12/01/2012 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening. Welcome to your BBC in the Channel Islands. Here are

the top stories. Off the radar. Why Guernsey Airport

redevelopment doesn't include a new Plus, local learning. Plans to

offer more degree courses in Jersey. And the Guernseyman who's just been

to the South Pole and is now heading for Africa.

�80 million and one big missed opportunity. That's the verdict of

some in the aviation industry about the redevelopment of Guernsey

Airport. The runway and apron areas will be moved and updated in what

is already the island's biggest ever capital project. But some are

asking why it isn't going further, by moving the control tower and

increasing the apron space for commercial traffic.

Keeping a close eye on aircraft and all that moves around the airport.

Guernsey's control tower will survive intact when it work when

work begins to upgrade Guernsey's runway and apron areas in March.

Jersey recently spent almost �12 million relocating and

reconstructing a new air traffic control tower, but there are no

plans to even build a smaller version in Guernsey. As you can see

in the background, the control tower is situated on the south side

of the wrong way. Some feel that the tower should have been

relocated here, to the north side. We would have liked to have seen it

on the North Side. Perhaps we missed an opportunity a while ago,

when there was refurbishment on the control room and administration

block. At that stage, if it had been moved to the north side, it

would have allowed a much larger and continuous apron parking area.

It is requiring exterior work and we are currently looking at doing

some refurbishment. However, we have to be mindful of what is

financially possible to do. Therefore, it is inappropriate to

discuss a wish list rather than reality. Hindsight can be a

wonderful thing, but some feel this is not a problem of the past, it is

a problem of the present and will continue to be one in the future.

Unemployment in Guernsey has gone up by almost a third in the past

year. There were 367 registered job seekers at the end of December.

That's 1.1% of the population. The Social Security Minister says the

rise is a concern. There is a seasonal element to it and as we go

into summer, we hope they will reduce. But there are things like

the effect of LVCR. We do not know what the outcome of the legal

challenge will be and how business will react. There are concerns but

also optimism. Meanwhile, an initiative to bring

super-fast internet speeds to Jersey will create 100 new jobs.

The States is working with Jersey Telecom, who are investing millions

in connecting every home and business to a new fibre-optic

network. Job seekers will be matched with the posts created by

the company. There will also be some training opportunities.

The water supply of Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital will be

turned off this Sunday to treat bacteria found in the system. It

was revealed on Monday that a higher level of Legionella bacteria

has been found in the hospital's water supply. In the next few days,

all water storage tanks and pipes will be disinfected. No cases of

related illness have been found. With university tuition fees set to

rocket next year, it is hoped more people will opt to study for a

degree in the Channel Islands. Highlands College in Jersey has

been running degree courses, but it has plans to expand its offering,

giving local students away to avoid debts. Katie Foley is studying

childhood studies and decided to stay in Jersey rather than going to

the UK. I did not want to leave the island. I get experience with

Jersey legislation and we learn about the chairs the education

system. This is the learning and resources centre. Over 150 students

study nine different courses, are choosing to stay here rather than

go to the UK. Bosses at the college also impressed, they want to

increase the number of courses on offer. We are looking to develop a

range of new programmes. Particularly sports management,

events management and so on. That will enhance our programme.

Christine is also studying for a degree. She opted to stay in Jersey

and says it has opened up opportunities. I have been out of

education for a long time. The way things are done, all the

assignments are very different. I have had a lot of help. The island

has bought over Sir Dian Hopkin to see how the college can expand. The

he says that degrees are just as good as those in the UK.

recognise the nation of a degree is changing. The old idea that it was

something that somebody of 18 did, mostly an academic subject, that is

changing, because we recognise in the new economy we need the highest

possible skills. The courses could be available within the next three

years. For Katie and Christine it is back to work to achieve a degree

on their doorstep. In is not yet known whether a piece

of land in Jersey will be turned into a memorial garden for the six

victims of the St Helier stabbings. The Constable wants to use this

land in Havre de Pas. At a parish meeting, Britain has agreed to buy

the land, costing �15,000. They called for more consultation. Six

people died in a knife attack in Victoria Crescent in August.

A Jersey man who had been suffering from a rare disease has died. John

Sharp was on -- one of only 200 people with Lafora, which affected

his speech and memory, leaving him unable to walk or eat. His family

and friends have raised thousands for research into the condition.

They will continue. You are watching the BBC in the

Channel Islands. In Spotlight, the alarming research that shows the

effect of social match working on the attitudes of young people to

relationships. -- network. You might pick it is getting colder,

but what is it like to brave the extremes of the South Pole? One man

is an expert. In fact he is an record-breaking.

Antarctica, one of the harshest environments. One man from Guernsey

has managed to con kick it in record time. Jason De Carteret

broke the world record -- he has managed to conquer it. He arrived

with his team in under 40 hours. The challengers are massive. The

cold is a huge factor. Just so via weather. The A-level themselves out

-- just the weather. They left for themselves out. We got to the point

where the station manager came at to say, congratulations, you are at

the South Pole. I stopped the stopwatch and it came up with the

total time of 39 hours, 54 minutes. That was when I thought, we have

smashed this. But the adventure took its toll on the card and this

week he is back in Guernsey to pick up spare parts -- on the vehicle.

This part came round. It was all right for a while, but not as good

as I needed it for the rest of the time. Heaney sit to be in good

shape because he is swapping Antarctica for Africa to see how it

fares there. I am sure the children would like

to see snow like that here. We will to see snow like that here. We will

find out what it will be like. A cold weekend ahead for the

Channel Islands with temperatures taking a drop. By Monday, six or

seven degrees. The change comes from the north. It will move

through the Channel Islands and as it moves southwards, it opens the

door to colder air. It will be still, and quite chilly. We will

have a cold direction, meaning the drop in temperature. Tonight, cloud.

It might give some drizzle. The winds becoming more fully.

Temperatures by the morning around six degrees. -- becoming northerly.

We will have north east winds tomorrow and nine degrees will be

the maximum temperature. For the coastal waters, this is the

forecast... Surfing, not much with high pressure. It is quiet at sea.

The waves will be up to two feet. We can look at the forecast all the

way through and including the start of next week. A frosty start is

possible on Saturday morning. The breeze will pick up on Saturday. It

will be even fresher on Sunday. The temperatures will be affected by

the wind chill. You will need to wrap up warmly over the weekend. A

cold day on Monday, but fine. This cold day on Monday, but fine. This

cold day on Monday, but fine. This is the summary.

Finally, a group of singers from the Channel Islands are heading to

New York for a concert to celebrate Martin Luther King Day. We caught

up with them earlier. The Guernsey Choral and Orchestral Society will

be part of an international chorus performing a number called The

Peacemakers in Carny D Hall. They are excited. I have never travelled

a great deal. The thought of seeing America is fantastic. And to do

something as exciting as this will be great, we will join in with

choirs from all over the world. I think the composer is actually

going to conduct the peace. A bet it will be cold. That is all