05/03/2012 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening. Welcome to BBC Channel Islands. Coming up...

Lost in translation - why politicians are failing to

communicate with the public just weeks before an election.

Also tonight... Spending money to make money - the

businesses investing heavily to draw in tourists this summer.

And, by the book - we visit a little community library with big

How much communication do you want from your politicians? Well,

Guernsey State has been criticised for failing to keep the public

properly informed. A report out today says better communication is

the only way to ensure islanders are engaged with local politics.

And as there is a general election just around the corner, that's more

important than ever. The day when the island gets its

say on who's in charge. A day that is happening next month. And after

putting in the effort to convince the public to vote, figures out

today show 29,500 have done just that. But now it's about getting

them to turn up on polling day. That message must go on and we must

keep awareness of the date, 18th April, and make sure those that

have registered go on to use that and vote. But the real challenge is

and getting people to engage on that one day every four years. It's

about making sure the public want to know what's going on here every

single month. Engaging with the public is something the States are

doing very well, according to a report out today. So, what needs to

change? There could be a presumption to publish. When you're

writing of limitation, you know the public will see it. Meetings are

open to public. We know there will be more publicly wings, and things

like that. What is key is getting people to do more than just float.

It should be continued involvement. And things that it will be up to

the next government to introduce. After, of course, the public have

decided who will be part of it. A 37-year-old man has been told to

leave the Jersey after admitting two charges of breaking and

entering. Elvio Plinio Rodrigues Milho appeared in the Magistrates'

Court charged with two counts of robbery in February. Milho,

originally from Madeira, has been bound over to leave the island for

three years. A surge in hits on the Jersey

Tourism website at the start of this year brought high hopes of a

bumper summer season. It was mainly thanks to new TV adverts, but that

interest has so far failed to translate into bookings. The

island's tourism industry is stepping up its battle for business,

looking to new markets and investing in new style

accommodation. As you can see, we have built these 12 beautiful

cottages. They are for the self catering market. They are top of

the range, luxury five-star accommodation. Going to one of the

four-bed room cottages and make our way to the lounge and to the

outside terrace area... La Place Hotels is just one company

investing heavily in its accommodation, aiming firmly at a

high end of the market. Last year we found we had a huge increase in

the German market in the hotel. There was a demand their that they

wanted self-catering. We are now going to attack the European market,

in particular, to Germany to build into the travel market via

anchovies off to the European market. -- market their ensure

these off. Meanwhile, the body which represents tourism in the

island continues to advertise to its traditional audience, the UK,

but is now also focusing new investment in markets further

afield. Brighten up your day in the warmest place in the British Isles.

We think the potential growth areas will be no order Europe, Germany

has done well this year, about 23% up. Francis up as well. We are

looking to Scandinavia as well, with a new charter flight from

Norway. Northern Europe is where the big opportunities are.

order is invested �9 million in this development and refurbishing

the hotel. -- the illness. They were led to new markets to

stimulate demand and hope they will be more of this to provide sunshine

to Jersey Tourism. It's understood Guernsey Football

Club will lose their three points awarded for Saturday's win against

Hounslow. Guernsey won 2-0 on Saturday, but according to a

statement from the Guernsey Football Association, Kieron Mahon,

who played the full 90 minutes in Saturday's match at Footes Lane,

was serving a two-match ban following a game he played for

Northerners AC on 10th February. Guernsey FC say they were unaware

of this that the time but have since reported the incident to the

Combined Counties League. Rugby, and Jersey staged a second-

half comeback to beat Blaydon 28-7 at St Peter's at the weekend,

making it 18 wins in a row. Guernsey beat Thanet Wanderers 56-

21 to stay top of the London One South League. They face Dover at

home next Saturday. Registration for the Jersey and

Guernsey Itex walks are now open. Thousands take on the challenge of

the year to raise money for local charities. But if you're still

deciding whether to dig out your walking shoes for the round the

island walks, Emma Chambers has been to see who you'll be raising

money for this year and how they will benefit.

Here we go again, will I ever get a tea-break?

The washing never stops at the Jersey Cheshire home. They give

round-the-clock care for 25 residents, which means these are

going round the clock to. But after 18 years, it's time for these

machines to be replaced. Thanks to the Itex walk, the home can now

afford it. The home is the 30 years old, so this is the second lot of

equipment we have replaced. It will update in many ways. It will be

male -- more eco-friendly and more water friendly, it will use less

detergent and did various jobs that cannot be done with existing

machines such as sterilising and sluicing. A great improvement and a

better service for the residents, and easier for the staff to work

with. So if you want to help, registration is now open for the

Jersey and Guernsey Itex walks. is a very friendly walk. Therefore,

the amount of support you will get from other walkers is superb. The

age read she is very wide as well. People in their seventies and

eighties were doing it last year. It is just a really good day and a

very good cause. Residents at the Jersey Cheshire

home have already seen how much Itex walkers can help them.

wonderful example of Itex support is they gave Bath sufficient money

to replace our minibus, which also takes wheelchairs and has a

hydraulic ramp on the back. We have had money before from Itex and it

has been well appreciated. you've decided to take on the Itex

challenge, you will be helping the home tackle their everyday

challenges as well as many other charities across Jersey and

Guernsey. A new library has opened in

Guernsey today, but this one is the first of its kind. It is free to

use, costs the taxpayer nothing and is open to everyone. Mike Wilkins

went to look around Guernsey's first ever community library.

This is just one of 1,300 books that have been delivered to the St

Martin's parish hall. It is the first community library in Guernsey.

The man who has put it all together is over here. What prompted you to

come up with this idea? It was one of there's little ideas that was in

the back of the head. Initially, last October and November, the idea

was to have a couple of bookshelves in the lobby of the Constable's

office and maybe have about 150 books. The public responded in a

typical Guernsey way. Before we knew it, we have 1,300 books and a

library in the lottery -- lobby became a library in the parish hall.

This morning, we had another 200 books delivered. Wonderful! Is this

a sign of bigger things to come? will could be. The library have

been in touch with us and we have been talking to them over the last

couple of weeks. They are interested in creating a set

Martyn's branch of the main library. -- Saint Martins. Initially we, we

will see how this works. If it becomes a resounding success then

maybe in a few months' time, we could have a saint Barton's branch

of the library. -- Saint Martins. I'm going to see what I can

Good evening. A cold night in store across the Channel Islands.

Temperatures getting into single figures, possibly three degrees

tonight for the larger islands. Briefly, some frost but for most of

us, temperatures around four or five degrees. The north-west wind

stays with us. No pressure to the east of the English Channel. That

made slowly away. High pressure with us for the rest of tonight and

tomorrow. Things change on Wednesday and a couple of weather

systems will come through on Wednesday, bringing rain. It could

be wet and windy there on Wednesday before back clears on Wednesday

afternoon and evening. This evening and overnight, clear skies so

rapidly, but temperatures will get into single figures. -- the

temperatures. North West wins will reduce crop. A quiet day tomorrow.

In the sunshine, feeling pleasant. The wind will be north or north-

westerly and moderate. For the coastal waters forecast, north or

For the rest of the week, Wednesday could be quite a damp day and windy

as well with outbreaks of rain. A brisk south-westerly breeze. The

rain will clear by early evening and then Thursday and Friday, both

there is relatively quiet. The winds drop, the sun will be out and