:00:00. > :00:20.Hello, good evening. That's all from us. Now
:00:21. > :00:22.Guernsey's politicians have begun debating changes to the way
:00:23. > :00:26.They include replacing the chief minister and the Policy Council and
:00:27. > :00:29.Luxmy Gopal reports on what the changes include.
:00:30. > :00:31.A shake`up of government, starting right at the top.
:00:32. > :00:33.Policy Council meetings would be no more.
:00:34. > :00:36.Instead a new Policy and Resources Committee would take on the work,
:00:37. > :00:41.There'd be just five members instead of the current elevdn.
:00:42. > :00:45.And none of them would sit on any other States departmdnt.
:00:46. > :00:50.They'd basically oversee wh`t the States do, and how to pay for it.
:00:51. > :00:55.Alongside that, a new senior Policy and Resources Committee.
:00:56. > :00:58.There would be up to nine other principal committees taking
:00:59. > :01:00.on the jobs of departments like Health and Education.
:01:01. > :01:08.And a scrutiny committee to check up on what everyone's doing.
:01:09. > :01:10.And we'd say goodbye to the current Ministers and Chief Minister,
:01:11. > :01:13.and instead have Presidents of each of those committees.
:01:14. > :01:16.If this does all get the go`ahead, the States could look very
:01:17. > :01:18.different come the next election ` and not just because
:01:19. > :01:25.Well, the debate started today and will continue tomorrow.
:01:26. > :01:32.Sophie Sulehria went to meet two of the politicians supporting the move.
:01:33. > :01:38.Joining me now are two of the politicians behind the proposal
:01:39. > :01:45.deputy Matt Fellowes and Deputy Jonathan Trott. Why does Gudrnsey
:01:46. > :01:49.need this change? We have c`rried out this review of the way the state
:01:50. > :01:54.operates, and we have identhfied some fairly major weaknesses in the
:01:55. > :01:57.resident arrangements, so wd are proposing a series of
:01:58. > :02:01.recommendations which deal, one by one, with each of the major
:02:02. > :02:04.shortcomings that we have identified.
:02:05. > :02:12.How will it serve the peopld of Guernsey better? It will provide for
:02:13. > :02:17.better co`ordinated and of policy and resources. That will serve the
:02:18. > :02:24.people of Guernsey, perhaps not in the immediate future but certainly
:02:25. > :02:30.over the long`term. Let's t`lk about leadership and that can improved.
:02:31. > :02:34.The proposals provide two things, greater tools to the senior
:02:35. > :02:37.politician and the senior committee, which is very important, because in
:02:38. > :02:43.my role at the moment, I haven't got very many tools at my disposal. But
:02:44. > :02:47.also flexibility, because at the moment, there is a certain rigidity
:02:48. > :02:52.in the way we have to work which precludes us working effecthvely in
:02:53. > :02:56.certain areas. That includes policy coordination, but also the `bility
:02:57. > :03:02.to be able to manage the budget effectively adduce that is ` tool.
:03:03. > :03:10.The proposal will see the ntmber of politicians reduced. In the last
:03:11. > :03:14.election, many people said to me that they wish there were fdwer
:03:15. > :03:17.politicians. So it will enable us to see a reduction in the numbdr of the
:03:18. > :03:22.politicians, maybe not as mtch as people want, but it will help to
:03:23. > :03:27.streamline and make our state effective and fit for purpose in the
:03:28. > :03:31.21st`century. The states of set`aside four days to
:03:32. > :03:36.decide a very different look to the future of Guernsey's governlent
:03:37. > :03:38.Guernsey's Education Departlent has defended the progress made
:03:39. > :03:40.in its reform of the island?s school systdm.
:03:41. > :03:42.It comes after non`voting board membdr and
:03:43. > :03:44.education expert Denis Mulkdrrin resigned from the board yesterday
:03:45. > :03:47.because of a lack of progress on key issues such as teacher recrtitment
:03:48. > :04:02.It is quite strange. I have had several deputies coming to le and
:04:03. > :04:07.saying that we are going to quickly. We have to work within the political
:04:08. > :04:10.constraints, and within the states constraints, so it is not lhke in my
:04:11. > :04:14.business I can make a decishon and get it done instantly. It is
:04:15. > :04:18.frustrating, but we have done a huge amount of good work, and I would
:04:19. > :04:21.like to finish by saying th`t everything we do is for the benefit
:04:22. > :04:23.of our education of our children and our students. That is what ht is all
:04:24. > :04:26.about. A proposal to allow same`sex
:04:27. > :04:29.couples to marry in Jersey has Politicians spent most of the day
:04:30. > :04:33.debating the idea, but said they needed more time to consider the
:04:34. > :04:48.consequences of bringing in the law. This is what deputy wants to see in
:04:49. > :04:51.Jersey, same`sex couples marrying. He argued that islanders deserve the
:04:52. > :04:58.quality in all aspects of their lives `` equality. We know that gay
:04:59. > :05:01.people deserve to be treated with equality before the law and to have
:05:02. > :05:06.exactly the same chance at happiness as everyone else, and that hs my
:05:07. > :05:10.motivation. But the states didn t get to debate his proposal. Instead,
:05:11. > :05:15.they chose an amendment, asking the chief minister to investigate and
:05:16. > :05:22.report on any unintended consequences and on public opinion.
:05:23. > :05:27.It is particularly about getting consolidation and examining things
:05:28. > :05:31.first. It is a significant decision for the island, and it is vdry fair
:05:32. > :05:36.that we should use at first before signing up to a particular rate I
:05:37. > :05:40.think the politicians are h`ving to balance their own faiths and their
:05:41. > :05:47.own personal beliefs with what they are trying to achieve for the island
:05:48. > :05:51.in terms of equality. Effectively, this group of politicians h`ve
:05:52. > :05:56.delayed making a decision until after the elections in October. It
:05:57. > :05:59.will be up to the new house to decide on same`sex marriage is, and
:06:00. > :06:08.the electorate will decide hf they will support those who voted for and
:06:09. > :06:10.against it today. And that's the news tonight. I shall leave you with
:06:11. > :06:21.a weather forecast. Good night. Good evening. We continue to see a
:06:22. > :06:26.few showers this evening, again into clear now to leave us fine `nd drive
:06:27. > :06:30.tomorrow. Here is the big s`tellite picture with quite an amount of
:06:31. > :06:37.cloud. Further to the west, high`pressure building, keeping
:06:38. > :06:40.things settled for us tomorrow. The situation as we go into tonhght
:06:41. > :06:45.most of the showers have cldared, we might see one or two, but gdnerally
:06:46. > :06:49.it is dry overnight tonight. A fairly breezy night, with the
:06:50. > :07:01.Northwest wind picking up. No real chances of seeing any missed first
:07:02. > :07:04.thing for top. Sunshine could be becoming a little hazy tomorrow
:07:05. > :07:14.afternoon with high`level cloud Temperatures could reach thd low 20s
:07:15. > :07:17.in places. Thursday, another generally dry day with sunshine but
:07:18. > :07:21.increasingly we will see cloud pushing informing East. Dashed in
:07:22. > :07:27.from the east. In a moment, the full UK forecast,
:07:28. > :07:33.but first, the summary. through the next few days into the
:07:34. > :07:36.weekend. Hot on Saturday with thundery showers.
:07:37. > :07:42.Good evening, the rain in Rio is matching the mood, I suspect, this
:07:43. > :07:47.evening. Here, we will take a day off from the rain tomorrow, at least
:07:48. > :07:53.most of us. There will be sunshine around. The showers will be back for
:07:54. > :07:57.the end of the week. Dry over night virtually everywhere. Winds easing
:07:58. > :08:02.down in many places except towards the North Sea coasts. The south west
:08:03. > :08:08.will keep a breeze going. Not a cold night, temperatures holding 12- 4
:08:09. > :08:11.degrees typically. A dry day virtually everywhere tomorrow. Cloud
:08:12. > :08:14.breaking up to allow good spells of sunshine coming through,
:08:15. > :08:16.particularly to Scotland, northern England, Wales and the south of had
:08:17. > :08:18.west. Rain will