4 May
Two Partido Popular MEPs have tabled a question in the European Parliament which makes use of the arguments against the new power station put in public by the Leader of the Opposition Daniel Feetham. The question (E-004901-15) even mentions him by name.
The Government takes a very serious view of the fact that irresponsible and ill-founded comments made by the Opposition have been now been used as ammunition against Gibraltar.
The two PP MEPs, Luis de Grandes Pascual and Francisco Jose Millan Mon refer to reports in the Gibraltar press where "the leader of the main opposition party in the colony (the Gibraltar Social Democrats), Mr Daniel Feetham" announced that he was against the construction of the new power station on the grounds of public safety.
It goes on to assert that Mr Feetham "recently drew attention to the risk of explosion of the new thermo-electric power plant which the local authorities of Gibraltar are building."
It goes on to ask the European Commission whether they have received detailed information about this project and whether the Commission has assessed the risk to safety.
The Government is already fighting Gibraltar's corner in the European Union on enough issues without having Mr Feetham's baseless scaremongering adding to them further.
The Partido Popular question also refers to the claim that Mr Feetham has made that he has consulted experts in power generation and on the environment before coming to his view. It clearly does not say that the Opposition has refused to name their experts even when confronted face to face on television and urged to do so.
The Government has already explained to the Opposition time and again that their concerns are groundless. The Opposition has persisted in stirring up the matter purely and simply for local political reasons. Their irresponsible and self-serving comments have now been picked up by the Partido Popular and turned against Gibraltar.
Commenting on the matter, the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said: "In a democratic society everyone is free to express whatever view they wish on any matter, and the Government will defend that right. However, persons who are elected to Parliament should behave in a more statesmanlike manner and should have a notion of the wider political interests of Gibraltar against which to balance what they want to say.
It is a very sorry state of affairs that, in his eagerness to score cheap political points, Mr Feetham should have shot both himself and Gibraltar in the foot with his ill-judged and ill-informed comments."
04-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Governor, Government, GPA and Police in CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE
May 04, 2015
In an exclusive report last February we revealed that an 'official complaint' or 'denuncia' as it is known in Spain had shockingly landed several serving RGP officers in a Spanish court and before an investigating judge, including an RGP senior officer ,we believe, and former police officer.
In our report we highlighted, that remarkably, warrants for the appearance of the RGP officers were issued by a Spanish Investigating Judge for the said officers to appear and give evidence, regarding a criminal complaint made in Spain that dates back to September 2010. The issue is in fact connected to an RGP investigation of a violent robbery at the Cellini Goldsmith shop in Main Street of that year.
As readers will recall the robbery took place in August 2010, where two men, a Gibraltarian and a UK national, were arrested, the defendants in the case used a motorcycle to make good their escape into Spain.
Inside sources informed this newspaper, the allegations coming from the Spanish courts against the RGP officers, referred to an incident where in September 2010 they knowingly 'entered a private residence in San Roque, acting as police officers involved in a criminal investigation that took place in a foreign jurisdiction (Gibraltar) Where it is also alleged we understand, the officers took away from a private apartment items of jewellery, money and a motor cycle back to Gibraltar without the consent of the owner or without informing the Spanish authorities'.
In early February, and responding to questions from Panorama an RGP spokesman would only limit himself to the following: "The RGP can confirm that two serving officers have recently cooperated with a Spanish Judicial inquiry into a matter dating to August of 2010. At present the Courts are investigating and no further comments can be made as the case is subjudice and therefore secret according to Spanish law."
Panorama questioned the nature of the shallow reply by the RGP where they insisted that because the case in Spain involving the RGP officers is in their opinion 'subjudice' or under judicial consideration. What the RGP are implying then, is that they prohibiting any information from public discussion, by way of not providing any information to the press. The position by the police was, and still is complete rubbish.
Panorama advised the police to view, read and listen to the Spanish press more regularly, how on a daily basis Spanish court cases of all types, are extensively publicly reported on, particularly the countless court investigations of political corruption, including those of Spanish Royalty.
Why is this issue important? And why is Panorama seeking further information?
