02/11/2011 BBC Newsline

Good evening. This is BBC Newsline with Noel Thompson and Sarah

Travers. The headlines this Wednesday evening.

Crisis again at Northern Ireland Water as the chief executive says

he wants to go. The public sector pension dispute.

Three workers tell us why they feel ripped off by the Government.

The new economic landscape brings hard choices for school leavers the

these are going to mind up, so we need a good Korea to pay them off.

The secret story of American troops in Londonderry during World War Two.

Some of the world's top celebrities plus 20,000 screaming fans will be

here at the weekend. Can Belfast handle it? Find out later in the

programme. And we're halfway through the week.

A busy weekend approaches - I'll have the weekend weather for you

later in the programme. Just on the verge of winter, which

last year brought so much disruption to our water supplies,

Northern Ireland Water is about to find itself without a Chief

Executive. Trevor Haslett took over in January

when his predecessor resigned over the company's poor response to the

crisis. Now, to the surprise of the board, Mr Haslett is saying he

wants to go. Our Business and Economics Editor

Jim Fitzpatrick is here. What is going on?

I understand that he told the company last week that he did

intend to resign. There has been no change in a position. That is where

things stand. An emergency board meeting will be held as soon as

possible. It is clear that he is going.

Does he have a term of notice do workout? Well at the company be

without a chief Executive at this most imported time?

They are hoping that he will be in position during the coldest months,

but that is not sure. The details have still to be worked out.

What do we know about the reasons behind his decisions?

I am speculating here based on people who know him. He is not

being paid as much as the last chief Executive, probably about a

half. He wants to work in private consultancy. It is a very tough job

politically if you are the person in charge. Perhaps he thinks there

is not enough reward for that responsibility. Storm that has

brought NI Water under direct control. It is not an independent

company. The problem they face is a recruiting a new chief Executive

with pay rates that do not compare with the private sector.

If he does go immediately, does that mean that major problems for

the company in the months ahead? It does. And it means that the

politicians who have chosen this structure have to take the

responsibility to -- as well. I understand that NI Water there will

begin at the recruitment. But any Uplyme it will have to be approved

by the minister. -- but any appointment.

Unions are warning that strike action over planned changes to

public sector pensions could still go ahead at the end of the month

despite an improved offer from the Government. Under new proposals,

the retirement age will not change, but contributions are still set to

rise. Health workers have told BBC Newsline they feel undervalued,

even cheated by the proposals which will see some paying up to �800

extra a year. Our Health Correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly

reports. Health care workers are doing very

different jobs, they have one thing in, however. The prospect of having

to pay more into their pensions which made a late retirement. This

woman is a health visitor. Her job means she is often the first point

of contact for families in crisis. But she feels undervalued and let

down by the government's plans. have been experiencing a cut in my

pay. We had been on a pay freeze for two years. we are not

anticipating a pay rise at next year. My pension contributions are

set to rise by almost 26%. health service also employs a

maintenance staff which keep buildings in good shape. In at 2004,

a bonus payment of �3,000 was given to workers to attract them off the

building sites and into the NHS instead. Plans to scrap that

payment has caused ill-feeling. was the it to recruit and maintain

our staff. With paying extra into the pension, I am good to have to

work till I am 60 it. -- I will have to work until I am 68. The

Prime Minister has announced that he will revise his initial offer.

It means that those are due to retire in 10 years will not have to

work any longer and will keep their existing final-salary schemes, but

will have to pay more in contributions. Unions saying that

does not go far enough. They say they will have to go back to their

members. This man says he will have to read the proposal in full.

fear we have been unfairly treated. Coming to the end up of my career,

to make these changes seems unfair. It is also not necessary to make

these changes right now. A around 1 million public sector workers are

due to walk out in their strike. It could mean mums on rest for the

government. An 80-year-old man has been tied up

with cable during a burglary in Dundrod in County Antrim. A gang of

masked men demanded money and ransacked the pensioner's home.

It's not clear if anything was taken.

A 31-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a

man in Londonderry at the weekend. James Healey from Hollymount Park

is accused of stabbing 56-year-old Christopher McGaughey in the

Gobnascale area of the city on Sunday.

The treasurer of the BNP Clive Jefferson, seen here with the stick,

has denied helping to hold a woman against her will in a lorry in

Comber and ordering her to falsify accounts. He was giving evidence on

the final day of an industrial tribunal into claims by Marian

Thomas that she was unfairly dismissed by the party.

As A level students grapple with their university or further

education application forms, they have double worries. What grades

will they get, and will their degree get them a job when they

graduate? There are worries that students are

deserting some careers because of the recession. Our education

correspondent Maggie Taggart has been in Magherafelt to meet some

students. This college digs pupils with a wide range of abilities, but

more and more of them are choosing to stay on to do A-levels. At this

time of the year, the -- they are working on the applications for

universities. Competition is set to be fierce this year. The recession

has focused A-level pupils on job prospects. I was thinking of

biomedical engineering. Thomas has decided to stay at school.

recession has affected the family business. I thought it would come

back to school. This girl has rejected a vocational degree.

doing a business studies course so I can go down any line after that.

