3 June
Officials from the Gibraltar Borders and Coastguard Agency and the Gibraltar International Airport, together with the government’s Director of Civil Aviation, recently attended the 2015 Airport Operators Association (AOA) Aviation Security Conference in Durham, United Kingdom.
Over 90 people from Agencies connected to Aviation Security from across the United Kingdom attended the two day event.
This year’s conference featured speakers who engaged attendees with a variety of topics, ranging from threats to aviation security including explosive trace detection, to advanced cabin baggage systems. Comprised of seasoned and emerging security professionals, the speakers discussed issues which affect UK airports on a daily basis as well as technological advances in the world of aviation security.
Founded in 1934, the Airport Operators Association is the national voice of UK airports. They are a trade association representing the interests of UK airports and the principal body engaging with the UK Government and Regulatory Authorities on airport matters.
The AOA’s members include over 50 airports and more than 150 Associate Members, made up of organisations representing a wide range within the aviation industry. Working on behalf of these members, the AOA’s mission is to influence governments, regulators and opinion formers at national and international level, in order to secure the policy outcomes that will deliver its vision. This includes playing a leading role in security, economic development, operations and safety and environmental sustainability issues.
Gibraltar attendees to this conference were Stephen Perez from the Borders and Coastguard Agency along with Terence Lopez and Clive Baker from the Gibraltar International Airport and the government’s Director of Civil Aviation Chris Purkiss,
“It is vital that as we continue to aim to keep up with international best practice in the security field, we engage with other security professionals and are updated of the latest policies and technology, it also gives us a great opportunity to network and exchange ideas. I am confident that my officers prove to be great ambassadors for the Agency and indeed Gibraltar at these important events.” said Andrew Bonfante the Chief Executive of the Borders and Coastguard Agency.
03-06-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
CALENTITA
Not allowed even to pea-shoot at the invaders, my dear general...
June 03, 2015
Blimey, what a sipisape que se ha armao con el resignation del Governator.
How true, my dear Cloti, the situation is such that nobody knows why he is leaving.
Es que al principio se saco una foto in the gardens at The Convent to tell us que estaba aburrido, which was not surprising porque despues de los bombardeos in Afghanistan todo le parecera more dead than alive.
Es que a un gran general le gusta armarla, y aqui he is not allowed by the Foreign Office to even pea-shoot at the invaders.
Mind you los del UK press came out in unison diciendo que he was frustrated porque los del Foreign Office did not allow him to take action against el Spanish aggression. He was seen as a man of action.
And when el pueblo was ready to hail him as a hero, he issued a lame press release saying that his resignation had nothing to do with the Spanish question.
So, back to square one, Cynthia mia. Mind you, there's never a dull moment. Ahora los fire-shooters del RGPee salen retratado in the internet so that the bad guys of the world can recognise them, que pisiaso, my dear.
Pero el General mudo y el Commissioner more so! Tu crees que they are taking our hair?
What I know es que la banda esta borracha, porque all you have to do to be given the Freedom of the City is to meter la pata time and again.
Y el Governation has made the mete pata quite an expensive exercise, con lo de millones que se han gastao en barcos, un super-lujo car for the boss, y hasta the most expensive motocycles in the world.
Not only that, pero all for nothing porque los botes lo usan for tours round the Rock!
Te dire, que they could start using them for official tourist maritime tours, before they become mojoso, con el ministron Costa at the helm porque el tio esta mas aburrio que el Governator.
Y lo del Mercedes for the Top Cop must be so that when he calls on the Governator in The Convent he can travel in style, como si fuera el Commissioner in a big city where distances are great.
Great fun, my dear. Y el pueblo paga, oh dear, dear me.
Y quien puede parar todo este cachonfinger, eso es lo que se pregunta my darling husband que no tiene ni para comprarse un second-hand bicicleta.
Como que esta todo echo un disloque, no wonder que el Governator se quiere ir, estoy segura que el pobre hombre no entiende nada.
Oh well, yo sigo as if we were still in the evacuation, comiendo pan de lata y usando un buen tipa. Ciao for now, corazon.
Adios blancaflor.
03-06-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Spanish Eastside Obsession: Could the PP Government be playing its last stand before the election?
June 03, 2015
The Spanish Government for over 20 years have had a politically fetish style obsession with the Eastside, who according to our own Spanish sources, are believed to be considering the next move to destabilise the eastside reclamation works.
With a national election looming by the end of the year, the PP Government were exposed during the recent municipal elections, and shown just how politically weak at the knees they have become!
Sources say the Madrid Government is now studying all manner of strategies to win back lost votes. They have come under intense pressure to maintain the Gibraltar offensive and continue the hard line stance against the Rock!
Political Illegal Exploits That Have Produced Dividends For Spain
Two specific areas that have produced dividends for the PP Government has been their political illegal exploits in BGTW and the similarly illegal cross-frontier management at the frontier.
Over many months, groups like Verdemar have accused not only the Gibraltar Government for “breaching natural habitats, fauna and flora” EU directives to do with the Eastside project, but also the Government in Madrid for failing their EU duties in enforcing these same EU Habitat regulations. Environmental groups like Verdemar have even threatened to take their Government to the EU courts for neglecting these EU obligations.
We are also informed, since 1989 there have been well over 20 complaints made to the EU by the Spanish Government and other organisations regarding works and proposed projects on the Eastside.
