Jul 06 – Minister Licudi Budget Speech

Written by YGTV Team on 06 July 2016.

Mr Speaker, following our election victory in November 2016, I continued to have responsibility for Education, Justice and International Exchange of Information. Indeed, I have had responsibility for Education and Justice since we were first elected into office in December 2011.

Education is of course one of the cornerstones or pillars of any society. We have always believed that investment in Education is investment in Gibraltar and its future. It is what allows our youth to develop as citizens ready to make an important contribution to Gibraltar. It is, ultimately, what allows Gibraltar to thrive.

We have always been a party that has demonstrated the importance we attach to investment in Education and the priority we give to this. It is to be recalled that we introduced in 1988 the concept of mandatory scholarships for all who had a place to study at an approved tertiary education institution. I was one of the first to benefit from that system when I went off to study law in September 1988. Thousands of students have done likewise.

So important and successful was this initiative that we decided to extend this to post-graduate studies following our victory in 2011. Again, we have seen the number of students taking this up increase with almost 1,000 students funded by the Gibraltar Government at university this year.

The Department of Education’s budget for 2015/2016 is £44,767,000. This compares with actual expenditure in 2011/2012 of £28,407,006. This represents an increase over four year of almost 60%. It is an extraordinary increase which speaks for itself. It encapsulates the level of commitment and investment that the Government has been prepared to make in Gibraltar’s youth and in Gibraltar’s future. Our youth of today will be the driving force of Gibraltar’s economy and be responsible for our general well-being in years to come. That is why this investment has been necessary. Over the same period, the complement in Education has increased from 607 in 2011/12 to 712 this year. Again, an important increase in the level of human resources available to meet our children’s needs.

A similar commitment has been made in Justice particularly with regard to the Royal Gibraltar Police. The estimate for this coming year for policing is £15,127,000. In the year 2011/2012, the actual expenditure was £11,244,364. The increase has been around 35% over these four years. The complement has also increased from 258 to 280 during this period.

Mr Speaker, I have been fortunate to have led on three landmark projects which have been concluded during this financial year. Each of these represents a particular milestone for our community.

St Bernard’s First and Middle schools were handed over in time for a September 2015 start as per the Government’s 2011 manifesto commitment. The school is fully functioning and staff, children and their parents have all voiced their delight at this brand new facility in the upper town area. The project also included sporting facilities for community use.

The schools replaced the old St Bernard’s First and Sacred Heart Middle schools. Both of these schools had reached their sell-by date and it was clear to us that they no longer represented adequate educational facilities.

The second project was the University of Gibraltar. The establishment of a university is something which had been talked about for many years in Gibraltar in both political and academic circles. And yet, until we came into office in 2011, no-one had given a categorical commitment to work towards the establishment of our University. For us, this had to be a clear priority. It was no longer good enough to talk about a university; it was something that had to be done.

It took much work and many visits to universities in other countries. I was ably assisted by an excellent team – in particular the Director of Education, Joey Britto, and Dr Darren Fa who subsequently became the University’s Director of Academic Studies and Research.

21st September 2015 was a proud day for the Government and an important day for Gibraltar as a whole as we inaugurated the University. On that day, Gibraltar became a University city, joining the ranks of those cities that are able to offer its citizens undergraduate and postgraduate education in their own land, professional development and able to attract students to carry on their studies in Gibraltar or to undertake research.

It was with a huge sense of pride and satisfaction that we were able to welcome over 2,300 visitors to the University over the weekend prior to inauguration. Not only were they able to see the campus, they were also able to enjoy a series of talks on historical and scientific themes as well as on the making of the University. What was an idea not so long ago, has become a living, breathing and functioning institution.

As all who have visited or attended courses at the University will have seen, the design blends in perfectly the old with the new and does so in a way that not only preserves but enhances the architectural features and heritage value of the existing buildings. And at the same time creating a marvellous use of space in a modern educational establishment.

We have also recently inaugurated the Mid-Harbour Small Boats Marina together with the wharf, public promenade and super yacht facility. This is now fully up and running.

The marina was completed in one phase to a very tight timeframe. The result is a magnificent 700 berth marina with six and eight-metre berths. The marina is protected by a fixed breakwater, which also serves as berthing for super and mega yachts. There is a public promenade which can be enjoyed by people wishing to take a walk right next to the sea or wanting to fish.

It is great to see the facilities already being used and enjoyed by so many people. There can be no doubt that this has been a huge success.

Mr Speaker, I now have the honour to report to the House in more detail on the areas that form part of my ministerial portfolio, starting with Education.

