Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Historias Gibraltar
Historias Gibraltar
This section is the responsibility of the Editor and not that of the FOGHS
From LEAFAR’S DESK Issue No 75
October
“As far as we know, there were no submarines in that battle, let alone nuclear ones,” he
said.
Technically speaking he is, of course, correct, but new documents have surfaced suggesting
that submarines were very much on Horatio Nelson’s mind prior to that famous battle at
sea.
According to an article in the Sunday Times, those documents show that Admiral Lord
Nelson “held secret talks at Downing Street on sinking Napoleon’s ships with submarines,
mines and rockets.”
“The plan involved towing the mines, referred to as “infernal machines”, across the
Channel on high-speed catamarans and then detonating them beneath the French vessels,”
the article reported.
The weapons meeting in Downing Street was also attended by Robert Fulton, a pioneer in
submarine design.
“Fulton gave the meeting expert advice on the use of catamaran-mounted torpedoes,” the
newspaper article stated.
“Previously he had designed the first “submarine boat”, the Nautilus, in Paris, but when he
approached Napoleon’s ministry of the marine with a plan to blockade the mouth of the
Thames with them, it scornfully dismissed him.”
“Fulton crossed secretly to England, where he demonstrated his design to [prime minister]
Pitt.”
Details of the meeting have been published in a new biography of the admiral by Roger
Knight, visiting professor of naval history at Greenwich University.
Mr Knight told the Sunday Times that Nelson’s interest in new weapons, which came too
late to affect Trafalgar, stemmed from his worries that the war against Napoleon was near
deadlock.
xxxxx
‘NO NEGOTIATION ON GIB’S FUTURE’ – EUROPE MINISTER
There are currently no negotiations between the UK and Spain on the future of Gibraltar.
That is the position as stated in the House of Commons by Europe Minister Douglas
Alexander.
Mr Alexander said that the Trilateral Forum, created through a joint statement by the
Governments of Spain, the United Kingdom and Gibraltar on 16 December 2004 gives an
equal voice for all three parties to discuss matters relating to Gibraltar. Any party may raise
any issue relating to Gibraltar in this forum, he said.
He added that so far, the forum has concentrated on areas of possible local co-operation,
including expanded use of the airport, telephones, pensions and problems at the border.
xxxxx
Airport and telecommunications raised at Gibraltar Day in London
IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH SPAIN GOOD FOR ECONOMY – CARUANA
By Alice Mascarenhas from London
“There has been a significant thawing in relations between Gibraltar and Spain where it is
likely that an early fruit of this process will be agreements that will allow more extensive
useful and international air services connections with the Gibraltar Airport, and also the
resolution of some current difficulties in telecommunications,” Chief Minister Peter
Caruana announced to businessmen, accountants, lawyers, property developers and finance
centre players, at the start of Gibraltar Day in London yesterday.
Mr Caruana also stated that the Gibraltar Government expected these agreements to be
positive for the economy of the Rock.
The setting for his speech was the now traditional Finance Centre lunch hosted by the Chief
Minister at the Royal Automobile Club, where many of Gibraltar’s top businessmen and
professionals were also present.
Mr Caruana made clear Gibraltar continued to be engaged in negotiations with the UK to
further modernise the Rock’s constitution, eliminating from it the last vestiges of
colonialism, but at the same time reassuringly stating that Gibraltar would retain its British
sovereignty and close constitutional links with Britain, as an overseas British territory
enjoying the maximum degree of self government.
Earlier he had spoken of how Gibraltar enjoyed a highly developed and much respected
3
professional infrastructure, where he asserted that the Rock’s lawyers, bankers and
accountants “think and create globally” whilst being constantly innovate with new services
and opportunities tailor-made for different industries and different purposes in different
countries.
Mr Caruana assured that despite the challenges posed by the EU Taxation of Savings
Directive, the banking sector continued to grow and to diversify.
“It now employs some 700 people and we continue to welcome important newcomers.”
Mr Caruana said that insurance and insurance intermediation was the fastest growing sector
– enjoying EU single market passporting rights. Locally licensed insurance companies have
grown from 13 to 45 in just four years. A new sector too is the pan-European Pension,
where the government expects a golden opportunity. The Chief Minister pointed to new
legislation which would allow Gibraltar to become an efficient jurisdiction of choice to
establish corporate pan-European corporate pension schemes. He also briefly mentioned
the intended establishment of a stock exchange, which he said would be backed by
important EU financial institutions,
These diversifications, away from the traditional brass plates and simple depositing
business, to all of these much more sophisticated, and creative skills based financial
services, according to Mr Caruana, have been instrumental in the huge and successful
repositioning of Gibraltar’s finance centre over the last 10 years, into what he described as
“a truly on-shore off-shore international and European finance centre.”
Mr Caruana was confident that as world markets had increasingly globalised, the Gibraltar
government had also ensured that the Rock remained at the forefront of EU and
international standards of legislation, anti-money laundering and serious crime.
Gibraltar he insisted valued its good working partnership with multilateral bodies such as
the IMF, OECD and FATF, but at the same time, he added, remained committed to fiscal
competitiveness and to respect for bona fide privacy and confidentiality.
IMF TO VISIT
Meanwhile he announced that Gibraltar had agreed to a further IMF assessment in March
next year.
Mr Caruana then spoke of the deficiency in drafting which had raised some doubt among
some EU member states as to whether Gibraltar companies were intended to -benefit from
three EU directives in relation to - Parents and Subsiduaries, Mergers and Acquisitions, and
Internet and Royalties, which the EU has now confirmed would also apply fully to
Gibraltar.
Mr Caruana concluded that Gibraltar would continue to welcome financial services
providers.
“Those who share our vision of the importance of high standards and reputation; we will
continue to be innovative in the legislative framework that provides new opportunities for
our finance centre; we will remain committed to the principle of No or Low tax, and with
the help of so many leading financial services institutions provide an environment, for the
safe and prosperous provision of financial services throughout the EU and the world,” he
reiterated.
xxxxx
4
xxxxx
FEETHAM CHALLENGES BOSSANO OVER AIRPORT
Gibraltar deserves to be told exactly what Mr. Bossano proposed to Spain over the airport,
Daniel Feetham has said. The GSD member and former Labour leader says that it would be
“politically dishonest for Mr Bossano to criticise the Government for not keeping people
9
informed about the detail of current negotiations but then keep his own supporters, and
Gibraltar, in the dark about (a) the fact he was prepared to do a deal with Spain over the
airport and (b) the detail of his own proposals.” The remarks are made in a letter to the
Chronicle.
AIRPORT PLAN
Dear Sirs,
Twice now in the space of less than a week the Chief Minister and his Government have
alluded to Mr Bossano having attempted to enter into an Airport Agreement with Spain
when he was in Government.
Will Mr. Bossano continue to keep his silence or will he come out publicly stating whether
this is true or false? If it is true, Gibraltar deserves to be told exactly what Mr. Bossano
proposed to Spain over the airport.
It would be politically dishonest for him to criticise the Government for not keeping people
informed about the detail of current negotiations but then keep his own supporters, and
Gibraltar, in the dark about (a) the fact he was prepared to do a deal with Spain over the
airport and (b) the detail of his own proposals.
Let the people decide whether the concessions Mr. Bossano was prepared to make on the
airport (if any of course) were good for Gibraltar and compare these with any proposals
that may emanate from the Tri-partite process. A public statement from Mr.Bossano as to
his own alleged proposals over the airport would be helpful and honest.
Yours
Daniel Feetham
xxxxx
Monarch flight forced to Malága by ‘mystery’ airplane incident
MADRID PRESSED TO EXPLAIN RETURN TO TANGIER DIVERSION
Two Spanish military jets that strayed from their operational area east of Ceuta and an as
yet unidentified small aircraft, spotted south of the Rock later by the RAF control tower,
combined yesterday to force the Monarch flight from Luton to land in Malaga. And the
journey of the 153 passengers was later further frustrated in what appears to have been a
collapse in the ‘goodwill’ arrangement to allow diverted aircraft direct flights from Malaga
to Gibraltar.
There was furious military and diplomatic activity into the evening as each party tried to
unravel the series of events. The fact that the affected flight was diverted to Tangier was
being held up by the Opposition party as a caution against placing any trust in Madrid’s
intentions in the current trilateral process.
Gibraltar Government had made no statement on the incident on going to press whilst the
Convent limited itself to confirming that it was aware of the problem and is taking it up
with the Spanish authorities.
Madrid in turn was understood to be analysing the incident and awaiting detailed reports
from all involved. Last night the Spanish Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the
refusal to allow the direct re-departure to Gibraltar from Malaga, although a statement is
expected today. A spokesman however said that that the events that had led to the aircraft
being diverted to Malaga are being established by them, “We have no knowledge that any
Spanish military aircraft activity was the cause of making the plane land in Spain.”
The incident comes as Jose Pons, the Spanish Director for Europe and a leading figure in
the trilateral process arrives tomorrow in Algeciras to give a talk on Gibraltar – Spain
relations to the University of Cadiz.
RAF REPORT EXPECTED
Whilst the contents of a report from the RAF control tower are expected to be released
today the following details emerged:
The Manchester and Luton Monarch flights were due in to Gibraltar at 11.30am and 11.15
am respectively. They were near Ceuta in their approach to Gibraltar when the Luton
aircraft was close to reaching its ‘diversion fuel level’ and was allowed to fly ahead by the
Manchester flight.
Diversion fuel levels allow aircraft to make attempts at various airports but it is understood
the rules disallow this from being used for holding purposes.
MOD confirmed that the reason the aircraft were holding was as a result of the fact that two
Spanish jets from an authorised military exercise east of Ceuta had strayed south of Europa
Point into the flight path area of the Monarch flights which were awaiting clearance from
10
Seville to proceed once these jets had been moved on. MOD says that the two jets did not
pose a danger but that subsequently the RAF tower spotted an unidentified high-wing twin
propeller aircraft.
It is understood to have been detected both on radar and visually through binoculars but no
confirmation as to its identity has been available. MOD sources said that neither Gibraltar
nor Seville had been in contact with the aircraft.
In the past there have been incidents with small craft including Moroccan military,
maritime patrol and the Guardia Civil. The Chronicle understands that this was a small
craft and some 4 to 5 miles south of the Rock and refused to respond to calls from Gibraltar
airport traffic controllers. The prevailing wind being easterly meant that the Monarch flight
would have had to circle in for an approach from the west. Instead it was instructed to
divert to Malaga and refuel.
MONARCH REACTION
Monarch issued a letter to passengers apologising to them and confirming that they had to
go via Tangiers “due to Spanish government rulings”. The company invited passengers to
make a written complaint if they wished to do so. It also followed this later with a
statement that set out the delays. This said that the Monarch scheduled flight ZB602
operating a Boeing 757 between London Luton and Gibraltar was forced to divert to
Malaga in the morning after it was unable to land at Gibraltar Airport “due to military
activity” in the surrounding airspace. The letter to passengers had specified Spanish
military activity.
The flight carrying 153 passengers subsequently diverted to Malaga airport landing at
12.14 pm. Monarch say that the flight re-departed Malaga at 2 pm “however airspace
restrictions between Spain and Gibraltar meant that the aircraft must operate to Tangier
before continuing its journey to Gibraltar.” The plane arrived at the Rock at 4pm. The
return flight to Luton departed Gibraltar at 5pm with 174 passengers.
OPPOSITION WARNING
Commenting on the Monarch flight incident the GSLP/Liberal Opposition noted that
permission was sought from, and refused by, the Spanish authorities for the plane to fly
directly from Malaga to Gibraltar.
“On a recent occasion when a plane which had to land in Malaga was given permission to
fly here directly from Malaga, this was welcomed as evidence of the alleged goodwill
which existed on the part of the Spanish Government. It would appear that the goodwill, if
it ever existed at all, has been very short-lived,” said a statement.
“This new incident must raise doubts in people’s minds as to whether there is anything new
in the Spanish Government’s approach to Gibraltar, or we are still back to the long
established strategy of the stick and the carrot. Most people in Gibraltar still remember that
there has been a long history, by coincidence, of the Spanish Government creating
problems whenever negotiations involving Gibraltar are underway. This latest episode must
make one wonder if it reflects a new round of arm-twisting by Madrid to try and extract
further concessions from Gibraltar in the alleged remaining 1% still to be settled of the
airport deal.”
The Opposition added that “independent of the legitimate doubts that may rise in people’s
minds in the light of the Spanish attitude of allowing Malaga-Gibraltar flights following
diversions, what it puts into perspective is the whole approach of Spain to the question of
the restrictions imposed against Gibraltar where the temporary relaxation of such
restrictions is presented as exceptional acts of goodwill.
When they behave as normal neighbours, in a manner that is consistent with normal
practice between EU neighbouring states, we are supposed to throw street parties at their
so-called exceptional acts of good will.”
xxxxx
KENT TAKES OVER THE MED
The Bland Group announced yesterday that Joss Kent would be taking on the role of non-
executive director of their interests in the Western Mediterranean, including Blands in
Gibraltar.
He will also continue to be actively involved in Cadogan Holidays, the Group’s UK tour
operator. Earlier this month, Mr Kent was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the
international travel company, Abercrombie and Kent, established by his father Geoffrey
Kent and now owned by the North American corporation, Intrawest, one of the world’s
11
leading destination resort and adventure travel companies. He will take up this role in
January 2006. Blands Chairman, James Gaggero, said he was “delighted that Joss would be
able to contribute to the continuing success of the Bland Group’s activities in the Western
Mediterranean, as well as Cadogan in England.”
xxxxx
Spanish port blockade
GIB CLEARS CRYSTAL PASSENGERS
A major logistical operation was put in motion yesterday after the cruise ship Crystal
Serenity made an unscheduled call at Gibraltar to avoid a blockade at the port of Barcelona.
The ship was unable to call at the northern Spanish port because fishermen had blocked the
entrance as part of nationwide protests against the high cost of fuel.
The cruise ship, which is operated by Crystal Cruises, had been due to carry out a
turnaround operation in Barcelona, meaning it should have discharged on load of
passengers and embarked another.
Yesterday, that operation was carried out in Gibraltar instead.
Paul Imossi, director at Smith Imossi, the local agent for Crystal Cruises, said about 700
passengers were ferried from the ship to Málaga airport, from where they were flown to
Barcelona to connect with their final flights home.
A further 900 passengers due to embark in Barcelona were flown to Málaga and then
coached down to Gibraltar, where the ship was waiting.
"Everything has worked smoothly," Mr Imossi told the Chronicle.
The fishermen's protests in Spain brought major ports on the Mediterranean and Atlantic
coasts to a standstill for several days. Early yesterday morning, officials in Gibraltar had
thought that additional passenger ships might make their way to Gibraltar if the protests
continued.
But most of the blockades were finally lifted last night an 18-hour negotiation with the
central government in Madrid, which agreed to increase fuel subsidies to nearly 10 cents
per litre.
xxxxx
Monarch incident: no policy change by Madrid, says Pons
MALAGA-GIB ACCESS ON ‘CASE BY CASE’ BASIS
Spain’s refusal to allow Wednesday’s diverted Monarch flight to go straight to Gibraltar
airport from Malaga does not reflect any change of policy on Spain’s part, Jose Pons, the
Spanish Foreign Ministry’s Director for Europe said yesterday (Dominique Searle reports).
Sr Pons told the Chronicle that there was no novelty in this and that what Madrid had
authorised had been the use of Malaga as an alternative when aircraft could not land at
Gibraltar. “This was done,” he said
After the September incident, when a GB Airways flight was allowed to fly straight back,
Mr Caruana said the direct flight from Malaga was a development that could be read in the
context of the improved climate created by the tripartite process of dialogue.
A year ago almost to the day the Anglo-Spanish statement that started the tripartite process
stated in its annex that Spain would “allow the inclusion of Spanish airports as alternative
airports in the flight plans whose final destination is the airport of Gibraltar”.
But Sr Pons emphasised that direct flight for diverted aircraft were only being considered
on a case by case basis and that in the September incident this had been in the context of
the Gibraltar radar being down and a diversion after landing had not been possible because
of the weather.
“We did not convert it into a norm although we are working towards making this possible,”
he said explaining that this would be envisaged in the context of an overall airport
agreement.
“There is no change in the Spanish position,” said Sr Pons adding that people should not
read any “strange manoeuvres” into the decision on Wednesday.
Yesterday it was confirmed that the British Embassy in Madrid has raised with the Spanish
Foreign Ministry the issue of Spanish military aircraft having operated outside their
designated exercise area after this disrupted Thursday’s Monarch flight from Luton to
Gibraltar. However Sr Pons said that he is still awaiting a series of reports including from
the military, Spanish civilian aviation, the pilot and Monarch. But he said that when the
flight had arrived in Malaga there had not been any report from the pilot other than of low
12
visibility in Gibraltar.
“As far as I know there had not been any danger to anyone.”
xxxxx
SPAIN STILL PRESSING UK ON SUBMARINE REASSURANCE
Jose Pons, director for Europe at the Spanish Foreign Ministry, this weekend said that
Spain cannot stop vessels from docking at the British naval base. But he said that Madrid
will continue to press for a written reassurance that it will not be UK policy to take troubled
nuclear powered vessels to the Rock.
xxxxx
EXCLUSIVE: Spanish negotiator at forum analyses relations with Gib
PONS ATTACKS NATIONALISM AND THE DYNAMICS OF FEAR
• Gib airport and Algeciras port could lead regional economic boom
F. Oliva reports
Spain's Director General for Europe Jose Pons yesterday declared that the time had come
for the three sides involved in the Gibraltar question to show "political, human and mental
courage." Quoting one of the founding fathers of the European Union Jean Monet, Sr Pons
said the three sides had to think that "the future belongs to all."
During an end of term conference for law students at the University of Cadiz on Friday
night, Sr Pons declared that in the face of an anomaly such as the existence of a colony like
Gibraltar, it was important that "at least people on both sides could get on with their normal
business, obtain benefits and not just the disadvantages of an anomalous situation."
And he said the function of the Tripartite Forum after the tensions and verbal escalation of
the Tercentenary, was "to search for normality for citizens in a situation which is anything
but normal."
Sr Pons argued that isolated, inconvenient problems as may come up occasionally, should
not be magnified or be seen as throwing the current diplomatic process into a crisis.
Referring to the Monarch flight diversion, he said the Spanish Foreign Ministry was still
investigating the incident, and reiterated that important and much wider matters were still
under negotiation.
But Sr Pons assured Gibraltarians that there was no-one in the Spanish Foreign Ministry
who woke up each morning with the malicious thought 'what can I do today to harm the
Rock?' or believed in making life as difficult as possible for Gibraltar.
"We are all European citizens with rights and there is much more that unites us than
separates us. Spain does not intend to impose or bully anyone. This is not the political
reality we move in."
He also called for the emergence of a new relationship that can be built on mutual
understanding, respect, the need to overcome permanent frustration and confrontation, and
not based on "the dynamics of fear that does not lead anywhere."
Sr Pons said that if we carry on the way we are, "we can look forward to another 300 years
of sovereignty claim, more disagreement, more obstacles and more problems for all."
He argued: "The future of Gibraltar is not independent of Britain and Spain [whatever some
may want], because we have the Treaty of Utrecht and UN resolutions that say what they
say, and not what some others would like them to say. That is the reality."
Sr Pons said Gibraltar is not a nation nor a state, but a non-self governing territory that has
its rights. However, these rights are not exercised in a vacuum, and have to be placed in a
political, legal, social, and human framework that cannot be done away with.
"Obviously everyone can ask for the moon, and they have the theoretical right to do so. But
to ask for what cannot be attained simply produces a feeling of melancholy. One cannot
lose sight of what the terms of reference are."
He continued: "Clearly, Spain could not one day fulfil its aspirations without taking
account of Britain's legal and political realities and therefore against the will of the people
of Gibraltar. At the same time, Gibraltar could not achieve its aspirations without counting
with Spain."
Sr Pons said that Britain's obligation to negotiate with Madrid to resolve a colonial
situation did not nullify or eliminate the people of Gibraltar, and it was absurd to think
Gibraltarians were citizens without a voice, without feelings or without preferences. The
great challenge, he remarked, is to find "a meeting point" between the demands of all the
sides.
13
"There is something that certainly unites us above all: to achieve prosperity and progress
for the region," he declared.
THE TRIPARTITE FORUM
Sr Pons proposed that the role of the Tripartite Forum be analysed in the negative and
posed the questions "where and how would we be if the Tripartite Forum did not exist?
What was the situation a year and a half ago?" which he then proceeded to answer.
He said the prevailing political climate was one of confrontation and disagreement, even of
insults, [recalling how the Chief Minister had been called an ape], where it was impossible
to negotiate or advance on any issue and with our backs turned on each other.
By contrast, now all sides were talking, working to obtain practical and beneficial
agreements and sharing an interest in the well being of citizens on both sides.
This was being done, he continued, without any side giving away their basic positions and
without any violations of what diplomatic jargon calls "the red lines."
"The forum works, it is going to yield results and the measure of success that is obtained
depends only on its participants," he declared.
Sr Pons said that if we achieve a good airport deal and reached a good co-operation
agreement between the ports of Gibraltar and Algeciras [the latter would require a strong
legal basis which would allow it to operate], plus modern road and railway infrastructure to
the area, "it would be possible to imagine a much better communicated zone with a large
space for the re-export of goods that would generate important [valued added] benefits to
the region."
He said it was this type of thinking that could generate practical results, wealth and
economic development that was of interest to the citizens, and welcomed the constructive
approach from Chief Minister Peter Caruana and the British Government.
Sr Pons proclaimed that the present was "a time for hope," while the future should be seen
as one of "coming together."
NO TO NATIONALISM
We should all work so that the future is "a future of agreement" where we discard
everything that has proved to be useless.
