17/02/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

Welcome to the news in the Channel Six,

Welcome to the news in the Channel Islands. The headlines.

Jersey's airport claims the island could lose hundreds of tourists a

year as well as air routes and airlines if the 1937 arrivals hall

isn't pulled down. It would in effect doubled the

number of fog basically have, disrupting the community that we

have, but also the operating restrictions on our flow of traffic

in particular peak times. A dispute between Condor Ferries and

its french crew could be over within a week if staff demands are met And

I am in St Malo on the 12th day of the strike. We will get the latest.

And the cannabis campaign, the march to get the class b drug legalised in

Guernsey. Jersey's airport could lose airlines

and routes if the listed arrivals hall is not demolished. That's the

warning from transport officials who are stepping up their campaign

tonight. The 1937 building is listed, and heritage campaigners say

it's a rare and important aviation landmark. Well, our reporter Jen

Smith was given exclusive access to operations at the airport today

Big Jet 123, runway sera nine. Guiding into land. Mikey Stephens is

one of 30 air traffic controllers here at Jersey Airport. In the

summer he and his colleagues handle around 200 aircraft movements a day.

Airport authorities say if the historic arrivals hall remains,

their job will become a lot more complex. Jersey Airport's arrivals

hall was built nearly 80 years ago and heritage campaigners say it s of

national historic importance. Just over three years ago the airport

applied for permission to demolish it, it says to remain compliant with

international safety standards. But then the Planning Minister listed

it. Airport authorities say if it's not knocked down, Jersey could lose

airlines and routes. Why? Well, airport officials believe the

regulator will be forced to impose flying restrictions which in turn

will lead to more flight cancellations. In a week's time the

Planning Minister will give his decision on the whether the arrivals

hall can go. He is also the man who gave the building listed status A

lot of people don't actually appreciate that it is to separate

processes. A number of politicians have tried to conflate the two. In

my mind, they are now completely separate. So the listing process is

applied, strictly on the merits of the building. And if it passes the

various tests, then it will be listed. Heritage campaigners say

that needs to be remembered. But at the airport, people felt the

economic argument held more weight. I think change is good. They should

not get down, build a bigger one, welcome new airline and different

people. I think the building should be demolished, to be honest with

you. It has been here since the 1930s and it needs a lot of change.

If it is going to bring more business to the island, I am all for

it. I think, I know it is a shame, I think they should go ahead with the

rebuild because of the business to the island and tourist business The

Planning Minister says he's aware he could be accused by some of ruining

Jersey's Airport if he decides to keep the arrivals hall, but is used

to difficult decisions. That's due on the 24th.

Doug Bannister is the man in charge of Jersey Airport. Earlier I asked

him what the consequences would be if the building isn't demolished and

if concerns that airlines would pull out are credible. The 37 building is

the most significant obstacle that we have on the airfield. But that

could mean is with the restrictions placed on from the director of civil

aviation, it will in effect double the amount of fog days we have

itchy, disrupting the community and family we have but also the

operating instructions on the flow of traffic, particularly in peak

times, and it could devastate the tourism industry. You mentioned fog,

one word that we hate here, why would double the fog days? Something

we have at the moment is a decision height, at the moment it is 200 feet

and in effect we lose 200 hours a year. The decision height is where

the pilot can see and runway when he is coming in, even an instrument

reading. The restriction could raise it to 500 feet which would mean that

a lot more Essbase is subject to fog. That building has been there

for 70 years. What has changed which means it needs to be knocked down

now? It has become listed, so the previous plan we had is no longer

viable until such time as the demolition application is approved.

Equally, aircraft have changed, become technologically advanced and

we have tighter safety regimes. We have grown to benefit with frequent

and easy and accessible air travel but a lot of that is down to the

safety regimes we put in place. You mentioned it could have an impact on

tourism, is there any credible evidence that carriers would pull

out if the building was not not down and those restrictions were

increased? I will say there is no credible evidence because we have

not done it yet. The evidence would only occur when the operating

disruptions would happen, the airlines would question the viva

city of continuing to serve jersey. And you can here more from Doug

Bannister on BBC Radio Jersey at 8am tomorrow.

