The RGP has confirmed to Panorama that at approximately 2010hrs on Thursday evening, the RGP received information regarding a Spanish State vessel having stopped alongside a small white coloured boat within BGTW, which was allegedly attempting to take executive action.
Questioned by PANORAMA, a Police spokesman confirmed that an RGP vessel immediately made its way towards the vessel from its position on the eastern side of Gibraltar and upon arrival at the location the Spanish State vessel had left and was no longer within BGTW. There were four occupants on board the white boat in question, two of these being Gibraltar residents. RGP officers dealt with the vessel in question and then resumed patrol.
Panorama asked the RGP these questions when it was confirmed to us that an SVA Launch had stopped and searched a white open fishing local fishing the previous evening at about 8pm less then a mile off the lighthouse.
Witnesses say the incident occurred in full view and eye line of Windmill Hill Signal Station.
We are told the Spanish State vessel remained along side the local boat for a good 10/15 minutes; we are also informed the occupiers of the local boat contacted the local authorities by phone but none were in the area. Although one person did see the RGP launch in the Catalan Bay area, this was later confirmed by the RGP.
The whole incursion and fishing problem and the security and safety of the public, many people believe, is being seriously undermined by a poor or less then effective operational and security plan to combat this problem with Spanish state vessels.
Also many people think there is a total lack of coordination between local enforcement and security agencies. Because they're hardly appears to be a local enforcement or security presence at sea, particularly when members of the public need them or the security of BGTW requires it.
18-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
El que se cree que es un pata negra...
May 18, 2015
El Patasjamon la ha armao otra vez by saying that even if he comes last in the election, he will remain as GSD leader, que te parece, my dear Cloti?
Pues que este tio se cree que es un pata negra, querida Cynthia, pero what matters is not what he thinks of himself, which is a lot,but what others think.
That may be so in a normal situation, pero el GSD parece que esta mas muerto que vivo, conque a lo mejor se la tragan lock, stock and barrel.
Bueno it's up to them, pero in the past there have been rumours of a possible coup, conque la cosa se puede calentar, I presume.
El GSD deputy, el Boss-Y-No, will have much to say, digo yo, y mi marido se pregunta que diran los new boys who are joining the party.
I imaginate que they will want to try and win an election, y se preguntaran if this is posible with el Patasjamon.
I know not, my dear, pero the impression I get es que the only one who is excited about things es el Patasjamon, so he may be in a world of his own.
Perhaps, porque el ultimo opinion poll confirmed que it is a one-horse race.
Es que no se puede estar all the time harping on the same issues and trying to scaremonger everyone about everything, I mean todo no puede estar mal, verdad?
You are quite right, corazon, quisieron armarla over the debentures, el savings bank, los finances, el new power station, el stadium...blimey, they live en un mundo de panico, que susto.
My dear husband esta claro about el new stadium, el dice que lo importante is that our national team tenga un buen stadium, and he sees nothing wrong with building one on that barren plot of land at Uropa Point.
Claro, that area has been built on for other things so why not pa la pelota? I mean, como me guste el new stadium empiezo a jugar al football hasta yo.
Anda hija a tu edad, tu no marca ni un penalty, caramba.
Tu que sabes, my querido husband dice que I would make a good footballer, so why not?
Bueno, bueno, dirle a tu husband que saque el card polisher y le de un buen brillo al GSLPee membership card porque tonight hay un meeting and without el card no te dejan entrar.
Thanks for telling me that, porque lo de los hellections se va a poner calentito, y el Patasjamon ya no sabe a quien pescar.
What he should do is go out on a fishing trip in the bay para que se entere lo que esta pasando, porque all we hear form them es lo del gas, como si fuera el second world war.
A lo mejo como se esta hablando tanto del evacuation, hay quien se cree que we have to re-enact lo de los flying bombs y todo aquello.
Those were the days, cuando los English did what they had to do, no como ahora, que parece que estan tomando orders from el Chamberlain, el prime minister que llego con un papelito y hablo about peace in our time.
Y los del Foreign Office se crelleron hasta el promise from Hitler, y desde entonces no cambian.
Bueno, you know what I say, British we are and British we stay, from el frontier to Uropa point.
Digo que si. Ta, ta for now.
Adios blancaflor.
