Mar 12 - GGR Concerned over GGCA Facebook Comment Warning
‘We are most concerned following reports that Wendy Cumming, President of the GGCA Union, has been allegedly warned to resign her post on the Executive of the Union following a recent social media comment,’ Equality Rights Group Chairman Felix Alvarez stated in a communiqué today.
‘We understood that Civil Service policy had been widened in order to provide civil servants a much welcomed wider access to freedom of speech, as citizens, than had been the case in the past. Whilst the Official Secrets Act (OSA) is binding upon the civil service whether or not individual employees sign a statement of understanding and acceptance, in this day and age the OSA is shielded from misuse and abuse by exercising a clearer focus on issues which are of high or national security importance and interest. The facts available to date do not seem to fall into this category, and may signal a need for the Minister for Justice to look closely as to whether the version of the OSA in force in Gibraltar ought not to be modernised at least to catch up with the times. The Government law website appears to indicate our OSA legislation is many decades behind the times. Whilst the UK modernised the Act in 1989, it would seem Gibraltar has not done so since the lead-up to the Second World War in 1939! Different times perhaps require different approaches. We previously made a public call on this question in October 2012, and we would once more urge Government to seriously address the matter before it becomes an area of difficulty and confusion for civil service workers.
‘Notwithstanding, however, it would be inappropriate for us to reach any set view on this individual issue until full details become available. As a human and civil rights organisation, therefore, we shall be taking a close interest in the matter as it develops,’ the statement ended.
