The Gibraltar Chronicle News Blog

Surge in divorces pushes up Government legal bill

2005-10-24T08:58:00.000+02:00

Social Services struggles to meet demand

By Brian Reyes

A sharp rise in the number of divorce cases has led to a crippling workload for the Social Services Agency and contributed to a massive bill of over £2 million for publicly-funded legal assistance in the past two financial years.

The workload has created a backlog of welfare reports required by the courts to assist in ruling on matrimonial proceedings, with some cases delayed by up to a year.

Lawyers say this situation often leads to undue hardship for the families involved.
And because the courts need to keep track of cases while waiting for these reports, the delays also bump up the cost of publicly-funded legal representation. Each time a lawyer acting on legal assistance appears before a judge or a magistrate to check on the progress of a case, the meter is running and the final bill to the taxpayer is growing.

Figures presented to the last session of the House of Assembly in response to Opposition questions show that law firms have been paid £1.63 million from the public purse for legal assistance work carried out over the past two financial years.
In the 2003-2004 financial year alone, one legal practice was paid £255,791.38 for such work. The £1.63m total presented to the House is in fact below the actual total because it refers only to money paid to barristers and law firms, not all payments in respect of legal assistance. Figures available in government budget estimates show that the actual total for legal assistance and legal aid (the latter being but a small percentage of the overall sum) reached £1 million in 2003-2004, about double the amount paid in the preceding financial year.

The official forecast for 2004-2005 is that the bill for legal assistance and legal aid will reach just over £1.2 million. While there is no doubt as to the value and importance of the publicly-funded work that lawyers do, there is widespread concern across political and legal circles that the cost of legal assistance needs to be reined in.

Ironically, while some lawyers specialise in civil cases and make decent earnings from publicly-funded work, legal assistance is seen by most of the legal community as one of the least lucrative areas in which to practice.

Divorces and workloads

At the root of the problem is an acute rise in the number of divorce cases over the past three years, alongside a rise in child protection cases. That has forced the Social Services Agency to stretch its resources in order to cope with the increased workload. The urgent nature of child protection issues mean such cases have to be given precedence and dealt with swiftly, requiring the full-time attention of members of the agency’s staff who had previously also handled welfare reports.

The outcome is that since the tail end of 2003, just one social worker has been tasked with writing welfare reports for the courts. These reports are often required in civil cases and are essential before decisions can be taken on issues such as access to children. Each report requires extensive work - including interviews, school and home visits and writing time – and can take up to eight weeks to complete. The extent of the workload is clearly illustrated by the fact that over the past two financial years, the social worker responsible for the job has prepared a total of 53 child welfare reports.

“During the financial year 2003-2004 there was a noted increase in child protection matters, as well as a marked increase in requests for reports which can be directly attributable to the very significant increase in divorce rates in the last three years,” said Yvette del Agua, the Minister for Social Affairs, during the latest session of the House of Assembly.

“The number of social workers involved in writing these reports was reduced and there began to be a delay of reports of three to six months.

“During the financial year 2004-2005 the delay reached a maximum of 12 months.”

Lawyers have told the Chronicle of cases where parents have had to wait for months before they can see their children because of the tailback of reports.

Mrs del Agua told the Chronicle that when the problem first became evident toward the end of 2003, the Social Services Agency implemented a plan to try to address the root cause. In March 2004, it set up a mediation service to try and help families resolve their problems amicably and avoid having to resort to the courts. The service worked to start with and helped about 25 families but, according to the minister, lawyers largely stopped using it after the first few months.

In the face of continued pressure and a clear trend in family break-ups, the Social Services Agency has been left with no other option but to recruit additional staff and will soon advertise for two new social workers to form part of a Court Social Work Team.

“We have tried different answers but it is now obvious that we need to employ more people,” Mrs del Agua said.

Nothing New

The issues arising from matrimonial disputes in the courts are nothing new and have been highlighted often. At the Opening of the Legal Year last month, Chief Justice Derek Schofield pointed to forthcoming reforms to the way matrimonial disputes are resolved. He said Matrimonial Causes Rules were being overhauled but that this had proved more difficult than anticipated, adding that the judiciary shared the government’s concern over the legal assistance bill.

“The new procedures will be designed to get the judges involved at an early stage with a view to taking as much sting out of the divorce as possible,” he said.

The GSLP/Liberals alliance has also tried to draw attention to this matter. For the past two years, opposition member Fabian Picardo has used his annual budget speech to call for additional social services staff to help cope with the workload.

“We have to realise that marital breakdowns are increasing and that there are more and more juvenile offenders,” he told the Chronicle.

“That means more reports than before, both for welfare cases and probation cases.

Employing more qualified staff is the only real answer.”

Divorces of Residents in Gibraltar 1996 - 2004

Year Divorces:

1996 79
1997 96
1998 117
1999 89
2000 96
2001 129
2002 150
2003 159
2004 119

Source: Supreme Court, as published in government statistics.

Civil Legal Assistance Paid to Law Firms and Barristers

Law Firm/Barrister 2003-04 2004-05:

A MacDonald : 23,969.80
A Nicol QC : £1,500
Attias & Levy : £14,557.00 £4,114.93
C A Gomez & Co £21,299.22 £46,599.73
E C Ellul & Co : £38,845.71
David Pannick QC : £63,000.00
Gold Law : £1,784.50 £18,478.04
Hassans : £31,166.11 £136,236.71
HLB Perez/Rodriguez : £94,202.67 £29,623.60
Hodgson Bilton : £70,225.51
Isola & Isola : £672.84 £69,584.58
J Leighton Williams : £5,000.00
J Evans : £123,583.95 £120,757.72
Marrache & Co : £3,731.60 £91,964.43
Matthias Kelly QC : £14,085.00
Phillips & Co : £255,791.38
Radcliffes le Brasseur : £15,145.47
Ray Pilley : £156,987.25 £12,623.29
S Bullock & Co : £5,648.80 £9,829.00
S R Bossino : £9,737.70 £9,992.16
Triay & Triay : £19,192.07 £110,361.38

Total: £905,811.07 £724,481.08

Trilateral Process a ‘great achievement’ – Holliday

2005-10-22T09:14:00.000+02:00

Whilst stressing Government’s political vigilance in the current process of talks involving Gibraltar, Britain and Spain, Joe Holliday, Deputy Chief Minister, has declared his ‘great confidence’ in Chief Minister Peter Caruana’s handling of the tripartite process.

And the GSLP/Liberals opposition stands accused of “political dishonesty” over its stand on the trilateral forum and airport talks.

Mr Holliday said that the Opposition had tried to confuse and worry the community and he suggested that he has evidence that, when in government, GSLP party would have been happy to participate in tri-partite talks and agree use of the airport. All, he said, would be “revealed in due course”.

A dinner session of the Casino Calpe was told on Thursday night that Gibraltar should seize the economic opportunities that Government expects this process to create for Gibraltar and the region.

Trilaterals

A clear message from Mr Holliday was his support for the trilateral forum and its goals.

He repeated the news that local companies and a joint venture with Spain are looking to the re-establishment of the ferry with Algeciras and he reported that as a result of the Los Barrios process for local co-operation there has been productive and the November should see a meeting of a joint working group to establish joint-antipollution measures for the Bay.

The ferry will, he says, require the go ahead from the ministerial trilateral expected “shortly” but he said the logistics of implementation are already being looked at at local level.

In his address Mr Holliday emphasised that although Gibraltar Government is working for the development of regional co-operation “there is no way we will be absorbed as a municipality of the Mancomunidad del Campo.”

He equally stressed, in answer to questions, that Government had its eyes open as to the Britain - Spain relationship and was ‘suspicious’ of this in the sense of being alert to Gibraltar’s interests. “I have great confidence in Peter Caruana,” he said arguing that Gibraltar will be “pleasantly surprised” when the details form the trilateral process emerge. The trilateral process, he said, is a “great achievement” having met all the conditions the GSD (Gibraltar Social Democrats) had set out.

On the airport he said that Government is determined to get the maximum benefit but at the same time “the red lines will not be put at risk”.

Merry Group

The audience of leading businessmen was also told by Mr Holliday that, with regards to the GSD merger with Labour and the resignation of members such as Keith Azopardi, he would not comment on this but, having in fact voted in favour of the merger, he had accepted the collective decision of the party to see Daniel Feetham and “his merry group of men” join them.

Job Permits

Mr Holliday has also revealed that Government is to ease the access to the local work market for new EU members in sectors where Gibraltarians and other EU nationals fail to meet the demand of employers, the catering and hotel trades in particular.

On the domestic front Mr Holliday had set out how government was meeting its pledge on affordable housing but he rejected suggestions from the floor that the new houses should have had money Government receives from developers calculated in reducing the cost to buyers. He suggested that this may happen on the basis of the way on which these houses are sold and that allocation would be by government itself.

e-Business

Mr Holliday declared that e-business is being focused on and e-government, which means people avoiding queues by being able to conduct much of the business with government on-line, is being worked on and could lead to such things as people booking the MOT on line.

He noted that some businesses, having identified the right product, were now doing very well in e-business.

“Tourism is a success story as far as Government is concerned,” he said announcing that the much put off re-development of Europe Point is imminent.

Shipping was also described as another success story and he said that the 300 unemployed meant Gibraltar has full employment in economic terms. He said that these were either people who did not really want to work or found it difficult to or did not want to find a job.

On providing jobs to new EU member state nations he made clear that the jobs would be well advertised first before being opened to them.

On town planning Mr Holliday reported that although many people talk about new developments few people take the opportunity to formally raise the issue with the planning authorities.

Telegraph pays tribute to Chronicle scoop

2005-10-22T09:13:00.000+02:00

The Daily Telegraph, Britain’s best selling quality daily, has highlighted the role the Gibraltar Chronicle played in reporting Lord Nelson’s famous victory at Trafalgar.

In a two page special a facsimile of the original is reproduced and the story told of how news broke.

“News of the battle and Lord Nelson’s death was slow in reaching London - so slow that the Gibraltar Chronicle, an English newspaper founded in 1801 and still going strong, scooped its British rivals, including The Times, by a full two weeks.”

It tells also how Vice Adml Collingwood had sent his dispatch aboard a schooner named Pickle which arrived at 1am on Nov 6. The Globe, a London evening paper, was able to break the news on that day and, unlike most newspapers of its time, ran a headline and news story before the official dispatch. It followed its headline:

“Destruction of the combined French and Spanish fleet and death of Lord Nelson” with three exclamation marks. The paper reported:

“We stated, some days since, that Government were in daily expectation of important news from our fleet, off Cadiz.

It has, at length, arrived, and glorious indeed it is, as it announces the DESTRUCTION of the COMBINED fleet in Cadiz harbour; but most lamentable, as announcing the DEATH OF THE GREAT LORD NELSON.

News at once so glorious and so melancholy diffused itself through the town, with astonishing velocity. The intelligence was brought home by the Pickle schooner, [captained by] Lt Lapenotiere, who arrived at one o’clock this morning at the Admiralty Office.”

Morning papers carried the news on Nov 7, mostly printing Collingwood’s dispatch in full. The Morning Post, the predecessor to The Daily Telegraph, ran the dispatch over three columns, without any preamble. It also printed in full the Admiralty bulletin announcing the news, which said of Nelson’s death:

“Lord Nelson’s ship being closely engaged with the Santisima Trinidad, and others of the enemy’s ships, a musket shot fired from the top wounded his Lordship, and deprived him of his most valuable life.”

The Morning Chronicle ran the dispatch from Collingwood before its own editorial comment. Its comment read:

“The feeling with which the intelligence of the triumph and death of Lord Nelson was received by the British people did honour to their character.

Not a man who would not have given up his life to achieve such a victory. Not a man who would not have surrendered every part of that victory, (except the honour of Britain), to save the life of Lord Nelson.”

The Observer, the only Sunday newspaper of its time, had to wait until Nov 10 to report the news. The previous week, on Nov 3, almost two weeks after the battle, it could only report:

“We are still without intelligence of the nature or consequences of the battle which is stated to have been fought on the 19th; and we are assured that Government is similarly circumstanced.”

The following week, after the news had finally arrived in London, the newspaper announced the circumstances of Nelson’s death in considerable detail. It reported:

“The ball which deprived the country of one of its proudest ornaments, the ever to be lamented Nelson, entered his shoulder, carrying away part of the epaulet and penetrated into his left breast, the excess of internal bleeding occasioned suffocation.

His body, which is preserved in spirits, is, we understand, coming home on board the Entreprenante cutter, and is to lie in state.”

Related Links:

The Gibraltar Government website provides a number of .pdf files detailing the full programme of events. These can be found here

21 October 2005 - Spain, Britain and France mark Trafalgar Bicentenary

BBC Best Links - News - Trafalgar 200
Coverage of all the events marking the anniversary, with articles about the history of the battle itself .

200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar

SeaBritain 2005

The Battle of Trafalgar at Amazon.co.uk

Gibraltar loses out on Med Presidency to France

2005-10-22T09:12:00.000+02:00

* Poggio Re-elected Vice-President * by Alice Mascarenhas

Albert Poggio was re-elected Senior Vice President for another three-year term of office at MedCruise General Assembly.

15 countries presented their candidature for the election to the office of Senior Vice President; Gibraltar was elected unanimously. But Gibraltar which was also in the running for the presidency of the association lost out to France. The assembly was held in Limassol, Cyprus. MedCruise is the association of Mediterranean ports which has 64 port members across 17 countries.

Commenting on not achieving the presidency Mr Poggio speaking from Cyprus said that there had no doubt been some tactical voting preventing Gibraltar from succeeding. But he added in the second round of voting for the Senior Vice Presidency Gibraltar was one of 15 countries competing the vote for him to remain in the chair had been unanimous.

Mr Poggio said he was pleased to be re-elected as it placed Gibraltar at the very top of the cruising industry the potential of which was increasing each here.
“We will again be at the forefront,” he said.

Meanwhile the next MedCruise Assembly will be held in Gibraltar next year. Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Tourist Board (GTB) Peter Canessa delivered a presentation in Cyprus on Gibraltar.

Hassans set up Vioxx legal claims team

2005-10-22T09:11:00.001+02:00

Local legal firm Hassans has set up a specialist team of lawyers to advise on possible cases of people affected negatively by a pain relief drug.

In a landmark decision, on 19 August 2005 a jury in Texas, USA awarded a $253.4m (approximately £141m) settlement to the widow of a US man who died after using a drug designed to provide relief from the debilitating and painful effects of arthritis.

Hassans said it had issued a press release to highlight the fact that the case could have implications for what appears to be large number of Gibraltarians who have taken the drug, better known locally by its generic name, ROFECOXIB.

The US court found Merck, a multi-billion dollar US pharmaceutical company, negligent as a result of its manufacture of Vioxx which had contributed to the death of 59-year-old Robert Ernst, in the first of what could be as many as 4,200 similar lawsuits worldwide.

The drug is reported to have been taken by about 20m people worldwide from 1999 until September 2004, including many people from Gibraltar. It was apparently promoted as being a safe painkiller without any of the side effects such as stomach problems associated with aspirin and similar drugs. Although prescribed mainly to arthritis sufferers, it will also be familiar to other patients suffering from sporting and other injuries. US government research has however estimated that as many as 27,785 heart attacks or deaths may have been caused by the drug.

Following the judgment Mr Ernst’s widow Carol said she was only seeking the truth in her long fight for justice. “This has been a long road for me. But I felt strongly that this was the road I needed to take so other families wouldn’t suffer the same pain I felt at the time,” she told reporters.

Throughout, Merck have denied liability and initially vowed to appeal the decision although they have since indicated that it would consider settling some cases on an amicable basis.

In the meantime Hassans say that rofecoxib appears to have been widely used within Gibraltar and Ian Winch, a lawyer who is a specialist in class actions against pharmaceutical companies at Hassans, is working on this issue with Gillian Guzman and believes that this is already causing concern to some in the community. Mr. Winch highlighted the importance for those people who may have been affected to take expert legal advice.

Opposition quiz Government on renting at home ownership estates

2005-10-22T09:11:00.000+02:00

GSLP/Liberals has expressed concern regarding the alleged renting out of flats at Harbour Views after receiving representations from tenants.

The matter has come to light following the fire in a flat at the estate this week.

An Opposition spokesman for Housing said:

"The tenants feel that the Home Ownership Scheme was launched with the condition that it was for owner occupation and not to be used as rented accommodation, to protect the public interest, given that this estate was intended to encourage home ownership, and also the interests of owner occupiers given the complications that arise sometimes when there is a mixture of rented accommodation and home ownership in the same estate.

The matter has already been raised in the House of Assembly. At first, Government claimed to have no knowledge that this was going on, and subsequently admitted the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) was renting apartments in co-ownership estates but claimed that it was a matter for the person who owned the flat and was renting it and not for the GHA that was providing the tenant.

This is unacceptable. The GHA should not be encouraging a practice which goes against Government policy since the policy has not changed. We cannot see how existing tenants in Harbour Views and other estates can be made to observe the condition in the Head Lease and not rent out, when the Government itself condones this practice and the reason given in the House for the failure to act has been that the GHA might have to pay higher rent if they rented from landlords in the private sector owning private property as an investment.

Should public money be invested in encouraging home ownership and then those purchasing be permitted to use the property as an investment in order to provide rented accommodation? This appears to defeat the purpose of the original policy of providing free land for home ownership estates and 50/50 start-ups and presumably could lead to private landlords saying that they should also be subsidized to provide rented accommodation if they are going to be competing for tenants with property owners in home ownership estates.

This appears to be a far from isolated case. By condoning this practice and not enforcing the requirements of the Head Lease, or alternatively coming clean and removing the condition from the Head Lease so that people know where they stand, the Government is failing to conduct its affairs properly in this important area of public policy."

Related Article:

17 October 2005 - Government’s GHA rental dilemma

Rosia Tanks 'concerns' aired

2005-10-22T09:09:00.000+02:00

Thursday night saw a committee formed by the residents of the south district to raise and highlight what they describe as serious concerns regarding the proposed massive new development at Rosia tanks.

“This construction is planned in an area already highly congested and sensitive from a heritage perspective. The meeting was well attended and representative of a wide catchment area,” said a statement ahead of a meeting this Monday 9 pm at the Rosia Dale clubhouse.

Related Article:

18 October 2005 - Keep prices of new housing “within financial reach of ordinary local buyers,” says Action for Housing

13 October 2005 - Government announces another 900 more ‘affordable homes’

UN Fourth Committee backs Trilateral approach

2005-10-21T09:54:00.000+02:00

United Nations Fourth Committee has slightly altered its annual decision on Gibraltar noting the current tripartite forum which is separate from the Brussels Process.

This was adopted, by consensus, as a draft decision on the ‘Question of Gibraltar’, by which the Assembly would urge the governments of Spain and the United Kingdom, “while listening to the interests and aspirations of Gibraltar, to reach a definitive solution to that question, in light of the relevant Assembly resolutions and in the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations.”

It “welcomed the establishment of a new tripartite forum for dialogue on Gibraltar, under the statement made jointly by the Governments of Spain, United Kingdom and Gibraltar of 16 December 2004, noting that the tripartite forum was separate from the Brussels Process.”

Meanwhile, in the course of debate on the annual statements on self-determination and other issues affecting the listed territories, Argentina said that in accordance with the Plan of Action for the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonisation, decolonisation seminars could only be held in the Pacific, Caribbean and the United Nations. Argentina claimed that the Assembly had recognised that there were territories to which the principle was not the only one that applied, due to territorial disputes.

Regarding the Falkland Islands, he said the principle of territorial integrity, that of Argentina, should be applied according to several Assembly resolutions.

Similarly Spain said that country had joined in the consensus as it supported the principle of self-determination to certain territories included in a draft but that there were other territories, such as Gibraltar, “where other principles, expressed in General Assembly resolutions, should be applied”.

According to the official UN report on proceedings the representative of the United Kingdom said that his delegation supported the consensus on the resolution fully supporting the right to self-determination. However, the language used in this resolution, in particular that referring to the United Kingdom’s overseas territories, had, he said, become increasingly inaccurate over the years.

“The United Kingdom had made many proposals to modify the language used but none had been included,” therefore his delegation would have to consider whether they could continue to support the resolution in future years.

Related Articles and Links:

Full text of the Chief Minister’s address at the United Nations Fourth Committee on Decolonisation - 6 October 2005.

UN Fourth Committee on Decolonisation - Press Release Report - Gibraltar Petitioners tell Decolonization Committee Sovereignty Dispute between Spain and UK should not displace Right to Self-Determination

07 October 2005 - Caruana seeks calls for UN resolution to reflect reality

07 October 2005 - Bossano rounds on Moratinos: ‘Keep your nose out’

06 October 2005 - Bossano will tell UN today of weakness of Spanish claim to Gibraltar

03 October 2005 - Chief Minister lobbying in the UK and UN

1713 Treaty of Utrecht

UN Fourth Committee on Decolonisation

UN Special Committee of 24 on Deconolization (C24)

Spain, Britain and France mark Trafalgar Bicentenary

2005-10-21T09:53:00.001+02:00

A flotilla of ships, dignitaries from three nations and descendants of original combatants will gather today to commemorate the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar, where Britain’s Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated Napoleon Bonaparte’s combined navies.

Victory at Trafalgar by the Royal Navy secured Britain the world’s sea lanes and heralded more than a century of global maritime supremacy.

For Spain and France, it marked the end of sea power and predicted the eventual fall of Napoleon, who ruled both countries.

The architecturally elegant port city of Cadiz, launching point of many of Spain’s most audacious voyages of discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, was chosen to host the event due to its proximity to the location of the battle.

It was from Cadiz that French Admiral Pierre Charles Villeneuve, aboard the Bucentaure, led a joint French-Spanish fleet of 33 warships - 18 French and 15 Spanish - out to sea on October 19, 1805, to attack British shipping in the Mediterranean. Offshore lay Nelson’s 27 ships.

The battle began shortly after noon on October 21, and by evening the shattered Bucentaure had surrendered, Villeneuve was a prisoner and the Franco-Spanish alliance had lost 22 ships, the British none. As the remains of Villeneuve’s force tried to disengage and limp to the safety of shore more bad luck was in store. The French ship Achille, which had caught fire, exploded and the rest of the fleeing fleet was hit by a savage storm that drowned many battle-weary survivors.

Direct descendants of Nelson, Villeneuve and Spanish admirals Gravina and Churruca are to be joined by naval officers, government officials, diplomats and other descendants in commemorative events throughout the day, culminating in wreath laying out at sea at the scene of the historic battle between countries now allied in the European Union.

Spain will lead the remembrance for the 15,550 dead and wounded in the battle from the aircraft carrier Principe de Asturias and the frigate Reina Sofia while Britain will be represented by HMS Chatham and France, by the frigate Montcalm.

Historic square-rigged tall ships Tenacious and Lord Nelson were sailed to Cadiz by young and disabled sailors to take part in another event aimed to link up with 28 luxury yachts in a mini-enactment of the battle.

