Gibraltar News Online

The following are the latest results received from the Gibraltar International Tennis Tournament this evening.

30th June Results

Men’s Singles

E.Torres bt P.Ogier- 7-5, 6-2

P.Theron bt D.Mcluskey- 2-6, 6-4, 10/2

E.Torres bt J.Coliieson- 6-3, 6-4

Ladies Singles

Z.De Silva bt L.Sene- 6-4, 6-2

L.Jensen bt A.Carreras- 6-2, 6-1

Mens doubles

Manders/Collieson bt Rizzutto/Rizzutto- 6-0, 6-1

Ladies doubles

Sene/Whitwell bt De Silva/Fisher- 6-1, 6-3

Jensen/Johanssen bt Taylor/Carreras- 7-6, 6-1

Results service kindly provided by the Gibraltar Tennis Association

From The Gibraltar Tennis Tournament - 30 June 2005

Equality Rights group GGR (Gib Gay Rights) has welcomed today’s passing of new Spanish legislation which allows for gay and lesbian people to marry.

In a press statement this morning the GGR said:

“Whilst GGR is not so insistent on the actual word “marriage”, we are no less so with regards to the need for Gibraltar to give full equality to Gibraltarians of diverse sexuality in all the fields that matter in citizenship.

There can be no justice while discrimination continues to be enshrined in our laws and politics and GGR will continue to highlight this fact.

Mr Caruana’s evident insistence on doing absolutely nothing to advance the rights of sexual minorities puts him in a position similar to that of Spanish ex-President Aznar, who himself held exactly the same view: that is, say nothing, do nothing.

This tactic aims to hold back progress in this area but all it achieves is to undermine the social and political credibility of the Government and its Party.

Members of the GSD (Gibraltar Social Democrats) should realise this is the case from the fact that, as an NGO, GGR has, after almost 5 years of patience, been forced into open confrontation and opposition with this present Government, a position we will continue to develop in the run-up to the next Elections.

We therefore sincerely look forward to the day when the anachronism of Government by Mr Caruana is replaced by a Gibraltar Government that finally listens to people and is less ruled by Chief Ministerial dogmas than by a sense of social justice!”

From a Press Release issued by Equal Rights Group the GGR (Gib Gay Rights) - 30 June 2005 “Gay is a Citizenship Issue”

Related Article:

16 June 2005 - GGR accuses Government of “human rights posturing”

15 June 2005 - GGR reveals Election plans

The British government had anticipated protests of the sort seen yesterday and is unlikely to change its mind on the privatisation of jobs at the Naval Base, a senior Ministry of Defence official said yesterday.

Phil Mallion, Command Secretary at Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar, told the Chronicle that public and political opposition had been factored into the equation before the decision to privatise jobs was taken in London.

His comments followed the mass demonstration yesterday morning and were the first public statement by the MoD on the privatisation since local trade unions filed a legal challenge on May 12 in a bid to stop the proposal.

“I don’t see the decision [to privatise jobs] being put on hold as a result of today’s activities or the legal hearing,” Mr Mallion said yesterday.

“This won’t have come as any surprise to the Secretary of State for Defence and senior civil servants in UK because logic tells us that in making a decision of this gravity, you’re going to get this sort of reaction from a population like the Gibraltar population.

You only have to look back at the sovereignty issue to see exactly the same sort of thing, the groundswell of opinion. So it would have been anticipated.”

Mr Mallion told the Chronicle that MoD lawyers in Gibraltar and London would scrutinise this week’s legal judgement that allows the unions to proceed with their challenge in a Gibraltar court, adding that an appeal on the issue of jurisdiction had not been ruled out.

He said the MoD had taken note of the decision by the Chief Justice in the first stage of the legal claim by local trade unions, adding that it had served to bring clarity on some “cloudy” issues. The next step, he said, was for the ministry’s lawyers to examine the judge’s written judgement before deciding whether to appeal or not. That decision will be taken in London.

The MoD has 14 days from the ruling in which to ask the court for permission to file that appeal.

