier this year. The publicity means of

the employers have wanted to come on board and get involved with the

scheme. They have been inspired and seen what a difference it does make

him people. So good news for this scheme and hopefully good news for

the young man behind it, whose dream of being a film-maker is a

step closer. Everyone tries making their hand at

TV these days, maybe we should be worried! Here is a man who knows

about TV and predicting the weather, Unsettled would be a good word to

describe the weather. We have low- pressure, we lose the fine weather

that what we get is blustery winds and the potential for rain over the

next few days. At the moment we hold on to fine weather. This

weather front is a weak affair. It will disappear during the course of

the seeded and overnight tonight as it moves northwards. We have high

pressure just about holding in. Several weather from start up in

the Atlantic are queuing up to commend and by lunchtime on

Saturday we have a wet day and quite windy day to look forward to.

Overnight tonight at least there will be some fine dry weather this

evening and largely clear overnight, some high-level cloud coming in.

Temperatures down to 13 Celsius. Tomorrow, a bright start with some

sunshine, quickly clouding over. By the afternoon we will start to see

a few light showers of rain to end the day. Winds from the south-west,

moderate, a top temperature of 90 degrees Celsius. The coastal work -

- the coastal waters forecast has Not much for the surface. --

surfers. Into the weekend, for much of the day on Saturday the morning

is going to be quite work. Once the main main routes out of the way we

get showers, one or two of them could be heavy. Similar on Sunday,

the risk of thunder and lightning in some of the showers. Winds

north-westerly and Just 17 Celsius the top temperature. A bit quieter

Monday. We still have north-west wins but hopefully drier required

to with sunshine. The weekend is rather unsubtle. Here is the

On BBC Radio Guernsey, find out why of rationing is back in one

Guernsey shop. Find out if laws are the best way to stamp out