“It might perhaps capture some of the flavour of that day 200 years ago, with the tall ships bearing down on us as we sail in line with our yachts," said Richard Matthews, who helped organise the event. We are to be joined by youngsters sailing Gypsy Moth IV, in which Francis Chichester sailed solo around the world for the first time in 1967," Matthews said.

The ceremonies are due to end when flowers are laid in the water at 4.30pm, the moment Nelson died from a bullet wound, knowing that victory was his.

‘Nelson Fever’

Meanwhile, Britain was gearing up yesterday to commemorate Trafalgar today, in celebration of Nelson’s historic naval victory. First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West, who is due next week in Gibraltar said the occasion had taken on the shape of “Nelson fever" as final preparations for the weekend of festivities got under way.

“I was amazed how it has gripped the spirit of Britain across the country. It’s almost a Nelson-fever going on," Sir Alan said. He added he hoped the enthusiasm it had generated about maritime industry and the Royal Navy among the British public would keep going.

“I hope that the interest that will be re-engendered in the sea will continue. One will just have to keep up the pressure so people know how important maritime is to this country. Nelson the man and what he represented - that is an inspiration around the world. Nelson is a hero to every Navy in the world."

Sir Alan, who has previously spoken of his concerns about the reduction in the number of surface warships, said:

“I think Nelson always wanted more frigates. I suppose I could say that but you can only have what you pay for. Personally I would prefer more escorts but you’ve got to live within your resources."

At noon on Friday, bells on Royal Navy warships around the world will ring out to signal the start of the battle 200 years ago. In the evening, a nationwide chain of 1,000 beacons will be set ablaze with the first lit by the Queen beside Lord Nelson’s HMS Victory as the sun sets over Portsmouth harbour.

Other members of the royal family including the Prince of Wales will light principal beacons around the UK. The Queen will also dine in the great cabin of Nelson’s flagship to mark the bicentenary. Her “immortal memory” toast to Nelson will be televised live.

More than 6,000 events are taking place over the weekend including Trafalgar breakfasts, tree plantings and exhibitions. On Sunday, Nelson’s most famous victory and the battle that claimed his life will be marked with a remembrance service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, where he is buried. The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke of York are among those attending.

There will also be a parade of Sea Cadets and the laying of wreaths at Nelson’s Column in the morning. The celebrations will culminate in Trafalgar Square in the evening when more than 10,000 people will gather under Nelson’s column. The Duke of Edinburgh will join them in watching the illumination of Nelson’s famous statue and to see a dramatised show illustrating the battle. During the engagement on October 21, 1805, the Royal Navy annihilated the greatest threat to British security for 200 years. Nelson lost his life in the ferocious battle, which is deemed one of the most decisive naval actions in British history. It established Britain’s supremacy on the high seas and freed the country from the long-held fear of invasion from Napoleon’s armies. The battle off Cape Trafalgar, near Cadiz, pitched the Royal Navy against the combined fleets of France and Spain. Nelson died after he was shot by a French marksman on the Redoubtable as he stood on the quarterdeck of HMS Victory.

The annual commemoration of Trafalgar Day is marked by the hoisting of the most famous naval signal in history;
“England expects that every man will do his duty".

‘No Place for Nelson in Today’s Royal Navy’

Modern day rules on disability would have prevented Admiral Nelson from taking part at Trafalgar if the battle was re-enacted today, a history professor said yesterday.

Professor Anthony Howe, a lecturer at the University of East Anglia in Norwich said at best Nelson would be behind a desk if the battle were fought again and Professor Howe, organiser of a historians conference on Nelson at the UEA next month, said the chances of a child of Nelson’s abilities growing up to be a naval leader in the 21st century were tiny. “Nelson had already received a pension for the injuries he suffered when he fought at Trafalgar," said Professor Howe.

“If the battle were fought again now I’m pretty sure he would have already stopped serving. It would be impossible in a much more professional navy for him to be allowed to do the job he did given his disabilities. At best maybe he would have been given a desk job.

The prospect of going to sea 200 years ago - especially for a child like Nelson who was born on the Norfolk coast - would have been far, far greater than it is now. I would guess if there is a child with Nelson’s capabilities around now he would possibly go into information technology or perhaps make a fortune in the City. Two hundred years ago going into the navy was seen as a way of making social advancement - it’s not like that anymore."

But Professor Howe said it was difficult to gauge whether Britain would triumph if the Battle of Trafalgar was fought today. “That’s a very difficult question," he said.

“The military world is very different now. I think the only thing you can say is that the last time the British navy was called upon was during the Falklands in the early 1980’s. It rose to the challenge and succeeded then so on that basis it probably would rise to the challenge today."

Gibraltar Trafalgar Commemoration

Royal Navy Warships on deployments around the world will mark the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar by the ringing of eight bells today, Trafalgar Day, at noon, supporting an international event co-ordinated by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers in association with SeaBritain 2005.

An MoD spokesman said:

“The use of bells at sea to mark the time and to signify watch changes dates back to the early 15th century when personal timepieces were extremely large expensive and were impractical to take to sea. Bells would mark the hours of a watch in half hour increments. The seamen between decks would then know if it were morning, noon or night. The end of the watch is marked at 8 bells, hence the Naval saying “Eight Bells and All is well.”

Hundreds of bell towers in churches across the world will take part in ringing commemorative peals. Among those countries taking part are New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, USA, Canada, Hawaii, Malta and Gibraltar.

The ship’s bell on Lord Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory in Portsmouth Naval Dockyard will also take part in the event along with shore-based RN establishments equipped with ship bells. HMS Exeter will be ringing eight bells at midday in Gibraltar whilst HMS Sabre will be doing so at sea with Rear Admiral Philip Wilcocks (Deputy Chief of Joint Operations from Northwood) and Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore Allan Adair embarked.”

Related Links:

The Gibraltar Government website provides a number of .pdf files detailing the full programme of events. These can be found here

BBC Best Links - News - Trafalgar 200
Coverage of all the events marking the anniversary, with articles about the history of the battle itself .

200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar

SeaBritain 2005

The Battle of Trafalgar at Amazon.co.uk

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Government lifts Europlaza work ban

2005-10-21T09:53:00.000+02:00

Government safety inspectors yesterday lifted a work ban imposed on the builders of Europlaza after a Spanish construction worker fell to his death on October 4th.

The ban, officially known as a Prohibition Notice, meant construction work at the site had been stopped for over two weeks. Only work aimed at improving safety measures was allowed. But yesterday officials from the Factories Inspectorate partially lifted the Prohibition Notice.

The contractor, Entrecanales and Tavora (Gibraltar) Ltd, will now be permitted to continue work on the interior of the building, though not on its exterior facade.

Mariano Gallego Rodriguez, 50, of Plaza Santa Teresa de Jesus, 11/7c, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, died after falling from a height of 24 metres. According to a police statement, he fell as he stepped onto a 12th floor window ledge from an exterior mobile cradle. The matter is under investigation by the Coroner and an inquest will be held in due course.

Mr Gallego worked for a Spanish company subcontracted by Entrecanales y Tavora (Gibraltar), the principal contractor carrying out the construction work on behalf of the developer Pebble Properties.

The Chronicle tried to contact Entrecanales y Tavora (Gibraltar) several times yesterday but no one could be reached for comment.

Related Articles:

06 October 2005 - Safety on building sites - Union calls for 'zero tolerance'

05 October 2005 - Spanish worker dies in fall from Europlaza building

South West Liberal Democrat in Gibraltar visit

2005-10-21T09:52:00.000+02:00

South West Liberal Democrat Richard Copus has been spending a short break in Gibraltar to share in the Rock’s celebration of the Bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

Richard attended Gibraltar Day in London on Monday and today paid a courtesy call on Gibraltar Liberal Party Leader Gibraltar Liberal Party.

Mr Copus said:

“With the discussions between Gibraltar and London for a new constitution, the future is now opening up for Gibraltar. There is now a confidence which will contribute greatly towards a secure and prosperous future for everyone living, working and involved with Gibraltar.”

Richard Copus is also a Director of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the main professional body for estate agents and well represented on the Rock. He said:

“Chris Hall, our President this year, started his first business in Gibraltar 25 years ago. The NAEA looks forward to strengthening its ties with Gibraltar and seeing the Rock’s first Council Representative at its meetings in the near future.”

Sovereignty status quo will be unaltered by Ariport deal

2005-10-20T08:36:00.001+02:00

Rafael Estrella, the PSOE parliamentary spokesman for Foreign Affairs, has declared that the tripartite forum will be in a position to announce an agreement on the airport, the Spanish pensions issue and improved frontier flow in a period of “two to three months.”

Speaking in Algeciras this week Sr Estrella said that the negotiation on the airport is unconnected to the Spanish sovereignty claim, while the presence of Spanish police at the airport had been discarded.

Sr Estrella said he was moderately optimistic on an airport agreement and said there were technical matters still pending conclusion. The forum based its initial work on the Basle airport in Switzerland which has frontier exits to France.

“We are discussing technical problems that will not alter the status quo on the airport’s sovereignty,” he declared.

Sr Estrella indicated that the negotiation was advancing toward “a joint use airport that included joint commercial management of the airport.”

There will be no sovereignty advantage for Spain with this agreement since this is outside the script, said Sr Estrella.

The Spanish politician said that the Madrid Government will also study the pensions proposal that emanates from the forum, but that the pensioners will have the final say on any eventual agreement and there would be no reduction in the sums of money they are claiming.

“We are dealing with the historical rights of the pensioners and the only discussion refers to the various formulae that can be applied for the payment.

Sr Estrella also admitted that to date, “the British Government has not formally accepted” to pay the pensions but said the negotiating process was “on the right track.”

As regards frontier flow the Granada MP said the negotiations aimed to establish more rational and objective mechanisms to “improve the quality of life” of the citizens on both sides of the border.

MoD pressing Unions to move ahead with 'in-house' proposal

2005-10-20T08:36:00.000+02:00

Contractorisation

Gibraltar’s trade unions are meeting with lawyers today to consider the way ahead in their dispute with the Ministry of Defence over contractorisation.

An ‘in-house’ option would require the local workforce and management to propose an arrangement that would be competitive with commercial proposals that have been tendered to MoD since they advertised earlier this year for a provider.

Legal action by the union against MoD seeking to halt contractorisation remains suspended and the union leaders here will be examining the contents of a reply that came this week from Defence Secretary Dr John Reid to representations by TGWU and Prospect. But the MoD is known to be keen to see movement on this issue following a long spate of unhappy exchanges between the unions here and the MoD in UK often via the unions’ main UK offices.

Only last week Commodore Allan Adair, Commander British Forces Gibraltar told the Chronicle that he hoped that talks could begin ‘within weeks’ on the ‘in-house’ option in relation to MoD cuts. He said that MoD has confirmed it is prepared to “work on this and delegate things down to a local level.”

The union had been seeking clarification from Dr Reid as to what precisely the ‘in-house’ bid would entail and details of the suggestion.

At Gibraltar Day in London, in the presence of Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram, Peter Caruana, Chief Minister, declared jobs should be preserved for the loyal residents of Gibraltar who welcomed and supported the presence of the base. He said that this should not be done through contractorisation which would allow jobs to drift for the benefit of cross-frontier workers who “oppose the presence of the base, do not want it here and complain every time a nuclear submarine comes to visit.”

Related Article:

19 October 2005 - Caruana calls on MoD to honour Rock’s loyalty

Caruana calls on MoD to honour Rock’s loyalty

2005-10-19T08:56:00.002+02:00

Gibraltar Day in London * From Alice Mascarenhas in London

As the Ministry of Defence prepares to negotiate the possible contractorisation of some of its core functions in Gibraltar, Chief Minister Peter Caruana, warned of the importance of reciprocating the relationship that Gibraltar had delivered over the years, and that the base remained a good responsible employer.

Delivering his main speech to over 1000 guests at the Guildhall Art Gallery, Print Room and Old Library, at the main celebration of Gibraltar Day in London on Monday night, where Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram, outgoing Conservative leader Michael Howard, top Military personnel, and for the first time ever a present serving Governor of Gibraltar (Sir Francis Richards) along with former Governors, Mr Caruana declared jobs should be for the loyal residents of Gibraltar who welcomed and supported the presence of the base and should not through contractorisation be allowed to drift for the benefit of cross-frontier workers from the neighbouring country who opposed the presence of the base, do not want it there and complain every time a nuclear submarine comes to visit.

But Mr Caruana, choosing his words carefully, stated Gibraltar’s dispute with the MoD would continue to be treated as a dispute between friends. The MoD, he declared, would continue to be a valued part of the Gibraltar community and economy.

On the issue of visits to Gibraltar by nuclear submarines, the Chief Minister said his government rejected the complaints by other neighbouring countries of the use of Gibraltar as a base for British nuclear submarines recreational and operational visits. He reassured:

“We welcome that through our contribution to the British defence effort we too can contribute to the global collective effort of what we regard as the greater British family of which we are a part of.

As far as we are concerned they are hugely welcomed and should regard themselves as their home from home.”

The Ministry of Defence he insisted remained economically important to Gibraltar which continued to make huge economic, social, and political progress, despite being small, facing threat and challenges on an international scale.

“Gibraltar is a British success story in the Mediterranean,” he reiterated.

In a message to Spain in reference to the current ongoing bilateral talks he said:

“Everybody knows that Gibraltar values hugely and wishes to retain its exclusive British sovereignty. It is a matter of affinity, mutual regard, and respect for that most fundamental and democratic political rights, which is the right of the people of Gibraltar to freely and democratically decide its own future.

This does not mean that we turn out backs on our neighbours Spain and do not seek with them, the best, most cordial, most cross-border co-operative relations that we have.”

To demonstrate this Mr Caruana spoke of the new trilateral process of dialogue which he reassured was not a negotiation about sovereignty but one of open agenda and where the government of Gibraltar was present on an equal basis with the other two participants, Britain and Spain.

For the second time he announced that an early fruit of this process will be agreements that will allow more extensive useful and international air services connections with the Gibraltar Airport.

During his speech Mr Caruana reflected on the long-lasting effects of what had happen as a result of the Battle of Trafalgar.

“Britain would not have established unquestioned dominance of the global seas and nor would it have been saved from the risk of invasion.

We in Gibraltar have no doubt that if Nelson had not triumphed at Trafalgar Gibraltar would not have endured with British Sovereignty for the next 200, from which the Rock has also gained.

We understand the historical links such as Trafalgar which for so many people is simply history, for us in Gibraltar it is something which enables us to be what we subsequently became and all that we have also enjoyed.

Britain’s dominance post Trafalgar of the world enabled expansion and consolidation of global trade and empire, it allowed the global reach of some of the things of value which we in the Anglo-Saxon world hold dear still to this day. Without Trafalgar British values, institutions, language, the system of Justice and administration, political and democratic process, which we all take for granted, in the most remote corners of the globe would not have endured to establish the consensus right way to do things in so many countries all over the world.”

As a result of their commitment to Exercise Jebel Sahara just a handful of soldiers from the Royal Gibraltar Regiment were present at the event but the military and navy presence was felt throughout in this Bicentenary year of the Battle of Trafalgar.

The gathering was welcomed by Sheriff Alderman, John Stuttard, of the City of London. Music was provided by the Band of the Royal Artillery which also undertook the Sunset Ceremony, with a parade from the Fort Cumberland Guard. An old naval tradition from the Nelson era was re-enacted during the ceremony when soldiers and marines dressed in period dress entered the Guildhall carrying a Baron of Beef and presented it to the Chief Minister just like it would have happened on board ship. Back then the Captain would reply to the question “is it your wish that this should now be served” before the meat was cooked – on this occasion it was Mr Caruana who gave the go ahead.

The guests this year also included all the Chief Ministers of the Overseas Territories, in London for an annual consultation meeting with the FCO, in which Mr Caruana will also participate later today.

Governor Sir Francis Richards, the first serving Governor to be invited to participate in Gibraltar Day, said he was glad to be a part of the event. Speaking in support of event, Sir Francis said he happened to be in London for a meeting, and had been invited by the Chief Minister to attend. He said:

“This is about the ties that make Gibraltar British.

If you are a place like Gibraltar you have to make sure you are visible. You are a bit like a small yacht loose in shipping lanes with vast super tankers and vast aircraft carries around, and if you do not make a bit of noise, make sure people can see you and that your friends know you are there, I think you risk getting forgotten. Gibraltar Day is certainly part of government strategy for making sure that does not happen, and I can see the force of that.”

Meanwhile the Chief of Defence Staff, Sir Michael Walker, confirmed there was no truth in the rumour that he was being tipped as the next Governor of Gibraltar.

“It certainly has not been on my radar screen at all,” he said.

On the contractorisation issue the Major General commented how there were at present contractorisation arrangements across all of the armed services in the UK.
Contractorisation is the way forward, he said.

“As you know the in-house bid is being prepared and there is an opportunity for that to be part of competition.”

From a union perspective, Prospect General Secretary Paul Noon, said the union was profoundly concerned about the issue although he felt things were moving in the right direction.

“I feel we are at present where we should have been nine months ago. If the government had done it properly we would not have had the necessity for a legal challenge but I think things may be back on track even though we have to iron out the details."

Meanwhile today Chief Minister Peter Caruana takes a break and joins members of the Manchester United Gibraltar Supporters Club, of which he is Patron, in Manchester to see the match against Lille. Tomorrow evening he travels to Oxford where he will be addressing the Law Society at Oxford University on Gibraltar’s Financial Centre and its legal/ political situation as a small territory in Europe.

Related Articles and Links:

15 October 2005 - Chief Minister departs for Gibraltar Day in the City of London

Gib Liberals in Mallorca conference

2005-10-19T08:56:00.001+02:00

Mallorca seems to be in vogue with local politicians as a delegation from the Gibraltar Liberal Party of Gibraltar will shortly be leaving for the Balearics to participate in a political conference on the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership known as “The Barcelona Process”.

This will be followed by a meeting of the Executive Committee of Liberal International.

The Gibraltar delegation is headed by Liberal Party leader Dr Joseph Garcia and includes Secretary General Steven Linares and Executive Member Leslie Bruzon.

A Liberal Party spokesman said:

“The objective of the Barcelona Process is to foster cooperation on political reform, economic liberalization and social issues between the European Union and the countries on the southern and eastern rim of the Mediterranean.

The territories are Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. Economic, political and social issues will all be debated in detail at the conference as will the Israeli-Palestinian situation which also has an influence on the success or otherwise of the Barcelona Process.

The keynote address will be delivered by the former Prime Minister of Finland who is now an MEP and who is the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the Barcelona Process. There will be round table sessions which will centre on different topics. Panelists in these sessions include Alistair Crook the former EU envoy to the Middle East, Avraham Poraz former Minister of the Interior of Israel and a former Finance Minister of Jordan Basam Awadallah.”

The conference will be followed by the Executive Committee meeting of Liberal International. This is the main governing body of the organisation between Congresses.

The Liberal Party of Gibraltar have a seat and a vote in their own right. Dr Garcia said that any discussion on Mediterranean policy and cooperation between north and south was very relevant to Gibraltar given our location opposite Africa and at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea itself.

“We will take every opportunity to contribute to the discussion and put across the Gibraltar perspective during the deliberations."

In addition to this the Gibraltar Liberals will update politicians from all over the world on Spain’s decision to challenge in court the extension of the vote in European Parliamentary elections to Gibraltar, and inform the other delegates of the on-going negotiations with the UK for a new decolonising constitution,” he added.

Housing Group call for rental property

2005-10-19T08:56:00.000+02:00

Government housing plans applauded

Pressure group Action for Housing have welcomed the recent Government announcement of a further 900 ‘affordable homes for sale’ in the three south district projects, but they also say Government has remained silent on its commitment to build homes for rental.

The Government said AH is to be congratulated for spearheading these projects and going “a long way to meeting the needs of the community, provided these are truly affordable.” They say prices must be kept within reach of ordinary local buyers.

AH insist that housing for rental is a GSD electoral promise and that there is a great need for this as some are unable to purchase.

“An early announcement on the construction of flats for rental would be very good news indeed,” they said adding that there is urgent need for contingency arrangements for the genuinely homeless.

“Those unfortunate cases need to be addressed now and cannot wait three to four years by which time we shall have hopefully, broken the back of the housing shortage.”

Man tried on cannabis charges

2005-10-19T08:55:00.001+02:00

A young local man appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with possession with intent to supply 140 grams of cannabis resin.

Peter Macias, 18, of 13/14 Hospital Steps, was arrested by Drugs Squad officers from the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) following a search at his residence.

The officers also found paraphernalia associated with the supply of drugs.

Mr Macias was charged with possession and possession with intent to supply 140 grams of cannabis resin. He was granted bail and the matter was adjourned.

A male juvenile was also arrested in the same incident for possession of 25 grams of cannabis resin. He is currently on police bail.

Triathlon funds for Rainbow Ward

2005-10-19T08:55:00.000+02:00

The Triathlon Association and Natwest Bank yesterday presented a total of £1723 to staff at Rainbow Ward in St Bernard’s Hospital.

The money was raised during the Natwest Triathlon event earlier this summer and will be used to purchase a Vitalograph spirometer for the ward and the hospital’s paediatric out patients’ unit.

This specialist equipment enables medical staff to easily measure children’s lung function and capacity and will be a valuable tool for doctors treating young patients suffering from asthma and respiratory problems.

Chris Walker, one of the organisers of the event, presented a cheque for £1473 to Sister Mary Sene. Amanda Eccleston, the bank’s Head of Retail Banking in Gibraltar, presented a second cheque for £250 to Dr Steve Higgs, consultant paediatrician at St Bernard’s.

The second sum was awarded by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, as part of its Group’s Community Cashback Award Scheme, to the bank’s staff who participated in the triathlon.

Under the terms of the scheme, the RBS Group matches its staff’s fundraising efforts by making additional payments to nominated charities and community groups.

Improved relations with Spain good for economy - Caruana

2005-10-18T09:07:00.001+02:00

Airport and telecommunications raised at Gibraltar Day in London * By Alice Mascarenhas from London

“There has been a significant thawing in relations between Gibraltar and Spain where it is likely that an early fruit of this process will be agreements that will allow more extensive useful and international air services connections with the Gibraltar Airport, and also the resolution of some current difficulties in telecommunications,” Chief Minister Peter Caruana announced to businessmen, accountants, lawyers, property developers and finance centre players, at the start of Gibraltar Day in London yesterday.

Mr Caruana also stated that the Gibraltar Government expected these agreements to be positive for the economy of the Rock.

The setting for his speech was the now traditional Finance Centre lunch hosted by the Chief Minister at the Royal Automobile Club, where many of Gibraltar’s top businessmen and professionals were also present.