The dispute between Condor Ferries and its crew on the Rapide vessel

could be over within a week, according to a union leader; but

only if the company gives the crew what they're asking for. The

International Transport Workers Federation want the company and the

vessel to be registered in France. Condor says it doesn't have the

money to afford all of these changes and it's already lost half a million

pounds because of the action. Tonight the boat and its crew remain

in St Malo, from where Chris Stone reports.

Aside that most channel islanders will not have seen for nearly two

weeks. The Condor Rapide is here, tied up in the harbour in St Malo

where it has been since the crew decided to go on strike. Union

representatives say they want the vessel and the company to be

registered in France. Which would give the crew better pay and

conditions. This morning, as she headed into another meeting, the

union leader told me they are in no mood to back down. The strike is

hurting Condor financially. After 12 days, it has already cost them more

than half ?1 million. But the captain and director said it would

cost even more than that to give the union what they want. This is here

in St Malo are also starting to feel the pinch with loss of one of the

main sources of tourists. And businesses in the Channel

Islands who rely on Condor to carry goods across the Channel fake life

is becoming very, very difficult. The unions have now taken on a

lawyer to help negotiations. They say the strike could be over within

a week if Condor make the right answers. But for the moment, the

Condor Rapide stays here in St Malo, during Guernsey's half`tone,

with Jersey's often to come next week. Passengers have been offered

tickets to the UK where they had another ferry to get France. The

cost of this strike is going up for everyone.

Condor's Chief Executive James Fulford joined me from Oxford

earlier. I asked him how long Condor could sustain these losses for. I

think that is a difficult question, but of course, we have hit the main

half term holidays. Guernsey last weekend and we are trying to work

really hard to get jersey away this weekend. That is one of the reasons

why would the losses have been difficult. Confidence has been

shaken by this action. Difficult action, we obviously had a view as

to how sensible we think the action was. Half ?1 million and it has been

a very difficult thing to have to accept. We are now well into a week

into the dispute, do you see it being resumed soon? `` do you think

it will be resolved soon? I am hopeful that we have got a good

dialogue going on with our crew now. Two guys have already decided to

leave the strike and sign up with us, only nine left now. We have got

a really good offer which covers a lot of these social security

concerns which most of your viewers will now be familiar with. So we

have got all of the parts set is out there, `` sorted out there, and we

are hopeful that we can work together with the weeks and months

ahead on the more complex ideas I am hopeful that will lead to us

getting together soon to bring this unhappy situation to a close.

Guernsey Police are working to identify the body of a man

discovered on the West Coast today. It was recovered early this

afternoon near the Fort Hommet headland. Officers say they're not

treating the death as suspicious at this stage. A postmortem will take

place in the next few days. There are calls for a debate in

Guernsey on whether cannabis should be legalised. Twenty islanders

staged a march this weekend calling for a change in the law. Cannabis is

currently classified as a Class B drug, making it a criminal offence

to possess, supply or import it in the Bailiwick. Mike Wilkins reports.

Walking for weed. That is what this group say they are doing. They want

the law to change and for cannabis to be legalised. They are wasting

our tax money keeping people in prison, why not make money off it?

The prisons need more prison staff, but half of the people in for

cannabis. We are having to pay to keep them in there. If they

legalised it, they could sell it, tax it, make money for it and focus

on harder drugs. Cannabis is illegal in some countries but Guernsey's

home Department Minister says now is not the right time for a change in

legislation. We are part of the common travel area including the

British Isles and the Irish Republic, and we have to be very

careful before we go changing our laws that would affect law

enforcement and those jurisdictions which we want to remain very much in

close connection with. The health and social services department says

medicinal marijuana can be prescribed to people in Guernsey in

compelling cases. But it has never issued a countless licence and no

licence application has ever been made. `` cannabis lessons. Do you

add to the list of potential harmful substances? We are already worried

about the ones we have got, like nicotine. The change this

legislation will require a lot of political will. Attempts were made a

decade ago by the health board to reclassify cannabis from class B to

class C drugs, but it ultimately fails because of a lack of support

from the community. You are watching the BBC here in the

Channel Islands. Later on, planting a seed of remembrance, the campaign

to grow poppies to mark the centenary of the First World War.

