07/03/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening. There are calls for a law change to ban the importation of

Asbestos into Jersey. It was widely used in the building industry for

decades, and some countries such as China still use it. Campaigners say

there's little to stop it coming into the island again. Louise Walter

reports. Keith Shaw died of peritone`l

mesothelioma. That was two xears ago. It's a rare cancer, colmonly

caused by exposure to asbestos. He'd worked at Highlands College, where

the buildings have been found to contain Asbestos. At Keith's

inquest, the Deputy Viscount didn't directly link his death to his

working environment, but did note the correlation between the cancer

and the once common building material. Keith's widow says she

wants people to examine the dangers. I would like people to be aware that

it is a silent and hidden khller, and we are aware that peopld need to

know, so people are less likely to disturb it, which is a huge risk,

and the more employers and owners of buildings will take it seriously.

The use of Asbestos is now strictly regulated in Jersey, but thdre's no

ban on importing it. The falily s lawyer says that needs to change. At

the moment, Jersey seems to rely on the banner of importation `` the ban

of importation of asbestos from the UK and France, but given th`t places

like China are still manufacturing asbestos goods we want to h`ve a law

that says we do not import ht at all. But with bans on asbestos in

Europe and many other countries Jersey's health and safety

inspectorate says that would be unnecessary legislation. Thdre is no

legal ban as such, but in effect, because of the majority of building

materials coming from Francd in effect, because of the majority of

building materials coming from France and the UK are is a ban on

the importation and working with asbestos, there is an ban. `` an

effective ban. Environmental health say such a law change is not a

priorit, and the department doesn't believe importation is a problem.

Education, Sport and Culturd couldn't comment on the historical

concerns of asbestos in Highlands College, but says asbestos hn all

states schools building is `ctively and carefully managed.

Meanwhile Jersey won't be stepping up checks on the radioactivd gas

radon in local buildings unless new evidence emerges from the UK or EU.

Radon occurs naturally in granite, and levels in Jersey are considered

high. This week, the Environment Scrutiny Panel has been assdssing

the island's handling of thd health risks linked to exposure. 17% of

homes it tested contained hhgh levels of radon.

People in Jersey are paying more than UK shoppers for nearly every

product or service. The most detailed price comparison rdport

ever published by the States found prices were 9% higher in thd island

compared to the UK. For housing health and education, Islanders pay

20% more. The only items th`t cost less in Jersey are clothing and

shoes, at 8% below the UK average price.

Guernsey's Blanchelande College will start accepting boys for thd first

time next year. Boys can currently attend the primary school. But

there's isn't a boys second`ry school offering a catholic dducation

in the island, so the board of governors has decided to make the

college co`educational from September 2015.

Guernsey's Education departlent has won its battle to stop UK

universities charging channdl islands students the overse`s

tuition fees rate. They'll now be charged the same as British

students. But as Mike Wilkins reports, some parents will see costs

rise. Higher education is bdcoming an expensive business. It cost the

States of Guernsey almost ?6 million to help its students go onto

university last year. For a while it looked like the costs were going to

rise even further as British universities threatened to class

Channel Islanders as overse`s students. But the Islands education

bosses have recently made a breakthrough in their negothations.

This is good news for the Channel Islands, all UK universities have

agreed to charge our students the home tuition fee rate. The dxception

is Cambridge University which insists it will charge our students

overseas rates. However, whhle lower income families won't see any

difference to States assist`nce it's a different story for students

from middle and higher incole families. The Education Dep`rtment

is increasing the maximum contribution parents will p`y in

future to almost ?9,000, effectively paying all the fees for manx

courses. It's only the upper and middle classes and the wealthy who

would be taken down by this, but if you want to become a doctor or a vet

and study for that, they wotld still get the extra fees paid by the state

as a grant over and above the 9 00. So while it's good news that, for

now, Channel Islanders won't be classed as overseas students, the

news isn't so positive for higher earning families who will still have

to pay more to send their children overseas to university.

At the World Cricket League Five Cup tournament in Malaysia, Jersey have

won their second match, while Guernsey suffered their second

defeat. Jersey's win came bx 10 runs against Tanzania, and Guernsey

narrowly lost to Nigeria, as their opponents chased down the t`rget of

192 with just five balls to go. Just before we go the weather, a quick

good luck to the manager of the Alderney Wildlife Trust who's

planning to swim from Alderney to Burhou on Monday. Here's Roland

Gauvain in training. He's doing the swim to raise awareness of the

plight of sea birds killed by the winter storms, especially the

puffins. That strait between alderney and Burhou is known as The

Swinge and has some of the strongest tidal movements in the world. And we

will bring you news of Roland's progress next week, but that's it

from me. I'm back on Monday at 6:30am. Here is David with the

weather. It is nice to be able to talk about

a fine weekend in store, and that's what we got to look forward to. Fine

and dry with sunshine, not just for tomorrow, but also Sunday. Ht might

not feel like it at the momdnt with all of the mist and low clotd, but

that will lift and move awax in the night. Southeasterly winds freshen

up and temperatures go down to five or six degrees. Tomorrow is a nice

day. We will have almost unbroken sunshine to much of the day and

briefly in the morning it is a bit misty will stop quite a bredze,

southeasterly wind and it could give as temperatures of 13 or 14. Perhaps

northern parts of Jersey cotld see temperatures up to 15 or 16, if we

are lucky. Onto the forecast for Sunday, not a great deal of change

in the weather pattern. Another fine day with sunshine and perhaps a

degree or so warmer, 15 or 06 quite widely. The wind is from thd

south`east. The change in dhrection lowers the temperature is through

Monday and Tuesday but still high pressure in charge. A lot more clout

by the time we get to Tuesd`y but all in all the good forecast, and

drive the next four days. That is all from a say in the Channdl

Islands. Good night and that in just a few minutes with the

National forecast. London's outlook, plenty of sunshine.

Hello. You have got to love the British weather. For a time this

afternoon, it felt like we had skipped ahead a