05/10/2011 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening. Welcome to BBC Our headlines this Wednesday

evening: More workers and more jobless. We

examine the contradiction in Jersey's record new job figures.

Also tonight: It is isolated and idyllic, now

Sark is making it easier to get married there.

And a heartbreaking goodbye. I have to do the sensible thing and

let the school take on a new journey, while I take on a new

journey in life as well. The much-loved head teacher leaving

The number of people working in Jersey is at its highest level on

record. The figure comes from a report into Jersey's labour market

in June. That same report, however, shows that unemployment rates have

not dropped. So do the numbers add up? Amy Harris reports.

Settling into his new job. Carl Jenkins was taken on by one of

Jersey's biggest finance firms earlier this year, during a time

employment in the industry was finally picking up.

I feel really lucky to get this job. It is my first proper job. It is

like my career now because I want to stay here long term.

Like Carl, there were 50 more workers employed by the finance

industry between June this year and last, the first increase for over

two years. Finance, though, is not the only sector recording a rise in

employment. Government figures show over 56,500 were in work in June

this year. That is over 700 people more than last year. It is the

first annual increase in employment since 2008 and the highest level

since records began 15 years ago. I declare the first Waitrose in

Jersey Open. It is thought much of the increase

is due to the arrival of Waitrose and other supermarkets but the

Government says record employment levels are not necessarily down to

Jersey's rising population, or a sign the economy has recovered.

A lot of challenges face the economy as we move forward. It is a

good indicator, along with a number of other factors. Unemployment

numbers are still as an unaccompanied -- an uncomfortably

high level. It is thought more jobless and more

workers are due to several reasons, including people re-entering the

jobs market who were not registered as unemployed.

For Carl, unemployment is no longer a concern. A government scheme

helped him into his job and is now targeting its policies to help

A Jersey-bound passenger plane narrowly avoided colliding with a

much larger aircraft that was taking off from Zurich Airport last

year. The Blue Islands aeroplane, like this one, started to take off

without clearance at the same time as a Thai Airways Airbus which was

on a different runway. The potential collision was spotted by

another pilot who warned air- traffic controllers.

A 25-year-old man has been jailed for five years after robbing a

betting shop. David Rousseau held up this branch of Ladbrokes in St

Helier. It happened in April of this year, when Rousseau burst into

the shop. The resignation of Guernsey's

education minister could be considered by the States as soon as

next Tuesday. Senior politicians have agreed that a review of

education services should take place after a decline in the GCSE

pass rate at the island's three high schools. Four of the political

members of education, including the minister Deputy Carol Steer, have

offered to resign. If you wanted to get married in the

Channel Islands, you would be spoilt for choice of idyllic venues

but for sheer isolation and exclusivity you cannot beat the

tiny island of Sark. Your choices there would be pretty limited

though, until now. Whether it be the picturesque lanes,

the relaxed way of life, or the natural beauty of Sark, the island

has been attracting couples to get married here for years. But Chief

Pleas agreed here today to look at changing the rules to encourage

more people to do it. We want to attract more people to

the island to get married. We have lots of things to attract people.

There are lovely hotels, menus and scenery.

The island's churches are an obvious choice of venue for many

couples. But Chief Pleas is keen to open up

other options, such as outdoor venues and hotels, and has changed

the rules so visitors do not have to spend so long in the island

before their big day. For those involved in the industry it is

welcome news for the island as a whole.

It can bring a lot of people to the Sark. Destination weddings, going

somewhere to get married, are big business these days. Many couples

spend more on getting married than they would on an ordinary holiday.

Sark may be winding down for the winter season but work will not be

stopping to look at ways of ensuring the island's wedding

season is a real success. They have defended Guernsey's

shores for centuries and now some of the island's lookout towers are

getting a facelift. The tower at Petit Bot is being renovated in

time for next June to coincide with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Mike

Wilkins went for a look around. Hundreds of years ago, the threat

of a French invasion was very real. This one is undergoing not just

general maintenance but having a complete makeover. Let us find out

why. Right, well, here we are, quite

literally at the top of the tower with some great use. You can see

how it kept the French at their! With me is the woman behind his

development from the Guernsey Museums Service. What has prompted

all of this? It is part of our conservation

programme for this year. We have done worked previously on other

towers. This is the next one it in line.

How much does this cast? It can be expensive because we do

not know what we will find when we get to the top of the tower. It all

comes out of the annual budget we are allocated. I feel these are

important to the history of the island and local people. Their

unique to Guernsey. Only 15 were built in the late 18th century.

One has lifelike for people in these towers?

I believe around 20 militia were based here, under a commander. I

imagine it would have been quite cold, although a chimney and

fireplace were put in later. They had to keep watch constantly for

threats coming over the horizon. 20 rain much indeed. This tower has

been around for more than 220 years. I think it will be around for a

little longer. He recently won an award for his

work but now the head teacher of Le Roquier School is leaving. Richard

Rolfe has decided to leave his post at the secondary school after

having treatment for cancer, which he was diagnosed with earlier this

year. His decision has not only shocked his staff but also his

students. He has seen hundreds of children

learn and progress through Le Rocquier School during his nine

years as head teacher but now it is time for him to move on.

Richard Rolfe was diagnosed with bowel cancer last night but even

though he is on the mend after treatment and back in the classroom,

he has decided it is time to leave. -- last May.

I find it very hard to leave this great organisation, especially

being relatively young. If I do not leave I will not have a brighter

future later so I need to it in best that time.

He has not only won awards for his work hear as head teacher but he

has also won over his students, who say he will be sorely missed.

He has done so much for us. It is dreadful he is leaving.

I was very upset at first. I feel is a great head teacher and I was

that they would not be here for the rest of our school year.

We are all understand why he had to leave. I feel it is a good decision

for him personally but he will be greatly missed.

If I do not feel 100%, I cannot deliver very well for you.

Richard Rolfe for has been very open about his illness with the

students as he says there is a lesson in every experience.

I feel it is best to be honest with people and openly share what is

happening so that they can reflect on that and learn from that

experience. Later in life, maybe they will remember that I went for

I health check even though I was well and got a diet -- 80 disease

diagnosed and caught in time. Richard leaves Le Roquier School at

the end of this month. He says he will miss the job he loves but he

Good evening. Some wet weather heading our way this evening and

overnight but it will be replaced by showers and sunshine and kulak

air. You will notice the shop in the temperatures tomorrow. Quite

strong winds ahead of this front as it moves through the islands. The

winners will change direction, becoming north-westerly through the

day tomorrow. The shower whisk will reduce ban is time we get to Friday.

Overnight temperatures will be down to 13 or 14 degrees. Quite windy

conditions at a time but they will swing north-westerly as the front

moves through. Samara there or be brightness, a bit of sunshine, but

also one or two showers. It will calmly feel colder because of that

brisk wind. 16 degrees Celsius. Here is beat Marine forecast.

Showers with mainly good visibility. Here are the high water times. For

our surfing conditions, probably quite messy for most of the beaches.

It could be up to four feet. The forecast for Friday is much

brighter. There may be one or two like showers. We should get some

sunshine by the end of the day on Friday but still a brisk breeze

which would ease into the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday there will