EDUCATION

Records confirm that 2015/16 saw 411 Mandatory Scholarships – ranging from first degrees to advanced doctoral studies - and 15 Discretionary awards. This amounts to a total of 426 new Scholarships – a year-on increase of 40 awards. The number of students who have benefitted from Higher Education during 2015/16 numbered 948. In addition, we have financed 57 applications for Distance Learning courses and continue to fund the Washington Internship programme, which grows from strength to strength and offers unparalleled opportunities for our young people in Washington DC. The Internship programme will run for a further three years and sixty graduates will be able to avail themselves of this initiative over this period.

PLANNED WORKS

Mr Speaker, the minor works programme for financial year 2015-2016 encompassed both external and internal refurbishment works to a number of educational establishments. This included a significant investment in the Design and Technology workshops at Bayside School. The overhaul will be completed during two financial years. Stage one of the refurbishment saw the internal refurbishment of two workshops combined with the installation of new windows and modern plant and equipment. The overhaul is due to be completed during financial year 2016/17.

Further investment has been required in the replacement of the floor surface of the ‘Hexagon’ Assembly Hall at Notre Dame School plus the installation of a ‘soft room’ for children with Special Educational Needs.

The Gymnasium at St Mary’s First School was reinforced with a solid concrete surface after the original wooden floor rotted due to water ingress from outside the building. New flooring and shading canopies were erected to protect pupils from sun exposure in the playground at St Mary’s First School. Varyl Begg Nursery has been refurbished and new windows installed to improve ventilation.

Westside School saw a number of projects, including the decommissioning of unserviceable overhead water tanks, re-routing and renewing of fresh water supply and the refurbishment of two standard toilet facilities plus the conversion of a spacious disabled toilet/wet room facility.

St Martin’s School saw the reconfiguration of several rooms, due to increasing numbers of pupils attending the school, to provide a new classroom and Snoezelen multi-sensory room. Similarly, the old Assembly Hall at Anne’s Middle School was redesigned to create extra classroom facilities, again, due to increased pupil numbers. Various toilet facilities at St Paul’s School were also refurbished. Arrangements for the replacement of the old bus used for the transport of children at St Martin’s are underway.

The second stage of the window renewal programme at Bleak House was completed and the refurbishment of the west-facing external façade at St Joseph’s First School also completed.

Major works to improve disability access at Westside School, consisting of the building of an extension to create extra classroom space for the Learning Support Unit; the installation of a lift to access first floor specialist rooms; the refurbishment of the student PE shower and changing rooms as well as a complete render of the external façade to address corroded structural brickwork. This will also provide a much needed facelift for the school.

The Gibraltar College will also benefit this financial year with an extra ICT suite. It will also see its windows being replaced to improve ventilation. The flooring replacement programme will also continue.

Works to the external and internal façade of St Joseph’s First and Middle schools will continue to eliminate perennial water ingress and damp issues affecting both sides of the building. The flooring replacement programme will be continued; the reception lobby, shared by both schools, will also be re-designed to improve access and security.

Given that the school has outgrown its current lunch-hall facilities, the much needed construction of new facilities to cater for the needs of the children at St Mary’s First School will commence.

Works at St Paul’s First School will include repairs to the external façade; the refurbishment of the student Library and the replacement of skylights.

Structural and repair works will be undertaken at St Bernard’s Nursery to address water ingress problems and the replacement of windows.

The final stage of the window replacement programme at Bleak House will be completed and the now obsolete (HCFC Gas) air conditioning units will be replaced with more modern and environmentally friendly units.

CHILDREN AND SCHOOLS

Mr Speaker, September will see a more formal curricular offering for Year 3 (last year of First School) and Year 4 (first Year of Middle School) for Gibraltar Studies. The Department of Education is currently working on a programme of study for both these years to ensure that our children are well versed in Gibraltar, its history, environment and context. Further programmes of study will follow during the course of the academic year and a full curriculum will be developed for our schools. Apart from school-based lessons and talks in schools by local experts, the programme of study is also designed to take education ‘out of the classroom’ and will involve visits to sites like the Gibraltar Museum, the Botanical Gardens, the Upper Rock Nature Reserve and our shore- lines.

A new Language Academy is being set up by the Department of Education in conjunction with the Gibraltar College. This will see a range of languages being made available to children and the community in general, as part of the College’s current Continuing Education programme. An exciting innovation will be that for the first time, foreign language sessions, including Spanish, will be specifically designed to cater for children of school age after hours. This will follow the current Evening Class model delivered by the Gibraltar College, except that sessions for children will start at an earlier time.

As I mentioned in answer to questions from the Opposition, the Department of Education is also working with the Gibraltar College to provide training for those teachers wishing to obtain a qualification in the Teaching of English either as a foreign or additional language. The aim is to build capacity amongst staff to teach both local residents in need of language reinforcement as well as creating a professional cadre that our College can access to meet the demands of a growing international demand for English language classes and tuition.

