21 May
One of your correspondents criticizes immediate past-Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns, for not saying "that Britain has a strong case to reinforce naval presence in Gibraltar" when he was Governor.
I am sure your correspondents should know by now that the Governor of Gibraltar "are the officials in the Foreign Office" however much Governors and our local Government put forward to them, they always have the final word.
Although we Gibraltarians are 100% British and loyal to Her Majesty the Queen, when it comes to a matter regarding Spain the FO will not back us Gibraltarians instead always favour Spain, not to offend them.
After all, we are only 30,000 while Spain is a nation! Even though the British Government gives us Gibraltarians a lot of assurances and support, the Foreign Office have the final word. It is a real shame but unfortunately it is the truth.
We Gibraltarians are always delighted to have a Governor because he represents Her Majesty the Queen, and that shows above all that we are and will remain British forever.
Yours faithfully,
Solomon (Momy) Levy
25th anniversary of privatisation of Govt Telephone Department
May 21, 2015
The 25th anniversary of the establishment of Gibraltar Nynex Communications Limited, following the privatisation of the Government Telephone Department by the GSLP Government in May 1990, is being celebrated.
Juan Carlos Perez was appointed as the first Chairman of the joint venture company. In September 2001, GNC merged with Gibraltar Telecommunications International Limited (Gibtel), the other local telecommunications provider, to form Gibtelecom and become a full services provider offering fixed, internet and mobile services. Nynex Communications, who at the turn of the century merged with Bell Atlantic to become Verizon Communications, remained in the joint venture partnership till April 2007.
Addressing past, present employees and guests, the Chief Minister paid tribute at a reception yesterday evening to all the members of the Board, Executives and Staff for their hard work and dedication in transforming the telecommunications landscape of Gibraltar. Gibtelecom's Chief Executive Officer, Tim Bristow, said that "he had seen first-hand how the partnership with the Americans had been instrumental in turning the company into a more customer-focused and professional organisation, investing in the necessary equipment and technology - traditions which continue to this day.
"Gibtelecom has now expanded to offer superfast broadband and is on the journey to providing 4G mobile data services, as well as being a player in the global communications industry with its involvement in the Europe India Gateway submarine cable system running from the UK to India, and through the establishment of the company's multiple points of presence in Europe. All these developments couldn't have taken place without those pioneering steps that commenced a quarter of a century ago".
Adrian Moreno, Gibtelecom Chief Operations Officer added that he had "been proud to be with the Company, in its various incarnations, since the days of the Gibraltar Telephone Department.
"GNC invested in new equipment, procedures and training to ensure a much improved customer experience. Waiting times for new telephone lines and the clearing of faults are nowadays measured in hours or days, rather than the weeks or months prior to the formation of the Company".
21-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Commissioner in Caribbean
May 21, 2015
The Commissioner of Police last week attended the Caribbean Commissioners Association Conference in St. Kitts at the invitation of Mr. Albert POGGIO of the Gibraltar Office in London.
In relation to this Conference the Overseas Territories Commissioner has asked Commissioner YOME to assist the Commissioner of Turks and Caicos with his Maritime Portfolio.
21-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Evacuation memorial event tomorrow
May 21, 2015
A memorial event to mark 75 years of the wartime evacuation of the civilian population of Gibraltar will take place tomorrow. This coincides with the very day 75 years ago when the first vessel transported Gibraltarian evacuees on the evacuation scheme across the Strait from Gibraltar to French Morocco. The Government has taken the view that it is important to commemorate the event and to honour that generation.
It will be recalled that the people of Gibraltar were originally evacuated to French Morocco. They were then re-evacuated back to Gibraltar and then onwards to London, Jamaica, Madeira and Northern Ireland. The Government has invited dignitaries, political and academic, from each of these four centres in order to thank those who played host to the evacuees during their hour of need.