"Nationalism," he said, "is no good. Neither Gibraltarian nationalism nor Spanish
nationalism in exacerbated form. This only produces ideological and emotional
entrenchment, fear and frustration and that is precisely what we all have to overcome."
He said the first thing that nationalists do is to "invent a past" that never existed, make
claims that are wholly impossible in the present, and imagine a rosy, marvellous future
which is unattainable.
"That cannot be the basis to build a future of agreements," he stated.
Sr Pons went on to analyse the emergence of nationalism in Gibraltar and attributed it to
the frontier closure of 1969, noting that the Spanish Government had been moved by
"healthy and unhealthy" reasons just as there were healthy feelings and more complicated
feelings on the Gibraltar side.
"But that does not get us anywhere," he declared.
THE TREATY OF UTRECHT
Sr Pons said that at the risk of stating the obvious, some things needed to be said. Firstly
that Gibraltar was not Spanish "even though not everyone follows this line of thinking and
some in Spain might think it is, but that we cannot have the Rock in our hands."
He said the territory - except the isthmus - had been ceded under Utrecht to Britain in
perpetuity (article 10) in 1713, while Spain had been granted first option to recover it if
Britain ever wanted to relinquish possession. From that point of view, there can be no
further discussion.
Secondly that Gibraltarians "do not have to naturally want to become Spanish", since
nobody wants to modify the features of their identity or the legal status that identifies them,
and that can only happen through a process of consent not by decree.
"We should not think that by saying why don't they want to be Spanish - this is something
we can analyse at a later stage - that they are going to become Spanish. It is not a natural
process," he said.
Thirdly, he referred to the existence of two Gibraltars, the fortress and castle ceded under
Utrecht, and the isthmus that was subsequently occupied by Britain and for which it has no
legal title to justify sovereignty rights.
Sr Pons said it was an incorrect interpretation to deny historical validity to the treaty,
because some of its aspects such as the ban on Jews and Moors taking up residence in
14
in the modern Spain and its international dimension appears now to be reduced to the
“Reconquista” of Gibraltar.”
“There is a different kind of national identity within the Spanish state of which Mr Pons
seems to be unaware notwithstanding the fact that it is playing a pivotal role in the debate
on the Spanish constitution. This is the sense of national identity of the Catalan people,
whose links with Gibraltar go back to their participation in the 1704 conquest of the Rock
and who are in fact seeking a new constitution which recognizes that they are a nation in
their own right. This kind of nationalism, far from being dead, is on the increase in Spain
but is not designed to impose itself on anyone else or deny their national identity. It has
nothing to do with absorbing into Spain a territory that ceased being part of Spain 301
years ago, and which will never again be incorporated into the Spanish state.”
“Therefore Mr Pons should advise his Government that the only basis for a true friendship
between the Gibraltarian nation and the Spanish nation state is accepting each other’s
separate and distinct identity which will never be fused. In any event, if Mr Pons finds the
concept of Gibraltarian nationalism so objectionable, perhaps he should raise it at the next
meeting of the “trilateral forum” given that it was Mr Caruana who went out of his way to
tell our people at Casemates on 10 September this year that we are a nation.”
xxxxx
ROYAL HOSPITAL CHELSEA
General Sir Michael Walker will succeed General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie as Governor of
the Royal Hospital, Chelsea with effect from October 1 2006.
xxxxx
FOGHS; VISIT TO THE FOREIGN OFFICE
The FOGHS was fortunate in being granted a slot to see round the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office. Graham Barnet showed the party round and was a brilliant lecturer
whose love for the building, its architecture, the furniture, paintings and floor coverings
was apparent with every sentence spoken. As a bonus the party was taken into the former
East India Company’s managing director’s office (now occupied by a junior minister and
then the office of the secretary of state. The former office has the unique feature of having
two doors side by side which were used to enable two Indian princes of equal rank to enter
simultaneously. The latter is the size of a badminton pitch and looks out over St James’
Park. One member of the party had been in this office several times on official business and
his experience of foreign secretaries and ranged from the diminutive Michael Stewart to
Douglas Hurd.
FOGHS members present were: Field Marshal Sir John and Lady Chapple, Mike and
Brenda Brufal, Vivian Azzopardi and John Mattison, Stuart and Conty Brown, Jock
Craven, Maggie Galliano, Maximme Torrents del Prats, Colonel Peter and Anne Watson,
Maurice and Marianne Xiberras, Alexandra Gaggero, Clare Campbell-Lamerton.
xxxxx
PRINT
David Duggleby, the Scarborough auctioneers, recently put up for sale a print, 50cms x
77cms, published in 1799, engraved by W. Sharpe. It was after the painting by John
Turnbull of the Sortie to destroy the French and Spanish floating batteries made in the
morning of 27 November 1781. The print had been purchased at auction from the effects of
the late Earl Minto whose family name is Eliott. The garrison was under the command of
General George Eliott.
The print sold for £100.
xxxxx
MOMY LEVY
The Jewish Chronicle reports that Gibraltarian, Solomon Levy, laid a wreath of poppies
shaped as a Star of David at the 71st Ajex remembrance parade at the Cenotaph.
xxxxx
THE PEOPLE
The People is advertising its own ‘Christmas Shopping Cruise to the Sun’ with calls at La
Coruna, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Tangier, Lisbon and Vigo. Those participating are advised to
buy tax-free cigarettes and spirits in Gibraltar. The advertisement is dominated by a
photograph of the Rock.
xxxxx
17
million euros or the fund has to have a minimum investment of 100,000 euros.
xxxxx
ARCHBISHOP PETER AMIGO
The paragraphs about the proposed plaque to be erected in honour of Archbishop
Peter Amigo have resulted in almost all the money being raised.
Many mebers have commented on the Archbishop’s efforts on behalf of the
evacuees during the Second World War. He frequently attended the camps and schools in
London. Furthermore he helped arrange for special temporary schools to be set up
including one inside the Victoria and Albert Museum. Several groups of Gibraltarians were
confirmed by Archbishop Peter Amigo. He also took a leading role in persuading the
British Government from sending evacuees from the Mother Country to the West Indies.
He considered the proposed merchant ships to be unsuitable in addition to the danger from
U boats.
xxxxx
Tower Camp on Monday was a member of the Royal Air Force stationed in Gibraltar.
“We can confirm that a member of the Royal Air Force serving in Gibraltar has been found
dead in their accommodation,” said Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar in a statement.
“The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.”
“The next of kin have been informed but they have requested a period of grace before
further information is released.”
xxxxx
GOVERNMENT STANDS BY 1999 FISHING AGREEMENT
Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister, said the government stood by the 1999 agreement
allowing Spanish fishermen to fish in Gibraltar waters, adding that there were no plans to
change it.
Speaking to the Chronicle during a reception at the Cormorant Camber Boat Owners’ Club,
he also questioned why the GSLP/Opposition had highlighted the issue six years after the
agreement was signed.
“The agreement is clear,” he said.
“It’s there, people can see it, people can see what it allows and what it doesn’t allow.” “The
government is not going to enter into a polemic.”
“We are content with the agreement, we ratify the agreement, we have no intention of
changing it [and] we have no intention of asking the governor to ask the RGP to alter the
policing approach, which we think has worked very well for Gibraltar.”
“I think the police have been responsible and are to be congratulated.”
“I hope that they continue to police the agreement in the way that they have been doing
over the last six years, which has been hugely in Gibraltar’s interests.”
The issue hit the headlines last week after the European Federation of Sea Anglers
complained to the RGP over commercial fishing in Gibraltar waters by Spanish boats using
‘illegal’ drift nets.
That prompted a statement from the GSLP/Liberals, which in turn generated reaction from
the Chief Minister last night.
“There have been Spanish fishing boats fishing in compliance with the agreement on a
daily basis since 1999,” he said.
“The opposition, unless all they know how to do is jump on other people’s bandwagons,
didn’t have to wait for the EFSA statement to comment about the fishing agreement if they
had wanted to.”
“I think everyone in Gibraltar welcomed that the agreement put an end to what was a very
unpleasant crisis.”
“The government of Gibraltar stands by it and regrets that there are people who, for reasons
better known to themselves, think that this is a good opportunity to try and create
problems.”
xxxxx
CARUANA REJECTS SPANISH POSITION OUTRIGHT
Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister, last night categorically rejected any suggestion that
Gibraltar does not co-operate fully with Spain on law enforcement matters.
“If the Spanish government is saying that the Gibraltar government or the Gibraltar
authorities do not cooperate with Spain in the way that we co-operate with all other
European and international countries…then that is simply not true,” he told the Chronicle.
Mr Caruana also expressed surprise at the manner in which the matter had been raised,
adding that Spain had never complained about this issue despite many meetings over the
past year within the context of the trilateral forum.
“If they were concerned [about this], they’ve had many opportunities to raise it with us,
[either] in the trilateral forum, [or] bilaterally with the UK, and they have not done either,”
Mr Caruana said.
“If the Ministry of the Interior in Spain believes that the co-operation between Gibraltar
and Spain is not working as they would like it, then I would urge them to raise it with the
government of Gibraltar and not complain about it in the press.”
Spain had raised some concerns within the tripartite forum about the so-called post box
system through which the communications between Spain and Gibraltar go via the UK.
But those concerns did not relate to law enforcement issues.
Mr Caruana said that as long as the requests made through that system were “properly
21
addressed”, then Gibraltar always treated them promptly in line with international rules.
It is here that the problem might lie, however, in that some past requests for information
have been wrongly addressed to the UK authorities because Spain fails to formally
recognise Gibraltar’s own authorities.
“What we will not do is genuflect to their refusal to recognise our constitutional authorities
by pretending that Gibraltar has no police force of its own, that Gibraltar has no customs
department of its own, has no court system of its own, insisting on pretending that the UK
system is the one responsible for Gibraltar and then expecting Gibraltar to comply,” Mr
Caruana said.
“That is not the UK’s definition of compliance, and it’s not ours, because we would lose
the protection of the international treaties and local laws.”
xxxxx
Fight against crime and tax fraud
MADRID INSISTS ‘GIB NOT CO-OPERATING’
The Spanish Government has challenged Britain over what it alleges is its failure to
provide information and evidence from Gibraltar in support of the Guardia Civil in the
battle against organised crime, money laundering and tax evasion.
Madrid last night restated the view, expressed in the Andalusian parliament last week, that
information being sought by its policing authorities in the fight against crime, including
fiscal crime, is not forthcoming from Gibraltar.
Peter Caruana , Chief Minister, and the British Government have roundly rejected the
allegations.
In what was a direct response to the Foreign Office position, the Spanish Foreign Ministry
issued a press release that clearly reinforced the reply given by the Spanish Interior
Ministry last week to an Izquierda Unida parliamentarian, Antonio Romero, where they
stated that there was “almost no co-operation from Gibraltar at all”.
Madrid has clearly taken exception to Britain’s “positioning itself as a third party” in what
Spanish officials see as London distancing itself from arrangements to which it is an
integral part. It said that the arrangement of the competences is one of Britain’s own
making, an obvious reference to the Constitutional position.
Spain makes such requests through the British Government in what is known as a ‘post-
boxing arrangement’ devised to circumvent political sensitivities. Spain asks London and
London asks Gibraltar and then the information trails back that way.
In the statement yesterday Madrid “totally” confirmed the statements by the Interior
Ministry and the view that there is “hardly any co-operation.”
It went on to say that Spain seeks co-operation from Gibraltar via the procedures agreed
with the UK “as the party responsible for the external relations of the non-autonomous
territory of Gibraltar, by sending official communications, formal legal requests and
petitions through the Foreign Office’s Gibraltar desk.”
It said the issue had been raised in the tripartite forum and, picking up on the Foreign
Office’s statement, the Spanish Foreign Ministry said that it “noted the positive disposition,
as stated by UK, on this matter and looks forward to this translating into a prompt and
efficient co-operation in the battle against organised crime.”
But on Tuesday the Foreign Office has said that the British Embassy in Madrid would raise
these latest allegations with the Spanish authorities.
Madrid has focused carefully on the post-boxing arrangement and equally noted that in the
Ballena Blanca case it had not made requests for information. However, the Guardia Civil
are maintaining that they do not get the flow of information and material they want in
fighting money laundering, nor intelligence on fiscal fraud in the form of people evading
tax due to ‘Hacienda’.
It was in fact on police and judicial co-operation that the first version of ‘two flags, three
voices’ talks was attempted during the GSLP Government’s office under the so called
‘Seville process’ which collapsed after several attempts at the time when Cesar Braña was
Gobernador Civil of Cadiz.
A Foreign Office statement on Tuesday said that it fully supports the actions taken by the
Government of Gibraltar in tackling organised crime “including by keeping abreast of
evolving international standards. Gibraltar’s legislation meets with all current EU and
international requirements in this field, as do police, judicial and administrative procedures
for enforcement.”
22
The UK Government also said that it noted that effective communication between Gibraltar
and Spain is “complicated by the arrangements that require all formal communications
between Spain and the Gibraltar competent authorities to pass through a third party”.
“Co-operation to tackle organised crime would be much improved if the Spanish
authorities were to agree to speak directly to the competent authorities in Gibraltar. The UK
Government understands that, in the spirit of trilateral dialogue, Gibraltar is ready to meet
Spanish officials to clarify co-operation procedures.”
“The UK Government also notes, as the Gibraltar Government has already done, that
Gibraltar has responded positively to each and every request from Spain for judicial or
police assistance that complies with the relevant international treaty and bilateral
agreement.”
xxxxx
HERITAGE TRUST DECRIES ‘RAPE OF ROSIA’
Gibraltar Heritage Trust (GHT) has entered the fray over housing development stating that
affordable housing should and must be built, but well away from such a sensitive heritage
site as the Rosia Bay area. And they have been critical not only to what they see as ‘ironic’
affront to Nelson’s ‘immortal memory’ but also the “multi-storey monstrosity” being built
at the Naval Grounds.
The apparent breaking of silence on these issues appears to have been prompted by
comments in emails being circulated in relation to the South District Committee’s
campaign to halt the development at Rosia development, but this has not been attributed to
the Committee itself.
Campaigners were out yesterday collecting signatures in the Piazza ahead of plans to step
up their protest and in the wake of a meeting with one of the developers.
In a Letter to the Editor entitled by them ‘The Rape of Rosia Bay’ (below), the GHT
trustees describe as “ludicrous”, in heritage terms, the idea of increasing the height of
buildings for parking.
“The Trust is bound to accept the need to build housing for those who cannot afford the
inflated prices of the private housing market, but opposes any building, of any sort, in areas
of heritage value, such as the town area, where it has expressed its views strongly in the
proper forum against the proposal to build a high-rise annexe to The Eliott Hotel.”
The trust is concerned that development will detract from what remains of the heritage of
Rosia Bay, overshadowing
Parson’s Lodge and the Victualling Yard, and further despoiling the area, as well as putting
paid to Gibraltar’s efforts to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The trust also
argues that there are now alternative sites – “Windmill Hill, perhaps, or even, though it
would hardly be ideal, the Naval Grounds, where a relatively modest building, erected out
of concern for those in need of housing rather than to line a developer’s pocket, would be
more acceptable than the multi-storey monstrosity that it has been proposed to build there”.
Heritage Site. It is deeply ironic that this project is announced just after we have finished
commemorating Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar: The Immortal Memory, indeed!
The Government, without any doubt, has the obligation to provide housing, but it also has
an obligation to preserve Heritage for future generations; these two obligations should not
be exclusive. Yes, affordable housing should and must be built, but well away from such a
sensitive Heritage site as the Rosia Bay area, which has already suffered, and continues to
suffer, from the depredations of the developers – Engineer Battery, Nelson’s Anchorage,
Rosia Plaza (do the authors of the emails live there?). There are now alternative sites –
Windmill Hill, perhaps, or even, though it would hardly be ideal, the Naval Grounds, where
a relatively modest building, erected out of concern for those in need of housing rather than
to line a developer’s pocket, would be more acceptable than the multi-storey monstrosity
that it has been proposed to build there.
The Trust fights, and will continue to fight, for the preservation of our heritage. The routing
of the Funicular project has shown how much we can achieve if we enjoy public support.
Those who choose to use it as a whipping boy whenever their own private interests are
impinged on do the cause of Gibraltar’s Heritage no service at all.
Yours faithfully
Board of Trustees
GIBRALTAR HERITAGE TRUST
xxxxx
CARUANA HOPES TRIPARTITE TALKS ADVANCED BEFORE CHILCOTT
MOVE
Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister, this week praised the important role that Dominick
Chilcott, the senior UK diplomat responsible for Gibraltar affairs, has played in discussions
about the Rock.
Mr Caruana was reacting to news that Mr Chilcott had been appointed British High
Commissioner to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and, in a non resident
capacity, also appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of the Maldives.
In an interview with the Chronicle, Mr Caruana also expressed some unease about the
potential impact of Mr Chilcott’s departure on delicate negotiations with Spain and the UK.
The Chief Minister hoped that some of the key initiatives under discussion could be closed
be Mr Chilcott left to take up his new post.
“Dominick Chilcott has done his best for Gibraltar during the years that he’s been in this
job and we will sorely miss him,” Mr Caruana said.
“I think Dominick Chilcott and indeed his whole team at the southern European and
Gibraltar desks of the Foreign Office have been excellent for Gibraltar.”
“I think there is a good team now representing Gibraltar interests in the Foreign Office and
it’s always a pity to see such people move on.”
“We are hopeful that his replacement will be of the same mind, but you never know.”
The Chief Minister recognised that changes at such senior diplomatic level could have a
bearing on the progress of ongoing talks with both the UK and Spain.
Mr Chilcott, who is Director for Europe (Bilateral Relations, Resources & Mediterranean
Issues) at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has played a central part in the tripartite
forum and in discussions toward a new constitution.
He has a close working rapport with both Mr Caruana and Jose Pons, his counterpart at the
Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministry.
“I just hope that we can bring some of the big projects in hand to fruition before he moves
on, not least the constitutional reform process which has really been in his hands,” Mr
Caruana said.
“It would be a pity if we had to start [over]…or if there had to be a handover period.”
Mr Chilcott, who takes up his new post next April, has had a long and distinguished career
in the British diplomatic service.
He started in 1982 as an assistant desk officer in the FCO’s Southern African Department,
working through a variety of posts – including director of the Iraqi Planning Unit in the
run-up to the last Gulf War – before taking up his current position.
xxxxx
ROSIA RESIDENTS WELCOME HERITAGE STANCE
South District Committee, the Rosia residents currently campaigning against Government
24
plans to build 900 homes in the area, yesterday greeted with applause the Gibraltar
Heritage Trusts cry of ‘rape’ over the potential impact of the housing blocks. They
described the letter to the Chronicle from the Trust ‘The rape of Rosia’ as a “forthright
statement coinciding with the views of the South District Committee, the Friends of the
Earth and thousands of petitioners objecting to the development at Rosia Tanks”.
The committee says it had no doubt that the Heritage Trust would take this position “as
would any reasoned observer and would further wish to confirm that it has not criticised the
initial silence of the Trust”.
But the Trust said that it has experienced an element of frustration on behalf of some
residents of the area as a result of a comment made by OEM, the developers of the Rosia
Tanks project, at a meeting which took place on Monday in which OEM reportedly stated
that the Heritage Trust had vetted the scheme and would not be objecting to it. As a result
of this, the South District Committee sought to meet the Trust to clarify the position and
have not made any public comments prior to doing so. “The Heritage Trust’s statement has
clarified the position and we look forward to working with the Trust in any manner
possible,” said the committee.
“This is an issue of concern to all residents of Gibraltar and is not an objection concerned
with the fact that “affordable housing” is to be built in the South District or elsewhere. Our
position is that we support affordable housing projects but that any scheme wherever it is
sited must be sensitive to the area in which it is sited from heritage, traffic, parking,
schooling and every other relevant consideration. Our view is that the Rosia Tanks
development fails each of these tests and should be rejected accordingly”.
Meanwhile the South District Committee said that at their meeting with the developers
OEM were unable to give any reassurances that any of the key issues –heritage, schooling,
traffic congestion and over-crowding - were issues that they as the developer needed to
address. OEM is said to have expressed the view that these were problems that would need
to be solved by the Government.
“They also confirmed that no impact studies have to date yet been conducted either by
themselves or by the Government on the effects on the South District of the building
of these 900 homes. On the parking issue their solution is to build a higher building (isn’t it
high enough already?) or to do away with the Dolphins Youth Club (the only social facility
in the area for our youth and itself a listed building) and build a multi-storey car park!”
The Committee says it will continue to campaign strongly against the siting of this
particular massive block of 200 homes in one of Gibraltar’s major historical sites and
appreciates the ever-growing support from the community at large.
xxxxx
GSD celebrates 15 years
CARUANA LOOKS FORWARD TO ‘NEW AIRPORT AGREEMENT’
• ‘We have won UK and Spain’s respect’
• ‘I will stay as long as you want me’
Upper echelons of the GSD and the party membership gathered at a celebratory dinner in
the International Casino last night to hear their leader and chief minister Peter Caruana
rehearse a list of the party’s triumphs and values as they marked 15 years since their
formation largely to oust the then GSLP Government. But it was foreign affairs and
recognition from Britain and Spain that topped Mr Caruana’s rallying cry as he declared his
readiness to serve the party for as long as they and Gibraltar wishes this.
“I, and others, have worked tirelessly to ensure that we have done justice to this honour,
privilege and responsibility – no less than the social, economic and political wellbeing and
the future of Gibraltar, and political rights and aspirations of its people. I will continue to
do so for as long as the party and the people of Gibraltar consider that I am the right man
for the job”.
To a warm reception he declared that by standing firm in a position of ‘no’ to bilateral
dialogue, but ‘yes’ to reasonable dialogue, they had, in the end, achieved success for their
policy of trilateral dialogue.