The Advisory Service continues to work with schools in order to raise standards and assure the quality of the education we offer our children. The Department of Education has supported the work of teachers by continuing to fund both locally and UK based courses for practitioners on assessment and tracking pupil progress. Of primary importance have been the workshops organised by the Department of Education on the current changes to the curriculum in schools in England and their possible impact on the local context. Apart from these workshops, UK curriculum experts have delivered sessions on the future of A-Level and GCSE examinations, as well as the on-going developments in the primary and secondary curricula for schools.

The Advisory Service has also led on curriculum working groups from the secondary and middle school sectors on the establishment of common content for science across all middle schools, particularly in Year 7. The aim of this exercise is to ensure a better transition from Primary Science to Secondary Science, after children transition to the Comprehensives. This will allow the children to meet the demands of the revised secondary science specifications for GCSE.

Changes to the National Curriculum (that is to say, the removal of ‘Levels’ with a modification of content and timing) has provided the Department of Education and schools with the opportunity to examine emerging best practice, both in our schools and abroad. An expert on assessment from the National Association of Head Teachers delivered a two-day workshop on Assessment without Levels to Heads, Deputies, English and Mathematics Co-ordinators within the primary sector. These workshops successfully informed the work of the Department of Education on assessment and it will therefore continue to work on producing a framework based on emerging best practice whilst at the same time, allow for local adaptations and implementation strategies.

Mr Speaker, another important development this year has been the availability of subject choices at A-Level. Boys and girls now have equal access to subjects such as Economics, Sociology and Further Mathematics at A-Level, as long as the combination is viable and can be time-tabled.

This year a repeat facility for Science GCSE was started at the Gibraltar College. This should enable students who have not achieved a pass to follow subjects at University where Science at GCSE is a requirement. This builds on the already established GCSE repeat package at Bayside and Westside and on the success of the homework club run by the Gibraltar College at the John Mackintosh Hall.

Another crucial development this year has been the launching of a new Code of Conduct for Teachers. This has been delivered to twelve of our schools and the process should be complete by the close of the academic year. The guidance will help practitioners better understand expectations and responsibilities in an evolving profession; a guiding compass to help steer a course through their career in teaching and public service.

Mr Speaker, I am proud to report that, true to form, schools have this academic year collectively raised in excess of £56,000 through their charitable endeavour, and serviced over thirty local and international charities. I should wish to point out that there is clearly considerable value in the educational journey for a child giving up his or her time in order to help those less fortunate.

Schools continue to give up of their time to participate in numerous events and competitions, in conjunction with other agencies and government ministries. These include:

• World Social Workers Day
• World Cancer Day
• World Mental Health Day
• Autism Awareness Day
• World Down Syndrome Day
• Ministry of Culture Art Competition for Young Artists
• Children’s Academy Football Day held in conjunction also with the Ministry of Culture and

Premier Legends International,

• The Postal Union’s Letter-Writing Competition in conjunction with the Royal Gibraltar

Post Office

• Childline Blue Week Competition

• Childline Anti-Bullying Month Exhibition and Presentation.

I am also proud, Mr Speaker, to report that a team of Bayside students won the Grand Final of the 2016 Cyber Centurion Competition hosted at Bletchley Park. The competition focused entirely on security aspects of computing systems and how to stop hacking and other malicious IT intrusions. Our students were up against considerable opposition from schools throughout the United Kingdom and still managed a resounding win.

Department of Education initiatives, in partnership with the Kusuma Trust, have also included work in the following areas:

• The very popular Science Week in conjunction with the Science Museum, London, was held in schools and at the Ince’s Hall Theatre;
• Shakespeare in Schools workshops;
• A representative from Cambridge University advised on interview techniques for our Year 13 students;
• The very popular Maths Week and talks on the Enigma Machine were hosted in

Secondary Schools;

• The piloting of coding and Robotics for First School and Middle School children.

Once again schools participated in the Gibunco Group Gibraltar International Literary Festival with top authors addressing pupils both in schools and at the John Mackintosh Hall – this continues to grow in popularity.

Our schoolchildren continue to benefit from the visits that our schools arrange for them involving a wide range of educational events for example, an exhibition on Jacobo Azagury; Joshua Benoliel; the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens; the Convent and gardens; the Gibraltar Museum, the Nature Reserve and a host of other activities relating to our history, environment and heritage. The latest event being schools’ participation in the workshops hosted by musicians and artists from the Gibraltar World Music Festival: ‘Come to my school’, at the end of June.

