GIBRALTAR today Letters

Democratic rights

Dear Editor

May we urge readers to immediately write to their MP's demanding that the British people have a vote on the UK surrendering its sovereignty to the new EU super state or not!

If anyone has any doubt about the new EU Constitution being anything less than a fundamental change can we urge them to read articles 3, 5 ,12 and 25 for a taste of things to come:

Article 3 says the EU shall promote "economic, social and territorial cohesion"

Article 5 says member states "shall facilitate the achievements of the Unions tasks and refrain from any measure which could jeopardise the attainment of the objectives set out in the (EU) Constitution"

Article 12 says that the nation states lose their right to make international treaties

Article 25 creates a Union Foreign Affairs Minister responsible for foreign affairs and defense

The EU Constitution establishes beyond any reasonable doubt a United States of Europe.

Those people who believe in it should have the decency to tell the public the truth and give us the vote.

Please write to your MP before they sign away our democratic rights.

Cllr Steve Radford,

Chairman of The Liberal Party

Marriage by Algebra

Dear Sir,

Professor James Murray of the University of Washington, Seattle, has solved the problem of a happy marriage by algebra after a 10-year study. He presented his module to an international conference of academics ot Mathematical Biology Conference at Dundee University.

The professor is happily married married for 40 years.

Here is his magic formulae:-

Wife:- W(1+1) = a+2lw (t) + (iwh) w(t).

Husband:- H(t+1) = b+2rh (t) + (iwh) w(t).

I am happily married for over 53 years. There was no need for me to be involved in algebra. I looked at my wife’s legs and said to myself:- “She will do.”
Sincerely,
John Sciacaluga.

Reform goes Green

Gibraltar's Reform Party has been invited to attend the Annual Assembly of the Green Party of England and Wales next month. The conference, held this year in Lancaster,will include a session where the Reform Party will address a workshop group on Gibraltar and another where the Party Leader will speak to the whole plenary gathering."This is an excellent opportunity to encourage further the Green Party's support for Gibraltar" said Reform Leader Lyana Armstrong-Emery today. "we also look forward to exploring with the Green Party several new initiatives supporting the Rock, but more about that when the time comes".

In recent years, the Green Party in England has been robust in supporting Gibraltar's right to self determination.

An example of this is the following GP statement :

"The Green Party today reasserted its support for the people of Gibraltar in being allowed to democratically decide the future of their country.

The Green Party announcement came after talks between the UK Prime Minister and his Spanish counterpart - amidst considerable suspicion amongst Gibraltarians that Mr Blair might want to cede Gibraltar to Spain.

Dr Spencer Fitz-Gibbon, a member of the party's national executive, commented:

"The Green Party believes that no decision about sovereignty over Gibraltar should be made without the full involvement and agreement of the people of Gibraltar. And it's entirely clear what the people of Gibraltar want.

"We agree with Gibraltarians, that the Rock is neither Spain's to claim nor the UK's to give away."

He explained the reasoning behind his party's stance:

"The Green Party believes in a form of democracy based on subsidiarity - that is, that decisions should be made at the lowest appropriate level. We believe this is the way to provide for the fullest possible interpretation of democracy. We want elected representatives to be properly accountable to the people affected by their decisions. We think a political system should facilitate the best possible participation of the people in the democratic process.

"So we can only conclude that the decision about who owns Gibraltar should be made on the Rock, not in Madrid and not in London.

"To Greens, this isn't a matter of partisanship but of principle, of fair treatment for people everywhere.

"Again we agree with the people of Gibraltar, that Gibraltar should have full internal self-government, and should be entitled to pursue a free association with Britain."

Gibraltar and its region

Dear Sir,

Through the cellophane I can still feel the surface texture. The castle minus a key, then a lion holding a key, the other a true representation of the Moorish Castle, Tower of Homage on the opposite side the same lion with key. They go back to 1810 and 1820 respectively. The 1802 “Gibralter” One-Quart is my favourite. The obverse depicts the Castle and Key, the reverse the Rock of Gibraltar. This edition obviously coined before the obese political lion came into the act, not only doing away with the key, but also running around with it to the other side of the coin. These Quarts and Quartos tokens, exclusively marked as payable at Keeling and Spittles.

I wonder how hard my ancestors may have toiled to earn a token Quart payable at Keeling or Spittles. Whoever declared the art of transmuting base metals into gold and silver a fallacy. The Keelings and Spittles must have been consummate alchemists by any account.

Gibraltar, it would seem, has always been showered with generous tokens, they come in all shapes and sizes. From token coins to token passports. Two more tokens are in the offing. A token meritorious medal and a token representation, via southwest England, in the E.U. Parliament.

As I handle these token quarts, como oro en paño, I wonder, could my ancestors have actually held these very tokens? A token coin for real productivity, perhaps?

Are we Gibraltarians facing another 300 years of token existence? Is there really no room for reasonable dialogue with mutual respect? Is there a real need to further aggravate Gibraltar’s relationship and interaction with its eternal neighbours, the inhabitants of the Campo de Gibraltar? Is there any need to prolong Gibraltar’s isolation to the point of almost ostracizing it from mainland Europe?

Gibraltar’s future does not rest with any but its own region. The Gibraltarians have much to offer. Limiting Gibraltar’s potential on account of an expired empire and political manipulations from London and Madrid, is but denying future generations of Gibraltarians the opportunity to live in peace and to expand their horizons beyond our homeland Rock and the traditional far corners of the Commonwealth countries. Indeed, Gibraltarians who may face lack of opportunity and living-space at home, the Rock, may well find a stable and concrete promising future within a stone throw from our magnetic Herculean landmark.

While I content myself with my centuries old Gibraltar tokens, in the land of the Aborigines, whose Rock of Gibraltar is Ayers Rock. I wish all that’s good and promising, but a legacy of tokens, for Gibraltar’s present and future generations.

Manuel Correa,
Australia

Telephone charges

Dear Sir,

The incorporation of a belated directive on liberalisation of telecommunications enabled Call Direct to break the monopoly held by Gibtelecom, half-owned by the Gibraltar Government, on telephone calls. This measure resulted in an INCREASE on personal rental charges of 20%, which Call Direct cannot charge, and a DECREASE in international calls, because of the competitive prices charged by Direct Call!

Now Government creates a very expensive annual licence fee, which drives Direct Call out of business, with the resulting loss of jobs. Gibtelecom can well afford to pay their licence fee since they get rid of the competition; and, sometime after the elections the consumers will be asked to pay more.

Are the American owners holding the Government to ransom or are the local executives protecting their high salaries and the Government its dividends? A waver of the licence fee to Direct Call for five years would have enabled the company to get fully established. Many a lame duck has been subsidised by the current administration when it was in its interest!

Yours sincerely

Emilio Peire

WHO ARE YOU?

“Who am I?”- have you ever asked yourself this question? “Who-am-I?” There are many possible answers. Some might escape the question by attempting to answer another question: “What am I?” so the answer could be attempting to answer another question: “What am I?” so the answer could be on the molecular structure of the human body. Others will speak about the organs of the body, work and function together. All this is very important to know in order to care for people’s physical health.

But the question remains: Who am I? What makes the different brother or sister or friends. Philosophers and theologians have tried to find answers to the question throughout the ages and have found many different answers. But ultimately, everyone has to find his or her own answer. “Who am I?”

Each one is unique. Created by God in his great Love. Living in God’s world and invited to live His life forever. So loved by God that He sent His Son into the world for Love of you and me. My life is fulfilled in growing into the fullness of what God has called me to be. - from the Shrine Messenger

• Books

• Magazines

• Posters & Prints