“And we now stand poised to usher in very substantial constitutional reform and
modernisation. For the first time ever, there are early signs of movement in our direction at
the United Nations.”
PSEUDO NATIONALISM
Rejecting “pseudo-nationalist political opponents” he said the GSD had won the people’s
25
trust as well as “unprecedent levels of respect for Gibraltar from the UK and Spanish
Governments; from public and political opinion in the UK and from the world at large”.
“The world looked on in admiration as we led this small community in a successful and
dignified defence of our political rights, wishes and aspirations in the battle against the
joint-sovereignty done deal. And Gibraltar has emerged from that battle politically stronger
as a result,” he said.
As he declared that the Government looks forward to doing a new airport agreement Mr
Caruana lunged into his long-standing opponent, Opposition leader Joe Bossano.
“We will not make any sovereignty, territorial or jurisdictional concessions. Mr Bossano,
who I know likes to think of himself as a handbrake on GSD progress in the external policy
front, is very quiet about all this. And well he might be, since he is the only Chief Minister
of Gibraltar ever to have signalled a willingness to negotiate sovereignty with Spain, to
have told the UN that the decolonisation of Gibraltar and the exercise of our right to self-
determination have to be negotiated with Spain, and supported a failed attempt at a new
airport agreement.”
“Mr Bossano’s own past record may not (as it should) stop him from trying to pull on what
he calls “the political handbrake”, but he should put on his political crash helmet when he
does so, because there will be no hiding place for his political inconsistencies and
opportunism when the time comes.”
ROSIA ROW
As Government endeavours to minimise the electoral impact of their decision to build 900
homes in the Rosia area Mr Caruana stressed he would not shun from taking difficult
decisions. In words that might have been taken from a Blair speech Mr Caruana said that
“no good, responsible Government can govern for 10 years in the true interests of Gibraltar
and our future generations, without sometimes making decisions that will be unpopular
with a sector of our community.”
He said that in mature democracies, such as Gibraltar, people want leadership. “People
want Government to exercise considered, informed and balanced judgements on their
behalf in relation to Gibraltar’s affairs in the short, medium and long term interests of our
country and its people. And we will do that.”
Government, he said, had the courage and humility to recognise mistakes and shortcomings
and the skill, ability and commitment to rectify them – affordable housing being his
example.
GOLDEN RULES
Mr Caruana said that in 10 years of government GSD policies have been guided by four
well publicised golden rules: -
Firstly, to make capital Investment in order to create and maintain jobs and living standards
and to modernize and upgrade Gibraltar’s physical fabric and amenities for the future;
Secondly, to invest in public services generally, and care services in particular;
Thirdly, the maintenance of prudent public finances; and
Fourthly, to return surplus monies to taxpayers through tax cuts.
They had started in May 1996 by working hard to reposition and restore Gibraltar’s
international reputation and investor confidence and the size of Gibraltar’s economy has
grown by nearly two thirds, and jobs increased by 3000 or nearly 25%, he said.
TAX DOWN
Mr Caruana said the tax burden on the typical, average wage earner has been cut by more
than 40%; and over £175 million of public funds have been in vested in areas such as the
new hospital, the new Health Centre, the new Mount Alvernia, the refurbishment and
beautification of Varyl Begg, Laguna, Glacis, Calpe and many other public housing
Estates; the restoration and salvaging of Harbour Views Estate, the on-going remedial
works to Brympton and Gib V Estates; the building of Bishop Canilla House, the lift
installation programme, the investment in Edinburgh House; the Westside Promenade;
Bruce’s Farm, the new Bus Service; the Retreat Centre; Casemates Square, John
MackIntosh Square; the Coach and Ferry Terminals; the beautification of Catalan Bay,
Main Street, Sir Herbert Miles Road, Sir Winston Churchill Avenue, Lovers Lane,
Waterport Road; the magnificent new sports complex at Bayside; the new small boat
marina for local boat owners at Coaling Island; the new halls in our schools; among many
other capital investments.
“As we speak, work progresses at varying stages of our housing schemes; the King’s
Bastion Leisure Centre; the Swimming pool for the elderly and disabled; the new prison;
26
the upper town urban renewal scheme; new road refurbishment schemes, new roads and
multi-storey parking facilities in the town, upper town and south district areas; and on a
new modern workers hostel; the Eastside Development at over £1 billion represents, by a
very large margin the biggest ever single investment ever in Gibraltar, which will hugely
boost our economy, jobs and public revenue in the future, enabling still more tax cuts,” he
said.
“The Opposition may seek to minimise and tarnish the Government’s record and each and
every one of our considerable achievements through petty, orchestrated and contrived
criticism (sometimes using third parties to do so), but the people of Gibraltar are not stupid.
They can judge for themselves. Memories are not so short that people cannot compare the
Gibraltar of 2005 with the Gibraltar of 1995!”
xxxxx
MADRID PLAYS DOWN CHILCOTT FACTOR
The Spanish government has played down the impact on the trilateral forum of the
forthcoming departure of Dominick Chilcott, the senior British diplomat who leads the UK
delegation at the talks.
Mr Chilcott is due to take up a new post as High Commissioner to the Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka as from next April.
“The negotiations do not depend on individuals, but on Spain, the UK and Gibraltar,”
diplomatic sources in Spain told Europa Press.
“The representatives at the talks could be the ones at present or others, because the
important thing is the negotiating framework and the points under discussion.”
“Diplomats often change posts and this does not affect the stability of relations and
negotiations.”
xxxxx
Outline agreement on MoD cuts process
UNIONS AND MOD MOVE CLOSER TO IN-HOUSE BID
Local trade unions and British Forces Gibraltar have reached an outline agreement in
respect of talks toward an ‘in-house option’ as the alternative to privatisation at the Naval
Base.
The agreement, known officially as a Heads of Agreement, sets out basic common ground
between the two sides and will serve as a foundation for future discussions.
If the negotiations ultimately succeed, civilian workers at the base should be able to keep
the same terms and conditions they presently enjoy as Ministry of Defence employees.
At the same time, the MoD would achieve the cost savings it requires and which lie at the
root of the long-running row over privatisation.
As part of this latest move, the unions have discontinued their legal case against the MoD
pending the outcome of the talks.
But union officials insist they remain fundamentally opposed to any privatisation at the
base and reserve their rights on the outcome of the talks.
Union officials and senior MoD staff are scheduled to give a joint press conference this
morning at which further details of the agreement will be released.
In a letter to its members on Friday, the unions said the agreement would allow “progress
on the in-house option against the fait accompli proposals presented by the MoD in
February 2005 that stated the only solution available to the MoD in Gibraltar was the
contractorisation of functions within the HM Naval Base.”
“In consideration of the Heads of Agreement, the trade unions have discontinued the legal
action, but within the Heads of Agreement, negotiations toward an in-house option will be
legally binding,” the letter added.
“Notwithstanding the Heads of Agreement, the trade unions maintain their solid opposition
to contractorisation and therefore will reserve their rights on the final outcome of this
exercise.”
The letter added that negotiations between the MoD and the unions would be on an
ongoing basis.
“Members will be asked to cooperate in the development of the in-house option that should
guarantee their direct jobs are retained under the MoD terms and conditions of
employment,” it said.
xxxxx
27
extent that mutual understanding has allowed confidence between them and with Peter
Caruana. I hope that the most important and relevant parts of the process of negotiations
are achieved before he departs.
IS THE SUBMARINE ISSUE A MAJOR PROBLEM?
It is a problem to the extent that it is patently obvious that Gibraltar is not a suitable place
for repairs to the nuclear sector of nuclear submarines to be carried out. That is recognised
by the British authorities who have a classification under which Gibraltar is not included.
There is the Basle compromise and we want that in writing. That should not be difficult.
The previous British Ambassador recognised in writing the verbal commitment made by
Cook to Pique and I think that before this process is over that commitment from UK should
be produced.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IN SAYING THAT IT IS FOR BRITAIN TO SHOW A
RED CARD IN RELATION TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM TALKS?
No. What I am saying is that it is not for Spain to give opinion on the internal debates in
Gibraltar. That is part of the relationship between Britain and its colony, as I understand it.
So whilst Gibraltar has shown desire for such change Britain has been making clear in its
parliament that it will not take any decision, that it is not going to back any change of
Gibraltar’s status quo without also having Spain’s acquiescence. I am sure that the UK is
going to maintain that position.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES HOLDING BACK AN AIRPORT AGREEMENT?
That is a very complex issue. It had the failure in 1987 of not having taken into account the
Gibraltarian position. And now the opinions of the Gibraltarians are being heard and are a
key element in that agreement. So clearly we are seeing that this issue has many
perspectives and complex technical issues to be resolved. If one looks at how Geneva
airport operates it is like clockwork. It is used to go to and from France even though it is on
Swiss territory and under Swiss control. But underlying that arrangement is a series of
extremely complex agreements at technical level.
JOE BOSSANO SAYS THAT WHAT IS BEING EXPLORED IS THE 1987
AGREEMENT IN A DIFFERENT WRAPPING?
What is being looked as is an agreement for joint use and of shared commercial
management of the airport. Bossano says that… but it is like the arrangement in Geneva in
any case. Not that 1987 was a bad arrangement. What was wrong with that is that it was
done without including the Gibraltarians. That is a fundamental difference for me.
SPAIN APPEARS TO BE UNHAPPY WITH THE EASTSIDE PROJECT AND
OTHER LANDFILLS?
Any project that has an environmental impact that could, say, provoke a change in the
currents or the costal area worries us. What we want is that nothing is done until there is a
guarantee that it will not have a negative impact on the zone.
WHAT ABOUT THE PP. THERE ARE DISCORDANT VOICES THERE. CAN
AGREEMENT BE REACHED BETWEEN GIBRALTAR, BRITAIN AND SPAIN
WHICH THEY WILL SUPPORT?
Yes. When PP was in power the co-sovereignty project was pursued and we started out
saying we wanted to know what this was and to have proper briefing to answer our doubts.
But we supported the government of the day. That should happen now. If not that would
indicate that matters of state interest them very little. If the PP is not capable of assigning a
number of interlocutors who represent the party in discussions with the Government to
hear, in all it complexity, the details of the process and to see that no red lines are being
altered on the traditional Spanish position, that the status quo is not altered, then it would
be saying that they do not have people who are of the level to understand these issues or
that they are not interested in reaching any agreements that even if these are matters of
state.
DO YOU FEEL UK IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROCESS? YOU MAKE NOISES
HERE ABOUT THE MOD….
In this case (unlike the co-sovereignty which was driven by UK) the process is not being
driven by UK. Instead it has arisen from a shared perception, amongst Spaniards,
Gibraltarians and people of the area, that without altering the status quo there were issues
that affect the daily lives of citizens that could be addressed.
UK has joined this process with a certain reticence. Why? Well, because they are not the
ones driving it. But, as far as the Foreign Office is concerned, it is being done with quite a
commitment, but that may not yet have gone as far as being a position of commitment of
30
“Plans for increasing the future income from this source will now be lost,” he told the
meeting but added that the Government had agreed to compensate the trust by the payment
of the sum of £30,000 per annum, which will be available to the trust once the lease has
been surrendered. The Chronicle understands that there are plans to move several activities
to the ancient yard including the relocation of the veterinary clinic.
On the Rosia Tanks Development he affirmed that the trust is bound to accept the need to
build housing for those who cannot afford the inflated prices of the private housing market,
but opposes any building, of any sort, in areas of Heritage value, such as the town area,
where it has already expressed its views strongly in the proper forum against the proposal
to build a high-rise annexe to The Eliott Hotel.
“The real issue is that the proposed building would detract from what remains of the
heritage of Rosia Bay, overshadowing Parson’s Lodge and the Victualling Yard, and
further despoiling the area, as well as undermining Gibraltar’s efforts to be named a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is deeply ironic that this project is announced just after
we have finished commemorating Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar,” he emphasised.
His list was long, and at the start of his address Mr Ballantine first spared no punches when
he declared that without a doubt the question which most concerned the trust in the past
year had been the proposal to construct a funicular railway from Casemates to the top of
the Rock. A great deal of work he said had fallen upon the trustees, as well as on other
entities in Gibraltar to whom it became allied, in an effort to convince all concerned that
this was not a good idea. Mr Ballantine congratulated what he described as “the good sense
of the people of Gibraltar in general for supporting the joint efforts of the Trust, the
GONHS and the ESG, for pinning their faith in us and for their perspicacity in being able
to sift through the many aspects of the case that appeared in the press from both sides of
this issue and coming to the conclusion that they did.”
He highlighted the efforts of his predecessor in office Joe Desoisa, who agreed to
spearhead the efforts of the trust at the time.
“Believe me this work entailed great dedication on the part of those concerned, and they
must all be congratulated for a job well done,” he added acknowledging the 7000
signatures which were collected.
Mr Ballantine was also keen to correct what he termed as wrong press which the trust had
received on two separate issues.
“Firstly, it was blamed for the felling of a tree of significant sentimental value to the Belilo
family. The Trust has subsequently re-affirmed that it had no connection whatsoever with
the decision to cut down the tree. Secondly, the campaigners against the Rosia tanks
housing development were wrongly told that the Trust had been consulted and agreed with
the project.”
The Chairman said the trust was also concerned with unauthorised works. There were he
claimed quite a number of cases where unauthorised works are carried out on premises all
over Gibraltar.
“It would be invidious to name any individuals but it must be stressed that action to rectify
must be taken as a matter of priority. It is contended by the relevant department that it is
not equipped, in terms of staff, to deal with this matter. There is nevertheless a necessity to
address this question as a matter of urgency since not doing so will only encourage more
illegal works being carried out. May we suggest that the current list is prioritised and action
taken on a case-by-case basis, and not globally, so that the department can deal with it
serially. That is ‘one at a time’ with a time limit for success!”
On King’s Bastion he stated that the restoration of this “jewel in the crown” is being
conducted with its preservation, protection and refurbishment very much in mind.
“In co-operation with the Heritage Division of the Government, all works are being
supervised and nothing is touched unless it has been authorised by those involved. I know
that the Chief Minister, himself, has taken a great interest in this development and we have
found an ally in him in this delicate enterprise of substantial heritage value.”
Mr Ballantine added that the old Generating Station had now been demolished and a better
assessment of the restoration as well as of the necessary reconstruction works can now be
made. Mr Ballantine said that the Trust was also engaged in discussing with the
Government a review of its annual grant so that much needed extra staff can be recruited to
cope with an increase in the workload.
xxxxx
32
The navy flagship was involved in ceremonial duties during the recent Commonwealth
events in Malta, including hosting Her Majesty the Queen on board.
She also made history there too, becoming the first ship to fire a 21-gun salute inside
Valetta harbour.
HMS Illustrious has strong links with Malta. One of the current ship's predecessors played
a vital role in enabling convoys to reach the island during World War II. The Maltese
repaid the favour by repairing her after she was hard hit by German aircraft.
Commodore Cooling, who yesterday hosted lunch on board for a number Gibraltar
dignitaries including the Governor, described the ceremonial events in Malta as "an
amazing and privileged experience."
But it was a tiring experience too, and the crew is now looking forward to a few days
ashore in Gibraltar, which is a popular destination for navy personnel.
Commodore Cooling himself has been on the Rock 15 times and clearly enjoys being here.
"How could you not have a good time in Gibraltar?" he said. "You'd have to be a seriously
boring person."
From here, HMS Illustrious will head back to the UK for most of the winter, before sailing
back through the Mediterranean next spring en route to India, where she will participate in
a range of training exercises with the Indian navy.
Yesterday, local press aside, the ship's crew of 1000 - average age 23, three quarters of
them male - also enjoyed an unusual visit from three young females and a lone male model.
They were posing for a Christmas spread to appear in a UK national newspaper - the
Chronicle agreed not to print its name - and provided an entertaining and eye-catching
break from normal routine for the crew.
"We are an equal opportunities employer so we want that [male/female] balance,"
Commodore Cooling joked.
"They are young, attractive and vibrant and I know my sailors very much enjoyed their
presence."
xxxxx
The directive that the UK is accused of breaching sets out the minimum standards of
information on protective measures that governments must provide to communities at risk
from potential radiation leaks.
But existing case law made clear that the Treaty, and by extension the directive, “cannot
apply to nuclear radiation from military sources, without exception,” Mr Geelhoed said in
an opinion document released yesterday.
He said the British Government could have easily satisfied the obligations set out in the
directive by posting a copy of the GIBPUBSAFE plan, which provides information on
procedures in the event of an accident involving a nuclear-powered warship, through each
letterbox in Gibraltar.
“Needless to say, this seems a negligible burden when compared with the essential
importance of the public health protection interest aimed at by the [directive],” Mr
Geelhoed said.
“On the facts of the present case, therefore, the position of the United Kingdom…refuting
the existence of such an obligation is plainly unattractive.”
But all those arguments were academic because the law simply did not apply, Mr Geelhoed
concluded.
He advised the court to dismiss the commission’s action and order it to pay the UK’s costs.
The court, although not bound, generally heeds the advice of its advocate and is unlikely to
reach a final judgement in the Tireless case until next year.
CAMPO ‘DECEIVED’ OVER TIRELESS
Verdemar and Ecologistas en Accion, the Campo environmental campaigners yesterday
reacted to the ECJ ruling by declaring that Britain had deceived everyone with Tireless and
that Gibraltar was not properly equipped to deal with nuclear repairs.
They declared that although graded to allow visits by nuclear submarines they were not
entitled to put the lives of 250,000 people at risk.
xxxxx
SUBMARINE BAY TRANSFER
Yesterday afternoon a Trafalgar class submarine, HMS Torbay, conducted a bay transfer of
personnel, equipment and stores assisted by the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron. “The
transfer was successful and entirely without incident. This is a routine event as witnessed
recently by the assistance offered to the US Navy submarine USS Norfolk,” said the MOD.
xxxxx
DPC meeting
ROSIA TANKS PROJECT APPROVED
•We have listened to complaints, says Holliday
Development and Planning Commission yesterday approved by majority vote the go ahead
of the Rosia Tanks housing development in the face of protests from residents in the area.
And a unanimous vote has seen the Cumberland housing project get the go ahead. This was
the third meeting on the Rosia Tanks application.
The project approved by DPC is the original submission from OEM International, although
a reduced size presentation is due to go before the Commission following Government’s
public statement that the building will be smaller than originally planned.
The reduced version will have to go before DPC but that is essentially a formality now that
the larger project is accepted. Also pending submission is the less controversial North
Gorge Development which will provide 500 homes and is expected to be a significant
development. A geo-technical study is currently underway.
Joe Holliday, DTI Minister chaired the meeting and said later that the considerations had
been very detailed with all aspects including schooling, traffic, heritage and parking.
“We cannot be accused of ignoring complaints,” said Mr Holliday.
Amongst those sitting on the Commission is the Heritage Trust chairman Joe Ballantine.
Last month the Heritage Trust wrote a letter to the Chronicle entitled ‘The Rape of Rosia
Bay’ saying that the proposed building would detract from what remains of the heritage of
Rosia Bay, overshadowing Parson’s Lodge and the Victualling Yard, and further despoiling
the area, as well as putting paid to Gibraltar’s efforts to be named a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
On Tuesday Government acknowledged the petition handed to it by the “South District
Committee” but said that many of the 3,000 signatories had been misled by the “false and
36
exaggerated” claims of some people who have been motivated principally by a variety of
self interests.
In stead it said that these projects are socially advantageous to Gibraltar, cause no harm or
damage whatsoever to any heritage in the area and do not raise any of the concerns that
have been expressed for schooling, sewage, traffic circulation or parking in the area.
Government and the Developer have agreed that both the Rosia Tanks building (Nelsons
View) and the Cumberland Road building (Cumberland Terraces) will each have two floors
less than previously announced.
xxxxx
SDGG Gibraltar Award
A PROUD MOMENT FOR RISSO’S FAMILY
by Alice Mascarenhas
Alberto Risso’s family yesterday accepted the Gibraltar Award 2005 presented by the Self-
Determination for Gibraltar Group in recognition of his enormous contribution to the
emancipation and political development of the Gibraltarians. Albert Risso was a trade
unionist and one of Gibraltar’s first politicians. He was also instrumental in the creation of
the GLP/AACR party.
At a short ceremony yesterday, Mr Risso’s nephews, Louis and Victor Risso, accepted an
inscribed crystal bowl, presented by Willie Serfaty of the SDGG. Also present was his
niece Maruchi Risso, and great nephews and niece: Major Colin Risso, Andrew Abrines
and Anne Coelho. The ceremony took place at the John Mackintosh Hall in the Charles
Hunt Room.
The SDGG described Alberto Risso as a campaigner for the right of Gibraltarians to
participate in the Government of Gibraltar from a time when Gibraltar was governed
entirely by persons nominated by the Governor,
Alberto Risso is said to have been a humble, modest, unassuming, quiet, kind and
considerate man by his nephews Louis and Victor, who obviously remember him with
great affection. Having no children of his own, Louis and Victor, spent much time with
him.
“I remember him as a terrific person. A very good uncle and very down to earth,” Louis
commented.
“He was very human, who, like my father and all the family were people for whom the
poor came first.
I personally am very pleased because for years I have thought about what people had
against him because he was ignored and all he wanted to do was good. I am very happy that
it has happened now when young people are more aware. When we were young, people
were not aware,” said Victor.
And Louis added, “I have had second thoughts because respecting his wishes he may have
had something to say about receiving an award. He always refused honours, and glory and
public attention.”
Both acknowledged the work he did both in the union and in government.
“How far we have come locally… it all began with him.”
For his part Willie Serfaty said how he remember Alberto Risso as an unassuming person
who used to help campaign for the AACR when he was a child.