In our report in February it was highlighted that at the time of the incident in 2010, it caused a political storm. That even the then Chief Minister Peter Caruana was obviously and quite rightly annoyed, where he described the incident as 'regrettable'.
A GOG statement in September of 2010, read, "it had conceded that the RGP had acted incorrectly and that established procedures were not adhered to by the police officers who were accused of an 'error' in thinking that because they entered the house accompanied by the owner of it they were not exercising police powers in Spanish territory".
Importantly, in the context and as the issue stands now in 2015… Mr Caruana added in 2010, "an apology was inevitable, Gibraltar has received apologies when there have been incursions by the Guardia Civil, reciprocity of behaviour was essential. Further, I trust and hope that the Spanish authorities will take the same view as was taken when the Guardia Civil landed on our shores and not prosecute the offending officers". Adding, "If there is no reciprocity and a prosecution of RGP officers in Spain were to ensue, the harm it will do to cross-border relations at a local level will be incalculable".
Reports at the time also suggested the girlfriend of the local defendant arrested by the RGP involved in the local Robbery was renting the said property in San Roque. Alleging she had not agreed it seems or had given permission for the RGP officers to enter her flat in Spain to retrieve any items connected to the crime committed on the Rock. This person later lodged a complaint with the Guardia Civil.
Subsequently, a Spanish Judge decided to investigate the incident or complaint. It is obvious there was no intervention by any higher Spanish authority to avoid a potential criminal prosecution of RGP officers. This point importantly, contrary to the political assurances that had been made at the time in 2010 to the Chief Minister of Gibraltar and with the knowledge of the then Governor and FCO in London!
No News is Not Always Good News
However, the question still remains 'why did the Commissioner of Police or his Senior Management Team not consider such a serious set of circumstances or the possible serious political consequences related to the case or such a decision'?
Again last week, Panorama did the rounds in an attempt to seek further information into this matter; we asked questions to the following related entities seeking further information or clarification, the replies were as follows:
The RGP… maintained its one and only stand that the court proceeding involving the RGP officers was a secret one!
The Convent…after repeated request is still on the same page (information wise) as the Police, saying, "It would not be appropriate to comment on an on-going legal process".
The GPA …Panorama did not contact them, as the authority do not respond to questions from this newspaper, although this is another matter, which is not only concerning for quite a few reasons. But this requires tackling in its proper context and on another day!
The Government…was also sent a set of questions and again after repeated requests, we received nothing back from 6 Convent Place!
Conspiracy to Remain Silent!
The major reason why we are pursuing more information regarding this important issue is because of the long standing Serious Political Implications.
The political sensitiveness surrounding this issue is a major point that cannot be overlooked or swept under the carpet by only supplying scant and misleading information, or as if nothing had happened!
And because the issue is of public interest, pertinent and important information cannot kept away from the public and media because the Police, Governor, GPA and Government have decided it seems, to categorise this serious issue as some secret court hearing in a Spanish Court involving serving and former RGP officers.
The Suppression of Information Cannot be Allowed
I hope I am mistaken, but there appears to be a disturbing scenario developing, particularly regarding issues involving the police and the release or what appears to be the suppression of information to the press regarding issues such as this one where
RGP officers have been Summoned to a Spanish court to give evidence as potential defendants and also the allegations of Bullying within the Police Service the latter is best left for another day in a stand alone article.
The relationship between the media… Politicians, Governors, Public Authorities like the GPA and the Police themselves, can have a significant impact on the functioning of a fair and just society. The latter group all make decisions and take action on behalf of the public. One of the roles of the journalist or people like me is to scrutinise those decisions and report the implications to the public.
All these elements play out in a complex theatre of events that either leads to an increase in transparency and accountability, or results in manipulation and as we have seen elsewhere where corruption has set in.
In democracies, the role of the journalist is supposed to be to inform the public debate so that the audience can make educated choices. But because of the total lack of information concerning these on-going policing matters few informed choices are available, as we believe they are being held back, for whatever reason.
04-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Ground-breaking education partnership between Government and teaching union
May 04, 2015
The Government and the NASUWT, the teachers' union representing all teaching staff in Gibraltar's schools, have agreed a framework for a ground-breaking social partnership.
