From another perspective, I have also in the past, asked the same question, In fact, many times over the years? Not because I am ignorant of the role the governor. But these thoughts have generally followed an incident, like a Spanish incursion, or an event of sort or a decision taken or not taken BY serving a governor. But also, out of some public communication from the FCO in London or the Gibraltar desk which has been contentious, of which there has been many?

Panorama Editor Joe Garcia, every time a new governor arrives in Gibraltar, writes a report about the role of the governor and goes on to explain the constitutional order in this respect. He again penned in June (this is a short excerpt) when the Vice Admiral Sir David Steel arrived in town that: ‘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’.

To clear any doubt, as far as I am aware, because I always stand to be corrected. The role of the Governor extends; from being the Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar as well as the representative of the British Monarch, our Queen. The present Governor, like the 92 previous Gibraltar Governors before him was appointed by the Head of the Realm on the advice of the British Government.

The role of the Governor is also to act as the de facto head of state. He is also responsible for formally appointing the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, along with other members of Government after an election has concluded. The Governor also has responsibility for defence and security.

Primary Constitutional Responsibilities

As I have penned previously in similar reports. The 2006 constitution, basically stopped governors turning native, in the true sense of the word. Instead, post 2006 governors became entwined within the new constitutional set-up. It is, where the governor nowadays, if they really want to be part of the local scene, mostly from a political perspective, pretty much, has to adapt to a new type working relationship with the government of the day and the Chief Minister especially!

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14-08-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR