Oct 16 - Defence Secretary Visit Reveals New MOD Lands Agreement and Reaffirms UK Commitment to Gibraltar
Having met this morning with the recently appointed UK Secretary for Defence, Michael Fallon, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo announced that under agreements dating back to 1974, the MOD had transferred areas of land it no longer needs, to the Government, to use for commercial or community purposes.
A further Lands Agreement is to be considered and agreed upon in 2015. It is expected to include a commitment to transfer to the Government of Gibraltar a block of warehousing at the Naval Base and Fortress Headquarters at Rosia Bay.
The meeting saw both parties also discuss a resurfacing plan for the Runway, to commence next summer and to be entirely funded by the MOD, who will shortly invite commercial tenders. The works will cause no disruption to the day to day actions of the runway. Mr. Picardo noted in Parliament that the runway was last resurfaced in 1993. It was also agreed that in future, the cost of replacing key infrastructure at the airport would be shared between the MOD and Government of Gibraltar. Regarding the costs of the resurfacing project, Former Chief Minister Sir Peter Caruana assisted Mr. Picardo by providing details of former deals that were looked at during his time in administration.
Minister Fallon and the Chief Minister also re-affirmed the joint commitment to transfer the Defence Fire and Rescue Services to the public sector, as well as the Chief Ministers commitment to introduce Parliament legislation placing the Royal Gibraltar Regiment on the same footing as its British Army counterparts ‘highlighting its continuing valuable contribution both in Gibraltar and deployed on operations.’
Speaking to the press this morning, Mr. Picardo insisted that the UK Government’s commitment to Gibraltar is stressed by the Defence Secretary’s presence here in Gibraltar, despite the issues the UK are currently facing.
Minister Fallon touched upon his early morning visit to the Gibraltar Navy Squadron and paid tribute to the work that they do ‘in serving and in protecting the sovereignty of the British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.’ The Defence Secretary will also meet with the RAF Gibraltar Station Commander to discuss Gibraltar’s strategic importance.
The Minister went on to highlight the strategic importance of Gibraltar, ‘in the context of current and future security challenges’. He went on to emphasis the Her Majesty’s Government’s commitment to Gibraltar ‘is for the long term’.
When questioned on the MOD’s Strategic Review, set for next year, the Minister noted that at present, no job cuts were planned for the Gibraltar base. Mr. Fallon insisted that he was concerned by the rise in number of incidents in the bay.
On incursions, Minister Fallon noted that they violated soveriegnty, but did not weaken it. It was also said that the Naval presence in Gibraltar is constantly under review by the MOD. The Defence Secretary added that with the growing seriousness of these incursions, with the return of Spanish survey vessel Ramon Margalef in BGTW recently, he continues to take advice from Gibraltar’s CBF on the number of personnel required to man the squadron.
