:00:06. > :00:16.Good evening, welcome to BBC Channel Islands on the evening the
:00:16. > :00:17.
:00:17. > :00:21.islands have LOST their high court A judge rules the UK CAN stop tax
:00:21. > :00:24.relief on our low value exports, - but our politicians vow to fight on.
:00:24. > :00:32.A workforce in crisis. We speak to some of the thousands of workers
:00:32. > :00:37.fearing for their future. These are economic sanctions against the
:00:37. > :00:40.Channel Islands and these were reserved for rogue states. Also
:00:40. > :00:49.this Thursday evening, BBC Radio Jersey and BBC Guernsey are 30
:00:49. > :00:59.years old this week. We revisit its biggest news stories - and some old
:00:59. > :01:04.
:01:04. > :01:14.The Channel Islands have lost their battle to save Low Value
:01:14. > :01:15.
:01:15. > :01:18.Consignment Relief. It means thousands of jobs across our
:01:18. > :01:21.islands are now at risk. In a moment, we'll be hearing from those
:01:21. > :01:24.involved in the fulfilment industry as well as our politicians, but
:01:24. > :01:30.first our reporter Penny Elderfield has spent the week at the High
:01:30. > :01:34.Court in London and has this report. It did not go the way the state
:01:34. > :01:39.wanted in court. The judge decided to roll in favour of the UK
:01:39. > :01:44.government, meaning they can push ahead with low-value consignment
:01:44. > :01:48.relief on goods in the Channel Islands. The legal teams had tried
:01:48. > :01:52.to argue it was not there to discriminate against the Channel
:01:53. > :01:56.Islands in this way but the judge said it was not unlawful under
:01:56. > :02:02.European Union legislation and nothing could stop them targeting
:02:02. > :02:08.the scrapping of LVCR. But he recognised the significant impact
:02:08. > :02:15.it would have, the economy. It is a blow for be fulfilled and Industry,
:02:15. > :02:22.which relies on LVCR and employs thousands of people. It was ruled
:02:22. > :02:27.they should pay 15 % of the UK's legal costs. The Channel Islands
:02:27. > :02:29.authorities do intend to appeal. The UK pressure group Retailers
:02:29. > :02:32.Against VAT Avoidance Schemes has been instrumental in persuading the
:02:32. > :02:36.British government to bring in this ban. They gave us this comment
:02:36. > :02:43.after the decision Away from the court, there's a human face to this
:02:43. > :02:46.story. The UK government I think should have acted earlier. I also
:02:46. > :02:52.think politicians in the Channel Islands should be seriously
:02:52. > :02:55.thinking about how they allowed this to happen, knowing what the
:02:55. > :03:05.outcome would be. It could only become more or tears as time went
:03:05. > :03:06.
:03:06. > :03:11.There are thousands of staff directly and indirectly employed in
:03:11. > :03:13.Fulfilment businesses across our islands. But after today's
:03:13. > :03:16.announcement, what next for the industry and its workers? Phil
:03:16. > :03:19.Balderson runs a health spa in St Helier. He sells vitamins and
:03:19. > :03:23.supplements over the internet and employs around 12 staff. Today
:03:23. > :03:27.wasn't an ordinary day at work for him as he waited to hear for the
:03:27. > :03:31.future of the fulfilment industry to be determined. I very much
:03:31. > :03:34.regret that that is the decision that has been reached. We will be
:03:34. > :03:40.looking at the legal possibility and we thought we had a very strong
:03:40. > :03:44.case. It is clear what is happening is discriminating against Jersey
:03:45. > :03:49.and Guernsey. Now Phil says he may have to locate part of his business
:03:49. > :03:53.elsewhere as a result. It is damaging to the Channel Islands. We
:03:53. > :03:58.will have to look at moving some operations to the UK in order to
:03:58. > :04:01.maintain the high levels of service our customers enjoy it. And that's
:04:01. > :04:07.a view shared by Marcus Quinn he is in charge of this online business.
:04:07. > :04:14.He empathises will Phil and says what the UK is doing is unfair.
:04:14. > :04:18.a small company, we are very important with regard to these
:04:18. > :04:22.customers services but we do not anticipate job losses. These are
:04:22. > :04:27.like economic sanctions against the Channel Islands, policies reserved
:04:27. > :04:36.for a rogue states, like Iran, Iraq and places like that. It feels
:04:36. > :04:41.unfair. In here, we have got one of the biggest distribution operations
:04:41. > :04:46.for DVDs and CDs. It is estimated 1,600 people work in the industry
:04:46. > :04:50.across the Channel Islands. Nobody wanted to talk on camera but the
:04:50. > :04:55.staff said although they are worried, they remained upbeat. For
:04:55. > :05:05.now be working in his warehouse will continue but for many other
:05:05. > :05:10.