“He was thought of really as the lynchpin of the whole ACCR idea. He represented the
unions who were the voting base of the AACR and the respect he commanded was
tremendous.”
Also at the ceremony was former trade unionist Henry Pinna who spoke of Mr Risso’s
strong grass-roots in the workers movement at the time and how he had devoted all his life
to the emancipation of the working class and the Gibraltarians as a whole.
Throughout next year the SDGG will collect documentation on the life of Alberto Risso
designed to inspire a biography.
Meanwhile the SDGG is considering making the award for 2006 to a collective, the Coal
Heavers of 1886, who by their actions changed the economic structure of Gibraltar.
Editor’s note. FOGHS member, Victor Risso, is Colin’s uncle and Alberto’s nephew.
xxxxx
37
Nuclear visits
SPAIN ASSURED OF HIGHEST STANDARDS
The Spanish Government has maximum guarantees from Britain that the highest standards
are maintained when nuclear powered vessels visit Gibraltar. In a written answer to the
Congreso in Madrid the Spanish Government also conceded that it cannot stop the visits by
such vessels since these are under British jurisdiction inside the port.
It says that HMS Tireless was recognised as an exceptional incident and that Spain is kept
informed of all visits. It also stated that specialist monitoring teams are deployed 48 hours
before a submarine docks and that to date no radioactivity has been registered.
xxxxx
ELIOTT BRINGS EXPANSION PROJECT DOWN TO EARTH
The O’Callaghan Hotel Group has resubmitted a planning application for a new hotel in the
Old Town, but has cut the height of the building by over half compared to its original
proposal.
The group’s first application, which was knocked back by the Development and Planning
Commission [DPC], outlined a striking 95-metre high building that would have towered
over its surroundings.
Last week, the hotel group submitted fresh plans to build an annexe to the Eliott Hotel
measuring 42 metres in height, about the same as the existing hotel.
Architects have managed to mitigate the loss in height by including plans to build rooms
above a link bridge crossing from the present building to the new site in Cannon Lane.
Those rooms were not present in the first proposal.
The planned hotel will cost £9 million to build and will have 90 high-quality rooms with en
suite bathrooms.
The application for Outline Planning Permission describes the annexe as a “very ambitious
and challenging project creating a new major landmark in the centre of Old Gibraltar.”
It will also provide much-needed high quality business hotel suites and associated facilities,
the application adds.
The application, which was submitted on December 15th and can be viewed at the Office
of the Town Planner, will be assessed by the DPC early in the New Year.
xxxxx
FINANCE CENTRE AGREEMENT OPENS UK MARKET
Gibraltar and UK governments have concluded agreements relating to passporting of
investment services and to exchange of information.
Following the joint press statement with the UK government on July 1 this year the
Governments of Gibraltar and the United Kingdom yesterday evening concluded two
separate agreements.
One enables investment services firms established in Gibraltar to passport (that is to market
and sell) their products and services into the UK market. The other agreement provides for
the exchange of information between the UK and Gibraltar along the lines of EC Taxation
of Savings Directive as it applies to the Crown Dependencies, namely, that people may
choose between exchange of information or the payment of withholding tax. It is
understood that the impact on the industry will be mitigated by the ability to adjust to these
new circumstances.
The exchange of information/with holding tax agreement comes into operation on April 1
2006.
No 6 said yesterday that there are transitional arrangements which exempt income from
existing fixed deposits and arrangements up to April 1 2007. A copy of that agreement is
now placed on the Gibraltar Government website. The investment services passporting
agreement is expected to come into effect by March 2006 when Gibraltar has passed some
necessary legislation. Chief Minister Peter Caruana said that the banks have been closely
consulted during these negotiations.
“The tax agreement is not challenging to any significant on-going business of the finance
centres. On the other hand the confirmation obtained that the Parent & Subsidiary, Interest
& Royalties and Mergers & Acquisition EC directives do apply to Gibraltar companies,
and also the agreement that Gibraltar firms can now sell and market their investment
services and products into the UK market, will be very positive for our finance centre,” he
said.
38
because they are obtaining basically what was achieved but never delivered by the 1987
Airport Deal. This was always said to be sovereignty neutral, to try and get us to implement
it.”
“This is the position as explained by Sr Pons, Spain’s negotiator in the Tri-partite Forum.
Explained and replayed 6 times on Spanish TV and once on GBC.”
PENSIONS
Mr Bossano highlights that the other basic demand is on Spanish pensions.
“Sr Pons has made clear it will be paid to pensioners and surviving relatives. Only last
week Senator Carracao met with the British Embassy in Madrid and will now be briefing
Campo pensioners. It is quite incredible that we in Gibraltar, whose pensions have also
been frozen will, it seems, be the last ones to find out what is going on.”
He says that as far as the Opposition is concerned “what is very clear is that any up rating
of Social Security pensions must apply equally to all those who have received frozen
pensions and their surviving relatives as it does to pre 1969 Spanish workers.”
On Spain’s medium-term objective Mr Bossano says that this is that when the new climate
and mutual cooperation have had the desired effect, it will then be the opportune moment
to retake the negotiations on the issues of sovereignty in the spirit of Brussels, picking
things up where they were left in 2002.
“Now that we know, straight from the horse’s mouth what Spain is aiming for, our
objective is to ensure that we have a strategy to defeat and frustrate the achievement of
their objective. Clearly our deconolonisation would be one element,” he says.
Mr Bossano says that the other has to be retaining Gibraltarians living and working in
Gibraltar.
“The avalanche of frontier workers continues unabated with more and more sectors of the
economy becoming dependent of them. Now, we are even seeing public sector jobs going
the same way. In our economy it seems the beneficiaries increasingly are outsiders, whilst
our own people have to look elsewhere for their future.”
FAMILY
“The Gibraltarian way of celebrating Christmas has always been a family gathering, the
extended family, neighbours and workmates. It is a tradition that is perhaps less strong now
than in years gone by, when we all had less but shared more… but it is still there,” Mr
Bossano.
He argues that every year many young Gibraltarians finish their studies and stay abroad
because there is nothing here for them.
“Happily in many cases you have them with you at least at this time of year. Their absence
is not good for the economy or our community and we are pledged to guarantee a place for
all our graduates who wish to come home at the end of their studies. We should rely less on
outside experts and make better use of our own people.”
“Also away from home, but just across the way, living under Spanish sovereignty because
they cannot afford to live in their homeland, are hundreds of Gibraltarians. At least they are
close enough to share Christmas with their families here, but this mass exodus of our
younger generation is bad for Gibraltar and has to be reversed.”
xxxxx
SHELL DAVE
The news that the MOD is to transfer ownership of ‘Mount Barbary’ serves a
timely reminder that many decades ago the late D.B. Davis, general manager of Shell,
Gibraltar persuaded the MOD to grant the Shell Company of Gibraltar a lease on barren
land to enable a palatial house to be built for the general manager. This was agreed
provided that the house would be handed back to the MOD in the event of the position of
Shell General Manager being downgraded. This downgrading duly happened some years
after his retirement and the Mount Barbary was returned to the MOD. DBD moved to
Churt and called his new house ‘Little Barbary’ in memory of the opulence he had left
behind on the Rock.
It was the redoubtable Shell Dave who thought up the name ‘Mount Barbary’.
xxxxx
OXFORD HOCKEY X1s
Nick Thomas reports that the Oxford University Amateur Hockey Club is sending
40
a male and a female hockey team to Gibraltar 31 March – 3 April . The 30 plus team will
be staying at the Retreat Centre.
The newly formed Gibraltar Oxford University Society will be taking a great
interest in the visit.
xxxxx
GIBRALTAR CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY
Whilst Oxford is older than Cambridge the light blues, following the example of the
Coldstream Guards, are second to none. However the Gibraltar Cambridge University
Society appears to have fallen by the wayside. A decision has been taken for it to be
revived. At present the only Cambridge graduates on the Rock appear to be Sir Francis
Richards, Charlie Gaggero and the editor. Would all those who would like to register for
the dinner to be held this year please email [email protected] with Name, College and
Matriculation year.
xxxxx
NELSON AND WELLINGTON
History recalls that Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington only met once and
this interview took place at the Colonial Office in September 1804 just before Admiral
Nelson left England for the last time on 13 September.
Although it was a chance meeting the two military giants subsequently were
painted by Samuel Williams Reynolds the Younger.
The full length studies show Nelson and Sir Arthur Wellesley, as he then was,
standing in a study in the Colonial Office. Nelson, wearing his gold laced Admiral’s
uniform and Nile medal, stands beside a table covered by a heavy embroidered cloth,
pointing to a map of Spain, Gibraltar and the Mediterranean. Wellesley wears his military
uniform, gold sash, short blue cloak and carries his cocked hat in his hand. In the
background is a fireplace with a clock on the mantelpiece. The artist has used poetic
licence as the two in the picture are roughly the same height whereas in real life the Soldier
was considerably taller the Sailor. The painting now hangs in the Army and Navy Club in
St James’ Square.
The painting was so popular that permission was granted for a limited number of
prints to be published of the painting. There are believed to be some three prints hanging
somewhere on the Rock. Benzaquen Antiques managed to get hold of a copy and needless
to say it was sold before it could be placed in the shop window.
xxxxx
ANGLO-SPANISH TERTULIA
The annual Anglo-Spanish tertulia was held in the Guildhall, London last November. This
forum is to discuss the state of Anglo-Spanish relations and not the on going Gibraltar
problem. There were many mentions of Gibraltar, in particular the Airport
Agreement, but these took place in the margins and not on the formal agenda.
The original tertulia was set up when John Major was Prime Minister and relations
between the Spanish and British Governments were not good. The Ambassadors at the time
were Alberto Azar and David Brighty and they decided that relations must improve and an
important step would be to get together those from both sides who could discuss for a
weekend the pluses rather than the minuses in the relationship.
The first Tertulia was a huge success and today they are held on alternate years in the
Spanish and British capitals.
xxxxx
LORD BARBER
The recent death of Lord Barber and the many obituaries has raised the question of his
mysterious flight from Gibraltar during the Second World War.
Tony Barber was a fighter pilot and a writer is seeking information about this flight.
It is believed that Tony flew from Gibraltar on 25 January 1942 in a Spitfire with long
range tanks.
Can any reader provide some or all of this factual information? Confirmation of the date,
the aircraft mark and serial number and the fuel load and any other information. Please
email to [email protected]
xxxxx
GB AIRWAYS
GB Airways is to introduce a new twice weekly service from Manchester to Heraklion,
Crete next summer in addition to an increased service from London, Gatwick.
xxxxx
41
JANUARY 2006
New Year’s Honours
CBE FOR GIBRALTAR’S TOP CIVIL SERVANT
Veteran civil servant and Chief Secretary and Administrative Secretary for over two
decades Ernest Montado tops the list for the New Year’s Honours 2006 with the award of
the CBE. Mr Montado has served under four chief ministers – Hassan, Canepa, Bossano
and Caruana - and has been present at most of the key meetings affecting Gibraltar’s future
be they with UK, Spain or both.
Meanwhile Gibraltar’s ‘ambassador’ in UK, Albert Poggio the head of the GIB in
London, awarded the MBE after he first took over the London role a decade ago now
receives the OBE for services to Gibraltar’s interests in the UK.
The year also brings recognition in the form of the MBE to both Leslie Zammitt and Joseph
Catania. Dr Zammitt, former Bayside headmaster receives his for services to drama in
Gibraltar and Mr Catania for services to the Gibraltar Health Authority. This comes after
the GHA has gone through a considerable period of change as the new hospital and systems
came on stream in light of a major review.
Governor’s Awards are being presented to Norma Delgado well known from the Spanish
language programmes on GBC radio, Diego Balbuena for services to the Gibraltar City
Fire Brigade, Barbara Dunn (GSPCA) a veteran campaigner for the prevention of cruelty to
animals and Lance Corporal Aaron Smith for services to the Royal Gibraltar regiment and
to relations between the British and Moroccan Armed Forces.
Lance Corporal Smith has served with the Regiment for nearly 7 years in the Catering
Platoon. In addition to his normal job, he has acted as an interpreter and liaison officer
while deployed on exercise in Morocco. It was during this role that his outstanding
qualities came to the fore. Normal daily duties for him throughout the exercises involved
endless rounds of mediation, negotiations and confidence-building sessions in what could
potentially have become politically sensitive situations. Throughout his dealings Lance
Corporal Smith was diplomatic and courteous whilst maintaining a firm and robust stand to
achieve what was being demanded of him by his superiors.
The Commanding Officer of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Mark
Randall proudly stated “Lance Corporal Smith has demonstrated the highest of standards
and tenacity in fulfilling a very difficult role over the years, outside the parameters of what
is reasonably expected of a junior soldier. His mastery of Arabic and of numerous dialects
is exceptional and this talent has been indispensable during the Anglo/Moroccan planning
meetings”. So much so that the Defence Attaché in Rabat and the General de Brigade on
numerous occasions commended Lance Corporal Smith to his Commanding Officer. His
importance to this unusual secondary role for such a junior soldier was very evident during
this year’s battalion exercise, when the General commanding the 2nd Parachute Brigade
asked specifically for Lance Corporal Smith to be present at all meetings.
Sir Francis said of Lance Corporal Smith’s notable achievement “I am delighted that Lance
Corporal Smith is being recognised in this way. I have seen a good deal of him in the
course of two visits to the Regiment in Morocco, and know how much his skill, tact and
humour have contributed to the success of those exercises. He is an excellent ambassador
for the Regiment, and for Gibraltar”.
NEW YEAR’S HONOURS LIST
Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following
awards:
Commander of the British Empire (CBE)
Ernest George John Montado For public service in Gibraltar
Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Albert Poggio For services to Gibraltar’s interests in the UK
Member of the British Empire (MBE)
Joseph Catania For services to the Gibraltar Health Authority
Dr Leslie Zammitt For services to drama in Gibraltar
His Excellency the Governor has awarded the Gibraltar Award in recognition of
exceptional services in Gibraltar to:
Gibraltar Award
Mrs Norma Delgado For services to broadcasting in Gibraltar
Mr Diego Balbuena For services to the Gibraltar City Fire Brigade
Mrs Barbara Dunn For services to the Gibraltar society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
44
Animals. (GSPCA)
Lance Corporal Aaron Smith For services to the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and to relations
between the British and Moroccan Armed Forces.
xxxxx
New Year Message 2006
whom have grasped this new opportunity, this new start, to transform our health service for
the benefit of their own job and career satisfaction – but primarily to give this community
the health service it pays for and deserves. Having renewed the Ambulance Service, the
Health Centre, and the hospital and clinical standards, the next and final phase of reform
will see the modernisation and overhaul of our Mental Health Service.
2005 saw a continuation of the Government’s on-going programme to refurbish all public
housing estates and to install lifts where possible. This very significant investment in our
public housing stock, which improves the living environment of thousands of people, will
continue in 2006, and indeed until we have refurbished the entire housing stock. I promised
you that, in addition to focusing on health reforms and improvement, I would focus on
building affordable homes, accessible in price terms to a wide cross section of our
community. 400 such homes are already under construction by the Government at
Waterport Terraces. The analysis of the applications is now complete, and we will make an
announcement this month about the allocation process. In addition to those, around 1000
other affordable homes will be built at Nelson’s view, Cumberland Terraces and North
Gorge.
Our housing policy consists of four main elements. Three are already under way, namely,
refurbishment of the existing public housing stock and lift installation, home ownership
opportunities and reform of housing rules and legislation. The fourth strand is expanding
the rental housing stock and we will announce our plans for this during the first quarter of
this year.
Another area where excellent progress has been made is in our caring or social services.
Last year, we inaugurated the splendid, newly refurbished Mount Alvernia building where
the capacity had been almost doubled and the nature and quality of the service and loving
care of our elderly folk has been transformed beyond recognition. This too is the fruit of
our policy of investment in the modernisation of Gibraltar’s public services. Mount
Alvernia is no longer an institution but a loving and dignified last home for our elderly.
Later this year we will announce our further plans for the development of elderly care
provision in Gibraltar.
Much has been said recently about our youth. Certainly it is true that in this day and age,
the attitude of youth everywhere to authority of all kinds be it police, teachers, parents or
even just other grown ups, is very different to what it was in past times. Successful
parenting, teaching and policing are, as a result becoming more difficult, and I say this not
as Chief Minister, but as a parent of teenage children myself. That said, I do not think that
it is as right or fair to generalise about our youth. I believe that the vast and overwhelming
majority of our youth in Gibraltar are fine young people, who grow up to become valuable
and upright members of our community. If a handful of youngsters (or grown ups for that
matter) misbehave on certain occasions it should be dealt with as a law enforcement issue,
and the Government certainly welcomes and supports the RGP’s new zero tolerance
approach to this aspect of policing.
This year will also see a start to building of new roads and new parking facilities in several
places around Gibraltar. But our policies to invest the financial fruits of our economic
success to modernise and transform Gibraltar is not limited to roads and parking facilities,
the economy, health, housing and social services. It includes also Sports and Leisure. This
year we will complete the major new £8 million plus multi sports complex at Bayside, and
we will continue with construction of a fine leisure centre at King’s Bastion, following its
start by the demolition of the old generating station buildings. A statement about the
Leisure Centre will be made shortly. The newly exposed northern face of King’s Bastion
will remain exposed. And, as promised, when the new housing and leisure centre are well
under way, we will continue with the rebuilding of a new Theatre Royal of which Gibraltar
will be proud for many years to come. And so, as you can see, Gibraltar is progressing
rapidly on a very broad range of fronts.
The same is true of our relationship with the UK, and of our relations with Spain. I said
earlier that 2006 could be a politically important year for Gibraltar. When we arrived in
office in 1996 there was a general clarion call for self determination, but no vision of what
that meant in practice or how it might be achieved - no specific target or vision for our
Constitutional advancement. This Government has plugged that obvious gap with our
policy of decolonisation through Constitutional Modernisation, i.e. establishing a modern,
46
non-colonial constitutional relationship between Gibraltar and the UK. There will of
course, be no change in Sovereignty under this constitutional Reform – it will remain
British. Nor will there be any change to the fact that, for international legal and political
purposes, we will remain a non-independent, dependency of the UK. But under our
proposals the relationship between Gibraltar and the UK, reflected in a modernised
constitution, would not be colonial in nature. That is what decolonisation would mean for
us. I am delighted that this Government policy has obtained unanimous cross party support
in the House of Assembly as shown by unanimous resolutions and the fact that
Government and Opposition have worked together to thrash out the details of the
proposals. We shall know during the first quarter of this year, I think, the outcome of these
Constitutional negotiations with the UK.
Similarly, when we arrived in office there was no safe and dignified process of dialogue
with Spain on any issue, even simple cross border matters. Indeed, there was no dialogue at
all. There had however been failed attempts before 1996 to establish open agenda, trilateral
dialogue. When we came to office, and for nine years this Government stood firm in
rejecting any dialogue which was structured bilaterally between the UK and Spain. And it
is important to remember the reason for that firmness, for such bilateral dialogue
constitutes the very denial of our political rights as a people. But we did not camp on a
position of rejection of dialogue. Instead we advocated a fair, safe and dignified process of
dialogue in which all parties, including Gibraltar, could take part without prejudicing their
positions on politically fundamental issues. This was finally achieved in December 2004
with the establishment of the Trilateral Forum, which has an open agenda, and is not
sovereignty focused, in which we take part with our own separate voice on the same basis
as UK and Spain, and in which nothing can be agreed unless we specifically agree to it.
Gibraltar has never achieved this degree of security and respect in any process of dialogue.
This represents a big achievement, which those who now try to undermine it (without
actually openly and clearly opposing it) themselves tried and failed to achieve when they
were in office. For example, despite the considerable amount of information publicly
provided after each round of talks, and despite knowing that the detail of such international
negotiations is necessarily confidential until agreements are nearer, the Opposition
complains that the Government provides them with no information. But what is the reality?
Well, since the Trilateral forum was established in December 2004, the Opposition has
asked a total of 1907 questions in the House of Assembly. Not a single one of them has
been about discussions in the Trilateral Forum. Also, the Opposition have had 4
opportunities to bring motions to debate those matters in the House and seek information.
They have not moved any motions in the House, nor written to me on any such matter.
As I have said on many occasions before, the Trilateral Forum is not engaged in any
discussion about Sovereignty or related issues. Spain, the UK and Gibraltar all maintain
their different positions in relation to Sovereignty, and the Gibraltar Government of course
maintains its position in relation to our right to self determination, that is the right to freely
decide our own future, which is inalienable and Gibraltar will never give up or
compromise.
Even though the agenda of issues is extensive and the issues themselves complex, and even
though progress is delayed by events and circumstances often outside Gibraltar’s control, I
hope that, following a year’s hard work by all parties, agreements will emerge early this
year on a number of issues: namely on expanded use of our airport, on Spanish pensions,
on telephones, and cross border traffic flows. Agreements on these issues will be good
generally for Gibraltar, good generally for the people of the neighbouring Campo area and
good for relations between Gibraltar and Spain based on mutual respect. Does this mean
that all problems between us will disappear and that things that should not happen will
never happen? Of course it doesn’t. But that is not a reason for not making mutually
beneficial, politically safe progress where and when it is possible to do so.
You know, the easiest thing for a Chief Minister to do is to enflame anti-Spanish sentiment,
appeal to our rawest nationalist instincts, and make no credible attempt to improve relations
with our neighbour. That is easy, but it is not in Gibraltar’s interests and it passes the baton
of unresolved problems and unnecessary tension to our children and future generations.
