30/03/2012 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening and welcome to bbc Channel Islands news. The top story

is: As abuse victims are told they can claim compensation, there's a

warning many will be too traumatised to do so. Also on

Friday's programme - all change as a new bus operator takes to

Guernsey's roads. After a taste of summer, we return

to springtime conditions for Easter. It is turning cloudy and cooler

This weekend, some sunshine with a chance of an April shower. More

Victims of child abuse at Haut de La Garenne and other care homes in

Jersey risk being traumatised by the process of applying for their

compensation - that's according to the Jersey Care Leavers Association.

A compensation scheme has been set up by the states to award

individuals who suffered physical and sexual abuse up to �60,000 each.

But to get the money victims will have to once again retell their

stories. Rachel Royce reports. Around 100 victims of physical and

sexual abuse in Jersey's care homes are expected to claim compensation

for their suffering as children. The Historic Redress Scheme was set

up to help victims move on with their lives by acknowledging the

damage that was done to them as children. But since the scheme was

announced the Jersey Care Leavers Association has been flooded with

calls from victims who don't know if they can bring themselves to

fill out the claim forms. There will be a lot of trauma and many do

not want to relive the experiences and they will have to. The most

traumatic side is to be interviewed by a psychiatrist, in some cases

they will not have to. I've spoken to some victims that will not do it,

they're too scared. One or two said they are worried they will be

locked up. For a victim, what happens when the retell the story?

They seem to go back into that state they were in when they were

being abused. One in particular feels like the child she was, it

really is affecting many in that way. One possible consequence of

the schemes fact finding forms is that more evidence of child abuse

could come to light if victims that haven't come forward in the past

come forward now and recount their experience. Police said in a

statement today, "As with any case if an alleged victim comes forward

with new evidence we would take it seriously and investigate

appropriately." Victims are not obliged to take part in the scheme,

nor do they have to accept any offer it makes.

It was put in place as an alternative to court because court

is expensive and can be time- consuming. Above all, it was meant

be part of a healing process, not another trauma to be relieved.

With a contract now signed, Guernsey's buses are this week

being handed over to a brand new operator. From Sunday, HCT will be

in charge of running them instead of Island Coachways. Penny

Elderfield reports. It's all change on Guernsey's buses and I'm not

talking about passengers. Because this weekend a new company will

take over running them. Meaning all of the Island coachways logos will

be coming off and the new CT Plus ones going up. But passengers

shouldn't notice too much else changing - for now at least. Two or

three years down the line there will be new fleets and different

vehicles and a mix of different vehicles. Initially, it is to run a

good service. Island coachways said last year it couldn't accept the

contract on offer. So after a decade of running the service, do

they have any regrets? You can always do things

differently but we are proud of what we achieved, very proud and we

look at passenger growth and the service, I walk away with my head

held high and I am proud. States had to work quickly to find

another company to keep the service running. So has it come at an extra

cost? It is mutually advantageous, a good deal for both sides and I am

confident Guernsey will get good value for money and the team will

see advantages to working with us. And that's a contract that was

signed today. Meaning from Sunday it will be up to the new company

what route to take the service down in future.

Teaching standards, pupil behaviour and school management. All areas

where Guernsey's La Mare De Carteret High School is under-

performing, according to an inspectors report out today.

Education says it's a fair assessment of the school, which has

been in the spotlight after poor GCSE results last year. But the

department says work is already underway to improve the situation.

I can see why people would be concerned, some results were poor

but we are doing everything possible to raise the standards in

teaching at the School as quickly as possible and for the long term.

Sandpiper has announced it's to close both its Gourmet Burger

Kitchen outlets in Jersey and Guernsey on Good Friday. The

company say they've worked hard to make the restaurants work but

disappointing results mean it'll concentrate on new ventures. 15

staff across both islands will be redeployed in other areas of the

business. Union members and Jersey government

Ministers have been meeting amid fears of potential job losses at

the Jersey dock workers George Troy and Sons. Unite representative Nick

Corbel says negotiations are at a very delicate stage but that

meetings with Ministers have been constructive, and every possible

option's being explored. There are concerns about the effect on island

freight after the UK government decided to end Low value

consignment relief which has hit fulfilment businesses. George Troy

and Sons have declined to comment. Meanwhile, it'll soon cost more to

post a letter from Guernsey. Stamp prices are going up from May the

first. You'll have to pay thirty- nine pence for local letters and

fifty-three pence for the UK. Guernsey Post is blaming the loss

of Low Value Consignment Relief, declining mail volumes and

increases in Royal Mail charges. They're thought to be a secret

society, but Yarborough Lodge of the Freemasons in Jersey are openly

celebrating two hundred years of being in the island and they're

looking for new members. Founded in 1812, they call themselves a

society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. We sent Emma

Tucked away behind a quiet street - a society famed for its secret

ceremonies. Is alive and celebrating a milestone. Their

ceremonial room is rich in symbols representing the freemasons who

meet here. Peter Stoneman is a longstanding member and told me

what it's all about. Brotherly love which is an

association of men, altogether, relief is where we help charities

and other situations which are needed and truth is a deeming of

knowledge about life. We illustrate that through some of the enactments

we do in the ceremonies. The group, or lodge has been meeting for 200

years. They've had tough times. During occupation the Germans

ransacked their hall, stealing objects and destroying historical

documents. But they've restored it fully and now the group is going

strong with nearly 70 members. They are looking for more but women need

not apply. It was always an association of men and that is the

continuation. Some of the enactments we do in the service to

illustrate the things, some of it is to do with men. There's no

chance I could get in? I would love it but regrettably not. It seems

things haven't changed over 200 years. The Freemasons will be

keeping up the traditions with a special celebration this evening.

Another glorious day today, is it Another glorious day today, is it

set to continue? After some warm sunshine over the past week, we

returned to typical conditions this weekend and more cloud. We have had

high pressure for much of the past seven days and it's been making its

way westwards, we will start to see cooler air coming down from the

North also by tomorrow lunchtime a weather front coming from the North

feeding in more cloud. The wind will change direction. High

pressure again pushes the cold front away but we are left with

cloud. Some brightness for the weekend but it will feel colder.

Tonight, we start the weekend with a lot of clear skies. Some light

wind with mist patches developing by dawn. Overnight, around seven

Celsius. Some mistiness to watch out for first thing. Some

brightness and sunshine throughout tomorrow morning but by tomorrow

afternoon we will start to see more cloud. Temperatures getting closer

to the average for the time of year with the highs of 14 or 15. For the

coastal forecast, the weather will be mainly fair, some of mist

patches. Improving to good visibility later. The wind from the

North East. The times of high water for tomorrow: this well is picking

up after a flat week. It will be quite messy. -- swell. Through the

weekend, generally cloudy, it will break up on Sunday with

temperatures dropping, ten Celsius the maximum. Quite cloudy on Monday.

The shorts and sunglasses maybe have to put away for a bit longer.

The Kaiser Chiefs are to appear in Guernsey in the summer. The Leeds-