IMPROVING TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Mr Speaker, using technology to increase the level of interactivity in a classroom is an aspect of teaching and learning that has been of particular interest at the Department of Education for some years now. Primarily, teachers are looking at improving the level of engagement with and between pupils through the use of technology and to provide a vehicle for collaborative learning, thus enriching the teaching and learning experience.

Whilst teachers across all sectors have been exploring how tablets can impact on pupil engagement for some time now, an exciting trial project, involving the use of tablets in lessons is currently being pioneered at St Bernard’s Middle School. It is envisaged that this will next be extended to a First School and to St Martin’s Special School. Although the project is still in its infancy, children and teachers have already reaped the benefits of this simple yet effective way of supporting classroom practice. Staff are supported by an experienced UK-based consultant in all aspects of the use of tablet technology and to enhance and support teaching and learning.

STAFF TRAINING FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE

The Department of Education, in partnership with the Kusuma Trust, have linked up with University College (London University) to gain benefit from their experts in the field of computer science. This was initiated as a result of the change from the current ICT curriculum for schools in England to a more Computer Science-based model for schools.

Staff from University College will be delivering a bespoke Computer Science course up to Masters level for teachers. This should run for two years and clearly help to build capacity in the skills available to schools in this respect. Training courses in coding and programming will also be made available for teachers wishing to pursue this field; this is a completely new endeavour for our Primary Schools in general. Having said this, the fastest growing strand in the technology curriculum is that of coding and programing in Computer Science. The continued use of web- based coding programmes by a handful of pioneering teachers in the Primary Sector has contributed significantly in informing the type of training the Department of Education will provide and facilitate for practitioners involved in this exciting development.

In relation to computer science and ‘coding’ the Department of Education will be working with UCL and the Kusuma Trust as from the first term of the Academic year 2016-2017 to deliver an introductory training programme for teachers, over three days. This first stage will be followed up with a one-year Certificate Course from the British Computer Society, which will run alongside the training, provided by UCL.

A Masters course levelled at those who require a greater level of expertise is under review and it is hoped that this will attract teachers from the Secondary Sector, and invite them to provide teaching within an area so young and new that it is currently difficult to recruit teachers who are specialist in this field.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

We naturally continue to provide much needed support for children with special educational needs through the deployment of additional Special Needs Learning Support Assistants (SNLSAs) wherever a need is identified.

SNLSAs CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Although SNLSAs are currently afforded the opportunity of attending in-services within their schools, there is a need to further enhance the SNLSA’s knowledge and skills. More and more children with special needs are being taught in mainstream schools and this, at times, will require more specialist support. With this in mind, the new academic year will see more opportunities for professional development through a series of sessions aimed at enhancing, even further, the quality and level of support for children in schools.

TEACHERS’ CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (SEN)

Mr Speaker, last July, eleven teachers from across the sectors were selected to embark upon an on-line Dyslexia Action Level 4 International Programme designed to build on existing expertise to further support learners with Dyslexia in our schools. In October 2015, the Dyslexia Support Group invited Dr. Gavin Reid Psychologist, author, and conference speaker to give a full day presentation on identification of Dyslexia and removing barriers to learning. Over thirty teachers and SNLSAs attended that course.

In September [2016] six of our SENCOS enrolled on an on-line National SENCO Award course, which is intended to build on practioners’ existing expertise and experience to help further their development. The SENCO has a vital role within our school system and the aim of the award is to maintain a consistent, high level of quality training. The modules are designed to give an understanding of the skills that can be used to make a positive difference for learners as well as providing opportunities to practise those skills in the workplace. It is envisaged that any subsequent new SENCO post-holders will also be afforded the opportunity to study for this qualification.

This year, nine teachers successfully completed the Dignified Care and Responsibility Training ‘train the trainer’ course. The aim of this course is to make staff aware that most incidents can be defused without the need for physical intervention. It is these skills and techniques of preventative crisis management that DCRT teaches. On completion of the course the staff are then able to deliver the training to other colleagues in their own schools.

JUSTICE

Mr Speaker, I now highlight some of the legislative issues we have dealt or are dealing with since my last budget speech.

In March of this year, we enacted and commenced the Judicial Service (Amendment) Act 2016 which fulfilled an outstanding 2011 manifesto commitment in that it made provision via the amendment of the Judicial Service Act 2007 to make the Chief Justice the Head of the Judiciary in Gibraltar. It had always been the view of this Government “that the head of the judiciary in Gibraltar should be the Chief Justice, as has always been the case, irrespective of who the post- holder may be”.

