30/01/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

weather on the way. That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye

from me, and on BBC The changing face of Channel Islands

retail ` a new name for Spar in Jersey, and Tesco welcomes its

success in Guernsey. Just the job ` the biggest drive of

its kind gets under way to get these unemployed back to work in time for

the summer tourist season. Good evening.

Guernsey Police Chief has been cleared of gross misconduct after a

five month investigation. It followed allegations made by a

member of staff at the Border Agency about his behaviour at an

operational meeting in France. Allegations which the

investigation's concluded were unfounded. Penny Elderfield reports.

I fully endorse Patrick Rice as Guernsey'shead of law`enforcement. "

the island to do a difficult job at a difficult time and has many

achievements to be proud of. A message of support for Guernsey's

Head of Law Enforcement after months of investigation into his conduct.

The rumours about his conduct in respect of this and other matters

are understood by the board to be unfounded and potentially damaging

to the reputation of Mr Rice. The police and the GBA. It is now up to

us to support him. The trouble started for Patrick Rice

after a working trip in France, when a member of the Border Agency made

allegations about his behaviour In an open letter to the public today,

he gave further details of those allegations saying: In private, in

the company of experienced male law enforcement officers, I told a

locker room`style joke and used occasional strong language. The

evidence has found what I said and how I behaved was not the gross

misconduct which had been alleged. I have admitted telling the joke and

using the odd swear word and have accepted advice of the Home

Department Board that this was unwise, whatever the intention. I

have never intended to cause offence and am genuinely sorry if I did He

also warned that hail take legal action if necessary to challeng any

more rumours moving forward. But, for the Home Department, with his

name cleared that's the end of the matter. With situations like this,

they do happen from time to time, but we want to be able to minimise

the situation is to deal with any allegations appropriately, and then

move on so we have first`class law`enforcement services.

Patrick Rice may not have wanted to face the media today, but having

faced up to the allegations made against him, and been cleared of

them, he does say he's looking forward to getting on with his day

job. The face of Channel Islands

supermarkets is changing. Costcutter looks set to replace Spar in Jersey.

A Channel Islands Costcutter company was registered in the island two

years ago and now plans have been lodged to change the signage on 18

Spar stores. Meanwhile, in Guernsey, one retailer's profits have

increased by 10% since it started stocking Tesco products. It is not

ruling out expanding. Mike Wilkins reports.

This Guernsey company has been trading in the island for more than

30 years and now it could be in a position to expand. It' has struck a

long`term deal with one of the world's biggest retailers, Tesco.

For the past few months, it has been trialling their products and has

already seen its sales increase by 10% over the Christmas period,

compared to the previous year. Alliance has made no secret of the

fact that it plans to stock even more Tesco products, but insists it

will be keeping its name and not re`branding itself as Tesco. But

would people like a Tesco in the island? But why are people keen to

buy Tesco products here today? Since they brought in the Tesco products,

it has given us more choice and the price is very reasonable. It is very

good. Cheaper, and it is good stuff. I have been told that they are

stocking the products here at the same price in the UK. It would be a

lot more expensive, I presume. Meanwhile, in Jersey, plans have

been submitted to rebrand all 1 Spar stores in the island as

Costcutter, another big UK retail player, and another company that,

like Tesco, prides itself on low prices. So, could this continual

creep of British brands be good news for shoppers? Those consumers who

are on the tightest objects are released well served by the existing

market. The arrival of a choice for consumers in the form of this

alliance, given that they are targeted on people with more limited

budgets, we think it is a good innovation for consumers. As one of

the world's biggest retailers, Tesco's presence in the Channel

Islands is controversial. We asked Alliance if they were looking to

expand and even bring the brand to Jersey. A spokesman would only say:

We are always looking for opportunities, but have no plans at

present. We would like to hear your thoughts

on this. Would you welcome more low`cost supermarkets in the Channel

Islands? What do you think of grocery prices here as they are Get

in touch on email, Facebook or Twitter ` details are on your screen

now. Guernsey's Health and Social

Services board has survived a vote of no confidence by a large

majority. The motion was brought after the Minister Mark Dorey

admitted giving misleading information about the Island's bowel

cancer screening programme. But today, Deputies voted ten in favour,

34 against ousting the whole HSSD board after almost a full day's

debate. Also today in the States, Deputies

have set up a committee to review Guernsey constitutional relationship

with the UK. That review will include seeking clarification on

whether the UK TV licence fee should be charged in the Bailiwick, after a

successful amendment from Deputy Dave Jones.

A former Jersey Magistrate jailed for fraud is fighting an order to

pay compensation to an elderly victim of his scheme. Ian Christmas

was jailed for 15 months in 201 for a multi`million pound property

fraud. Three other men were also convicted and sent to prison.

Christmas' lawyers appeared in court today to appeal the ?100,000

compensation order. The hearing continues tomorrow.