The dignitaries are:
1. Councillor Mrs Audrey Wales MBE and Mr Christopher Wales, Mayor of Ballymena, Northern Ireland;
2. Councillor Billy Ashe and Mrs Beatrice Ashe, Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Northern Ireland;
3. Councillor Mercy Umeh and Ms Frances Umeh, The Worshipful the Mayor of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham;
4. City Councillor Dra Madalena Nunes representing the Mayor of Funchal in Madeira; and
5. Dr Suzanne Francis-Brown who is the Curator of the University of the West Indies Museum in Jamaica which is now sited in the old Camp Gibraltar.
The Memorial event will take place on Friday at 6pm Casemates Square and, whilst there will be plenty of seating provided for the elderly, there will also be standing room for the public. The event will open with a performance from local trio, Mount Opera, who will sing a number of songs from the wartime era. These will be followed by the reading of various extracts from relevant texts relating to the Evacuation including the original Order by which women, children, the elderly and the infirm were instructed to leave Gibraltar. The texts will be read by persons who were themselves evacuees and there will also be short personal testimonials from evacuees who went to Madeira, Jamaica, London and Northern Ireland.
The event at Casemates will be followed by a reception at Grand Battery House to which those evacuees who have registered have been invited. The Government had originally intended to hold the memorial at the Evacuation Monument in Waterport Terraces. However, the fact that over 800 evacuees have registered has meant that it had to be moved to Casemates Square which is a much larger venue. Instead, the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo accompanied by the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Joseph Garcia, will be unveiling a commemorative plaque at the Evacuation Monument earlier on Friday afternoon.
A short film depicting the Evacuation will be shown during the Reception in Grand Battery House.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia said: "The Memorial service coincides with an exhibition about the Evacuation at the John Mackintosh Hall. This will continue until 28 May. There will also be a lecture on the evacuation to Jamaica by Dr Suzanne Francis-Brown, who is the Curator of the University of the West Indies Museum, today Thursday at 6.30pm at the Garrison Library. This lecture is open to general public but it is important to remind former evacuees that they should register with the Government Archives if they wish to be invited to the other Evacuation commemorations.
"The Government considers that it is important to mark this defining moment for us all. The wartime evacuation of the civilian population was a watershed in the history of Gibraltar and it is only right and proper that, 75 years on, the Government should honour the sacrifices made by a generation at that time."
21-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Friends and 'friends'
May 21, 2015
Dear Sir,
The event at our new Gibraltar House in London seems to have kicked up a bit of sandstorm, or is it a storm in a tea cup, in local media circles.
First we have the ex-Governor of Gibraltar, Sir Adrian Johns's talk, which has seen sharply contrasting reactions from media and private quarters in Gibraltar, all because he couldn't commandeer an aircraft carrier (HMS Illustrious) for us during his tenure of office.
Secondly the apparently self-appointed spokesperson for the Friends of Gibraltar Heritage Society's allegedly formal release of Sir Adrian's address ostensibly favouring the Gibraltar Chronicle out of the remainder of the local press. This gentleman known in Gibraltar as Mike Brufal and in neighbouring wonderland as Don Miguel Raphael Brufal de Melgarejo (reportedly of Spanish nobility and a 'friend of Gibraltar') is no stranger to Gibraltar media circles.
He had not been heard of for some considerable time, but spotted strutting down Main Street on periodic visits to Gibraltar. But he has certainly returned to the scene with an unexpected media fanfare, could this be a surreptitious come-back?
My only concerns about the event at our new Gibraltar House is the news from Sir Adrian of the apparent inconsistent procedures at the FCO for selecting and screening of potential Gibraltar Governors, though I'm confident they are not press-ganged.
And in the case of the "Circle of Friends" some things, it seems, never change.
Unsurprisingly,
Joe Brugada.
Gibraltar does not need a Spanish twin
May 21, 2015
Another politically related issue has suddenly developed which has all the ingredients to drive another wedge between many in the community.