18-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Exercising jurisdiction
May 18, 2015
Dear Sir,
The almost unparalleled action taken by the Spanish Guardia Civil which resulted in the boarding of a Gibraltar pleasure boat and a member of the RGP injured in the process only a few metres from our shores has shocked and angered many people in this country.
Plainly unless some recognizable concern is produced by the British Government and that pretty damned quickly towards the illegal Spanish activities in our territorial waters. Gibraltar faces widespread interference in our territorial waters it has ever known.
The truth is whether we like it or not, Spain is now exercising jurisdiction in our sovereignty waters. Simply because the idea of any kind of confrontation would not be entertained by the foreign office because of the "Deep and long bilateral relationship between the UK and Spain". And if the people of Gibraltar are the losers what does it matter it is not the UK!
Because we have had both Gibraltarians and British Citizens bitter experience of a complete disregard for the simple truth at the hands of British Governments of both major political persuasions not on one or two occasions but increasingly frequently over the past decades.
Clearly the British weak response is inadequate and will neither get us to a reasonable and to Spanish hostilities nor their respect for the sovereignty of our country.
The answer is of course the Royal Navy. Their two armed patrol vessels who spent the major part of their working life in their moorings should be daily patrolling our territorial waters if the British Government mean what they say of "protecting Gibraltar's sovereignty, economy and security".
Yours sincerely,
Francis Gonzalez
Govt astonished by former GSD Minister's claims
May 18, 2015
The Government says it notes with astonishment the personal statement issued by the GSD's former Minister for Education, Clive Beltran, that well before the last election the construction of the two new schools at the old St Bernard's Hospital was a work in progress. The Government cannot allow this statement to go unchallenged.
The GSD manifesto for the 2007 elections stated that the GSD would build First and Middle schools "at each of Mid-town development and the old St Bernard's Hospital.
By 2011, the GSD had not built any First or Middle school either at Mid-town or the old St Bernard's Hospital or anywhere else for that matter. In fact, they had not even started the construction of any school despite their clear promise in 2007.
"If the construction of the two new schools had been work in progress as Mr Beltran claims, the GSD's 2011 manifesto would surely have said so. It would be astonishing if a Government was building two new schools and fail to say so in their manifesto. Instead, their manifesto merely stated that they would conduct a review to assess the optimum locations and relocations of schools," the Government points out.
The reality, of course, is that these new schools were not started by the GSD nor was the construction of the schools work in progress. The GSD's 2011 manifesto demonstrates this.
A Government statement today adds: The GSD may have short memories but the public do not. When the time comes to compare the GSD record on education with that of the GSLP/Liberals, Mr Feetham's party will be found as wanting in this area of policy as they will in so many others, not least their now admitted shift away from their previous flagship policy of combining both comprehensive schools at Rooke. This was another huge error of judgement which, had Mr Feetham implemented it, would have caused considerable harm to secondary education in Gibraltar.
18-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Guardia Civil to take legal action against RGP Officers
May 18, 2015
The mostly politically driven Unified Association of Civil Guards (AUGC) has strongly criticised not only the Gibraltar Government but also the Royal Gibraltar Police, making serious accusations against their so-called local enforcement colleagues, regarding the incident last week involving a local fishing vessel in BGTW where an RGP officer sustained injuries whilst in the execution of his duty when attempting to restore jurisdictional control of the incident after a Spanish officer had boarded and taken control of the local vessel.
AUGC Dismiss All Local Claims
In a statement the AUGC totally dismiss all the negative claims levelled against its members from the Gibraltar authorities regarding this incident.
The incident itself was condemned locally by the Government, the Opposition and eventually the Foreign Office who again reminded everyone that 'Britain would do 'whatever is required' in defence of Gibraltar' which was another of those 'don't hold your breath type statements from the FCO', but that's a slightly different matter!
The RGP also issued a statement where they essentially confirmed that a GC officer who was on board the local vessel, by his actions prevented one of their officers boarding the vessel, resulting in the injury to the officer concerned.
The AUGC in their official statement say that after hearing the evidence from the GC officers concerned and confirming geographical data, the public statements made by the Gibraltar authorities are false and in fact the actions taken by the RGP officers constitute an offence under Spanish Law.