That is not leadership, nor is it an adequate vision for our future, nor is it fair or responsible
47
Also on the external front, the European Court may well take a decision in 2006 on the
complaint put to it by Spain against the manner in which Gibraltar was enfranchised for Euro
elections. It is clear Madrid continues to undermine the position of Gibraltar in the EU in every
conceivable way. As you know Gibraltar airport was recently excluded from the EU law on the
blacklisting of unsafe airlines. No doubt more of these exclusions will already be in the pipeline
in 2006. The point must surely be that Gibraltar is entitled to inclusion in these measures as a
matter of right, as a part of the EU, and our inclusion or otherwise must not be subject to Spain
getting what it wants. There are serious issues of principle and of law at stake in all this.”
“Much has already been said in relation to our airport particularly from the Spanish side. They
continue to claim that the land on which the airport is situated belongs to Spain and that it was
usurped by the British. We reject the Spanish claim to each and every part of Gibraltar. As far
as we are concerned everything from the lighthouse to the frontier fence belongs to us and they
are never going to have it back. At the time of writing this message there is still no word from
the Gibraltar Government on the details of what they are discussing with Spain over our airport.
We continue to rely
on leaks in the Spanish press and on information made public now and again by Spanish
politicians. This is wrong.”
LUXURY DEVELOPMENTS
“On the internal front, the way in which the Government has continued to handle development
projects is a matter for serious concern. Building and construction are not led by the needs of
the community. They are led by the demand for luxury flats at the high end of the market which
the average Gibraltarian cannot afford to buy. For years now we have a Government that has
sold off huge parts of Gibraltar as if they were dealing with their own private real estate. In
many cases these projects do not even go out to tender, for instance the Mid-Town project in
the naval grounds and the
Nelson’s View development at Rosia Tanks. In other cases, where the tender documents
stipulated low rise construction of four storeys, like The Anchorage in the South District, the
height restrictions were removed after the tender was awarded almost doubling the height of the
some of the buildings in the process.”
READY FOR GOVERNMENT
“There is something seriously wrong with the attitude of a Government that behaves as if
Gibraltar belongs to them and as if they were not answerable to anyone for their actions. The
plain fact is that they will be answerable. They will be answerable to the people of Gibraltar, at
the next general elections. During 2005, over a whole range of issues, more and more people
have turned to the GSLP-Liberal Opposition. This trend will continue into 2006. The GSD have
run of ideas and out of time. We, on the other hand, are ready for the next general election
whenever it may be called and confident that with your support and your backing we can win
and form your next Government. Whatever challenges 2006 may bring us, you can rest assured
that if we stick to our convictions and to the strength of our arguments, Gibraltar will win
through in the end. On behalf of the Liberal Party I wish you all the very best for 2006.”
xxxxx
PROGRESS ON GIBRALTAR, STRAW TELLS COMMONS
• EU constitution ‘in limbo’
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw yesterday effectively declared the European Union
constitution dead. And on the eve of his meeting with Chief Minister Peter Caruana this
afternoon, he also indicated that he was hopeful of “significant progress’’ over Gibraltar as
he was grilled at Commons question time.
Tory former minister John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon) had asked about the extent of
funding to Spain and whether this had implications for Gibraltar.
He said that, in December, Mr Straw announced that transitional cohesion funding to Spain
had been extended.
Mr Maples asked what Britain had “got in exchange”, adding:
“It seems to me that we have given up eight billion euros of our rebate over the next few
years, at least in part to fund Spain’s Moroccan colonies, while Spain does all it can to
cripple Gibraltar’s economy ’’
50
“As for discussions with Gibraltar, I have to tell you that, since the accession of the new
government, there have been constructive discussions with the Spanish government as well
as, of course, with the chief minister and his government from Gibraltar and I hope that,
despite all the historic difficulties, they may be able to ensure significant progress.’’
Asked about the state of the constitution by Tory spokesman Graham Brady, Mr Straw
said: “I think probably the best that can be said about the European Union draft constitution
is that it’s somewhere in limbo.’’
But after cries of “ah!’’ from MPs, he clarified this analysis, adding: “It shows what a poor
theological background you’ve got ... since limbo’s somewhere suspended between heaven
and hell, it’s difficult to argue that it’s not dead.’’
• Meanwhile it has emerged that the new Estatuto de Autonomía in Spain will keep its
current text and will not include Gibraltar as Izquierda Unida and PA had been seeking.
The current text allows for future inclusion of ‘recovered territories’ without overall reform
but names none.
xxxxx
Works start in June
GRAND PARADE TO CONTINUE AS PUBLIC CAR PARK
* project will have 300 free spaces
Parking in Grand Parade will remain free as part of plans to build a private three-storey
underground car park on the site. Both the Gibraltar Government and Grand Developments
Ltd, the company behind the scheme, stressed that point yesterday as they moved to allay
concerns that the project would cut the number of free spaces available to residents in the
area. While parking spaces in the underground complex will come at a premium, the surface
of Grand Parade will continue as a public car park.
The developer also countered critics who said the project would increase traffic congestion in
the area, arguing that it would instead have the opposite effect.
Cars will access the underground complex through an entry underneath Europa Road
opposite the Queen’s Cinema, but will exit via an ex-military tunnel, the Ragged Staff tunnel,
close to the roundabout at the southern end of Queensway.
“You’re actually getting rid of congestion because we’re decanting out straight into
Queensway, rather than into the Trafalgar circus,” said Howard Danino, a director of Grand
Developments.
According to the company, there will be a total of approximately 1300 parking spaces
available once the project is complete, including some 300 free spaces on the surface level.
The free spaces on the surface of Grand Parade will most likely be designated for use by
Gibraltar residents only.
The subterranean car park has yet to obtain final planning approval but, setting aside any
unforeseen glitches, the developer believes construction work could start as early as June this
year.
Grand Developments is currently conducting a survey of residents in the area to determine
whether drivers interested in the underground complex would prefer to buy or rent spaces.
That will help determine the final make-up of the spaces available in the car park.
“We have to know more or less what kind of demand is going to actually come back,” said
Stanley Prescott, another of the company’s directors.
A circular recently distributed by Grand Developments provided indicative rental prices that
varied from £60 to £85 monthly for unallocated parking, to up to £140 a month for a reserved
space.
The leasehold on a lock-up garage, meanwhile, could fetch anywhere between £25,000 and
£29,500, while the purchase of a parking place leasehold is valued at between £12,500 and
£17,500.
Those rates are in line with current market prices, the company said.
Provisions have been set out to provide alternative free parking during the construction of the
underground building, which will be done in two phases and will take approximately two
years.
The most difficult part will be phase one, which will take about 14 months and will cover
roughly half the area of Grand Parade. During that phase, about 150 free spaces on the
surface will be temporarily unavailable.
During the construction of phase two, which will take about 10 months, the developers will
provide temporary free parking underground for up to 150 cars, in addition to the 150 free
51
statement adding that interviews for the position will be held in Gibraltar in early February
by a Board appointed by the Governor to advise him on the selection. It confirmed that the
Board will be chaired by Sir Ronnie Flanagan, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary.
The Convent also confirmed that candidates must be resident in Gibraltar and will be sent
an application pack for completion.
xxxxx
xxxxx
53
Mr Caruana is set to brief the unions on his discussions with Mr Ingram in relation to
contractorisation. He did not want to comment before such meetings but said that those are
ongoing negotiations.
“Both sides appear to be equally hopeful that negotiations will lead to the satisfactory
solution everyone wants it to.”
Mr Caruana said that the adequate safeguarding of these MoD interests at the airport had
also been one of the factors in the Government’s negotiating brief.
Safety, use of airport, ammunition facilities in potentially key zones and MoD reluctance to
subsidise expanded commercial traffic are issues they discussed. MoD will continue to
54
Nothing has been signed yet but Mr Stevenson believes that the Casino will continue
to be a real contributor to the tourism industry give that it attracts a conside-
rable number of visitors in addition to the bingo and tables.
“We are a popular venue with some big players,” he said.
Work on the heart island could start within the month.
xxxxx
and Spanish pensioners received the same, funded by the UK, for those two years.
"In 1988 when the GSLP took office the United Kingdom Government, following a study
that they had funded by agreement with the previous administration tried first to pass on to
the Gibraltar taxpayer the full cost of the Spanish pensions, which was rejected. Then the
UK offered to keep the payments going if they were frozen at that rate paid for by the UK
with any future increases paid for by Gibraltar. This was also rejected."
They add that given this position, it was finally agreed that the UK would continue funding
pre-1969 pensions at the frozen rate, and that Gibraltar paid pensioners would have their
own pensions frozen at the same time to protect the UK from possible legal action by the
European Union on grounds of discriminatory treatment.
"The problem is therefore quite straightforward and simple. The frozen pensions exist
because the UK did not want to pay and wanted to be protected from paying and the
problem disappears the moment UK agrees to pay," says the Opposition.
On the reports of a deal being reached last Monday they say that the indications are that
what is being negotiated is that the UK will make a one-off lump sum payment to cover the
retrospective element for pensions paid since 1989 and that the Spanish Government would
then bridge the gap between the frozen pension and the revalued pension from a current
date onwards on the basis of means tested, non-contributory supplementary pensions.
"This would mean that the cost of revaluing the pensions would be shared by the two
Governments," said Shadow Minister for Social Services Charles Bruzon.
'PAY UP'
"The Gibraltar Government, for its part, has apparently been urging the UK to meet the
cost of Spanish pensions. This is not a new position. The Opposition believes that if and
when this happens there must be equal treatment given to local pensioners.
In other words, local pensioners must have their pensions revalued as well," he said.
xxxxx
next hearing.
In theory at least, it might even drop the legal action.
A full meeting of its board of trustees is scheduled for Monday and there may be “further
discussions” after that, said Keith Azopardi, the Trust’s lawyer.
The court will reconvene next Tuesday to hear legal arguments from five lawyers
representing interested parties. Each barrister will have just one hour to present his client’s
case.
The injunction freezing all work remains in place until then.
The Trust’s visit to Rosia Tanks yesterday was something of a short and cursory trip.
Given the tricky access, its members did not actually enter the tanks.
But they did manage to look inside one– No.6 – from its hatch door entrance.
Yesterday, none of the Trust’s members would comment on their initial impressions ahead
of Monday’s board meeting.
Members of the South District Association, who have also filed an application for judicial
review of the DPC’s decision, are scheduled to visit the tanks on Monday.
Nick Cruz, the association’s lawyer, said there were many common issues between the
group’s position and that of the Trust.
But he said the potential exposure to a high bill for legal costs meant the chances of the
association’s members seeking an injunction should the Trust withdraw were “not
particularly great”.
They would probably continue with the application for judicial review, but any freeze on
demolition work would have to come from the court itself.
The hearing next week will start on Tuesday and conclude the following day, focusing
mainly on technical legal arguments.
The Chief Justice, Derek Schofield, said he expected to reach a decision by Friday at the
latest.
The DPC is represented by James Neish QC, the government by Freddie Vazquez QC and
OEM by Daniel Feetham.
xxxxx
ROSIA TANKS BEFORE THE COURTS TODAY
The issue of Rosia Tanks goes before the courts again this afternoon at 2.30 following a
series of intense discussions between lawyers and heritage representatives over the
weekend. The South District Committee was meeting last night to consider its position as
the Heritage Trust left a meeting with the Chief Minister at No6 understood to have lasted
over two hours.
The Trust is under pressure because the injunction they obtained could mean heavy costs if
the developer wins the legal argument.
Today’s hearing follows an adjournment from Friday’s session after which the Trust went
down to the site.
CONSERVATIONIST LOBBY
Two conservationists, Lionel Culatto and Willie Serfaty were allowed to enter the Tanks
yesterday afternoon. Mr Culatto was ecstatic after seeing what he described as the
“cathedral like vaults”.
“I really did not expect it to be so dramatic,” he said adding that he believes good use could
be made of the site and that it should not be even partly demolished.
“The current development plan does not allow the building of a block of flats on the Tanks
site. If the Chief Minister wants to build those flats Government must abide by the law of
the land and an amended planning scheme must be produced for public scrutiny in
accordance with the law that his own Government passed in 1999.”
“Respect for the rule of law is a basic foundation of any democratic system and is what
distinguishes democracy from a dictatorship. As a lawyer the Chief Minister knows this
well enough and certainly believed it when he said those same words when he wrote a
letter to the Gibraltar Chronicle on the 11th September 1986. The principle has not
changed,” said Mr Culatto.
xxxxx
CARUANA AND PONS MEET THIS WEEK
Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, will be meeting with Spanish Foreign Office Director for
Europe and the Americas, Jose Pons on Friday, No 6 announced yesterday.
59
It said that the meeting is in preparation for the next trilateral meeting. Mr Caruana will be
accompanied by Chief Secretary Ernest Montado.
The date and venue of the next trilateral meeting will be announced by the UK Government
which will host the Forum Meeting, said No6.
xxxxx
Court hearing
ROSIA TANKS SET FOR DEMOLITION AS HERITAGE TRUST BACKS OUT
* SDA in plea to Caruana and DPC to visit site
Dominique Searle reports
There is now no legal obstacle to the demolition of Rosia Tanks and heavy machinery is set
to move into the early 19th century site within a week. It could happen today. This follows
the Heritage Trust’s decision yesterday to reluctantly withdraw from proceedings which it
says it cannot afford. The Trust’s lawyer, Keith Azopardi, insisted that his client still
believes the tanks should be saved.
And the South District Association (SDA) made a call from court urging Peter Caruana,
Chief Minister, and the Development and Planning Commission (DPC), to visit and see the
tanks for themselves before these are destroyed.
SDA lawyer Nick Cruz made no application to the court for an injunction, but instead
indicated that by Monday he would have instructions on whether or not he should proceed.
The Trust’s decision to pull back from both the injunction and their application for judicial
review of the Development and Planning Commission’s decision was revealed before Chief
Justice Derek Schofield in a hearing at Supreme Court library yesterday. In a palpably
sombre atmosphere the court was told that the Trust could not risk the costs and damages
its action might have incurred. The Trust, created in 1986 and having experienced several
transformations since, is a statutory body set up by Government and funded by them with a
£30,000 annual subvention.
Informed sources say that that the damages claimed by OEM International, the developers,
could have been in the £50,000 to £70,000 a week region. However, it is understood that
had the Trust acted earlier they may have avoided this potential liability in terms of
damages although any action risks costs mainly from legal fees of the other parties if they
win.
OEM International is understood to have signed with their contractor Haymills just hours
before it was served with an injunction from the court when the Trust first acted on January
13.
And the Trust itself is known to have delayed considerably given that Government
announced its plans in October and on November 23 2005 the DPC gave outline planning
permission which could have been challenged then before the company had engaged in the
project.
Whilst the SDA consider their next move, the Heritage trustees left the court gloomily and
with an air of defeat, handing out a statement in which they said that they “continue to be
implacably opposed to the destruction of these tanks. This view was reinforced after a
physical visit to the tanks on Friday (January 20) when the opinion of those attending was
that they were in good condition.”
The statement echoed Mr Azopardi’s own to the Chief Justice that his application was for
leave to discontinue on the basis that there would be no order as to costs. He said this
followed the meeting between the Trust and the Chief Minister on Monday evening.
The Trust’s reasons for the instruction, decided on by majority vote of its Board on
Monday, was that they could not afford to become engaged in a protracted legal case which
had the potential of exhausting their limited funds.
The Trust said that, in any event the Government might take the project over and carry it
out as a government project “thereby circumventing the need to obtain planning
permission. It also stated that the Trust’s limited funds – which the Chronicle understands
are in the £150,000 region - might “perhaps” be put to better use in the many projects in
which it is currently engaged.
“The decision to withdraw is taken with great reluctance but in the light of the realities of
the situation and the means at the Trust’s disposal. The Trust’s decision has no bearing on
the merits of the case, its own legal assessment of the prospects of success or the heritage
value of the site itself.”
“[The Trust] has come reluctantly to the view that it had little option but to take this course
60
or risk the continued existence of the Trust,” it said adding its continued support for the
Government’s objective of the construction of affordable housing. The Trust was merely
seeking to question the building of these at Rosia Tanks, it said.
Mr Azopardi had told the hearing that “sometimes cases are not decided on merit” but that
after much agonising behind closed doors the Trust had taken its decision and would now
get on with its duties as best it could.
There was no objection to the withdrawal from the DPC and its lawyer James Neish QC
explained that the DPC had not taken part in any of the negotiations. Freddie Vazquez QC
for the Government said that his client respected the integrity and proper intentions of the
Trust but felt they had been misguided and wrong in taking up these proceedings. Daniel
Feetham, acting for OEM International, confirmed that there would be no application as to
costs. The judge allowed the application to be withdrawn with no order as to costs.
The collapse of the action leaves several issues, that would have been explored if the
judicial review had gone ahead, unanswered. The proceedings of the DPC would have
come under scrutiny including the case made to members and how they each voted.
It has also emerged that the DPC did not even visit the site, an issue taken up by the SDA
lawyer Nick Cruz.
He said that the SDA’s experts Lionel Culatto and Willie Serfaty had visited the tanks on
Monday and their views confirmed the Trust’s position. The vaults are in excellent
condition, he said, adding that the experts had described them as “cathedral like”.
The judge indicated that if proceedings had been started the court itself might have wanted
to view the tanks, subject to any submissions.
Mr Cruz also said that until Monday he would not be able to give an indication on whether
his clients will proceed. This is pending further legal consultation but all indications are
that the issue of costs is the main factor.
He said his clients “cannot afford the luxury of damages that might be awarded.”
Although he had given notice of judicial review proceedings and papers had been served,
the parties had been asked not to spend time on these. No application was made yesterday
that could halt demolition works.
Later the SDA said they were angry and upset at the turn of events.
“We reiterate our request made during the hearing in court this afternoon that the Chief
Minister and members of the DPC should visit the site so that they are fully aware of what
part of Gibraltar’s heritage they are so eager to destroy forever,” said the SDA.
xxxxx
GSLP/LIBERALS ‘TOTALLY OPPOSED TO ROSIA DEMOLITION’
GSLP/Liberal Opposition yesterday declared that it is totally opposed to the demolition of
Rosia Tanks. They said that they had awaited for the outcome of the court case before
commenting. “We are committed, if elected into government in time, to find an alternative
site for the Nelson’s View development and in this way save the Rosia Tanks,” they said.
The Opposition said that the circumstances which have led the Heritage Trust to drop the
court case, for fear of the financial repercussions, has exposed a serious issue of principle.
“This centres on the inability, in practice, of a statutory organisation to have access to
justice on a matter of great public interest, all the more so when faced on the other side by
the combined resources of the Government and a developer,” said Dr Joseph Garcia.
He said that the Opposition maintains its view that the Government only has itself to blame
for the controversy.
“It will be recalled that the Opposition originally questioned, both inside and outside the
House of Assembly, how the site at Rosia Tanks came to be included in a tender which was
for North Gorge and Buena Vista only.”
“We made the point that what the Government should have done is to proceed with the
original project as advertised in their tender notice, and then allow tenders for the new site
at Rosia Tanks. This would mean that other prospective developers could have different
ideas for the site which would be more in keeping with the concerns that have been
expressed for the area.”
It was confirmed that the Leader of the Opposition Joe Bossano has now written to the
developer OEM International to advise them that the Opposition has taken a policy
decision against the Nelson’s View development at Rosia Tanks.
The Opposition have told the developer that it does not accept that the choice is whether
Rosia Tanks should either be developed on the one hand, or preserved with the loss of 200
61
protected building. At present, under the Gibraltar Heritage Trust Ordinance 1989 only the
gates of the Yard are protected. Most of the fortifications and caves are protected as are
some buildings:
Church Doorways, St Jago’s Barracks, Convent Stables, The Convent Main Street, Court
House Main Street, Exchange Building, Gibraltar House of Assembly, Moorish Bath,
Garrison Library and Gardens, Cathedral Church of St Mary the Crowned and the
Synagogue, Engineer Lane.
Mr Ballentine said that the Trust has made recommendations for buildings it wants
protected but draft amending legislation has been around for some time without being
enacted.
Marcus Binney’s SAVE report is one of the guiding documents of the Trust in its work.
Mr Binney says that some 1100 structures and buildings were identified by them and he
expressed dismay at the plans to demolish the Tanks which, he says, are an integral part of
the Victualling Yard complex.
“The Victualling Yard is of enormous importance. Gibraltar’s naval heritage is very
complete and unique, “ he said.
A POTTED HISTORY OF THE VICTUALLING YARD
During much of the 18th Century the dockyard was sited at the New Mole but the
victualling was concentrated at the North Mole. There were two main stores, one at
Waterport and the other at the White Convent in Irish Town.
During the Great Siege these facilities were found most inconvenient as they were too close
to the enemy lines. With the loss of Minorca and the alienation of Britain in the
Mediterranean following the American War of Independence, victualling and in particular
the supply of water, became a major problem for the Royal Navy.
It also became clear that it was unlikely that Minorca would ever again be permanently
available.
John Jervis, Lord St Vincent, had been appointed Admiral in Charge of the Mediterranean
Fleet, and in 1799 whilst staying ashore, through ill health, in one of the houses in Rosia
Parade, known then as “Rosia House” (part of that house is now St Vincent House –
originally St Vincent House and the adjoining house was one larger house) recommended
the re-siting of the victualling yard to Rosia, adjacent to his house.
The site was particularly suitable as there was access to Rosia Bay and was protected from
the seaward gunfire by the outcrop known as Parsons Lodge Battery. Furthermore it was
out of range of the enemy guns at the North Front.
The works were carried out by a local contractor, John Maria Boschetti, and it seems that
his original quote in 1799 was for just over £22,000. This estimate in 1807 was just over
£40,000 but in 1808 his estimate had risen to over £62,000.
It is generally accepted that the tanks were commenced in 1799 and completed in 1804.
However, although they were aware of the proposed scheme in 1799 the Navy board only
approved the project in 1807 and again it is not clear whether that was only the dry stores.
