Britain should show more resolve in defence of Gibraltar territorial waters

Three months ago I complained about the lack of support for Gibraltar in the British press over Spain's relentless bullying of Gibraltar.

Not that the press has given us much support since, but today I see, the Mail Online (who else) is having a bit of a go... talking about what they term as the Gibraltar ambush: Spain grabs miles of British waters to carry out 'environmental protection;.

While this 'news' broke at least three months ago, (I blogged about it at the time: Gibraltar territorial waters and sovereignty once more under threat from Spanish bullying) it's good to see that at least one British newspaper has finally decided to say something about this!

Before anyone has a go at me telling me that there have been other reports in the British press recently about the recent infringements by Spain of Gibraltar's territorial waters... I am aware of those reports. But those reports have simply mentioned the incidents of Spain's transgressions into our waters... some in rather 'gung ho' and alarmist fashion. None (to my knowledge) have looked at the issue on the way Spain has managed to trick the EU into granting Spain legal rights over our British sovereign territorial waters surrounding Gibraltar. Simon McGee, writing in today's Mail Online highlights the issue rather well. Thank you Simon... and 'middle England'!

He even tried to contact the European Commission and the Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministry for comment but... surprise surprise... the EU Commission declined to comment and the Spanish government failed to respond to phone calls.

There have been reports in the British press over the last couple of weeks, that Britain was sending some warships out to Gibraltar, following the recent incidents. I haven't been able to corroborate or confirm the veracity of these reports from any reliable source (other than the UK press) but I can tell you... NO new warships have arrived in Gibraltar... as yet.

There is however, the substantial presence of the British nuclear submarine HMS Trenchant which was observed in the Bay of Gibraltar last Thursday. However, the submarine was only there to carry out a crew transfer and was on its way elsewhere. It was met by units from the Gibraltar Squadron, who in addition to providing an escort also ferried the transferring crew rom submarine to shore. It is reported that the transfer was carried out in the bay "because of poor weather conditions" in the Strait of Gibraltar. In any event, whatever it is up to, a nuclear powered submarine, whilst powerful in any regard, is very ill equipped and totally unsuitable to deal with the types of incidents that have occurred lately.

The brief visit by the nuclear powered submarine drew the usual and predictable response from 'Blanca Luz', Spain's Popular Party opposition MP for Cádiz, Jose Ignacio Landaluce, who repeated (as he does parrot fashion) his concerns about "safety" and urged the Spanish government to "take a tougher line"... bloody cheek! But speaking of Governments taking a 'tougher line', I agree... but it's Britain that should be taking a much tougher line!

As far as I know, the defence of our territorial waters, in this important issue and with the worrying atmosphere of rising tensions, is still up to the two units, the small patrol boats HMS Sabre and HMS Scimitar, belonging to the Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron.

In the light of a recent Defence Management report, which argues that support in Westminster for the Royal Navy has become so bad that the service now has a mere nine ships allocated to protecting Britain's territorial waters. The Royal Navy cuts mean less maritime security for the UK, so this does not augur very well for the Royal Navy's capabilities and the defence of Gibraltar's own British sovereign territorial waters!

As I've said before... so far, all concerned have been able to show restraint in these incidents, both on the Spanish Guardia Civil maritime patrol boats and on the British side, by the Royal Navy and the Gibraltar Police's maritime units... but I can see how these confrontations could easily go awry. Let's hope further escalations can be avoided and the matter can be resolved soon... before someone is hurt and we are having to deal with a much more serious 'international incident'!

I am a little comforted that both the Royal Gibraltar Police and the Ministry of Defence in Gibraltar are trying to ensure that their personnel know exactly what they have to do if faced with yet another Spanish incursion. In the wake of these recent tense incidents at sea off Gibraltar, police and military planners have reportedly revisited the operating procedures for marine crews patrolling British waters and that is comforting to know but one would expect them to be checking and reviewing their procedures.

More importantly... if further confrontations are to be avoided, I for one would feel far more comfortable if the British government were to send more substantial naval units to Gibraltar and, if nothing else, show Spain in no uncertain terms, that unlike in the lead up to the Falklands conflict with the pulling out of a substantial naval presence then, in this instance Britain is resolved to defend its territorial waters vigorously, by stationing one or two frigates or destroyers, at least, in Gibraltar now! Trouble is... does the UK have the will or the capability?

