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Opposition confused on constitution, says No.6
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The position of the Chief Minister in respect of the effect of the 2006 Constitution remains clear and unambiguous, says No.6 Convent Place.
The statements made by the Chief Minister in an interview in Spanish newspaper La Razon are identical in form and substance to the position taken by Mr Picardo at the United Nations Committee of 24 in June 2011 when he first addressed this issue. The position reflects consistently the statements of Mr Joe Bossano when he addressed the same body in the years since 2006.
Mr Picardo was asked by La Razon if Gibraltar had emerged from its Colonial Status. Mr Picardo’s words in reply to the interviewer (in Spanish) were:-
“Gibraltar ha conseguido en su Constitución un autogobierno muy cercano a la independencia mientras seguimos bajo la Corona Británica. Y desde 2006 la batalla internacional es que la ONU reconozca esta Constitución.”
This answer can only fairly be translated as Mr Picardo saying that “Gibraltar has achieved in its Constitution a self government which is very close to independence whilst we remain under the British Crown. Since 2006 the international battle has been for the UN to recognise that Constitution”.
The Chief Minister said: “The Opposition are so keen to try to criticise that even their newly appointed Deputy Leader does not bother to read and analyse things carefully before making a pejorative comment. I have told La Razon that we have achieved a level of self-government which is close to independence; exactly what we have been saying for the past six years. I have not told La Razon (as Mr Feetham suggests) that we have reached the maximum level of self-government short of independence. My position is therefore consistent and clear – quite unlike Mr Feetham’s political trajectory to date.”
08-03-12
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