Mr Caruana made clear Gibraltar continued to be engaged in negotiations with the UK to further modernise the Rock’s constitution, eliminating from it the last vestiges of colonialism, but at the same time reassuringly stating that Gibraltar would retain its British sovereignty and close constitutional links with Britain, as an overseas British territory enjoying the maximum degree of self government.

Earlier he had spoken of how Gibraltar enjoyed a highly developed and much respected professional infrastructure, where he asserted that the Rock’s lawyers, bankers and accountants “think and create globally” whilst being constantly innovate with new services and opportunities tailor-made for different industries and different purposes in different countries.

Mr Caruana assured that despite the challenges posed by the EU Taxation of Savings Directive, the banking sector continued to grow and to diversify.

“It now employs some 700 people and we continue to welcome important newcomers.”

Mr Caruana said that insurance and insurance intermediation was the fastest growing sector – enjoying EU single market passporting rights. Locally licensed insurance companies have grown from 13 to 45 in just four years.

A new sector too is the pan-European Pension, where the government expects a golden opportunity. The Chief Minister pointed to new legislation which would allow Gibraltar to become an efficient jurisdiction of choice to establish corporate pan-European corporate pension schemes. He also briefly mentioned the intended establishment of a stock exchange, which he said would be backed by important EU financial institutions.

These diversifications, away from the traditional brass plates and simple depositing business, to all of these much more sophisticated, and creative skills based financial services, according to Mr Caruana, have been instrumental in the huge and successful repositioning of Gibraltar’s finance centre over the last 10 years, into what he described as “a truly on-shore off-shore international and European finance centre.”

Mr Caruana was confident that as world markets had increasingly globalised, the Gibraltar government had also ensured that the Rock remained at the forefront of EU and international standards of legislation, anti-money laundering and serious crime. Gibraltar he insisted valued its good working partnership with multilateral bodies such as the IMF (International Monetary Fund), OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development) and Financial Action Task Force (FATF), but at the same time, he added, remained committed to fiscal competitiveness and to respect for bona fide privacy and confidentiality.

IMF To Visit

Meanwhile he announced that Gibraltar had agreed to a further IMF assessment in March next year.

Mr Caruana then spoke of the deficiency in drafting which had raised some doubt among some EU member states as to whether Gibraltar companies were intended to -benefit from three EU directives in relation to - Parents and Subsiduaries, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Internet and Royalties, which the EU has now confirmed would also apply fully to Gibraltar. Mr Caruana concluded that Gibraltar would continue to welcome financial services providers.

“Those who share our vision of the importance of high standards and reputation; we will continue to be innovative in the legislative framework that provides new opportunities for our finance centre; we will remain committed to the principle of No or Low tax, and with the help of so many leading financial services institutions provide an environment, for the safe and prosperous provision of financial services throughout the EU and the world,” he reiterated.

‘No negotiation on Gib's future’ – Europe Minister

2005-10-18T09:07:00.000+02:00

There are currently no negotiations between the UK and Spain on the future of Gibraltar.

That is the position as stated in the House of Commons by Europe Minister Douglas Alexander.

Mr Alexander said that the Trilateral Forum, created through a joint statement by the Governments of Spain, the United Kingdom and Gibraltar on 16 December 2004 gives an equal voice for all three parties to discuss matters relating to Gibraltar. Any party may raise any issue relating to Gibraltar in this forum, he said.

He added that so far, the forum has concentrated on areas of possible local co-operation, including expanded use of the airport, telephones, pensions and problems at the border.

MOD torpedo Juarez protest

2005-10-18T09:06:00.002+02:00

• ‘Keep out of it’ says Opposition

Juan Carlos Juárez, the Mayor of La Línea, vented his anger last weekend on hearing news that the Royal Navy was sending a nuclear submarine to Gibraltar as part of the Battle of Trafalgar celebrations next week.

“There is growing indignation in the Campo de Gibraltar and specifically in La Linea at the British Government's arrogant attitude and the constant provocation of visits by nuclear powered submarines to these waters,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

But Sr Juárez appears to have jumped the gun because according to official British military sources, there will be no submarine visit next week.

The root of the misunderstanding is a press advisory notice issued by Headquarters British Forces last week, in which a visit to an SSN’ - military speak for a nuclear submarine – was tentatively pencilled in. Were it not for the sensitivities north of the border, it would have been a simple media trip: a visit to a Trafalgar class submarine to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

Yesterday, a second statement from HQBF tried to clear the air of controversy.

"A prominent politician in the Campo de Gibraltar has suggested that a British nuclear submarine will arrive in Gibraltar on 28th October,” the statement said.

“The Ministry of Defence wishes to confirm that no submarine visits to Gibraltar are envisaged to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar.”

Opposition Anger

While that clarification from the British MoD might help to ease concerns in the Campo de Gibraltar, it came too late to stop political reaction in Gibraltar to the La Línea mayor’s comments.

“Sr Juarez appears to be incapable of understanding that the frontier between Gibraltar and La Linea is an international frontier demarcating the national sovereignty between his country and ours,” said the GSLP/Liberals opposition in a statement.

“Spanish territory ends at La Linea and British territory commences and applies from the moment that people show their passport and exit Spain.

Clearly, if such considerations apply as regards the area of the frontier and the airport where British military aircraft come and go as they please without having to seek the permission of Spain (notwithstanding the Spanish myth that the isthmus belongs to Spain) it applies with even greater strength and logic to visits by British naval vessels of whatever type to the naval base.

The British military presence in Gibraltar and the use of British military facilities in Gibraltar is a matter entirely for the people of Gibraltar and the British Government and has nothing to do with Sr Juarez simply because he happens to be near us.

Just like we in Gibraltar do not interfere in the visits that may be made by warships at nearby Spanish ports, including American nuclear powered vessels.”

And in a statement bound to rankle with the Spanish mayor, the opposition alliance also questioned Sr Juárez’s sense of history.

“It may interest the Mayor of La Linea to know that Gibraltar was not obtained as a result of the Battle of Trafalgar,” the GSLP/Liberal statement said.

“It was already under British control 100 years before then.

The British military presence in Gibraltar was of great assistance to Spain when
they were in the process if being conquered by Napoleon.

Indeed, if the British had not intervened to defend Spain against domination by France, who knows whether the Spanish nation might have ended up under French control to this day.

In which case we would have found ourselves with a better neighbour than the one we have had to put up with for the last 300 years.”

Nelson’s Sub?

In his statement this weekend, the Mayor of La Línea asked himself why the British military would want to bring a nuclear submarine to Gibraltar as part of the Trafalgar celebrations.

“As far as we know, there were no submarines in that battle, let alone nuclear ones,” he said.

Technically speaking he is, of course, correct, but new documents have surfaced suggesting that submarines were very much on Horatio Nelson’s mind prior to that famous battle at sea. According to an article in the Sunday Times, those documents show that Admiral Lord Nelson “held secret talks at Downing Street on sinking Napoleon’s ships with submarines, mines and rockets.”

“The plan involved towing the mines, referred to as “infernal machines”, across the Channel on high-speed catamarans and then detonating them beneath the French vessels,” the article reported. The weapons meeting in Downing Street was also attended by Robert Fulton, a pioneer in submarine design.

“Fulton gave the meeting expert advice on the use of catamaran-mounted torpedoes,” the newspaper article stated.

“Previously he had designed the first “submarine boat”, the Nautilus, in Paris, but when he approached Napoleon’s ministry of the marine with a plan to blockade the mouth of the Thames with them, it scornfully dismissed him.

Fulton crossed secretly to England, where he demonstrated his design to [prime minister] Pitt.”

Details of the meeting have been published in a new biography of the admiral by Roger Knight, visiting professor of naval history at Greenwich University.

Mr Knight told the Sunday Times that Nelson’s interest in new weapons, which came too late to affect Trafalgar, stemmed from his worries that the war against Napoleon was near deadlock.

Drug smugglers disappear on Gibraltar beach

2005-10-18T09:06:00.001+02:00

Officers from the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) impounded a rigid-hull inflatable launch that was abandoned by drug smugglers on Western Beach last Saturday following a Guardia Civil operation in La Linea.

The Spanish officers tried to arrest the smugglers as they unloaded nine bales of cannabis resin from the boat to a waiting vehicle in the area known as Boquete de Poniente.

Although the car and the drugs were seized, the men managed to get away in the launch and sped towards Gibraltar waters.

The Guardia Civil contacted the RGP, which then despatched officers to the area. But the information from Spain came too late.

“The vessel was seized but the persons had already fled,” a police spokesman said.

According to Spanish authorities, the car used in the drug smuggling operation was an Audi that had been stolen in Estepona last April and was fitted with false number
plates.

Guardia Civil officers seized a total of nine bales of hashish weighing a total of 270 kilos.

Man, 85, injured in traffic incident

2005-10-18T09:06:00.000+02:00

An 85-year old Spanish man was taken to hospital with suspected spinal injuries yesterday after he was knocked down by a car opposite the Trafalgar Cemetery.

Although the incident is still being investigated by police officers, it appears the man was run over as he crossed one of the southbound lanes at a designated zebra crossing.

The area was sealed off while a Scene of Crime Officer took photographs, with southbound traffic diverted onto Ragged Staff road.

The driver of the vehicle was interviewed by police officers but was not arrested.

Yesterday’s incident followed two other serious traffic accidents over the weekend.

On Saturday evening, a 23-year old local man sustained slight injuries after apparently losing control of his vehicle close to the Caleta Hotel. The vehicle ended up on its side and damaged a wall close to the hotel.

In a separate incident early on Sunday morning, a 26-year old local woman was arrested on suspicion of drink driving after her vehicle crashed on Rosia Road and damaged three cars parked opposite New Mole House police station.

Man and woman on amphetamine charges

2005-10-18T09:05:00.002+02:00

Two Gibraltarians appeared in court last Friday charged with possession with intent to supply 160 grams of amphetamines, the drug commonly known as speed.

Drug squad officers from the Royal Gibraltar Police searched residential premises at 19 Ark Royal House where they found the drugs, worth £3,200 on the street, and paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking.

Annalise Rocca, of 19 Ark Royal House in Laguna Estate, and Christopher Santos, of 12 Willis’s House, were both jointly charged with possession and possession with intent to supply the amphetamines. Santos was also charged with possession of one tablet of ecstasy following a search at his address. Both were granted bail and the case was adjourned.

Museum takes leading role in Malta

2005-10-18T09:05:00.001+02:00

Professor Clive Finlayson, Director of the Gibraltar Museum, has just returned from a three-day visit to Malta.

Professor Finlayson was guest of Heritage Malta, the Maltese Government’s Agency responsible for heritage on the islands.

Professor Finlayson was one of three guest speakers at the annual heritage forum that focused on the theme of heritage and tourism. The two other guest speakers were the directors of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich and of the Museu Maritim of Barcelona.

Professor Finlayson spoke about the relationship between research, conservation and tourism potential, dealing with Gibraltar as a case study. The lecture was very well received and quoted repeatedly by other speakers. It emphasises the leading role of Gibraltar and the museum in the field of heritage research and conservation.

Professor Finlayson was also invited to speak on the second day during the course of the Forum of Mediterranean Maritime Museums. On this occasion, Professor Finlayson presented the Bicentenary Exhibition, currently open at Casemates, as a case study on the development of exhibitions with an appeal to tourists and the local community.

The Association of Mediterranean Maritime Museums (AMMM) held its annual meeting during the course of these events. An executive council was established given the increasing number of participating museums and associated institutions. The Gibraltar Museum was one of five museums elected into the council, the other cities represented being Barcelona (Spain), Genova and Palermo (Italy), and Piran (Slovenia). The Gibraltar Museum will therefore continue as a leader in the context of Mediterranean maritime museums.

Vinet congratulates Academy

2005-10-18T09:05:00.000+02:00

Minister for Sport, Fabian Vinet, has congratulated the Bushido Ju-Jitsu Academy for their recent successes.

Mr Vinet said:

“For the Bushido Gibraltar Ju-Jitsu Academy to have returned home with a grand total of 21 medals (including five Golds) at the ‘Annual Bushido Championship, Course and Gradings’ held earlier this month, is a phenomenal achievement.

This has helped place Gibraltar firmly on the Ju-Jitsu world map prior to the 17th UNJJ European Congress to be held in Gibraltar.

I therefore take a great pleasure in congratulating the Gibraltar Academy and wish them the best of luck for the future.”

Safety issue dominates Airport expansion – CBF

2005-10-17T09:10:00.001+02:00

* MOD must recover part of £10M running cost

Safety is a key issue of concern to the MoD in relation to the airport and plans for increased use that would follow any agreement in the trilateral forum.

That was the clear message from Commodore Allan Adair the Commander British Forces who highlights that this is a military airport.

“We are mainly concerned with safety in the use of the airport and it is not just us but also the aeronautical safety team. If it were not a military airport it would be shut for safety reasons,” says Commodore Adair referring to the fact that the Rock itself looms over the runway as do a number of high buildings.

“It creates all sorts of turbulence and in some conditions you cannot just land there.

There are buildings that have emerged quite close to the runway that would not normally be allowed. So safety is our primary concern and there are strict rules about how close you can build and land.”

It’s one of the few runways that is a captain only one for landing. (sic)

Another issue is the traffic access across the runway.

“I am fully aware of the terminal issues. I know what the Spanish desire for dual use of the terminal. All these things we can talk about.”

Commodore Adair accepts that the MoD landing fees are very expensive compared to Malaga, four times as much, but he says the airport costs £10m a year to run.

“We have to recoup some of that money.

I am not here to run a civilian airport but to run a military airport. We have to come to a compromise."

"I can see a small expansion of civilian traffic but all things have to be taken into consideration. If you do up the traffic you will inevitably cause problems with vehicular traffic,” he says referring to plans such as the idea of building a tunnel at the eastern end which he says would be a good thing.

Commodore Adair said he was not yet aware of the outcome of the last set of talks in Mallorca.

“People must be aware that is a military airport but we will bend over backwards to help the Government of Gibraltar in their plans to increase its use.”

Related Articles and Links:

The Schengen Convention

17 October 2005 - A foot in the running of the airport

17 October 2005 - Schengen concerns lie at heart of Airport talks

15 October 2005 - ‘Concessions’ for Airport deal, but not on any fundamentals - Caruana

14 October 2005 - Arenas condemns Tripartite Forum

01 September 2005 - Bossano rejects Spanish participation in Gibraltar Airport

31 August 2005 - Spain wants to have its own police in Gibraltar's airport

Comment on this News report - Click on the 'Comments' link below - You can also Discuss this Story in our Forum

View Images in our Gibraltar Pictures Gallery

Schengen concerns lie at heart of Airport talks

2005-10-17T09:10:00.000+02:00

Dominique Searle reports

As the likelihood increases that trilateral ministerial talks will not take place until the New Year it has emerged that one of the key areas being focused on in discussions on the airport is how passengers are processed when moving in and out of the Schengen area.

This means access into Spain that then allows free entry into most of Europe.

Particularly sensitive will be dealing with non-EU travellers heading to Spain.
The talks continue to seek protocols that will operate and how passengers can be jointly managed so that Schengen requirements are met.

As stated by Spain at the UN the concept is that once the issues are agreed trilaterally they will then be ratified by the two sovereignty states, UK-Spain.

But what is increasingly seen as a sensitive element is the question of the position taken on the process by the PP (Partido Popular). Despite calls from Andalucia PP leader Javier Arenas, the issue is expected to be treated at a higher level in Madrid. PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Espanol - The ruling Government Party in Spain) are keen to remind the PP that it had entered a process aimed at resolving the Gibraltar question as Spain sees it and that there should be a common stance.

Key to this will not only be the reaction in the Campo to the expanded use of the airport and the economic benefit that will bring but a resolution of the Spanish pensions issue. Any agreements reached will also have to be put to the pensioners themselves.

Resolution of telecommunications issues is said to be progressing.

Whilst works continue at the Spanish side of the border on the facilities there Spain is trying to agree a method that would allow faster processing of people crossing. Madrid essentially has been seeking some process by which regular border crossers can be distinguished from genuine tourists for customs purposes.

Related Articles and Links:

The Schengen Convention

15 October 2005 - ‘Concessions’ for Airport deal, but not on any fundamentals - Caruana

14 October 2005 - Arenas condemns Tripartite Forum

01 September 2005 - Bossano rejects Spanish participation in Gibraltar Airport

31 August 2005 - Spain wants to have its own police in Gibraltar's airport

Spain has no power of veto, says Caruana

2005-10-17T09:09:00.003+02:00

Eastside Project

Gibraltar Government has already paid £842,000 in professional fees since 2003 in connection with the Eastside Development, Chief Minister Peter Caruana said yesterday in the House of Assembly.

The bulk of the payment has been sums of £462,000 and £359,000 to the Gibraltar Land Reclamation Company and Triay and Triay respectively.

Meanwhile responding to questions from Opposition spokesman Dr Joseph Garcia, and also to comments by Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos reported in the Spanish press, Mr Caruana said that whatever provisions for cross-border consultation and participation existed under the Environmental Impact Assessment directives (see links below), Spain would have no power of veto on the project.

“We will not abrogate any type of final sovereign decision to authorise the plan or not,” he declared.

Mr Caruana said that any suggestion that Spain might have any other role before anybody else is able to participate is wrong.

The Chief Minister once more explained the mechanics and application of an Environmental Impact Assessment and the provisions for cross-border consultation in cases of significant impact on the environment of a neighbouring country. He said the Gibraltar Government was not reluctant to share information with Spain and give them the opportunity to participate in the consultation process, but said there were huge projects going on in Crinavis and La Linea “within swimming distance of Western Beach” about which there had been no notification from Spain.

Mr Caruana said Spain was entitled to ask to participate and Gibraltar had a legal responsibility under EU directives to inform Spain of the measures that may be taken to reduce any material impact on the environment. Mr Caruana reiterated that Gibraltar scrupulously applied EU directives and also had the right to express its environmental concerns about projects in Spain.

Mr Caruana also said that the British Government had informed Spain that the Eastside Project is a matter for the Government of Gibraltar and that the environmental aspects “are matters of Laws of Gibraltar which fully transpose applicable EU obligations.”

Related Articles and Links:

Regulations 14 and 15 of Gibraltar’s Town Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations, 2000

UNECE Protocol on SEA

European Union (EU) Directive on SEA (2001/42/EC) - transboundary consultations

28 July 2005 - Spain asks for consultation on Environmental Impact

26 July 2005 - Government responds to environmental impact assessment demands for Eastside Projects

26 July 2005 - Partido Andalucista voice objections to Eastside Development

27 January 2005 - Reactions in Spain - Juarez calls for environmental study into Eastside Project

26 January 2005 - Eastside Development first step taken for £1 Billion project

Gibraltar Government Press Release - 26 July 2005 - No: 178/2005

Slovenian company interested in GibTelecom shares

2005-10-17T09:09:00.002+02:00

Slovenia Telekoms is one of a number of parties interested in buying Verizon’s 50% stake in Gibtelecom, Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister, told the House of Assembly.

And he added that the government, while not actively seeking to sell its own 50% share of the company, would entertain possible offers.

“The government understands that Verizon have now sold almost all of their investments in Europe and are now looking to complete their exit from Europe by selling their equity in Gibtelecom,” Mr Caruana said in response to questions from the GSLP/Liberals opposition.

“There is therefore a very high prospect that Verizon will sell its stake to one of the parties with which it is presently in discussion, which includes Slovenia Telekom.

While the government is not actively seeking to dispose of its shareholding, it would certainly listen to and consider any options that emerged as part of Verizon’s disposal.”

Mr Caruana added that the government had no interest in buying Verizon’s stake itself.

Related Articles and Links:

Verizon

Slovenia Telekoms

Government’s GHA rental dilemma

2005-10-17T09:09:00.001+02:00

The Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) has rented a small number of flats for its employees in housing estates where subletting is prohibited, the House of Assembly heard last week.

Although the matter was first identified toward the end of last year and was raised again during an earlier session of the House this year, the government said it was still considering “the appropriate way” to resolve the situation.

The issue relates to flats in Harbour Views, Montagu Gardens and Westview Park which were built for owner occupiers, not for business purposes as rental properties. The head lease of these properties prevents owners from subletting them to others. But the House heard that the GHA was renting up to five such flats, despite the terms of the lease.

Ernest Britto, Minister for Health, said the government was still looking into the matter and said one key consideration was the high cost of rental properties in other areas of Gibraltar. Any final decision, he said, “will be made in the interests of Gibraltar and in the interests of the taxpayer.” He also said that owners of such properties, or those buying in future owner-occupier estates, should not harbour hopes of a government policy change on this issue.

“The government is considering the situation,” Mr Britto said. “No one should jump to any conclusions.”

Leisure centre not rocket science, says Caruana

2005-10-17T09:09:00.000+02:00

Government has not conducted a questionnaire/referendum to establish the demand for a ten pin bowling alley in Gibraltar, Chief Minister Peter Caruana said in reply to questions from Opposition spokesman for Culture Steven Linares.

Speaking about the Kings Bastion Leisure Centre project, Mr Caruana said a ‘leisure centre’ was an established concept and that the bowling alley was a very popular form of family entertainment both for adults and children.

Mr Caruana said that judging by the amount of Gibraltarian families he had seen at the ten pin bowling alley at Carrefour in Los Barrios whenever he went there with his own family, this would be “very popular indeed.”

Mr Linares was keen to know whether Government had tested public opinion as to preferences on the type of amenities to be included in the Leisure Centre.

Eliott's rise curtailed

2005-10-17T09:08:00.001+02:00

Eliott's Tower Project

The Development and Planning Commission has not approved an application to build a 28-storey annexe to the Eliott Hotel, though the project could still get the green light if the plans are altered, the House of Assembly heard this week.

The DPC discussed the project at a meeting last Wednesday and decided that it was not satisfied with the plans as presented.

“The main issue is the height,” said Joe Holliday, Minister for Trade, Industry and Telecommunications.

“There has been discussion about possible alterations or changes.”

Mr Holliday declined to give any further information to the House because the developer had yet to be informed of the detail of the DPC’s decision. “It would be unfair for me to comment,” he said.

Related Links:

21 September 2005 - Eliott's Tower Project - What should the DPC decide - Poll

Check Availability or Book your Hotel Room - Eliott Hotel

Negligence payout bumps up GHA claims bill

2005-10-17T09:08:00.000+02:00

The Government of Gibraltar has paid a total of £2.7 million to meet legal claims against the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) between 2000 and September this year, according to figures presented to the House of Assembly.

The bulk of that sum, £2.3 million, was paid during the 2002-3 financial year and relates to a negligence case brought against the GHA by Steven Zayas. A number of medical errors made during his birth in 1986 left Mr Zayas with a permanent disability.

In 1999 his parents, represented by local lawyer Charles Gomez, issued proceedings against the GHA that ultimately led to a record damages’ payment of £2.5 million.

