NOT ONE INCH!-Bossano’s National Day message Stronger Than Ever-

TUNNEL WORKS START SEVEN YEARS LATE

If Sir Dudley Ward were alive today he would be ask-ing his name to be removed from the tunnel so as not to be associated with the amount of blatant lies told by the GSD Government over the pro-posed repairs to it. At long last, after three Ministers and the Chief Minister have spent seven years studying a report

from consultants over what re-pairs were the most appropri-ate, three contracts have been awarded for works and there is light at the end of the tun-nel over when it will be open to vehicular traffic, although Minister Britto is not prepared to commit himself to a date.

National Day this year has ac-quired an extra dimension against the background of the first ever visit to Gibraltar by a serving Spanish Foreign Minister, and its aftermath. The visit was followed by re-ports that on his return to the Spanish capital, Miguel Angel Moratinos had boasted that al-though it is an easy thing to declare in Spain that Gibraltar is Span-ish, he had had the guts to say this in Gibraltar and to our faces.Whether he did this or not, what is clear is that he was welcomed here whilst he still pursued his claim, on Spain’s behalf, for the jurisdiction of environmental protection within our territorial waters, claiming we have no jurisdic-tion over them notwithstand-ing the fact that our sovereignty in this area has been de facto admitted by Spain until now.In June this year, when I ap-peared before the UN Com-mittee of 24, I condemned and placed on record the in-cursion into our territorial wa-ters which I described as an act of aggression by Spain. It is clear that this has been an attempt by the Spanish Gov-ernment to establish de facto sovereignty over our waters.

One needs only to recall that when Spain, under Franco, introduced the air ban pro-hibiting aircraft from entering Spanish air space when land-ing in Gibraltar, the air space over our waters was accepted as British and not Spanish.In spite of this, the Opposition in Spain think that Moratinos is being too soft and weak with Gibraltar, and have promised to be even tougher if they get into Government. The real-ity is that the attitude of our neighbour is the same as it was in 1967 when we held our referendum, that Gibraltar is theirs and that we are squat-ters in our own homeland.In 1992 the SDGG took the initiative of approaching the GSLP Government to seek support for a political rally to mark the 25th anniversary of our first referendum when we rejected Spain’s proposals for a transfer of sovereignty. The Government supported the in-itiative, and in that first politi-cal rally our people responded magnificently and spontane-ously, dressing up in their na-tional colours and showing that they were as strong as in 1967 in rejecting the Spanish claim to sovereignty. Such was the support shown for the rally in 1992 that the GSLP Gov-ernment decided to make the 10th of September Gibraltar’s National Day and the Case-mates Political Rally in 1993 followed naturally with a few dissenting voices who were more interested in talks to find a compromise to settle the Spanish claim, rather than pro-claim our separate nationhood.This day of ours is a political declaration that we are a na-tion; that we are a separate and distinct people with our

own identity and way of life; the hallmark provided by the UN Charter which enshrines our right to self-determination.Spain’s arguments have been the same for 42 years, Utrecht and territorial integrity. The Spanish case at the UN in Oc-tober 2009 will be the same as it was in October 1967. The Spanish positions are identical, what is new is that for the first time they are acting as if they believed they have ever more allies on this side of the fron-tier and they claim support is growing from those who would favour a sovereignty deal.The National Day response to growing Spanish optimism that there is a new climate of receptivity amongst us to their aspiration for a Spanish Gibral-tar, has to be a clear signal that there is no change, that our position today is as firm as in 1992 and in 1967, no to Span-ish sovereignty in any shape or form; no sharing of our land, our sea or our air space.This cannot be a message that is sent to Madrid and to Jua-rez by the Mayor of Gibraltar in a Civic Ceremony. Gibral-tar’s National Day is not the

equivalent of Andalucía’s be-cause, unlike Andalucía, we are a separate sovereign na-tion and not a mere region.We are the Gibraltarian na-tion under the sovereignty of the British Crown and that is not going to change whether they try to win us over with supposed goodies or to coerce us with threatened reprisals.The climate of good neighbour-ly relations between our two separate and distinct nations is what is required by interna-tional law and the UN Charter, it is not something for which we have to be grateful or for which we have to make concessions.The clear message to Spain will come from our people’s attendance at the Casemates Political Rally as it has done in the past. Then, the politi-cal message from the platform was: no to sovereignty dis-cussions, let alone negotia-tions, on any transfer whatso-ever of any of our sovereignty. Not one inch shall we give to satisfy Spanish ambitions! Long live the Gibraltarian Nation!

Happy National Day!

the

KEY The facts you need to know

Issue 7SEPTEMBER

2009

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The number of power cuts is on the increase, particularly at night. This is affecting companies that leave their computers open during the silent hours, as well as bars and restaurants and the population at large. The Government have still not even started construction of the new power station they promised somewhere at the top of the Rock. In the meantime there are more developments coming into stream and less electricity capacity available.

