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Insulted by Pons
Dear Sir,
Well-done Sr.Pons! You have made clear what we have tried to explain
to the Gibraltar Electorate for so long. That your so called
Generous Acts of Goodwill are no more than a preparation for your
Illegal Claim over the Territory of Gibraltar.
You have reiterated in strong terms that " Spain WILL NEVER GIVE UP
ITS SOVEREIGNTY CLAIM ".
You have fired a WARNING shot across our bows.
Spain does not want Gibraltar to enjoy the Right of remaining
outside the European Tariff Barrier, and you clearly state thatyou
will bring this up in future Talks. You propose that Gibraltar enter
the Customs Union lock stock and barrel and by so doing lose a
privileged position in Europe.
You also give Gibraltar a Warning about the Finance Center saying
that IT IS THE FINANCE CENTER that gives a bad name to Gibraltar.
As a responsible Negotiator you are still insinuating that Gibraltar
is carrying on Illegal Finance activities, which is, as you rightly
say, the popular opinion in Spain, a nest of Smugglers and money
Launderers.
You ignored and overlook that Gibraltar complies with all
International and European regulations and has received approval and
a clean bill of Health from all the pertinent Regulatory Bodies.
The warning that you give that Spain may revert to its old Illegal
and Inhuman Restrictions should a future Government of Gibraltar
wish to Review the Airport Agreement.
You say that this would be " a backward step and Madrid would have
to reconsider its favourable attitude toward local cooperation".
This is the kind of reaction we can expect from Spain when the
question of Sovereignty comes up and we turn it down!
This is why we have called the Tripartite Talks a "TROJAN HORSE", as
Spain continues to advocate change so as to encourage greater
economic dependency on the relationship with Spain their position of
strength grows and Gibraltar's weakens. In the end we will realize
what we have warned about in the past, THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL
TRAP.
Spain's intentions are the same it is only the Method that has
changed, they have changed the Carrot for the Stick, but in the end
they expect to win the Sovereignty Claim.
We must remember that the famous Straw "Joint Sovereignty "
proposals have not been rescinded.
Joe L. Caruana
Chairman IWBM
What about Ceuta etc?
Dear Sir,
Like in the old days, Spain is making threats against Gibraltar.
Either we do what they say, or it's back to the old days!
If I heard correctly, Sr Pons wants us to join the European customs
union becauseSpain does not like that Gibraltar has long been
excluded from the customs union, VAT and CAP.
May I ask if Ceuta, Melilla, the Canaries, will also be expected to
give up their special fiscal position as regards the EU - moreso
asthey are Spanish territory!
He wants Gibraltar to join the customs union etc because Spain does
not like the present situation, but he is happy that Spain's own
overseas territories retain their privileged positions in the EU.
Has anything changed in Spain's attuitude?
Yours sincerely,
Martin Gala
The Cammell Laird dispute
*Letter sent to the Chief Minister
by the La Linea associations of Spanish workers in Gibraltar:
Dear Chief Minister
As you are well aware Sir, ASCTEG and CITIPEG are an organizations
of Spanish workers in Gibraltar, we were introduced to you by the
TGWU leader Mr. Sisarello over a meeting held in your office,
together with CCOO and UGT, another Spanish Campo Area Worker’s
Unions.
We are writing to you on behalf of some of our fellow workers in
Gibraltar, workers who are at the moment suffering a long unsolved
dispute caused by the owners of the company Cammell Laird, currently
managing the Gibraltar Port Authorities facilities known as the Ship
Yard. The main cause of the dispute being the company’s general
disrespect for the workers’ rights and those to be with their health
and safety; much of it has been pictured out on public marches and
demonstrations, together to recent press media statements always
showing concern by the worker’s Delegates, their Trade Unions,
ourselves, political parties and the Government of Gibraltar itself.
Knowing of your reputation as for being a respectful man, clever and
trustworthy lawyer, politician and Chief Minister, and being
impressed also for the good job that you are undertaking in the ever
so difficult task, “the Tripartite Talks..” that we applause, and
even though you might consider us both the Spanish ASCTEG and
CITIPEG as not entitled to make any demands on behalf of our members
while working anywhere in Gibraltar, we would like you nonetheless,
to bear in mind please, that we dare to take that opportunity under
the European Parliament Directives of Workers Rights when stating
that any national of the EEC, working anywhere in the European
Union, is to be guaranteed the same rights as any resident in the
same place with the relevant regulations applicable to national
workers and that this entitlement is enjoyed without discrimination
by permanent, seasonal and frontier workers or by those who pursue
their activities, meaning that a worker on the territory of another
Member State is entitled to the same priority as the nationals of
that Member State as regards access to available to the same
assistance by the authorities with the same impetus as the
Government is at present helping the workers in the MOD; Therefore,
having being informed as you have by the local press and the Union,
we can only EXPECT and DEMAND from you as the maximum authority in
Gibraltar, not to abandon our workers, but a proper mediation in the
Cammell Laird Dispute, which was originated on the 25th of September
last, just after the unfair redundancy and dismissal of one of our
Spanish workers, only because he was trying to affiliate others to
the Gibraltar’s T&G. You must be aware also that yesterday another 9
other workers followed the same discriminating and irregular
procedure which confirms how an antidemocratic attitude is that of
Cammell Laird's new management for their rejection to recognize the
Union and negotiating worker’s rights, such as Union representation
or Health and Safety, together to their constant coercion,
intimidation and provocative pre-potent and arrogant treatment to
our fellow workers.
On the other hand, being the Shipyard facilities under the dominion
of the Gibraltar Port Authority -although managed at present by a
new company, buyer of the former Cammell Laird - we beg and prompt
the Government of Gibraltar to demand with the urgency needed,
-lawfully sheltered under the mentioned authority that the GPA has
over the port-, to persuade the management to first of all to
readmit the dismissed workers, secondly to accept the Union and
third to avoid further and unnecessary disputes and job losses, not
only of course, in defence of our Spanish workers, but thinking also
on our colleagues the Gibraltarian and other non resident workers,
all of them suffering this unexplainable but avoidable situation.
Awaiting your magna decisions and Yours Respectfully,
ASCTEG, Delegate in Gibraltar Juan José Uceda President Francisco
Ponce
CITIPEG
Authorized by President Salvador Molina
Obsessed with smoking issue
Dear Sir,
In a recent letter to the Panorama, Mr Zammit is obsessed with
smoking, who is he to impose himself on the rights of those who
enjoy a smoke? He even objects to smoking in Public places. It is up
to the Health Authorities to take whatever steps are necessary about
smoking, not him. Who is he to impose himself on the rights of those
who enjoy a smoke?
Mr. Zammit should turn his mind to the nearby refinery across the
bay and the emission of gases of thousands of cars, motorcycles and
motor scooters in the confined area of Gibraltar and not to a puff
of smoke in the Main Street I like to go everyday to the Royal
Regiment Club in Irish Town because there is a smoking and
non-smoking area as it should be. If you do not want to smoke,
don't. If you do, you have a right to!
Mr. Zammit should mind his own business.
Sincerely
J. Sciacaluga.
Political Roots
Dear Sir,
I read with interest the article by Brian Mcann interviewing Daniel
Guerrero. As a socialist I totally welcome his initiative to return
to his political roots as he quite rightly indicated.
I am therefore delighted that he will continue with his political
link to the GSLP. I am sure he can make a positive contribution to
the collective fraternal strength which is the foundation of the
socialist party in this country which is fighting for a just and
patriotic cause.
Any political observer who at the time when those members of the
executive committee resigned and left the party fully imagined that
this was the beginning of the end for Joe Bossano and indeed the
socialist party have since been smartly disabused.
Certainly an objective appraisal of events at the Annual General
Meeting produces evidence of the total unity of purpose and approach
which is vital to Gibraltar's survival and progress as a people.
Disturbingly, there are now signs of a new attempt by Spain through
the Tripartite process which also has the support of the British
Foreign Office and from some in this country which threaten the
future of Gibraltar as we know it.
I am therefore positive that Daniel Guerrero will also share that
concern. We must be vigilant in defence of our homeland and our way
of life that has been established over many years of democratic
decision
yours sincerely
Francis Gonzalez
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