All of this week in the local news we have been hearing of how the Spanish fishermen are trying to fish in Gibraltar waters with illegal nets. The government has decided to stop all the fishing activities and now is trying to come up with a solution to help all the parties involved - this is the story so far.
Anyways this has resulted by the same old action that Spain did many years ago and has started to put huge queues under the banner of trying to stamp out tobacco smuggling but I am not sure who they are trying to kid here, when we all know it is to do with the fishing dispute and the old age dispute of Spain trying to take back Gibraltar, something they seemingly gave up a long time ago.
But let’s talk about the more recent dispute about the water around Gibraltar . Spain says that under Utrecht claims Gibraltar has no waters around the Rock but if we look into this document further, should Britain claim Menorca back from Spain Spain
Going back to the fishermen they want to fish in our water which in my view should be allowed as long as they stay within the law and EU laws - something they do not do or have not done for many years. The last government eased the tension by allowing them to fish in any manner they wanted as long as they were more than 250 meters away from shore.
The result of this fishy dispute is we the people are suffering more than anyone. We are the ones who endure long queues; we are the ones who endure constant abuse from the Spanish government - locally and globally. But when it comes down to brass tacks why don’t they take us to court to get the EU involved - because they have no case for it. So instead of sitting round a table and try to come up with a solution they prefer to make the lives of the working people hard - Gibraltarian and Spanish alike.
On another note I read some online forums where many Spanish people post there that they should close the border - clearly these people do not work in Gibraltar and do no suffer what the Spanish workers suffer everyday. Summer is coming and the heat is already on the rise, let’s see how long the queues are going to get before the Spanish government realise there are hurting theit own people more then us.
These are fishy times.
I do agree entirely.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the new Spanish Government has the power to switch off and on the Spanish side of the frontier at ease, and so they have most of the Press Media control, but when you refer to “the Spanish people..” please do have in mind, that most of us are affected too by their stupid way of handling the situation, regardless of been a Spanish Worker in Gibraltar or not.
Many of us in La Linea, who know what is really happening, feel ashamed from our own Government…, ashamed too also for most of our own Press Media, for so many unprofessional misinterpretations, lies, manipulations…, all of which is read by the general public with terrible results as this manipulates people’s opinion towards Gibraltar issues.
I myself did work in the Ship Yard 5 years ago but was unlawfully sacked from my place of work just for having joined 50 workers as members of Unite the Union (previously TGWU) and although I do not feel well because of this and still pending a legal solution, ¿How can a blame any Gibraltarian for my been unemployed..?, for as this, is a matter for the employer, the Union and myself.
I am an ordinary Spanish Citizen, a citizen very much involved in our society and very much interested, since the border opening, in creating good relations among NGO of both sides and because of this I have many Gibraltarian friends on ESG and other organizations.
I have since then (1982), been fighting against all sort of politicians in Madrid and Seville whenever any ghost issue started the flame of hatred and pointed at Gibraltarians as being the bad ones, the traffic dealers, the smuggles, the illegal Gibraltar nest for the Black Money etc…
Countless are the times, when I inspired so many other La Linea organizations to help me out against strange situations, name it: Aurora’s Passenger Ship false Virus alarm and border night closure executed by the Spanish Partido Popular, Health Minister , the numerous demonstrations against Tireless and the false stories created by the Partido Socialista from Seville, the unfair acts made by the Algeciras fishing people led by former Algeciras Mayor and a known Union leader, the long lasting bunkering claims, the continuous claims for all petrol leaks seen anywhere on the sea, the former La Linea Mayor Stupid Idea of a Toll for all vehicles coming into Gibraltar, later changed for coming into Spain… etc, ect.
Further still and since I am a member spokes person of ASCTEG, the Association of Spanish Workers in Gibraltar, we have sent many complaint letters to Europe Parliament, Ombudsman of Europe and Spain, Spanish Government, Seville, ect… whenever situations such as this actual one have meant some danger for the good relations and the communications through the border. Thanks to ASCTEG, with the aid of some known deputies and senators we have managed to have a daily control on queues from many hours waiting to proper levels…
But that was all until the new Foreign Minister of Partido Popular Mr. Margallo took over in Madrid , with his prepotency and willingness to conquer Gibraltar and his fantasy on being the first one who will put the Spanish Flag over the Rock, giving us also the opportunity to make all sort of claims against him and whoever uses bad practices again Gibraltarian, linenses, campo gibraltareños or whoever.
All I expect from my long writing above is that you and all Gibraltarian do understand that you are not alone on this; therefore do not think for a minute that we Spanish are against you, just because of our own Government’s decisions, because we are not.
Everywhere, Gibraltar, Spain, the World.., there is always bad and good people, and I think that most sincere people of good will, are on your side… so bear that in mind please …
If situation continues any longer.., we at ASCTEG will end up calling for a public demonstration or something… In which case, we will like your support then…
Hi thanks for your comment.
DeleteI do agree that there are many people in Spain (i.e La Linea) which are with us in the dispute with Madrid and Sevilla. But when it comes to local dispute like the fishing it should be solved by a localy and not have it go to the lengths it has being played out on a Gobal level as it has got to.
I have no problems with the Spainish people as such as you must have read some parts of my blog that i do enjoy Spain and their culture at the end of the day i live in Gibraltar and i am the 1st to say that i am British. But the fact of the matter is we need to have a good realtionship with the local towns in Spain as they are the ones who will support us and in turn we support them (like over christmas in La Linea. Please do not take this post above as an attack on the Spainsh people but it is more on the politics behind the Spainish goverment. In any case i do support the workers who are the people who are suffering at this point in time because of some short sighted politicos in Madrid who have never come down here to see how we are suffering. On the note of thhe demonstration please feel free to go ahead and do one but avoid the border so no ones gets affected by this and the flow carries on.
Hi GibMan87.
ReplyDeleteAgree with all. Never took the above as an attack of course! We all have the right to express ourselves and need to consider why many people express their anger (I know what happened in 1969; Border to La Linea was Locked. I was to take a plane to London from Gibraltar and fortunately I took the very last boat from Algeciras. I stayed that night in Gibraltar and from then on I never had my mind clear of those sad moments not only for you llanitos, but also for many other people in La Linea and Campo Area.
Fishing problem (if there was really any "real problem...") is over now. I had a conversation with La Línea Patron of the Fishermen who told me about his meeting with Fabian Picardo, my friend John Cortes, Gemma Araujo, Susi Barranco (La Linea's Town Hall delegate for Gibraltar issues), Maze (Algeciras Fishing Patron) and 2-3 other fishermen; he said to me that they have come to some kind of agreement with for the moment I should keep here to myself cause I do not know just yet if he had made this public or not, so as you very well pointed out this was sorted out locally, so there should be no more ghost stories about the border to be closed by the fishermen now and then...
Maybe one day, when all these is over we can say a few words on how their situation was exploited and by whom...
Regarding our demonstration, please have no worries whatsoever, because if we (the Spanish Workers Group) are always fighting for better border crossing, I mean, better facilities and not delays.., how incongruent would be for us to do anything that would affect frontier entrance or way out..; Our demonstrations are always respectful with that.
We have already announce it for next Friday 25th starting at 15:30 (Spanish Side) and it will be a pleasure to have llanitos and other Europeans there also, cause the border queues affect us all... SINCERELY, jj.- ;-)