Furthermore, earlier this year, the Government commenced the Proceeds of Crime Act 2015 in its entirety. This Act consolidated legislation on money laundering in Gibraltar and creates a single regime dealing with the recovery of money from drug offences in the same manner as the recovery of money from other criminal conduct. It also introduced a new procedure enabling the seizure and confiscation of assets arising from any criminal conduct, even where no criminal proceedings are brought against anyone, in a manner similar to those regimes that exist in other jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom. Additionally the Act provides for the Civil Recovery of the proceeds of unlawful conduct, by way of civil proceedings which are not preceded by criminal proceedings. The Act and its powers are extremely important when considering the global efforts to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing and form a good grounding for the forthcoming MONEYVAL inspection in 2018. MONEYVAL is a permanent monitoring body of the Council of Europe entrusted to improve the capacities of national authorities to fight money laundering and the financing of terrorism more effectively. To this end, the RGP has created a specialist unit to deal with the various aspects of the new legislation and the Office of Criminal Prosecutions and Litigation fully support this new regime.

The Supreme Court (Amendment) Act 2015 amended the Supreme Court Act so as to set new training requirements for barristers and solicitors who intend to practice in Gibraltar. The first academic course in Gibraltar Law, which is part of these new requirements, has already been successfully run by the University of Gibraltar. This Government is now continuing its work alongside the Bar Council of Gibraltar to look at ways of modernising the current system of regulation of legal services in Gibraltar and it is hoped that a consultation paper on this very matter will be published jointly by the Government and the Bar Council very soon.

GIBRALTAR LAW COURTS

Mr Speaker, I turn to matters related to the Gibraltar Law Courts. In October 2015, the President of the Court of Appeal and President of the Courts of Gibraltar, the Rt Hon Sir Paul Kennedy retired, after having served as Justice of Appeal since September 2006 and as President since November 2011. HM Government of Gibraltar would like to thank Sir Paul for the excellent and important work he has done over the years.

At the Ceremonial Opening of the Legal Year, court staff were praised by all for the good work they do. The Gibraltar Courts Service has continued to maintain its high level of performance in the services provided. It continues to find ways in which to modernise and improve the services provided to court users. Their website continues to be updated and developed. Judgments have been uploaded and are now available for the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal since 1997 to date. Further work is in progress and all available judgments for the preceding years up to and including 1991 will also be uploaded. Additionally, since January this year, Sentencing Pronouncements for Criminal Trials at the Supreme Court are now also available for download in pdf format from the website, thus enabling the general public and service users to be ‘up-to-date’ with court decisions.

This Laws of Gibraltar Judgments website (not to be confused with the Gibraltar Courts Service website) contains all judgments published and contained in the hard copy volumes of The Gibraltar Law Reports commencing in 1812. This website is also fully up-to-date with all reported judgments for the period 1812 to 2015 (inclusive) and are all available for download.

I am happy to inform that there continues to be no backlog in the Magistrates’ or Supreme Courts in respect of dates being provided for criminal trials and of civil and family applications waiting for first hearing dates.

On the whole, court users today enjoy a modern, open and approachable court service that endeavours to work together with stakeholders, to ensure the needs of the court and their users are met.

During 2015, the Gibraltar Courts Service and the Judiciary provided pupils from local middle schools, as well as Law students from overseas colleges and universities (including the United States, Sweden and Spain), with organised visits to the Gibraltar Law Courts complex. The visits were intended to be both informative and educational. Visitors and students alike were able to view the courtrooms and facilities and, more importantly, meet a Puisne Judge, who provides them with an overview of the criminal justice system and answer questions on how the system works in Gibraltar. Not only are these visits enjoyable, but in respect of external visitors, they serve to enhance the reputation of our legal system.

PRISON

Mr Speaker, turning to Prison matters, I am glad to say that officer morale is high and prisoner indiscipline cases are low, with most cases being of a minor nature.

This year, improvements to educational programmes on offer include the availability of a full time teacher for juvenile prisoners. When required, taught classes are provided every day, 5 days a week.

A new counselling programme will also be on offer entitled “Cycle of Change”. The programme is broad in scope, covering a variety of topics including:

1. Social and/or family history
2. One to one counselling
3. Building self-esteem
4. Grieving – sense of loss
5. Relationship with self/suppressed feelings
6. Anger issues
7. Consequences – positive and negative
8. Safe boundaries – communication skills
9. Drug misuse – dependency
10. Relapse prevention
11. Motivation for change

Narcotic Anonymous will be upgrading their weekly prison meetings under a new “Hospitals and Institutions” subcommittee. This will allow the organization to offer a more tailor made service, particularly suited to those in custody.

These additions continue to supplement and improve the array of services on offer at HM Prison and aid in the rehabilitation of offenders. Prison management remains very committed to the ongoing rehabilitation of offenders and enhancing educational and vocational opportunities to all those in custody, with a view to breaking the re-offending cycle and successfully reintegrating offenders back into society.

