| alt.gibraltar FAQ Version 2.10 Questions answered in this document 1. THE STATUS OF GIBRALTAR 1.1 Political Status 1.2 Nationality 1.3 The European Union 1.4 Self Determination 1.5 The Constitution 1.6 The Legal System 2. INFRASTRUCTURE 2.1 General Information 2.2 The CIA 'fact' book 2.3 Post Codes 2.4 The ferry to Spain 2.5 The ferry to Morocco 2.6 The Airport 2.7 The Currency 2.8 Telephones 2.9 Mobile Phones 2.10 Internet (new) 3. SMUGGLING 4. INFORMATION RESOURCES 4.1 Information on the Web 4.2 The alt.gibraltar Newsgroup 4.3 Acceptable use policy 5. FISHING 6. THE IRA INQUEST 7. DRIVING 8. EMPLOYMENT 9. WEBCAMS 10. MARRIAGE 11. THE SUBMARINE 12. ACCOMODATION 13. TALKS WITH SPAIN (new) 14. DEMONSTRATIONS (new) 1. Is Gibraltar part of Spain ? a. No; Despite being on the tip of the Iberian Peninsular at the entrance of the Mediterranean, Gibraltar has been British since 1704. The Spanish ceded the territory to the British in perpetuity under the treaty of Utrecht (1713). There is no possibility of any change of sovereignty in the foreseeable future.(see item 13 below) Gibraltar has the status of a 'British Overseas Territory' 1.1 Are the Gibraltarians happy with the present political status ? a. Not really, there is a need for a more modern relationship with Britain and for representation in the EU parliament. The status of Gibraltar is also discussed at the United Nations regularly. Political Development is delayed because of the outdated Spanish territorial claim. 1.2. Do the Gibraltarians want to remain British ? a. Yes. The referendum in 1967 achieved a turnout of 95.8% 12,138 voted to remain British 44 for Spain and there were 55 spoiled papers. Annexation by Spain is still viewed most unfavourably and is a major local issue. Gibraltarians have the right to full British citizenship. 1.3 Is Gibraltar part of the EU ? a. Yes; It joined in 1973 under Article 227(4) of the Treaty of Rome. Relevant EU directives are speedily translated into local law. Due to the UK Government not having made the necessary provisions, however, residents of Gibraltar are unable to vote in elections for the EU parliament and are pressing for this right. It is not part of the Agricultural policy (no agriculture) or the Customs Union which allows local Government to set import duties and be exempt from the EU VAT scheme. 1.4. Do the Gibraltarians have the right to self-determination? a. The UN Special Committee on decolonisation in May 1999 ended with the statement: "In the process of decolonisation, there was no alternative to the principle of self-determination, which was also a fundamental human right" 1.5 Does Gibraltar have a written constitution ? a. Yes under the Gibraltar Constitution Order 1969, The preamble of which includes the much (miss) quoted phrase : "Her majesty's Government will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes" 1.6 What is the legal system in Gibraltar ? a. Gibraltar law is based on English law. The Judicature including the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal are defined by the Gibraltar Constitution EU directives are transposed into Gibraltar law. 1.6.1 Is Legal aid available ? a. Yes on a similar basis to that in the UK 2. INFRASTRUCTURE 2.1 Does Gibraltar depend on Spain for essential services ? a. No; Gibraltar has its own electricity generation and adequate desalination plant. There are two radio stations, one TV station a modern digital telephone exchange and satellite earth station, an international airport, a number of newspapers, and two ISP's 2.2 Is the CIA World Factbook entry on Gibraltar correct ? a. There are a number of glaring errors; like the reference to the water catchments (dismantled) a problem with fresh water (see item 5) the non-existent railway, fish packing plant etc. 2.3 Does Gibraltar use Post codes or ZIP codes ? a. No, its not needed because of the size of the territory. 2.4 Why is there no ferry service Gibraltar - Algeciras ? a. The United Kingdom and Spain agreed in 1984 that sea ferry links between the Spanish port of Algeciras and the port of Gibraltar would be renewed. Spain's Council of Ministers issued a decree on the 31 January 1985 (published in the boletin del Estado of the 5 February 1985) giving legal force to the restoration Maritime communications. However, applications by commercial operators to resume maritime and air links have been refused by the Spanish authorities. 