Apr 14 - GSD: Picardo Has Made “Serious Concession” To Spain
The GSD Opposition has expressed surprise at the statement made by the Chief Minister during his recent Direct Democracy programme that it was not possible to reclaim further land on the eastside without first consulting Spain because such further reclamation would have a “transboundary effect” on Spain.
The GSD says that those statements have been picked up by the Spanish press and have been published there. According to the GSD, it appears that while trying to explain away the reason for not wishing to construct a stadium on the East Side reclamation, the Chief Minister has made a “serious statement” that may have repercussions on the ability of his, and future Governments of Gibraltar to reclaim land in BGTW adding that the only way such a concession could be made is if the Government has conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) which shows that any intended reclamation would have a “transboundary effect” on Spain.
The GSD argues that if no EIA has been undertaken, then it is a “serious and unnecessary concession” to have made. In this regard the GSD notes further comments by Mr. Picardo on his Twitter account where he appears to indicate that while there is an EIA which suggests the Eastside reclamation has no “transboundary effect”, a further one is underway to determine the maximum extent of any proposed marina and any possible further land reclamation. This begs the question, says the Opposition, why it was necessary to make the statement and concession he made on the program when an EIA has not even been completed. The GSD stresses that, even if there had been an EIA, it calls in question the wisdom of making such a statement publicly in any event. This is particularly so, says the GSD, when one considers that while accepting that two wrongs do not make a right, Spain has on no occasion consulted with Gibraltar in respect of any of its own land reclamations which have themselves had a significant “transboundary effect”. Many people will recall, concludes the GSD, the devastating consequences to the West View promenade caused by the 2010 storms which were amplified by the development of the Algeciras Container Port.
