27 May
Statements in the Spanish media have sought to inflame and concern the public in the region as to the presence of HMS Ambush at HM Naval Base in Gibraltar.
The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said: "There is absolutely nothing of any concern about the presence and activity of HMS Ambush in Gibraltar. HM Government of Gibraltar has been fully briefed about the arrival, stay and activity of the vessel and people can rest assured that the speculation in the Spanish press is as wrong on this subject as it usually is about matters related to us.
"There is nothing "nuclear" to worry about. The operations being carried out are routine and not related to the vessel's reactor or waste associated thereto.
"In particular, the use of the Naval Base for these operations serves to graphically demonstrate both the continued strategic significance of Gibraltar to the United Kingdom and that the waters around Gibraltar, both inside and outside the port, are British in keeping with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and that the United Kingdom neither needs nor is required to seek anyone's permission to bring Royal Navy vessels into the British parts of the Bay of Gibraltar."
27-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Governor walks out on Gibraltar
May 27, 2015 | By Joe Garcia
The Governor Sir James Dutton called it a day yesterday - and walked out onto the Convent garden to make his formal address, accompanied by the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
He cut short his three-year contract with the Foreign Office, because the role of Governor was not what he had thought it would be. This job is now of a ceremonial and representational nature, which clearly does not fit the ambitions of an 'action man' who has seen military service at a distinguished level in places like Afghanistan, and who at 61 considers he remains young enough to search for a more active future.
This is the way he put it: "Our decision has been made for purely personal and professional reasons and is no reflection on the Rock or its great people."
Is it a reflection of what the Foreign Office wants? He did admit that tension between what the FCO wants and what Gibraltar wants has always featured, but he stepped back from declaring war on his masters, something which other incumbents at The Convent had not shied away from.
He will have spent less than 2 years as Governor when he bids farewell to Gibraltar and its people at the end of September.
He may have been toying with the idea of resigning but it must have come rather unexpectedly even for the Foreign Office which is to start the search for a replacement at this late hour. Foreign Office representative Alison MacMillan (one-time known as Deputy Governor) will step in until a replacement is found.
We asked if the name 'Governor of Gibraltar' was something of a misnomer, and he said it was anachronistic.
JOINT STATEMENT
There was a formal joint statement from the Governor and the Chief Minister. The Governor told PANORAMA that the statement had been cleared with the Foreign Office, but Mr Picardo quickly butted in to say that he had not cleared his part of the statement.
The statement reads: "Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton KCB CBE will relinquish the post of Governor and Commander in Chief at the end of September this year.The search for a suitable successor will shortly be announced.
The Governor said "Liz and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Gibraltar. We have especially loved its people, all of whom have been so warm, welcoming and friendly. It has been a pleasure to be a part of such a truly remarkable, progressive and talented community. I have also enjoyed a genuinely friendly, close and productive relationship with the Chief Minister and believe that we have made a good team in promoting Gibraltar publicly and from behind the scenes. Liz and I are, and will remain, Gibraltar's strongest supporters. Our decision has been made for purely personal and professional reasons and is no reflection on the Rock or its great people."
The Chief Minister said "Jim Dutton has been an enormous supporter of Gibraltar in his time here, although much of the work he has done has necessarily transpired behind the scenes. Our relationship has gone from strength to strength as we have worked extraordinarily well together and I have enjoyed the benefits of his military and commercial experience. Justine and I will be very sorry to see Liz and Jim go, as will the rest of my Cabinet colleagues and the senior civil servants who have regular contact with them."
27-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Issue of inaccuracies in UN report raised at conference
May 27, 2015
The presentation of the Gibraltar Statement at the Nicaragua Seminar was so successful that when Joe Bossano finished his delivery, it was followed by a warm applause from the audience; an unprecedented reaction. In addition, the Ambassador of Papua New Guinea, a Committee of 24 Member, asked to participate in order to thank Minister Bossano for raising the issue of the inaccuracies in the report of the proceedings at the Fiji Seminar held last year and stated this would have to be investigated.