It is not unusual (in Gibraltar certainly) for works to be carried out without formal
approval, especially if they were perceived to be urgent. It is generally accepted that the
whole complex was completed in about 1812, although the dry stores themselves may well
have been completed earlier. (Abridged from Lionel Culatto)
xxxxx
Annual dinner speech
GFSB PRESIDENT GRILLS GOVT OVER HUGE INCREASE IN BUSINESS
COSTS
* Protect local firms, says Guerrero
GFSB President Marilou Guerrero yesterday quizzed the decision by Convent Place to
considerably increase all the costs of doing business in Gibraltar. During her speech at last
night’s annual dinner of the small business federation, Ms Guerrero questioned the need for
a 100% (or more) increase in all government licences and fees, in the light of
Government’s repeated assertions that inward investment had increased and was bringing
in more money for its coffers.
Ms Guerrero declared: “Water and electricity have also been significantly increased for
businesses and residents alike, as have the connection and standard charges. Early payment
rate relief for businesses has been reduced by 10%, and in many cases the rates increased.”
She said larger businesses could assimilate these increases, but small firms that support
64
many families and add diversity to the economy could not remain competitive, and run a
real risk of closure.
Criticising a lack of meaningful consultation, forward planning and advance warning of
decisions on the part of the Government, Ms Guerrero said it was difficult for businesses to
budget for the future and give quotations for work when rules change without notice and
that some industries submitted for tenders that have to fix prices 12 months in advance on
information that is currently available.
“The shortfall caused by unexpected increases has to come out of the bottom line profit,”
she said.
Although Ms Guerrero welcomes and recognises the need for inward investors, Ms
Guerrero argues that local firms “must be protected and encouraged as well”.
“We have to do everything we can to make entrepreneurial dreams a reality, and not place
obstacles in their path,” she declared.
Meanwhile she claimed that lack of consultation by Government meant that people were
giving up and resigning themselves to accept the inevitable.
Even when consultation occurred and agreement was achieved, she continued, it was a fact
that implementation did not always follow.
Ms Guerrero also asked whether Government has “a strategic plan for Gibraltar’s
economy” or dealt with situations as they arise or “at best in four year cycles till the next
elections.”
She said businesses require flexibility when hiring workforce, especially in the tourism and
hospitality industry, to meet market demands. A long overdue Government commitment to
restructure Social insurance contributions with fairer rates, she said, would benefit
employer, part-time employees, and assist in eradicating illegal labour.
“We are still waiting. Instead, the contribution rates were increased this year, including
those for part-timers.”
Ms Guerrero also criticised the existence of delays when dealing with Government and said
the seven Ministers in charge of departments and many efficient Civil Servants must be
allowed to get on with their jobs.
“To not do so is demoralising and results in delays and inefficiency and the obvious current
state of apathy and lack of motivation, that affects us all down the line.”
Ms Guerrero said the tourist product which was “the mainstay of the economy,” remains
very “tired” and pointed to the need for beautification and renovation of sites. She also
deplored the lack of funding in this area and cuts to the current tourism budget. “Have any
of you visited Europa Point or the Upper Rock recently? Or wandered through the upper
town areas?”
Commenting on the announced increases in Upper Rock entrance fees for tourists, to
support a £2 million beautification programme, she said that renovation and repairs to the
sites should have been taking place during the last few years “when tourists have been
paying high entrance fees.”
She urged the authorities to resort to more effective publicity to obtain much better results,
and argued that we were using antiquated methods to get the tourist message across. Ms
Guerrero noted satellite television adverts and ‘in your face’ promotion used by “our
neighbours and other tourist areas in the Mediterranean.”
She said the Rock should use modern tools and communication methods, television and the
internet, “invest now to obtain the rewards in the future.”
As regards relations with the TGWU, and the threat of a general strike, she said the Union
had accused them of having “third world conditions for our employees.”
Ms Guerrero expressed their openness to discuss issues with them, and explained that many
businesses were not in a position to accept substantial demands on behalf of employees.
She called for such expectations to be realistic and that “extremely good” public sector
agreements with Government, did not mean this could be matched in the private sector.
“We have to make the money to pay for both,” she said.
Ms Guerrero also said the Rock was exposed to competition and must be ready to adapt to
changing conditions.
GUERRERO’S CROSS-BORDER CONCERNS
Ms Guerrero last night noted the “lack of information” that in her view is raising serious
doubts and concerns as regards “the cross border cooperation and possible airport
agreement.” She said this would affect business “in a tremendous way and there is no
getting away from reality.”
65
at 5% or 10% simply because the underlying philosophy is never to admit that the
Government is capable of making mistakes of getting anything wrong,” he said.
Mr Bossano said that the small business sector is not growing or making ever bigger profits
year after year and that retail trade is not increasing in line with the overall rate of
economic growth. And he accused the Government of failing to listen to people.
Mr Bossano said that out of 1,400 employers in Gibraltar some 1,100 are small businesses.
“They are struggling to survive. The GFSB rightly recognises the desirability of
encouraging inward investments, we believe in this too, but the big boys need no help, they
know how to look after themselves and they will only stay here for as long as we provide
them with a more profitable environment than the competition. “
On Government spending Mr Bossano was not drawn on the size of the public service:
“There is no golden rule as to how big or how small the public sector should be. The only
rule that counts is whether we can afford it, whatever the size”.
“If the economy grows faster, the Government can also grow but at a slower rate. If on the
other hand the Government spending grows faster than the rest of the economy, then it
must eventually make one of three choices. Either raising taxation, or cutting back
spending, or going into the red and bridging the gap by drawing on the reserves or
borrowing,” he said adding that after the 2003 general election there has been all three.
“In the 2003 budget when the Government predicted a £6.7 million surplus, I said their
figures were wildly optimistic. Immediately after it was re-elected, the Government
admitted it needed to raise money to cover the deficit they had known of, but kept quiet
about, during the election campaign. As everyone now knows the deficit for that year was
over £7 million. Not the £1.3 million shown on the books by massaging the figures through
creative accounting,” he claimed.
Mr Bossano said that the audited accounts show is that in that year, 03/04, Government
spending increased from a figure of £178.9 million in 02/03 to a figure of £201.6 million.
“A rise in one year of £22.7 million. A new record, but one which Mr Caruana does not go
around boasting about”.
“What is worrying about the situation is that the year when the Government accounts go
into the red is the year when the economy has grown over 10%. The implications of this are
that even this level of economic growth, 10.4%, does not result in revenue flows to the
Government to make annual increases in public spending of this order sustainable,” he said.
Mr Bossano said Gibraltar is told it has never been more prosperous “ but we go deeply
into the red at the same time.”
“Looking at the expenditure to see how you use public money in a way that helps the
achievement of your targets on the economy, using your revenue measures in a way that
does hinder, those very same objectives. That is the key to a successful fiscal and economic
management programme that sustains the level of the public sector, but not at the expense
of the private sector,” Mr Bossano to
ld the GFSB.
Mr Bossano also said that the “Jewel in the Crown” in the picture being painted of the
economy “is the so-called, fabulous “Sovereign Bay”, which is predicted to bring into
Government coffers between £60 and £100 million. “
“You may not recognise it, but this is the very same land that these very same people when
in Opposition constantly campaigned against and obstructed. When the land was being
created it used to be a scrap yard, according to them, because building rubble was being
used to reclaim land at minimal cost before 1996. It can’t have been such a bad idea
because they have continued doing it for the subsequent 10 years and now, as if by the use
of a magic wand, the scrap yard has become the biggest asset Gibraltar has. It’s a jolly
good job we ignored their protestations at the time and continued with the project. Such is
politics, I’m afraid.”
xxxxx
TRILATERAL AGREEMENT POSSIBLE BY APRIL – CARUANA
• Diplomats concerned at Odyssey/Junta row developments
A package of measures including the use of the airport, telecommunications, frontier traffic
flow and co-operation generally could be in place before April. This was confirmed
yesterday by Peter Caruana, Chief Minister, just ahead of his private meeting in Malaga
with Jose Pons, the Spanish Foreign Ministry director for Europe.
Sr Pons, who leads the Spanish delegation at the trilateral forum had indicated this time
67
frame to journalists yesterday and Mr Caruana agrees that this would be desirable.
April would be the point at which the British diplomat Dominick Chilcott moves on to an
ambassadorship.
Mr Caruana made clear that Mr Chilcott’s moving on would not scupper the process but
added that it would be desirable to reach agreements before his departure because of Mr
Chilcott’s close knowledge and grasp of the matter.
An agreement before April is “not an unrealistic timeframe,” said Mr Caruana who pointed
out that it might be that some elements of the package remain to be concluded after that.
No statement is expected from yesterday’s meeting and there are growing indications that
many of the items being discussed are only a few decisions away from conclusion. The
meeting is a prelude to talks in England expected in the coming weeks hosted by Mr
Chilcott.
Despite speculation in the Spanish press the Gibraltar Government has reiterated several
times that there can be no concessions on sovereignty, jurisdiction or control of the airport,
or presence of Spanish officials in Gibraltar.
The Chronicle understands that Schengen membership has been mooted as one option that
would impact on the issue of how the movement of people is controlled.
Pensions remains an issue to be decided essentially by UK because it will pick up the lion’s
share of the bill if there is agreement. The rest would be paid by Spain and most political
observers believe that the aim is for a lump sum, once and for all payment. But there
remains the issue of what department in UK actually provide the money required estimated
at some 40 million euros.
SUSSEX ROW
But whilst the key parties are focused on trying bring positions closer there has been
increasing concern in diplomatic circles that the row over Odyssey, the vessel seeking to
lift treasure from the wreck of what is believed to be HMS Sussex, could sour the
atmosphere. The Junta de Andalucia unsuccessfully tried to take a seat in the talks process
at the early stages although there has been careful deference to its jurisdiction in certain
areas of Campo political life. Now the Junta appears to have found in the Odyssey saga an
opportunity to exert its interests in the area.
In turn the Spanish Foreign Ministry has attempted to placate the Junta making statements
that suspended works but have kept the door open to a resolution with the US backed
exploration company leading the Odyssey project.
The last thing the diplomats want is a fiasco at sea detracting from their efforts. Less still
would they want the row to move towards questions of sovereign waters or litigation over
jurisdiction.
xxxxx
ROSIA TANKS SET FOR DESTRUCTION
• Trafalgar 200 director highlights heritage value
South District Association is today set to take a final decision as to whether or not it will
try to get a court order to block the demolition of Rosia Tanks and the building of flats on
the site.
The collapse of the Heritage Trust case last week meant a legal go ahead for the developer
OEM International to move in with demolition teams although there were several technical
issues that they had to resolve. This includes the need to remove some MoD cables running
through the site.
The demolition could happen any moment although its passage will be eased if the SDA
also back down from legal action.
The Heritage Trust is in disarray as it recognised that it had been tardy in acting on the
issue. It has also emerged that trustees were several times told that they would face
personal liability for costs and damages once the Trusts own resources were depleted in
any legal battle. This argument has been questioned by legal sources involved in the
attempt to stop demolition.
Meanwhile Dr Colin White, Director of the National Maritime Museum, Portsmouth and
Director of Trafalgar 200 was contacted by the Heritage Trust.
Responding to the news he said that the tanks are a key element in the Rosia site.
“Some years ago now, I wrote a report on the interpretation of Gibraltar’s heritage,
following a fact-finding visit that I made as the guest of Major General Simon Pack, who
was then CBF. In it, I highlighted the great historical significance of the Rosia Bay site and
68
However, it was assessed that a democratic Spain may help reconcile moderate
Gibraltarians to the idea of joining Spain. Quite critical to this was “if Spain were to enjoy
better economic growth than ourselves”. So therefore that Gibraltarians would feel
economically worthwhile to join Spain.
They also speculated that the “militant trade union element” in Gibraltar would welcome a
leftwing government with whom they “would be able to do business with”. However, it
was concluded that the general Gibraltarian views are moderate and would have sympathy
with Social democratic or Christian democratic government in Spain.
It was clear from the files opened that the FCO felt it an urgent matter to build “confidence
of Gibraltarians in Spain”. The approach the FCO took was to set up talks with Spain over
the future of Gibraltar. That by doing this it would “open the eyes of the Gibraltarians to
the realties of their position”. Initially there were informal contacts. Although these were in
private, the FCO’s cover was blown when reports were made in the Chronicle. The tactic
they adopted was what was referred to “classic lines” that these meetings were about
goodwill only.
Even so the FCO was cautious about the Spanish position in that little had changed in
Spain’s attitude and approach. The FCO were also clear that Spain had ruled out an
Andorra-style solution. In trying to set the right framework for the talks the FCO had asked
the Spanish government not to make big noises at the United Nations on Gibraltar in 1975.
At this time there were sensitive negotiations about the de-colonisation of Spanish Sahara.
The FCO had also asked Morocco not to raise any claims on the Spanish enclaves. The
FCO wanted to avoid comparisons between the Spanish enclaves in Morocco and Gibraltar.
‘RESIDUAL’ SOVEREIGNTY
A Spanish foreign official’s own views were that there could be “residual sovereignty”
approach meaning that the land passes over to Spain in a long period of time and that the
Gibraltarians can write their own terms. The FCO did agree with this position but thought it
was unlikely due to issues around sovereignty safeguards. Nonetheless, according to the
files the FCO did go ahead with confidential talks with the Spanish Foreign Ministry. On
the list of concessions it was to recognise the fact that Spanish government did want the
return of Gibraltar.
The FCO wanted the negotiations to lift restrictions on Gibraltar. This then would get the
issue moving on the decolonisation, the FCO suggested to the Spanish government to
concentrate on the human issues rather than the treaty of Utrecht (upon which both
governments would not agree on). If the restrictions remained it would only serve to harden
the views of the Gibraltarians and lessen the process of de-colonisation.
Even when the talks were going ahead there was a sense of stalemate in that it was felt that
the 1969 pre-amble to the constitution committed the British Government not to change the
status of Gibraltar unless agreed with the inhabitants. The FCO negotiators concluded that
had it not been for this constitution the British Government would have given Gibraltar to
Spain much earlier. Their assessment found by giving these rights the British Government
had reacted its own “diplomatic difficulties”.
Finally in another revealing document concluded that neither imperial sentiment nor British
defence interests would impede a settlement with Spain. The reality for the FCO is that
Gibraltar would not hold out to a Spanish military invasion. The Spanish government went
as far to suggest to the FCO negotiators that the British Government could maintain a
military base even after sovereignty is handed over to them.
xxxxx
70
xxxxx
MARY MUIR
The Daily Mail reports that Mary Muir, 41, the niece of the Duke of Marlborough, is the wife of
71
xxxxx
RESIDENTS DROP LEGAL ACTION, BUT VOW TO FIGHT ON
Heavy machinery was moved into Rosia Tanks yesterday, just hours after the South
District Association confirmed it would not seek a court order to stop demolition of the
site.
A contractor working on behalf of developer OEM International will carry out groundwork
in the coming days ahead of major work, which is expected to start within the week, an
OEM spokesman said.
But despite the sight of cranes and diggers, campaigners remained adamant that they would
oppose the demolition to the end.
“Following the withdrawal of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, the SDA has decided not to
proceed with its legal action because of the personal exposure of its committee members to
potentially exorbitant costs and damages,” the association said in a statement.
“However the SDA is continuing to oppose the construction of Nelson’s View and will
continue to fight to ‘Save the Rosia Tanks’ until the last brick has been removed from the
site.”
Rosia Tanks has been at the centre of a heated row since government-backed plans to build
houses on the site were unveiled late last year.
Objections ranged from concerns about the loss of what many regard as a valuable heritage
site, to fears about the impact on the urban and social fabric of the area.
But the government and OEM have argued that the project will be socially advantageous to
Gibraltar and will help meet the demand for affordable housing.
Yesterday, the SDA appealed to the government to build the houses on another site.
“The SDA…continues to support the construction of ‘affordable’ homes, but not at the
expense of Gibraltar’s heritage,” it said.
“This site represents an important part of Gibraltar’s history and of its links to the United
Kingdom.”
The SDA drew attention to an article that appeared in yesterday’s edition of The Times, in
which the British newspaper’s architecture correspondent reported on the Rosia Tanks
controversy under the headline “Nelson caves to be turned into car park”.
The SDA is setting up a website and has launched a financial appeal to raise funds in
support of its campaign.
It has also called on the Heritage Trust to publicly back its efforts.
Even at this late stage, there are still some final technical issues to be resolved before the
demolition of the tanks can proceed.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said yesterday that there are number of MoD
utilities running through the site, including water pipes, electric cabling and
communications cabling.
The utilities will have to be protected or re-routed before the demolition starts, he said.
The Gibraltar Electricity Authority has already carried out work to re-route an electricity
cable that ran through the site.
An OEM spokesman said last night that most of the site will be demolished once work
finally gets under way.
xxxxx
FEBRUARY
FOE AND ROSIA TANKS
Friends of the Earth, Gibraltar yesterday reiterated their opposition to the Rosia Tanks
demolition and development.
“Since last year we have made clear our views. We believed then and still believe now that
the project is wrong on environmental and ecological grounds, especially regarding
questions of population density, traffic congestion, and the overloading of public services.
As an organisation we are less concerned with issues of historical heritage though many of
our members, as individuals, do of course feel strongly about these.”
“Within the bounds of our environmentalism, Friends of the Earth, Gibraltar continues to
offer support to the South District Association and indeed all concerned citizens in this
matter”.
xxxxx
72
when the Government had first announced that Rosia Tanks were earmarked for
development they had assumed that this was in the context of a touristic development as
had been set out by the then Heritage Minister Keith Azopardi.
This is a reference to a tender issue put out by Government in 2001 which envisaged
“sensitive” development of the area. At the time the tanks were still in use by MOD and the
Government hired an architect to put their ideas to developers. These envisaged the use of
the flat rooftop of the tanks for surface parking but not demolition. The Trust failed to pick
up where the project was now going.
Mr Noonan was quoted in the Independent as saying that the Rosia Water Tanks site was in
two parts, the smaller of which would be destroyed by the development of £100m (147m
euros) worth of affordable housing apartments and an underground car park.
“The major ones, the ones in good condition, are available to the public in the complex
next store,” Mr Noonan is quoted as saying.
The newspaper said that the Kerryman, whose next door neighbour in Gibraltar is financier
Dermot Desmond, said OEM’s overall master plan with the Gibraltar government
envisaged a £400m (588m euros) development. “Besides affordable housing, the plan
envisaged a £250m (368m euros) private development, including an upmarket new
marina.”
He is also quoted as saying that plans to upgrade Gibraltar airport to an international airport
would give the project of some 1,000 units a major boost.
Mr Noonan is chairman and acting chief executive of OEM plc in the UK, but the Gibraltar
development is being undertaken by OEM International, a separate company controlled by
a Noonan family trust.
Meanwhile, Mr Eveson told the Chronicle that to save the Rosia Tanks would require a
change of heart from the Government. This might still be achieved if public pressure is
maintained, he said.
At the present time he says that the main objectives of the Trust are:
•To remain resolved to continue its defence of Gibraltar’s heritage.
This includes its objections to the demolition of the Rosia Tanks
•To pursue the incorporation of all heritage buildings, sites and fortifications into the
Schedule of Listed Buildings within the revised Heritage Trust Ordinance
•To establish a ‘Heritage Charter’ describing the Trust’s role and its position as a Charity
made up of volunteers
•To continue to foster the knowledge and appreciation of our heritage by people of all ages
In a statement the SDA called “on all those people who oppose the way that the
Government has handled the ‘Rosia Tanks Affair’ “ to come out and protest on Tuesday
7th February 2006 between 1.15 pm and 1.45 pm at Convent Place.
As part of the Protest, ‘Lord Nelson’ will present the Chief Minister with a book of
evidence containing all the witness statements that the SDA says it was “prevented” from
producing in Court, another copy of the 3000 strong petition, letters supporting the
preservation of this historic site and other documentation.
“Although the main focus of the campaign continues to be to ‘Save the Rosia Tanks’ from
imminent destruction the manner in which the Government continues to treat those who
have raised concerns about the construction of Nelson’s View leaves a lot to be desired, it
said. It calls on the Government to set up an independent public inquiry to examine and
report on the process by which this decision was reached, and, if necessary, implement its
findings.
“The speed at which the Government seems to have rushed to give the necessary
permissions to demolish the tanks is unprecedented in Gibraltar and points to an intent to
push through decisions without giving those raising concerns a forum in which to voice
these,” said the SDA.
The SDA calls for recognition and adds that even at this late stage, the Government and the
other interested parties can meet with representatives of the SDA to hear their case that to
save the Water Tanks is a wise decision and that it makes sense to build ‘affordable’ homes
on another site. It wants the Tanks and the Victualling Yard immediately listed.
xxxxx
WORKS START FOR NEW MILITARY HOSPITAL
For over two centuries, English servicemen in Gibraltar have received medical care in
dedicated military facilities in the South District.
77
The Royal Naval Hospital [RNH] and its precursors were close to the docks and,
historically at least, the climate at the southern end of the Rock was considered cleaner and
more conducive to a speedy recovery.
But in a break from that tradition, work started yesterday on construction of a new military
hospital in Devil’s Tower Camp, next to the airfield and in the shadow of the North Face.
By the time it is operational early in 2008, the new hospital, known formally as an
Integrated Healthcare Facility, will accommodate all the services currently on offer at the
Royal Naval Hospital and the Joint Medical & Dental Unit on Queensway.
Once the transfer is complete, the Royal Naval Hospital and the Queensway site will be
handed over to the Government of Gibraltar as part of the Ministry of Defence lands deal.
Despite cost-cutting across the entire MoD, some £8.6m is being channelled into the new
hospital.
“It’s a very exciting project and it shows great commitment to Gibraltar,” said Commodore
Allan Adair, Commander British Forces in Gibraltar.
“We’ve been here for over 300 years and we intend to stay, otherwise we wouldn’t be
spending nearly £9m on it.”
There are several reasons why the MoD needs its own dedicated medical facilities on the
Rock.
MoD obligations are to provide standards of care locally that are in line with comparable
services and facilities in the UK.
Additionally, military personnel sometimes require specialist treatment that is unavailable
in a civilian hospital.
Although local demand for MoD medical services is relatively low, Commodore Adair
points out that he is responsible for nearly 3000 servicemen and their families, including
members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.
“I think that could swamp St Bernard’s and that’s the reason why we have a separate
facility,” he said.
“In the planning stages several years ago we looked at the possibility of perhaps having a
ward in St Bernard’s, but that was not selected as an option.”
Medical services on offer in the new two-storey hospital will range from day-to-day GP
care to maternity and intensive care units.
Once the building is complete, all the equipment from the existing facilities will be ferried
across.
Options are currently being assessed to provide interim care, including setting up a field
hospital or bringing in RFA Argus, a Royal Navy ship that has a hospital complex on
board.
xxxxx
HMS Sussex
UK-SPAIN ROW ERUPTS OVER SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA
•Claim ‘full’ territorial waters, Opposition demands
As the GSLP/Liberal Opposition yesterday waded into the growing row over the HMS
Sussex gold recovery expedition, the statement from the Convent this week on British
territorial waters around the Rock prompted a formal protest from Spain. The Opposition
has declared that the United Kingdom Government should now extend the territorial waters
of Gibraltar from three miles to twelve.
The British Embassy in Madrid last night confirmed that the Spanish Foreign Ministry had
delivered a verbal note, but it declined to comment further. However the note reportedly
declared that the waters around Gibraltar, including those where Sussex may lie, are
Spanish, said Madrid wire services.
The note also repeats the traditional line that Spain only recognises the British possession
as set out in the Treaty of Utrecht 1713. This remains the valid legal position; Spanish
diplomatic sources were quoted as saying last night.
The Spanish Government has expressed surprise at the Convent statement and has also
reiterated that this has no effect on their claim over the waters.
They also said that they only accept the British sovereignty within the Gibraltar port area.
However there was also a line emerging from Madrid that this matter should not
contaminate the current trilateral forum, due to meet in just over a fortnight.
The exchange follows a statement from The Convent setting out the UK official position on
waters around the Rock and the ‘Odyssey’ expedition.
78
The Opposition read the Convent statement as “confirmation” that there is a dispute
between the United Kingdom and Spain over the status of the waters.
On the question of extending the demarcation of waters the Opposition said:
“This is something than can be done unilaterally and which does not require Spanish
consent under the terms of the Convention. Quite apart from the immediate issue relating to
HMS Sussex, there may well be many things that Gibraltar may want to do within twelve
nautical miles in the future.”
The Opposition said it was apparent to them that there may have been a potential problem
to do with the status of the waters given the statements issued by the Spanish Foreign
Ministry, the Junta de Andalucia and the American company Odyssey Marine Exploration
Inc.
“The Convent has also confirmed that Gibraltar’s territorial waters on the eastern side are
at present three miles, but that we have the right to claim twelve miles under the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Convention says that Gibraltar is entitled to twelve nautical miles on the east side, or
out to median lines where the coastline of other states are under 24 nautical miles distance
from Gibraltar,” said the GSLP/Liberals.
They argue that the Spanish Government has already claimed the full twelve nautical miles
for itself and that it also entered into a reservation, at the time of ratification of the
Convention, that such ratification “cannot be construed as recognition of any rights or
status regarding the maritime space of Gibraltar that are not included in Article X of the
Treaty of Utrecht of 13 July 1713.”
Madrid further added that it considered that aspects of the Convention were not applicable
to Gibraltar because it was a colony subject to a process of decolonisation in which only
the relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly are applicable, said the
Opposition..
They add that the reservation made by Spain, which is still in place, is not binding and does
not have any legal effect.
“Moreover, the United Kingdom responded at the time by declaring that it had no doubt as
to its sovereignty over Gibraltar, including its territorial waters. London added that as the
administering power, she had extended the Convention and ratification to Gibraltar.”
“It is clear to the Opposition that there are serious issues of sovereignty at stake in the
dispute over the wreck of HMS Sussex. Spain has no right to interfere in the Sussex
exploration in the same way as she would also have no right to interfere with the Sovereign
Bay project on the east side. These are not Spanish waters and what happens there has got
nothing to do with Spain.”
xxxxx
SDA PRESS FOR HALT TO ROSIA TANKS DESTRUCTION
The South District Association (SDA) yesterday continued to appeal to the Chief Minister
to relent and reverse the decision to destroy the Rosia Water Tanks. The call follows
comments made by Robert Noonan, the owner of OEM International, who was quoted in
the Irish Independent as saying: “It (the decision to develop the site) has nothing to do with
us. It is between the present government and the heritage commission.”
The SDA say this statement “goes to the heart of the matter and clearly underscores that the
Government can make the decision to suspend the demolition of the tanks even at this late
stage.”
The Association urged support for the Protest Gathering at Convent Place on Tuesday
between 1.15 pm and 1.45 pm.
Meanwhile the UK based Society for Nautical Research, of which Prince Philip is patron,
has written to the Chief Minister and tourism chiefs calling for a rethink.
The society says that in the early 19th century the main victualling dockyards at Britain
were not just storage and issuing facilities.
“They were also major manufacturers producing most of the bread, salt provisions and beer
needed by the fleet. Overseas a chain of local dockyards was progressively established. Of
these smaller yards Gibraltar was possibly the most important. Most of Gibraltar’s stores
were supplied from the home establishments. But one of the most important resources
needed by any fleet or garrison was and is drinking water. Gibraltar’s needs were met from
a series of
cleverly constructed vaulted underground storage tanks.”
79
“It is thus very disappointing to learn that the Gibraltar Authorities appear to be about to
decide that both the built environment of the Rosia Bay Victualling Yard and the water
cisterns underneath the site should be sacrificed for a block of flats and their associated car
parking. It is the more disappointing because there is nothing similar to this local
victualling yard complex left anywhere else,” says the society in its letter..
“It is a Georgian gem. We feel even at this late stage that every effort should be made to
list and preserve the buildings and maintain the architectural integrity of the site.
Sympathetic conservation and use of the buildings would bring valuable revenue into
Gibraltar for it is the historic naval and military buildings and engineering works together
with the fortifications that give Gibraltar its historic interest. “
xxxxx
GOVT WILL NOT HALT ROSIA TANKS DESTRUCTION - OFFICIAL
Gibraltar Government has given the green light for demolition of Rosia Tanks. In a mega-statement that
breaks its silence, No6 has declared that it does not intend to intervene to prevent this development and
stands by its decision that the heritage value of the tanks and their condition and other characteristics does
not compel their preservation.
Noting that a variety of allegations and arguments have been used by those opposed to the Development
the Government claim that while some have been genuinely motivated by heritage concerns, “others have
been motivated by other factors, including self-interest and political opportunism.”
Government said that now that the court case is over it considers that it is appropriate and necessary to
respond to these arguments and allegations, “so that people can form a view of the reasonableness of the
Government’s decision in the context of accurate information, knowledge of the Government’s position
and of the conduct of others in this matter.”
No 6 says that a huge range of arguments have been deployed, including heritage, the fairness and integrity
of the planning process, integrity of the Government’s decision - making process, lack of tender for the site
allocation, alleged bullying by Government of the Heritage Trust, traffic congestion, loss of views,
overcrowding, shortage of schooling, whether the housing will be affordable, lack of sewage and
infrastructure, that the buildings were too big, etc, etc.
THE DPC
No 6 says it is completely satisfied that the Development and Planning Commission took properly into
account all lawful and relevant planning factors in coming to its decision, including the issues raised by
those who submitted objections to the Development and Planning Commission as part of the planning
process. “The Government has already announced plans for improved traffic access, parking facilities and
green areas in the South District. There will be no shortage of schooling. All other infrastructure is
sufficient. All relevant factors have been taken into account”.
On the South District Committee Government says it has no doubt that many residents of the area
surrounding the Rosia Tanks have a proper regard and concern for heritage generally, including this site
but it says that it believes that the persons who established the South District Committee and who direct it,
are not primarily motivated by Heritage considerations.
BAND WAGON
“Heritage featured very lowly in their original arguments, and when it did first arise, the argument related
not to the heritage value of the tanks but to the proximity of the new building to the Victualling Yard and
the Parson’s Lodge. Furthermore, the public petition raised by the South District Committee did not even
mention heritage and said only that the signatories were ‘against the proposed Rosia Tanks development as
it is too large and unsuitable for the local area’. The Government, accordingly, believes that the South
District Committee rather belatedly ‘jumped onto the bandwagon’ of heritage as a prop to the principal
reasons for their objection. Now, their case is exclusively based on heritage to the extent that their
campaign is called ‘save the Rosia Tanks’”, SAYS No6.
HERITAGE TRUST
No6 says it fully supports the work and “proper role” of the Heritage Trust, and regrets the decision of Joe
Ballantine to resign as Chairman. Suggestions made by persons who are not Trustees, that the Trust may
have been subject to pressure or bullying by the Government to discontinue their action, are outrageous and
wholly untrue, says the Government statement.
However, its says that given recent statements by some persons closely connected with the Heritage Trust,
“it is appropriate to say that in the Government’s view the Trust’s decision to commence legal action was
not consistent or compatible with its behaviour in relation to Rosia Tanks prior to commencing that legal
action. Nor did that behaviour indicate to the Government any sense that the Trust attached sufficient
heritage importance to the Tanks themselves as to require the Government not to allow their destruction. “
The Chronological facts, against which the reasonableness of the Government’s behaviour needs to be
80
community. This exception to the tender policy has been set out publicly many times before. In addition,
the Government’s 2003 Election Manifesto made it clear that sites would be made available to developers
provided they build affordable housing for residents at prices agreed with the Government. That is
precisely what has happened at the Rosia Tanks site and at the two sites in Cumberland Road. Furthermore,
with the particular construction method being used in these projects, the more volume built by one
developer, the cheaper all the houses can be sold for”.
The Government says it therefore totally rejects the insinuations of impropriety attaching to the
“accusation” of direct allocation of these sites without tender.
Last Minute, Unplanned
“It has also been said that the allocation of this site for housing development was adhoc, unplanned and not
thought out. This is disproved simply by pointing out that it has been publicly identified by Government for
possible development as affordable housing since April 2004! “ said No6.
xxxxx
SDA REPONSE TO GOVT
The following is the South District Association’s response to the Government’s statements
publicised in the press yesterday. They reiterate that their campaign to Save the Rosia Tanks will
continue ‘until the last brick has been removed from the site’:
“The SDA, as it has done since the beginning of its campaign, is continuing to call on those who
“…support the construction of affordable homes but not at the expense of Gibraltar’s heritage” to
join the Protest Gathering called for Tuesday 6th February 2006 from 1.15pm – 1.45 pm at
Convent Place, to show the Chief Minister that as a people we care about our heritage and our
identity and appeal to him to halt the demolition even at this late stage. It is not too late to stop the
work from going ahead and to build this block of flats on another site.
The Government refers to its press statement of Thursday 22nd April 2004, which listed a large
number of sites for development. But it does not specifically say that all the sites listed would be
for construction of ‘affordable’ homes. The list is long containing up to 65 sites and includes some
of the sites that the Association feels could have been used as an alternative, like North Front
Ariel Farm. The SDA stands by its views that it is not possible just from reading this list to
determine that the Rosia Tanks was going to developed an ‘affordable’ housing scheme.
In respect to heritage matters, neither the Association nor the Heritage Trust have hidden from the
public the fact that they were unaware of the historical significance of the site and how each part
of the site is interdependent. It is a fact that is on the record that it was only when these matters
were being fully researched that the significance of the site became apparent.
The SDA is fully aware that there are other concerns that residents have over and above the
heritage issue. However the speed at which the Government has driven this particular project has
meant that the priority for the Association has become saving the Water Tanks from destruction.
Hence the current emphasis, but the Government can be sure that once the issue of the Rosia
Tanks is determined one way or the other, that these concerns will be given greater attention. Had
the SDA been given the opportunity to address the Development and Planning Commission, and
when this was denied, seek redress through the Courts these issues would have been raised
alongside the heritage concerns.
The Association continues to stand by its view that the Government have not allowed all the
concerns raised to be given the proper consideration. At no stage has the Government made any
attempt to discuss these matters with the South District Association. Indeed this is the first press
statement in which the Government recognises the South District Association by name and does
not dismiss it as a ‘fringe element’.
Once again the SDA calls on the Government to halt the demolition and appeals to them to
consider the evidence that will be presented to them during the Protest Gathering.
Attached is a list of some of the concerns that the SDA has been trying to raise with Government
without success since it began its campaign in October 2005.
THE WIDER CONTEXT OF THE DEBATE
Heritage – the Rosia Bay area that includes the Victualling Yard, Mole and the Water Tanks
represent an important part of our heritage and of our historic links to the United Kingdom. Don’t
you think they are worth saving and developing in a sensitive manner to enhance the leisure and
tourist product of Gibraltar and to preserve our history and identity as a people?
Traffic Congestion – How long does it take you to get to work or drop your children off at school
each morning now? What do you think will happen once the Anchorage, Cumberland Terrace,
North Gorge, Buena Vista and Nelson’s View are completed, a total of over 1000 homes? We
estimate that there may be as many as another 1600 vehicles travelling to and from town at peak
82
hours each day. How much time is this going to add to your daily journey? Remember all the
traffic in the South District converges on the Queens Cinema bottleneck.
Schools – There is only one First School and one Middle School serving the South District, St
Joseph’s. What impact is the possible doubling of the intake into these two schools going to have
on your child’s education? These two schools are very important to the development of your
children’s education. Have you asked yourself how the school is going to cope with the increase in
numbers?
Environment – There are already problems with the sewage system in the South District. If this
service is experiencing problems now, what is it going to be like once these homes have all been
built?
Parking – Do you have problems finding a parking space for your car now? Even though each
home owner has been promised one parking space, families in Gibraltar invariably own more than
one car. What additional parking provision is the Government going to make available for the use
of residents and guests, once these developments are completed?
Beachgoers – the numbers of people using the area increases dramatically in the spring and
summer months. Will the area around Rosia be able to cope, when it is having difficulty at the
moment?
Construction Phase – all traffic to and from each site will cause severe disruption and
inconvenience. In the Cumberland Terrace, Anchorage and Nelson’s View projects it is going to
be more intense than at North Gorge, particularly if all 3 projects are built more or less at the same
time. Are you prepared to put up with the inconvenience, like the noise, dust and other disruption
that inevitably follows?
The South District Association tried to raise all these issues with government and the development
and planning commission during the so called ‘consultation phase’ of the process. The association
has received no direct response from the DPC or the government to any of these concerns and
continues to be completely ignored by the government of Gibraltar.”
xxxxx
Territorial waters
BOSSANO URGES GIB “NOT TO DROP GUARD”
Leader of the Opposition Joe Bossano has linked the row over the HMS Sussex treasure
ship with statements by Campo PSOE MP Salvador de la Encina who, speaking on the
subject, declared that Spain’s policy in relation to Gibraltar is “to use a mailed fist in a
velvet glove.”
Mr Bossano said that if this is the message of the “new climate” in Madrid, “then the moral
of the story is that we should not drop our guard.”
A GSLP-Liberal spokesman said: “We note reports that a court in La Linea has now issued
a warrant for the arrest of the Odyssey Explorer and its crew. This is in line with the policy
of the Spanish Government that the vessel has been operating in Spanish waters and is
therefore subject to Spanish law.”
“It will be recalled that last month the Civil Guard intercepted the vessel and instructed the
Master to appear before the court in La Linea. The lawyers for the Odyssey Explorer
refused and made it clear at the time that “neither the ship nor the Master of the vessel fall
under the jurisdiction of the authorities that delivered the request.””
“Meanwhile, PSOE MP for Cadiz Salvador de la Encina has said that the policy of the
Spanish Government in relation to Gibraltar is to use a “mailed fist in a velvet glove”. He
made these comments when speaking about the controversy surrounding the salvage
operations of HMS Sussex.”
“In this context, it is possible that Mr de la Encina may be saying that Spain will stick to its
position for the sake of appearances (the velvet glove), but that in practice they will make
no attempt to stop us at this moment in time and reserve the right to make use of the mailed
fist at some point in the future.”
“The Spanish Government has already said in an official statement issued by its Foreign
Ministry that, as far as they are concerned, Gibraltar does not have any territorial waters at
all, other than the waters inside the Port which were ceded under the Treaty of Utrecht. Mr
de la Encina himself recalled this statement over the weekend.”
“These developments are totally unacceptable. Firstly, the court in La Linea continues to
behave as if the waters on the east side are Spanish and has issued an arrest warrant on that
basis. Secondly, the metaphor a mailed fist in a velvet glove is intended to imply a situation
in which a person assumes the disappearance of a threat i.e. the mailed fist because of the
83
external appearances i.e. the velvet glove. If that is indeed the message of the “new
climate” in Madrid then the moral of the story is that we should not drop our guard.”
“There is one way in which we can establish whether the Spanish Government is making
all these hostile noises simply for effect in Spain or whether they really mean what they
say. The sooner UK challenges the Spanish position as to the sovereignty of the waters on
the east side and around Gibraltar the better it will be. We welcome the initial clarification
that has been made by the Convent last week that there is no question of the unclaimed 9
miles of our territorial sea being available for the Spanish Government to claim as their
own. However, having said this, action must now be taken to close the loophole.”
xxxxx
ROSIA TANKS PROTEST GOES TO NO. 6
Some 250 people, Rosia residents and others opposed to the demolition of the Rosia Tanks,
held a lunchtime protest at Convent Place yesterday in a bid to persuade Chief Minister
Peter Caruana that there was still time, in the words of their chant, to “Save the tanks.”
Tonight they will hold a candlelight vigil at the site and South District Association
chairperson Gigi Sene believes this will probably be a wake for the ancient structures. “It
will be a saying goodbye to the tanks if that is what the Chief Minister is bent on doing,”
she said.
With the support of groups such as the Environmental Safety Group, Friends of the Earth
and individuals, the SDA stood behind banners declaring ‘Nelson’s view, Caruana’s folly’
and ‘Save our heritage’.
A CD with their case for saving the tanks was presented to the Chief Minister’s secretary
Denis Hook whilst a hard copy was presented to Governor Sir Francis Richards who
received them in his office.
Nelson himself was present and irate at that - Malcolm Blagg dressed in the full Nelson kit
declaring that the Government is doing nothing for future generations or history.
Dr Ann Coats, secretary of the Naval Dockyards Society in Britain, declared that heritage
is an asset, not a problem. The Heritage Trust took her around the Rosia area but she did
not get access to the tanks. She said the area would make a wonderful development
opportunity. She hoped the Government would invite international architects to design a
plan that would incorporate business and residential areas and develop the bay.
Dr Coats said she was moved by those who spoke of long family links with people who had
worked with MOD for generations. “They are going to lose something special when those
tanks disappear, if they disappear.”
Speaking to the protestors she urged the restoration of the whole Rosia complex to be used
for touristic, educational and cultural purposes.
“Instead of a few people owning Nelson’s view you can all own it,” she declared. She said
heritage sites are swamped by tourists in Britain and all over Europe dockyards are being
preserved for regeneration.
She said that in Plymouth and Gosport these are regenerating income now that other jobs
have gone.
“Gibraltar needs affordable housing and it needs to treasure its heritage. There is nowhere
in the world like Gibraltar and there is nothing in the world like the Rosia Tanks. This is
not a dilemma, it is an exciting opportunity.”
Mrs Sene said that the SDA felt that the planning and development process in Gibraltar
“leaves a lot to be desired”.
“Where is the openness and the consultation when they meet behind closed doors, and there
are five government members who can push anything through regardless of the
opposition,” she said to cheers.
She said that 500 objection letters had been ignored as had the request to be heard. “We
have not had a single acknowledgement. When are we going to be heard? Maybe in a year
and a half when the elections come round.”
Mrs Sene said that 10 per cent of the electorate who signed the petition are being ignored.
“If all these people decided not to vote for the present government then where would the
GSD be?”
She said she did not wish to make the issue political but she felt it was no longer possible at
the late stage not to make a few political points about due process.
“They are hurrying through the demolition so that the heritage issue will disappear,” Mrs
Sene said. She argued that there was no reason why the project is not moved to the aerial
84
during the early stages of the consultation period, yet did not receive even an
acknowledgement”.
Mr Watson’s support has been welcomed by the South District Association and comes only
a day after Mr Neil Parish Conservative MEP for Gibraltar publicly backed the save the
Rosia Tanks campaign.
This is the second letter written to Mr Caruana by Gibraltar’s representatives at the
European Parliament.
The Association says it is hoping that the Chief Minister will take note and act quickly to
halt the demolition.
In a further twist the South District Association have written to the Health and Safety
Officer at the Ministry of Employment highlighting a number of health and safety concerns
that the Association hopes will be addressed as a matter of urgency, so that no health and
safety laws and practises are being breached on the site.
xxxxx
SDA CONTINUE ROSIA TANKS LOBBY AS THE WALLS COME TUMBLING
DOWN
Demolition works above ground have started at Rosia Tanks and the South District
Association is calling on its members and supporters throughout Gibraltar to attend a third
candle lit vigil that has been called for tonight.
There has been increased activity on the Rosia Tanks site since Friday afternoon of last
week, when approximately 15 people held a meeting, the SDA believes, to discuss the
demolition.
