Nov 29 - Feetham Condemns Picardo Lecture Boycott – Offers Up His Own University Slot
The Leader of the GSD, Daniel Feetham, has today condemned the scenes at Algeciras yesterday, which prevented the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, from delivering a speech to students at the University of Cadiz.
Commenting on the matter Mr. Feetham said, ‘any one that loves democracy and upholds freedom of speech would have been appalled by the way that the Chief Minister had to cancel his address to students yesterday. In politics it is normal to have differences of opinion, either domestically or between different countries, but it is always imperative that as democrats we defend the right of political opponents and those with different views to be able to express those views’.
‘In the specific context of relations between Gibraltar and Spain, events such as the one organised by the University of Cadiz are very important because they help foster a respectful understanding amongst students, who are after all the Spanish leaders of tomorrow, of our respective positions. Political opponents can disagree but that disagreement has to be underpinned by mutual respect. That is why I was also saddened to see that the leader of the PSOE Mr. Rubalcaba had to cancel his own address on Spanish domestic issues unrelated to Gibraltar to students at the University of Granada because of protestors.’ A similar incident to that of Mr. Picardo to saw Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party Secretary General Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba unable to give his lecture at Granada University, due to protests.
‘I have today spoken to Fabian and expressed my regret at what happened yesterday and offered him one of my two slots in which I am myself addressing the students in Jerez and later Cadiz next week. Unfortunately, he could not accept because he has other engagements but I am glad to see he is undeterred by what happened in Algeciras”.
‘Dialogue between Gibraltar and Spain is only way forward, and I just hope that sense can prevail,’ Mr Feetham added.