:05:10. > :05:13.That's the reaction of the businesses involved in fulfilment,
:05:13. > :05:15.but what of our governments who have led this legal challenge? Well,
:05:15. > :05:18.Guernsey's ministers weren't available for interview, but did
:05:18. > :05:21.release a statement saying they were disappointed that the court
:05:21. > :05:23.deemed the removal of LVCR lawful. And added, "The States of Guernsey
:05:23. > :05:26.will consider its response, and also continue to work towards
:05:26. > :05:27.mitigating the effects of the decision." A short while ago
:05:27. > :05:31.Jersey's Economic Development Minister, Senator Alan Maclean
:05:31. > :05:36.joined me in the studio and I asked him if this was the end of the
:05:36. > :05:39.legal challenge. At this stage I cannot save. We have got the
:05:39. > :05:43.ability to appeal to the European Court. We will consider when we
:05:43. > :05:48.have got the full details and judgment whether an appeal will be
:05:48. > :05:53.appropriate. Do you have any idea how many mail order companies will
:05:53. > :05:58.leave the Channel Islands without this advantage? We are not counting
:05:58. > :06:01.the numbers but we understand a lot of jobs will be at risk. Some
:06:01. > :06:09.businesses will scale down the operation and job losses will
:06:09. > :06:12.result. We are trying to make sure we can help these people. What
:06:12. > :06:15.preparations have that the government been making? You could
:06:15. > :06:20.have hundreds or thousands of people needing support and the
:06:20. > :06:26.benefit bill could go up. benefit bill is one of the reasons
:06:26. > :06:31.we took this action in the first place. It will cost money in income
:06:31. > :06:36.support when people lose their jobs. We are looking at developing the
:06:36. > :06:41.fulfilment industry. A number of companies or work without being
:06:41. > :06:46.dependent on LVCR and we will develop that area. We have been
:06:46. > :06:51.looking at a back-to-work team to find a job alternatives for the
:06:51. > :06:56.people at will unfortunately lose their jobs. What is your message to
:06:56. > :07:00.people watching tonight that will be affected? We are working to
:07:00. > :07:03.support businesses and maintaining as many as we can by looking at new
:07:03. > :07:12.products and markets and for people that to lose their job we will work
:07:12. > :07:16.with them to find alternative Jersey's Health department and
:07:16. > :07:19.Police have issued a warning about the use of so called "legal highs".
:07:19. > :07:22.The Medical Officer of Health says that new and dangerous substances
:07:22. > :07:26.are becoming available, some of which have been implicated in at
:07:26. > :07:28.least 42 deaths in the UK. Cable and Wireless is putting up its
:07:28. > :07:33.phone charges in Guernsey because more people are relying on mobile
:07:34. > :07:36.phones. Guernsey's utility regulator says that, combined with
:07:37. > :07:40.a need to invest in broadband and fixed line infrastructure, is why
:07:40. > :07:43.line rental charges will rise by 76 pence a month from April. In return,
:07:43. > :07:53.Cable and Wireless is lowering the cost of peak time local calls, but
:07:53. > :07:55.
:07:55. > :07:57.the average customer will still see their bills go up overall. Sport
:07:57. > :08:04.now and imagine having the opportunity to compete alongside
:08:04. > :08:08.some of the country's top cricket players. Several of the players
:08:08. > :08:12.play in the Premier League competition. The Twenty20
:08:12. > :08:18.tournament takes place in July and the chairman said it is a great way
:08:18. > :08:28.for players to gain invaluable experience. By mixing with former
:08:28. > :08:31.England internationals, we hope that senior players will do them
:08:31. > :08:36.the world of good. It gives them a great feeling playing on the bigger
:08:36. > :08:42.stage and we hope to have bigger crowds. It is great, it is exciting
:08:42. > :08:46.and it is a brilliant development for the youngsters. 30 years ago,
:08:46. > :08:50.the Channel Islands got their own BBC local radio stations. Jersey is
:08:50. > :08:56.celebrating its anniversary today and Guernsey tomorrow. We have been
:08:56. > :09:06.looking back at three decades of memories. Welcome to a brand new
:09:06. > :09:08.