“Yesterday the outer perimeter walls were being demolished and today the SDA believes
that the buildings above ground will be turned into rubble. The next step will be to move
underground and destroy these historic water tanks, that in their day could provide enough
water for 18 months for 80 Royal Navy ships of the line,” said the SDA. They say that it
seems incredible that the Government continues to push ahead without giving any
organisation both local or international the opportunity to discuss this issue with them.
“On Monday Mr Graham Watson, Liberal MEP for Gibraltar, who has also intervened on
behalf of the campaign, reported in a interview on GBC Radio that he had not received a
reply to his letter asking the Chief Minister to reconsider. Europa Nostra, the Pan European
Federation for Heritage, and others have also written but one wonders to what effect.”
“Undeterred the SDA will continue its campaign until the last brick has been removed from
the site,” said a spokesman. The SDA says it continues to have serious concerns in respect
to Health and Safety issues that appear to have been addressed but only in a piecemeal
fashion. In particular, fears about asbestos being present on the site amongst residents have
not been allayed and there is still serious concern regarding this matter, they said. The
Association claims it has had confirmation that there is asbestos present in No 3 building
and that tests are being conducted on samples taken from the covering of the Rosia Tanks
itself. It is believed that the covering itself may contain asbestos. The SDA are continuing
to put their concerns regarding asbestos in writing to the Health and Safety Inspectors and
are in the process of putting them on notice that it expects any removal of asbestos from the
site to be managed in accordance with current health and safety regulations.
“The Association cannot comprehend or understand the way that the Government has
handled this matter and wants to state once again that it does not believe that this historic
site has to be sacrificed to provide ‘affordable’ housing. Affordable housing can be built
elsewhere and the Water Tanks preserved and developed sensitively.” The vigil is as from
7.30 pm outside the entrance to the Rosia Tanks.
Meanwhile, the SDA also emphasised the historic importance attached to the site and refer
to a report prepared by Ann Coats, Secretary Naval Dockyards Society with information
supplied by Lionel Culatto, Steven Harrison, Dennis King, Robert Matto and William
Serfaty (posted under features on www.chronicle.gi).
xxxxx
NO CHANGE FOR MILITARY ROLE
There are no plans to change Gibraltar’s current military role Adam Ingram, Armed Forces
minister has said. Mr ingram said that the Rock’s role centres on providing a forward
mounting base and other facilities to support overseas operations.
xxxxx
86
technical departments of the directorate of the Environment, Mr Dimas had revealed that
Spain had provided information in response to them and that further information was
expected imminently, which they would then assess.
A further letter drawn up by MEP Neil Parish and the team was drafted in Strasbourg on
the meeting outcome and has already been sent to the Commissioner.
“It is clear that after having followed the ‘Brussels’ process directly for 4 years, the ESG
can now take full advantage of the backing of such MEP’s as Neil Parish to lobby directly
and have a “voice” in the European parliament. Without this, it has been very difficult to
access a right to environment justice.”
xxxxx
xxxxx
Territorial waters
THREE MILES SUFFICIENT, COMMONS TOLD
The British Government said this week that it considered Gibraltar’s three-mile territorial
waters “sufficient”, even though it could in theory seek to extend them to 12 nautical miles.
Douglas Alexander, Minister for Europe in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, made
the statement in the House of Commons in response to questions from Paul Keetch, the
Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford.
“Under international law, States are entitled, but not required, to extend their territorial sea
up to a maximum breadth of 12 nautical miles,” Mr Alexander said.
88
“Where the coasts of two States are opposite or adjacent, the general rule is that neither is
entitled, unless they agree otherwise, to extend its territorial sea beyond the median line.”
“The UK Government considers that a limit of three nautical miles is sufficient in the case
of Gibraltar.”
The questions to the minister come less than a fortnight after the UK and Spain clashed
over the Rock’s territorial waters, an issue highlighted by controversy over the search for
the sunken galleon HMS Sussex.
At the time both Britain and Spain staked their claims in the strongest of terms: London
claimed three miles of territorial waters around Gibraltar, while Madrid dismissed any talk
of British sovereignty over the sea around the Rock.
The diplomatic row prompted the GSLP/Liberal opposition to call on the British
government to extend Gibraltar’s waters to include the additional nine nautical miles that it
is entitled to.
Since then, Spanish and British officials have held high-level discussions in Madrid and
London to ease tensions and return to the status quo, albeit with more clearly defined
positions.
In his parliamentary answers this week, Mr Alexander also made clear the British
government’s stance on what it believes is the wreck of HMS Sussex.
“We cannot give exact details of its location due to concerns about the security of the
wreck, but it lies outside British Gibraltar territorial waters in international waters,” he said.
Although he did not provide details, a statement from the Convent earlier this month made
clear that the wreck lies off the east side of the Rock, within the unclaimed nine nautical
miles of sea.
xxxxx
CARUANA CALLS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MEETING NEXT WEEK
Chief Minister Peter Caruana has convened a meeting of the Gibraltar Constitutional
Reform delegation for next Friday, No 6 said yesterday.
The meeting comes just two days after he has participated in a meeting of the trilateral
forum in London and just weeks after he met Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on the question
of Constitutional Reform.
After his January 11 meeting Mr Caruana said he was confident that Mr Straw is giving
serious consideration to several key political points of the Constitutional Reform proposal.
He said then that another negotiating meeting, of the full Gibraltar and UK delegations on
constitutional reform, is planned.
Mr Caruana, was reluctant to discuss details, but said the points discussed related to
elements in the Constitution that Gibraltar's Constitutional Reform Committee wants to
change in order to make them non-colonial in nature.
xxxxx
RECORD BUNKERING
Bunker companies delivered 6million tonnes of fuel oil to ships in the Bay of Gibraltar last
year, according to industry sources.
Gibraltar supplied a record 4million tonnes of fuel oil to commercial ships in 2005,
representing a 12% increase over the total for 2004.
Bunker volumes are also growing in the port of Algeciras, which delivered just over 2
million tonnes of fuel last year, up 33% on the previous year.
xxxxx
ELIOTT GETS EXPANSION GO AHEAD
The Development and Planning Commission is poised to grant outline planning consent for
a project to build an annexe to the Eliott Hotel in the heart of town.
Although some technical matters need to be clarified, the commission last month agreed in
principle to clear the project through the first stage of the planning process.
The proposal submitted by the O’Callaghan Hotel Group has been drastically scaled down
from the original plan for a 28-storey building, which was rejected by the DPC last year.
The latest plan cuts the height of the building by over half compared to the original
submission.
In the current application the proposed annexe would measure 42 metres in height, about
89
the adverse effects of asbestos. Members of the SDA will continue to monitor the site to
ensure that all asbestos is removed in a controlled manner and that it is contained prior to
and during the removal so that no particles are released into the atmosphere, said a
spokesman.
“In an effort to allay fears that are being widely expressed by residents in the area the
SDA is calling on the Government and OEM Interna-tional Limited to disclose fully
the extent of the problem
and inform them on any
plans to remove asbestos from the site before they are carried out.
This has become even more critical now that the Health and Safety Inspectors have
informed SDA representatives, this morning, that they have been instructed not to disclose
any information to members of the public verbally on this matter. As from today all queries
regarding asbestos on the Rosia Tanks site must be put in writing to them.”
The SDA says it is distressed and angry.
“It means, in effect, that any person who has any fears for their health can no longer call in
to request information on or be reassured as to the extent of the asbestos present, the type
or the manner of its removal”.
“This is seen as a clear signal, once again, that the Government is trying to obscure the
whole affair. In view of this the SDA has written to the Health & Safety Inspectors and sent
copies to the Chief
Minister’s Office, His Excellency the Governor, the three MEPs who are supporting the
campaign, the Chairman of the Development and Planning Commission and OEM
International Limited, so that they are in no doubt that this matter is being monitored
closely and that the SDA expects full disclosure promptly.”
xxxxx
91
question of the Falklands was one of territorial integrity and that self-determination did not
apply because the people there were indistinguishable from the occupying power that had
transplanted them.
xxxxx
This Dateliner is indebted to May Isola for loaning him a copy of a rare book
titled ‘Malta and Gibraltar 1915’ - an historical and descriptive commercial and industrial
facts and figures: approved by the Military Censor, London: compiled and edited by
Allister Macmillan.
The inside front cover shows a photograph of the most famous Rock in the World
taken by A. BEANLAND. (CANNOT GET RID OF UPPER CASE)
“Malta and Gibraltar, bulwarks of the Empire on which the sun never sets, there
are no places like them anywhere. E\ach is the complement of the other; and so long as the
Union Jack is an emblem of British naval supremacy, and of liberty and justice, so long
will they be amongst the most valuable of all the widely-spread British possessions. …….
Mighty strongholds of world-wide influence, they are amongst the factors operating most
surely for the annihilation of the despotic militarism that would, if possible, enslave
humanity. ……..
Gibraltar’s Main Street is full of intense ethnological interest for types of all
races of mankind may be seen there; and a considerable trade is done by the local
shopkeepers with the passengers from the numerous vessels that call at the port.”
The first 397 pages are about Malta and then 109 pages dedicated to Gibraltar.
Since then Malta has become an independent nation and Gibraltar later this year will be
decolonised with a modernised Constitution.
There is a fine account of the 14 sieges. One illustration stands out and it is of
the fresco painted in 1870 by Captain Marshman of the 28th Regiment (now (1915) the
Gloucester ) depicting the 39th Regiment (now the Ist Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment)
taking part in the great sortie on the night of 27th November 1781 against the French and
Spanish besiegers.
Colonel E.R. Kenyon, Royal Engineers, contributes an article of particular
relevance to those interested in Gibraltar’s heritage. It is about the fortifications, antiquities,
buildings of Gibraltar.
This is followed by J.B.Triay’s account of the port and harbour and then a pen
portrait of the leading commercial companies on the Rock.
These are Saccone and Speed; L.H.Fava and Co; Beanland, Malin and Co;
Stagnetto, Ellul and Co; Thomas Haynes; Bristol Hotel; Levy and Co; Francis Hernandez
and Sons; R and J Abrines; S.E. Benoliel and Co; Hotel Cecil; Manuel Danino; Smith,
Imossi and Co; Marin and Podesta; M.H. Bland (founded under the name Middleton,
Macintosh and Bland); A. Mateos; Gibraltar Gas Company; Lewis Stagnetto; Grand Hotel;
John Carrara and Sons: Benady Bros; W.J. Ellicott; Francis Balestrino; Joseph Cazes;
J.Lucas Imossi; R. Cardona; John Risso and Sons; Calpe Stores; Anthony Ocana; Joseph
Rugeroni; Thomas Mosley; A.E. Ferrary; The Anglo-Egyptian Bank; Bristol Pharmacy;
Richard Povedano; James Dagnino; Coll and Cassaglia; Joseph Gache; Michael Durante;
Bassadone Sisters; Schembri and Co¨J.A.Garibaldi: Moses S. Seruya; Thomas Gamble:
W.F.Roberts; Anglo-Hispano Bodega Company; Charles A. Imossi; R.W. Rich; J.Roscoe;
John Onetti; John de la Paz and Co; Avelino Sanguinetti; Chevalier George A. Prescott;
W. Lequich; Larios Hermanos; B. Sacarello; Aurelios Bottino; G.H. Cartwright; Solomon
Cohen; William Guillem; Andrew Freyone; James Sanguinetti; James Pratts; J. Barea; D.
Hulhoven; J.B. Littlewood; J.R.K. Dacre.
Thirteen names warrant biographical notes and these Gibraltarians are included;
Arthur Carrera; John Cochrane; A.Podesta; J.B.Triay.
There is an historic photograph of the Government House Group taken on the
King’s birthday, 3rd June 1914. Names of interest include: Marques de Marzales (Pablo
Larios); J.A. Patron; Captain Loaysa (Spanish Army); Lieutenant Dona (Spanish Army),
Fernando Schott (German Consul); Colonel Leon (Spanish Army); General Alcina (
Governor of Algeciras); F. Marti (Spanish Consul-General); Commander Espinosa
(Spanish Navy); A. Porral.
What beggars belief is that there are more Spaniards than Gibraltarians in this
photograph.
93
xxxxx
ELMA DANGERFIELD
Elma Dangerfield died earlier this month. She was both the heart and the
powerhouse behind the European Atlantic Group and will be sadly missed. Elma was 98
years old.
She was a passionate supporter of the inalienable right of the Gibraltarians to self
determination and at the height of the Blair, Straw, Emyr Jones Parry initiative to force
joint sovereignty onto the Gibraltarians invited the Chief Minister to address a crowded
meeting in the House of Commons and then at a dinner a the St Ermin’s Hotel.
xxxxx
Trilateral process
CARUANA: AGREEMENT ‘COULD BE WEEKS AWAY’
By Dominique Searle
A significant easing of tension in the three hundred year dispute over Gibraltar could
emerge next week from trilateral talks being held in Kent, England involving Gibraltar,
Britain and Spain.
Peter Caruana, Chief Minister, said yesterday that “we are discussing difficult issues, many
of which have not even been discussed for years, less still negotiated.”
But he told Spanish radio that his hopes remain that agreement will be concluded “in weeks
rather than months.”
The encounter this coming Monday hosted in Chevening, the British Foreign Secretary’s
official country residence, will not resolve the historic dispute over sovereignty; instead
Britain and Spain agreed in October 2004 that they should address practical issues in a
process that would run parallel to discussions on the political dispute.
The talks involving Mr Caruana, and the British and Spanish diplomats Dominick Chilcott,
and Jose Pons start Monday afternoon and end on Tuesday with lunch. The three stay over
at Chevening but only Mr Caruana will hold a press conference at the GIB office after the
talks.
Mr Caruana told La Mirada critica on Tele 5 yesterday:
“Today my opinion of the state of the negotiations is that it is very possible that there will
be an agreement that is good for all sides in relation to the airport. Without touching the
issue of sovereignty and with no side advancing or regressing its position on sovereignty, it
is possible to reach an agreement that allows Gibraltar’s airport to be useful to both
Gibraltar and the Campo.
We are on course to find that agreement which will be good for the people of each side of
the frontier.”
But he also made clear that issues remain to be resolved.
“The most complex (issues) are the airport and pensions. The airport, because we have to
find practical solutions that do not prejudice the political positions on sovereignty. That is
very complex indeed. Pensions are not just technically difficult, this issue also has
economic implications,” Mr Caruana told the regional Canal Sur Radio. Gibraltar’s
position is that Britain and Spain must resolve any payment.
“The possibility of agreement on all these issues is very close. We are talking about weeks,
not months. If they are not reached in weeks I think that will be because they are not going
to be agreed. There comes a time when if there are only a couple of points on each issue
and they not are resolved it will be because they can’t be. We can’t spend another year on
the same points.”
“I remain confident that there will be a packet of agreements on the issues under
discussions and this will create much better cross-border relations than in the past.”
Mr Caruana restated that there can only be agreement if all the items are settled.
The most obvious indication of a successful outcome on Tuesday will be an announcement
that the process moves to a second level – an unprecedented trilateral meeting involving Mr
Caruana, Jack Straw, the British Foreign Secretary, and his Spanish counterpart Sr
Moratinos. This could happen as soon as mid-March.
This was due last year and is described as being under a ‘two flags, three voices’ concept.
If the talks move to that stage the agreement is that they are held on an open agenda basis –
that would allow Spain to raise sovereignty and for a broader process of talks to take place
although Mr Caruana has made clear that Gibraltar is equally free to state its position at
talks. Additionally, Gibraltar has a written assurance from Mr Straw that Britain will not
agree anything with Spain, including matters affecting sovereignty, without Gibraltar’s
94
consent.
Mr Caruana told Tele 5 that he would expect to meet with the foreign ministers, after next
week’s talks. This next session would be where these agreements “which do not affect
fundamental positions or impinge on sovereignty” would be ratified and announced. He
said Spain’s position is its traditional one - that its claim over sovereignty should not be
prejudiced or modified.
Gibraltar’s is “equally strong on sovereignty and, in our case, our claim to the right to self-
determination. That is to say that Gibraltar, in the Europe of 2006, freely and
democratically deciding its own future, and which we are not willing to put at risk in these
discussions.”
FT
In a letter to the Financial Times, responding to an article which said a deal was close on
Gibraltar’s status, Mr Caruana says that the FT rightly stated that the trilateral process does
not relate to sovereignty and added that it is not concerned with Gibraltar’s status either.
“A new modernised Constitution is currently being negotiated by the UK and Gibraltar, but
this has nothing to do with the Trilateral Forum involving Spain.”
Mr Caruana told Canal Sur Radio that he believes there is a willingness, within these
conditions, to work for the benefit of citizens on either side of the border.
He said that “we are discussing difficult issues, many of which have not even been
discussed for years, less still negotiated.”
It is important that a good agreement is reached for the benefit of Gibraltar and the Campo
de Gibraltar rather than making premature statements, he declared.
Mr Caruana told Tele 5 that he did not think there was any question of any lack of political
will holding back a solution to co-operation at a local level in the context of the mixed
commission. But he said the reality is that the powers of the Gibraltar Government to make
agreements are greater than those held locally in the Campo, and that the Mancomunidad
had had to defer to Madrid in order for agreements to be effected.
On Wednesday the Chief Minister meets with Foreign Office officials in relation to other
on going business.
The Gibraltar delegation comprises Mr Caruana the Chief Secretary Ernest Montado and
the Assistant Chief Secretary Richard Armstrong. They are accompanied to London by
Press Secretary Francis Cantos. The Chief Minister departs for London on Saturday and
returns to Gibraltar on Wednesday.
xxxxx
A ROYAL OCCASION
An unusual encounter with the man who opened the Spanish border in 1985. Peter Caruana
dined at the top table with former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez.
The occasion was the 25th anniversary of the recovery of the Dehesa de Boyal, the lands of
the Almoraima area for the people of Castellar. The towns Mayor Francisco Vaca Garcia
explained that this was an ancient dispute which the young ‘Felipe’ as secretary general of
the PSOE and a lawyer helped them resolve so that they could build their new town and
again have access to hunting rights and pasture. Sr Gonzalez, ‘hijo adoptivo’ of Castellar,
opened his speech saying he was pleased to be amongst friends ‘from Caruana, to the
mayor and all you good people.’
xxxxx
Sky interview: Caruana describes ‘twin-track’ approach
STATUS TALKS ‘ONLY WITH UK’
Gibraltar is not being asked by Spain to pay with its sovereignty for normality, Peter
Caruana Chief Minister told Adam Boulton in a Sky News interview yesterday. And Mr
Caruana made clear that on status Gibraltar is talking to Britain only and intends to remain
British.
Comparing the situation in Spain today to that of the 2002 joint sovereignty crisis Mr
Caruana said that the main difference is that now everyone understands that the future of
Gibraltar in effect is only going to be decided by the Gibraltarians.
“Previous attempts to do it bilaterally between London and Madrid got nowhere for very
95
good reason. These talks are not focused on sovereignty,” said Mr Caruana referring to the
2002 98% plus decision in favour of remaining British.
Mr Caruana said that what is now being followed is a ‘twin track’ approach.
“With the United Kingdom only we have status talks. That is a new non-colonial
constitution between Britain and a British Gibraltar. And with Spain, in this trilateral
process we have talks about other things.”
He also said that Spain does not renounce her claim but recognises that the people of
Gibraltar want to remain British.
“When we (in Gibraltar) talk about status, we don’t talk about Britain or Spain. For us
status is being British in a colonial relationship or British in a non-colonial relationship.”
“I think that the Spanish Government has realised that if she is ever going to make any
headway in her interest in relation to Gibraltar she has to try and persuade the people of
Gibraltar. We may have a view on her chances of success on that but Spain now believes
that unless she establishes normality in the relationship there is no prospect of any future
generations of Gibraltarians thinking differently to what we all do today,” he said.
xxxxx
GB AIRWAYS
GB Airways has been voted the fourth most popular airline in the world : after Air France,
British Airways and Easyjet. This was at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards spon sored by
Associated Newspapers Ltd. The decision was made by travel agents who took part in the
poll.
xxxxx
Trilateral talks open at Chevening
DECISION DAY FOR GIB RELATIONS WITH SPAIN
Peter Caruana, Chief Minister, arrived at Chevening House, the British Foreign Secretary’s
country residence yesterday for the start of a 24 hour marathon of intense negotiations on
issues affecting future relations with Spain (Dominique Searle reports from London).
Mr Caruana meets with Jose Pons, the Spanish Foreign Ministry director for Europe and
America and his British counterpart Dominick Chilcott at lunchtime today. The three will
be staying at Chevening until tomorrow lunchtime.
Although it has been agreed that there will be no trilateral press conference or statement,
Mr Caruana has made clear that as a politician he will be expected to make some statement
after the session. He will be meeting the press at the GIB office in London.
But, even if no detail emerges, the critical factor will be whether or not an announcement
of ministerial talks will follow. That would be the most obvious indicator that an agreement
in principle is basically concluded and only requires ratification and political decision to be
announced.
Mr Caruana, accompanied by Chief Secretary Ernest Montado and Press Secretary Francis
Cantos, told Radio Nacional de Espana yesterday that talks can falter at the last more
difficult moments but that he was optimistic that this was not the case now.
“It is true that we are close to on agreements on some issues but this is a package and there
is only agreement when all issues are agreed,” he said.
Use of the airport, frontier flow, pensions and telecommunications are the main issues
expecting agreement now. He said that the sovereignty issue is what had always made talks
complicated but the effort now was to use the space available to the benefit of the citizens
on each side of the border.
He was hopeful that on the airport it is possible to make an agreement that Gibraltar does
not advance on sovereignty and Spain does not regress on its position either.
From this process he was confident that co-operation on local issues such as the
environment would follow.
One outcome he also suggested was that with normality the EU might no longer look to the
three parties as a source of irritation.
xxxxx
PHOTOGRAPHY
The editor thanks Janet Whiteley for the photographs published in this issue.
xxxxx