Could someone be thinking of connecting with “Sevillana”, now that the Electricity Authority has been created???

Reports have reached us of unpleasant incidents at the Hospital with patients being practically pushed out of their beds because there have been bed shortages in the middle of the summer. The shortages normally occur in winter when the flu increases the amount of elderly people needing hospitalisation. Now it’s the middle of summer, things must really be going from bad to worse.

Should the Government drag its feet on the suggestion by the Opposition of converting one of the two closed wards into a geriatric unit in anticipation of the geriatric centre which the Government is committed to providing, this winter we could find patients in beds being attended to by nurses in the corridors, in Caruana’s “state of the art” hospital.

First they said that the huge mountain of contaminated rub-ble, which Government built up truckload by truckload, was to build a road leading out of the tunnel’s exit. Now the Gov-ernment is involved in the very expensive exercise of undoing what they did, removing the rubble truckload by truckload. In the meantime, the residents of Both Worlds have to put up with all this and more. Now they say that part of the rubble is to remain to provide a “Rock

Catch Ditch”. The cliff stabili-sation is taking place and so is the construction of the canopy at the tunnel’s exit. So what have they been studying for so long and why has Gibraltar had to put up with even worse traffic problems than it would have had if the tunnel had been open to vehicular traffic? .

The Car Park at Reclamation Road which has been opened for Fair Week should remain open until the Midtown Development is really going to take off. The developers seem to have convinced Government months ago that they needed the site where the Car Park is erected to start Construction Works. This has been proved to be untrue given that no such activity can be seen in the area. Construction was to have started

in 2008 with the first of these massive unsightly towers ready by 2010. The developers have not yet laid a brick, nor will they do so until they are sure that the economic downturn is over. Meanwhile motorists are being deprived of essential parking in the centre of town. It appears that the developers do not trust Peter Caruana when he says that the recession will not affect Gibraltar.

With September now upon us and both OEM and Haymills in liquidation, the Government will undoubtedly have to break its silence and start taking decisions on what it intends to do about the unfinished so called affordable homes in the South District. In the balance too are the homes of 22 families at Catalan Bay which are also still unfinished, as is the plight of the workers involved in all of these projects and the suppliers, who are said to be owed some four million pounds by Haymills. Caruana will also have to face with the demand already made by the Opposition, for a forensic audit to be carried out so that every penny of public funds spent is accounted for, if that is at all possible. If there has been total transparency in every step taken by Government there should be nothing stopping this audit from taking place, something which would be welcomed by a wide cross section of people.

Employees have been given a commitment of employment

of 8 weeks, but those 8 weeks are fast running out. Suppliers and other creditors, some of which are out of pocket and facing closure themselves due to the money owed to them, might be taking legal action, we are informed, to try and protect themselves by making the liquidation subject to the supervision of the Court. In the meantime, those intending to purchase some of these homes are waiting for this saga to roll over, whilst others are having second thoughts about purchasing, particularly those linked to the Cumberland Project after stories have emanated in the media of shoddy workmanship and poor quality materials.

The public are certainly entitled to know why the Government hand picked OEM as the developer and approved Haymills as the contractor, more so since whatever rescue plan the Government come up with, is going to involve the use of public money.

Govt Still Silent Over OEM/HAYMILLS Fiasco

Still Bed Shortages

Power Cuts On The Up

What a way to fend off people with half-truths, excuses and utter lies

“moun t a i n o f con t am ina t ed rubb l e ”

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Reclamation Road Car Park

Joe Holliday

We already know the questions surrounding Minister Joe Holliday over the purchase of properties of close relatives of his by someone very closely involved with OEM. That company is now in liquidation, having previously been directly allocated the project in the South District, which included the very lucrative Buena Vista Barracks Development, outside tender procedures. We have already said that the Minister should explain publicly whether or not he has been involved in any decisions connected with planning permission for those properties or with the decisions to grant contracts outside tender procedures to companies involving the person who was also involved with the purchase of properties belonging to close relatives. He has chosen to remain silent.

Investigation

Joe Holliday was later said to have been reported to the Gibraltar Financial Intelligence Unit, a team involving Police and Customs set up under the GSLP Government to investigate cases of suspected money laundering. It appears that the Minister was making cash deposits into his account and that Barclays Bank reported him to the GFIU. An investigation

was carried out and it is said that the Minister claimed that this money came from rents of properties he owns in Spain. It has also been reported that the Attorney General, Ricky Rhoda, QC, found that there was no case for the Minister to answer. The Minister has given no public statement explaining what was happening, nor has he afforded any explanation once this news came into the public domain.

