The words of Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia have appeared in a publication distributed across the Commonwealth.
The 100th anniversary edition of “The Parliamentarian” carried a four page feature on Gibraltar and its links with the organisation.
The journal of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) aims to allow Parliamentarians to collaborate on issues of mutual interest and to share good practice.
The CPA itself is present at national, state, provincial and territorial levels across the Commonwealth and has 180 individual branches.
The CPA was founded in 1911 and is the parliamentary wing of the Commonwealth. Its membership is made up of CPA Branches in 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures at national, state, provincial and territorial levels and it offers a vast opportunity for Parliamentarians to collaborate on issues of mutual interest and to share good practice.
The Deputy Chief Minister, who is the Minister for relations with the Commonwealth, pointed out that Gibraltar was proud of its long and historic relationship with the institutions and organisations of the Commonwealth.
He added, “Like many of our friends across the Commonwealth, Gibraltarians boast a unique cultural identity. We have lived on this Rock for more than three hundred years. We are a British Overseas Territory, a modern nation in our own right”.
New GibAPP Partnership
Ocean Village and World Trade Center Gibraltar has partnered with local smartphone application and business, GibAPP. The brainchild of Alan Pereira, it’s been a mainstay resource for locals and tourists over the past 5 yearS.
In announcing the partnership, Ocean Village will be investing in additional functionality and scale.
GibAPP founder and developer, Alan Pereira said: “GibAPP has become a household name in Gibraltar delivering its services free of charge for over 5 years. This partnership is a new and exciting evolution to an app that has become “The Portal for all things Gibraltar” which will build on its ethos of delivering high quality content to the local and tourist market. I am very excited to show off our new developments that will form part of this partnership, allowing the World Trade Center & Ocean Village brand to enter a new dimension in delivering its services to Gibraltar and abroad – promoting its brand and enhancing its business reach”.
Governor Gets The Lowdown
As part of a whirlwind orientation of Gibraltar, His Excellency the Governor Sir David Steel visited Minister Albert Isola at the offices of the Ministry for Digital and Financial Services.
Minister Isola briefed Sir David on all aspects of Gibraltar’s important Financial Services and Gaming Industries including the impact of COVID-19. Sir David probed the Minister on possible new areas of business for the Jurisdiction and the importance of technology and innovation in modern business.
In their first formal meeting since the Governor’s arrival to Gibraltar, Minister Isola also briefed Sir David on his other areas of responsibility including Digital Services, Broadcasting and Town Planning.
Sensible Brexit
HM Government of Gibraltar has said that it is ploughing ahead with constructive engagement regarding Brexit and what it means for the Rock.
Four years after the seismic vote, and despite COVID-19, efforts have been continuing with the UK Government, the EU – and Spain – to deliver a positive framework after 31st December 2020. The core Brexit team, which remains to this day, consists of the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister, the Attorney General and the Financial Secretary. The huge logistical exercise in respect of EU exit included many other public servants, countless documents and over five hundred meetings in Gibraltar, London, Brussels and Spain. Some of the protocols put in place for Brexit have also actually found themselves being deployed in the face of the challenges created by COVID-19.
HMGoG has been keen to stress the raw economic numbers of cross-Frontier interdependence. There are approximately 15,000 people who live in Spain but work in Gibraltar, making the Rock the second largest employer for the region of Andalucia, after their regional administration. Gibraltar residents also spend over £70 million a year in goods and services across the Frontier. Gibraltarians with second homes in Spain make an annual contribution of over £62 million to the Spanish economy, and Gibraltar imports over €1.5 billion a year from Spain. This makes Gibraltar the largest export market for the province of Cadiz, ahead of the UK and France.
