The Interview

Christie Bailey sits down with retired Jurat and Lieutenant Bailiff Collette Crill to discuss diversity on the Royal Court bench, the importance of having women in positions of power, some of her most memorable moments in the role, and how she plans to spend her free time… January 24, 2023

When his mum collapsed at home, five-year-old Colby Bridgman dialled 999 alerting Guernsey's emergency services that something was wrong.  Unconscious on the floor, his mum had suffered an unexpected medical condition and needed urgent medical attention.  Colby has been praised for helping to save his mum's life.  He and 999 call handler Liz Arklie have both received Commendations from the Chief A...

Russian cyber warfare, malicious crime and a major incident at a local school.  Cyber Emergency Response Team director Matt Palmer speaks to James Jeune about the digital threats on his radar. January 11, 2023

Investigations are now underway into the island's twin tragedies: one in St. Ouen's Bay and one on Pier Road, which together claimed 13 lives. Each one of those was a major incident for the island's emergency services.  So how did they cope, and what do the coming months hold for them? On this Bailiwick news pod, Rod McCloughlin put the questions to Police Chief Robin Smith... January 6, 2023

Karl Marshall talks to Laura Clayton about recent opposition to the event, and how it has affected their 2023 plans. December 12, 2022

Alan Bates, Guernsey Electricity's MD, talks to Laura Clayton about the European energy crisis and how we can help. December 2, 2022

A year ago, a damning report into Adult Mental Health Services in Jersey was published, concluding that while there were examples of good practice, the service was essentially unsafe. Express talks to Andy Weir, the man employed to turn things around. November 28, 2022

Major Bob Place tells Express what the Royal British Legion does in Guernsey, how its work supports ex service personnel and their families and how we can support it by buying and wearing a poppy. 

Three reports have been published today arguing the case for using solar, tidal, and wind energy to raise revenue for Guernsey by suggesting ways the island "can exploit their use".  The research has found that utilising wind energy is the best way for Guernsey to go, with Deputy Carl Meerveld keen to lead a group of politicians furthering this work.  He says it won't cost us anything, and will ge...

Bailiwick Law Enforcement’s annual report for 2021 has revealed a modest reduction in recorded crime compared to previous years.  However, covid and Brexit continue to cause disruption to the Police and Border Agency.  Resignations and retirements are up, whilst in-island recruitment and retention are stagnant – all at a time where front-line services are already stretched.  I sat down with the He...

A decade ago, many Polish nationals were seeking help settling in Jersey... Now, with the pressures of Brexit, the pandemic, and the rising price of living locally, many are returning home, with implications for Jersey's workforce. There's also the matter of war in Ukraine - on Poland's doorstep - and the many refugees that need help as a result.  Needless to say, a lot has changed since Magda Chm...

"The quality of education" at St Sampson's High School "is not good enough" according to a recently released Oftsed report.  It's a damning indictment of one of Guernsey's schools and the fallout of the report has inevitably raised concerns within the teaching community, the student body, the political sphere and from parents of students.  So what happens now? How does the situation get fixed? Exp...

A relatively new aviation company is looking to bring electric aircraft to the Channel Islands within the next three years. GreenAir was launched in 2020, splintering off from a company called Harrison Aviation to focus the owner's intentions into the green aviation space. Express spoke to the owner, Mark Harrison, who has been working in the aviation industry for more than 50 years and is now pus...

The Bank of England has increased interest rates yet again and it is having a substantial impact on Guernsey's mortgage market.  While the situation is only getting better for those with property, the first time buyers are facing consistently increasing house prices. We spoke to head of lending at Butterfield Bank, Ed Jones, to find out how people should be preparing for mortgages and how they can...

Daniele Harford Fox recently took over as Principal of The Ladies' College.  Born in England, her journey to Guernsey was via the United States, Kenya and Oxford University. She has a psychology degree and for a time worked as a Theatre Director.  Daniele previously worked in a co-educational school but she is a passionate advocate for single-sex secondary education. In the latest Bailiwick Expres...

When Deputy Peter Ferbrache was elected as President of the Policy & Resources Committee, he said he wanted to lead a "States of action".  That was 19 months ago. The States are now more than a third of the way through their term.  In the latest Express podcast, we asked Deputy Ferbrache what the States have achieved so far and where they have under-achieved. We talked tax, housing, the cost o...

Deputy Heidi Soulsby has been in politics for 10 years. She has been a serial poll topper at elections and previously held one of the toughest roles in the States as President of the Committee for Health & Social Care.  She is now leading the Government Work Plan, trying to build consensus in an Assembly which she admits is more tribal than any she has known before. In the latest podcast from...

It was once claimed that the medicinal cannabis industry would be a massive economic enabler for Guernsey, that it would revitalise the growing industry and see the Bailiwick lead the way in cannabis regulation.  That hasn't happened yet, and as mainland Europe starts to relax its laws surrounding recreational cannabis, it could never happen. The issues surrounding regulation are complicated. Some...

A former inmate turned prison reform advocate, has commended the Channel Islands' approach to incarceration after recently visiting Jersey and Guernsey.  Paula Harriott is the Head of Prisoner Involvement at the Prison Reform Trust, a group of campaigners who champion rehabilitation over punishment. She came to the islands to speak about 'lived experience' after spending four years in prison for d...

The quality of food is only as good as the soil it grows in, and for decades the Earth's black gold has been degenerated through intensive farming practices.  Everything from petroleum-based fertilisers, mono-cropping, and the fuel required to operate farm machinery has served to harm our environment and produce sub-optimal food. But Jock Pettitt, a self-proclaimed soil farmer, believes the mainst...

Guernsey Cancer Support wants to make sure anyone affected - directly or indirectly - by a cancer diagnosis knows the group is open to them.  The community peer group has been together for more than 12 years and offers people a place to discuss their concerns openly without judgement.  Express met with one of the group's volunteer helpers, Joni de Kooker, to find out how the group can help those a...

The Sark Chamber of Commerce held an event last week called 'Building Sark's Future'.  During the event, the Seigneur of Sark, Major Christopher Beaumont, gave a presentation detailing the story of the island and how it has reached a tipping point in time. There has been a growing disconnect, according to Major Beaumont, between the direction of the island and its governing body, Chief Pleas.  I s...

Politics is about policy and decision making but is driven by characters.  Deputy Carl Meerveld is undoubtedly a character of Guernsey politics: outspoken, controversial and combative - a divider of opinion - to some, in touch with the public like few of his colleagues; to others, an insufferable showman.  In this States' term, he is also at the centre of many of the biggest debates inside governm...

The Policy and Resources committee has begun a public campaign, explaining its approach to broadening Guernsey's tax base. A necessary action, it says, to tackle a looming £85 million deficit: most notably this includes a push once again for a Goods and Services Tax (GST).  The idea has been controversial both publicly and within the States. One Deputy who has been consistently critical of P&R...

The annual De Putron quiz is returning as a completely live, in person event this year.  The inter-school quiz has been a popular and challenging date in the calendar for students from both Guernsey and Jersey for 15 years.  We spoke to one of the organisers of the event, Megan Thoume from Orchard, who told us why the event has been so successful... February 4, 2022