Mr Mallion said that from the point of view of the privatisation, the important thing was to move on to the “substantive” issues, that is, the issues at the heart of the challenge.

“So far, the court case has focused on legal arguments about who can or cannot be sued, and whether or not the case can be heard in Gibraltar. Where it’s heard, from an ISP [privatisation] perspective, is not the most critical thing. The most critical thing is ‘have the MoD done wrong in acting in the way they have?’

We haven’t heard that argument yet and our legal advisors remain confident that when that argument is heard, we’re confident of success.”

As for the process of finding a contractor to take over the jobs at Naval Base, the MoD is currently drawing up a document – known as a ‘statement of requirement’ - setting out in detail what it actually wants from the privatisation. This will be sent out in due course to contractors selected from a list of those that have already submitted expressions of interest.

Mr Mallion said that the process had been slowed down, though not stopped altogether, in order to accommodate the legal hearing. “Whilst we’ve yet to re-set the timetable because of this slowing down, the process carries on,” he said.

He also reiterated the MoD’s willingness to talk to the unions on issues relating to the impact of the privatisation decision, such as pensions and early exit packages.
“We’d welcome the opportunity to sit down and discuss them,” he said. “But the decision remains unchanged.”

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Related Links:

30 June 2005 - MOD workers say ‘NO’ to base contractorisation

29 June 2005 - Reform Party congratulates demo organisers and participants

29 June 2005 - Chief Justice gives Union go ahead to challenge cuts

28 June 2005 - GTC urges mass turn out at MoD demo

28 June 2005 - Government Regrets Teachers’ Union Dismay

21 June 2005 - Unions and MoD clash in court

12 May 2005 Unions escalate MoD dispute

19 April 2005 Unions declare a united front on MoD Contractorisation

12 April 2005 MPs urge Hoon to halt ‘Done Deal’

Gibraltar News Online Contractorisation Poll

The buzz word in union circles yesterday was that the Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards had gone ‘native’ as the unions went into battle with the MoD.

Nothing could be more complimentary to a Governor from a Gibraltarian point of view.

The Governor was to receive a delegation after the demonstration reached the Convent. He was handed a petition. The Convent issued the following statement:

“His Excellency the Governor today received a Union delegation, led by Luis Montiel TGWU district officer.

Mr Montiel explained the unions concerns and handed over a petition expressing opposition to the MOD proposals to enter negotiations to introduce an Integrated Service Provider.

The Governor said he was aware of the unions views and the strength of feeling expressed in the petition and undertook to convey these to the Ministry of Defence in London.”

Earlier, union leader Luis Montiel had said that the Governor was “sympathetic to Gibraltar’s case.”

There was a feeling as the meeting in The Convent took place that the union leaders were speaking to someone who fully understood the concerns of Gibraltar.

Sir Francis is, of course, in a difficult situation, wearing the hats he does wear. There will be those in Whitehall who will begin to question which side of the fence he is defending, but the Governor will no doubt carry out his duties with the required balance and perception.

It is not surprising that on different issues successive governors in the recent past are said to have sided with the people of Gibraltar, for reasons we will not go into at this particular juncture.

The people of Gibraltar do not see the MOD as their enemy, in fact there has always been great affinity with British causes, as the people of Gibraltar place themselves within the British umbrella.

But what Gibraltar wants is for the MOD not to behave as if Gibraltar was its enemy!

From Panorama, Gibraltar’s Online Daily Newspaper

Related Links:

30 June 2005 - Contractorisation gets big ‘NO’

29 June 2005 - Reform Party congratulates demo organisers and participants

29 June 2005 - Chief Justice gives Union go ahead to challenge cuts

28 June 2005 - GTC urges mass turn out at MoD demo

28 June 2005 - Government Regrets Teachers’ Union Dismay

19 April 2005 Unions declare a united front on MoD Contractorisation

12 April 2005 MPs urge Hoon to halt ‘Done Deal’

Gibraltar News Online Contractorisation Poll

The new hospital has been re-dedicated to St Bernard’s Hospital. St Bernard is the patron Saint of Gibraltar.

Chief Minister Peter Caruana in his address at the official inauguration on Tuesday evening said that although there had been many suggestions to rename the new hospital the government had decided to keep the same name.

The inauguration was held in the gardens of the new St Bernard’s hospital at sunset where Health Minister Ernest Britto run through a list of thank-yous.

Guests included all those connected with the creation and workings of the new hospital – the staff, contractors, designers, suppliers etc. and all user groups, associations, and helpers, including the many tenants associations as a way of representing Gibraltar society in general.

Mr Britto also mentioned the doctors from the dialysis unit in La Linea announcing that the unit locally would be operational as from July.

He also confirmed that 100 parking spaces (on one floor) would be made available in the new residence Euro Plaza next to the hospital.

Chief Minister Peter Caruana stated the hospital which represented a huge investment for a community of almost any size, and that just 30,000 people had been able to finance this magnificent facility for themselves, was a testament to what Gibraltar had achieved socially and economically over the years.

“There must be few communities of just 30,000 people anywhere on the planet that enjoy a medical facility of this sort,” he stressed.

The old St Bernard’s, he said, had served the community very well over many years but that the community had grown out of it in its need for social care, and the staff had grown out of it in terms of their ability to work, expand comfortably and deliver health services and care, in a dedicated way to their patients and their own professional commitment.

Mr Caruana emphasised:

“This investment is not just for the patients of this community, it is also for the staff, that they should have a proper, dignified, modern, well-resourced, spacious place of work, in which they can deliver, expand and develop the service, in a way that I know that they do.

The move into this facility will trigger the crossing of a huge threshold in the quality of healthcare that this community will benefit from.”

He acknowledged the work of the Medical Review team and paid tribute to the new senior management team, and old senior management team led by Joe Catania and Ernest Lima.

The new hospital was blessed by the Bishop of Gibraltar Charles Caruana in the presence of the Iman. Bishop Caruana wrote a special ecumenical prayer for the occasion.

David McCutcheon, Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Health Authority, then declared:

“Well we are now officially opened. It is wonderful but the really hard work is still ahead of us.

We have just completed our first quarter of our new year and we are doing really quite well and we are very proud.

We are very much on the way to building the leadership capacity which the hospital needs.

We are proud of this facility and especially proud of our staff.

It is now up to management to give you the people of Gibraltar the health services you need and desire. This team that is around here today is very much up to that task.”

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

by Chloe Anne Loddo

Many Gibraltarians gathered in Casemates Square yesterday morning to support the TGWU and Prospect unions against contractorisation at the naval base.

Spirits were high as Casemates rang with the theme of the immensely popular Crazy Frog ring tone. Michael Tampin, Prospect/GGCA secretary began the proceedings by expressing his gratitude towards all those who had made the effort to appear at the demonstration and to all those organisations and political parties supporting the trade unions against ‘MoD plans of cheap labour and worsening conditions of employment.’

He then went on to say that ‘The MOD workers must see or feel that they are not alone in this fight, that they have the support not only of their fellow workers but of all political, economical and social organisations’.

His speech came to a conclusion by declaring that ‘the message to the British government should be loud and clear, no contractorisation!’ which was followed by rapturous applause.

Luis Montiel, TGWU district officer, who has just undergone surgery, came forward to give a passionate speech, which heightened the spirits of the crowd present even further. He began by saying:

‘Workers, people of Gibraltar, time and time again, British ministers take decisions from afar and generally go against the interest of Gibraltar and its people’.

He then went on to say how ‘we will not sit back and allow the MOD to undermine the living standards we have worked so hard to achieve’. Montiel then proudly spoke of the unions having won rights, the right to prosecute the Secretary of State for Defence in the Gibraltar Supreme Court. The unions were also awarded costs.

With unwavering passion and conviction in his beliefs Montiel called for the ‘Gibraltar Government to immediately replace all colonial laws’, which was preceded by deafening applause and shouts of approval and agreement. Promising to fight all the way should their appeals be ignored, Montiel wished to thank the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition for their unequivocal support and encouragement.

Banners flaring in the light breeze bearing messages such as ‘Fascist MOD’, ‘MOD, stop all your hidden agendas against Gibraltar’ and ‘Please give equal rights to my mum and dad and stop privatisation‘, the mass of people, young and old, marched towards the Convent to present the Governor with a petition containing over 10,000 signatures. Chants and the tune of the Crazy Frog filled the air as the demonstration finally arrived there, where they were greeted by Joe Bossano and Peter Caruana.

Before the petition was taken inside the Convent to be handed to the Governor, the Chief Minister, who received thunderous applause, spoke of how…

‘The Ministry of Defence is faced with a responsible trade union movement in Gibraltar and it will make a grave, grave mistake if it doesn’t accept the demands of the unions for reasonable, civilised discussions and negotiations.

The Ministry of Defence is a hugely welcomed part of our community but they’ve got to behave in the same reciprocal manner to us as we do to them’.

His final words to the crowd were:

‘Let us show the Trade Union that they have the support of all of Gibraltar’.

Opposition leader Joe Bossano also supported the demonstration and spoke in what was a day of political unity.

From Panorama, Gibraltar’s Online Daily Newspaper

Related Links:

29 June 2005 - Reform Party congratulates demo organisers and participants

29 June 2005 - Chief Justice gives Union go ahead to challenge cuts

28 June 2005 - GTC urges mass turn out at MoD demo

28 June 2005 - Government Regrets Teachers’ Union Dismay

21 June 2005 - Unions and MoD clash in court

12 May 2005 Unions escalate MoD dispute

19 April 2005 Unions declare a united front on MoD Contractorisation

12 April 2005 MPs urge Hoon to halt ‘Done Deal’

Gibraltar News Online Contractorisation Poll

• Governor sympathetic to our cause, says Montiel

Gibraltar’s trade unions yesterday vowed to fight MoD contractorisation till the end and warned the British Government to take heed of their message.

TGWU Branch Officer Charles Sisarello delivered a stark warning to London. “If they want a military base in Gibraltar they must pay for it under existing conditions,” he declared.

Approximately 3,000 to 4,000 protestors assembled at Casemates Square at 10am to express their rejection of MoD plans to privatise services at the naval base.

Addressing the crowd TGWU District Officer Luis Montiel recalled the “joint sovereignty deal” and said that “time and time again,” UK Ministers take decisions from above and then present Gibraltar with “a fait accompli.” “We must not allow the MoD to undermine our living standards and hard won rights,” he exclaimed.

In a combative speech that was highly critical of the Ministry of Defence, Mr Montiel declared that for every 100 direct jobs that are lost in the MoD there will be a knock-on effect on the rest of the economy that will result in the loss of a further 20 jobs.

Mr Montiel said direct pensionable jobs constituted the main contribution by the naval base, and reminded those present that parity derives from MoD pay structures.

“The MoD is a very important employer for Gibraltar because it provides 1,000 quality direct jobs and pensions.”

He said the local economy was not the same as the UK, arguing that as a frontier town contractorisation can result in the replacement of local workers by “frontier workers of many nationalities.”

Calling on the MoD to reconsider its position and “come to the negotiating table,” Mr Montiel also expressed gratitude for the support by the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition and highlighted the need for popular unity.

The District Officer concluded his intervention chanting 1970’s slogans:

“el pueblo unido jamas sera vencido y hasta la victoria siempre.”

The protestors then made their way to The Convent to present a petition to the Governor reaffirming their opposition and calling on the MoD to halt the contractorisation process.

Caruana and Bossano express support

When the demonstrators reached The Convent, Chief Minister Peter Caruana came down from his office to address them.

Also referring to the failed joint sovereignty deal, Mr Caruana said Gibraltar responded when the collective dignity was challenged. He remarked that although the MoD was a welcome part of the community, they had to behave in a reciprocal manner and for Gibraltar to treat them with dignity “they have to treat us with dignity.”

The Chief Minister said it would be a grave mistake if the MoD did not accept reasonable, civilised discussion but warned that if “they chose confrontation, Gibraltar does not shy away from conflict when basic human rights are challenged.” He added that the Government stood squarely behind the trade union movement.

The Leader of the Opposition also expressed similar sentiments of support for the demonstrators, reaffirming the need to defend the rights of the working class.

A Union delegation held a brief meeting with Governor Sir Francis Richards after which Mr Montiel said that the Governor had expressed his sympathy for their cause.

In a statement later the Convent said that the Governor had received a Union delegation, led by Luis Montiel TGWU district officer.

“Mr Montiel explained the unions concerns and handed over a petition expressing opposition to the MoD proposals to enter negotiations to introduce an Integrated Service Provider.”

The Governor had said he was “aware of the unions views and the strength of feeling expressed in the petition and undertook to convey these to the Ministry of Defence in London”.

Earlier Branch Officer Charles Sisarello spoke against the dangers of “cheap labour and worsening conditions of employment.” Mr Sisarello criticised the MoD’s “unilateral decision” and lack of consultation. The Branch Officer said:

“We will not stand by and see hard won rights being eroded.

The MoD policy is a recipe for disaster which we will not tolerate.”

Attendance Figures

The bulk of the participants at the demonstration were the affected MoD workers and Gibraltar Government employees who had been given two hours off by management to take part.

Members from both sides of the House of Assembly supported the demonstration as did representatives of numerous local social organisations.

Mr Montiel said attendance figures were 4,000 at Casemates picking up to 6,000 outside The Convent. RG Police put the attendance at Casemates at between 3,500-4,000.

Reform Party Congratulates Organisers

The Reform Party yesterday congratulated both the organisers and participants of yesterday’s trade union anti-contractorisation demon-stration. A party spokesman said:

“We were delighted to be able to participate, banners flying, in such an important show of solidarity.

This is a clear case of demanding social fairness where it is being withheld and we will continue to offer our wholehearted support to the campaign.”

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Related Links:

29 June 2005 - Reform Party congratulates demo organisers and participants

29 June 2005 - Chief Justice gives Union go ahead to challenge cuts

28 June 2005 - GTC urges mass turn out at MoD demo

28 June 2005 - Government Regrets Teachers’ Union Dismay

21 June 2005 - Unions and MoD clash in court

12 May 2005 Unions escalate MoD dispute

19 April 2005 Unions declare a united front on MoD Contractorisation

12 April 2005 MPs urge Hoon to halt ‘Done Deal’

Gibraltar News Online Contractorisation Poll

The discussions between Odyssey Marine Exploration, the Kingdom of Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the regional government of Andalucia, regarding the British warship HMS Sussex, as well as cultural interests and underwater archaeology in the region, are ongoing.

Greg Stemm, co-founder of Odyssey Marine Exploration, has returned from talks with representatives of the Junta de Andalucia, where he was accompanied by representatives of both the U.S. and UK governments.

“The discussions with the Spanish authorities have been very cordial and helpful in settling some issues that had resulted from erroneous media reports. After the talks, I’m confident that all issues relating to our upcoming work in the Western Mediterranean will be dealt with in a timely fashion,” commented Stemm upon his return from the talks in Spain.

The Odyssey Explorer has joined the Company’s chartered side-scan survey vessel to work in the 2005 “Atlas” search area. (For operational and security reasons, Odyssey Marine does not disclose the geographical location of its targeted search area). Since announcing the start of the “Atlas” search project on May 4, 2005, Odyssey has identified approximately 275 targets and inspected 127 targets with ZEUS, one of the Company’s Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV).

Because Odyssey’s new, cutting-edge side-scan sonar system allows crews to map the seafloor twice as fast as previous searches, having a deep-water ROV on a second ship to visually inspect targets will result in a more efficient and productive search process. In addition, the weather window for the “Atlas” project typically ends in the fall while work can continue on the Sussex project year-round. The RV Odyssey remains in the western Mediterranean available to do preliminary work on the Sussex site until the Odyssey Explorer returns.

While performing search, survey and archaeological work in the western Mediterranean, the Company located 23 shipwreck sites, produced 14 pre-disturbance photomosaics, and completed preliminary excavations on 7 sites. The archaeological work, accomplished under the direction of Odyssey archaeologists Dr. Hawk Tolson and Neil Cunningham Dobson, resulted in the recovery of a substantial number of artifacts which are undergoing conservation and study by Odyssey’s research department to aid in identification of the sites.

From Panorama, Gibraltar’s Online Daily Newspaper

Related Links:

21 April 2005 - HMS Sussex Treasure Hunt suspended

16 March 2005 - Ship set for Sussex Treasure hunt

Abridged version of the Sussex Project Plan.

Former General Manager Operations, Albert Garcia has joined the Board of Bland Ltd and has been promoted to Commercial Director.

James Gaggero chairman of Bland Ltd said he was “pleased to be able to cement the relationship that has been built up over 11 challenging years with Albert, during which Albert has proved he is an energetic leader with sound commercial acumen.”

Mr Garcia has been responsible for managing Blands’ diverse portfolio of business operations, which range from retail and business travel, motor transport, Avis rent a car, UPS document logistics and the American Express Travel representation. He has orchestrated an increase in market share in the coach park inbound tourism business in a declining market, whilst maintaining customer service levels that have been recognised by Thomson Holidays who awarded Blands Motor Transport Unit their highest and coveted Gold Award for Excellence.

Mr Garcia has also been responsible for a dramatic increase in sales and profitability of Blands’ UPS document delivery business, which has also resulted in an award from UPS for the fastest growing UPS franchise relative to the other 107 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Blands’ retail travel shops have also been restructured resulting in a 30% increase in sales and better retail travel, cruise and business travel products being made available to the Gibraltar client base.

Albert Garcia said he was “delighted to have the opportunity to lead an outstanding team of professionals committed to delivering the highest standard of customer services to our clients.”

From The Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

At the meeting which has just been held in London of the UK - Gibraltar Tourism Association (UKGTA) tour operators reported sustained growth in demand from the UK market for short-breaks of 3 to 5 days in Gibraltar.

Thomson Holidays representative at the UKGTA, Helen Fletcher, reported that Thomson Holidays had seen over 20% growth in its sales to Gibraltar in 2005, compared to the same period in 2004.

Gibraltar is now in 18th place out of the 70 city-break destinations offered by Thomson Holidays, and carries a similar volume of holiday-makers as Budapest, Nice and Cracow.

Managing Director of My Vacations, the online city break specialist, Raj Kumar, confirmed growing demand for Gibraltar as a visitor destination. He informed the UKGTA that Gibraltar is its top selling destination. Sales increased following the launch and marketing of a dedicated website, www.mygibraltar.com.

Hon Joe Holliday, Minister with responsibility for tourism, commented:

“We are delighted to have made the Thomson City Break Top Twenty, and to be enjoying such good results from City Vacations.

Gibraltar is an attractive destination that appeals to the British market for many reasons.

We are looking forward to coping with further demand from British visitors.”

The UKGTA was formed in 1993. It meets regularly to collaborate on initiatives to advise the Gibraltar Tourist Board and to promote Gibraltar as a tourist destination. Its primary marketing tool is an annually produced commissionable brochure featuring packages to Gibraltar from a range of UK tour operators. The brochure is widely distributed, and is racked by independent travel agents.

Members of the UKGTA include BCT Travel Group, Cadogan Holidays, City Vacations, Thomas Cook Signature, Thomson Holidays, My Vacations, Monarch Airlines, GB Airways, the Caleta Hotel, the Eliott Hotel and the Rock Hotel.

Gibraltar Government Press Release - 29 June 2005 - No: 147/2005

Editor’s Note:

The link provided in the story above for www.mygibraltar.com is not working. The Website link directs visitors to a “Parked Page” announcement. Seems there is a problem for the main Government sponsored Gibraltar Travel website!

If you are looking for information for Travel to Gibraltar, please refer to the links provided below.

Related Links:

Gibraltar News Online Travel Information page

My Gibraltar Directory Travel & Tourism