Because if Gibraltar was not politically divided enough, do we really need another issue, in the form of an idea or proposal from the neighbouring town's political elite, to start stirring up the local political temperature amongst many who are already voicing vociferous comments?
The announcement is by the La Linea Mayor, Gemma Araujo, who is proposing as a mandate in her election manifesto in this Sunday's municipal elections that Gibraltar and La Linea should be twinned!
The PSOE Mayor who is seeking re-election highlighted the twinning of Gibraltar idea at the same time pointing out the importance of "good neighbourly relations" with Gibraltar, and the need to encourage bilingualism and cultural exchanges'
No Normal Scenario Politically or Otherwise!
In a normal and perfect scenario 'Gibraltar Twinning with La Linea' would appear be a natural thing to do. But when the biggest stumbling block to good neighbourly relations being the 'Central Government of Spain' the on going anti-Gibraltar politically charged situation, dramatically changes or makes it impossible to agree or accept the good intentions behind the idea by the mayor across the way.
The Chief Minister for his part has made it clear that he thinks the positive steps by Araujo is something he would wish to pursue and would like the people of Gibraltar to view the twinning idea positively.
I am convinced the Chief Minister did not expect a wholesale or generally positive reaction from skeptical Gibraltarians, say but for just a few. However, if the idea is to include the twinning idea with La Linea in the GSLP/Liberal manifesto as mandate, the Government may not find that particular mandate is going to receive popular support, particularly from many members of his own party!
Already there is an online poll against the idea, the poll titled 'Never Twin British Gibraltar with any Spanish Town'
There is also a good majority of people who do not think that Gibraltar twinning with La Linea is neither culturally or politically something the Rock should be getting themselves involved in, especially with everything else the Rock is facing, including the challenges we are facing with our EU future and a very uncertain prospect of which political party will form the next Government in Spain and our own elections.
However, looking at this idea from a purely political perspective, especially with the present position with the Spanish government 'Can Gibraltar afford to be seen as if it is weakening its position', even if the twinning concept really has nothing to do with hard core politics but a cultural bringing together of communities?
Gibraltar cannot have normal relations with La Linea or anyone else whilst the sovereignty issue is hanging over our heads. How many towns and cities around the world have been twinned where one side of the twinning process is hell bent in destroying and taking away the other's identity?
Problems With Spain Now Being Fought on all Fronts
The problems with the Spanish Government regarding issues involving Gibraltar, not only comes in the way the Spanish Government illegally manages frontier controls… by Land…but how it also attempts to gain jurisdictional control and sovereignty of BGTW… by Sea…and Madrid now creating a serious EU issue and turbulent environment with the UK… by Air… over the European Skies issue!
Experts in twinning towns and cities say, that twinning is not something to be improvised it must be carefully prepared and the right time chosen.
Adding, that finding the perfect partner is obviously the first step! Each twinning is unique, however in most cases the right twinning partner should be similar to you on a number of counts. These can be the number of inhabitants, the geographic location, the economic activities, and historic links with other communities, the main social or environmental issues…
La Linea may be the obvious partner geographically and have the historical links, but I'm not so sure about the other points just raised.
Experts also point out there can be no twinning without the active participation of the inhabitants. Elected representatives and civil servants who can often be the driving force behind projects, but they should not be the only people involved. Schools, sport clubs, leisure groups, senior citizens organisations, and other local community associations should all be involved. It's a big ask for this community at present!
At the same time they add, the twinning needs to be visible for every citizen to feel involved. It is important to communicate the impact and benefits of twinning to the wider public…Again that's going to be difficult under the present climate!
Experts also explain, that in the European Union, a good twinning link should help to strengthen active European citizenship, by creating links between citizens, by aiding the promotion of European unity, and helping to forge a European identity. By allowing people to experience the daily life of others, to debate and discuss important issues of the day, and to discover new cultures and the languages of their partners, twinning helps citizens to understand that they belong to one community of values.