It is one of Jersey's biggest industries and now hospitality

businesses are under pressure to employ more local workers. The Back

to Work team is launching it's biggest campaign to date to get

Jersey job`seekers working in the island's hotels, bars and

restaurants ahead of the new tourism season. Jen Smith has more.

Darren Hare is listening for tips. He wants a job in the hospitality

industry. Darren was let go from his job in asbestos removal last year.

He's now one of 70 job`seekers that have joined a programme to help them

re`train. At first I was a little bit sceptical. Courses can be a bit

mundane, but this one has been very good and I have learned a lot from

it. I feel a lot more comfortable and confident in myself in doing

things in the kitchen and learning a lot more what I can and can do, what

you should and shouldn't do. The work at the moment might be

classroom`based, but Darren is hoping that the States' Back to Work

scheme will help him land a job in a kitchen. The project started last

year, but this time it's different. This year we are increasing our

campaign. We are doing even more focused training on the skill areas

that employers have told us they are looking for.

70 local job`seekers are being put through their paces to help get them

a job in the hospitality industry ` an area more often associated with

workers from outside the island Gerald Fletcher from Jersey's

Hospitality Association says while the drive it's a good thing, Jersey

can't turn it's back on experience. The last thing we want to see is the

trade association for the second year, that they would be a knee jerk

reaction to try and curtail our immigrant labour source. That is

still vitally important and the industry will not survive if there

is a view that there has to be a reliance on totally local people to

fill the job. Darren and his colleagues are learning in an empty

hotel, ahead of the new tourism season. It is hoped when these seats

are filled, Darren will be busy The Weather time now and Jersey Met

Office has issued flood warnings for high tides tomorrow morning.

For today and tonight, the weather could best be described as quiet,

but then it becomes noisy! We are having some of the highest tide of

the year, so combine that with the low pressure, the strength of the

wind and plenty of rain around gives us the risk of coastal flooding

Tomorrow we might start off dry that it will become wet. It will be windy

with strong to gale force southerly Willems `` winds. Some of the rain

will be heavy, particularly in the afternoon. Also got some wind up to

50 miles an art. The wind will stay with us as we move into the weekend.

This is the culprit, a new area of low pressure. This is quite a deep

global. It looks a long way away from us, but it will get closer by

the time we get to the middle of the day on Saturday. Very strong

westerly winds through the English Channel are piling up water and

continuing the risk of coastal flooding as we head into Saturday.

Tonight, we have a slight easterly wind turning round to become a

southerly wind. Because of the clear sky, it will get quite cold with

temperatures down. Briefly tomorrow, some dry weather, so make the most

of that because by the afternoon the rain will move in. It will not feel

warm because of the strength of the wind. It is a southerly wind, up to

around gale force yet at times `` gale force eight.

Messy conditions for the serif, with big waves as we head into the

weekend. We are concerned about the strength of the wind through the

weekend. It remained strong on Saturday,

easing as we head into Sunday. Stay tuned is for further updates on

that. A little bit drier, perhaps, on Sunday with more wet weather on

Monday, and it will be windy again on Monday, as well. I will remember

my umbrella! I am back later with the headlines at eight o'clock, and

after the ten o'clock news. We'll have a quiet nights, but

tomorrow and into the weekend, the weather becomes very noisy. Strong

winds, with some heavy rain tomorrow. The risk of further

flooding. Not just inland flooding, as several flood alerts along the

coastline. The heavy rain will be quite white tomorrow, causing a few

problems. Southerly gales forced winds, and the south coast could be

very rough. There is a hook developing in this lump of cloud

that coming across the Atlantic. That is a rapidly deepening area of

pressure. That swings across the Atlantic, becoming deeper and

deeper. By Saturday, it's a very vigorous affair. Look how tightly

packed the isobars are. Through the Bristol Channel, we could have gusts

of up to 70 mph. Tomorrow, it will be a windy affair, which turns

showery as we move into Saturday. Look how fast those winds are

blowing. The risk of some big tides this weekend. Some of the highest

tides of the year are likely on Saturday and Sunday. The Environment

Agency's flood line number is there for you to use, or you can go to

their website. Let's look at that satellite picture in more detail. A

strand of cloud and that light rain trying to get into parts of

Cornwall. His link out tonight, and by the end of the night will start

to season clear skies develop. The potential, briefly, for a touch of

frost. Tomorrow will be a completely different day. These were pictures

from earlier today, across the Avon River. Some hazy sunshine in the

sky, and very light winds. The flora and fauna seems to be doing all

right despite this wet weather. There is plenty of water coming down

the river. At least the catkins seem to be coming along nicely. A cold

starts tomorrow morning. The rain will whiz in. Winds along the south

coast particularly strong. Turning a bit more showery. Temperatures into

the double figures, but not until the end of the afternoon. Eight or

nine degrees in Devon and Somerset. Windy conditions, with rain clearing

two showers. 550 and 1820 ` big waves. Southerly seven to eight,

there are a westerly 728. Take care.