The Chairman, the Ambassador for Ecuador, expressed his anger that such a matter should need to be looked into so as to ensure accuracy in reflecting what happens in the Seminar discussions.
None of the C 24 Members or UN Member States present, who participated in the debate which dealt with the three territories where there are disputes, namely Falklands, Gibraltar and Western Sahara, supported the position taken by the Spanish Representative. The contributors to the debate limited their speeches to support the statement made by the Argentinian delegate with reference to its sovereignty claim over the Falklands, and the Polisario Representative in respect of the application of selfdeterminationto Western Sahara, says Mr Bossano.
Not a single one of the countries who spoke expressed any views about Anglo-Spanish negotiations and less steering about the continuation of the Brussels process.
He adds: The objective of Gibraltar in participating in the Seminar is to ensure that the other participants, especially the Committee of 24 Members and other UN Nation States, remain neutral and keep an open mind, given that Spain constantly claims that it has the undiluted support of the international community in its attempts to take over Gibraltar against the wishes of its people.
He went on to express his satisfaction that the attempt to misrepresent the position which had been arrived at in the Fiji Seminar had been stopped in Nicaragua. He also added that it is important to remain vigilant and keep attending the Seminars, as he has been doing over the years, if we are to counteract Spain's attempts to turn dislocations to its advantage.
27-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Let's Keep Our Distance From Politically Unstable Spain
May 27, 2015
If there was ever a time in history for the FCO or the Gibraltar Government to keep well clear of entering into any agreement, deals or of making any political promises with any political strand from over the border…it is exactly now without a doubt.
Though the UK Government and FCO will be busy most of this year and possibly next, attempting to broker a new EU membership deal for the United Kingdom (and Gibraltar's) future in Europe. They must be made aware of the dangerous and injured animals roaming the infested Spanish political forest.
From a purely Gibraltar perspective, there is no way that London or Gibraltar should even 'politically dream' of getting close or agreeing to anything that could possibly resemble a seemingly political agreement on anything with Spain. Including those from a Spanish regional aspect. Because after Sundays election result the hinterland resembles a totally fragmented political landscape?
Spain is presently a 'politically unstable nation' and will be until the national elections are held, and then depending what comes out the other side of the elections over there. For this important reason the FCO and Gibraltar should keep well away at every level from entering into anything regarding Gibraltar.
Beginning of the End For Ad-Hoc Talks
Spanish Politics/Elections or not, as far as Gibraltar is concerned, it has been a worrying, manic and unstable situation for a good number of years. Which makes one wonder what was behind the thinking when William Hague in April 2012 suggested his Ad-Hoc process idea to the Spanish Government. Because even though most people were generally in favour of dialogue, Hague's proposal was a far inferior substitute to the previous trilateral forum, which the PP Government unashamedly abandoned even before they came into office in 2011.
The PP administration was never in any mood to seriously talk about Gibraltar, particularly with the Rock's political representatives. In the intervening period, relations with Spain plummeted. Yet the FCO and the British Government were not able to read the signs from Madrid. Signs, the Spanish government only wanted dialogue on their terms. Conditions, they knew were unacceptable to the Gibraltar Government.
All this in my opinion, spelt the beginning of the end of any purposeful dialogue with a Government hell-bent in steam-rolling ahead with its own unstable and irrational Gibraltar policy. So really, we should all be grateful that ad-hoc talks never took place, considering the present deteriorating state of Spanish Politics.
Spanish Political Instability Confirmed on Sunday
Although Spanish political instability, was all but confirmed over the weekend, when Rajoy and his dodgy team, got the first dangerously pungent whiff they could also be joining the other 25 million unemployed Spaniards by the end of the year.
The Spanish nation made it quite clear on the holiest day of the week, that Spain is now a country with four leading political protagonists. A situation that naturally creates uncertainty for Spain on many levels, none more so than on the international front, but importantly, from a European perspective in the European Union!
Spain it seems has moved from a bipartisan political model with two main parties, PSOE on the left, and our friends the PP on the right. A political model that has basically worked well for Spain after the death of their infamous dictator over 30 years ago when they entered the wonderful world of democracy, something they have not fined tuned yet or fully come to grips with.