An important question that is asked is, what do potential twinning partners want from the twinning? This experts believe, should be the first question when trying to establish a twinning link. Twinning partners should define together clear objectives and types of activities!
Town Twinning
Town twinning started after the Second World War as a way of building strong links and friendships with communities in other countries.
Its central ideas are to build international co-operation and understanding within a diverse cultural framework.
Special emphasis is placed on the involvement of young people, who serve as the foundation of the future.
Another important goal is the exchange of ideas and innovation among the partner cities for the benefit of all sections of the twinned communities.
Many cannot understand why Gibraltar should be contemplating such an idea with all the political on-going aggro, even if the Mayor next door is such an enchanting person, which I'm sure she is. But the time is not right For Gibraltar
Can you imagine the Falkland Islanders, twinning the island with the town of Catamarca in Argentina? It sounds ridiculous that it could happen. Yet, Gibraltar is no different!
Algeciras and Landaluce have their Argentinean Twin
Which is something that the Mayor across the bay in Algeciras did last year when Jose Ignacio Landaluce flew to Argentina, where he attended a twinning ceremony, twinning Algeciras with Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego. As he, politically sought to highlight the 'English occupation' of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.
When Landaluce addressed the twinning event he spoke about the environmental and cultural 'similarities' between Algeciras and the Rio Grande. But a section of his message centered on Gibraltar and the Falklands.
"A pain that brings us close"
When he said "There is another characteristic that unites us, and does so through a pain that brings us close, very close, something that is ours, and that is our territory,"
So if the Gibraltar-La Linea Twinning idea were to go ahead, on one side of the bay there would be the totally absurd situation where Algeciras is twinned with an Argentinian town and on this side of the bay Gibraltar would similarly be twinned with La Linea a Spanish town…Classic Stuff for the History Books!
A Fragile and Flimsy Idea at the Moment!
I agree with those who believe that as much as the cultural and neighbourly love aspect of the twinning idea is highlighted as the main reason for its promotion, politics will be steering it from the back, without a doubt!
These initiatives don't rely on a document sitting in a town hall; they also rely on politicians and ordinary people devoting time and effort to nurture an international partnership.
What will happen if a PP Mayor is elected in La Linea, possibly not this time round but in the next municipal elections over there and decides to de-twin with Gibraltar, as we know people of the PP political class are inclined to do with agreements of all kinds…
Would we not look foolish having gone through all the process and also dividing Gibraltar even further? For a Spanish politician or party to come along in a few years time and tear-up a twining agreement that was always a flimsy and fragile idea from the very start, because of the political negatives going against it at the time!
21-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Guardia Civil accused by Gib Police of issuing fabricated, unfounded and false statement
May 21, 2015
The Gibraltar Police Association, in reply to the recent Guardia Civil Union (AUGC) press release about the recent incident at sea, can categorically state that their communication is completely false, unfounded and fabricated. This incident occurred in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters where in fact the Guardia Civil acted illegally, boarding a Gibraltar pleasure craft. Our police patrol boat officers responded immediately as a result of the emergency call received.
The police association add that due to the Guardia Civil officer's dangerous navigation in purposely obstructing and trying to prevent one of our officers from boarding the Gibraltar vessel, our officer was injured due to the Guardia Civil's irresponsible actions. Luckily he only sustained minor injuries and was later released from hospital. It could have been a great deal worse.
The Gibraltar Police Association say they would have welcomed an approach from the AUGC in order to engage in constructive dialogue over our respective members' concerns regrettably this has not happened as yet although we continue to stand ready to engage with the AUGC to discuss this issue.
The reality is that our Police Motorboat Crew regularly supports the Guardia Civil in the international fight against criminality, on numerous occasions at their request. This has extended to invitations to enter Spanish Territorial Waters in support of their officers. This is fully documented and details all those many instances where the Guardia Civil have contacted the RGP Marine Section requesting our assistance and our attendance in various matters.