Not only that, but over the years Spanish MEP’s from all parties have bombarded the EU parliament with the same question on the eastside works. Only last month the European Commission dismissed yet another complaint from Spain regarding the eastside reclamation and landfill works.
Earlier in the year in January, the EU Commission also dismissed a further bunch of complaints from Spain about the Eastside project noting they had found no breach of EU environment legislation.
The situation even got the European Commissioner for the Environment when Karmenu Vella said recently “The Commission could not identify any breach of EU environmental legislation.” Vella adding, the “UK maintains that the likely significant effects on the environment of Spain had been specifically addressed in the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure.”
Spanish Eastside Obsession Continues and is a Cause For Concern
Undeterred, Spain has continued with its obsession with Gibraltar’s eastside and appears at a loss, on what to do next?
Last month Panorama exclusively reported a large group of special Spanish visitors into local waters. Who we believe included a minister, when they illegally entered BGTW on board a Spanish state vessel to conduct a 2-hour investigation or survey of the eastside reclamation area.
In fact Panorama, was contacted by the same reliable Spanish source who gave us a heads-up regarding this high-profile illegal incursion. This made it possible to obtain photos and monitor proceedings. As a launch belonging to la Agencia Tributaria or the State Tax Administration Agency arrived at Eastside area from the direction of Algeciras.
We reported the Spanish officials on board were seen taking photographs, filming, measuring, taking samples and taking all manner of notes during this 2-hour illegal and unauthorised evidence gathering survey in BGTW. Although they had a bonus, as they were not disturbed by any of the local enforcement agencies, who were unsurprisingly oblivious to everything that was happening!
In April of this year, in another Panorama exclusive, again in connection with the same issue, we reported that the ‘Junta de Andalucia’ on instructions from the central Government in Madrid had stationed one of their Environmental Protection Vessels in Algeciras. The vessel belonging to ‘La Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía’ or the Spanish Department of Environment Protection Department had instructions to enforce EU nature protection laws in BGTW under the EU Habitats Directive. Panorama can confirm this is still very much the case!
Visible More Movement During the Last 3 or 4 Months
These increased provocative acts from Madrid, have been visible more prominent over the past three or four months. Where Spanish state environmental vessels have entered BGTW on a number of occasions and taken executive action, attempting to enforce EU directives on Spanish fishing vessels, mostly those involved in illegal fishing activities in local waters.
However, the fact that these Spanish environmental and enforcement vessels have been chased or challenged out of local waters by the Royal Navy has made no difference, because they have returned. Our understanding is that they will continue to return and even intensify their presence. In what is thought to be a pre-election last-ditch political strategy by the PP Government before the end of their tenure in office. Which they aim it seems, to finish, as they started regarding Gibraltar… with a politically hard hand and the diplomatic brains of a stuffed toy!
You have to ask, why is the serious matter of the ‘Habitat Directive’ issue repeating itself? Apart from it being a political ploy by Madrid, it could be that it goes much further than that?
In fact, we reported last month that Panorama had made enquiries with people close to the Spanish environmental agency people now based in Algeciras, who informed us that they have been instructed to enforce these EU directive laws. Confirming, their Government had been monitoring the situation in Gibraltar waters.
According to what we were told, the Spanish Government or Agencies had observed EU environmental laws, in ‘special areas of conservation in BGTW’ were not properly or effectively enforced by the local authorities. As a result, the Spanish government we were told had issued instructions that if the local authorities failed to enforce EU environmental laws, they would carry this out under the EU habitat laws.
Could This Be The PP Governments Last Stand?
As Panorama has repeated in the past, it is obvious that Spanish authorities are closely monitoring the situation in BGTW. Unfortunately as we are all aware, not enough is being done to effectively enforce local nature protection laws, never mind, anything to do with the EU habitat directives, which the Spaniards look to be more focused on!
It appears that may be a situation is brewing, where the PP Government may be playing its last stand, similar to General Custer at the battle of the little big horn!
A last stand, not only at the frontier regarding the new Spanish frontier management system, which looks as clear as mud at the moment! But also out in BGTW where the summer season is about to start and plans appear to be in place from a Spanish perspective to make it a memorable summer, certainly an interesting one!
03-06-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Surprise for RAF air cadets
June 03, 2015
Officer Commanding Norfolk and Suffolk Wing Air Training Corps, Wing Commander David Miller, recently visited No2 (Overseas) Gibraltar Squadron and took the opportunity to award some surprise presentations.
Officer Commanding the Gibraltar Squadron, Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Ivan Caward was presented the 1st clasp to his Cadet Forces Medal. The clasp marks 18 years of adult uniformed service with the Air Cadet Organisation. Flt Lt Caward has been in command of the Squadron for six years and juggles his commitment to the Air Cadets with his job as a Prison Officer, he said:
“I joined as an Air Cadet way back in 1986, I went through the ranks and did everything I possibly could before I aged out at 22. Rather than calling it a day, I wanted to give more young people the opportunity to enjoy the great experience that I’d had, so I applied to become a member of uniformed staff, and I haven’t looked back since.”
Warrant Officer Paul Llanelo was also given an unexpected presentation when he was awarded his Certificate of Appointment as an Air Training Corps Warrant Officer. Paul joined the Squadron as a Service Instructor whilst serving with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. When Paul retired from the Regiment he took the opportunity to change uniforms and start a career with the Air Cadets. He has completed his Initial Training Course at RAF Cranwell and is currently training the cadets to become qualified on the L98A2 Cadet Purpose Rifle.
03-06-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