Mr Speaker, in May this year, Mr Coom, Chief Officer at HM Prison attended the FCO Overseas Territories Prison Superintendents’ Conference in London. The conference is hosted by the FCO Overseas Territories Directorate. Mr Coom was able to network with senior professionals in the field and secure training opportunities for middle/senior management in areas such as Prison Management and National Offender Management Services.

This programme of activity is being expanded to cover wider multi-agency working across the justice sector, coordinated by Territory criminal justice boards where probation and other staff also have access to training courses and secondments in the UK to build on their expertise.

POLICE

The 26th September 2015 saw the RGP mark the granting of The Freedom of the City of Gibraltar with a parade involving serving and retired officers led by Commissioner Yome. This much deserved honour is appropriate recognition for the work they do.

In January 2016, the RGP were awarded the prestigious Investors in People “Gold” standard, the latest milestone in their journey of continuous improvement.

A significant number of RGP Constables, Sergeants and Inspectors as well as Civil Service support staff, completed leadership and management training during the course of last financial year. Officers of various ranks have partaken in various forms of training, both locally and overseas, in both generic policing disciplines as well as in more specialist areas such as intelligence analysis, financial investigation; all aimed at improving professionalism and overall service delivery at the RGP.

Of note, Superintendents Cathal Yeats and Richard Ullger completed senior leadership training and strategic command programmes at the renowned FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia and the United Kingdom’s College of Policing respectively.

On the international front, the RGP has represented Gibraltar at various fora during the past year at the strategic, tactical and operational level. These include:

• executive meetings and annual conference of the European Association of Airport & Seaport Police (EAASP), chaired by Commissioner Yome in his capacity as President of said body. In 2017, HMGoG are supporting the hosting of the EAASP annual conference in Gibraltar.
• the launch of the Small Island Nations Centre of Excellence for Cybercrime, an EU funded project involving the RGP and counterparts from other jurisdictions collectively fighting cybercrime. The RGP were invited to deliver a presentation on local cyber threats
• various Interpol meetings and conferences

• UK Overseas Territories conference on Child Safeguarding where the RGP were invited to present on the model of Safeguarding Children & Sex Offender Management already in place in Gibraltar.
• operational meetings and actions with counterparts in the United Kingdom, Spain and Morocco in Counter-Terrorism, as well as Serious and Organised Crime meetings.

Mr Speaker, the RGP, in partnership with the renowned international watchdog Internet Watch Foundation, recently launched a new online reporting portal that will allow the public to report any online child sexual abuse imagery found online. The system will allow reported material to be analysed by experts, who will, amongst other things, ensure any child sexual abuse content hosted anywhere in the world is removed from the internet and its origin investigated.

On the educational and awareness front, the RGP continue to conduct seasonal campaigns advising the public on areas of concern and issuing warnings of particular crime threats using their social media outlets under the banner of Operation GibWatch. School Liaison officers continue to perform sterling work in the form of regular talks and presentations to all schools on matters such as road safety, Internet safety, binge drinking and drugs misuse, amongst other topics. This work has been complemented by the RGP’s annual summer and mid-term camps for children, as well as the “Mini Olympiad” held every October under the banner of “Live Life, Love Sport.” The RGP Charity committee and annual recruit intakes are also extremely active all year round raising substantial amounts of money through various events for local charities. The most recent of which was a Family Fun Day that raised approximately £5,800 for the drugs awareness and support charity, “Stay Clean.”

As part of an on-going process of developing and strengthening partnerships, September 2015 saw the RGP and Youth Service formalise their existing close relation with a Memorandum of Understanding. The MoU enables the exchange of information on the safeguarding of young persons and creates new areas of work for the promotion of young persons’ interests and development.

As I said in the recent passing out parade for new recruits to the RGP, we have a modern, intelligence-led neighbourhood policing style with a strong emphasis on citizen focus and problem solving. We have a force that adopts a multi-agency approach to address the needs of the community.

We live in a tough world. Gibraltar needs to be constantly alert and alive to any issue which threatens the peace and safety of our community. There are new threats that we have to deal with, including threats involving cyber-security and the use of the internet to commit criminal offences.

We all want to sleep well and soundly at night. And we want to do so in the knowledge that we have a highly professional team of individuals dedicated to law enforcement at all levels. The safety and security of our community is entrusted to these individuals and we must justly feel proud of all our law enforcement officers.

INTEGRATED CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Mr Speaker, this year will see the phased introduction of the Integrated Criminal Justice System. This is a software system, known as Cyclops, which will link up all of the main organisations that for part of the justice system into one information management system. This is a significant investment made by the Government. Once the IT platform is completed and is fully operational it will positively transform the way departments and organisations in the criminal justice system interact with each other. It will enrich and enhance communication and the processing power of everyday deliverables. This will include custody arrangements, case management and intelligence processes.