Does he not understand

that he is a public figure and as such he is accountable to the public?

Edwin Reyes

Now we hear that the uncle of Minister Edwin Reyes, is the Editor of Seven Days, despite not having sufficient knowledge of the English language to allow him to edit the paper. This publication has received over £100,000 in two and a half years from Government in advertisements.

Moreover, shortly after Edwin Reyes became a Government Minister, Peter Caruana decided that it was proper for the Government to buy two units inside the Market Place for over a quarter of a million pounds. It so happens that the person holding 99% of the shares of the company whose property

was bought by the Government was none other than the wife of Minister Reyes. The Chief Minister defended this decision in Parliament saying that the Government was involved in a scheme to buy out two other entities outside the Market so that more of the City Wall may be visible to the public, and that one of the stalls outside the Market Place might be relocated into one of these units, The stall holders inside the market are asking why they have not been given the choice to sell out to Government. Why were only the stalls belonging to the Minister’s wife bought out and for £258,000?!

The question is; was Minister Reyes involved in, or did he in any way influence this decision? A public statement by the Minister is surely warranted.

Faceless Nigel Pardo

The illusive Nigel Pardo has a finger in every pie. There is hardly a contract involving the Government in which he is not included. If he is not involved directly as a developer, with quite a few of these contracts not being the subject of tender procedures [ something the GSD said it would insist on prior to coming into Government],

then he is directly hired by the Government to be its representative to oversee the contract. He is one of very few Gibraltarians involved in the Airport and Tunnel contracts which together are worth £80 million. His involvement is via a contract awarded to him by Government outside tender procedures. He happens to be the brother-in-law of Joe Holliday, the Minister for Enterprise and Trade, and his wife is the cousin of Peter Caruana. Pardo has now earned a pretty penny through contracts with this GSD Government and is set to earn millions more with the contracts he currently holds. People call him the 11th Minister. Some say they have actually been referred by Ministers to Pardo in order to sort out Government problems. Is Pardo so essential to the Government and to Gibraltar that his involvement is needed in so many contracts and projects? Has the fact that he is related to a Government Minister in any way influenced decisions to engage him or grant companies in which he is involved, contracts outside the tender procedures?

All this has been happening for too long and the Government has kept, and is keeping, too quiet amidst rising criticism by people.

QUESTIONS INVOLVING MINISTER’S RELATIVES, PUBLIC FUNDS AND THE AWARD OF GOVT

CONTRACTS OUTSIDE TENDER PROCEDURESThere is intense public speculation about policy decisions taken by the Government which have

benefited relatives of Ministers. These decisions have been taken without any of the Ministers having publicly stated whether or not they have been party to any of the decision-making or have in any way influenced any of these decisions. We believe that the public is entitled to know!

The Government must explain itself, or it risks being accused of involvement in improper practices. It is in the public interest that this riddle of family connections involving government contracts and public funds be aired openly once and for all.

Valiente plátano el que nos tiro Moratinos cuando vino de visitas, como si fuéramos monos, y valiente pellejo de plátano sobre el cual se revalo el Mandatario. Se acordareis que cuando le estaba pegando fuerte a Moratinos, antes de que anunciara su visita, lo acuso de tirar un pellejo de plátano en los pies del Tripartito por ir detrás de sus espaldas a tratar de robarnos nuestras aguas. Pues mira quien vino a revalarse sobre el pellejo, nada más y nada menos que el mismísimo Caruina.

Moratinos tan campante como siempre, vino a decirnos en nuestra cara que España seguirá tratando de quitarnos nuestra casa, sea como sea. Cuando llega a Madrid se vanagloria de lo que ha dicho y advierte a la ciudadanía española que ese sueño que tienen todos los españoles de ver un Gibraltar español, pronto se realizara. Y aquí mutis! El gobierno no dice ni pió y Caruina, encima, trata de defender a Moratinos de los ataques de la derecha en España. Valiente cachonfinger! El derechista más grande que ha conocido Gibraltar defendiendo al gobierno más izquierdista que ha tenido España desde la democracia. Hay, si mi Shashi fuera más jovencita seria Ministra de Asuntos Exteriores de Gibraltar y estaría todos los días mandando a estos tipos que quieren quedarse con nuestra Caleta y nuestro Peñón al cuerno, como se merecen.