It leaves my options open. Some of our students to do not want to go

to university. They are quite happy to do an HND. It may take longer to

get their degree in the end, but they will not have the same debt as

someone going to university. economy may have improved by the

time these young people start looking for work, but employers

want to see well-grounded staff what ever their degrees. When you

are looking, if you are not sure what area you want to go into, pick

a degree that you are interested them but be very conscious of the

employability skills that you need. My cull is determined to go for the

subject he loves. -- Michael is determined. After the degree, you

can do want to become a teacher. Still to come on the programme. The

endurance cyclist looking for new mountains to climb.

Transformations as homeless people help bring new life to this waste

ground in north Belfast. Next year marks the 70th

anniversary of the official arrival in Europe of the first American

troops to fight in World War Two. They landed in Belfast docks in

January 1942. But an advance party of US Navy personnel had been

secretly working in Londonderry seven months before that. And that

fascinating story is now going to be recorded for future generations.

Here's our North-West reporter, Keiron Tourish.

The American sailors and marines who arrived in Delhi during the

Second World War led him two large camps are just outside the city.

They were widely welcomed by the locals. The City it was

strategically very important. One local heritage group wants to shed

light on the huge network of facilities established by the

Americans in the city during the war. There was an able dockyard --

and naval dockyard, a storage facility, where houses. This

building is now that Beech Hill Hotel. It wants provided

accommodation for marines. They were helping to guard the base. One

American researcher has been given special access to secret American

files from 1945. The files and tell us who was here, the hundreds of

ships that came, the social life, almost 25% of the men married women

from here. There are letters from the men and women explaining why

they want to get married. documents will form part of an

archive there was almost lost for ever. It is a family history of the

people of Derry and it shows that the interaction of the US military.

There were almost 300,000 based here during the war. When I was a

reading about it, I was quite excited. Big American names came to

visit the men stationed here. Very exciting stuff and massive tourism

potential. Planning for the new museum is well advanced. It is

hoped to have it all up and running by next February.

20,000 music fans are expected in Belfast for the MTV awards this

weekend. Belfast is the smallest city ever to hold the awards, but

MTV say the event on Sunday night is its most ambitious yet, with

three separate venues involved. A- list celebrities and some of the

top media executives in the US will be here, so just how prepared is

the city? Our reporter Natasha Sayee is live at Victoria Square

where they're planning for a very Retailers are planning for a big

weekend. They hope the City will be really busy with music fans coming.

20,000 are expected. Can we really They are coming. Some of the top

celebrities in the world. Many of them have been here before but

never all at once. The stages are almost set. The last details are

being sorted and everything is getting the once over. Can Belfast

do it? We can because we have done other major events. One day we had

250,000 people here. We have the capacity and the skills and we can

deliver. BVI P's are expected to arrive here on Friday night. People

arrive from all over the world for the event. We have celebrities

arriving by private jet and helicopters. All of the staff are

going to keep an eye out for their feet -- favourite celebrity.

this hotel, the finishing touches are being put in place for the

arrival of the eight Lister's. Extra bottles of bubbly have been

arriving. What else to superstars need? There will be off the wall

products that we get in from America. Some people like the air

conditioning to be at certain temperatures. They like the

humidify air to be regulated. hotels know which celebrities they

are accommodating that they can't tell us. The city is speculating

about who will arrive where. brings a great burst to the city.

Many celebrities coming. You may get Lady GaGa in the back of your

car. You never know. Or would you do if you has Lady GaGa in the

back? She can't sing! I would love her to come in and see us. There

are some of us who still have our feet on ground. We are not living

in the dark Ages, people are able to do their own thing. There are

many moguls in this industry. They are welcome here. It is clear that

the message from Belfast is, Bring It On. Tomorrow night, we have

special coverage of the MTV awards. I will be live on stage at the

Ulster Hall with one of Northern Ireland's biggest bands.

You are having a great week Natasha. I insist that all the red Smarties

are removed. Looking ahead, to tomorrow night,

our environment Correspondent will be reporting from the secret tunnel

that time forgot. It is almost a kilometre long and begin have to

take an articulated lorry. It costs millions and we have been paying

for it ever since. Fresh challenge beckons for two

former Northern Ireland soccer players.

Steve Lomas and Tommy Wright are set to join forces at Scottish

Premier League side St Johnstone. Lomas will be his new manager with

Wright as his assistant. Lomas had been reserve team manager at West

Ham United and is said to be revealed as St Johnstone boss at a

press conference tomorrow morning. Tommy Wright has resigned as

manager of Lisburn Distillery to become his number two. He leaves

the club after feeding them to their first silverware in 18 years

last season. Less than two weeks ago, he was

part of the New Zealand squad that won the Rugby World Cup. Today she

touched down in Belfast. John Afoa is Ulster's big-name signing. He

will make his debut at Ravenhill in three days' time.

He is not here for the weather Bert John Afoa, Ulster's priority

signing. He arrived in Belfast this afternoon. He helped to New Zealand

to win the World Cup last month. He now has a new chapter in his rugby

career. I am nervous. It is something and a new challenge. It

is not my normal routine so I am playing in a new competition with a

new team mates. If for you are expected to play on Saturday.

much are you looking forward to that? I have a couple of friends

that play in that team so we will be good to catch up and play. I

want to strap on the books and have a runaround. Overall expectations

of your time in Ulster? What is your name? I have to find my feet

and play some good 40. Hopefully the club can do better than last

year. With one of the world's best leading the way, Ulster supporters

will be hoping that he brings that little bit -- a little bit of All

Black magic to Ravenhill. Ulster is live on BBC2 this

Saturday. It a couple of years ago we believe

the cyclist who won the toughest I've raised. He will compete in the

US Virgin -- US Virgin -- US version. He will ride 3000 miles in

just over a week. Jo Barr will have just one hour's sleep a day.

Jo Barr is a unique athlete, a former Commonwealth cyclist and in

his fifties, he can push his body to places you can go. In winning

the race around Ireland, event -- he wrote with just two hours' sleep

each day. His latest challenge is more than twice as long and a

career defining test. The reason I want to win in America is I can

close the curtains and be happy with my life. I know there will be

a point where I will want to stop, regardless of how determined I am.

It is at that time that they come in with the information and I can

ride safely and get me to the finish. I am confident we have the

right people to do that. One member of his team knows what it takes to

do the roads -- race. It is the quit -- equivalent of winning and

climbing Mount Everest. You go to some level in saying that to win

this race, you have to go to a really dark place. For people have

to understand that. If you can win this, you become part of the

toughest of the tough. That is not what it is about for me. If Ireland

can come back and win the race across America, it would be nice.

If we could win something that big going into 2012, it will be good

for the country. There will be no Olympic medal for him but a win

will be just as precious. We wish him well and we will let

you know how he gets on. Darren Clarke, grey McDowell and

Moray Racal relay along with Michael Hoey tee off in the early

hours of tomorrow morning. -- Graham McDowell and Rory McIlroy

Roy. Not quite as comfortable with a dragon in his hand and with a

driver. Still smiling after winning over �1 million in Shanghai last

weekend. There is lots more on Good luck.

Allotments are becoming popular but few manage to win national awards

in the first year. When volunteers took over ways --

waste ground in Ballysillan, winning anything was the last thing

on their minds. For much, it was a way of coping

with life as growing vegetables. This is a tale with a happy ending.

It is hard to believe that this place ground was turned into this,

a working allotment. Today it is sprouting vegetables rather than

weeds and rubbish. It nearly didn't happen and it wasn't just the

plants that the volunteers had to deal with. We started working with

volunteers from homeless hostels. We have to get through a lot of the

stigma attached to homelessness. People have perceptions of what

people are like. We did a lot of groundwork and site visits. We got

people to meet face to face and broke down those barriers so

everybody was made to feel welcome. The volunteers efforts ended up

with them winning a national award. Today, it was weeding duties as

usual but for volunteers like Tony, it is changed -- it has changed his

life. I was unemployed for two years and I lived in a hostel. They

offered me a placement at this allotment. We cleared the whole

place out and got it back to that as you see it. I got my

qualifications through the gardening. I did another programme

and I got a couple of jobs over the summer. Despite his new-found

employment, he still works alongside other volunteers there is

always a lot to be done. Working on an allotment is hard work. I could

watch it for hours! It has been a tough month for

allotment owners with that of rain. Now we have a look at the figures

Now we have a look at the figures on that rainfall.

It is very fresh in people's memories. Last week, there was

flooding in Northern Ireland. They have had short of 200 mm of rain

this October. It is the wettest on record. Not everybody had the same

amount of rain this month. When you average it out, it works out as the

second wettest October. Things are going to dry up late in the week

but fortnight and a time tomorrow, you will need to keep the umbrella

handy because there is widespread rain. Some heavy bursts are likely.

There is a strong gust of the South east wind. The rain does he's away

by the end of the night. Temperatures no lower than 12

Celsius. Mild enough to turn the central heating off. There will be

some heavy showers tomorrow. Some of these will be lengthy. There

could be Fender in places. Not everywhere will get the heavy

downpours. -- there could be thunder. There will be the risk of

some further downpours arriving later tomorrow afternoon and Bath -

- tomorrow evening. Temperatures around 15 Celsius. Eventually goes

heavy showers will ease away tomorrow night. Things are starting

to dry up as we move into Friday. We have cooler temperatures

tomorrow night and we are looking at one or two showers. A lot of

places are try. Another nice day to look forward to on Friday. As we

head towards the weekend, temperatures fall. A lot of the

time it is dry, some sunshine around and maybe some frost in

The headlines: The chief executive of Northern Ireland Water has said

he wants to quit after less than a year in the job.

On the day the Government made a new offer to resolve the public

sector pensions dispute, free health workers have told us where

they feel ripped off by the Government.

For and as G20 leaders gather in can macro, France and Germany have

given crisis ridden Greece an ultimatum. Add the you are in the