The yearly sums paid out by the GHA in respect of legal claims over the five-year period vary substantially. In the 2000-1 financial year it was £296,835.25; in 2001-2 it was £16,267.31; in 2002-3 it was £2,296,687.75; in 2003-4 it was £56,554.09; and in 2004-5 it was £26,421.40. Between April and September this year, the latest data presented to the House, the GHA paid out £42,437.07 in respect of legal claims.

The House was also told that the GHA has paid a total of £2,781,977.40 in insurance premiums to cover its staff against claims.

Responding to questions from the GSLP/Liberals opposition, the government disclosed that 98 medical malpractice claims had been filed against the GHA over the last five financial years starting from April 2000. It also gave details of the number of complaints dealt with by the GHA’s Complaints Coordinator.

Health minister Ernest Britto told the House that 90 formal complaints had been investigated to the complainants’ satisfaction. A further four complaints were referred by complainants to the Independent Review Panel. But Mr Britto also indicated that the number of happy patients far outweighed the number of complainants. He said that during the same period under review 263 commendations thanking the GHA were received from patients in the form of letters, newspaper adverts and tokens such as flowers and chocolates.

Cancer Study Next Year

The government will produce a report next year on the incidence of cancer in Gibraltar using data from the Cancer Registry that was set up in 1999. Health minister Ernest Britto said the registry would shortly commence a quality audit inline with international guidelines. He warned against drawing conclusions based before the audit was concluded, adding that at least five years’ worth of data was required in order to establish any particular trends. Having made that caveat, however, the minister nevertheless offered some hints of what might lie ahead.

“All the indications are that the graph is steady and no going up or down,” he told the House.

‘Concessions’ for Airport deal, but not on any fundamentals - Caruana

2005-10-15T08:25:00.000+02:00

Chief Minister Peter Caruana last night declared that an airport deal will entail “concessions” to Spain although not of a sovereignty, jurisdictional or control nature.

Speaking to GBC (Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation), Mr Caruana said that one of the measures proposed by Gibraltar is that the airport terminal will be moved up to the frontier fence to avoid mixing passengers with the normal traffic at Winston Churchill Avenue. This would not necessarily be a new terminal although the current one needs to be improved on.

“One of the formulas we have put forward is that the airport remains exclusively Gibraltar airport, in Gibraltar, with all the airport functions done in Gibraltar, but that the terminal is physically connected up to the frontier to avoid the passengers having to mix with Winston Churchill Avenue”. This, he said, would have no sovereignty implications.

“It would be geographical and entirely acceptable to us.”

As he had said often previously, Government would be willing to allow Spanish commercial interests to participate in the commercial operation of the airport terminal contracted in the way Terminal Management is, just as happens with banks and other commerce. There is nothing in the negotiation relating to the airport which impacts on the political concerns in Gibraltar, he explained.

Mr Caruana said that inter-governmental negotiations cannot take place with detailed
blow by blow accounts otherwise there would be no agreements at international level. But he reiterated that nothing agreed will impact on exclusive British sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over the airport and there will be no Spanish officials of any kind such as police or customs based in Gibraltar.

“That is what concerns most Gibraltarians and that is not on the cards.”

Asked why the terminal should be moved Mr Caruana said he did not subscribe to that school of thought propagated by the GSLP (Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party) - now, “but not when they were in Government”. The GSLP, he said had, at the time of Kumagi Gumi wanted a deal for Gibraltar.

“Beware I say to the people of Gibraltar of people who say suddenly no need for deals which they spent three or four years unsuccessfully trying to do.”
“People in Gibraltar can take the view that we are fine as we are and that if Spain wants to use our airport, let them lower their pants to the ankles and abandon their long standing position. I think that is a perfectly reasonable position for people who think there is no need to change the status quo.”

But he continued, for anyone who “including the GSLP in government” who thinks that “an airport agreement on terms which are politically safe for Gibraltar and which do not give any sovereignty concessions or jurisdictional concessions is good for Gibraltar, because it will enhance our economic prospects”. Then, he said, the former would not be a very good analysis.

“There have got to be concessions to Spain – there won’t be concessions of a sovereignty, control, ownership or jurisdictional nature - but there will be concessions to Spain. There has to be an agreement.

Either there is an agreement which involves some non-sovereignty sort of concession to Spain or there are no agreements and “we spend the next 100 years excluded from EU liberalisation measures.

Just because Gibraltar is right does not mean that Spain and Britain would otherwise change the situation.

I am determined that there will be no airport agreement that prejudices exclusive British sovereignty ….just as I am convinced that it is hugely in Gibraltar’s political, social and economic interests that an airport agreement can be done without breaching what I have just said.”

Mr Caruana said he was very enthusiastic for such an arrangement and agreement is just one issue away – this relates to the nature of direct access. But nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, he reiterated.

Albufeira round of talks cost Government around £10,000

2005-10-15T08:24:00.000+02:00

House of Assembly Question Time * F Oliva reports

Hosting the Tripartite Talks in Albufeira (District of Faro) in July cost the Gibraltar Government over £10,000, Chief Minister Peter Caruana told the House of Assembly yesterday at Question Time.

Meanwhile the trip to New York in June to address the C24 cost the government coffers some £3,000. A further £6,000 approximately was spent in other trips to UK for meetings with the Foreign Office and the Treasury for talks on taxation and Spanish pensions.

The cost of the latest trip to New York and attendance at the Labour and Conservative Party conferences have not yet been invoiced.

Gib-US Supplement Cost

Gibraltar Government spent over £28,000 in taking out advertising in a special supplement that appeared in the US News publication to coincide with Mr Caruana’s intervention before the UN Committee of 24 in June.

Responding to Liberal Party leader Dr Joseph Garcia, Mr Caruana responded that the Tourist Board and the Finance Centre departments “took out advertising in the US Special Report published on May 30th 2005 at a cost of £14,289 and £14,512 respectively.” Mr Caruana added that the cost had been incurred in the advertising and not in the publication of the report.

Gaming Growth

No less than 1,349 persons are currently employed in Gibraltar by the fifteen locally based gaming companies, Chief Minister Peter Caruana said yesterday in the House of Assembly.

He was responding to questions from Opposition spokesman on Trade and Industry Joseph Garcia during an unusually placid and mild-mannered
session. The breakdown of employee nationalities is as follows: Gibraltarians 271; British 669; Spanish 48; other 361.

Meanwhile in a further reply to Dr Garcia, the Chief Minister also stated that the US Government had not made any representations to the Gibraltar Government regarding on-line gambling from the Rock. Mr Caruana added that they had not been advised by the British Government that it had received any such representations either.

MoD hopes for ‘in house’ option

2005-10-15T08:23:00.000+02:00

Unions write to Defence Secretary

Talks could begin ‘within weeks’ on the ‘in-house’ option in relation to MOD cuts, Commander British Forces Allan Adair has confirmed.

This follows an exchange of correspondence between Defence Secretary Dr John Reid and TGWU chief Jack Dromey with a decision pending on the outcome of that.

MOD has said it is prepared to “work on this and delegate things down to a local level.”

Commodore Adair said he hoped that within two or three weeks talks will take place and the in-house option will be taken forward with the help of Command Staff in Gibraltar.

“I am very much looking forward to taking this forward and bringing it to a satisfactory conclusion both for the MOD at large and mainly for people locally.”

Meanwhile, the unions are holding their ground against contractorisation but it is understood they are awaiting a reply to their response to Dr Reid following his original letter which urged the ‘in-house option.’ That in effect means the affected workers putting together a package that would be an alternative to contractorisation but help achieve MOD targets. The union are seeking clarification from Dr Reid as to what precisely the ‘in-house’ bid would entail and details of the suggestion.

It remains possible that union leaders could chance on Mr Reid if he attends the Gibraltar Day in London also attended by Gibraltar unions and to which Mr Dromey has also been invited.

Related Links:

02 September 2005 - Ball is in MoD court, says Montiel

06 August 2005 - Discussions continue but prospects for agreement improve

30 July 2005 - Unions express discontent with Reid “way forward” proposals

28 July 2005 - House approves bill to enshrine court ruling into statutes

21 July 2005 - Caruana spells out conditions for settlement at Naval Base

19 April 2005 Unions declare a united front on MoD Contractorisation

Gibraltar News Online Contractorisation Poll

Ullger highlights RGP anti-terrorism role

2005-10-15T08:22:00.001+02:00

Passing out parade

Joe Ullger, the Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP), used this year’s passing out parade to highlight the role of the police in combating the threat of global terrorism.

He told the new recruits that Gibraltar was not immune to terrorism and that they would play a central role in ensuring the Rock remained a safe place in which to live. He reminded them of the commitment and the high standards that they were expected to maintain when they began their frontline policing. Commissioner Ullger urged them to be courteous and polite in their dealings with the public, but also firm when necessary.

There are 15 recruits in this year’s intake, including PC 38 Garcia; PC85 Celecia; PC107 Dalmedo; PC148 Olivero; PC166 Holmes; PC175 Quigley; PC189 Ward; PC202 Santos; PC83 Balloqui; PC95 Garcia; PC115 Barrett; PC161 Jones; PC169 Guy; PC178 Martinez; and PC190 Garratt.

The award for Best Academic Recruit, awarded to the officer who attained the highest average grade in exams over the 13-week training period, was won by PC Dylan Quigley.

The Best All Round Award, presented to the recruit who in the eyes of training staff had the most influence as an individual and on the class, was won by PC Anna Jones.

The training officers were Inspector Paul Richardson, PS James Sawyer and PC Jonathan Lutkin.

Spanish Senator revisits Gibraltar

2005-10-15T08:22:00.000+02:00

Ana María Chacón Carretero a PSOE senator for Cádiz, 35, paid a private visit to Gibraltar yesterday as a guest of the Mar del Sur Association headed by Ana León.

She is a member of the NATO parliamentary committee and of the ‘Comisión mixta’ for the EU. Sra Chacón was earlier in La Linea to address school and college students. A good English speaker she spent a year in Liverpool at the John Moore University as an Erasmus scholar where she made several Gibraltarian friends around 1995.

This was not her first visit as she has led several school visits here when a school teacher. She said Gibraltar provides students with a unique opportunity to enjoy a different culture and learn some English. She said that organisations like Mar del Sur should be encouraged to do work which creates greater understanding in the process of the relationship between the Rock and Spain. She was frank about the lack of knowledge in Spain even at political level about the way Gibraltar works.

Related Links:

The Spanish Senate: What is it?

Erasmus: Information from Wikipedia

Chief Minister leaves for Gib Day

2005-10-15T08:21:00.000+02:00

Chief Minister Peter Caruana leaves for London at the weekend for the annual Gibraltar Day event in the City of London, which takes place on Monday and will this year have a marked Trafalgar Bicentenary theme.

This year’s programme starts with simultaneous events at two different venues; the Gibraltar London Office at Arundel Great Court where Minister for Trade, Employment & Communication Joe Holliday will be hosting a special day meeting of the United Kingdom Gibraltar Tourism Association; the Finance Centre lunch hosted by the Chief Minister at the Royal Automobile Club.

The main event, as has now become traditional, is the Chief Minister’s reception which will be held at the Guildhall Art Gallery, Print Room and Old Library in Gresham Street. There will be words of welcome from Sheriff Alderman, John Stuttard, of the City of London followed by the key note speech by the Chief Minister.

On Tuesday and Wednesday of next week the Chief Minister will be taking part in the annual Overseas Territories Chief Ministers Conference at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

On Tuesday evening he will join members of the Manchester United Gibraltar Supporters Club of which he is Patron, travelling to Manchester to see their match against Lille.

On Wednesday evening the Chief Minister travels to Oxford where he will be addressing the Law Society at Oxford University on Gibraltar’s Financial Centre and its legal / political situation as a small territory in Europe.

He returns to Gibraltar on Thursday morning.

Gibraltar - Spain Frontier: Two hour queue

2005-10-15T08:20:00.000+02:00

The queue at the frontier reached two hours yesterday as works on the Spanish side forced traffic into using one lane only.

It is not clear why better arrangements could not have been made to ease what was a peak hour and probably the worst moment for such an exercise.

Sharp rise in MRSA cases, House told

2005-10-14T09:14:00.001+02:00

By Brian Reyes

The number of cases of MRSA contracted locally by patients in St Bernard’s Hospital has risen sharply this year, according to statistics presented to the House of Assembly yesterday.

Ernest Britto, Minister for Health, told the House that 10 patients had contracted the so-called ‘hospital superbug’ in St Bernard’s between January and September.

That compares with 18 cases of locally-contracted MRSA detected between 1996 and 2004, a figure that was given to the House during a session earlier this year.

Mr Britto also revealed that a further seven cases were detected in St Bernard’s during the first nine months of this year, though those patients contracted MRSA while undergoing treatment in UK hospitals.

The minister declined to publicly disclose the names of the UK hospitals where the seven patients had been treated because it was “not in Gibraltar’s best interests.”
But he nonetheless provided the information to the GSLP/Liberals opposition on a confidential basis.

Of the total 17 cases of MRSA detected in St Bernard’s this year, it is the locally-contracted ones that are of greatest concern to health officials.

MRSA refers to a type of bacteria that has become resistant to the most commonly used antibiotics. Healthcare professionals say that MRSA has to be seen within the wider context of “hospital acquired illnesses”.

The Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) has put in place management systems to ensure the risks are minimised as far as possible.

In the coming weeks, officials at the GHA will be reviewing the current procedures to assess whether or not they need to be further tightened in the light of the latest statistics. The key to ‘infection control’, as the GHA refers to it, is strict hygiene, not just for hospital staff but for visitors too. In an interview with the Chronicle earlier this year, Mr Britto said that there was no cause for alarm.

“But it’s a source for concern because it’s [about] infection control and we need to be aware of it and we need to be on top of it,” he said at the time.

Related Articles and Links:

Information pages about MRSA from National Centre for Infectious Diseases

Arenas condemns Tripartite Forum

2005-10-14T09:14:00.000+02:00

Javier Arenas, president of the PP Andalusia has said that the tripartite forum is a disaster for Spain.

In a statement to journalists he said that the Spanish Government should reconsider its approach to Gibraltar.

He was particularly critical about the British position on UK nuclear submarines and the reluctance by Britain to guarantee no repairs will take place on these in Gibraltar.

The issue is being used as a cudgel by the PP since PSOE (ruling government party) took a strong line during the HMS Tireless episode in 2000/2001.

Related Article:

14 October 2005 - Tireless hearing before the European Court of Justice

11 October 2005 - La Linea mayor threatens with anti-submarine protest

05 October 2005 - Junta to raise submarine issue in Parliament

04 October 2005 - Sub stirs turbulent reaction in Campo

04 October 2005 - Gibraltar can handle nuclear submarine repairs

28 September 2005 - Spain declares war on nuclear vessels in Gibraltar - but not in Spain!

27 September 2005 - Nuclear powered submarine HMS Trenchant visits Gibraltar

27 September 2005 - Spanish ecologists protest against docking of British nuclear submarine

View Submarine Images in our Gibraltar Pictures Gallery

Comment on this News report - Click on the 'Comments' link below - You can also Discuss this Story in our Forum

Port tests oil spill response

2005-10-14T09:13:00.001+02:00

* Spain may join next exercise

A Gibraltar Port Authority carried out their final exercise in a three-day programme to practice anti-pollution response mechanisms yesterday.

Although there was no Spanish involvement this year, officials hope that this will change in the future as a result of the new climate of cooperation with the neighbouring port of Algeciras.

"I am hopeful that once our current discussions with the port of Algeciras progress, we may be able to develop a strategy which will take care of any incident in the bay where we have a joint approach to the pollution,” said Joe Holliday, minister for trade, industry and telecommunications.

“This is one of the issues that is very much at the forefront of our discussions.”

A team of pollution control experts from UK-based Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), with which the government has a contract in case of a major spill, also participated in the exercise, which is held at least once a year.

Chris Miles, one of the company’s duty managers at its headquarters in Southampton, said the exercise helped his team to familiarise themselves with the equipment available here, which they might one day have to rely on in a real situation.

“For a port, there’s a very good level of equipment in Gibraltar,” he said.

“Around the UK, very rarely do we see so much equipment available, but then again, Gibraltar is a major bunkering facility so you can expect that.”

Power blackout was produced by 'human error', says Minister

2005-10-14T09:13:00.000+02:00

House of Assembly * OESCO operator hit wrong button

A power cut that occurred in Gibraltar on September 6th affecting five districts was caused in error by an OESCO operator who shut down the wrong generator, it was revealed in the House of Assembly yesterday.

The power cut in question lasted nine minutes.

There were six other power cuts in Gibraltar between April 1st and September 30th, Minister for Heritage Fabian Vinet said in reply to questions from Opposition spokesman Lucio Randall.

The power cuts occurred in May (three), July (one) August (one) and September (one) lasting between six and 23 minutes, affecting districts 10,13,14,15 and 18 that are supplied by Waterport Power Station. The causes of the faults in all the other cases was a mechanical failure.

Anti Social Behaviour

Gibraltar Government is including anti-social behaviour legislation as part of its housing policy reforms, Minister for Housing Clive Beltran declared yesterday.

Theatre Costs

Gibraltar Government has spent over £3m on the old Theatre Royal site since 2001, but this figure does not include the rent paid out to the owners, Minister for Heritage Fabian Vinet said yesterday in answer to Opposition spokesman for culture Steven Linares.

The breakdown by year is as follows: 2000/01 – £221,467; 2001/02 – £1,221,467; 2002/03 – £699,917; 2003/04 – £912,450; 2004/05 – £135,182; 2005/06 – £13,122.

Mr Vinet said:

“Government has appointed the structural engineering section of the Technical Services Department to regularly monitor the condition of the site. Any works deemed necessary are then instructed through 6 Convent Place and carried out by GJBS which maintain the site in clean order. There is no fixed sum allocated in this regard.”

New Radiologist for Hospital

A new Radiologist took up his post on October 1st while CT Scan services in St Bernard’s Hospital will commence shortly, Minister for Health Ernest Britto said yesterday.

Meanwhile a second Orthopaedic Surgeon has now been selected and is expected to commence duties in the New Year. In the meantime some backup medical service in this field will be provided.

The post of Anaesthetist, a building maintenance officer and some part-time domestics are the only staff vacancies that remain open.

Beltran accused of Delivering Party Political Broadcast

Minister for Housing Clive Beltran and Opposition spokesman Fabian Picardo ‘crossed swords’ during exchanges on the reform of the waiting list points system for the allocation of government flats.

Opposition spokesman for Housing Charles Bruzon had tabled numerous questions on the subject, and during one of his supplementaries revealed that he had received as many as 300 complaints during the course of his many visits to people on the waiting list.

In his intervention Mr Beltran criticised Mr Bruzon for trying to “portray a picture” that it was only from the Opposition benches that there was a “special interest” for housing cases.

The Minister went on to argue at some length that the GSD Government had gven “ample proof” of its commitment to all sectors of society.

At that point Mr Picardo sprang to his feet and accused Mr Beltran of delivering “a party political broadcast” while exclaiming that the Minister was there to answer Mr Bruzon’s questions and not to criticise the Opposition. He also came to the conclusion that none of the Ministers actually visited people with housing problems.

The Minister returned the charge and a mini-debate ensued.

Mr Bruzon added that he was a humble man and did not think he was the only person who expressed concern for housing issues.

The Speaker later interjected that Mr Beltran’s intervention had appeared more as a general defence of the Government’s record rather than addressing the specific questions posed by Mr Bruzon.

Breaking ‘The Cammell’s back

Cammell Laird's infamous grit mountain will end up at a toxic waste disposal site in Los Barrios, Minister for the Environment Jaime Netto said yesterday in the House of Assembly. The removal will cost £360,000.

In reply to questions from Opposition member Fabian Picardo, Mr Netto said that by last Friday approximately 1,440 tons of grit out of a total accumulation of 8,000 tons had been removed from the shipyard.

The Minister said:

“Government welcomes the removal of the grit mountain from Cammell Laird and based on the advice that it has received from the Environmental Agency is satisfied that no nuisance is being caused as a result of this, to the residents of the South District.”

The site in Los Barrios belongs to a company known as Gamasur Campo de Gibraltar SL, while the movement of the waste is being carried out in accordance with the provisions of the transfrontier shipment-of-waste legislation and has been approved by the Gibraltar and Spanish competent authorities.

Mr Netto added:

“We have obtained a commitment from Cammell Laird that there will be no future accumulations of grit in the shiprepair yard. This is an issue that is of importance to the Government.

In essence, now that a system for exportation of the waste grit to a proper disposal site has been put in place, grit will be exported at frequent intervals whenever sufficient quantities have been accumulated to make up a load.

Temporary storage of the grit will be within a dedicated tank that the company will install specifically for this purpose.”

Lord Nelson Monument

A statue in memory of Lord Nelson will be erected opposite the Trafalgar Cemetery and preparatory works are already under way, Minister Fabian Vinet said yesterday.

Caruana on Unspecified "Urgent Government Business"

Chief Minister Peter Caruana was absent during the morning session and much of the afternoon.

In reply to Chronicle questions a spokesman for Mr Caruana said he was attending “urgent government business”, but declined to explain the nature of this “urgent business”.

Tireless hearing before the European Court of Justice

2005-10-14T09:10:00.001+02:00

An oral hearing into the HMS Tireless episode opened yesterday before the European Court of Justice.

The Commission takes the view that the British Government failed to inform Gibraltar of a possible radiological emergency during the repairs on Tireless. The Commission also argues that the placement of an emergency plan in the local library is not sufficient.

Britain rejects the view that the Euratom Treaty required to take any action beyond that taken at the time. France supported Britain in its position.

Meanwhile Greenpeace called for Britain to stop nuclear submarine movements to Gibraltar.

Related Article:

11 October 2005 - La Linea mayor threatens with anti-submarine protest

05 October 2005 - Junta to raise submarine issue in Parliament

04 October 2005 - Sub stirs turbulent reaction in Campo

04 October 2005 - Gibraltar can handle nuclear submarine repairs

28 September 2005 - Spain declares war on nuclear vessels in Gibraltar - but not in Spain!

27 September 2005 - Nuclear powered submarine HMS Trenchant visits Gibraltar

27 September 2005 - Spanish ecologists protest against docking of British nuclear submarine

View Submarine Images in our Gibraltar Pictures Gallery

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Companies seek Algeciras Ferry like business

2005-10-14T09:10:00.000+02:00

Government has received formal and informal proposals as regards the establishment of a Gibraltar-Algeciras ferry.

But there have not been formal applications submitted, it emerged in a reply to a question from Dr Joseph Garcia.

Joe Holliday, DTI minister said that written and oral proposals had been made by a Gibraltar-Spain consortium and a Gibraltarian company respectively. He confirmed that Gibraltar would authorise its side of the operation and Algeciras its side.

However it was confirmed that whilst Algeciras is very interested and has conducted an assessment of logistics, it has to have clearance from Madrid before a link is authorised for operation.

New GHA Appointments

2005-10-14T09:09:00.002+02:00

Joe Catania has been appointed Deputy Chief Executive in addition to his role as Director of Operations.