Aquí en la Caleta estamos muy preocupados con lo de Haymills porque hay 22 familias que han invertido mucho dinero para fabricarse su propia casa en el terreno donde anteriormente estaba la escuela, y ahora que se ha ido la constructora a la mierda están todos muy nerviosos. Se acordareis que tener una escuela aquí era peligroso, pero un edificio con 22 familias no lo es. Todo lo que hace este gobierno seria de riza si no fuera porque le afecta a tanta gente. Bueno, mi Jacinta se llego arriba a ver a los afectados con un ti-pa lleno de tila para calmar los nervios. Parece ser que después de que la Oposición dijera que el gobierno debía de hacerse cargo de este edificio también, alguien del gobierno mando un recado discreto diciendo que se esperaran hasta que volviera el Mandatario de sus vacaciones, y por ahí van los tiros, todo el mundo mas cayadito que en misa, pero con la procesión por dentro.

Los del South District tienen que esta echando chispas. Menos mal que todos no tienen el mismo problema de los de Waterport Terraces que están pagando “bridging loans” y cada mes que pasa, el puente se hace mas largo y los “purchasers” espera que te espera. Los otros, como yo lo entiendo, han pagado £1000 de entrada y nada más. Que poca vergüenza todo esto de OEM y Haymills. Es menester que se haga este

“forensic audit.” que pide la Oposición y que salga todo a lo claro. Si el gobierno no tiene nada que esconder lo harán, pero si hay gatos encerrados, remolin, remolón, no se entera de nada ni el ratón. Es que vamos de culo, como los cangrejos!!!

Desde luego que quien se crea una palabra de lo que dice este gobierno no debe de estar bueno del coco. Nos tuvieron engañando con el túnel por siete años y solamente ahora han otorgado tres contratos para las reparaciones. El montón de arena, el de la vergüenza, según dijeron, solo era para acumular material para el proyecto, ahora resulta que se están llevando la porquería a otro lado en camiones, pero han dicho que parte de la montaña se queda a causa de una idea ingenua que han tenido los tres ministros que, supuestamente, han estado estudiando el reporte de los expertos desde el año 2003. Que estudiosos me han salido los Ministros. Ya ver si hacen poco en el Ministerio por las £80,000 panaeras al año que ganan, que uno de ellos ha tenido tiempo hasta de estudiar por correspondencia y terminar de filosofo. Si! Como Sócrates y los filósofos griegos! Mientras tanto, aquí en La Caleta atravesando el trafico del “Sun Dial” por no poder usar

el dichoso túnel y aguantando el polverío de los camiones, primero para aya y ahora para el otro lado, esta vez para el nuevo “dump” en Devil’s Tower Road.

Bueno, mi Jacinto me a comprado unos “shorts” nuevos para que vaya guapo en “National Day”. Ahora cuando cobre el cheque de los tres meses de Bossano se comprara ella un vestidito nuevo para que también ella vaya guapa en nuestro día. Ya tiene las banderas puestas en el balcón y se a puesto de acuerdo con Celina con Rose y con Aida para el papeo de “National Day”. Empezamos el día con los tejeringos que trae un chiquetin del pueblo en el charraban, después nos vamos al Casemates al “political rally” y demás, y después a la playa a disfrutar de todo lo bueno. Aquí si que sabemos celebrar bien el día que nos dio Joe Bossano, el mas importante del calendario.!!!!

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Florentino el Caleteño

FIGHT FOR SELF-DETERMINATION : SUPPORT THE SDGG POLITICAL RALLY SEE YOU AT CASEMATES AT 11a.m.

VAMOS DE CULO !

Should any person be above the law regardless of their position in Society? The answer must be a big “NO!” No-one is above the law, yet in Gibraltar this important principle has been compromised by the Acting Chief Minister and the Collector of Customs. In April 2006, an amendment to the Imports and Exports Ordinance was published which made a particular type of Quad Bike a prohibited import. At the time it was said that the Government had, in its wisdom, decided to

ban these bikes from Gibraltar for safety reasons.Two weeks ago, at the start of the National Fair, these Quad Bikes were held up by Customs as they attempted to enter Gibraltar as part of an amusement ride for the fair. They were checked and double-checked and found to be the type that is a prohibited import. The Customs Department stopped the importation of these bikes; the “feriantes” then informed the Ministry for Culture that they were being held up at

the frontier; they in turn got in touch with Convent Place where Joe Holliday was Acting Chief Minister; Joe Holliday then called the Collector of Customs and gave him instructions to allow the importation of these bikes, that is to break the law; the Collector of Customs allowed the import through, that is he broke the law of the land at the request of the Acting Chief Minister. Lo and behold, are we living in a civilised society which is part of the European Union or has Gibraltar become

a Banana Republic and things are done as if we were in the OK Corral? The particular issue of the Quad Bikes itself fades into insignificance when one looks at the precedent that is being established here. No-one can be above the law, not even Her Majesty the Queen, should she come to visit! Joe Holliday, as a Minister and legislator should not have even thought of this, never mind suggested it. The Collector of Customs should have stuck to his guns and refused to break the law.

HOLLIDAY THINKS HE IS THE LAW