:09:08. > :09:17.station... Keeping its finger on the local pulse, this is BBC Radio
:09:17. > :09:23.Jersey. News and views. What, why, when and where. Tuning in next week
:09:23. > :09:28.to your new local station and enjoy BBC local radio. It was 30 years
:09:28. > :09:38.ago that the Channel Islands got their own BBC local radio station.
:09:38. > :09:42.Good afternoon... You are in tune with BBC Radio Guernsey and we have
:09:42. > :09:52.got the official opening of the station with Sir John leverage.
:09:52. > :09:56.gives me great pleasure to declare BBC Radio Guernsey Open. Some
:09:56. > :10:03.people are no longer with us but others are still here and have
:10:03. > :10:07.worked their way to the top. cannot believe it is 30 years. That
:10:07. > :10:12.is absolutely impossible. It has gone so quickly and I am just
:10:12. > :10:19.really proud to still be working for BBC Guernsey and I am honoured
:10:19. > :10:24.to have covered so many fantastic events and many news stories.
:10:24. > :10:31.Pollard appeared in the very first Radio Jersey magazine. How things
:10:31. > :10:34.have changed. When you are editing you used razor-blade and chalk
:10:34. > :10:43.pencils and if you were not careful you took bits of your finger as
:10:43. > :10:47.well. Today, there would be celebrations. I think we have been
:10:47. > :10:52.rooted in the community from day one but 30 years later with the
:10:52. > :10:56.history and the heritage, we play a bigger part in the Channel Islands
:10:56. > :11:03.than ever before and we are the station people turned to at a time
:11:03. > :11:08.of crisis, a time of challenge and celebration. Radio Guernsey and
:11:08. > :11:12.Jersey have both been featured in an advertising campaign. It is the
:11:12. > :11:17.third time the BBC has ever advertised on commercial television.
:11:17. > :11:26.-- first time. While many reflect on three decades of local radio,
:11:26. > :11:29.others look ahead to the next 30 years. Happy birthday to us. And as
:11:29. > :11:33.part of the 30th birthday celebrations in Jersey, we are
:11:33. > :11:38.launching a search for a start competition to find somebody with
:11:38. > :11:47.the talent to be a radio presenter. Anybody can apply. More information
:11:47. > :11:51.online. Tomorrow it is BBC Guernsey's official birthday and
:11:51. > :11:57.tomorrow afternoon, Sir Cliff Richard will be wishing the station
:11:57. > :12:01.a happy 30th birthday. Speaking of future talent, students from this
:12:01. > :12:05.school have been doing what used for Radio Jersey as part of the BBC
:12:05. > :12:12.school report. They have interviewed the Governor and have
:12:12. > :12:18.filled a news bulletin which you filled a news bulletin which you
:12:18. > :12:23.can watch online. Now the weather. The weather is changing for the
:12:23. > :12:28.Channel Islands after the fog and sunshine. We have got a lot more
:12:28. > :12:34.cloud coming and bringing eventually rain. Quite an unsettled
:12:34. > :12:40.weekend. It is quite a long way away but getting closer to night.
:12:40. > :12:45.It will arrive tomorrow evening and it will be wet on Saturday. Dry
:12:45. > :12:52.tonight and mostly dry tomorrow and eventually, rain becoming
:12:52. > :12:59.persistent. Some will be quite heavy on Saturday morning. Tonight,
:12:59. > :13:03.skies will gradually cloud over and we will get a bit of rain. South-
:13:03. > :13:07.westerly wind and seven degrees will be the minimum temperature.
:13:07. > :13:13.Misty and down to start tomorrow but eventually, some sunshine
:13:13. > :13:18.breaking through. Temperatures getting back up to 12 degrees.
:13:18. > :13:28.South West wind. We have got a whisker of cloud being a bit
:13:28. > :13:30.
:13:30. > :13:40.stubborn in moving out of the way. Marine forecast. Visibility
:13:40. > :13:41.
:13:41. > :13:51.moderate or good. Tide times... More for the surfers to enjoy but
:13:51. > :13:52.
:13:52. > :13:57.not necessarily at cleaned. It will be quite chubby. Just -- choppy.
:13:57. > :14:01.That is how it is looking in the next few days with temperatures up
:14:01. > :14:07.to 11 degrees. As the rain disappears, it will be replaced by
:14:07. > :14:16.showers on Sunday which could be heavy. Nine degrees the top
:14:16. > :14:21.temperature and a bit quieter, A reminder of the top story tonight
:14:21. > :14:29.and the Channel Islands have lost the battle to save LVCR, putting
:14:29. > :14:33.thousands of jobs at risk. There will be much more reaction to this