Mr Catania has been a Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) employee in many leadership positions over the past 34 years, and most recently was responsible for the new hospital project.

Meanwhile, Dr Patrick Nerney has tendered his resignation and Dr Joe Negrette has been appointed to the post of Primary Care Co-ordinator for a period of one year.

The Authority has expressed its appreciation to Dr Nerney saying that he has exercised this very important role for the past three years.

In addition Ernest Lima has been appointed as Principal Secretary to the Minister for Health. His role is to support the Minister within the Ministry on issues relating to policy, EU matters and other Government areas.

Mr Lima, who has completed 33 years service with the Government including 18 years in leadership positions in the GHA, also retains his role as Director of Finance, Information Management & Technology and External Affairs of the Gibraltar Health Authority.

CM condolences to Christian Brothers

2005-10-14T09:09:00.001+02:00

The Chief Minister has sent a message of condolence on behalf of Gibraltar to the Brother Provincial of the Christian Brothers and to the family of the Rev Brother William Foley OBE who died last Friday 7 October.

A spokesman highlighted that many generations of Gibraltarians are indebted to Brother Foley for his contribution over the years in different capacities to Education in Gibraltar: as headmaster of the Gibraltar Grammar School in the 50s and as headmaster of Bayside Comprehensive School in its early difficult years in 1974.

Brother Foley was buried yesterday after a funeral mass in St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Crosby, Liverpool. Dr Bernard Linares, Minister for Education represented Gibraltar at the funeral.

Widow tells of funeral nightmare in Spain

2005-10-14T09:09:00.000+02:00

Margaret Ayling, whose husband the well known local figure Leslie died last month (September 28), has summed up her horrific experience over the past two months with a grim warning –“do not die in Spain.”

A catalogue of badly handled situations, both medical and funereal, culminated last week when Spanish authorities refused a last minute humanitarian concession for her to bring her husband’s body to the Rock for a funeral mass and then allow re-entry into Spain for cremation.

But in addition from bravely fighting illness for some time the troubles for the Aylings came when a month before his death he required hospitalisation and was taken to a new private hospital on the Costa, where, after a series of medical episodes, Mrs Ayling alleges that doctors took the decision not to resuscitate him, without consulting her wishes. She was also critical of some of the treatment he received.

In contrast she has praise for the state medical services in Spain.

But her trial was not over in the hospital with his death. Mrs Ayling then found that the British run funeral company that handled her husband’s body failed to meet her expectations of dignity. She told the Chronicle that the body was placed in an undersized coffin and manipulated to enter including the feet being folded back.

Then there was resistance to her wish for a cremation in La Linea. When she finally moved the body to her home in Sotogrande she had to have her husband there 10 days. He was taken back and forth including to an embalming that damaged and bloated the body. This was then exacerbated by attempts to compensate with bad makeup.

“He had looked finally at peace and then returned from embalming almost unrecognisable,” she said.

It was not until a fifth coffin was produced that Leslie Ayling had a proper place of rest – this says Mrs Ayling thanks to Albert Codali who gave up his free time to try and rescue this situation and see her through.

She also commended Bishop Caruana and the Dean for their support when, at the last minute it emerged the authorities would not allow the body to leave Spain and return.

At this stage Joe Bossano, Opposition Leader and Pepe Carracao the PSOE senator intervened in a bid to resolve the issue. But just as the paperwork appeared to be approved on the eve of the funeral ceremony the authorities reneged.

Mrs Ayling believes that this was because it was thought to be a ‘military funeral’, which was not in fact the case although Mr Ayling had a military background.

However, official Spanish sources say that the final decision was taken on health law procedures that do not allow for the return of a body that has been allowed to leave a country.

In the end she had him cremated first in La Linea in a ceremony barely attended but for the Bishop and the Dean who came over at short notice. Then the main ceremony in Gibraltar last Friday with his ashes.

Government announces three more projects – 900 homes

2005-10-13T09:12:00.000+02:00

Affordable housing schemes

Chief Minister Peter Caruana yesterday announced the construction of a further 900 “affordable homes for sale” in three different projects in the south district.

The developments will be carried out by OEM International Ltd and are set for completion by March 2008.

The Government will receive £15m from the developers which includes a £1m donation to build a swimming pool for the elderly. It is estimated that the developer will be investing in excess of £60m on the affordable housing phase.

Mr Caruana said the prices for the flats will be “a little higher than Waterport Terrace.”

A Gibraltar Government spokesman said:

“The Government and OEM (International) Limited are pleased to announce developments on three sites that will provide up to 900 affordable apartments for sale to local buyers.

Up to 200 flats will be built at the site of the old Rosia Tanks (just South of Rosia Plaza) to be known as Nelson’s View; up to 200 flats will be built at the site of the ex-Cumberland Building in Cumberland Road to be known as Cumberland Terraces; and up to 500 flats will be built at North Gorge to be known as North Gorge.

The Nelson’s View and Cumberland Terraces developments will be ready by September 2007, and the North Gorge Development by March 2008.

The latest light steel frame construction in widespread use in the UK and the USA.

Sale prices will be fixed in agreement with the Government and will be of the same order as Waterport Terraces but a little higher. The Government will specify the eligible purchasers and supervise and participate in the allocation process to ensure that properties are sold to established residents of Gibraltar.

The sizes and room configuration of the flats will be decided after the Waterport Terraces flats are allocated to ensure that unsatisfied demand at Waterport Terraces will be met by these developments.

In addition the developer will be permitted to develop up to 100 high value properties at Buena Vista and to convert the Buena Vista Stone block (presently used as a hostel) into an apart-hotel.”

Workers mostly Moroccan immigrants, will be relocated into a new, model hostel that will be built by Government on Rosia Road (site of ex-Tower building). It will also accommodate those from the Devil’s Tower Hostel. Mr Caruana described this as a vastly improved facility in relation to the “ramshackle accommodation” afforded to immigrant workers in the past.

The Government spokesman added:

“These three further quality, affordable housing schemes, added to the 396 flats at Waterport Terraces, will provide up to 1300 (depending on size and configuration) during the next two years or so.

Around 1200 applications were received for Waterport Terraces, so that is probably a fair indication of the level of demand that presently exists. The Government will however continue to work on further housing projects both for rental and to satisfy the next wave of demand for home ownership.”

Mr Robert Noonan, Chairman of OEM International Limited, said:

“I have been involved with Gibraltar for over 12 years and via my Irish Trusts, with the benefit of the corporate professional facilities available in Gibraltar, build up a property portfolio of considerable proportion. In the International market place, I have been involved in 3 publicly quoted companies with an aggregate value of £500m.

Our Gibraltarian architects and engineers have designed these 3 property schemes for both low cost housing and high value properties in Gibraltar using modern construction techniques. The system comprises of a factory made steel frame work, designed for time efficient construction and maximum durability in terms of external finishes.

A further aspect of our programme is that we have been in close liaison with a major bank in Gibraltar, to provide “the prospective purchasers” up to 95% funding (subject to status), plus 100% bridging finance should it be necessary.

Separately from these commercial transactions I want to put something directly back into a community that I have been part of for 12 years now. I have therefore made a donation of £1m towards a Government Social Project. I am delighted that the Government has chosen to use this donation to fund the new swimming pool currently under construction at Europort Avenue for the elderly and disabled. Given my own advancing years, I look forward to using it myself!”

The Chief Minister also announced that there are plans for the refurbishment of Rosia Bay as a public leisure amenity area.

Chichon inquest date

2005-10-13T09:11:00.003+02:00

A date has been set for the inquest into the death in police cells of Matthew Chichon which occurred August 30 2003.

The hearing has been scheduled for December 5 - 7 2005.

The deceased’s father Clive Chichon told the Chronicle that he is concerned that the Royal Gibraltar Regiment disciplinary proceedings have not yet taken place. “Both I and my family cannot have closure on this tragic episode until we find out what happened to Matthew,” he said.

House set for 500 questions

2005-10-13T09:11:00.002+02:00

The GSLP/Liberal Opposition has tabled nearly 500 questions for the meeting of the House of Assembly which starts this morning.

This is the second question-time of the year.

The Leader of the Opposition Joe Bossano will himself be asking over 80 questions, among which he will ask the Government whether they have had any response from Her Majesty’s Government on the report they submitted on the economic impact of the MOD’s contractorisation plans.

A high proportion of Mr Bossano’s questions aim to monitor the state of the economy in general and of Government finances in particular. In addition to these he has also tabled questions on a wide range of issues.

The Opposition Leader will ask the Government to state which was the professional team from UK that designed the Waterport housing estate and how they were selected. He also wants Government to say when the UK Waterport housing design team was appointed and when they completed their work and at what cost.

On the same subject, Mr Bossano will ask the Government to specify, giving a breakdown, what expenditure to date has been incurred by GRP Investments Company Ltd in connection with the Waterport housing scheme. He has also tabled a question to establish what is the anticipated fixed price at which fitted kitchens will be offered to purchasers of flats at the Waterport Estate.

Mr Bossano has also tabled a series of questions on the Eastside project. He wants Government to state what is the limit in metres from the present edge of the existing Eastside reclaimed area that the developer is permitted to reclaim. Mr Bossano also wants to know at what depth the maximum reclaimed area will be in the permitted extension to the Eastside project. He also wants to know whether there is a time limit within which the additional reclamation in the Eastside development has to be completed.

On the same subject the Leader of the Opposition will ask Government to state what professional fees have been incurred in connection with the Eastside development, to whom such fees have been paid, from which source they have been paid and in respect of which financial years.

Mr Bossano has also tabled a number of questions on the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA). He has tabled a question to find out whether it is the policy of the Government to separate the GHA from the Civil Service. He will also ask Government to provide the salary scale of each grade of employee working in the GHA indicating those grades which have a pay review pending. Mr Bossano will also ask whether the Clinical Report on Laboratory Services has now been presented to the Government and if so what its conclusions are. On the same issue, he also wants Government to provide a breakdown by nationality of the last two intakes of students undertaking Staff Nurse Training.

Bishop conducts Foley funeral mass

2005-10-13T09:11:00.001+02:00

Bishop Charles Caruana will conduct the funeral service of Brother Foley today in Liverpool.

Brother Foley passed away earlier this week and the funeral will be held at the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Crosby.

Attending the service will be Minister for Education Dr Bernard Linares.

Bishop Caruana meanwhile will be accompanied by Father Charles Azopardi both men having just visited Ballymena where a replica of a statue of Our Lady of Europe was presented to the people of Ballymena in recognition of their warmth during the evacuation of the Gibraltarians during WWII.

Related Articles and Links:

10 October 2005 - Replica of Our Lady of Europe statue will be enthroned in Ballymena

07 August 2005 - Ballymena finds its twin in Gibraltar

Christian Brothers

Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar

Our Lady of Europe

Ballymena

Gibraltar Government Press Release - 13 October 2005 - No: 240/2005

Gibraltar Pensioners urge Caruana to heed their grievances

2005-10-13T09:11:00.000+02:00

The Gibraltar Pensioners’ Association has urged Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister, to meet in person with its representatives and discuss a number of issues of concern to pensioners.

The GPA says that while other government ministers are very responsive, the Chief Minister has not yet found time for a face to face meeting.

“We do understand his busy schedule but he can surely find a slot to meet us in the same way as he meets other associations,” the GPA said in a statement.

“It must be clearly understood that most of our members have given a lifetime to the service of Gibraltar and deserve respect and consideration for their aims and needs."

Asked about the association’s comments, a government spokesman said that GPA representatives had met with officials in the Chief Minister’s office and had interacted with various ministers responsible for the issues they had raised. The GPA had also received a statement from No 6 on those issues.

The pensioners’ group said it was getting stronger and that more pensioners were joining, adding that it plans to restart its recruiting campaign and engage in meetings with other associations and trade unions in order to join forces.

In its statement, the GPS also drew attention to the concerns over widows’ pensions.

“We are very disturbed and worried about those pensioners, mainly widows, who have no occupational pension as in most cases the pension ceases when the holder dies,” the GPA statement said.

“A Gibraltar resident with no occupational pension is entitled to just £350 a month.

Is the CM satisfied that a person can make ends meet with this amount?

Our main representation in this respect has been the reintroduction of the Widows & Orphans Pension Scheme or some similar scheme so that a widow will continue to be entitled to at least part of the pension being paid to the husband.

It should be noted that in Spain a system does exist for widows to be paid part of the pension to which the husband was being paid whilst alive (wife to widowed husband also applies). It is our view that this must and should be given top priority by Government.

Other areas that we have taken up, unsuccessfully up to now, but we shall continue to make representations include, Monthly payments of the Household Cost Allowance, Pensioners tax free debentures and free bus service for senior citizens.

We do thank Government for having increased senior citizens tax Allowance; having increased personal tax allowances by 3%; the increase of the disability allowance; free medical tests for the renewal of driving licences for persons over 70 (this is not yet being applied by GHA) and the increase by 3% of the Elderly Pensioners Guarantee Income from £95.40 to £98.26 per week for a single person and from £127.20 to £131 per week for a married couple. How and to whom this applies needs to be discussed with the pertinent authority as and when we are given a date for a meeting."

The GPA continues to meet every Tuesday between 11am and 12 noon at the John Mackintosh Hall. Any pensioner is invited to attend these meetings to discuss any problem they may have, clarify any point or to request the committee to make representations on their behalf.

“Members can rest assured that matters will be taken up with the pertinent authority,” the statement added.

“Lack of replies from the authorities will not deter this Association from carrying out our aims.”

Sisarello hits out at Social Services Agency

2005-10-13T09:10:00.000+02:00

Social Services - Union dispute

TGWU Branch Officer Charles Sisarello has accused the Gibraltar Social Services Agency of showing “no goodwill” or desire for dialogue and has restated the long list of claims that employees have made to management.

In a statement of reply to the Agency, Mr Sisarello says management has failed to address their grievances. He said:

“The Agency statement contains a list of conditions which the Union has not raised and is not in dispute with, while the issues in dispute have not been touched upon.

We are not seeking a pension scheme, improved sick leave, night duty allowance etc, since these conditions have already been agreed.

Our claim is the following: a salary scale which is not available; an increase in manning levels as there is a shortage of staff; a job description; a 37 hour week and a salary review of senior care workers; long term supply workers to be made permanent; overtime payment for Saturday, Sunday and public holidays to be at double time.”

Mr Sisarello continued:

“None of our grievances were highlighted in their press release. Contrary to what has been published of the July meeting, the members were not satisfied with the outcome. It stands to reason that had this been the case, then there would not have been any objective motive for our one hour stoppage.

For a long time our members have been pursuing these grievances and no action has been taken. We wrote to the Chief Executive on September 27th highlighting the problems and urging a response. No reply or acknowledgment was forthcoming until Monday 10th October we informed the agency of our decision to stage a one hour walk out. Only then did the social services agency respond to the Union on the need to hold a meeting and start negotiations.

The reasons that our members have not gone public on their grievances has been due to their goodwill and professionalism in putting the interest of the agency before their own particular interest. Therefore we must be thankful to this group of people.”

Related Article:

12 October 2005 - Hour stoppage ‘unjustified’

11 October 2005 - Union calls for one hour stoppage

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Red Cross holds Flag Day for South Asia earthquake

2005-10-13T09:09:00.000+02:00

The Gibraltar Branch of the British Red Cross will be holding a Flag Day next week to raise funds for its latest appeal launched for the victims of the South Asia earthquake.

The flag day will be held on Thursday and will be centred around the Piazza where volunteers and helpers are being asked to turn up on the day at 8.30am.

“Everyone is welcome to help out,” said treasurer Charles Montegriffo.

Meanwhile an account called South Asia Appeal Fund has been opened at Barclays Bank at 84-90 Main Street. The account number is 1100445.

Note:

If you are unable to donate during this Flag Day, you can also donate to this appeal online - The Disasters Emergency Committee have set up an urgent Appeal website to help in the Asian Earthquake Disaster.

The DEC was created in 1963. It brings together a unique alliance of the UK's aid, corporate, public and broadcasting sectors to rally the nation's compassion, and ensure that funds raised go to thirteen of the UK's major Aid agencies best placed to deliver effective and timely relief to people most in need. This includes the Red Cross.

They urgently need your help. Please make a donation TODAY!

YOU CAN HELP - DONATE ONLINE NOW

Tight lipped, but Gib-Spain-UK report ‘progress’

2005-10-12T08:55:00.000+02:00

By Brian Reyes in Palma de Mallorca

Trilateral forum looks to solutions on airport, pensions and telecommunications

The third meeting of the trilateral forum for dialogue between the governments of Gibraltar, the UK and Spain proved “cordial and constructive,” yet failed to reach any definitive agreement on key topics under discussion.

All three parties stressed that significant progress had been made and that an “acceptable and mutually beneficial solution” was possible on central issues such as joint use of the airport, the Spanish pensions question and telecommunications. But officials offered little detail as to the content of their discussions over the past 24 hours, or any insight into what tangible headway had been made.

“The reason for being tight-lipped is that the parties agreed that nothing was agreed until everything was agreed,” said Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister.

“In each of the areas, there is a substantial body of agreement, [but] there is no [final] agreement yet because there are still several issues to resolve in each of them.”

Throughout the day it was plainly evident that the three main players in the talks – Mr Caruana for Gibraltar, Dominick Chilcott, director for Mediterranean Europe at the British Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and head of the UK delegation, and José Pons, director general for Europe and North America at the Spanish Government’s Foreign Affairs Ministry (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores MAE) – were completely at ease with each other and had a close working rapport.

At one point, Mr Chilcott and Sr Pons were returning from a short stroll through the hotel’s gardens during a midday coffee break and stopped to greet the Chief Minister, who was chatting with reporters from GBC (Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation) and the Chronicle.

“I hope this tripartite process hasn’t gone bilateral,” Mr Caruana joked to broad grins all around, before the three strolled together back to the negotiating table.

At the end of the talks, Mr Chilcott offered a similar assessment to the Chief Minister’s about the pace of progress at the forum.

“There’s no sign of any sort of hesitation or recalcitrance on the part of the three parties involved in this process, because we all have an identified objective of making it work for the benefit of us all,” Mr Chilcott told the Chronicle.

“We all have a stake in making this work and we recognise that we’re doing something which is new and, at least from the point of view of both the Gibraltar and the Spanish government, something that is rather a bold step in political terms.

So nobody wants this not to succeed, but I think when you’re dealing with problems that have been intractable for so long, I think people unfortunately will have to be realistic about how long it will take.”

Prior to the encounter in Palma de Mallorca there had been an expectation that a date would be set for a meeting of the forum at ministerial level before the end of this year. But it emerged yesterday that Britain’s commitments as current president of the European Union were making it difficult to find a suitable diary date. Even so, delegates at this week’s talks said the UK was working to find a diary slot in the coming months and that, in any case, progress toward any agreement did not hinge on a ministerial-level meeting taking place.

“I don’t think the date of the ministerial meeting will determine the pace at which we are working,” Mr Chilcott said.

Joint Use of the Airport

Much of the debate over the past two days centred on the issue of joint use of the airport. The forum discussed a number of issues within this context and, according to Sr Pons, negotiations are “pretty advanced.”

“But in the same way that, in the past, we have not stated in what areas we have made progress, I am not going to reveal the content of what we have agreed until everything is agreed,” the Spanish official told reporters at a press conference.

“I understand the interest but I can’t signal what the exact points are. Some of the agreed points are important, as are some of the ones still to be agreed.”

He highlighted that two important difficulties stemmed from the fact that the airport is a military facility with a dual civilian role, and that it is located on the isthmus, over which there are sovereignty-related disagreements.

“If it was in any other territory then the agreement would probably be reached faster, given the goodwill being shown by all parties,” Sr Pons said.

For his part, Mr Caruana repeatedly stressed that Gibraltar would not entertain any agreement over the airport that in any way infringed its position on sovereignty.

“Everybody knows in respect of the airport... that we are not willing to contemplate a form of airport agreement that prejudices exclusive British sovereignty, jurisdiction and control, and those are the parameters that we’re under,” he said. But he added that the same argument applied to the Spanish position and that negotiations were taking place within the political space in between both parties.

“For Spain it’s important that they do not lose whatever ground they think they have on their sovereignty claim, which we of course reject.

But so long as there is no prejudice on our views on sovereignty, jurisdiction and control, Spain is content not to lose ground and therefore that is the area that we are exploiting, in between.”

Pensions

The head of the British delegation at the talks, Mr Chilcott, was asked to comment on recent Spanish media reports that the UK Government was willing to pay 40 million Euros to former Spanish workers in Gibraltar. He raised his eyebrows as the question – and the figure - was translated and commented:

“I think it would be unwise to get into a discussion about particular numbers."

There’s been some very useful groundwork done by the technical working group in trying to establish reliable data about the numbers of pensioners and the level at which they receive pensions,” he told reporters.

“We’ve had a good discussion on the basis of that data as to how we can take the issue forward and resolve the differences between us.”

He described as “notable” the positive nature of these discussions, which he said “augured well for the future.” “But exactly how we’re going to resolve our differences I think is a matter which we want to keep to ourselves for the time being,” he added.

Speaking to the Chronicle after the press conference, Mr Chilcott said it had taken some time to collect the raw data relating to the number of pensioners and the amount of money they are entitled to. “Just getting the facts sorted out before you even work on the policy questions, these things I’m afraid do take a lot of time,” he said.

Telecommunications

In common with all the other topics discussed at the forum, the three parties agreed that good progress had been made in resolving the telecommunications issue, though once again they offered little additional information.

Mr Caruana told reporters at the press conference that final agreement on this matter - and on the airport and the pension question – would probably come at around the same time.

“Telecommunications is an issue that, as far as Gibraltar is concerned, should be resolved in the first wave of agreements,” he concluded.

Maritime Issues

Reference was made to maritime matters in the joint statement issued at the end of the talks.

The recent meeting between the ports of Gibraltar and Algeciras was noted and all three parties paid particular attention to environmental concerns, as highlighted by the recent oil spill near the refinery.

“All the parties agree on the importance of collaborating closely and setting out mechanisms to avoid the environmental degradation produced in the area as a result of oil spills,” the statement said.

It did not, however, make any reference to concerns about air pollution from the Campo de Gibraltar refinery and industrial complex.

Britain stands ground on Sub repairs

2005-10-12T08:54:00.000+02:00

Britain will not provide Spain with an assurance that there will be no more repairs of nuclear submarines in Gibraltar.

That was the unequivocal message from Dominick Chilcott, director for Mediterranean Europe at the British Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office in response to questions from reporters following the latest round of tripartite talks.

The controversial issue of nuclear submarines is in essence a bilateral issue between the UK and Spain but was nonetheless raised at the meeting in Palma de Mallorca this week.

In a statement issued at the end of the talks, Spain reiterated its wish that there be no more repairs on “the nuclear systems of submarines” in Gibraltar and asked for a written declaration to that effect from Britain.