So a four-party mainstream political model is completely foreign to our neighbour. Because in such a short period of, who would have thought 18 months ago that Podemos or Ciudadanos would basically have similar level of electoral support as the big two?
The concerns and problem for Spain is that a multi-party model historically, hasn't worked well at local level, or regional level. Look at the Catalan three-way political trio, or the five-way political split in the Balearic Islands. And if you think that its now over 3 months since Susana Diaz from the PSOE won the regional elections for her party although without a majority, and yet she is still twiddling her thumbs unable to do anything.
Diaz hasn't found it possible to politically chum-up with anyone yet! There is even threat of another election in Andalucía if a deal is not struck soon to get Diaz sworn in and down to some serious work for the people in this deprived and mostly neglected region of Spain.
Mood of Spanish Nation Tested
Sunday's regional and local elections across Spain, if anything, made matters a whole lot worse. Because with a national election expected by the end of the year, the latest early next year. It has created a situation, where it could be impossible to nationally govern from Madrid. And without a strong government, experts predict a situation that could greatly affect Spain.
The mood of the Spanish electorate was tested on Sunday; voters gave Rajoy and his political cronies a hammering. Corruption, unemployment, spending cuts and reduction of democratic freedom to the ordinary citizen…did not help!
Just as it has been doing since it came into office, the PP Government has done its best to wreck any chance of meaningful dialogue regarding Gibraltar. Particularly on the more important issues, where Madrid has made it quite clear it does not want dialogue if Gibraltar is present with its own voice.
The situation as many observers see it, requires patience, wisdom and understanding when it comes to removing the prevailing impasse for the benefit of the national interest, of all sides. However, wisdom and sagacity are two political attributes, this Spanish Government is in desperate short supply of, hence their growing political predicament and dislocation from the ordinary citizen.
The problem as most people on this side of the frontier see it, as opposed to those on the other side of the border is very different.
Spain is once more staring down the barrel of a period of collective uncertainty, political instability and future unknowns. And now with no shared vision for what the country should be about and no role model to strive towards and look up to.
But Yet Millions of Votes by Blind Voters Still Rolled In!
A classic example of this was on Sunday, when millions of Spanish voters, continued to blindly entrust their vote to a party embroiled from top to bottom in political corruption, dodgy dealings and serious political shortcomings.
Certainly on Sunday, this would not have happened in Gibraltar or the UK where we follow our political and parliamentary prowess from the 300 year old Westminster model and the fact, that our long democratic understanding and experience would not have allowed us to hand our precious vote to people like this. Who to put it mildly and for the reasons already given do not even deserve any thought, never mind an actual democratic personal vote!
So if anyone at the FCO or anywhere else has any bright ideas about talking with the Spanish Government or any other political class over the frontier on any issue regarding Gibraltar, particularly whilst they are in political turmoil…forget it!
It all reminds me of a saying, which goes "It's not unpatriotic to denounce an injustice committed on our behalf, perhaps it's the most patriotic thing we can do"
27-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Motion calls for UK overseas territories to attend Commonwealth heads of govt meeting
May 27, 2015
At the annual general meeting of the 45th British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Commonwealth Conference, Joe Bossano, on behalf of the Gibraltar delegation, tabled a motion calling on the Region to endorse the attendance of the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) that is scheduled to be held in Malta in November of this year.
Minister Bossano argued that, whilst other members of the Region like Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland could, by virtue of the fact that they elected Members of Parliament to the national parliament at Westminster, influence the position adopted by the UK at CHOGM, the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies did not have representation at Westminster and thus their views would not be heard at CHOGM.
Therefore, the UK Government could take a policy decision at this meeting that could have an impact on the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies without the UK first consulting them on the possible impact of such a decision.
This clearly highlighted a parliamentary deficit in the democratic process that needed to be addressed and resolved. The views of the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies had to be heard to ensure due democratic process was carried out. Minister Bossano was firmly of the view that this was a case for advancing democracy.
There was widespread support from the countries attending the Conference for this motion and it was resolved that the Chairperson would take this issue up with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
27-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
