POLITICAL NOTEBOOK

By Onlooker

Do as Spain does, says Spanish MP!

Every time a Spanish politician opens his mouth it can irritate Gibraltarian opinion, such as Granada MP Rafael Estrella who is now saying we should change our economic base to suit Spain!

In the first place, when this senor speaks nobody seems to take any notice - except in Gibraltar where some give him a platform.

Be that as it may, he is now saying that we have lower import duties than those prevalent in Spain and we must scrap them.

How insulting can he be?

What he is really saying is that the residents of Gibraltar should pay more in certain areas of the economy, to bring us to the Spanish level.

Ask any Spaniard (except him) if they would want to pay more or would want to pay less, and let's see what answer he would get.

It is such a narrow-minded, egoistic policy because, if the same logic were to be applied the other way round, then we could ask why Spain does not lower its import duties etc to provide their citizens with goods at Gibraltar's lower prices...

However, if in certain areas of the economy prices in Spain happen to be lower than in Gibraltar, why don't they increase them?

Oh no. But if they are lower in Gibraltar, we are expected to increase them to suit Spain!

The Portuguese might ask why are petrol prices in Spain lower than in Portugal, dear Sr Estrella.

Up and down

You are up one day and down the next, that's politics. And you never know when the bump will come.

Well, it has come now for the GSD, with the PANORAMA poll showing them behind the GSLP/Liberal Alliance.

There are indeed many issues which are providing concern to many people, amazingly housing remains quite a big issue - even for those who may have a house, as there is a wider perception of the political consequences of not building houses the average person can afford.

That has come across quite strongly in poll comments, as well as those increases across a wide range of items when the public thought the Government's coffers were full to the brim.

Not only must people pay more but if they fall into arrears they are being told their electricity, for example, will be cut off.

People are saying if it is asking too much for the 'monopolies' in water, electricity, telephones etc to send out warning letters drawing attention to any delays in payment before taking drastic action, even if it means they have to work that little bit extra. After all, their salaries are well beyond the average...

There is also the underlying concern about making concessions to Spain, which is always possible in any negotiation. Such concern appears to be centered on the airport, which is not surprising as the last thing people want is that the British hold over the airport should weaken in Spain's favour.

Feetham must come clean

With rumours following rumours about Daniel Feetham's hopes of joining the GSD, many people are asking why he does not come clean?

Although the party has been inactive for longer than I care to remember, and it is almost as if they did not exist, he still owes an explanation to the dwindling few who still support the party-that-does-not-exist.

Not long ago it filtered through that top boys in the GSD were against Feetham joining them.

So, what is going on?

Alexander who?

Who had ever heard of Douglas Alexander, the new Minister for Europe in the Blair government. It is not only in Gibraltar that the person is something of a mystery but in Britain, too.

He is one of those people who work behind the scenes, in obscure places like the Foreign Office.

I don't know if he has more brains than McShane, but whatever his brain-power it would appear that he will use it more wisely...
 

Tiempos de guerra...

My dear, take cover, estamos en guerra con our nearest neighbour, La Linea, or haven't you heard?

Que dices?

Bueno, my dear Cloti, it begins con el alcalde, el Juarez, going to Brussels to protest about los pensions, saying that Britain has been given an ultimatum and that it will not be extended. . You don't say.

And he says that the pensions payments are considered discriminatory to Spanish workers because of the residency requirement.

Bueno, they live there and we live here.

Yes, but segun El Chief Minestra el alcalde could not have been told this by the EU Commission, "because it is simply not true." Eso dijo el Chief.

My dear, and what is true?

According to el Chief, the EC wrote to the UK on 21 March saying that 'serious doubt' remained related to Community Care's nature as a 'social advantage linked to the worker's conditions' and alleged discrimination.

So?

So, el EC has told the UK to submit its observations within dos meses, and if not, the EC might issue a Reasoned Opinion.

How unreasonable!

Well, my dear, el Alcalde has now said that el Chief esta nervioso, and says that el Chief esta, por primera vez, "ante un proceso jurídico y legal que le guste o no al señor Caruana..."

Que vamos a las corte?

Well, I don't know. El Alcalde has also accused al Chief of having una salida iracunda, so I will have to check the dictionary to find out what that means.

You do that and let me know.

Y la cosa no queda ahí, porque el Alcalde sugiere "que Caruana deje de comportarse como un 'yes man' with regard to the potencia colonizadora.

Caramba, la cosa tiene chestnut. And I ask: Y donde deja todo esto a los tripartite talks about cooperation?

Don't ask me, aunque todo esto si no es una minestra es un potaje.

Meanwhile, donde hay una guerra civil es en el Labour Party or haven't you heard, my dear?

Quien, Desperate Dan?

No,mujer, I don't mean Patajamon, ese esta mas callao que en misa. I mean Antoñito, who has been cut down to size losing his big majority in parliament after the general election.

Just as well, y que nos deje tranquilo, aunque el Hombre Paja is back.

Pues que tengan cuidao or it will be us who will start a war! Adiós blancaflo.

Bye, bye blackbird!

Wake up Gibraltar!

BY XENOPHON

Argentina’s Defence Minister, Jose Pampuro, has complained to the UK and the EU that the inclusion of the Falklands in the EU Constitution as a UK overseas territory will make the dispute between the two countries a European matter.

Brazil has supported Argentina’s complaint.

Why then has Spain not complained about Gibraltar’s inclusion in the EU Constitution?

Well, Spain couldn’t very well exclude a European territory of a member state that’s been in Europe before Spain herself was member. She couldn’t stop Gibraltar’s inclusion.

Argentina’s worry is that the Falklands will be recognised as British in the EU Constitution.

That would mean no further negotiations between the UK and Argentina on the sovereignty of the Falklands.

Argentina’s sovereignty claim will be severely weakened.

VERY DIFFERENT

It’s very different for Spain. The difference is that that Gibraltar’s inclusion in the EU Constitution is subject to a Joint Declaration signed by the UK and Spain, whereas there is no such Argentina/UK declaration.

No wonder the Argentinians are worried. No wonder Spain is not.

The Anglo-Spanish Declara-tion says that both countries recognise the dispute over Gibraltar to be on-going – Constitution or no Constitution.

Both countries agree that the door has not been closed on the Spanish sovereignty claim.

They recognise that their ‘differences’ over Gibraltar go on.

They recognise that the Gibraltar dispute goes on even though Gibraltar is in recognised in the EU Constitution.

The Joint Declaration strengthens the Spanish claim. It makes it EU business, not UN business.

But it i worse. The Joint Declaration gives Spain the best of both worlds.

It makes Gibraltar a European Union issue and it keeps Gibraltar as a bilateral issue.

And that’s the way Spain wants it.

PRESSURE

In the EU, she can count on the support of other member states.

She can pile on the pressure, not least pressure from the European Court of Justice.

To begin with, we will feel the pressure on a variety of issues not directly connected to sovereignty – issues on which the UK will have surrendered their veto.

Gibraltar will be at the receiving end of European majorities and European judges.

And at the same time, the Joint Declaration will enable Spain and the UK to maintain their bilateral right to negotiate our sovereignty.

The Joint Declaration entrenches the Brussels Process in the EU.

Argentina is right to fear that with the Falklands in the EU Constitution as a British overseas territory her claim will be greatly weakened.

Spain can be assured that no permanent solution to the Gibraltar issue is possible without her consent.

That is what the Joint Declaration amounts to.

NOT POSSIBLE

Those who look to decolonisation coming from the Constitutional Talks had better take another look at the Joint Declaration.

Decolonisation is not possible whilst the Joint Declaration is still there. And if the Constitution is ratified it will be there indefinitely.

The French Referendum on the EU Constitution takes place on the 29th May. A French ‘no’ will not sink the Constitution.

There is now talk that as many as five member states will have to reject, if the Constitution is to be withdrawn.

But there may be a chance to change the terms.

Gibraltar must make sure that – given the slimmest chance – the Joint Declaration is torn up. If it is, Spain will howl ten times as loudly as Argentina.

If we value our future, we must make sure she does.

It's good to see that Tony Blair now has a reduced majority.

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