National Union Representatives arrived from the UK on Friday to formally sign the agreement, which has been the result of an ongoing constructive dialogue between HMGOG and the Gibraltar Teachers Association (GTA) of the NASUWT.
The agreement summarises the aspirations of both parties for a new way of working to ensure the education service in Gibraltar delivers the entitlement of all children and young people to high-quality educational opportunities.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
"There are major challenges for education and the workforce is at the heart of meeting these.
"This agreement demonstrates that the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party/Gibraltar Liberal Party alliance recognises that the school workforce is central to providing the high standards of education to which all children and young people are entitled.
"At its heart is an understanding that establishing good working conditions for teachers and the provision of high-quality learning experiences for pupils are not mutually exclusive goals.
"Far-sighted governments have learned lessons from the adversarial and confrontational policy agenda favoured by the Westminster Coalition, which deliberately pits the legitimate interests of pupils against those of teachers and school leaders and has served to undermine, rather than support, work to maintain a world-class education system in England.
"The social partnership in Gibraltar provides a unique opportunity to avoid these errors and to move forward in a way that gives practical effect to the shared commitment of Gibraltar and the NASUWT to realising the potential of all children and young people."
Graham Dawson, President of the NASUWT, said:
"Through the constructive framework for the change this agreement puts in place, Gibraltar now has an unprecedented opportunity to ensure that the talents, dedication and professionalism of teaching staff and school leaders can be recognised, rewarded and directed to ensuring that every one of its children and young people can achieve and succeed."
Gibraltar's Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said:
"UK teachers have been critical of the UK Government over the scale and timing of curriculum and exam changes. However, Gibraltar's political independence has enabled it to have a more positive relationship with its teaching workforce and we have an exciting opportunity to build on this for the benefit of our children. I am delighted we can move forward in a way that will be a positive benefit to pupils in Gibraltar. The education partnership has been established to support the continuing development of an effective education system by building a positive relationship with our teaching workforce."
Gibraltar's NASUWT President, Stuart Borastero, added:
"This agreement recognises the importance of high-quality staff and the vital role they play in achieving high standards. We have to aim for the best possible teaching and management because this leads to the best possible learning for our children. HMGOG will now be working even more closely with the GTA NASUWT supported by our brothers and sisters in the UK."
Michael Crome, in charge of HMGOG's industrial relations machinery, said:
"This is good news for both children and parents in Gibraltar. Any improvements we make in the working lives and professionalism of teachers will have a direct impact on what happens in our classrooms. Ultimately we want to support teachers to deliver a creative, inspiring education to every single one of our young people."
04-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
New Economic Council to consider 10-year strategic economic plan
May 04, 2015
An Economic Advisory Council has been created by the Government. It will be named, 'Gibraltar 2025', and its task will be to provide an input into the development of a 10-year strategic economic plan.
Announcing this today, the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said the Council will be designed to assist HM Government of Gibraltar in its development of a ten year strategic economic plan in partnership with the private sector and unions which will focus through its specialized sector sub committees on the different contributing component parts of our economy and how these can be better developed over this period.
A Government statement adds: The work of the Council will extend to each area of the private sector. The Council will also look at the work of the public sector to ensure it is delivering a cost effective and efficient service to the community.
The Council and Sub-Committees will be drawn from across the different sectors of our community to ensure specialist advice is available to each of the working groups which will report with their recommendations to the Chief Ministers 2025 Council and advise from time to time.
The Sub-Committees to be set up will cover areas of major economic importance and will include:
-Tackling efficiency and waste in the Public Sector, chaired by the Financial Secretary;
-Gibraltar as a tourism destination and our retail proposition, chaired by the Minister for Business;
-Financial Services & Gaming - Opportunities for growth, chaired by the Minister for Financial Services & Gaming; and
-The development of our Port and its facilities, chaired by the Minister for the Port.
PARTNERSHIP
The strong partnership of the Government, the private sector and the unions will enable strategic long term plans for our community to evolve and be fully considered with the benefit of specialist knowledge and advice.
