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Live Reporting

All times stated are UK

  1. Cobo balcony gigs set to return

    The balcony gigs at Cobo Bay are set to return in August.

    The live outdoor music events were cancelled earlier in the year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but will now go ahead as five separate events starting on 2 August, with the final one taking place on 27 September.

    Cobo Bay

    “Having gone through such challenging times, it’s fantastic we can come together and celebrate, we have a reason to party," said organiser David Nussbaumer.

    "It would have been really disappointing if the Balcony Gigs couldn’t have gone ahead.

    "We promise 2020 will bring a special close to the summer with a great atmosphere of local music, sun and fun for all the family,” he added.

  2. Two additional teacher training days in September

    There will be two additional training days for Guernsey teachers in the upcoming Autumn term, the States has announced.

    States schools will begin with two additional inset days to "give staff an opportunity to have training and development time" missed due to the closure of schools during lockdown, the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture (ESC) confirmed.

    The two days will be on 3 and 4 September, meaning the majority of students will begin the autumn term on 7 September, instead of 3 September.

    However, there will be additional transitional time for some year groups in secondary school on 4 September.

    Vauvert Primary School

    Regular training time is an "essential part of a teacher’s professional development" and is "critical to school improvement", the committee said.

    President of ESC Matt Fallaize added the "pragmatic decision" had been taken so staff had the time to undergo training and professional development.

    Quote Message: We know how important inset time is in providing our children and young people with a skilled and well-prepared workforce and so took what we considered to be a pragmatic decision to add the two inset days missed during lockdown on to the start of the autumn term." from Deputy Matt Fallaize President of ESC
    Deputy Matt FallaizePresident of ESC
  3. Spirit of Guernsey returns from repairs

    Spirit of Guernsey lifeboat

    Guernsey's RNLI all-weather lifeboat has returned after being repaired in England for just over six months.

    It suffered damage during the search for a fisherman whose boat had sank and who was rescued by helicopter.

    The Spirit of Guernsey arrived in the island from Poole on Thursday after the work was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

    RNLB Fraser Flyer, which was serving the island while the Spirit of Guernsey was away, has returned to Poole.

    Fraser Flyer lifeboat
  4. Jessica Roland presides over the States for first time

    With the Bailiff Richard McMahon unavailable, Deputy Bailiff Jessica Roland is presiding over the meeting of the States of Deliberation for the first time.

    Mrs Roland is the first woman to be appointed Deputy Bailiff since the role was created in 1969.

    The deputy bailiff is appointed by the monarch and has their own judicial duties, but will also stand in for the bailiff when unavailable for civic and parliamentary duties.

    When sworn in on 13 May, Mrs Roland said: "If the fact that I'm a woman inspires other people to think when they thought they couldn't do something that they can, well then, that's excellent."

    You can listen to the meeting on 1116AM or online.

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    Jessica Roland and her family
  5. Spike Islander back in the water

    The Spike Islander - the ferry that runs between Guernsey and Alderney - has been craned back into the water.

    The Little Ferry Company, which operates the service, said the vessel was back in the water "after being in the UK for her visit to the boat doctor".

    Replacement boats were brought in to cover the service while the ferry's new engine was being fitted.

    Spike Islander
  6. 'Opportunity' to develop Guernsey's biodiversity

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    The co-founder of the Pollinator Project has argued Guernsey has an "opportunity to develop" the island's bio-diversity.

    It comes as the Environment and Infrastructure committee has released itsr 2020 Strategy for Nature, which aims to improve education on wildlife and secure bio-diversity for the future.

    Barry Wells said the coronavirus lockdown showed just how important natural spaces are for islanders' health.

    He said: "We're a small island, we can continue to develop our biodiversity.

    "It's important not only for nature, but for our own wellbeing.

    "People require the natural world to escape to and relax in."

  7. Condor Ferries to resume sailings to Jersey

    Condor Liberation

    Condor Ferries will resume its sailings between the UK and Jersey this weekend.

    The Condor Liberation will travel from Poole to Jersey at midday on Saturday, in the first passenger service since March.

    It follows the reopening of Jersey's borders to non-essential travellers.

    A reduced limit of 350 passengers is in place to ensure physical distancing can maintained, the company said.

    Travellers will be required to wear face coverings during all future crossings, and check-in times will be extended.

    Two "trial" sailings from Poole to Guernsey will also run on 5 and 8 July, Condor said.

    It said the services had been agreed with Public Health Guernsey and the States of Guernsey "as part of a controlled trial of incoming and outgoing passenger travel".

    Each crossing will carry a maximum of 250 passengers, as directed by the States.

    CEO of Condor Ferries Paul Luxon said: "We take the health and wellbeing of passengers and crew very seriously so can offer reassurance that various contingency plans and measures are in place to mitigate any potential impact of coronavirus.