Mr Chilcott said the UK was willing to explore how it could provide reassurances about routine submarine calls at the Rock, as well as ease lingering concerns stemming from the Tireless incident. But he added:

“On the specific question of whether we are negotiating an understanding that there will be no further repairs of submarines in Gibraltar, that is not what we’re doing.

Let’s be quite clear about that.

We would like to capture how we can provide reassurances about our normal operations of our submarines and deal with the issue of Tireless. But there’s no question, as has been said before wrongly, that we’re in the process of negotiating no repairs or anything like that.”

He would not go into any detail as to the nature of the contacts with Spain “because I don’t want to make our discussions on this very sensitive issue more complicated than they are.”

“The details of our discussions are like submarines themselves, in that until they surface and they are ready to surface, I think we just keep them under water and out of reach of the sonar of journalists,” he said.

Jose Pons, director general for Europe and North America at the Spanish Government’s Foreign Affairs Ministry (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores MAE), highlighted the unease that the Tireless repairs had caused in Spain.

“Our interest is in having the assurance and the peace of mind that all submarine visits are taking place with complete normality,” he said.

“What we are asking from the British government is a recognition that what happened back then [with Tireless] should not happen again.”

He said Spain’s approach to issues such as nuclear weapons and nuclear energy differed from the UK’s, as did the public’s perceptions toward the issue of submarine visits.

“Having said that, what the Spanish Government wants is for any necessary operational calls by British submarines in Gibraltar to take place in a safe manner and with guarantees that the rules are being followed,” he added.

In that sense, the position of the central government in Madrid appears vastly at odds with that of regional politicians who have in recent weeks called for an end to all submarine visits to the Rock, routine or otherwise.

“The government cannot be responsible for statements or posturing by other people or politicians who do not form part of the government,” Mr Pons said.

Related Article:

11 October 2005 - La Linea mayor threatens with anti-submarine protest

05 October 2005 - Junta to raise submarine issue in Parliament

04 October 2005 - Sub stirs turbulent reaction in Campo

04 October 2005 - Gibraltar can handle nuclear submarine repairs

28 September 2005 - Spain declares war on nuclear vessels in Gibraltar - but not in Spain!

27 September 2005 - Nuclear powered submarine HMS Trenchant visits Gibraltar

27 September 2005 - Spanish ecologists protest against docking of British nuclear submarine

View Submarine Images in our Gibraltar Pictures Gallery

Comment on this News report - Click on the 'Comments' link below - You can also Discuss this Story in our Forum

Hour stoppage ‘unjustified’

2005-10-12T08:53:00.000+02:00

Social Services Agency

Staff from the Social Services Agency (SSA), Governor’s Parade staged a protest one-hour walk out under pouring rain yesterday morning.

The protestors were supported by the TGWU Branch Officer Charles Sisarello who on Monday had said that there is growing discontent among TGWU members at the Residential Small Unit Group.

The issues of concern to the union are: salary levels and not a fixed wage; manning levels-shortage of staff; job description; a 37 hour week for senior care workers and a review of their salary; overtime rates; supply workers not made permanent despite being employed for a long time.”

But the Agency yesterday replied saying that when it was set up three years ago, it took on all existing employees after negotiating a whole package of measures to which these employees had not been entitled at the time.

These measures are listed by the Agency as:

(a) access to the Gibraltar Provdident Trust (2) Pension Scheme;
(b) new conditions of employment in line with those that apply to the Gibraltar Development Corporation (GDC);
(c) improved sick and annual leave entitlement in line with the Elderly Care Agency (ECA), e.g. from 14 days sick leave on full pay and 28 days on half pay over a 12 month period, to 91 days on full pay and 91 days on half pay over a 24 month period;
(d) an increase in the annual pay review from 0.6% (Index Price Linked) to 3.5% in the first year, and subsequently linked to GDC and ECA;
(e) Shift Disturbance allowance introduced in line with ECA;
(f) Night Duty Allowance increased;
(g) Overtime payment regularised;
(h) differential rates implemented between Senior Support Worker and Support
Worker.

According to the SSA all these improvements were negotiated and agreed with the Union only three years ago. Nevertheless, they said that an ongoing process of discussion over new grievances was initiated with the relevant parties in July.

According to the SSA the Chief Executive of the Social Services Agency met with the Acting District Officer of TGWU/ACTS, Joe Bula, and with staff representatives of the children’s residential units on the 6 July 2005.

“As a result of that meeting, some issues were actioned to the satisfaction of all sides and it was agreed that another meeting should be held in three months. The Union would set a date,” they said.

The SSA adds that on September 21 2005, the District Officer TGWU/ACTS, Charlie Sisarello, wrote to the Chief Executive informing her that he would be holding a general meeting with members of the children’s residential units on the 27 September.

“On that same day, the acting Chief Executive wrote back stating that the Chief Executive, who was away on annual leave, was due back on the 3 October, and asked that the meeting be postponed until her return. No reply was received from the Union and the meeting went ahead without the Chief Executive.

On the 28 September, Mr Sisarello again wrote to the Chief Executive, although already aware of her absence, informing her of the outcome of the meeting and formally setting out the claims. Mr Sisarello set a deadline for a response by the 10 October.

On Friday 7 October the Chief Executive called Mr Sisarello to arrange to meet but Mr Sisarello is unavailable.

On Monday 10 the Chief Executive managed to contact Mr Sisarello and arranges to meet on 14 October. Mr Sisarello accepts to meet but informs her that a one hour stoppage has been planned for the following day and that it would go ahead.”

SSA say that in the light of this it feels that the action taken yesterday morning by the staff, with the blessing of the Union, is “totally unjustified and uncalled for, and does not correspond with the goodwill and willingness for dialogue that the Agency has demonstrated so far”.

Related Article:

11 October 2005 - Union calls for one hour stoppage

NGD calls on Minister to make statement after Union walk-out

2005-10-12T08:51:00.000+02:00

New Gibraltar Democracy leader Charles Gomez has called on Minister for Social Services Yvette del Agua to make a public statement "setting out the current position relating to care of the disabled in Gibraltar."

Mr Gomez has expressed concern following the problems in the state of care provision in the Social Services Agency as highlighted by the TGWU.

And he has also called on the Minister to say when the Agency's facilities were last inspected by an outside agency and for these findings to be published.

Mr Gomez said that apart from the employees' legitimate interests there may be deficiencies in the quality of care currently being afforded to users of the service.
He said:

"This is a matter of particular importance and sensitivity.

I note that the Union complain about issues relating to salary and conditions of employment, manning levels and shortage of staff in the care centres. The Union also refers to the employment of "supply workers.

I understand that the provision of respite facilities to families of disabled citizens has for months been discontinued.

Given the lack of established procedures in this area, affected people are left with the impression that such services as are available, are offered on an ad hoc basis so that they feel uncomfortable about being perceived to "rock the boat" in case this should prejudice their access to those facilities."

Mr Gomez adds that although this may not be intentional, "in the circumstances people might think in this way."

Gibraltar conference on Down’s Syndrome opens

2005-10-12T08:50:00.000+02:00

by Alice Mascarenhas

Lady Richards, patron of the recently formed Down’s Syndrome Support Group yesterday officially opened the first Gibraltar conference on Down’s Syndrome ‘Towards a Brighter Future’ at the Eliott Hotel.

Organising a conference of this magnitude she said was a remarkable achievement for a group that had only been in existence for just two weeks. Praising the work of the driving force behind the group, Annette Zammit and Jane Payas, Lady Richards described them as “two very remarkable ladies”.

“It is entirely due to their drive and determination that we are all here today. Like others of you here they both have children with Down’s Syndrome and know at first hand the special pleasures and challenges that are part of these children,” she said.

The group she said was formed so that all parents could share experiences, problems and advise and latest information with the ultimate aim being for these children to lead better and fuller lives. “But the parents can’t do it all on their own, and that is where you all come in,” she added.

“Everyone of you has a vital role to play if children in Gibraltar with Down’s are to develop their full potential. Each and everyone of you has not just to be sympathetic, they have to be wholly committed to helping these children, and fully informed about the best way to do it,” Lady Richards told those present."

“All too often in the past, in the wider world, society has failed children with Down’s, because they have concentrated on what they can’t do and not on what they can,” she added.

The final message, as she declared the conference open, was that with the right teaching children with Down’s Syndrome, and adolescence, and probably adults, can make extraordinary progress.

The conference has brought together some 150 delegates from throughout Gibraltar; parents, educators, health professionals, carers, Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) and MoD, and the participation of some of the leading experts in the UK including Professor Sue Buckley, a world-renowned chartered psychologist with over thirty years of experience in the field of developmental disability, Professor Ben Sacks, a consultant developmental psychiatrist and medical advisor with over forty years experience in the field of psychiatry and disability.

Annette Zammit, chairwoman of the group, introduced her committee, and spoke of the group and its formation. Glad to see such a good turnout she called on all those present to help achieve the objectives of the group.

The two day conference has been looking at the development of speech, language, literacy, memory and numeracy skills. Developing motor skills – for writing and in class activities and inclusion in sports and PE, and ensuring social inclusion.

Today the conference will ask what the specific social, language and cognitive profiles associated with Down’s syndrome are and the implications for education in middle and secondary years.

The conference will be officially closed later today by Education Minister Dr Bernard Linares.

Related Articles and Links:

The Down’s Syndrome Association of the United Kingdom (DSA)

Down Syndrome Educational Trust

Sarah Duffen Centre

Down Syndrome Information Network UK

24 September 2005 - Launch of Gibraltar's Down's Syndrome support group

23 September 2005 - Gibraltar to have own Down’s Syndrome Support Group

Picardo to quiz Government on Cammell Laird Grit

2005-10-12T08:49:00.000+02:00

* Garcia questions midtown move

Opposition spokesman for the Environment Fabian Picardo will raise the issue of the grit mountain at Cammell Laird shipyard during the meeting of the House of Assembly which starts on Thursday.

Mr Picardo has asked how much of the grit has now been removed and what the cost of removal has been to date.

He has also asked Government to confirm that works on the vessel Rotterdam are in fact continuing, and if so, to explain the delay in the expected completion originally stated to be due by September this year.

Mr Picardo who is also Financial Services spokesman will also ask what "appropriate arrangements" Government is considering entering into with UK in relation to the Savings Directive, and exchange of information generally.

He also wants Government to tell the House whether the Chief Minister has now met with the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and clarified with him the issue of the FSC providing information on pending applications for banking licences and the outcome of those discussions.

Mr Picardo has also tabled a number of questions on law and order issues. He has asked Government to state how many child welfare reports have been prepared in 2003-4 and 2004-5 by Social Services for court hearings involving access to children and will also ask Government to explain delays experienced in the last three years in respect of child welfare reports in matrimonial matters before the courts.

Garcia probes Midtown

Meanwhile, Shadow Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Joseph Garcia will be asking whether there have been any departures from the announced deal between the developers of the Mid Town project and the Government.

Dr Garcia has tabled over 130 questions in total for the Government to answer. Dr Garcia will ask the Government whether they will be carrying an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in relation to the Mid Town project, and will also want to know what criteria has been established to determine whether or not the project comes within the “threshold of significance” which would require an EIA. On the same subject, he will also ask the Government what advice they have received from utilities, heritage, environmental, town planning and any other Government departments which may be relevant in respect of the Mid Town project, including any advice which might relate to the height of the proposed tower and to the dome to be erected on King’s Bastion. The Opposition spokesman for planning also wants to know who has been commissioned to conduct the aeronautical study into the Mid Town project and at what cost, and as well as the stage of production of the actual study itself. Dr Garcia will also ask how many amendments to the draft development plan have been made following the draft Environment Report by Land Use Consultants of Bristol.

On other matters, Dr Garcia will ask what has been the response of the British Government to the letter received from the Spanish Foreign Minister dated 15 June regarding the environmental implications of the East Side project. He will also seek confirmation from the Government on whether they have been involved in attracting an international company to locate an industrial park in Los Barrios.

Dr Garcia will ask how many EU directives were pending transposition into Gibraltar law according to Government records as at 30 June 2005, and how many of these were pending transposition before that date. He will also ask how many infraction proceedings are open by the European Commission against the United Kingdom for the non-transposition of directives in Gibraltar and how many such cases are currently before the European Court. He will ask Government what action they have to take in order to comply with the ruling of the European Court of Justice in relation to mutual assistance between member states in relation to the payment of VAT and other direct taxes.

The Shadow Minister for Trade will ask the Government whether the Gibraltar or British Governments have received representations from the United States of America regarding on-line gambling from Gibraltar and if so on what date and with what purpose. He has also asked Government to say how many persons are employed in the betting industry in Gibraltar giving a breakdown by company and nationality.

In his capacity as Shadow Minister for Heritage, Dr Garcia will ask whether the new Heritage Ordinance or amendments to the existing one have now been drafted and considered by Ministers. He will also ask whether Government has now taken a policy decision to request the UK to include all or part of Gibraltar as a World Heritage Site.

Dr Garcia has also tabled a number of questions on tourism matters, the Port, Government tenders and commercial affairs.

Gib Port oil pollution exercise

2005-10-12T08:48:00.001+02:00

Gibraltar Port Authority yesterday commenced a three-day oil pollution exercise.

The Fire Brigade, Environmental Agency, the Ministry of Defence, Bunkering Companies and Port Operators are participating in the exercise, together with representatives of Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) from Southampton, UK.

A Gibraltar Government spokesman said:

"OSRL are contracted to provide the Gibraltar Port Authority with the necessary response both in terms of materials and specialist expertise in the event of a major oil spillage.

The exercise will commence with a simulated offshore spill. On the second day, the focus of the exercise will be ashore, for a beach cleaning deployment. The final day will simulate an oil spill inside the port.

The aim of the three-day exercise is to test the resources available in Gibraltar and to provide adequate training for personnel."

Port Minister Joe Holliday said:

"This exercise is of considerable importance to ensure that, in the case of a substantial oil spill, Gibraltar will be able to respond adequately, effectively and in a co-ordinated manner. The exercise will test the resources available to us and provide the necessary training for the personnel that would need to respond to this type of incident."

GGR call for Sex Offenders Register

2005-10-12T08:48:00.000+02:00

Gibraltar Gay Rights yesterday announced the commencement of a petition campaign for the introduction of a Sex Offenders Register in Gibraltar.

GGR say that child abuse under any guise must not be tolerated and Government must put measures to protect children.

Annette Vallejo GGR spokeswoman on abuse issues said:

"For two years we've been calling on Government to introduce a Register to ensure that anyone who offends sexually against children is registered.

A Register of sex offenders is necessary so that abusers of children can be kept in view by the authorities and as a further deterrent.

We are confident that the ordinary people of Gibraltar fully back this initiative.

We see no reasonable excuse for Government either to delay or to avoid the introduction of such a register. This is an important tool in helping Police who are already doing an excellent job in assisting in these cases within their limited means."

Related Article:

See Gibraltar News Online Sex Offenders Register Poll to register your preference.

21 October 2005 - GGR accuses Government of 'incomparable insensitivity' with Gibraltar's future human rights

Travel hitch delays Mallorca Tripartite session

2005-10-11T09:19:00.001+02:00

By Brian Reyes in Palma de Mallorca

Chief Minister Peter Caruana landed in Palma de Mallorca late yesterday afternoon ahead of the third meeting of the trilateral forum for dialogue set up by the British, Gibraltar and Spanish governments.

But the talks failed to meet yesterday evening’s schedule and got off to a bumpy start after the British delegation ran into an unexpected travel delay en route from Madrid to the Balearic Islands. The Spanish delegation apparently held on to travel with them.

A photo call set for 8pm last night was postponed to first thing this morning. The discussions got under way around 8.30pm last night.

Initial logistical hiccups aside, the talks are expected to centre on key themes already raised at previous encounters, including expanded use of the airport, the pensions’ issue and telecommunications.

Spanish concerns over repairs to nuclear submarines have also been discussed in the past and are likely to be raised this week, a spokesman for the Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministry (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores MAE) told the Chronicle.

The spokesman added that the overall aim of this latest meeting was to continue the forum’s work and prepare the ground for a ministerial-level meeting before the end of the year. This would bring together Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and the Chief Minister for the first time ever. The current process started last February. A meeting at that level would most likely only be called if there were important agreements to be signed and ratified by the three governments.

Mr Caruana had been scheduled to have a working dinner last night with Jose Pons, director general for Europe and North America at the Spanish government’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, and Dominick Chilcott, director for Mediterranean Europe at the British government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

All three men have been closely involved in the discussions from the outset and the Chief Minister and Mr Pons met at the end of last month to prepare for this week’s meeting.

The latest round of talks is being hosted by Spain at the Hotel Punta Negra in Calviá, Mr Pons’ home town on the island of Palma de Mallorca. A press conference and media interviews are scheduled for this afternoon after the end of the talks.

Mr Caruana is accompanied by his chief secretary Ernest Montado, deputy chief secretary Richard Armstrong and press secretary Francis Cantos. The Gibraltar delegation is due to fly back to the Rock this evening.

Cancer 'Walk for Life' breaks all local records!

2005-10-11T09:19:00.000+02:00

Walk for Life in aid of Breast cancer on Saturday broke all records.

Organisers, Gibraltar Branch Cancer Research UK, had enough medals for some 800 walkers but already half an hour before the walk it was obvious their original calculation, double that of last year, would fall short. And it did by over 500!

This year around 1400 people – women, men, children and pets – walked for life.

Although the total figure raised is still not known, on the day itself over £14,000 were collected, already breaking last years overall record. With money still coming in the local branch is hopeful the figure could stretch to a few more thousand.

For many the walk took around an hour. This year at the starting line was the Mayor’s wife Sylvia Beltran, who got the walkers into jogging and walking mode, also participating in the walk.

Related Links:

Breast Cancer Self-Examination - Quick Guide

Cancer Research UK

Why not join the Gibraltar Branch of Cancer Research? Become a Member and do your bit to help! Click here: Cancer Research UK Gibraltar Branch Membership Drive Form - This page contains contact details to obtain further information about Cancer Research in Gibraltar.

Union calls for one hour stoppage

2005-10-11T09:18:00.002+02:00

Social Services Agency

TGWU/ACTS has called for a one hour stoppage at 10am today by employees of the Social Services Agency outside their offices.

A TGWU spokesman said:

“There is growing discontent among our members at the Residential Small Unit Group. The issues of concern are as follows:

* Salary levels and not a fixed wage;
* Manning levels-shortage of staff;
* Job description;
* A 37 hour week for senior care workers and a review of their salary;
* Overtime rates;
* Supply workers not made permanent despite being employed for a long time.

We wrote to the Chief Executive two weeks ago highlighting the grievances of our members, although the agency has been aware of our grievances for a long time. The agency has not responded to our submission and we have been given no alternative but to implement industrial action.”

GFA complain of unsuitable facilities for football

2005-10-11T09:18:00.001+02:00

The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) has called on the local government to provide the necessary facilities for football in Gibraltar to continue its development.

In a statement they also criticised the insufficient allocations available and the inadequate pitches that exist for the sport on the Rock.

A GFA spokesman said the situation can only be remedied by providing not only the nine-a-side pitch with a new synthetic surface but also with “at very least,” two new pitches with dimensions suitable for Junior Football and a training pitch for Senior Football.

A GFA Council spokesman said:

“The GFA notes the article that appeared in the Chronicle (6th October 2005) concerning the inability of the Gibraltar Gaming Football League to obtain fixture allocations at the Victoria Stadium with some sympathy. Such sympathy is however, tempered by the following considerations.

The GGFL is not affiliated to and/or recognised by the GFA, which is the governing body of the sport in Gibraltar. As such this so-called “amateur league” cannot expect, no matter how much fund raising they have carried out, to take from local governing associations of sport, scarce allocations, which are required by them.

As by far the largest sporting association in Gibraltar the GFA, with 27 Senior teams and 53 Junior teams registered to play this season, has to make do with the main Stadium pitch and a nine-a-side pitch whose surface dates back over 12 years, and which the Association believes unsafe enough as to warrant advising its members not to use it. Even taking into account the unsafe nine-a-side pitch, proportionally the GFA has the least facilities available to it than any other sport in Gibraltar notwithstanding that the number of its members far surpasses those of any other association.

The GFA under 7 league has not yet, and it is not known when it will, be able to commence because of the unsafe nature of the No.2 pitch and because as yet the Gibraltar Sports Authority has not confirmed it has made available alternative allocations at Westside School.

The GFA at this point in time needs 38 fixture allocations a week just to run its various league competitions. It barely has enough allocations to fit this in this means that there are insufficient allocations left to adequately provide for a structured training development programme for all the Junior national squads and/or a ladies football development programme and/or to allocate to clubs so that their players can train on a proper surface.

Apart from the obvious detriment to the progression of the sport which such a situation engenders, it should also be noted that it forces clubs to have their Junior/Senior players running around our streets exposed to the dangers of traffic and fumes and/or playing on unsuitable scraps of waste ground leaving players prone to injuries and/or not training at all and/or going over to Spain to train.

Until this is done, the GFA and/or its clubs cannot be expected to develop further a sport which over the last few years has seen dramatic improvements being made in national squad level and in junior football.

The GFA therefore pleads that from a health, sporting and community point of view, consideration be given to providing our youngsters of today, who will be the adults of tomorrow, with adequate facilities.”

New Red Cross Appeal for South Asia

2005-10-11T09:18:00.000+02:00

The Gibraltar Red Cross branch yesterday launched its latest appeal.

Treasurer Charlie Montegriffo opened an account for the victims of South Asia following Pakistan’s worst earthquake at the weekend where the death toll estimates range from 20,000 to above 30,000.

The United Nations said over 2.5 million people were left homeless by Saturday’s 7.6-magnitude quake, which destroyed entire villages. Doctors have warned of an outbreak of disease unless more relief arrives soon.

The account called South Asia Appeal Fund has been opened at Barclays Bank at 84-90 Main Street. The account number is 1100445.

Mr Montegriffo was again confident that people would give generously for this worthy cause. He also said the Red Cross locally was considering holding a flag day soon in aid of the appeal.

Airfield intruder causes flight delay

2005-10-11T09:17:00.002+02:00

Gibraltar Service Police had to close the road across the runway for over 40 minutes on Saturday when an intruder was spotted near the Cross of Sacrifice, a British military spokesman said yesterday.

A spokesman for HQ British Forces Gibraltar said:

"The man was carrying a large rucksack and jumped over the wall into the airfield near the Cross of Sacrifice.

Vehicles waiting to cross the airfield were kept waiting and the Monarch flight was kept on standby whilst a patrol was sent out to check the airfield.

After approximately 40 minutes, the GSP reported that the airfield was secure and handed over to Air Traffic Control so that the flight could take off.”

Meanwhile the RAF Gibraltar Station Commander emphasized the importance of security at the airfield and said safety was of the utmost importance.

“We needed to ensure that passengers on the aircraft were not put at risk,” he said.

Related Links:

RAF Gibraltar

RAF Gibraltar by Tony Fairbairn at Amazon.co.uk

Local fencers exhibit their skills in Spain

2005-10-11T09:17:00.001+02:00

A group of local fencers lead by British Fencing Master Paul Holder exhibited their skills recently at the Instituto Menendez Tolosa in La Linea.

The exhibition was very well attended with several hundred students aged between 16-18 at the secondary education college enjoying the display in the theatre of the
college.

The exhibition formed part of the ongoing awareness programme the local fencing club is organising both locally and in the neighbouring Campo area, with a view to offer a taste of fencing to any person who may wish to take up the olympic sport and can start at the beginner level.

After the exhibition, teachers and the headmaster of the college thanked the local fencers for their display and efforts.

In Gibraltar the Fencing club meets at the Community Centre every Tuesday from 7.15pm till 10.00pm.

Related Link:

British Fencing

Rock Hotel takes a 'White Ribbon'

2005-10-11T09:17:00.000+02:00

RAC hotels 2005-2006 awards

Motoring organisation RAC, which has been recommending accommodation to its own members and other travellers for more than a hundred years, has included a Gibraltar hotel amongst the latest winners of its annual awards, made to hotels and bed and breakfasts that go beyond its already exacting standards.

Among the winners of the RAC White Ribbon for 2005-2006 is the 4-star rated The Rock Hotel in Europa Road, Gibraltar.

“The Rock Hotel is doing the Gibraltar hospitality industry proud”, says RAC Hotels Business Manager Linda Astbury.

“Anyone choosing to stay there will enjoy a great experience.

Like all RAC award winning properties, it is the perfect choice for a really memorable stay.”

This year no less than 255 properties in Great Britain, Ireland and Gibraltar – ranging from grand country houses to idyllic village cottages – have been singled out for special recognition after anonymous visits by expert RAC Hotels inspectors.

Every year the hundreds of hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses farmhouses and inns within the RAC Hotels accreditation scheme are eligible for a range of awards, all of which recognise exceptional quality and service in every aspect of a guest’s stay. For hotels, townhouses and restaurants with rooms, the RAC Gold Ribbon award recognises the absolutely finest standards in comfort, cuisine, customer care and service, while the RAC Blue Ribbon acknowledges a level of true excellence in those same areas that will ensure that guests experience first class standards and a memorable stay.

Meanwhile, the recently introduced RAC White Ribbon recognises high standards coupled with a recognisable level of commitment, enthusiasm and warmth of service.

The highest accolade for B&Bs, guest houses, farmhouses and inns remains the much sought after RAC Little Gem award, presented to properties that offer superb standards and create a real home from home atmosphere for their appreciative guests.

Related Links:

Check availability and Room Rates for The Rock Hotel Gibraltar

Find Hotels in Gibraltar and Worldwide.

Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Travel Services and Hotel Guide

Gibraltar's TGWU announces restructure

2005-10-11T09:16:00.001+02:00

TGWU/ACTS has announced it will be restructured into five branches as opposed to the existing three, in line with the recommendation of the General Executive Council of the Union in UK.

Branch Officer Charles Sisarello said:

“The purpose of the reorganisation is to provide the membership with a more representative structure and taking into account the composition of the membership.

Since the 1960’s the TGWU has consisted of three branches – public, ACTS and the private sector, and from each branch four members were elected to the Gibraltar District Committee.

With the changes there will now be five branches and each branch will consist of ten members which will be constitutional committees.

The number of branch members elected to the Gibraltar District Committee will depend on the size and composition of that branch. The new District Committee will be composed of 15 and not 12 members as before. Nomination papers and the new structure are available at Transport House.”

Bishop leads UN mission in Guatemala

2005-10-11T09:16:00.000+02:00

Joe Bishop left Gibraltar at the weekend for Guatemala to lead a team of United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination experts who have been deployed to the region to assist the Government of Guatemala and the UN in organising coordination of international emergency relief response, to the areas affected by this week’s heavy rains and mud slides as the result of Tropical Storm Stan which has swept havoc through Central America and Mexico.

Colleagues of Joe and expert members of the UN Teams are already at work in El Salvador on floods and volcanic eruptions and in Pakistan as the result of Saturday’s earthquake.

Joe leads a team of experts from Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua and Norway which will be establishing an On-site Operations Coordination Centre in Guatemala City and conducting damage and needs assessments in the affected regions.

In Guatemala, tropical depression “Stan” caused torrential rains, which triggered flooding and landslides in the coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean. The torrential rainfalls and subsequent overflow of rivers and mudflows affected much of the country including the Departments of Escuintla, Jutiapa, Santa Rosa, San Marcos, and the capital Guatemala City. The death toll amounts to 508 persons and over 51,000 have been forced to take up emergency accommodation in shelters. It is expected that as rescue teams reach some of the 118 communities which remain isolated and cut-off by landslides the death toll could exceed 1,000.

The Government of Guatemala has launched an international appeal for assistance for the amount of USD 76 millions (approx £43 million) to be used over 30 days to provide humanitarian aid to the 104,000 affected population in 370 communities, funds will also be diverted for urgent repairs to the road and telecoms infrastructure in support of aid distribution.

Opposition raise anti-social behaviour problems on the Rock

2005-10-10T09:18:00.000+02:00

The rising tide of anti-social behaviour and juvenile delinquency in Gibraltar will be discussed in the House of Assembly where the GSLP/Libs will formulate no less than 36 questions on the subject at the meeting of the House of Assembly which opens on Thursday.

The last meeting for questions took place in April.

Opposition spokesman for Housing Charles Bruzon will ask Government whether they accept that there are problems of anti-social behaviour in some housing estates.

Mr Bruzon has also tabled a question to find out whether the changes to the pointage system that came into effect in August this year constitute the major reforms of the Housing Allocation Procedures previously announced or whether there are further measures planned.

He will also ask Government to state how many of the 1112 applications received by the closing date for the purchase of Waterport Terraces were from applicants who were on the pre-list for housing and how many were from applicants on the housing waiting list proper.

Mr Bruzon has also tabled a wide range of questions on social affairs.

For his part GSLP/Lib spokesman for Education Steven Linares will ask the Government to state how many juveniles convicted by the courts were given community service as a sentence, and what a community service sentence actually entails in practice, in terms of the work involved for adults and juveniles.

He also wants to know how much money has been allocated to GJBS for monitoring, supervising and conducting other works carried out at the Theatre Royal site.

Mr Linares will also ask how much was collected from associations and others for mounting stalls at the fair and National Day.

Opposition spokeswoman for Health Shadow Health Minister Marie Montegriffo has tabled nearly 100 questions for the Government to answer and raise the issue of “the poor quality of meals at the Europort hospital, as well as the problems with the drinking water.” She will also ask for a categorical assurance from Government that adequate steps have been taken to ensure that the problem with residual dissolved copper in parts of the hospital water supply system will not re-occur.

Ms Montegriffo wants Government to confirm whether there have been any new cases of MRSA infection affecting patients within St Bernard’s Hospital or affecting those who have been treated in health facilities abroad. She has also tabled a number of questions relating to the hospital complaints mechanism.

For his part Shadow Minister for Government Services Lucio Randall has tabled 41 questions on a wide range of issues. He will ask Government to state the number of power cuts that affected whole districts in the semester ended 30 Sepember 2005, the areas affected and why they happened.

With regard to communications, Mr Randall seeks to establish the prospects of Slovenia Telekoms or another undertaking acquiring the equity holding that the Government, Verizon or both hold in Gibtelecom.

Mr Randall asks the Government to provide an estimate of the cost of re-opening Dudley Ward Tunnel for vehicular traffic, and how many units of the antiviral drug Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) have recently been ordered and what is the criterion that will be used to dispense the units in the event that a pandemic of avian flu should affect the Rock.

Related Articles and Links:

29 September 2005 - Government prepares against threat of Avian Influenza

Roche Laboratories Inc. - Tamiflu

Slovenia Telekoms

Replica of Our Lady of Europe statue will be enthroned in Ballymena

2005-10-10T09:17:00.000+02:00

by Alice Mascarenhas

A group of around 50 persons leaves for Northern Ireland today to visit the camps in Ballymena where many Gibraltarians were in residence during the evacuation in World War II.

Led by the Bishop of Gibraltar Charles Caruana the group will present a replica of the Statue of Our Lady of Europe to the All Saints Church in Ballymena. Also travelling with the group is Father Charlie Azopardi.

Bishop Caruana told the Chronicle the presentation of the statue was in gratitude of the warmth shown by the people of Ballymena to the Gibraltarian evacuees in a time of hardship during the war.

Bishop Caruana who was an evacuee in Ballymena himself recalled the camps with affection:

“I was in camp 16 and I remember the people there very well.

Despite the awful the awful solitary conditions in which we lived, away from everyone, the weather was cold, very often we were without fuel for heat, those of use who lived through those years hold very fond memories of Ballymena and the people.”

The enthronement ceremony will take place tomorrow at 6pm. Tomorrow the group will also attend a reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of Ballymena.

Last year, a group of Gibraltarians headed by Bishop Charles Caruana visited Madeira, where the statue was enthroned in the Cathedral of Funchal and is now housed in St Peter’s Church in Funchal.

Related Articles and Links:

Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar

Our Lady of Europe

Ballymena

07 August 2005 - Ballymena finds its twin in Gibraltar

Spain and UK focus on Trilateral Forum as way ahead

2005-10-08T08:53:00.000+02:00

From Dominique Searle at the United Nations, New York

In a break from the past, that was evidently appreciated by the Gibraltar Government delegation, Spain yesterday made a concerted effort to focus on the current trilateral forum for discussion and its new appreciation of Gibraltar’s say over its future.

Unusually the Spanish Ambassador himself delivered the Madrid line. Ambassador Yáñez-Barnuevo declared that Spain wants to work in a constructive spirit and hoped that this process and progress in the forum “could permit, at the appropriate moment to adequately examine the search for a definitive solution to the question of Gibraltar."

Britain for its part welcomed the trilateral forum but reiterated its longstanding commitment to Gibraltar and the Preamble to the Constitution. And in its capacity as UK president it confirmed that no EU statement on decolonisation will be made this year – this stopped five years ago after Britain and Spain blocked a consensus statement by the EU because of the territorial integrity issue.

Yesterday Spain highlighted to the UN that the trilateral forum was created separate from the Brussels process. Sr Yanez-Barnuevo stressed the elements of the trilateral process including the fact that it is open agenda. He highlighted the success of discussions on regional co-operation and said that next week’s meeting in Palma de Mallorca will seek to reach agreements as soon as possible. He noted that “each part has its own and separate voice and …each participates from the same base. This is a new and important aspect.”

Madrid recognised that although steps forward were taken under Brussels it had not been able to have Gibraltar participation under the formula of ‘two flags, three voices’. But Madrid also emphasised that whilst there are three voices decisions taken by the forum are without prejudice to the “respective constitutional status, including the fact that Gibraltar is not a sovereign or independent state.” Trilateral decisions would be formally ratified as between Britain and Spain. But the ambassador stated that it is understood that UK will not agree anything without the Gibraltar Government’s consent.

“This implies that if at any moment the issue of sovereignty is raised, it would be a matter that the UK and Spain would deal with on a bilateral basis, which would not be an obstacle for hearing the aspirations and interests of the Gibraltarian people.”

He reiterated the Spanish Foreign Minister’s view that negotiation on the question of sovereignty “cannot adequately develop in a climate of confrontation.”
Spain said that in following this route it complies with the calls made by the UN itself for a resolution.

Britain stated that UK believes Gibraltar issues can only be resolved in a climate of trust, co-operation and dialogue. It warmly welcomed the process and went on to state that UK has “no doubts about its sovereignty over Gibraltar”.

Related Articles and Links:

Full text of the Chief Minister’s address at the United Nations Fourth Committee on Decolonisation - 6 October 2005.

UN Fourth Committee on Decolonisation - Press Release Report - Gibraltar Petitioners tell Decolonization Committee Sovereignty Dispute between Spain and UK should not displace Right to Self-Determination

07 October 2005 - Caruana seeks calls for UN resolution to reflect reality

07 October 2005 - Bossano rounds on Moratinos: ‘Keep your nose out’

06 October 2005 - Bossano will tell UN today of weakness of Spanish claim to Gibraltar

03 October 2005 - Chief Minister lobbying in the UK and UN

1713 Treaty of Utrecht

UN Fourth Committee on Decolonisation

UN Special Committee of 24 on Deconolization (C24)

Anonymous “Real GSD” leaflet attacks Caruana for merger with Labour

2005-10-08T08:14:00.000+02:00

Azopardi and Cruz disassociate themselves

An anonymous hard-hitting leaflet against Chief Minister Peter Caruana from disgruntled GSD (Gibraltar Social Democrats) followers who call themselves “Real GSD Democracy” was being circulated around Gibraltar yesterday.

The leaflet has come out at a time when Mr Caruana was in New York where he addressed the UN Fourth Committee on Thursday. The pamphlet claims that the GSD no longer represents the original ideas of the party and vehemently rejects the merger with the Labour Party. There is also a strong personal attack on ex-Labour leader Daniel Feetham.

Meanwhile former GSD executive committee members Keith Azopardi and Nick Cruz quickly issued a statement to disassociate themselves from the contents of the leaflet. The statement said:

“We understand that an anonymous leaflet entitled “Our GSD” is being distributed around various parts of Gibraltar.

Neither Keith Azopardi or Nick Cruz or persons close to us have been involved in its production or distribution and nor did we have any prior knowledge about it.

We expressly wish to disassociate ourselves from that leaflet. It represents precisely the personalised attack that in our view has no place in political life.

Whatever we wish to say about issues we will say publicly, without hiding behind anonymity, dispassionately and within the parameters of fair political [and not personal] comment.”

RGP Investigate

It is understood the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) is investigating the authorship of the leaflet since in Gibraltar it is illegal to issue political pamphlets anonymously.

Men of power pose for posterity

2005-10-08T08:13:00.000+02:00

Minister with responsibilities for Utilities, Fabian Vinet, has joined former employees of the Electricity Department and present employees of the Electricity Authority for a commemorative group photograph at King’s Bastion Generating Station, prior to the commencement of its demolition on Monday.

Mr Vinet said:

“King’s Bastion Generating Station has played a vital role in Gibraltar and so its demolition, as part of Government’s exciting manifesto commitment to build a leisure centre, is an event that deserves to be immortalized.

As has already been announced, the demolition of the modern buildings inside the King’s Bastion has now been completed, and it is important to note that all structures of historical significance, as advised by the Heritage Trust, have been retained.

The demolition of the Generating Station building will commence on Monday. I welcomed the opportunity to meet with a number of former workers who still vividly recall their professional involvement with King’s Bastion Generating Station. A couple of elderly gentlemen proudly displayed photographs taken during the 1960s and it was evident that this was an emotional day for them.

One chapter of King’s Bastion, as a source of Gibraltar’s power generation, is now closed, but the new plans for the area as a fully equipped leisure centre will, I am sure, be very welcomed indeed.”

Gibraltarian Submarine Officer served in Spanish Navy

2005-10-08T08:12:00.001+02:00

A Gibraltarian naval officer Lieutenant Cecil Ladislaus rejoined the nuclear submarine HMS Turbulent this week and is currently the Signals Communication officer on board.

He had previously done a six month exchange with the Spanish navy, a CBF spokesman said yesterday.

The spokesman said:

“Lieutenant Ladislaus 28, left Bayside school in 1995 to go to Nottingham university. He studied for a degree in Civil Engineering and worked as an engineer before deciding to change career and join the Royal Navy as a Warfare officer.”

Lieutenant Ladislaus says:

“I was in the Territorial Army for 6 years, two years with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and four years with the Royal Engineers. After working as an engineer I needed a change so decided to join the Royal Navy because of the career and opportunities for travel.”

He was commissioned from Officer Training at Dartmouth before serving on HMS Exeter and HMS Gloucester.

He has travelled all over the world with the Navy and also did a six month exchange with the Spanish Navy. He was selected to work onboard submarines after his Junior Warfare Officer’s course.

When asked about his impression of working on HMS Turbulent, he says:

“As a relatively young officer, I was thrown in at the deep end. For example, learning to navigate without windows takes a while to get used to.”

Lieutenant Ladislaus has managed to visit family in Gibraltar twice on ship visits to Gibraltar. He says, “It is a definite bonus living somewhere like Gibraltar. It is good to see the world, but I also look forward to visiting family and friends.”

75 Years of the Gibraltar Museum

2005-10-08T08:12:00.000+02:00

The sixth issue of “Gibraltar Heritage” is now available.

Published by the Ministry for Heritage, Culture, Youth and Sport, the magazine aims to heighten awareness of Gibraltar’s heritage, said a spokesman for the museum.

The first of the two Issues due out this year commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the The Gibraltar Museum, focusing on the history and evolution of this institution. Featured articles include “The Activities of the Gibraltar Museum”, “The Medieval Baths – History and Conservation Works”, as well as a series of “Spotlight on Collections” focusing on some of the more unusual artefacts stored in the depths of the museum.

Amongst the regular items included in this issue are a crossword, “Gibraltar Then and Now” and “Eye on good practice” features.

The full colour Gibraltar Heritage magazine is available from the Gibraltar Museum, the John Mackintosh Hall, the “Sentinel of the Mediterranean” Exhibition at the Casemates Gallery, and at numerous points throughout Gibraltar. As with previous issues, Gibraltar Heritage carries no cover price. Stocks of earlier issues of the magazine have run out but HTML versions are available online on the Gibraltar Museum website. Alternatively, there are reference copies available at the John Mackintosh Hall Library.

Related Articles, Links and more Heritage Talks:

Gibraltar Heritage Trust

23 April 2005 - Gibraltar commemorates 200 years since the Battle of Trafalgar

Trafalgar celebrations announced

200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

The Battle of Trafalgar at Amazon.co.uk

03 October 2005 - Heritage Talk 7: Trafalgar – "Prelude & Aftermath"

09 September 2005 - Heritage Talk 6: Of Darwin, Barnacles and Geese: The Marine Diversity of the Strait of Gibraltar Heritage Talk

13 July 2005 - Heritage Talk 5: Gibraltar Museum announces fifth 'talk' in Heritage series

27 June 2005 - Heritage Talk 4: History Of HMS Calpe – Personal Reflections

24 May 2005 - Heritage Talk 3: Gibraltar 1918 Flu Epidemic

20 May 2005 - Heritage Talk 2: Development of the Cruise Industry

02 April 2005 - Heritage Talk 1: The construction of the Dockyard

Caruana seeks calls for UN resolution to reflect reality

2005-10-07T08:51:00.000+02:00

Gibraltar before the United Nations Fourth Committee • Gibraltar ‘willing to be constructive’

Peter Caruana, Chief Minister, yesterday made a call on the United Nations UN Fourth Committee(on Decolonisation) to participate in a watershed moment for the Gibraltar issue and urged it to discard the traditional terms by which it calls for a solution to the sovereignty dispute.

He wants them to drop the reference to the (The 1984) Brussels Agreement in their annual Resolution and endorse the current process involving the trilateral Forum.

“There is in practice no process of bilateral negotiations between the UK and Spain under the so-called Brussels process,” he said. He recalled that the last was held in September 2002 and that the previous ones had achieved nothing.

And Mr Caruana also gestured to Spain the willingness of his government to work constructively with Spain.

Mr Caruana pointed to the statements made before the UN General Assembly by Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos last month where Sr Moratinos had declared that Madrid is willing to work in a constructive spirit within the new trilateral dialogue forum.

“I reciprocate those sentiments and willingness and hope that we shall be able to reach good agreements on many issues. The people of Gibraltar have always shown friendship and respect to those who show friendship and respect to us, as demonstrated in actions as well as words. Spain is not an exception to this,” said Mr Caruana.

The arrival at New York of the delegations from Gibraltar was no less tense than usual. Mr Caruana arrived with Joe Holliday deputy minister who attends for the first time and joined by Daniel Feetham who has been sitting by Mr Caruana at the UN conference room’s petitioner’s seat since the former Labour leader engaged in ‘merger’ talks. Neither Mr Holliday nor Mr Feetham addressed the session. Absent due to illness was Chief Secretary Ernest Montado.

Whilst press secretary Francis Cantos had arranged some press events for Mr Caruana including a breakfast session with El Pais, Joe Bossano wandered from airports to his hotel hauling tomes of Hansard under his arm, mobile clasped to his ear as his GSLP (Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party) companion Fabian Picardo ‘blackberried’ texts and draft questions to HQ in Gibraltar in a bid to meet the rush deadline for next week’s House Question Time.

The politicians are all accommodated at the towering UN Plaza Millenium Hotel that looms armoured with glass over the UN complex on the banks of the East River. But there were no encounters scheduled ahead of the submissions.

There is little doubt from the stances at the session that the current process with Spain and the Constitutional Reform, despite the similar language used by both Mr Caruana and Mr Bossano on these key issues, actually blurs the fact that underlying all this is an increasing sense that a clash between the two looms.

But the UN Conference room No 4 was packed. An unprecedented 200 plus delegates were present for the decolonisation session and countries from afar as Monaco and Saint Lucia could be seen listening intently to the Gibraltar submissions.

In his address Mr Caruana rehearsed the traditional legal and political position he has presented to the Fourth Committee in the past: that it is absurd that Gibraltar is still a colony; that all want this resolved; that the modern realities should be judged by the C24 (UN Special Committee of 24 on Deconolization (C24)) in a visit to the Rock; that self-determination is the principle that applies not territorial integrity and; the overriding principle of democracy.

Mr Caruana asked the democracies represented how many of them could believe that Gibraltar should be decolonised in a manner other than that chosen by its people. In a striking phrase he even appealed to non-democratic regimes saying that this view should not be “anathema only to countries governed in accordance with the principles of democracy. Simple adherence to basic principles of human dignity and common sense would suffice to find that approach to our decolonisation equally contemptible.”
To go against this and hand over Gibraltar’s sovereignty was compared by Mr Caruana to slavery. Such “recolonisation” would “constitute a modern form of trafficking in human beings.”

In his address Mr Caruana told the UN that he is hopeful of a good conclusion to the Constitutional Reform talks with UK in the first half of next year. He also emphasised that the Brussels Agreement is a “spent force” and that it was not a consensus any more since UK “has said that it has no intention of resuming bilateral negotiations with Spain about Gibraltar.”

“Your Resolution should reflect reality not fiction,” said Mr Caruana. He emphasised that all this was happening on the understanding that Spain was not giving up its claim and Gibraltar would never abandon its inalienable right to freely and democratically decide “the future of Gibraltar in exercise of our inalienable right to self-determination.

Related Articles and Links:

07 October 2005 - Bossano rounds on Moratinos: ‘Keep your nose out’

06 October 2005 - Bossano will tell UN today of weakness of Spanish claim to Gibraltar

03 October 2005 - Chief Minister lobbying in the UK and UN

1713 Treaty of Utrecht

UN Fourth Committee on Decolonisation

UN Special Committee of 24 on Deconolization (C24)

Bossano rounds on Moratinos: ‘Keep your nose out’

2005-10-07T08:50:00.002+02:00

• Utrecht was a slave deal, UN told

Opposition Leader Joe Bossano lunged verbally into Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos and described his remarks to the UN last month as “a bit rich.”

Sr Moratinos had said Spain wanted decolonisation of Gibraltar, Mr Bossano pointed out that she has in fact been blocking this for 40 years with all her powers.

Mr Bossano told UN delegates that Gibraltar would prefer to de-list with their support and involvement and with Spain accepting given “there is nothing they can do to stop us.”

“But if this is not to be, we shall achieve it by ourselves, as so many of you have done when you emerged from colonial rule.”

Mr Bossano referred to UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's comment to him last week that but for Spain Gibraltar would have been decolonised years ago.

But Mr Bossano also took Mr Straw to task over his clinging to the Treaty of Utrecht. Before a largely black representation in the UN Chamber he described how Utrecht had mostly been a trade treaty on the trafficking of Negroes. This was a treaty that did not reflect any of the human values cherished by the UN today.

“We have two Socialist governments in Spain and UK hiding behind the pseudo legitimacy of this bankrupt, long defunct Treaty to justify their flagrant failure to observe their obligations under the Charter to a people under colonial rule.”

Mr Bossano told Spain that “our decolonisation is none of their business and they should not stick their nose in where they are not wanted.”

“Our wish,” he said, “is to agree with UK a new constitution to achieve the maximum possible level of self-government beyond which there is only emergence as an independent sovereign state.”

He told the UN that he agreed with their view that reports on a territory have to continue until the General Assembly decides a territory has reached a full measure of self-government. Britain’s view was that the decision was for the territory and its administering power.

“However since you (the UN) do not in our case show the remotest interest in participating in the decolonisation process currently under way we will have to settle for second best,” he said adding that when the negotiations are finalised and a decolonisation referendum is held “we shall hold UK to its word” for delisting.

Mr Bossano compared the UN Fourth Committee(on Decolonisation) to the three wise monkeys – neither seeing, hearing nor speaking.

On the trilateral forum Mr Bossano predicted that Sr Moratinos is “going to be a very disappointed man”. There will be no sovereignty concessions made to Spain, he said.

Related Articles and Links:

06 October 2005 - Bossano will tell UN today of weakness of Spanish claim to Gibraltar

03 October 2005 - Chief Minister lobbying in the UK and UN

1713 Treaty of Utrecht

UN Fourth Committee on Decolonisation

Bomb threat to New York tube network

2005-10-07T08:50:00.001+02:00

Authorities stepped up security on New York’s tube system last night after receiving a credible threat that the New York City subway may be the target of a terrorist attack in the coming days.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared at a news conference alongside Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly in which they announced the threat, which they said originated overseas.

Bloomberg said it was the most specific threat New York officials had received to date. No one in New York had been arrested, he said.

A law enforcement official, who anonymously, said the threat was “specific to place, time and method’’ and that the method was bombing.

“We have done and will continue to do everything we can to protect this city," Bloomberg said, adding that he planned to take the subway home later.

“We will spare no resource, we will spare no expense. We have increased our police presence on our subways."

Kelly asked the public to report suspicious people or activities.

Police planned to start looking through bags, brief cases, baby strollers and luggage as they launched a large-scale search of New York’s mass transit system.

“We have never had before a specific threat to our subway system," Bloomberg said.

“Its importance was enhanced above the normal level by the detail that was available to us from intelligence sources."

New York’s security level remained at orange, the same level it has stayed at since the September 11 2001 attacks.

An estimated 4.5 million passengers use the New York subway on an average weekday. The network has more than 468 stations.

Local man fined £10,000

2005-10-07T08:50:00.000+02:00

Tobacco smuggling case

A Gibraltarian man has been fined £10,000 at the Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to unlawful transportation and attempting to export a total of 290,000 cigarettes, valued at £11,600, through the frontier into Spain.

Kenneth Albert Neale of 4/6 Cumberland Steps had been stopped by Gibraltar Customs officers at Four Corners on August 18th of this year, as he attempted to drive into Spain in a refrigerated truck.

The cigarettes were found concealed in cavities in the roof and walls of the vehicle.

The cigarettes and the truck valued at over £1,200 were forfeited.

Spaniard arrested for burglary

2005-10-07T08:49:00.001+02:00

A Spanish national has been remanded in custody after appearing at the Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with three counts of burglary.

Francisco Jesus Aguilar Ballester 44, of Calle Virgen de las Mercedes, La Linea, was arrested on suspicion of burglary on October 3rd and later interviewed by the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP).

Aguilar admitted his involvement in three burglaries to officers of the Criminal Investigation Department.

Gibraltar blackout due to power failure

2005-10-07T08:49:00.000+02:00

There was a major power cut which affected much of Gibraltar including the town district, on Wednesday night after a technical fault developed at the Waterport generating station.

Heavy smoke was detected and the City Fire Brigade was called to the scene.

The power cut lasted for approximately thirty minutes.

Joint sovereignty “dead and buried,” says Chief Minister

2005-10-06T08:59:00.002+02:00

Caruana on Sky News

Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister, gave a lengthy interview to Sky News yesterday morning in which he offered an upbeat assessment of Gibraltar’s current political and economic situation.

He said the UK and Spain’s joint sovereignty initiative was “dead and buried for all practical purposes” and described the new tripartite forum as “the way forward”, highlighting that the issue of sovereignty was not on the agenda for discussion.

Mr Caruana said his party, during nearly 10 years in government, had improved Gibraltar’s international reputation and “repositioned” the way that it is perceived by the rest of the world.

But even on UK television, the Chief Minister was pursued by one of the trickiest issues in local politics after a viewer in Gibraltar emailed Sky with a question about housing. There were, the viewer said, too many luxury houses and not enough affordable homes for the Gibraltarian community. Mr Caruana appeared unfazed as he linked the housing issue to economic growth and said luxury homes were vital in order to sustain an already “hugely successful” economy.

“[Inward investment] is what keeps the economy afloat, that is what keeps the government in money to pay for public services, health and education, and it’s what keeps our young and old in employment,” he said.

“So inward investment is very important and providing high-value properties for inward investors is an essential part of the economic model of Gibraltar.

But of course it’s also important that there be housing of a price which is affordable for local residents.”

He referred to the homes already being developed as part of the Waterport Terrace project and added that “we’re about to announce another 1000 very soon.”

“This is an issue in Gibraltar as it is in the rest of Europe, but I’m confident that we are going to deal with it very quickly,” he concluded.

Much of the interview focused on the changing relationship between the UK, Spain and Gibraltar. The Chief Minister said that UK support for Gibraltar’s right to self-determination – both from politicians on either side of political spectrum and, crucially, from the wider public – had been a critical element alongside the steadfastness of the local community.

“Happily the joint sovereignty policy is dead and buried for all practical purposes,” Mr Caruana said.

“The British government is no longer pursuing it.

I think they’ve seen the strength of feeling that there is and I think Gibraltar has made a good case and the British government has been persuaded that perhaps that’s not the best way forward after all.

The way forward is the one that we are embarked on now, which is a process of three-sided dialogue, not the UK and Spain talking between themselves about our affairs, but the three of us. And not about sovereignty.

They now realise that any dialogue about Gibraltar has to involve, primarily and as a principal player…the democratically elected representatives of the Gibraltarians.”

Asked about his nearly 10 years in office, Mr Caruana set out a positive view of the local economy and the way Gibraltar had evolved over the past decade. He described Gibraltar was a well-regulated financial centre and said investor confidence in the Rock was good.

“Gibraltar’s reputation, both politically and in terms of international financial services, is hugely repositioned and improved,” he summed up.

Asked about his own political legacy, he noted that “…all political careers come to an end.” And he added:

“I like to think that when the people of Gibraltar decide that it’s time for a change – which hopefully won’t be too soon – that they will think that my passage through office has been, on balance, positive for Gibraltar.”

Police release identity of dead Spanish worker

2005-10-06T08:59:00.001+02:00

* TGWU call for investigation

Gibraltar Police has released the identity of the Spanish construction worker who plunged to his death in a fatal accident in a building site on Tuesday.

A Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) spokesman said:

“At 17.17hrs on October 4th 2005, a fatal accident occurred at the construction site of Euro Plaza, when an employee of Entrecanales y Tavora (Gibraltar) Ltd fell from the 12th floor of the said building.

The body of Mariano Gallego Rodriguez of Plaza Santa Teresa de Jesus, 11/7c, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, DOB: 15/3/55, was found lying on the 2nd floor landing of the said building.

Emergency services and the Safety Officer were soon at the scene of the accident.

The Coroner was contacted and later attended the mortuary. Representatives of the company were also in attendance.

Initial enquiries revealed that the deceased had been in the process of stepping onto a 12th floor window ledge from an exterior mobile cradle, when he fell between a two-foot gap between the cradle and the building.

A Forensic Medical Examiner attended and pronounced life extinct and the body was transferred to St Bernard’s Mortuary, awaiting a subsequent post mortem.

The family of the deceased were informed and later attended. The body has now been released to the family for burial.”

Safety Legislation must be adhered to, says Union

Meanwhile the TGWU/ACTS yesterday called for an investigation into the accident and expressed its condolences to the family of the deceased.

Branch Officer Charles Sisarello said:

“We are extremely concerned with the situation that is developing in many building sites in Gibraltar. Although there is legislation on health and safety, on many occasions this is not adhered to by employers.

The Union will be seeking a full investigation into the matter to know exactly what happened that led to this unfortunate accident. We will assist the family in whatever means at our disposal.

We will also be working together with the Spanish Unions as the deceased was employed by a Spanish sub-contractor Indecor, for Nesco the main contractor.

The TGWU insists that the Health and Safety legislation be adhered to and zero tolerance on risk at the workplace is maintained. We will work together with all concerned so that this kind of accident does not occur again.”

Related Article:

05 October 2005 - Spanish worker dies in fall from Europlaza building

No allocations force Gibraltar league to La Linea

2005-10-06T08:59:00.000+02:00

Seven-a-side football

Gibraltar Gaming Football League, a seven-a-side amateur league formed by staff of the locally established gaming companies, has expressed disappointment that they cannot obtain allocations to play at the Victoria Stadium.

As a result of this they have had to play their matches in Spain.

The league is also involved in charity fund raising activities to help the community and last year they made a donation of £5,000 to St Martin’s Special School.

League president Michael Ford said they had contacted the Stadium before the start of last season but were informed that all available pitches were fully booked.

“All that we require is one full-sized pitch for two and a half hours per week on any weekday evening, the day is really not an issue,” said Mr Ford. Now with the new season about to commence at the end of October, they have been informed yet again that no pitches are available “for any day at any time,” he added.

The league which has proved extremely popular and successful, is formed by dozens of Gibraltarians and others who are employees of gaming organizations on the rock such as Cassava, Stan James, Party Gaming, Ladbrokes, Victor Chandler and Carmen Media.

Mr Ford said:

“We have been involved in fundraising for St Martins’ school helping children with severe learning difficulties. To date we have already raised £5,000 for the cause, and look forward to at least doubling this in the coming year.

At present we have to play what is a Gibraltar league in La Linea, with several players being forced to attend Spanish hospitals with injuries, one of which was of a serious nature.”

No trip for Montado

2005-10-06T08:58:00.001+02:00

Chief Secretary, Ernest Montado, has been unable to accompany the Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, on his current trip to New York to address the United Nations due to illness, a Gibraltar Government spokesman said yesterday.

Mr Montado has developed a strong head cold and doctors advised him not to make the trip.

Related Article:

03 October 2005 - Chief Minister lobbying in the UK and UN

Vinet congratulates Gib anglers championship success

2005-10-06T08:58:00.000+02:00

The Minister for Sport, Fabian Vinet, has congratulated the Gibraltar section of the European Federation of Sea Anglers on the successful European Shore Angling Championships, which took place in Gibraltar last weekend.

Mr Vinet joined the anglers at the Detached Mole during the inaugural day of fishing and was appraised of techniques, as well as viewing the process of recording the results.

The Minister, who had previously hosted a welcome reception, presented trophies and addressed all participants and organisers at a Gala Dinner on Sunday evening.

He thanked the hard work of EFSA Gibraltar and of the Gibraltar Federation of Sea Anglers, paying particular tribute to the stewards, marshals and anyone who in any way contributed towards the success of these prestigious Championships.

“It is understandable for one to be proud of one’s own homeland, as I am sure our friends from abroad are of their respective countries, “ said Mr Vinet, referring to the participants from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Germany, Belgium and Sweden.

“I therefore make no apologies,” he continued in his speech, “for describing this little Rock of ours as a small but vibrant, unique and welcoming territory.”

Mr Vinet explained that he hoped the foreign participants would return home with warm memories of both the Championships and of Gibraltar as a whole, before wishing them a safe journey home.

Workman killed in Euro Plaza fall

2005-10-05T08:46:00.001+02:00

Safety Inspectors Investigate

A Spanish construction worker plummeted to his death from one of the top floors at the Europlaza building yesterday.

The 50-year old man, who has not been identified but is believed to be from Jerez, appears to have slipped while stepping onto scaffolding at the start of his afternoon shift. The man fell into the interior podium of the building from a height of around 24 metres. Efforts were under way yesterday evening to contact his family.

There were conflicting reports at the scene as to which floor he fell from. The police said the 10th floor, while several workers said the 12th floor.

Shocked colleagues gathered at the base of the building as work was brought to a halt while police and government health and safety officials investigated the incident and spoke to site managers.

“I’m not sure what happened,” said one Spanish man. “It’s very hard to fall.”

He added that it was standard procedure for men working on the scaffolding to wear safety harnesses.

Entrecanales and Tavora (Gibraltar), the principal contractor carrying out the construction work on behalf of Pebble Properties, was asked to stop work at the site pending the outcome of the investigation.

Europlaza is situated adjacent to St Bernard’s Hospital in Europort. Completion of the apartments is due by the end of this year or early 2006.

House meeting culminates hectic time for Gibraltar

2005-10-05T08:46:00.000+02:00

A week in politics…

Local politicians will be trekking backwards and forwards across the western hemisphere over the next seven days, in what will be one of the most hectic and possibly significant periods in Gibraltar’s political calendar for a long time.

Tomorrow’s United Nations appearance in New York by the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, a question and answer session of the House of Assembly and what could be a ‘make or break’ meeting of the Tripartite Forum in Palma de Mallorca, will all be taking place in the compressed timescale of barely a week.

Meanwhile as the respective delegations initiate their annual trip to New York to address the United Nations Fourth Committee (on Decolonisation), Joe Bossano and Fabian Picardo will also be having to work against the clock to prepare their questions, normally several hundred, in time for the same day [Thursday] deadline for the House of Assembly meeting that has been called for the following week October 13th.

Additionally the House of Assembly comes just two days after the Tripartite Talks that are being held in the Spanish island of Palma de Mallorca, which could possibly yield a series of wide ranging cross-border cooperation measures, including the payment of Spanish pensions, a telecommunications deal and a breakthrough agreement for joint use of the airport.

Gibraltar Day in London will also be held later this month.

Bossano off to UN

Leader of the Opposition Joe Bossano leaves for the United Nations in New York today accompained by Mr Picardo. During Mr Bossano’s absence, Dr Joseph Garcia will act as Leader of the Opposition.

VOGG call for meeting of House Select Committee

2005-10-05T08:45:00.001+02:00

Straw decolonisation reply

Local pressure group Voice of Gibraltar Group (VOGG) has called for an urgent meeting of the House of Assembly Select Committee on constitutional reform to discuss the reply given to Leader of the Opposition Joe Bossano by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

VOGG spokesman Paul Tunbridge said:

“We thank the Leader of the Opposition in taking Jack Straw to task over constitutional reform at the Labour Party Conference.

The Foreign Secretary’s reply is fraught with so many inconsistencies that it is tantamount to an admittance that the ‘Spanish Dimension’ will come into play, duly forewarned by the VOGG in a recent communiqué.

Therefore, we ask the Chief Minister to urgently call a meeting of the Select Committee to discuss the matter and issue an appropriate statement. Thus, gratuitous accusations of ‘satellite-groups, political commissars, speculation or mischief-making’ can be avoided.

It is rather ironic or downright hypocritical on Jack Straw’s part to precondition Turkey’s entry into the EU, amongst other things, on the lifting of the ban on direct flights between that country and Cyprus, decorating his discourse with the usual rhetoric of democratic values, etc. Yet Gibraltar finds itself with a similar exclusion, but is expected to negotiate and concede on an airport agreement in order to have it lifted; so much for his concept of values.”

Montedeoca invited to GTB workshop in Barcelona

2005-10-05T08:45:00.000+02:00

Gib targets Spanish tourism

Gibraltar Tourist Board (GTB) will be hosting a destination exhibition and workshop in Barcelona on Wednesday October 5th 2005, starting at 2.00 p.m., a Gibraltar Government spokesman said yesterday.

And Mancomunidad president Juan Montedeoca has been invited to attend.

Minister for Tourism Joe Joe Holliday said:

“Events such as this are particularly important, as they allow us to generate interest in Gibraltar in the travel industry in Spain and in the specialised Spanish travel press. They give us an opportunity to portray an accurate picture of the wide range of tourism products that we offer.”

At the event proper, a large number of Spanish travel agents and representatives from the Spanish media will have an opportunity to meet members of Gibraltar’s travel and tourism industry.

Guests will be invited to a presentation by the GTB team followed by a snack lunch during which participants will be able to discuss business opportunities with members of Gibraltar’s tourism industry in an informal one-to-one basis.

Mr Holliday continued:

“This type of initiative brings the Gibraltar tourist product closer to the agents and, through them, to their customers. Our ultimate aim is to position Gibraltar as a leading destination in the short break holiday market in Spain. Barcelona is important in this regard, as it generates a large part of Spain’s business and leisure tourism.

I am delighted with the advance response from travel agents that will be participating, and am greatly encouraged by the level of support that the GTB is receiving from the tourism industry in Gibraltar for this event.”

Meanwhile individual tables will be provided so that all those attending as exhibitors can meet the Spanish travel industry members and conduct their business effectively.

The event is designed to generate increased awareness in Spain of Gibraltar as a tourist destination, and it follows on the success of the destination exhibition held in Madrid earlier this year.

The Mancomunidad de Municipios of the Campo de Gibraltar has also been invited by the Government to host a table at the workshop, and President Juan Montedeoca has said that he will be visiting the event personally.

PP criticises 'Eileen' bunkering spill

2005-10-05T08:44:00.002+02:00

Partido Popular (PP) in La Linea has called on the regional and the Spanish Government to adopt tighter controls to avoid any further bunkering spillages in the bay.

A PP spokesman said these spillages are detrimental to the environment and public health in the area, and said single-hull ships are banned by the EU and must not be allowed to sail in the bay.

Speaking about the recent Eileen spillage, the PP says Gibraltar must also adopt measures “to implement the appropriate EU legislation without shielding itself behind any special conditions to avoid doing so.”

Gib-Spain Maritime working group to deliver safety report

2005-10-05T08:44:00.001+02:00

A working group set up to discuss cooperation on maritime affairs between the ports of Gibraltar and Algeciras met late last month to analyse issues relating to navigational safety and anti-pollution measures in the Bay of Gibraltar.

The group, which is made up of officials from both ports, is due to report back at the end of this month, after which a decision will be made on practical steps to be implemented.

“Hopefully the next round of talks [on maritime issues] will be held in Gibraltar toward the end of October,” said Joe Holliday, Minister for Trade, Industry and Telecommunications.

“At that meeting we will have had an opportunity to assess what is being proposed and actually start to make some headway.”

Two working groups were established following the initial contact between the two ports last May, one to deal with safety and environmental concerns, the other to examine commercial opportunities.

Navigational safety is a prime concern in the bay, which has seen a sharp rise in the volume of maritime trade over the past decade. The collision between the cruise ship Van Gogh and the tanker Spetses in thick fog last year was a stark warning of how easily things can go wrong. The passenger ship was leaving Gibraltar, while the tanker was sailing into Algeciras.

One of the key aims for the two ports is to find ways of coordinating vessel movements on both sides of the bay, and to further tighten monitoring and control systems.

“At the end of the day, these are practical issues which I think benefit both sides,” Mr Holliday said.

Officials are also sharing information on pollution prevention and control in an effort to harmonise contingency plans on either side of the bay in the event of a major incident. In terms of commercial cooperation, the ports are exploring the possibility of joint initiatives to market the bay as a whole.

One potentially significant stumbling block is that the Bay of Gibraltar is known as the Bay of Algeciras in Spain, making branding a difficult exercise.

Mr Holliday is keeping an open mind at this stage but, in any case, insists that any collaboration on marketing would not preclude Gibraltar’s own individual efforts at major international maritime events.

Another important element highlighted at the initial meeting last May was the possibility of setting up a ferry link between Gibraltar and Algeciras. Officials concede, however, that this will prove one of the most difficult initiatives to implement. In order to establish such a link there would need to be customs, immigration and police controls both in Gibraltar and in Algeciras.

“I know that on their side they are looking at what this is going to mean for them, in terms of human resources, in terms of logistics from the point of view of Schengen and so on,” Mr Holliday said.

“On our side, we recognise that we will have to beef up our own side.”

What is clear is that, if the political hurdles can be overcome, there will be no lack of commercial interest in such a venture. Two companies in Gibraltar – there are no names at this stage - have already expressed interest in setting up the ferry service.

“It’s a question of ironing out whether logistically the whole thing is possible and then going for the political sanction,” Mr Holliday said.

Related Links:

Algeciras Port Authority

Gibraltar Port Authority

Junta to raise submarine issue in Parliament

2005-10-05T08:44:00.000+02:00

The Junta de Andalucia has called on the central Spanish Government in Madrid to raise the issue of nuclear submarines at the next session of the tripartite forum, due to take place next week in Palma de Mallorca.

The Junta is urging Madrid to ask the British Government to cease visits by such vessels to the Rock.

Spokesman Enrique Cervera told reporters that the Junta was “tired and fed up” with the presence of nuclear submarines in Gibraltar, which he said created “unease” in the local community.

He said the arrival of HMS Turbulent this week, which follows last week’s visit by HMS Trenchant, meant “the situation has worsened notably”.

The issue was not discussed at the last tripartite talks in Faro, Portugal, though it was raised by Spanish journalists during the post-talks press conference.

Dominick Chilcott, the top Foreign Office official at the forum, said at the time that the matter was one for bilateral discussions between Spain and the UK.

“We want to make sure that what we do does not cut across important consideration for our Ministry of Defence but we also want to arrive at a satisfactory outcome for all concerned,” he told reporters in Faro.

This is not going to be done quickly but I am confident that we are on the way to arriving at a satisfactory arrangement, although we are not quite there yet.”