The 2025 Council will then consider and evaluate these proposals for consideration and if accepted, implementation by Government.
Mr Picardo said: "This will be the first time that the Government will engage in a real and genuine partnership with the private sector and the unions in scrutinizing our economy and considering how best we can develop and improve our proposition over a longer term than we have ever done before. We have to take a strategic long term view on our economic prospects and development and consider how we can become better at what we do. We cannot think just in four years cycles and I want to move to a real strategic view of where the Community is going that is not beholden to elections and short term partisan tactics. I am convinced we will find the private sector and unions to be willing partners in this process and look forward to working together for the benefit of Gibraltar and our future generations."
04-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
Spanish barrage of questions against Gibraltar includes reference to Feetham
May 04, 2015
The two Partido Popular MEPs (Luis de Grandes Pascual brother of the Spanish Ambassador to Argentina and Francisco José Millán Mon who is Rajoy's brother in law) who have already submitted five written questions on Gibraltar to the European Parliament for written reply have now added a sixth question to their list on Gibraltar the subject this time is "Protection of the environment in Gibraltar", which makes it more obvious that there is a concerted campaign by the PP party against Gibraltar.
And what is particularly alarming is that one of the questions makes direct reference to information made public by Opposition leader Daniel Feetham, which information is now being used by the PP as ammunition against Gibraltar in the European Parliament.
The following is the PP question which refers to Feetham: "According to local press reports in Gibraltar, the leader of the main opposition party in the colony (the Gibraltar Social Democrats), Mr Daniel Feetham, has announced that, after months of study, in which he consulted experts in power generation and the environment, he is opposed to the construction of a new electric power station on the north mole of the harbour (filling works are in progress on the mole for the purpose). The reason is that he believes the plant would endanger public safety.
"The leader of the Gibraltarian opposition recently drew attention to the risk of explosion of the new thermo-electric power plant which the local authorities of Gibraltar are building.
"1. Has the Commission received detailed information about this project?
"2. Has the Commission assessed the risks to the safety of residents near the project for a new electric power station on land to be reclaimed from the sea on the north mole of Gibraltar harbour?"
o Meanwhile, the Government has today issued the following statement:
04-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
University of Gibraltar to host Calpe Conference
May 04, 2015
This year's Calpe Conference - the 19th in the series - promises to be a very special event. The event will be held at the new premises of the University of Gibraltar as part of its opening week.
The Gibraltar Museum has put together a very special and high-profile programme of international speakers who will converge on Gibraltar to discuss the topic of "Redefining the Neanderthals".
The theme is appropriate at this time for a variety of reasons. Research in the last decade has changed many established concepts of the Neanderthals and some of this research has been carried out in Gibraltar itself. Second, the nomination for World Heritage Status for the "Gibraltar Neanderthal Caves and Environments" site has now been submitted and is in the process of evaluation. In this context the arrival of the world's leading specialists in this field for the Calpe Conference serves to highlight the importance which Gibraltar has gained in this field.
The conference will be spread over three days - 24th to 26th September - with a field trip for speakers and invited delegates on the 27th. Two themes will dominate the sessions: Neanderthal Biology and a second session on Neanderthal Ecology and Behaviour. Among the speakers will be the main personalities who have been at the forefront of research in the past three decades. They include Professor Christopher Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London, Professor Milford Wolpoff of the University of Michigan, Professor Erik Trinkaus of the University of Washington and Professor Clive Gamble of the University of Southampton. Professor Stringer will deliver the opening lecture.
The sessions will include presentations of the latest work on Neanderthal behaviour. This will include research from Gibraltar and also the latest findings, reported last month from Croatia, of the use of eagle talons for jewellery. The speakers come from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Croatia. The speakers will include Professor Gerd-Christian Weniger, Director of the Neanderthal Museum in Germany.
Clive Finlayson, who has put the programme together, said "I am proud of the line-up that we have put together. It has been gratifying to receive such a wonderful response from speakers who are at the highest level of this research and who all have huge demands placed on their busy schedules. That they have all replied positively and enthusiastically is a credit to the high profile which Gibraltar has achieved in this field." He continued "I am also hugely honoured that Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar has recognised the importance of the event by offering to host it in the brand new premises of the University of Gibraltar during its opening week."
