26/07/2011 BBC Channel Islands News

Hello and welcome to BBC Channel Islands this Tuesday evening.

Coming up on the programme: Sacrificing sunshine for salaries -

students warned to take jobs while they still can.

Also tonight, a long time coming - could this school finally get its

makeover? And we put the world's poshest

potato to the test. Can La Bonnotte More school leavers and graduates

are out of work this summer because of a lack of jobs. Careers Jersey

says they are facing more competition. They say they should

seek help now rather than take the summer off. Edward Sault reports.

Tuesday afternoon, and Jonny is at work at this coffee shop. He has

just finished his A-levels and is off to university in September. But

unlike some of his peers, he has decided not to take the summer off

and work instead. I think it is good to know what it is like in a

working environment. You need to get as much experience as possible.

It is good to get experience when you do go to university because you

might need a part-time jobs. Jonny is one of the lucky ones. Andy

Gibbs is a career adviser and says students and graduates need to act

now. It is very competitive for young people at the moment. It is

difficult to move into employment for the first time and that is an

area of we are concentrating on. And that is a view shared by

recruitment consultants. Sarah says the work is out there, but you must

have the right attitude. There are places for them, and companies are

obviously willing to help, and it will help them in the future. But

it is all about getting in there. But it is not all bad news. Here at

Waitrose, bosses have taken on students to help them over the

summer months. So far, I think we have 29 students we have taken on

this summer. We have taken on other people over the summer that are not

students, and with that there are probably around 30 students to De -

- who are with us permanently. Around 70 students overall. Whilst

the economy may on the whole be starting to heal, jobs are still

few and far between, but the message for people like Jonny is,

A Jersey building company set up 130 years ago has gone into

voluntary liquidation. Charles le Quesne Limited recently won a

contract to refurbish homes on a Jersey Housing Department estate.

The company had started work on the refurbishment of Clos Gossett in St

Saviour, but work there has been stopped. It has a separate branch

in Guernsey, which is unaffected. One of Jersey's leading hotels has

been sold. Grand Jersey is now owned by a subsidiary of the Royal

Bank of Scotland and is now being managed by BDL, a Glasgow-based

company that also runs InterContinental Hotels and the

Holiday Inn chain in the UK. The company says the 120 staff will be

kept on and it will continue to trade under its name.

Guernsey has, in the past, come within one boat delivery of

completely running out of fuel. That's according to harbourmaster

Captain Peter Gill, who says a deep water berth would provide the

island with greater energy security. The current harbour only allows for

deliveries on certain days due to the tide, and can only accommodate

specific vessels. Captain Gill believes a deep water berth would

allow a wider range of vessels to dock, which would enable fuel

deliveries any day. A �500,000 project to create a new

community centre in Guernsey could get underway by the end of the year.

After years of delay, the official plans for the former Mont Varouf in

St Saviours are now being considered. Penny Elderfield went

to take a look around. There's little left at what was

Mont Varouf school to reflect it's former use. It's been vacant for

years. The classrooms left unused, the building deteriorating. And

it's clear just how much work needs to be done to transform this

building into a new community centre. But after years of delay,

now things are starting to get moving, with the official plans now

awaiting approval. We have not had a centre before, the parish lost

its harm some time ago, and we see it becoming the heart of the parish.

We think it would draw people together. But with hundreds of

thousands of pounds to raise, there's a long way to go yet. And

even with the money, this project wouldn't be possible without the

help of volunteers. Who have already got to work transforming

some of the outside areas. Transforming what was an overgrown

corner into a new sensory garden. We have a group of people, we cut

our way and, and we want to walk her way out, literally hacking

things down to around three feet high. We had to lorry-load school

to a tip on Saturday. Then we had been doing the more refined work,

probably spent over 100 houses here. -- powers. It'll take a lot of hard

work by people like Liz to bring this building back to life. But

they hope it'll be the start of this building becoming the heart of

the parish. Judges for the Britain In Bloom

competition were in Jersey today. Grouville parish was in the

spotlight as the Royal Horticultural Society assessed the

parish's floral displays and community spirit. Grouville is

among 76 national finalists chosen from more than 1000 cities, towns

and villages in Britain. Some sports news for you now, and

Jersey sailor Phil Sharp has finished the first leg of the

Solitaire du Figaro in seventh place out of 47 boats. He completed

the opening stage of the 1700 mile race a quarter of an hour behind

the leader in a time of just over 50 hours. Competing in the Figaro

for the first time, Phil said he was delighted to come in the top

ten. I was happy with it, maybe not the first day, I took a bit of

getting into it, then I was fairly happy with the way I sailed

yesterday and today. Couldn't be happier.

