07/12/2011 BBC Channel Islands News

Whom are the top stories. The sign of the times, the biggest slump in

sales sense records began in Guernsey.

And animal welfare campaigners welcome update to laws to help

those that can fight back. Encouraging the young to make their

voices heard as the campaign hots There's been a slump in high street

sales in Jersey. Latest government figures show the number of items

bought by islanders in the latest quarter was 5% down on last year,

the biggest fall since before the financial crisis.

It may look a busy lunchtime on the high street, but shoppers aren't

spending as much as they have done. In fact, sales are down 5% on last

year - that's the biggest slump since records began back in 2005.

A few years ago, you would not think about taking out your

Wollerton paying 10 or �20 for a deft, but now, you think, what will

happen in the future? It is more difficult. Everyone has to be more

careful than they were before but I do not seem to be! So many shops,

especially here, you have to shop around. But for shopkeepers who

need to make a living, it's not good news. The Chamber of Commerce

believe there's a number of reasons for fewer sales.

One reason is the internet, and we are looking at 1,500 people

unemployed so the overall spending power of his declining. These are

contributing factors. People are nervous about their jobs. I am

guessing they are holding on to their hard-earned cash ahead of the

Christmas rush. And shopkeepers here at Liberty

Wharf are particularly concerned. It's only been open a year and they

say not enough people are coming through the door. That's why

they're putting efforts into enticing people down here. It has

been quiet this year banned retailers suffering so we have been

trying to use the vacant spaces, that we have, to encourage school

choirs, community groups and charities to hold events down there,

especially in the run-up to Christmas. And on the high street

too they're trying to attract business. The hope among traders is

that people are saving for Christmas now and will splash out

in the new year. Economic development told us

although the figures are disappointing, they're not

unexpected and they will continue their work to support local

businesses in particular working to improve competitiveness in the

current climate. The identity of a man found dead on

a Jersey beach nearly four years ago remains a mystery. Police

couldn't identify him despite help from experts who made this

electronic version of how he might have looked. His remains were found

in the sea at Havre des Pas in St Helier in February 2008. An inquest

held this week could not find who the man was or how, when or where

he died. The man will be buried in Surville Cemetery in St Helier.

Jersey's government has voted against plans to halt the

development of finance offices on the Esplanade car park in St Helier.

The States-owned Jersey Development Company wants to build four office

blocks in the first phase for the area. Parish Constable Simon

Crowcroft asked the States to wait until 2012 so the newly-elected

House could have a say on it. Members voted against but did agree

to postpone development to the area around La Folie Inn and the site

used by the Jersey Rowing Club. Unemployment in Guernsey rose over

the last month. Latest government figures show 333 people were

unemployed at the end of last month, compared with 299 at the end of

October - that's a 9% increase month on month. Year on year, the

Animal rights campaigners have welcomed a decision to update

Guernsey's animal welfare laws. As Mike Wilkins reports, the States

agreed that new legislation will be implemented in the new year. I

should warn you that Mike's report contains images some viewers may

find distressing. If these sad, scared eyes are the

windows into their souls then these poor animals are hurting as much on

the inside as their wounds on the outside. Guernsey couldn't do much

to help them, but this woman spent a decade lobbying the States to try

and make a difference. The government unanimously agreed and

from next year, updated animal welfare laws will be introduced to

the island, but it doesn't stop there. As well as updating the

rules on animal fights and licensing there'll also be

increased penalties for cruelty offences. We are looking up order

new Policies within state housing, which will make a big difference to

us because 80% of our work comes from state housing. I am not

condemning state tenants, but a lot of our work comes from there. If

their new policies are what we asked for, it will make a big

difference. As well as updated the rules on

animal fights and licensing, there will be increased penalties for

cruelty offences. In the past, people could only be prosecuted

after the cruelty had occurred but now more will be able to be done to

prevent cruelty in the first place. It is like Christmas come early and

the legislation has gone through for the Animal Welfare Act so we

are very pleased and excited for next year when it is implemented.