    "We very much look forward to welcoming customers back onboard this coming weekend and throughout the summer months."

  8. Backlog of surgery leads to eight-week wait

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Almost all surgical procedures in Guernsey will have a minimum of an eight-week delay, according to the chairman of the Medical Specialist Group (MSG).

    During lockdown, only priority one and two surgeries were carried out, meaning that while Guernsey has now entered phase five of lockdown, there is a backlog of inpatient procedures to complete.

    "There are particularly heavy caseloads to work through in orthopaedics, and specialties such as Ear, Nose and Throat which still have restrictions as to the work they can deliver safely in phase five because of the aerosol-generating nature of the related procedures," said Dr Gary Yarwood.

    "Undoubtedly, and principally because of the theatre disruption experienced throughout the pandemic, almost all surgery will be delivered outside of an eight-week wait, for which we apologise," he added.

    A new FAQ section has been added to the MSG website, and anyone with questions about their surgery has been asked to consult with this information before calling in for advice.

  9. Tourist accommodation support deferred to October

    The introduction of a two-tier grant scheme to support visitor accommodation businesses is being pushed back to the 1 October, the States has announced.

    Grants made available to hotels, guest houses and self-catering accommodation providers will be focused on businesses with the "greatest financial need".

    The higher level grant will be given to those who find themselves the "most challenging financial circumstances", the States said.

    Cobo beach

    The decision to delay the introduction of the scheme follows discussions with the industry, who expressed concern over needing more time to prepare for the move away from the payroll co-funding scheme.

    The Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) has agreed that the payroll scheme will continue for visitor accommodation businesses until 30 September.

    The cost of the support was estimated to be £6.5m under the plans from now until the end of April next year.

    Deputy Lyndon Trott, the Vice President of P&R, acknowledged the "real challenge" finding the right kind of support for the tourism sector, given the "considerable amount" of taxpayer money already invested in supporting businesses.

    He said: "We want these businesses to still be here at the beginning of next year’s season when we hope they will be able to welcome tourists again in the way they normally would."

  10. Biker group organises 'Ride of Respect' for key workers

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    A biker group in Guernsey is organising a "Ride of Respect" on Sunday to thank the front-line staff who have fought against the threat of coronavirus.

    Guernsey Bikers Group will set off from Vista's Cafe at Vazon, and end at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital at about 11:30, and take part in a two-minute round of applause.

    Guernsey Police will be escorting the ride, while ambulance and fire service vehicles will also attend.

  11. Coronavirus information 'belongs to whole community'

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Detailed information regarding Guernsey's fight against coronavirus "belongs to the whole community", according to the director of public health.

    Guernsey's government released detailed statistics about the cases of coronavirus, the last of which was recorded on 30 April.

    In total, Guernsey has had 252 cases of Covid-19, 104 of whom had underlying health conditions, with a total of 13 deaths.

    Dr Nicola Brink said the government has to balance the release of information against the privacy of individuals and their families.

    Quote Message: We've always shared our data with islanders, because it doesn't belong to Public Health, it belongs to the whole community. While we aren't seeing new cases confirmed at the moment in the bailiwick, we continue to look at the positive Covid-19 cases we've seen, at look at what more we can learn and what other information we can release publicly." from Dr Nicola Brink Director of Public Health, Guernsey
    Dr Nicola BrinkDirector of Public Health, Guernsey
  12. Emergency control room received 2,123 calls in June

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Guernsey's emergency control room received 2,123 calls from the public in June.

    A total of 1,544 people called the police, 464 people called for an ambulance, while 115 people called for help from the fire service.

    All emergency service calls, regardless of their nature, are answered by the Joint Emergency Services Control Centre, based at the police station in St Peter Port.

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  13. States releases further details of coronavirus cases

    Guernsey's government has released detailed statistics about the cases of coronavirus that have occurred in the island so far.

    In total, Guernsey has had 252 cases of COVID-19, with the first detected on 9 March, and the most recent on 30 April.

    Of those cases, 104 people had underlying health conditions, while there were a total of 34 hospital admissions.

    Thirteen people have died from coronavirus during the pandemic, all of whom were at least 80 years old, and seven of whom were aged over 90.

    Ten of the deaths were recorded in residential or care homes, and three were recorded in hospital.

    Five of those who died were male, and eight were female.

  14. 'Culture of fear' will exist before election

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    The man tasked with bringing forward proposals for Guernsey's general election says a "culture of fear" around coronavirus will still exist during campaign season.

    Politicians have voted to hold the election on 7 October, replacing an early decision to delay it by a year until June 2021.

    Deputy Neil Inder said he is "sympathetic" that some people won't want to be involved in campaigning in the lead up to the October vote.

  15. Overseas aid to support Kenyans affected by pandemic

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Guernsey's Overseas Aid and Development Commission has given £36,000 to a local charity for food, cooking and medical supplies.

