The Governor of Gibraltar Sir James Dutton will be protesting the latest incursion of a Spanish customs vessel in Gibraltar waters on Saturday afternoon with the Spanish Government.
The Government says it is pleased to announce the creation of the new Government of Gibraltar Law Offices (“GLO”). The GLO will became effective as from 1 August. It will consolidate all governmental law departments and the provision of legal services to all relevant Government Departments. It will be headed by the Attorney General, Michael Llamas QC.
The GSD has said that his weekend’s illegal incursion by a Spanish Customs vessel, Aguila IV, well within a restricted area for bathers at Camp Bay “had all the hallmarks of a potential tragedy.” The party says that the incursion happened when Camp Bay was full of bathers enjoying what is supposed to be a safe area to swim given the restrictions placed on the entry of vessels. The Opposition says that, while the Aguila IV was later escorted into Spanish waters after the intervention of the RGP, GDP and a Royal Navy RHIB, “it illustrates that not enough is being done by the British Government to ensure these illegal activities in BGTW cease.” It is obvious, says the party, that any diplomatic pressure being exerted “is having little effect and sooner or later there will be tragic accident.”
A serious incursion took place on Saturday evening when a Spanish state vessel attempted to assert its authority, not only inside BGTW, but within a few metres of the shoreline in Camp Bay.
As was announced in the Budget last month, the Government yesterday published a Bill which allows those officers, including existing Government pensioners, who were previously covered by the Widows and Orphans Pension Scheme the option to re-enter the Scheme upon the payment of their arrears of contributions.
