17/02/2012 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening. The headlines this evening:

A major step forward for tidal power - Alderney signs a deal that

could net it millions of pounds a year.

Also in tonight's programme: Fancy a stiff drink? Why ordering a

bottle of wine in Jersey is set to change.

And ho! Ho! Ho! - it may only be February, but find out why

Christmas trees are set to pop up Alderney is one step closer to

developing one of the world's largest tidal energy projects. Two

agreements were signed today at the Anglo-French summit in Paris. The

deal involves connecting the island to the UK and France with an

electricity cable. The announcement comes from Alderney Renewable

Energy - or ARE, a private company with a licence to develop tidal

power in Alderney's waters. I spoke to our Guernsey reporter Penny

Elderfield earlier. She began by explaining just how significant

this deal is. It is usually see dividend. We are talking about two

deals. The first allows the French company be able macro put ordinary

turn binds on the seabed. They have already put them into the bay of St

Malo so they know that they work. They say they can produce four

gigawatt of power. The second deal is between ARE, DCNS and Britain

and France to connect the cable. It means that Alderney will be close

to seeing some of the benefits. means the project will reach

fruition in a timely fashion. It means an increase in economic

activity. It means Alderney will receive the royalties from the

electricity generated. Do you know how much money it is likely to be?

It is early days, so hard to put a figure on it. But ARE say it was

all built now, it would generate around �11 million per year.

There's potential in it for the company ARE. Alderney States but

say it is too early to talk figures but that it is a good story for the

island. It puts us at the forefront of the production of tidal energy.

It will mean some work on the island, as well as in France. I

don't think there are any negative effects. So the agreements have

been welcomed. The next step will be to install these massive tear

Bines. But it won't happen overnight. ARE does not expect it

to be operational for another five years.

Jersey's known for having the highest alcohol consumption rate in

Europe, with one in 20 islanders now dependent. Well, one local

business is encouraging people to drink responsibly. Jersey Potteries

is publishing the percentage content of alcohol on its wine

lists. Beckie Williams has been finding out what diners think.

love a roll-up but I know it is going to give me a hangover.

Showing alcohol units on wine lists. It's a new initiative by Jersey

potteries to help customers monitor just how much they're drinking. And

it seems to be going down well. know you can only drink so much

without being drunk and over the limit. It is a good idea. The more

information that the public has, the more informed choice they can

make. If they want to end up with a headache, the facts are before them.

If you come out with a large class of 14% wine, you know you will be

over the limit for driving. We have done this because we know from

surveys that particularly young people are wanting slightly lighter

wines. The southern hemisphere wines are getting up to 14%, and I

believe they are a bit too strong. Jersey has the highest alcohol

consumption in Europe. 5% of the island is dependent. Women are the

most vulnerable, especially those between 16 and 34. I think there's

a mythology that one glass of wine is one unit of alcohol. You can be

drinking more than a women's unit in one glass of wine. So if people

don't realise that already, it is time they did. This is a good mood

in that direction. And the health authorities want

even more local businesses to encourage responsible drinking.

Diners here in St Brelade certainly think it will make them think twice.

Levels of legionella bacteria in parts of Guernsey's Princess

Elizabeth Hospital are still unacceptably high. The whole of the

PEH water system was flushed with chemicals on two separate Sundays

in January after the discovery of the bacteria. Now the Health

Department will re-treat the water supply in the clinical block after

further testing. The Department stresses no-one at the hospital has

suffered any ill effects and the water is safe to use.

There's a call for health prescription charges to be re-

introduced in Jersey. Deputy Geoff Southern says the decision to make

them free in 2008 damaged the healthcare system. He's proposing

islanders should pay �3 for a prescription. The Deputy suggests

the money could provide free visits from the family doctor, repeat

prescriptions, X-rays and scans at the hospital for those on low

incomes. The proposal will be discussed by states members in

April. What we are seeing is that since 2008 we have seen

prescriptions rise by almost one- third. Meanwhile the number of

people on the insurance scheme has only risen by 10%. At the same time,

we have seen that visits to the doctor have gone down.