Stay tuned for that. David is with us with the weather. Now, yesterday,

I think I sort this sound like ball thing in the sky, against a blue

sky, but I imagining it? No, you are quite right! It is

settling down, we are going to see more wet and windy weather but

nothing missing out that we saw last week. We will get a bit of sunshine

every now and then. Tomorrow afternoon looks quite bright, we get

sunny spells, much lighter winds and mainly dry. A chart of a few showers

drafted around. This weather system is moving out of the way overnight,

once that starts to happen, we will get an improvement in the situation.

The isobars are very widely spaced, we have not seen that for a while. A

bit more of a redevelopment towards the end of the day on Wednesday

Rain on Thursday, could be heavy at times. Strong winds accompanying

that but it is different this week. Tonight, becoming largely dry, seven

degrees, winds light to moderate southerly. Tomorrow the winds will

change direction, bit more south`westerly. A few showers around

in the morning but after lunch, some spells of sunshine and a top

temperature of about 10 degrees and in the sunshine it will feel quite

pleasant. Generally light winds No more than a fourth three or four

through the afternoon as they sing round and become south`westerly ``

swing round. Mainly OK out at sea. There is not much for the surfers.

Slightly choppy with an onslaught breeze. `` onshore breeze. A change

into Thursday, I think for Wednesday, and Marjorie dry day

There might be more cloud around, so after a bright start, rain will be

coming into the evening. Breezy and blustery showers into Thursday and

Friday. A different starry competitors last couple of weeks. ``

a different story compared to the last couple of weeks. Coming up the

North Devon Hospice celebrate its 30th birthday, we have been finding

out more about its work and the people it helps.

another visit to the doctor. This is a regular visit for this family.

Colin is 63 and have it long condition that makes breathing very

difficult. He knows he is going to die, he is just not sure when.

The way I feel at the moment, I will be lucky if I see another year and a

half stop Colin and his wife are not just relying on his GP for help, a

get regular visits at home from a North Devon Hospice nurse.

The fact that we know that they are there, my wife can call them. They

will not say that they do not have time, they will be there. That is

what I need and what Jackie needs. They have taken a weight off,

because I know that I do not have to deal with it on my own. The doctors

are brilliant, but you cannot always get hold of a doctor, whilst the

hospice are there all the time. It is a lifeline for us.

It is not just a lifeline for the patients, but the doctors as well.

Hospice helps me as well and takes me through the journey with the

patients. The hospice helps me with the specialist advice and expertise

and I feel I am backed up by the hospice and feel much more confident

and supported. The hospice works very closely with

the NHS, but it is separated from it, a common misconception. They are

heroes, because they quietly make a difference to so many people 's

lives. This report `` support is irreplaceable.

And Stephen Roberts, the Chief Executive of North Devon Hospice,

has a city back round. We need to make that a priority and make it

happen in 2014. As the hospice celebrates 30 years,

he will need all of that experience to find funding for the next 30

years. The 30 years is achieved by the generosity of the community.

People think that we funded by the NHS. We are not funded in the main

by the NHS, they help with some of our running costs. We are a local

charity and we need ?3 million to be raised by the community every year.

The me, to consistently achieve that every year is absolutely amazing. 30

years with generosity is amazing. He says that he cannot take this

generosity for granted in this economic climate and it keeps him

awake at night. In the UK, ?1.6 million is spent on hospice care

every day, and note `` most of that money is donated.

And tomorrow, in the second of her series, Andrea will be reporting

from the bedded unit at Deer Park in Barnstaple.

The sport of hockey is booming in Exeter. Besides the city having four

clubs in the National League, it's on the brink of boasting four

England internationals. As Spotlight's Dave Gibbins reports, it

emphasises how far hockey has come in East Devon.

At Exeter School, you will find the best of young hockey talents in the

south`west. Three sixths formers from the school. Hello, I am Harry

and I play forward. Along with one from a college in Taunton. Hello, I

am a defender. Have been put into the under 18 limelight. I play

forward. They will be training over the next

few months as part of the squad in Shropshire, repairing for

international tournaments in Germany and Spain later this year. But why

is hockey so popular and thriving in Exeter? There are lots of pictures

and a space and lots of good coaches to be very encouraging. Most of all,

we have four local National League sides, two ladies teams and Exeter

University team for the man and another hockey club. They are all in

national leagues. It drives these players forward, it gives them

ambition and desire and I think that the city really benefits from that.

The seeds have already been sown for continuing success, as Exeter School

has retained the title. All the England players are from one club. I

am trying to keep out of the way of the hockey ball.