2.5 Is there a regular ferry service to Morocco? a. By popular demand, particularly from resident Moroccans who have been discriminated against by Spain, A ferry service has been re-instated effective 8th September 1999 See: http://www.gibnet.com/tourist/ferry.htm In addition to the Hydrofoil in March 2000 a vessel capable of carrying vehicles is in service. 2.6 Is there a Gibraltar airport? a. Gibraltar has an International airport with flights to London and Tangier. Due to Spanish restrictions aircraft cannot fly from that country to Gibraltar and visa versa including private aircraft. 2.7 What is Currency in Gibraltar? a. The Pound sterling; with notes issued by the Government of Gibraltar. UK notes and coins are universally accepted. Gibraltar also issues its own coins which are the same size and value as the UK but differ in design, a range of stamps and unique telephone cards. The EURO is accepted in a wide range of shops and businesses although it should be noted that it is not legal tender and there is no obligation to accept it or any other foreign currency. Exchange rates may vary. Large denomination notes are not accepted by local banks for security reasons. 2.8 What is the telephone system? Gibraltar has a System/X digital telephone exchange and a modern digital fibre backbone. International circuits are provided by a satellite earth station, microwave links to Morocco, and modern submarine fibre cables. The connection to Spain is via a digital fibreoptic cable. Gibraltar has a country code of 350 allocated by the ITU the competent international agency but Spain refuses to accept this and treats Gibraltar as part of the Cadiz province with a code of 9567. This causes problems with the Gibraltar numbering plan which needs to be extended in the same way the UK has recently done to allow for new services. 2.9 What about mobile phones? The local operator is GIBTEL which offers a GSM900 service with roaming agreements with most other operators except Spain - again because of political reasons Madrid refuses to accept the existence of Gibraltar. Spanish networks can be accessed in Gibraltar, however coverage is a problem and only GIBTEL provides a good signal locally. 2,10 What is the Internet network identifier? The ISO two letter code for Gibraltar is GI Local domain names are managed by the Gibraltar NIC see: http://www.gibnet.gi 2.11 What Internet facilities are there? Gibraltar has two ISP's GibNet Limited and GNC Limited details of their access numbers and connectivity can be found on: http://www.gibnet.com/online.htm Locally most households have at least one computer with an Internet connection. There are a number of 'Internet shops' who cater for visitors and casual users, and pay terminals in the local Burger King and other places. 2.12 What about commercial connectivity Both ISP's sell high speed circuits connected by fibre back to London. There is diversity in cables to prevent a failure in for example, Spain, from cutting off access. 3. SMUGGLING 3.1 What about all the drug smuggling and money laundering ? a. Contact the Royal Gibraltar Police on + 350 72500 they will be most interested in any real information you have on both these subjects, which are crimes in Gibraltar. For international co-operation see the GCID web site on http://www.gibnet.com/gcid The US State department comment in 1998 was: "Money laundering on an all-crimes basis was criminalized in 1995, All financial institutions, insurance companies, bureaux de change, accountants, company formation agents, casinos, attorneys and others are obliged to report suspicious transactions. Gibraltar is within the EU as part of the UK Member State. It implemented the EU Money Laundering Directive in 1995, and its anti-money laundering legislation is fully in line with EU requirements." 3.2 Is there is a lot of Tobacco smuggling in Gibraltar ? a. The local duty on tobacco is low, and this has in the past, generated a trade in cigarettes, mainly to Spain. To stop this the Government introduced tough laws on owning speedboats and the possession of tobacco. Under current law, which is strictly enforced, it is illegal to be in possession of 2000 cigarettes. This has rather limited the trade. Recent legislation makes it an offence to attempt to ask people to take tobacco over the frontier, as tourists were molested by Spanish women asking them to do this. 4. INFORMATION RESOURCES 4.1 Where can I find more general information about Gibraltar ? a. http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi http://www.gibnet.com http://www.gibraltar.gi http://www.discovergibraltar.com http://www.self-determination.gi http://www.gib-online.com http://www.gibnews.net http://www.gibtalk.net 