20/03/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

Jersey good evening, thanks for to spend.

Jersey good evening, thanks for joining us.

Jersey's ability to attract new business is being seriously hampered

by the cost and the length of time it's taken to roll out fast internet

connections. Digital Jersey, the body set up to promote digital

growth, says it costs three times as much in Jersey to have a fast

internet connection and is calling for urgent change. Jen Smith has

more. Jersey's States want to see the

digital sector become a a major industry for the island. It set up

Digital Jersey, an independent body to encourage new business. Its aim,

to create more than 2000 extra jobs in the industry by 2020. But Digital

Jersey says without a fast internet connection growth will be hampered.

I think it is very serious to the economy, not just in the digital

sector but in many sectors, but for the area I am responsible for,

growing the digital sector in the island, as Jersey tries to diversify

its economy, we need to get issues around collectivity addressed so we

can attract companies to Jersey. `` connectivity And it's not just the

digital and technology sector being harmed by the slow roll`out of

services. Digital Jersey say it's damaging the

economy in general. The company that provides most of Jersey's digital

services is JT. I don't except any criticisms over

speed. It is being rolled out more quickly than anywhere in the world.

Costs have been coming down rapidly, volumes have doubled and prices have

halved. Part of the problem is the cost.

This report claims a fast internet connection here costs up to three

times as much as competitive jurisdictions like Luxembourg. And

that's damaging. For getting data off`island, which

is incredibly important, we might be five or even ten times more

expensive than other locations. The regulator that reviews prices in

the Channel islands has told the BBC it's reviewing the cost of

connecting the island. Meanwhile there's a warning from

another island industry tonight ` this time horse racing. People

within the sport are concerned that problems recruiting an experienced

trainer may undermine the industry long`term. The specialist knowledge

and experience needed to manage a yard full`time can't be found

locally and attempts to appoint someone from the UK have been

hampered by the need for a trading licence. Julie Flanagan reports.

Karl Kukk worked in Jersey as a jockey last year and has more than

30 years' experience worldwide in horse racing. But without a trading

licence he can't run a yard in Jersey and that's bad news for the

sport and young people interested in getting involved.

Well, generate money into the island from bringing horses in, and you've

got young ones to learn the trade, and that gives them a push on in

life. Stabling and training facilities are

available here in Jersey. Karl has been stabling horses at this yard in

St Ouen. It's owned by John Le Masurier. He says it's important

horse racing appoints a new trainer sooner rather than later.

We've got a golden opportunity to have somebody who's experienced

Jersey because he was here all last year and has experienced worldwide

and is prepared to pass on that experience to local people.

But what's the criteria for anyone interested in moving to and trading

in Jersey? It is more about what it can bring

to the island, because they have to be benefits to Jersey as well as the

individuals. We get enquiries from hedge funds is all the way down to

people who want to sell jacket potatoes. You have to take a call on

those sort of things. In Jersey the emphasis is on local

jobs for local people, but in a specialised industry like horse

racing the challenege of recruting locally may ultimately undermine the

sport. Last Thursday we reported on the

Jersey Care Inquiry, which will look into what happened in care and

foster homes in the island, and we referred to the launch of a murder

investigation at the Haut de la Garenne home in 2008. Police at the

time had said a potential major crime inquiry concerning a possible

homicide was under way. We'd like to clarify that no formal murder

inquiry was ever launched. The inquiry opens with a public meeting

on April the 3rd. There are fears drinking water in

the Jersey Parish of St John has been contaminated by slurry. Water

in two homes that have their own boreholes has been tested and found

to contain bacteria including E coli. The Environment Department is

investigating. Meanwhile investigations are taking

place in Guernsey into the cause of flooding of the foul water network.

Guernsey Water is carrying out CCTV investigations after heavy rainfall

caused localised flooding. These recent pictures show some problems

encountered, such as roots penetrating the sewer system and

even "fatbergs", which are huge clumps of fat blocking the pipes.

Guernsey businesses are to be given priority over off`island companies

when bidding for States contracts. The new policy will apply to all

jobs the government puts out to tender, such as building projects.

Previously the focus had been on quality and price.

That could be for example the number of people employed locally, the

amount of money that stays in the island, it could be the level of

contribution to the third sector and so on. It is a much broader

assessment of the value of any particular contract to the island.

A good night for Guernsey FC, the Green Lions 13`1 to Whitstable Town.

`` they won 3`1. I will leave you with the feather

forecast. `` weather. We have done quite well compared to

the south`west of England. The rain will be gone by tomorrow. It is

breezy tomorrow, perhaps some showers but not until late in the

day, and some sun. A cold day tomorrow, which is perhaps the real

change. Winds will drop, become mainly Westerleigh and

north`westerly. Overnight temperatures down to around six

degrees. Apart from a few light showers, which will be fairly

isolated, for a good part of the day it is fine and dry but not very

warm. Brisk westerly and south`westerly winds. The outlook

into the weekend is certainly shower re`and cold and also breezy, with

temperatures no more than eight or nine. `` showery and cold.

fairly cool stuff, showers coming through and that's the theme. I will

leave you with that summary. Good evening. The skies were clear for

most parts of the UK and it will turn quite cold but we have to get

rid of the band of rain slipping its way southwards through the day.

Gusty wind. Also a temperature contrast. 16 degrees in Norwich.

Five degrees in