Potato growers in Jersey have begun exporting one of the world's rarest

varieties to the UK. La Bonnotte is usually grown on a French island

off the country's west coast. But they're now produced in Jersey, too.

Today the crop will go on sale for the first time in Tesco shops in

the UK. Anisha Shah has been to see what all the fuss is about.

Move over, Jersey Royals, a new spud's in town. This is the La

Bonnotte being dug up, considered to be the caviar of the potato

world. They're normally grown in France, but these have been

cultivated here on Jersey soil. And they're on sale in the UK today,

where it's expected they'll fetch a high price. It is only harvested

for a very short period. Therefore, because of the reduced tonnage, the

shape of the potato, the characteristics, means it has to be

hand lifted and carefully looked after. It is a small, niche market.

It becomes almost like a celebrity potato. So from this, to this, the

Finnish bag. The question is, how do they taste? Andrew Baird, a chef

at Longueville Manor, boiled our Jersey Royals and La Bonnottes with

a knob of Jersey butter, to be offered out in St Helier. But first,

which did he prefer? Flavoursome. Very unique. But for me, not as

good as love Bonnotte. I prefer love Bonnotte. Which do you prefer?

That one. It is still a potato. Here in Jersey, it seems the good

old fashioned Jersey Royal is still ahead with the locals.

And finally, 100 people in Jersey turned up to watch high tide at St

Aubin's Bay last night. They were hoping to see it wash away some

clever sand sculptures, but as Amy Harris reports, their hopes were

dashed. It's a sandcastle on another level.

This is one of four intricate scultures lovingly created by a man

aptly nicknamed the Sand Wizard. is just practice and dedication.

And you just have to keep trying hard at it. I had the nickname Mr

smooth, because the surface of my sculptures is so smooth. But with a

rising tide, their hours were numbered. Last night, dozens of

people watched and waited for the But they didn't! Just the bottom

bit fell down. I would like to have seen it all down. The whole lot

would not collapse, but I would have expected a little bit more. I

am amazed at how much it stood up to. Although the sculptures are

still standing, with hide tide again tonight, that won't be the

case for much longer. If you are heading down there

deceiving, to see those doctors get washed away, let us see if you will

washed away, let us see if you will get washed away as well. -- those

sculptures. The war is still with us for the

next couple of days but it will cool down. -- warmth. More of a

breeze developing and also some rain coming in, especially for the

estate. At the moment, we will get a few showers this evening, most

the fading away overnight tonight. Another weather system poised to

move in towards the end of the day. Wednesday night into Thursday,

would be with us for a good part of the morning on Thursday morning.

This evening and today, patchy cloud but some clear skies, the

small chance of one or two showers up to the North, temperatures no

lower than 15 degrees. Tomorrow, we should have some decent weather,

all the wood will be rather cloudy to start with. Improving in the

afternoon, 23 or 24 Celsius the highest temperature. Gentle winds

from the west or south-west. Coastal waters forecast is

generally good visibility. Perhaps a little Mr round the coast first

thing. The wind west or south- westerly 3-4. Here are the times of

high water. For our surface, not a great deal of surf, expect more of

that later this week. The forecast all the way through and including

Saturday, it is a mixture. On Thursday, expected to be quite wet.

That band of rain should clear through the afternoon, so perhaps a

little bit brighter it. Mainly dry on Friday with some sunny spells,

with the outside chance of one or two showers. On Saturday, cooler

conditions and some of the showers coming along quite regularly

through the day. Potential for more through the day. Potential for more

showers on Sunday. A 100 pound a Jersey bank note has

been the least to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It will feature a