Where is Drake when you need him?

"So please your Majesty, to singe the King of Spain's beard; it has grown somewhat too long."

Tighter laws on child pornography urged in Gibraltar

I'm pleased to see Brian Reyes writing today in the Gibraltar Chronicle, has highlighted the concerns hundreds of local people have expressed in a group on Facebook recently, about Child Pornography Laws in Gibraltar.

The group, created by my good friend and well known Gibraltar saxophonist Nick Gonzalez, urges that 'Child Pornography Laws in Gibraltar Should be Changed NOW'.

The Facebook group, was set up following a recent court case that highlighted a glaring hole in Gibraltar’s legislation.

A man who admitted distributing nearly 5,000 pornographic images of children, including some extreme photos, was jailed for 18 months for publishing obscene material. But he could not be prosecuted for having the images in the first place because possession of child pornography is not a crime in Gibraltar.

Nick Gonzalez, the group’s creator, echoing the sentiments of many of us, said "I set up this group out of anger".

"I wanted to create awareness and put pressure on the government and the judicial system to change this situation as soon as possible."

In just over a week over 650 people have now joined the group. In the Chronicle, Brian Reyes says that many of the comments on the group's pages are "often emotive and angry, but mainly express underlying bewilderment as to why Gibraltar has such an inexplicable shortfall in its laws", and adds:

"Change, however, is on its way, though the timetable is not certain."

The Gibraltar Government has drafted a new law covering computer misuse and including penalties of up to 10 years in jail for possession of child pornography.

But as Brian Reyes points out, although the Bill has been ready since last year, it has not yet been tabled in Parliament and passed into law.

A separate legislative proposal covering sexual offences has also been drafted. It includes provisions for a sexual offenders’ register, which Gibraltar does not currently have, and for which Gibraltar's equality group GGR, lead by Felix Alvarez have been campaigning for since 2005.

But this too has yet to be tabled in Parliament and passed into law.

These and many other laws, such as those surrounding issues of human rights, are long overdue for reform. Some of these are being focused on now through the introduction of proposals by Minister for Justice Daniel Feetham recently. Let's hope these will all be reformed... sooner rather than later!

You too can show your support

If you are a Facebook member and would like to show your support, you can join the group here: 'Child Pornography Laws in Gibraltar Should be Changed NOW'

Brian Reyes Blog

Brian Reyes, is a Gibraltarian journalist. Whilst he regularly writes in the Gibraltar Chronicle, Brian also offers his personal views and comments on many other interesting issues in his own blog over at Letters From Gibraltar.

Hoax Slayer 'proves' Gibraltar Airport runway exists!

An article on Hoax Slayer today, focuses on an email going the rounds, showing photographs of Gibraltar's Airport Runway and questions the veracity of these photographs.

Hoax Slayer is a site I use regularly. It is renowned for debunking email hoaxes and exposing Internet scams. Articles normally give a summary of the subject, then proceeds to either prove it is a hoax and debunk it, or as in the case of Gibraltar's airport runway, shows evidence that proves the original premise in the article summary is true.

In its findings, Hoax Slayer concludes:

According to this 'email forward', the attached photographs depict the runway at Gibraltar Airport - a very unusual runway in that it is traversed by a busy road. The photographs show that traffic on the road crossing the runway is controlled by traffic lights and boom gates thereby allowing aircraft to land unhindered.

Although, such a runway configuration is certainly unusual, the photographs are genuine and do depict the Gibraltar AIrport runway.

As a born and bred Gibraltarian who has walked and driven across the runway thousands of times, flown in and out of it more times than some have had hot breakfasts... now and then in very 'hairy' weather conditions... and been stopped at the barriers on more occasions than I care to recall, I'm wondering... what's all the fuss!!

The article goes on to comment on the fact that these arrangements are currently being changed with the reconstruction of the airport terminal following plans unveiled by the Government of Gibraltar, in May 2007, which will include a new tunnel that will eventually carry the road under the airport runway.

The report also carries the following YouTube video of the road crossing Gibraltar Airport's runway and of a flight taking off:



As you can see, the video firstly shows a British Airways airbus flight taking off, then the arrival of the daily Spanish airline Iberia flight from Madrid landing, with the road crossing barriers down as it stops the road traffic and pedestrians for both flights.