The Minister for Heritage, Steven Linares, said "I am really pleased to see that the Museum team led by Clive has now submitted the nomination for World Heritage Status, the Gibraltar Neanderthal Caves and Environments and is in the process of evaluation. Our Government is committed to this project and will continue to support it. This is in line with our manifesto commitment that is now developing even further. I would like to thank all those involved for their hard work and commitment to this project."
Details of how to register will shortly be made available at the Gibraltar Museum's web site.
Registration, as in previous years, will be free for locals wishing to attend. Further information may also be obtained from the Gibraltar Museum (telephone +(350) 200 74289).
04-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
"We need to walk before we can run", says GFA chairperson
May 04, 2015
Women's football needs the recognition it deserves from the local public in order to take the next steps into European competition according to its GFA Chairperson.
Tracey Baglietto was speaking to Panorama after recently appointed Head Coach, Manuel Lopez Gil announced the women's national football squad of 18 players that will represent Gibraltar at the Island Games in Jersey on 27 June to 3 July.
"Since the women's league finished on 1 February, it's been non-stop for the women's sub-committee of the Gibraltar FA," said Baglietto. "We've been introducing ourselves within schools as part of the Women's Development Programme and providing the equipment so girls are given an opportunity to play football thanks to Uefa funding.
"We've already got on board seven schools and I have a very dedicated team of volunteers who help me run the Girl's Fun Football Programme at Westside. Starting from nothing we have built it up within a year to 128 girls registered and about 70 girls attending on a weekly basis. Now we've got a few who can become really good players so they just need to persevere and they can make it to the top."
New coach
The women's league, which now has five teams that kick off against each other three times during the season, giving players a total of 12 matches plus the Rock Cup in which to prove their aptitude for the national team. This season's League Champions were Lions Gibraltar FC Ladies who ended up three points ahead of second-placed Manchester 62 FC Ladies that were the Rock Cup winners.
Baglietto said that despite the rumours, she parted ways with former coach Adrian Porral on a friendly basis and she was grateful for his input: "Now with Mr Gil as head coach, who has a Uefa 'A' Pro Licence, the squad will eventually see the benefits of what his intentions are.
"He was previously the head coach for Lions Gibraltar FC Ladies and he has dealt a lot with women's football in and outside Gibraltar so we went for the best candidate based on qualifications."
Gil, who is being paid on an hourly basis, has been working hard with the women to help them train more intelligently so they can continue growing in discipline and tactics.
In that spirit, the squad played a triangular tournament against Sevilla and Malaga who proved tough opponents, with the women losing 7:0 to both of them.
"The focus of us entering the tournament was for the new coach to get an idea of the team in action, giving him an opportunity to try out different tactics and players," said Baglietto. "These two teams play in the high leagues in Spain so just for them to be on the field with these kinds of teams and has opened their ways of thinking and they're more motivated as a result of them.
"We've brought in some new players to develop our national football squad so we can play to the best of our ability at the Island Games."
Champions League
For Baglietto, who has her own day job, it has been a real labour of love to be Chairperson of Women's Football in Gibraltar on a voluntary basis: "It's been a big effort for me but football has always been my passion so that is why I continue to work as well as I can towards it until they want me there.
"At the beginning it was a bit difficult because people tend to follow the crowd and I needed them to see that if I believed in football they also should believe. Now they know they have the support for women's football which there wasn't before, we have made a great step towards building the sport on the Rock."
She told Panorama that slowly prejudices against women's football are being overcome and she now hopes that in the future the women will be able to step up from the current nine-a-side game to the full 11-a-side. This will allow the national side to compete in the European Championships and the clubs to participate in the Women's Champions League within the next two years.
"To get there we need all coaches to be qualified to the minimum Uefa 'B' level because that's the minimum required within Uefa," said Baglietto. "It's like a pyramid; we need the clubs to be formed and the players to be prepared and the coaches to be fully qualified. We're in the initial stages of the pyramid so slowly but surely we'll get there."
04-05-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR
