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Point of View
by EMILIO PEIRE
Has Caruana seen the writing on the wall?
Very soon after the results of the November 2003 elections were
announced, a thought that I would have previously dismissed as
laughable came to my mind. This thought, has over the last seventeen
months developed into a more and more plausible theory. I would now
like to share it with your readers.
Mr. Peter Caruana has seen the writing on the wall and does not wish
to be a candidate at the next general elections. His attempts,
incomprehensible to most people, to get Mr. Feetham and his Party to
join the GSD is little more than a last minute desire to leave
behind a team that would appeal to a wider sector of the electorate.
Having become aware of the loss of credibility of the Gibraltar
Social Democrats among the wage earners in our society. He knows
that the resurgence of the Alliance is very real. Even a few of his
previously unconditional supporters have deserted him.
The fact that the GSD party was only able to obtain 51% support from
the electorate last time makes it extremely unlikely that our
present Chief Minister can be sufficiently confident of victory next
time. Credibility on his “safe” policy towards Spain is now very
much in doubt. Besides, the fact that his arch opponent, the man he
loves to hate will, in almost all certainty, still be the leader of
the only organized political party capable of producing his
successor would make defeat all the more bitter.
Mr. Feetham, leader of the now virtually defunct Labour (?) Party is
now so discredited that he cannot be reasonably expected to lead a
challenge, even for opposition! The recent announcement of the
ministerial changes with the rise to distinction achieved by Mr.
Holliday makes me believe that:
(i) Mr. Feetham’s ambitious willingness to merge his party with the
GSD, thereby providing himself with a status similar to that of Mr.
Joseph Garcia in the GSLP/Liberal Alliance has dissipated into hot
air.
(ii) The anti-merger faction in the GSD has won the argument
(iii) This has served to hold together the GSD Party, which was in
danger of splitting up.
If I am right, then my better side tells me that Mr. Peter Caruana
has decided to give up his long hours of work with the Government
and his party to give more time to his family in the comfort and
pleasant surroundings of his new home. If this is so, the House of
Assembly may become a house of real debate and public information
and politics in Gibraltar may achieve a state of healthy and
constructive opposition instead of the caustic, and hostile
atmosphere now prevailing. On the other hand, my cynicism tells me
that we could see history repeat itself.
A Gibraltarian in his last days in politics may be allowing Britain
concessions to Spain which encroach on our rights, liberties and the
British sovereignty of Gibraltar, without allowing the people a say
in the matter.
Let us not forget that the much-trumpeted triumph of Mr. Caruana of
tripartite talks does not reach ministerial level, he could be
conceding at his level unknown to us matters that, later to be
accepted and announced by Britain in a bipartite ministerial meeting
with Spain. Our Chief Minister’s excuse would be it was out of his
hands and it had been the decision of the United Kingdom! What then?
Snagging y nagging....
My dear, refine your Portuguese, porque han arreglao un coach tour
to Faro, donde are taking place los talks about our future.
Caramba, lo único que me acuerdo son algunos fados de cuando
estabamo en Madeira during the war.
I don't know about los fados, a lo mejor algunos salen cantando del
meeting place, porque dicen que van a hablar hasta de los pensions.
Lo que tienen que hacer es darle a mi querido husband an increase in
pension también, backdated hasta el dia que empezó a pagar los
contributions, que pa eso a pagao bastante el pobre.
Claro que si. And if they are going to do an airport deal, que hagan
un tunnel first, que salga en Sotogrande to get rid of the
motorbikes that queue up on this side of the frontier.
Mi prima retira, la que vive en los Glacis, dice que como no hagan
un túnel la cola va a llega a Europa Point.
Sera por eso why the Governation is saying that they want to
refurbish Europa Point, a lo mejo ponen un kiosk so that people can
while their time away.
Y con tanto aparatos van a tener que comprarle unos tapones for the
ears a la gente de los Glacis y la Laguna.
Que lastima que va a fabricar casas en Buena Vista. My husband dice
que cuando el hiso el Gibraltar regiment up there, el viento era de
upa. Algunos van a salir volando.
It would have been a good place for a second airport which, if you
think about it, would have been without frontier implications.
Pero no metieron a los Moroccans en Buena Vista barracks? Que paso
con eso?
Ahora quieren meter a los Gibraltarians up there. Cómprate un gorro
que se te vuela la peluca!
Meanwhile, el Mister Holliday dice que quiere cambiar the face of
the Rock, if we are not careful we won't be able to see the Rock con
tanto high-rise buildings, se va a parece esto al East End de Londre.
Mind you, el Chief Minestra estara contento porque he has been made
Deputy.
El tio se lo merece, porque after all, people have been thinking
that he was already the deputy dawg.
I imagínate que el Coronel estara frito porque he wanted the job as
well, pero con el new hospital tiene bastante.
Lo que me pareció raro fue que de pronto han abierto el new hospital
como si estuviera cerrao.
My dear, es que era el official opening, o no te has enterao.
Are you telling me que hasta ahora it has been an 'illegal'
hospital?
I don't know about that, pero me dicen que en el UK hospitals are
not opened straight away to the public, but there is a period of
snagging. Aqui, el snagging lo han echo con las gente nagging.
Rabiando de building, el Sands project del puerto has been stopped
porque el contratista y el governation have not come to terms after
all. One can say that everything is in the air!
That's right, dicen que tiene algo que ve con having an airport so
close. The project costs more or the quality has to go down. Ahora,
empiezan los negotiations con otro contratista.
At this pace, esto va a dura mas que los talks con Spain que
empezaron cuando yo era chica.
Tell me, my dear, how come you did not enter el Miss Gibraltar
contest?
Menos cachonfinger que puedo se tu grandma. Adiós blancaflo.
Adiós mi alma. |
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