A site that's sat derelict in Guernsey for two decades could

finally see some development. The future use of the former GT cars

site on Bulwer Avenue is being looked at by the Environment

Department. Contamination limits what can be built there but housing

and light industrial units could be possible in certain areas. The

department says it's important the site, which has become a bit of a

dumping ground, is finally put to use. It really is a bit of a blot

on the landscape. It is a main route between St Peter Port and St

Sampson's. It is part of the settlement area within the urban

area plan. It is about time that we did try to achieve something with

Guernsey has revealed a new, quirky weapon in the battle against

coastal erosion - old Christmas trees. Over the years some of the

island's sand dunes have suffered from people damaging them. And now

the authorities have decided to recycle the trees to help restore

the natural coastal defences. Mike Wilkins reports.

The coast of Guernsey has to put up with a lot. The elements constantly

smash against the shore but there are man-made defences in place to

protect the land from the sea. Sand dunes are part of that coastal

defence system, but many have been damaged by the waves and also from

people walking through them. And now a new weapon has been revealed

as a means of combating the coastal erosion our christmas trees. These

will trap the sand as it comes up the beach and allow us to replant

the new tunes. The sand dune wants to be further forward, but because

it has been damaged and the vegetation over the top have

disappeared, it has made it more vulnerable. The Christmas cheese

will help to stabilise it. -- Christmas trees.

This technique has been used in some parts of the UK for the last

decade, and the beach here at Grandes Rocques on the west coast

is the first in Guernsey to get the Christmas tree treatment. However,

the fir and spruce can't be relied on for complete protection. The

public are being encouraged to respect the delicate dunes. Can't

blame children. But at the end of the day we would rather that people

didn't. By all means walk to the beach but don't trample on the path.

So, a new lease of life for these festive trees but time and tide

will tell if they'll see out the seasons. We will keep you posted on

how well they do. Could an old cemetery in St. Peter

Port be given a new lease of life? The centuries-old Brothers Cemetery

in town is currently closed to the public for safety reasons, but

work's started to assess the damage and see if it can be restored.

There's even an idea to turn it into a woodland garden.

It's not your average day in the office, but for this team of

historians, charting all the tombs in this cemetary is today's job.

It's a site that's not short of stories - the resting place of

former bailiffs, of a woman who lived through three centuries. But

it's one that's in need of some work, especially if it's ever to be

opened up to the public again. the moment it is not suitable for

access because there is a risk to the public from its off reports

that a collapsing. Before the public access is available, as I

hope it does, that sort of thing will have to be sorted out.

The town constables were keen to create another green space in this

busy bit of St. Peter Port. But their plans for a woodland garden

here have been put on hold so that a proper survey could be carried

out. I have a strong suspicion that to turn it into the garden that we

want, possibly that is drifting away a little. Never the less, it's

something can be achieved by a compromise then we will certainly

look at that. If we really can't do much with it except a bit as it is

and repair everything, which the cost would be phenomenal, then

possibly it would be left like it is to deteriorate. I think that

would be a crying shame. We may not know what will happen

here in future. The concern is if nothing is done then this is a bit

of Guernsey's history which could of Guernsey's history which could

of Guernsey's history which could of Guernsey's history which could

eventually be lost forever. Now the eventually be lost forever. Now the

weather. What is it going to be like? After a fairly cloudy and a

mild and quiet week of weather, there is a change to come across

the weekend. For tonight, still relatively settled and cloudy. But

overnight, these weather fronts are going to make their way down from

the north. Still a dry start to tomorrow. It is going to turn what

for a while in the afternoon. Those fronts do clear away by Sunday,

leaving behind a breach of high pressure. It should be clearer by

Sunday, but Courier as well. For tonight, still a lot of cloud in

the sky. That keeps things mild overnight. The winds from the west

and South West, temperatures no lower than six or seven Celsius.

Again, a fairly overcast started the day, but at least try in the

morning. Patchy, light rain first. As we go through the afternoon, it

will be quite wet. Some dastardly Windermere or -- wind. Out at sea,

some rain later on. The winds from the South West. Times of high water

for tomorrow... For the surfers, not much use for surf tomorrow. The

outlook - it does clear by Sunday, so perhaps a fairly cool start to

the day, but at least some fine and dry weather. Throughout the day on

Monday we have got a bright and cold start, but increasingly cloudy

through the day. Some thicker cloud through the day. Some thicker cloud