The project is being steered by my Ministry and implemented by the various departments involved in the scheme. This includes the RGP, Courts, Customs, Government Law Officers, Prison and the Probation Service. The first phase of the project is nearing completion and expected to go live in the next few months.

Not all convicted offenders receive a custodial sentence. Community Sentence Orders may be imposed on convicted offenders and on this front again, the Community Services Officer has seen his busiest year yet. A total of 45 offenders were made subject to Unpaid Work Requirement Orders; in real terms this represents over a 100% increase to the previous year’s figure of 22. Unpaid Work Requirements enables offenders to give back to society with offenders engaged in positive activities that are of benefit to the community. During the past year, work under this type of orders has been carried out in community and church groups, civic buildings, tourist sites and other associations. Only 3 offenders have been returned to Court for not complying with an Order. Furthermore, the Courts have issued 4 Youth Rehabilitation Orders requiring some of our young offenders to undertake similar work.

This year, all members of the Probation Service, together with members of the Royal Gibraltar Police, Prison Service and Social Services undertook an intensive one week course on the identification, assessment and management of Sex Offenders. The management of these types of offenders work well in Gibraltar under a trained and committed core group of professionals that are fully qualified and accredited to deal with these matters.

The Probation Service continues to work with the Prison Service as an integral part of the offender management system in Gibraltar. Much of its work in this respect focusses around assessments for inmates eligible to be considered for Parole. During 2015, the service provided 35 such reports to the Parole Board, which resulted in 22 inmates being released into the supervision of the Probation Service.

CIVIL CONTINGENCY

In respect of Civil Contingency, the Department facilitates through training –communication and coordination between front line emergency services, supporting agencies and the Ministry of Defence. This has included organising interoperability training courses, which have been delivered by visiting lecturers from the UK Emergency Planning College. This training has been based on the UK Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (JESIP), which encourages operational response under a single coordinated command and control system of management. Two courses were delivered under JESIP. 34 officers from the blue light services have benefited from these courses.

Earlier this year, a simulated plane crash into the sea was tested through a table top exercise. Lessons learnt have already been incorporated into the Airport Emergency Orders, which of course is a live document which is updated as required. HM Government of Gibraltar funded, via the Civil Contingency Department, emergency equipment that will enable maritime responding agencies easier access and handling of casualties, in the unlikely case of an air disaster at sea. This equipment and its deployment mechanism is currently being tested.

A full day Counterterrorism exercise was also held, during which different challenging scenarios were tested. Training and planning in this field and the challenges they present forms part of the Civil Contingency Training programme.

The Major Incident Response Plan has been substantially updated and issued this year to all departments and agencies that have a responsibility within the plan. The document provides information and responses to known threats and risks and is the basis upon which the Civil Contingency Training programme is prepared. Central to the Plan is the corresponding command/management structure to be applied at all levels in case of a major incident.

A major asset in the command/management structure is the Crisis Communications Centre at No.6 (aka “the bunker”). This facility was recently commissioned and provides a modern and well equipped centre from where Government Ministers and senior officials can adequately manage a major incident in an efficient and coordinated manner. Government departments, agencies and other stakeholders are currently familiarising themselves with the equipment and technology in the centre, mainly through training and joint operations.

GIBRALTAR FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE

Mr Speaker, 2015 was a year of transition and significant change for the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS). With a newly appointed Senior Management team, together with promotions across all ranks, and the culmination of 150 years of exemplary service to the community, it has been a time for reflection, self-assessment, adaptation and forward planning.

As part of the 150th Anniversary celebrations, the GFRS organised a number of events throughout the year. This included the launching of a set of stamps depicting the various specialist responsibilities of the GFRS and the publication of a commemorating book entitled ‘A Tradition of Service’, written by Mr Richard Garcia. In addition, and in an attempt to encourage community participation in the celebrations, the GFRS organised an open day which served to highlight some of the specialist skills required of a modern Fire Fighter. The activities included ladder climbing, abseiling, fire-fighting, etc. The celebrations culminated on the 20th of November with a gala dinner attended by over 120 Fire Service personnel, past and present, together with distinguished guests. A truly memorable year for the GFRS.

During the financial year 2015/16, various officers attended a number of courses in the UK, mainly at the Fire Service College and other UK institutions, and in Gibraltar at various institutions and venues as required by the course in question, ranging from management to coxswain courses.

The Fire Safety Department is involved in many processes focusing on fire safety at home, work and in the community. Community fire safety talks have been given to a number of entities including schools, government and private nurseries, private companies, clubs and Government facilities. The GFRS is also involved in many statutory processes that require the issue of licences, such as building applications, certificate of fitness and petroleum licences. A total of 729 licences were processed in 2015/16.

In April this year, we saw the launch of the GFRS Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP). This document serves as a blueprint of how resources are and will be applied by the GFRS in the fulfilment of their duties. It highlights how the GFRS, in partnership with HMGoG, works to make Gibraltar a safer community in matters associated with fire prevention, protection and being an effective responder to a wide range of operational incidents. This document demonstrates that the GFRS has a sense of direction and a set of challenging but achievable targets that can be achieved with an agreed level of commitment, focus and resilience. The ultimate beneficiary of the IRMP is the community and it is with this in mind that the GFRS strives to perform their responsibilities in a professional and efficient manner.

April 2016 also saw the launch of the revised Fire Safety Regulations, specifically Part E of the Building Regulations. The Regulations have been simplified to allow more flexibility to developers/contractors requiring alternatives in fire safety design mechanisms. They also require developers to provide access and facilities to assist the GFRS in the fulfilment of their duties, something that previously was limited to a recommendation as opposed to a requirement.

As from late last year, retired fire service personnel, who are eligible for community service, have been given the opportunity to come to the GFRS and give back to the community some of their vast knowledge and experience. The opportunity has been well received by interested parties who still feel that they have plenty to contribute.

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

Mr Speaker, to end my contribution, I turn to matters in connection with the international exchange of information.

Mr Speaker, Gibraltar Finance is tasked with responsibilities in the area of international co- operation. The Department has been busy lobbying countries that still have Gibraltar on their 'tax haven' blacklists. Recent successes that have directly resulted in the removal of Gibraltar from these lists include Bulgaria, Canada, Latvia, Estonia and Italy. No doubt we will continue to lobby the few remaining countries that perversely maintain Gibraltar on their lists in an attempt to persuade them to rightly delist our jurisdiction.

In 2014, Gibraltar was rated 'Largely Compliant’ in the OECD Global Forum Phase 2 Review. The UK, Germany and USA received the same rating. In 2015, we achieved another positive rating by the OECD in Gibraltar's Confidentiality and Data Safeguards assessment. In the first half of 2019, the OECD has announced a Phase 3 Review of Gibraltar's 'Legal and Regulatory Framework and Implementation of the Standard in Practice'. Preparations are well on their way for this and I am confident that Gibraltar is set to achieve another positive result in this regard.

Other forthcoming reviews include an FSC statutory review later this year, Moneyval in 2018 and Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) monitoring by the OECD leading to a comprehensive review of Gibraltar's adherence to the AEOI standard from 2019 onwards. Prior to 2019, the OECD is adopting a so-called "staged approach" which although not designed to result in specific ratings, may result in recommendations being made on each module of the staged approach.

Mr Speaker, we continue to handle Exchange of Information on Request (EOIR) applications received from partner countries on a day-to-day basis together with the various strands of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI). This includes USA FATCA and the Crown Dependency and Overseas Territories Intergovernmental Agreement (commonly known as UK FATCA) and the Common Reporting Standard (CRS). The UK FATCA portal, accessed via www.aeoi.gov.gi, has recently been launched with the deadline for submission amended to 1 September 2016. This year's USA FATCA returns are required to be submitted by 30 June 2016. Gibraltar Finance is dealing with the processes and notifications required by the OECD in preparation for the implementation of the Common Reporting Standard. The Regulations are expected to be published later this year. Work will also commence on the implementation of the OECD's Common Transmission Standard (CTS), in collaboration with the ITLD and GLO.

On the 22 April 2016, Gibraltar was among the group of 33 Early Adopters of the Automatic Exchange of Beneficial Ownership Information (AEBOI). The initiative was launched by the so- called 'EU G5' economies (i.e. UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain). The intention is that this initiative will "mirror the ground-breaking steps... taken on tax evasion under the Common Reporting Standard". The Early Adopters are also committed to developing "a system of interlinked registries containing full beneficial ownership information as well as for common international standards for these registries and their interlinking". In the interim, we executed an Exchange of Notes on 8 April 2016, signed by the Minister for Europe David Lidington on 11 April 2016, affording the law-enforcement authorities of Gibraltar and the United Kingdom "the automatic right to the provision of unrestricted and timely (where urgently required, within one hour) beneficial ownership information held in the other jurisdiction".

CONCLUSION

All in all, Mr Speaker, a very busy year for all the departments that come under my Ministry. We have made great strides during this year across all areas and have positioned ourselves positively to be able to face the challenges of the next few years.

Finally, Mr Speaker, I wish to thank my staff and all those who work in the various departments and organisations which form part of my ministerial responsibilities. I am truly grateful to all of them for their continued support and dedication.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.