AUGC in their account describe how Guardia Civil officers were conducting (fishing) inspections to prevent infringements of EU conservation fishing laws of blue fish tuna, when they boarded the local fishing vessel, which they say had been seen fishing near the Algeciras port, but later moved to the centre of the Bay.
The Guardia Civil association said that on arrival of the RGP vessel their officers attempted to explain the situation to the local police officers. Despite this, they added, the RGP officers urged them to leave BGTW. Accusing the RGP of acting in a disproportionate manner with an excessive desire to get on board the Gibraltar fishing boat, which resulted in the RGP officer injuring himself.
They say that the Guardia Civil officers involved in the incident decided to discontinue the inspection of the local fishing boat (in BGTW) to avoid an escalation and far more serious situation.
Guardia Civil Condemn Actions of RGP and Initiate Legal Proceedings
Importantly, the AUGC say that in view of the serious nature of the incident and without wanting to enter the debate on the territorial waters issue 'they condemned the RGP officers, including the repeated incidents of this nature where the RGP cover up for those Gibraltarians who are breaking EU laws regarding the fishing of blue fin tuna', knowing they added, that some of these locals have previously broken these same laws.
The AUGC then questioned what action the central government would be taking? However, the Spanish association added that independent of the latter and taking into account the illegal action of the Gibraltar Police Officers involved in the incident the… it is to initiate legal proceedings against the RGP officers involved.
The latter statement creates a very serious and dangerous diplomatic situation, where Spanish state enforcement agencies are publicly threatening legal action against the enforcement agencies of another member EU state because RGP officers have attempted to enforce and protect their own territorial waters.
RGP accused of allowing law-breaking
It is obvious the AUGC is politically driven and not for the first time, attempting to collect misleading evidence to present to the central Government in Madrid to be used against Gibraltar by the Spanish MEPs, this time regarding 'tuna fishing' where the season doesn't even start until next month. And it is not the first time Spanish enforcement associations like the AUGC have publicly tried to undermine the integrity of local enforcement agencies.
Spanish Enforcement Agencies Have Led Unsuccessful Campaigns
As Panorama has reported quite a few times previously, both the Guardia Civil and Spanish National Police unions have led not too successful campaigns. Attempting to 'depict themselves as the victims' of their Government's own illegal wrong doings regarding the on-going anti-Gibraltar strategy by illegally implementing disproportionate frontier controls and the constant illegal incursions into BGTW.
These Spanish enforcement unions have been hard at work trying to expose or create a false and exaggerated working environment at the frontier and now again in BGTW. They repeatedly make claims of abuse, violence and rising tension. A situation, which the unions say, has seen a number of their officers from both enforcement bodies who perform frontier and marine duties having to tackle serious situations, even taking sick leave with depression and other psychological illnesses.
These Spanish enforcement association have also alleged that whilst their members are frequently threatened, insulted and harassed by locals on this side of the frontier, the RGP stand idly by and do nothing and acting as passive spectator's even accomplices!
Other previous claims against the RGP from their so called RGP Spanish colleagues are even more serious, with allegations the 'RGP demonstrate the same inactiveness in the pursuit of drug trafficking, smuggling and other criminal activities'
Under the present atmosphere of Spanish hostilities and growing tension, one can only guess what drives these statements emanating from so-called senior Spanish enforcement bodies like the Guardia Civil. But as I have said it all boils down to politics. It will always be, with the kind of neighbour we unfortunately have!
Two Different Perspectives From Either Side of the Frontier
It's amazing, that from both sides of the frontier, how the enforcement situation is seen from completely different perspective. Here we have the Spaniards condemning and criticising as they see it, the actions of the RGP and to top it all, now even threatening taking legal action against certain local officers for performing their duty in BGTW. And yet, on this side of the frontier fence the RGP are being criticised by most of the public and press for not doing enough!
RGP 's Involvement in GC Drug Chase Incidents Never Recognised in Spain
This raises another related issue, specifically when the Guardia Civil requests the assistance of the RGP to go out on dangerous drug sea chases, including the fact that such cooperation is never publicly recognised by the Spaniards, simple because Madrid instructs the GC to ignore and omit the participation of the RGP.
Yet, the RGP naively go out of their way and paint another completely different picture, regularly claiming that relations with the Guardia Civil are excellent! Especially after one of these extremely dangerous chases at sea takes place together with GC vessels. How can relations possible be excellent, when the GC association is now taking legal action against RGP officers?
Allowing RGP Officer to Give Evidence in Court and Conspiracy of Silence
Which brings me to another issue, although not directly related to the latest one, but it does clearly demonstrate the dangerous and serious naivety, regarding certain decisions taken by the authorities on this side of the frontier.
The latter concerns follow the shallow decision by RGP to allow their officers to give evidence as potential defendants in a Spanish court. This regarding a serious incident that has 'direct serious political implications' (and fully reported in Panorama recently). Shockingly however, everyone concerned in this matter, the Governor, Police and Government have apparently conspired and are remaining silent denying the press and ultimately the public excess to information of huge public interest…which is nothing short of an Assault on the Freedom of Information and the Press!
FCO Should Put their Money Where Their Mouth is to do Whatever is Required
It remains to be seen what the FCO will do now, if anything? Potentially this is an extremely volatile situation emerging. A situation where the Guardia Civil National Association that boast 30,000 members have said they are taking legal action against RGP officers, which again could involve Spanish courts involving local enforcement officers!
If we are to believe the recent comments by the Foreign Office that Britain will do 'whatever is required in defence of Gibraltar' we should expect the British Government to sort out this serious situation. But belief is a bit short at the moment.
The FCO should also be concerned about the fate of the RGP officers who were stupidly allowed to give evidence in a Spanish court recently, and this regarding an incident that occurred 5 years ago, where high-level political assurances were made that no action would taken via the Spanish legal system, obviously this has not been the case!
The fact, that the Governor and everyone else are maintaining a 'vow of silence' will only raise the growing wave of scepticism. Essentially, regarding how these serious national problems with the Spanish Government are being tackled or alternatively addressed in a laid back (no problem) manner?
18-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Jamaican academic to lecture on the evacuation
May 18, 2015
The Government, as part of a series of events to commemorate the wartime Evacuation of civilians from Gibraltar, has organised a lecture at the Garrison Library on the subject of the evacuees who went to Jamaica. The talk will be delivered by the Curator of the Museum of the University of the West Indies Dr Suzanne Francis-Brown.
Dr Francis-Brown completed her doctoral thesis precisely on the subject of the evacuation of Gibraltarians to Jamaica. It was entitled "Gibraltar Camp 1940-1947: Isolation and Interaction in Colonial Jamaica".
Contact between the Government and Dr Francis-Brown was made after a former evacuee who was born in Jamaica went back to her roots and met her.
The story of the Gibraltarians who were evacuated to Jamaica is not generally as well known. On Wednesday 9 October 1940, the SS Neuralia left across u-boat infested waters for Jamaica with 1093 evacuees on board. It arrived in Kingston on 27 October. A second batch of evacuees arrived in Jamaica on 16 November 1940. They were housed in Gibraltar Camp. The University is today located where Gibraltar Camp used to be.
The event will take place this Thursday at 6.30pm at the Garrison Library. Entrance is free and former evacuees and the general public are all invited to attend.
Commenting on the matter, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia said: "I am delighted that Dr Francis-Brown has agreed to come to Gibraltar to participate in the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the evacuation. It will be very interesting to learn what she has to say on the subject from the perspective of a writer, editor, historian and academic from Jamaica itself. The very fact that her doctoral thesis was precisely on this subject makes her an expert in the field. There will be an opportunity to ask questions which will make the event all the more interesting. This is one of a number of events that the Government has organised. "
18-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
The last AGM before a general election is due, says GSLP
May 18, 2015
The Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party will hold its 2015 Annual General Meeting today at 8pm at the John Mackintosh Hall. The party is describing it as 'the last AGM before a general elecion is due."
The meeting will involve the election of members to the Party's Executive Committee, the election of Party Leader (which occurs every two years) and consideration of Motions on education, housing, employment and the recently enacted Referendum Act. Party Chairman Pepe Baldachino will deliver an address.
Eight nominations have been received for the five available posts on the Executive Committee.
One nomination has been received for the post of Party Leader for the re-election of the current leader, Fabian Picardo.
As is now traditional at the AGM, a short film will serve to introduce proceedings.
All members are invited to attend. Members will be able to collect a 2015 GSLP T-shirt on the night.
18-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR