GIBRALTAR
today
|
|
Letters
|
|
The bread is taken out of the mouths of the
locals
Dear Sir,
I am writing on behalf of the ladies in Gibraltar who have children,
especially girls, who are out of employment. Lots of these young
girls who go out of their way looking for employment find themselves
turned away, as most of the work has already been taken over by
others from over the border.
Go into any shop in Main Street and ask the one who attends you the
price or size of any article and she looks at you in bewilderment,
she then asks another attendant or even the manager to help her out
and what do you require. How does the owner expect to do business
when the attendant doesn't even speak or understand English which is
our common language?
How do these people get these jobs? For there does not seem to be
any notices about the town advertising these jobs and even saying
that English has to be spoken for tourist trade. Are these people
employed legally or as part time? Are we in Gibraltar going to end
up like the news in all the periodicals which states that thousands
of jobs are being taken by immigrants leaving none for locals?
Here the bread is being taken out of the mouths of the local people
and ending up across the way. Speaking to some business people I
have been told that local people don't want to work in a shop but
only in a government job, and also Spanish workers are preferred
because they are more independent and are not light fingered.
Are these business people saying that other people from over the
border are 100% honest and Gibraltarians are not to be trusted?
My honest opinion is that we have should have a Woman's Association
to sort this matter out and jobs especially the first preference
given to the local female population who reside here in our own
homeland.
Hoping you'll either print this letter or part of it to your
satisfaction. Male and female included.
Yours truly,
Mrs J Martinez
Freedom of expression
Dear Sir,
For some reason the words GSLP appear to be the least popular words
and some members of the union Unite vocabulary. And at the risk of
being accused of writing on behalf of the GSLP - which I am not but
as an ordinary citizen.
I would like to express my personal view especially relevant to the
freedom of expression which we all share. When the editor of the new
people was publicly confronted with insulting language by a member
of the union Unite and alleged GSD activist.
No protestation of insulting language can disguise the shameful
personal attack and disregard for the freedom of expression which is
an essential component of citizenship in a free and democratic
country.
At the centre of the controversy appears to be an article from a
contributor. My view however should not be misunderstood. I'm not in
favour or against the said article, just that the freedom of
expression is an essential component of citizenship in a free and
democratic country.
Because in the real world in which we live an essential aspect of
democratic freedom is the right of citizens to speak out and act
according to their beliefs whilst at the same time not infringing
the rights of others.
Agreement with the views of those citizens is unimportant, what
matters is their right to disagree, it really boils down to the
truism uttered by Voltaire, who although disapproving of what was
said was prepared to defend the death the right to say it.
But some members of the union Unite leadership appear to practice a
new authorised version of freedom of expression and democracy that
is totally alien to me and apparently most citizens that permits the
only one side of expression.
If we shackle comment by newspapers we may soon have to move to
restrain or newspapers from publishing vigorous comments of
citizens, journalists, politicians and others about things they
don't like.
Our constitution as we all remember guarantees of freedom of
expression and this freedom means an awful lot to our community,
particularly when we have a right wing government who appears to
control some sector of the media.
Yours sincerely,
Francis Gonzalez
|
|