The viewer is then taken on a flight take-off (actual airline not seen but my guess is it's probably BA) in a Westerly direction and shows some nice views of one of the Marinas, the Rock of Gibraltar itself and the Bay of Gibraltar. As the flight circles around the Rock firstly going South over the Strait of Gibraltar (with some views of Jebel Musa and the Atlas Mountains of Morocco in the distance), it then banks left to head East over the very western limits of the Mediterranean Sea towards Malaga and the Costa del Sol, on it's way for the couple of hours flight over Spain, the Bay of Biscay, France and final destination in the UK, either Luton, Gatwick or might even have been a Manchester flight.

British we are and British we stay... but I love my Barça

"British we are and British we stay... but I love my Barça"!

That's the phrase I once saw on a banner hanging out of a balcony on one of Gibraltar's many often flag draped apartment blocks... on the eve of another big football night, such as the one we have tonight... with the UEFA Champions League final between Spain's Barcelona v the UK's Red Devils of Manchester United.

Gibraltar is a place full of passions. Gibraltarians are particularly passionate (mostly) over our politics, when it concerns Spain and our sovereignty. Historically, one of the very few places in the old British Empire... who never said "Brits OUT"... in fact quite the reverse... we've always said (and voted) that Gibraltar will be "British Forever"! We've shouted it from the rooftops... and from our balconies and windows.

On any given day, Union Jack flags can still be seen, side by side with Gibraltar's red and white flag, hanging from windows on residential buildings. Now and then, in times of heightened crisis with our neighbour Spain... these become a wall of red, white and blue!

Yes... Gibraltarians are very passionately, sometimes blindingly and stubbornly so... about being British! Long may it last I say!

Which all brings me to think, that the peculiar passion that a significantly large group of Gibraltarians feel... for their Barça... FC Barcelona, is all the more incongruous!

You see, in Gibraltar, despite our very strong anti-Spanish feelings (a strange and mixed up melange of sentiments to be explored another time but mostly aimed at the politics and government of Spain and not its people, traditions or culture particularly), but in Gibraltar, there exists a large group of people, including a supporter's club that support FC Barcelona!

This is something that I have always found very odd. There are those who go further, calling these supporters of Barça traitors! These, it has to be said, are in a minority and it is a more extreme view... but many of us do get a little irritated by this support for a Spanish team, that's for sure... and remain a touch confused by it!

When asked... or challenged for their support of Barça, their explanation is that they don't see Barça as a 'Spanish' team. They argue, somewhat illogically to my mind, that Barcelona is Catalan and not Spanish.

Of course, Barcelona IS the capital of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, a region in the north east Spain... but it still remains and is the second largest city of Spain.

Gibraltar's Barça supporters argue that Barcelona sets itself apart from Spain, with its long tradition of rebellious autonomy. In the days of the Franco regime the Catalan culture was very much repressed throughout the duration of his dictatorship. Gibraltarians also relate to the fact that Catalans are widely bilingual, much as we are, speaking Spanish and Catalan.

So, in short, the fact is that many in Gibraltar support Barcelona FC... strange but there you have it. Personally, while it's not for me... I like the idea, that even when we, as Gibraltarians, can feel such strong passions for our British sovereignty, when it comes to football, some of us can, rather quirkily, find it in our hearts to support a Spanish team. There's something very healthy and sane in that concept!

As for the game tonight... I very much hope we will enjoy a great spectacle and good fair football... with the eventual result of a good win... for the British 'Red Devils'!

In the event that Barça do win... Gibraltar can expect the usual noisy celebrations, with cars full of loud Barça supporters honking their way round town to congregate at the 'Fuente del Capullo', the roundabout at the bottom of Watergardens, for rowdy goings on which will no doubt go on... long into the night... or as long as the beer at the nearby petrol stations lasts!

C'mon you British Reeeeedds!!


More news and info here: BBC SPORT | Football | Europe | Barcelona v Man Utd

Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Date: Wed, 27 May Kick-off: 1945 BST
Coverage: Live on ITV1 and Sky Sports 1, BBC Radio Five Live, BBC Radio Manchester; BBC Sport website.