A campaign is under way to grow poppies across the UK to mark the

centenary of the start of World War One and, despite the terrible

weather, now is the time to get the seeds in the ground. The initiative

is being organised by The Royal British Legion. Our reporter has

been to St Agnes in Cornwall to visit a community hoping to plant a

quarter of a million seeds. A quarter of a million seeds in that

one pack. You can see how small they are, there is probably 200 seeds

there. This man is one of a team that is

growing poppies in the public spaces in Saint Agnes. They have to be

mixed with soil before being put on the soil because they are so fine.

Mother nature will do the rest for you.

The man driving this poppy planting is a local partner, George. His link

to the battlefields is a personal one. My father was gassed in the

First World War, and I saw how he was suffering and it was terrible.

So do you want to remind people of the sacrifice that was made? Yes, I

do. At the moment, this garden is bad,

but it is the best time for planting poppies seeds. George is

hoping that this whole area will be covered.

22 men lost their lives in this area. Now this memorial garden will

be a fitting place to remember them. We will hopefully go back and see

those poppies in full bloom. All this week our reporter John

Henderson will be travelling the region from West to East, visiting

people and places recovering from the storms and hearing your stories

of how the weather has affected you. His journey begins in Lamorna Cove

near Penzance. Our trip started at one of

Cornwall's most iconic coves. Stone from here was used to build

London's embankment, but the huge storms reduced the key to a ruin.

It looks like it has... It is not looking real. It is a surreal

picture. When it was damaged, it looks like a bomb had hit it.

Such is the constant battle with the sea. This was on Friday evening, and

today more waves hit this outdoor pool in Penzance. It who needs

repairs. As a Canadian, do you think that you should go back to Canada?

Have you ever been to Canada? Canada is really suffering very badly with

terrible is storms, so no. It is not 40 degrees below zero!

Heading east, this causeway was getting a bit of much`needed

attention. We finished day one at this place, by March these to turn

planks will replace those snapped by the storm.

They make a real difference. They stop the swell. Six boats sank,

including Mark's recovered, he is cutting it up.

If I had been their quarter of an hour earlier, I would have been

trying to save it, which would have been a disaster.

They brought tales of disaster, but Mark has a new boat. A story of the

community rebuilding after the storm.

Thank you to everyone who got on touch via Facebook to suggest places

where John should go. We are looking at all the places that he should go.

What would the weather be like? This evening, not too bad. We

promised some slightly less stormy weather. It is still not settled,

there is still some rain in the forecast. There will be a bit of

sunshine, but a lot less windy than it has been. The weather front is

now beginning to move away from us. The band of rain across the South

West will move into the north and east and the clearing skies will

give us a reasonable night to come. It is actually not a bad day

tomorrow. We may see showers in the morning. Sunshine in the afternoon

and stop everything is that much slower moving, so we will hopefully

get another largely dry day on Wednesday as well before these

weather systems come in. That should give us a chance to clear up,

although maybe not dry out. On Wednesday to Thursday, these weather

systems will give us some more rain. Tonight, the band of rain is moving

away from Somerset and Dorset, and over the next two hours it will be

hopefully gone. What will replace it showers, they will be fleeting

although there will be some towards dawn tomorrow. Some of those showers

will be heavy, but most of them will be light. Winds from the south all

the south`west and they are much more light. A quiet night to come.

Overnight averages five or six degrees, so we should be free of

frost. We will see showers tomorrow morning, but after that it should be

quite isolated with them spells of sunshine. The winds tomorrow will be

light, largely from the south`west. Winds will be light, I will say it

again. That will give us temperatures of ten or 11 degrees,

52 Fahrenheit. Nice to see some better weather. The Isles of Scilly

will be mainly dry with some brightness. Here are the types of

high water. And there will be some pretty big waves, the sea will take

awhile to, down on the north coast, maybe up to seven or eight feet or

ten feet waves. Still some dangerous conditions along the coastline.

South`westerly force for all five, showers and good visibility on the

coastal waters. We will see a lot of cloud around on

Wednesday, some sunny spells in the morning, then it will cloud over,

but remained dry in the evening. Then some rain overnight into

Thursday and Thursday will start off quite wet and windy again, but not

the winds that we were having before. And Friday is sunshine and

showers. That is all from us. Thank you for

joining us. Goodbye.