For animal lovers and anyone who appreciates animal rights this is a

good news story, but for some campaigners, while it's progress,

there's still some way to go to prevent cruelty in the island. Up

to 30 new nurses could be hired thanks to a new campaign.

Recruiting and keeping nurses has long been an issue for the health

department but in the past year, that has been changing. A

retraining programme for nurses who have not practised recently is

proving popular. Jersey and Guernsey have appointed a joint

regulator to regulate the airports. The job will be taken up in

February. It is hoped that the Government will be held to greater

account and that the aviation it -- aviation industry is compatible

with UK and EU guidelines. Work is underway to try to place

Guernsey at the heart of the renewable energy industry. Commerce

and Employment is liaising with three UK universities to commission

research into wind, wave and tidal energy. Currently the technology

isn't advanced enough, or sufficiently proven, to commission

actual projects. Commerce and Employment say the research will

cost Guernsey very little. Make the most of your right to vote, that is

the message to teenagers in Guernsey. A campaign has now

started to make sure as many people as possible take advantage.

Hundreds of teenagers and hundreds of potential voters. This Assembly

was an opportunity to convince more of them to have their say in

Guernsey's election next April. It is a message that will be taken to

schools throughout the island in the coming months.

Everybody has a right to vote. The other thing is that whenever you

are doing any issue, you get a very different perspective and I think

it is exciting, refreshing and thoughtful and it has got everyone

involved. It has been not be long since 17 and 18-year-old had been

able to get involved. Will this campaign make a difference?

I am not on the role yet but since the Assembly it has helped me

realise I can get on the electoral roll and so I will.

I have been looking forward to it because there are many points that

I want to air and the best way to do that is to choose the people I

want to go through and make important decisions.

It is nice to have our own say and it is exciting for what could come

in the future. It is our first opportunity to have

a proper say in the politics of the island and better. A cross and say

what we want to say, it is unbelievable.

Already working hard for their own futures it is now up to the

students to decide if they want to have a say in the future of the

island as well. At Jersey hotel can now boast being

the first and the Channel I want to receive a gold award from the green

tourism business scheme. It's one of Jersey's newest hotels and

promises guests great accommodation and spectacular views. And now it

can boast an award as well. The Radisson Blu has just claimed a

Green Tourism Business Gold Award. Staff are thrilled. It is not easy

to get gold status, so we chose an effort that the whole team has made

to get the award and we are very proud and very pleased for of the

work we have done. This is the award, but what exactly

did this hotel do to win it? Partly for work done in this room.

The riders in introduced measures for energy, water and waste

management. It has been at combination of a lot

of work over the past year or so since the hotel opened saw lot

towards carbon emissions, and the technical side, and a lot towards

the community and dedication and working locally within the

community as well. The hotel has a far as the

Netherlands to receive this gold award.

They hope it will set them on the way to becoming the industry leader

in environmental management within the Channel Islands.

Colder there will arrive at the end of the week and into the weekend so

prepare for it often the temperatures. Not tonight and

tomorrow however. For one day it will become mild tomorrow with

temperatures up to 13 degrees but windy as well with gale-force

south-westerly winds at times. We have an area of low pressure --

high pressure to the South and a couple of weather systems

straddling us at the moment. By midday tomorrow, a strong to gale

force south-west wind and mild there, ahead of this cold weather

system. Once that moves through, Thursday night into Friday, a run

of Northaw north-westerly winds into the weekend. That is a much

colder direction and there will be frost. Over the mainland parts of

south-west England, the risk of one or two wintry showers for the moors.

Over the Channel Islands, the showers will tend to fade away for

a time. The breezes from the West of the South West and an early dip

to six degrees, but temperatures by the end of the night up to 89. We

will have lightened Pat to rain by the morning becoming mainly dry by

the end of the day, and the wind will steadily increase and reach

gale force by the end of the afternoon. And the end of some rain

arriving from the North as we arrive into the evening. Rough seas,

and the coastal waters forecast will be south-westerly 6,

increasing seven to gale force eight. Times of high water now.

Four hour surfers, choppy is not messy conditions for most of hour