"The RGP has always enjoyed a very good working relationship with the Guardia Civil and the Servicio de Vigilancia Aduanera and we will continue to maintain this with that same spirit of harmony. Unfortunately, on this occasion the AUGC do not appear to be working within that same spirit of harmony," they say.
A complaint has been lodged with the European Confederation of Police (EuroCOP) regarding this matter.
21-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
One mistake after another
May 21, 2015
Dear Sir,
Wow! Not only do we get one repeat after another, but mistakes as well.
I was watching the Political Broadcast of Steven Lineres who was made to look a fool. He started his broadcast, and suddenly the image froze, and then we had someone playing a guitar. This happened more than once, no explanation given.
Then in the News, they made a summary of what he said, when, in fact, he did not say it! Is newswatch live or recorded?
The other week they kept saying that Parliament would meet on a Wednesday but they got the wrong Wednesday!
And I have spotted quite a number of other mistakes.
Someone said in Facebook that GBC is a waste of public money, I think I would have to agree.
Yours sincerely,
C. A. (Charlie) Smith.
Quite puzzling
May 21, 2015
Dear Sir,
A quite puzzling phenomenon has sprung up in regard to whether any political party must have a hard stone mandate to enable it to undertake its functions.
I believe that way back a certain local politician was quoted as saying,' that items in a manifesto was only a wish list', end of quote and of no material consequence, therefore I am rather surprised to read that the present administration has no mandate to explore the installation of LPG facilities to produce much needed electricity for Gibraltar.
I have checked and rechecked previous party manifesto's and fail to find when the good people of Gibraltar gave the previous administration a mandate to sign up to the Cordoba agreement and especially the airport part when to add insult to injury was flogged as an enhanced piece of statesmanship, when in fact it was a revamp ' Brussels ' model, which incidentally had been rejected by a massive NO from the people of Gibraltar, so please answer two simple questions. 1) who gave the mandate and 2) which House of Assembly session authorised the granting of special facilities to the Spaniards using our airport as if it was a Spanish one and being requirements demanded by Spain from day one., if anyone cares to analyse both the rejected 1987 and Cordoba you may be surprised to find 2.5 of the rejected points creeping in to the new enhanced one and last but not least, to sign up, on behalf of the people of Gibraltar, to three lies, frontier/fence, Bay of Gibraltar/Algeciras and a dispute exists over the isthmus and the biggest sin was to tell a Basque Magazine that what Spain had to do was woe the Gibraltarians, just a little so that we ourselves would lower the UNION JACK and the interview not given in a private office or club but in the Official Government office, sitting at the meeting table with both the English and Gibraltar flags and a portrait of our Sovereign on the wall behind.
Are you still prepared to argue who had or has a Mandate to govern, sheer hypocrisy of the highest order.
Allow me to end with a quote from the good old days of the City Council which stated.' Lord help me to keep my mouth shut until I know what I am talking about.'.
Yours faithfully,
W.L.Chamberland.
Total inaction by FCO and blind eye by enforcement agencies
May 21, 2015
Dear Sir,
Further to the naked abuse suffered by Gibraltar by the Spanish thugs in BGTW, the total inaction by the FCO in London and the blind eye too often turned to it by local enforcement authorities. Might I suggest our local enforcement agencies force the issue, and thereby force the hand of the FCO?
The GC boats ought to be boarded, the crew arrested and their equipment confiscated? This will create an incident which even the career politicians and spineless London officials can't ignore.
I moved here over three years ago from the UK and am mortified by London's utter inaction in the face of a debt ridden, bullying, supposed EU partner and fellow NATO member. I pay my taxes in the UK and get precious little for it (as I'm sure many here do)
The Royal Navy are too busy picking economic migrants from the sea, with no clear benefit to the UK when they ought to be paying far more attention to British Gibraltar and their base here...inaction will encourage the bully and we all know the best way to defeat a bully is to stand up to them.
Terence Mustoe
