What is a Governor for?

Since then, whenever a new Governor has been named, I have endured this perennial pastime of mine of writing this column asking ‘What is a Governor for?’. Indeed, when dignitaries and others are invited round to The Convent, the question ‘What is a Governor for?’ often crops up. Not that long ago, a certain Governor might have heard the question, or derivations thereof so often, that when the question cropped up, he would say to the questioner: Just one minute.

He would then walk over to his desk and come back with a photocopy of my article, and handed it to the unsuspecting questioner, with the rider: Here read this!

Certainly a Governor is no longer the omnipotent person he once was, his authority having dwindled over the years with each constitutional advance and devolution of power to the elected representatives of the people.

Whereas in times past the Governor was responsible for everything, then excepting defined domestic matters of elected representatives, and subsequently the position being reversed to the point that it is now the Governor who has his responsibilities defined, everything else being the responsibility of Ministers.

Section 47(1) of the Gibraltar Constitution says that the Governor’s responsibilities are the following: (a) external affairs, (b) defence, (c) internal security including (subject to section 48 about the Gibraltar Police Authority) the police, and (d) such functions in relation to appointments to public offices and related matters as are conferred on him by the Constitution.

The Constitution also makes clear that “the Governor shall in respect of external affairs as far as practicable act in consultation with the Chief Minister”.

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10-06-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR