Gibraltar News Online

“At long last… Progress for our Health and Bay environment” declares a statement released today by the ESG/BBB.

The Statement reads:

The ESG/BBB welcomes the announcements made by La Junta’s (the Junta de Andalucia) Environmental Councillor, Ms Coves, that the pollution levels in the Bay appears to be addressed seriously, once and for all.

The epidemiological study promised for so long has, regrettably, become somewhat of an empty phrase. While the BBB consider this study supremely important to be carried our without further delay, what is clear is that industrial pollution IS excessive in the Bay. It is not cosmetic; it is offensive at best, and lethal at its worst.

Therefore, the BBB welcomes all accurate and independent scientific studies to prove this, enabling the Spanish authorities to proceed with their stated intentions to lower the emission levels and instruct the industries responsible to seek immediate ways to stop illegal toxic dumping in the Bay environment. Taking the appropriate environmental measures will not threaten jobs. On the contrary, by ensuring that the industries are run within current EU norms, this will create jobs. There can be no back-pedalling at this stage to make the necessary investments given the public awareness of the problem and the millions of euros in profit published annually by the Oil industry.

What is clear is that neither environmentalists, nor residents, will allow this opportunity to slip by. The BBB will be vigilant over the next few weeks to record pollution incidences, take samples, and support any protests planned in the area. Having the public’s interests at heart the groups would encourage everyone to be aware of heavy pollution incidences however commonplace these may appear to be; to record details and take photos when possible and pass these on to members of the ESG and BBB.

Press Release by The Environmental Safety Group (ESG)/BBB (Bay Bucket Brigade) - 31 May 2005 15:51

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18 May 2005 - IU express concern in Andalusian Parliament

13 May 2005 - CSIC report confirms high levels of pollutants in the Bay of Gibraltar

The public is continually complaining that instead of finding a solution to the parking problem, all the police can think of is to issue parking tickets, and get cars clamped and towed away.

It is the easy way out which does not contribute to solving the problem.

But enough is enough - that is the message getting through as more and more people are incensed by what is seen as an unfair practice which has got out of control. The clamping companies themselves are getting a lot of stick.

People see the whole thing as a seemingly profit-making exercise at the expense of the long-suffering motoring public.

Who are they?

A question being asked is who are these so-called security companies who get involved in clamping and towing away?

A general impression is that any Tom, Dick or Enrique can don a uniform and call himself a security officer.

Such companies can mushroom by the day, as it were! But are they accountable to anyone? Are their operations transparent and questionable? Do they have special training?

Are there restrictions and conditions on who can they employ if on contract to the Government or one of its agencies?

This whole area of traffic management is in clear need of proper investigation.

The public cannot be at the receiving end in a disproportionate kind of way.

Because they call themselves ’security officers’ it seems that the police put them above reproach.

But who are these people? Indeed, who do they think they are, given their often arrogant and aggressive attitude to the public? Does the RGP (Royal Gibraltar Police) condone this? Of course, one can only generalise. But there must be those who operate in an acceptable manner and have a track-record to prove it. But can the same be said of all of them?

Attitude

The attitude of the RGP is also being questioned by the public at large. It is as if they gain some benefits out of plastering every car in sight with parking tickets, making the life of motorists a misery.

There appears to be no commonsense, but a blanket application of the law in an extreme fashion which, if not halted, can be conducive to people thinking this is fast becoming a sort of police state.

This is not helped by their agents, the clamping brigade, who give the impression of doing as they please in the name, or on behalf, of the RGP. Are there not strict rules and regulations? If there are, what are they?

Are private clampers in a world of their own? Are there rules and regulations that apply to them - or is this some kind of free for all?

Parking in Gibraltar is a particularly acute problem. Is there not a case to show some consideration to the suffering public? Is it that the public is deemed not to have any rights?

The police and their agents must be instructed to show the kind of consideration that is required in such circumstances and not to behave as if they were God Almighty!

Absolutely necessary?

When large areas are declared temporary No Parking, do the police put up those ugly and often unreadable signs only where it is absolutely necessary to do so?

If a vehicle is clamped it must be because it is causing an obstruction or what-have-you. But is the police not perpetuating the ‘offence’ by clamping it?

The point has also been made that there is a clear distinction between between parking in a manner that causes no obstruction and in a manner where obstruction is caused.

Where vehicles are parked causing obstruction, or in a dangerous manner, the police are perfectly entitled to do something about it.

Clearly, there are cases that must require attention. But there is, in general terms, the need for a commonsense approach given the severity of the parking problem in Gibraltar.

Not only that, but instead of splashing so many parking tickets, and so much clamping and towing away other people’s property, should there not be a determined attempt to try and alleviate the parking problem?

Are people paid good salaries from the public purse for doing nothing? Instead of wasting so much time issuing parking tickets etc, why don’t they use that time and expense more profitably by finding solutions?

And if they are incapable of finding solutions, why don’t they step aside and allow others to do so?

And what is the Government doing about it? Do they not think it is about time to think carefully about this whole issue and consider whether widespread clamping and towing away should be made illegal, unless performed by the police itself?

There is a need to do something NOW before matters get completely out of hand.

From Panorama, Gibraltar’s Online Daily Newspaper

Sandy Bay in Both Worlds is supposedly a pleasant spot for anyone wanting to soak in the sun and sea minus the crowds.

However it has become clear, as shown in the pictures (Ed’s Note: Sorry, no picture published online), that this beach is no longer so pleasant.

Rubbish and debris seem to have taken over the once clean and clear sands of this beach. In the pictures shown, it is suggest that the beach is now neglected and clearly needs a new makeover!

As summer is just around the corner this makeover may need to be sooner rather than later because the beach could be used by the nearby residents.

The derelict state of the beach at the moment would attract nothing but bugs and scavengers. Complaints have been made but results have been minimal and so there is continued appearance of a dumping ground.

From Panorama, Gibraltar’s Online Daily Newspaper

The UN Seminar on decolonisation held at St Vincent and the Grenadines has been one of the most fruitful in recent years, Joe Bossano, Opposition Leader declared on his return last week.

Mr Bossano said it was well attended by government and other representatives of almost all the remaining British colonies as well as members of the Committee of 24and several member states. The UK did not participate although there was a representative from Spain.

Mr Bossano said that in the course of the debate in respect of other British territories, it clearly emerged that a number of British territories are now looking at a form of Free Association or the Fourth Option as an alternative to independence and a means of exercising self-determination and achieving decolonisation.

Mr Bossano said he had fully participated in the discussions on all the sessions, including those of other territories, and made a statement in relation to the way ahead on the general question of fulfilling the goals of the Second Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism and on the specific question of Gibraltar. He also says he refuted proposals put by Argentina on the Falkland Islands, since the Islanders were not represented.

“Probably the most valuable result from Gibraltar’s point of view was that the seminar this year, for the first time, dropped its backing for the continuation of the Brussels negotiations,” he said.

Last year recommendation 39 of the seminar held in Papua New Guinea stated:

“the participants reiterated that the Special Committee should continue to encourage the ongoing negotiations between the Governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Spain within the Brussels process aimed at achieving a solution to the question of Gibraltar in accordance with the relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations.”

This was the reiteration of the recommendation in support of Brussels made in 2003 at the Anguilla seminar and in seminars in earlier years. Joe Bossano in his statement asked the participants not to continue to lend their weight to the Brussels process which enjoyed no support in Gibraltar from any quarter any longer.

“This year the Gibraltar specific recommendation was omitted altogether from the draft recommendation agreed to after the report was presented to the seminar by the drafting committee and fully debated. There were a number of other clauses in which references were made to territories over which there was a sovereignty dispute, but Gibraltar was not specifically mentioned and although Joe Bossano argued against this distinction being made as regards the application of the right to self-determination, it did not prove possible to get this text amended or omitted,” he said.

Mr Bossano said that the attempt by the delegate from Argentina to introduce a new Falklands Island recommendation which went even further in denying self-determination to the islanders was defeated after he made a strong speech condemning the Argentinian position. Argentina had asked for a recommendation from the participants that the islanders could not have the right to self-determination because its decolonisation was a matter of territorial integrity and its people had been illegally transplanted there by the occupying power and could not be distinguished from it.

Describing the Argentinian, view as utter and complete rubbish worthy of the views of Castiella in relation to Gibraltar in the 1960s, Mr Bossano told the seminar that they were being asked to do no less than to produce a new interpretation of the UN Charter. He reminded participants that the seminar was being held to protect the people of the remaining colonies and not to further the territorial claims of Argentina or any other member of the UN.

“The seminar in its conclusions and recommendations noted the remarks made by Argentina but did not endorse them and simply repeated word for word the recommendations on negotiations between the UK and Argentina which had been made by the seminar held in previous years and which is virtually identical to the recommendations previously made on Gibraltar and which have not been repeated this year,” he said.

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Overture Search Terms for Gibraltar related keywords during April 2005

For those of you interested in this sort of thing, here’s the full list of Keyword Searches carried out on Overture Search Engine during the month of April 2005.

Searches done in April 2005
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Nothing too surprising there!

Port and maritime officials from Gibraltar and Algeciras will explore the possibility of establishing a direct ferry link across the bay.

That was one of the key points discussed at a landmark meeting in Algeciras yesterday, held as part of the Los Barrios process.

Officials at the meeting said private companies had already expressed interest in the ferry project and would submit plans for consideration and approval.

They also highlighted forthcoming efforts to foster tighter cross-border cooperation on crucial concerns such as environmental protection and navigational safety in the bay.

Yesterday’s meeting was the first encounter of its kind, one that marked the beginning of a closer relationship between both ports.

“This is an important day in the history of the ports of Algeciras and Gibraltar, for the simple reason that this meeting should have taken place a long time ago, but for a number of reasons this didn’t happen,” said Joe Holliday, minister for trade, industry and communications, at a press conference in Algeciras.

The meeting was significant, not least because previous attempts to arrange formal discussions on maritime and port issues had run into political problems. But there was no mention of politics yesterday, or of the usual controversies over bunkering and pollution in the bay.

The message was one of “normality”, of two ports that co-existed in close proximity and were finally working together to mutual benefit. Top of the list was environmental protection and navigational safety. The need for closer ties in this area was thrown into sharp relief by an incident in the bay last September, when the cruise ship Van Gogh, sailing out of Gibraltar, collided with the tanker Spetses as it sailed into Algeciras in thick fog.

A working group will be set up to establish safety protocols and procedures, both in the event of an accident and, perhaps more importantly, to avoid one in the first place.

“It’s important to have cooperation between both ports in this area, not only in terms of tackling an accident that might occur in either port, but also to develop a prevention plan,” Mr Holliday said.

Manuel Morón, president of the Algeciras Port Authority, stressed that the focus of this work must be on both “preventive and corrective” measures, though there were no details at this stage of any specific initiatives.

Both men also drew attention to a proposal to establish a ferry link between Gibraltar and Algeciras.

Although there was no hint of any timescale, the emphasis on this project left little doubt that officials were keen to see it happen.

“I believe that there is now a commitment on both sides to try and find a solution and the means to put this in place in the short term,” Mr Holliday said.

“I think this would be of great importance for the commercial development of the region as a whole.”

A second working group will be formed to explore areas of technical and commercial cooperation at port authority level, something that is also likely to eventually include other ports in the Strait of Gibraltar.

Next year, as part of its centenary celebrations, Algeciras will host the first meeting of ports in the Strait, at which some of these issues will be discussed. Mr Morón said that it was important to involve the private sector in the initiatives to bring both ports closer together, though many shipping companies are already one step ahead of the authorities in that they already operate on either side of the bay.

Yesterday’s meeting, described by Mr Holliday as “pleasant and productive”, will provide a solid foundation on which to build. There were no earth-shattering announcements to be made, but the commitment on both sides was clearly evident.

“This was not about reaching agreement on any of these issues, but simply to make clear the willingness on both sides to proceed working on these areas of common interest in the future,” Mr Morón concluded.

After the discussions, the officials toured the Spanish port and witnessed at first hand the massive expansion that is currently under way there.

Algeciras is the busiest port in Spain in terms of tonnage throughput, handling 65.7 million tonnes of cargo last year.

Before the summer, a delegation of port officials from the Spanish port will visit the Rock for tour of local port facilities. A second high-level meeting will probably be scheduled for some time in the autumn. Between now and then, the working groups will draw up a number of concrete initiatives for consideration.

Attending as part of the Gibraltar delegation at yesterday’s meeting were Richard Garcia, chief executive at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Communications; Flavio Madeira, Mr Holliday’s private secretary; James Ferro, Captain of the Port and Stephen Ramagge, Gibraltar’s coordinator under the Los Barrios process.

In the Algeciras delegation were José Luis Hormaechea Escós, director of the port authority; Karim Breir Moreno, head of the maritime safety service at the Capitanía Marítima in Algeciras; and Eduardo Villalba Gil, chief secretary at the presidency office of the Algeciras port authority.

Also present at yesterday’s discussion were Juan Montedeoca Márquez, president of the Mancomunidad de Municipios del Campo de Gibraltar, accompanied by José Manuel Alcántara Pérez, managing director of the same body.

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Related Links:

Algeciras Port Authority

Gibraltar Port Authority

A Royal Gun Salute to mark the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation will be fired by Thompson’s Battery of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment on Thursday 2 June at 12 noon immediately outside the Tower in the Naval Base.

Members of the public are most welcome to attend the salute.

Tickets for the event (at no cost) can be obtained from the Information Office at the Gibraltar Tourist Board (GTB) in the Duke of Kent House. Spectators are invited to gather between 11:15 and 11:30 on the day of the salute.

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

A highly contagious virus has struck down scores of passengers on board another P&O luxury cruise ship.

About 200 passengers on board the Oceana cruise ship have contracted the norovirus, which caused chaos on P&O’s Aurora vessel in 2003 and led to a diplomatic incident with Spain.

The company said that about 10 per cent of the 2,015 passengers on board the five-year-old Oceana had been affected by the 24-hour bug, which causes diarrhoea and vomiting. Around 130 passengers are still ill and have been isolated in their cabins.

The ship left Southampton on May 19 for a 17-night Mediterranean cruise. It is due back in port on June 5 and is today travelling from Naples to the Croatian port of Dubrovnik.

A spokeswoman for the firm said the 77,000-tonne vessel was undergoing an “extensive programme” of sanitation and disinfection to try and stop the spread of the virus.
She said:

“There has been an incident of gastrointestinal illness among passengers on board the current sailing of Oceana. Passengers unwell are being asked to isolate themselves in their cabins for as long as necessary.”

She said that those who were isolated in their cabins would receive compensation and added that American research had shown that the chances of catching the virus on land was 1 in 12 compared to 1 in 4,000 on a cruise.

The spokeswoman said the virus had probably been brought on board by a passenger. In 2003, 500 out of 1,800 passengers aboard the Aurora suffered serious stomach upsets caused by what was then a new variant of the norovirus.

The £200 million ship was banned from docking in Greece while Spain sealed its borders with Gibraltar for the first time since 1985, after the ship docked here.

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Related Links:

Information on Mediterranean Cruises Online with Lastminute.com

Museum Director, Clive Finlayson, has just returned from Zurich, Switzerland, where he gave a seminar on Neanderthal Ecology.

The hour-long lecture was followed by a long discussion session.

Professor Finlayson had been invited to give the seminar by the prestigious Institute of Anthropology of the University of Zurich. The Institute is one of Europe’s leading and traditional centres of research.

The seminar was attended by professors, staff and students and was an opportunity for Professor Finlayson to put across his theories of human evolution, particularly as they applied to the Neanderthals. The seminar had a Gibraltar focus as the lecture and discussion was dominated by Gibraltar as a case study in this field, further emphasizing its leading role in cutting edge science.

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Related Links:

The Gibraltar Museum

• Movement in Morrisons UK

Morrisons, the owners of the Safeway store instructed the property dealers Rapleys to advertise the Gibraltar store in trade publications it has emerged.

The advertisement focuses on this being a prime retail store “with significant development potential” although highlighting that any development would be subject to planning.

Adverts appeared in the past four weeks but Morrisons declined to comment on what response they have had so far.

The Westside site of 6.79 acres has a long leasehold and the advert shows a picture apparently taken from the Europort tower.

This comes just a month after Morrisons management from Britain visited Gibraltar and held meetings with local staff as well as Government ministers.

Last month the Chronicle reported that the supermarket chain had been enticed by property developers to allow the massive supermarket site at the heart of the Westside reclamation to be sold for development.

In April this year Morrisons themselves confirmed that they had received a number of unsolicited enquiries from other retailers about the Gibraltar store.

“The board have decided to market the store to understand the true nature of this interest, which may lead to the store being sold,” they told the Chronicle then.

On April 30 with the sale of its two Safeway stores in the Channel Islands the company confirmed its strategy of “focusing its business in the UK” and said that this had followed the previous week’s announcement to local employees that the Safeway store in Gibraltar would be marketed in the near future.

Meanwhile, Morrisons yesterday announced that executive chairman Sir Ken Morrison has stepped down from the day-to-day running of the firm in order to concentrate on the firms strategic vision.

As shareholders met for the annual meeting in Bradford, Sir Ken pledged to stay with Morrisons for at least another year yesterday in order to see through the troubled integration of Safeway.

Predicted shareholder disquiet failed to materialise at the packed meeting as speakers lined up to praise the 73-year-old and urge him not to be “diverted by temporary storms’’. Only one arm from the floor was raised in opposition to his re-election as chairman.

The Bradford-based group, which last warned on profits just two weeks ago, also announced the appointment of Richard Pennycook as finance director, following his departure from motoring group the RAC.

Sir Ken will remain chairman of the plc board, which meets about every month, but is leaving the operations board, which meets every week, to make key decisions. Mr Stott denied the change meant Sir Ken was no longer in charge.

“He’s stepping back a little and allowing me to operate as chairman of that board,” he said. “As chairman of the company, of course, he’s in charge.”

Morrisons said it still expected operating margins to be significantly lower than last year’s level for much of the year, as indicated in this month’s profits warning, but it would be unable to give guidance on operating profits until “further detailed work” on its forecasts.

Related Article:

04 May 2005 - Morrisons reduces overseas stores

22 April 2005 - Morrisons consider bid for Gibraltar Safeway store - Confirmed

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801