    School Farms Africa asked for the money to help the people of Kibera, an area on the outskirts of Nairobi in Kenya.

    The funds will help support more than 1,000 people for over three months, as well as alleviate some of the economic pressure caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

    They will be used to provide flour, beans, rice, milk, cooking oil, and charcoal, and essential medical supplies.

    Peter Sarl, a director at the charity, said the pandemic has made things much worse for the people of Kibera, which is situated in the middle of Africa's biggest slum.

    He added that recent research has found 90% of inhabitants living in Kibera currently have no income at all.

  16. 'Air bridge' sells 60% of seats in first day

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    The CEO of Aurigny has revealed that 60% of seats for the new Guernsey-Isle of Man air link were sold on the first day.

    Flights between the two jurisdictions were available to purchase from Wednesday, after an "air bridge" was created between the two Crown Dependencies.

    Mark Darby said "the phone has been ringing off the hook" and around 60% of seats have already been booked in the first day.

    He said: "We've already upgraded six of the flights to our jet, just because we need the seats."

    The link is initially set to run for six weeks between the 22 July and the end of August, Mr Darby confirmed.

  17. States debates 'revive and thrive' strategy

    The States has begun debate on the "revive and thrive" coronavirus economic recovery strategy.

    The framework includes investing in infrastructure development, examining the population management regime and travel links, as well as a review of taxes and public service provision.

    Proposing the strategy, President of the Policy and Resources Committee Gavin St Pier described the economic crisis as "one of the island's greatest challenges since our liberation following the Occupation".

    "In striving to meet that challenge we have the most significant opportunity, I would suggest, of our generation to improve our island and our bailiwick for the better," he added.

    Quote Message: Guernsey must restore its financial security and community wellbeing through an initiative which is innovative, dynamic and, I would suggest, co-designed with our community. To revive and thrive our vision for recovery requires investment and confidence, rather than cuts and austerity." from Deputy Gavin St Pier
    Deputy Gavin St Pier
  18. Some 90% of Guernsey respondents agree with exit strategy

    Graphs showing percentage of each island's respondents who agree with their exit strategy

    Ninety percent of 501 Guernsey respondents are in agreement with the island's exit strategy, a survey has found.

    The work by Island Global Research reveals only 38% of 454 Jersey residents feel the same about their government's approach to emerging out of the coronavirus lockdown.

    When asked about travel, respondents from Jersey and Guernsey were asked if they would like to see a travel bubble created between the two islands, 58% of respondents in Guernsey said no.

    It compares to 49% of respondents in Jersey who said they would like to see travel between the two.

    Graphic showing Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey responses to air bridges between each island

    Meanwhile 49% of Guernsey respondents agree with an 'air bridge' that will connect the bailiwick to the Isle of Man.

    This feeling was reflected in the response from Manx residents, with 42% happy to see unrestricted travel to and from Guernsey.

    Only 6% of Jersey residents said they had booked off-island travel ahead of the reopening of its borders, and 70% said they had no plans to book any either.

    The reopening of Jersey's borders could be delayed to 10 July if an amendment to the government's safe travel policy is approved in the States.

    While borders remain closed for non-essential travellers in Guernsey, 23% of respondents from the island have booked a staycation although 47% said they had no plans to book a stay within the bailiwick.

  19. Guernsey Investment Fund chairman steps down

    The chairman of the Guernsey Investment Fund, Gilbert Chalk, stepped down from its board on Tuesday.

    Mr Chalk was leaving his role because of a growing need for the role to be filled by someone who is on island for "significant periods" of time, the fund said.

    This changing need from when the fund was launched in 2018 was revealed by the coronavirus lockdown and the increased workload during this period, it added.

    The former chairman was praised and "thanked wholeheartedly" for his "commitment, efforts and professionalism" which had left them in "good health" and with "sound governance".

    Recently published States accounts for 2019 revealed that government investments, including the fund, had made the States £86.3m over the course of the year, which contributed to a £106m surplus.

    Quote Message: Gilbert brought his deep international expertise and independence as a driving force for the set-up of the Guernsey Investment Fund and its operation in its early years. We are very grateful for what Gilbert, in his role of chairman, has achieved for Guernsey." from Deputy Lyndon Trott Vice President of the Policy and Resources Committee
    Deputy Lyndon TrottVice President of the Policy and Resources Committee
  20. Guernsey Police see 37 officers assaulted on duty in 2019

    Andrew Segal

    BBC News

    Nearly 40 police officers in Guernsey were assaulted while carrying out their duties, Guernsey Police's 2019 Annual Report says.

    Chief officer Ruari Hardy said the 37 attacks were "still 37 times too many" and "violence against my staff when they are carrying out their duties is completely unacceptable".

    Operations targeting anti-social behaviour in town and supporting the night-time economy also saw 65 arrests over two three-month periods, the report said.

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