‘SELF-DEFENCE CLASSES FOR LADIES’

Dear Sir,

I have followed with great interest the hot issue of 'MUJERES MALTRATADA' and VIOLENCIA MACHISTA' in the press and Spanish Tv.

I can only applaud the efforts and initiatives instigated and implemented by Minister for Equality, The Hon. Samantha Sacramento to address this important subject in Gibraltar by changing and implementing new laws.  Read more

Thanks from National Dance Team

Dear Sir,

Through your column I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has made and invaluable contribution to our recent participation at the at the IDO World Show Dance Championships 2019, held in Riesa, Germany.

We would like to thank the Ministry of Culture, Gibraltar Cultural Services, Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authority, Gibraltar Cultural Grants Committee, Morrisons Management – Gary Chant, Shane Brown, Albert Flores and the general public who supported our fundraising initiatives.  Read more

CARMEN GOMEZ DIARY

Why the only human group left on the planet are humans

Recently there have been new studies published where it has been reported that complex disease transmission patterns could explain how modern humans were able to wipe out Neanderthals in Europe and Asia, in just a few thousand years; with research coming to the conclusion of why possibly humans, are the only human group left on the planet. One doesn’t have to look back as far as the ice age, to realize that said phenomenon also caused the devastation of entire tribes of people during the New World age; to the point of near extinction.  Read more

Dog and Wolf

Dear Sir,

I was looking at some books and came across this story by Aesop, and I thought it might be interesting for some individuals.-

THE DOG AND THE WOLF

A GAUNT Wolf was almost dead with hunger when he happened to meet a House-dog who was passing by. “Ah, Cousin,” said the Dog. “I knew how it would be; your irregular life will soon be the ruin of you. Why do you not work steadily as I do, and get your food regularly given to you?"  Read more

'Gibraltar Botanical Gardens Closing Time

Dear Sir,

On quite a number of occasions I have come across whole families and groups of people trapped inside the Gibraltar Botanical gardens during the winter evenings.

The notice board at the entrance to some of the many gates states in small letters that Opening Times are 8 a.m. till 9 p.m. and in even smaller print it adds ‘or sunset if earlier.  Read more

What exactly is Gibraltar’s worth to the UK

When the realization comes that we have been treading the same boards, on the same stage as we have done for years, and for some strange reason our audience has not changed one iota; one has, not to capitulate, but look at how we have done things in the past, and understand that we have to change the content of the script; not just for survival’s sake alone, but for our future wellbeing, and because we owe it to those who came before! Our stance at the UN has to be revived; it has to be seen with fresh eyes and fresh input; because our performances so far have fallen on deaf ears; or better said; on ears that will not listen. The audience has become stale and we as players need some new strategy that will not so much wake them up, but rock their foundations. Read more

Can history repeat itself when we least expect it?

The ARMANDO LAGRANDE Column

The chief minister Fabian Picardo is as pleased as Punch because the Governor re-states the UK commitments to Gibraltar, such as Gibraltarians' right to self-determination.

Of course, we have heard it all before, or have we forgotten the Tony Blair era when the people of Gibraltar hailed the 1969 constitution as something that fully safeguarded the right to self-determination.  Read more

MoD business

From Carmen Gomez Diary:

Last year Trevor Taylor, a professional Research Fellow in Defence Management, wrote on July 24th that haziness on future MOD funding is likely the reason for an update on the modernising defence programme, Read more

Pretending to be what it is not

Dear Sir,

Like Joe Caruana, I welcome the election of Sir Lindsay Hoyle as Speaker of the House of Commons, but as far as Gibraltar is concerned, it is a setback, as he will no longer be able to take part in debates, be they on Gibraltar or anything else. Actually, it would have been better had Chris Bryant been elected given that he was much more supportive of Spain during the joint sovereignty discussions, even arguing that: 'Commercial lobbying companies would be banned using a House of Commons pass to run a campaign within the house. The same should apply to Gibraltar.' In fairness, he has since visited the Rock and sounded much more sympathetic than he once did.  Read more

RUSH! RUSH! RUSH! That’s society today

“I’m late! I’m late! For a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye.” The White Rabbit first says to Alice, in Alice through the Looking Glass, without even giving her a moment to introduce herself or the himself the chance to ask her if she needed anything. That’s society today. Rush, rush, rush; no time to stop. Most probably it’s the motto of the “target” brigade; people who wear tracking devices on their wrists; or their belts or even in their underwear, as one lady was seen to proudly produce from her bra. In an era of empowerment; a word that bothers me as I write it; such objectives can take over your life.  Read more

Referendum on abortion act

Dear Sir,

No More Shame is pleased that Parliament will soon be debating the terms of the referendum on introducing the Abortion Act which was passed in July of this year. Whilst in principle we strongly feel that such a fundamental healthcare and human rights issue should not be put to a referendum, we will proudly be at the forefront of the campaign to bring this Act to effect on 19th March 2020.  Read more

Securing our post-Brexit future

Sir Lyndsay Hoyle; Gibraltar’s great friend and defender; the new Speaker of the House of Commons; back in 2014, wrote to the Spanish ambassador to London, complaining about the treatment received by some British people on their way across the border; and the three line response to him at the time was; that this was what “we” should expect as long as “we” continued to pursue outdated colonial desires to occupy a piece of Spain illegally.  Read more

Representation in Westminster Movement welcome PANORAMA article

*The Representation in Westminster Movement have welcomed our 'Panoramic View by Joe Garcia' article, headed 'What Gibraltar must aspire to is representation in the House of Commons - nothing else will do!', which we published on Friday. They have sent us the following letter:

Dear Sir,

Our Movement takes notice, gladly, of your Editorial comments in your issue of the 1st of November with the title Panoramic View, referring to our Press Release published in your newspaper on the 31st October with the title GOOD NEWS FOR REPRESENTATION IN WESTMINSTER.  Read more

The need to look at the technical details

Dear Sir,

I agree with the Representation in Westminster Movement's comments about the need to look at the technical details of how to put this reform into effect, although I would use the word 'practical', because it concerns how it would work in practice. However, the Movement has produced precious little evidence in this regard and have weak arguments as a result, and have been evasive when I have questioned them about what an MP for Gibraltar in the House of Commons would actually do.  Read more

Holding a referendum cuando nos da la gana

Blimey, quieren hacer un referendum on el abortion on St Joseph's Day, is this mixing someting like that with religion?

Querida Cynthia, that's how it may look, pero I am sure que es un despiste, and anyway los parliamentarians can change the date if they wish to.

Well, let's wait and see, porque esta el mundo full of suprises, Cloti dear.  Read more

Extending facilities for the older generation

Health and social care for older adults are essential parts of our welfare policy.
Our elders are an important entity they are the missing jigsaw puzzle piece of the ‘modern society’ and of the ‘family’ as they are the concrete moral, financial, emotional, skillful and experienced supporters in the modern world of secularisation. Read more

Good news for Representation in Westminster

Dear Sir,
It is encouraging to our Representation in Westminster Movement read in THE DAILY TELEGRAPH’S edition of the 26th of this month, an article by political reporter Daniel Capurro quoting the The Hon. Fabian Picardo’s words, “Having some representation at Westminster, perhaps even in the upper house, I think would be an important way of having the voice of the people of Gibraltar heard in London directly.”

Read more

Happy Diwali!

Sunday was Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, and Gibraltar's Hindu community celebrated in style! Read more