4.2 How can I get answers to things not covered in the above ? a. Post a sensible question to the newsgroup alt.gibraltar 4.3 What is the purpose of the alt.gibraltar news group? a. The purpose of the newsgroup is to provide a forum for an informal discussion of life in Gibraltar. Spam, abuse and messages relating to outdated territorial claims are not wanted. It is implicitly understood that Gibraltar belongs exclusively to its inhabitants and the newsgroup shall reflect this view. 5. FISHING 5.1 Are Spanish fishing boats excluded from Gibraltar waters ? a. The Nature Protection Ordinance protects all wild animals and birds and restricts fishing in Gibraltar waters with certain types of net, irrespective of nationality. 6. IRA VISITORS SHOT 6.1 What happened with the three IRA terrorists in 1988 ? a. According to the IRA they were on 'active service' which is understood to mean they came to plant a bomb. They were shot by the SAS and a subsequent inquest held in Gibraltar determined that their killings were lawful. The case was taken to the European Court of Human Rights, which upheld the verdict of the Gibraltar Court. 6.2 Is there still a British Army presence locally ? a. Since Spain is no longer considered a military threat, the British Army which had been a feature of life on the rock since 1704 has been totally withdrawn and their role is now undertaken by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. 7. DRIVING 7.1 Why doesn't Gibraltar drive on the left side of the road ? a. Originally it began the same as the UK, but when cars started coming in from Spain, there were understandably disputes and accidents. The Governor at the time decided it would be sensible to follow the continental practice. His foresight has saved many lives. 7.2 Are Gibraltar driving licences issued without a test? a. No. The test is similar to the UK, but includes things like parking in confined spaces, which is a required skill to drive locally. The Gibraltar licence and test conforms to EU requirements and is valid in EU countries, although the Spanish sometimes dispute this. 7.3 Can I take the driving test in Gibraltar. a. Only if you are a resident. 7.4 Can a UK mainland registered car be MOT'd at the Gibraltar MOT test station? a. No, Only cars that are registered in Gibraltar can be tested in the Gibraltar test station. UK registered cars can only be tested in the UK, even if they are insured in Gibraltar. 8. EMPLOYMENT 8.1 Can I get a job in Gibraltar ? a. Citizens of EU countries can seek employment and reside in Gibraltar without the need for a work or residence permit. Non EU citizens need both and are only likely to get these if they already have a job offer and their employer satisfies Government that their skills are unique. 8.2 Are there special arraignments for high net worth individuals? a. Yes, you should consult a Gibraltar lawyer for details. 9. WEBCAMS 9.1 I want to see what its like in Gibraltar NOW! a. There are some WEBCAMS on http://www.gibnynex.gi and also on http://frontier.gibnet.gi which shows how Spain deals with the free movement at the border between two EU territories. Sadly the operators do not clean the lenses and the pictures may be out of date. Complain directly to them. 10. MARRIAGE 10.1 Can I get married in Gibraltar? a. You can get married in Gibraltar but you must contact the registry office in advance. You must prove that you are single and of different sex. However the registry office can only process four ceremonies per day, as resources are limited. Their telephone number is 78303 and you should contact them for full information. If your need is less urgent you can write to them at: The Registry of Births. Marriages, and Deaths Sir Joshua Hassan House Gibraltar Europe Famous people married in Gibraltar include John Lennon and Yoko Ono and more recently Sean Connory. For full details see:http://www.gibnet.com/marriage Before contacting the registry office as it contains most of the information you need to know. 11. THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE 11.1 Whats all the fuss about the nuclear submarine ? 11.2 For some time Gibraltar has had a 'Z Berth' which means it has facilities for accommodate nuclear submarines on recreational visits. This facility has been used regularly by British and American submarines, including Trident boats. 11.3 The British Trafalgar class nuclear powered attack submarine HMS Tireless arrived in Gibraltar in March 2000 after sustaining a leak in its primary cooling system whilst near Sicily. The scope of the defect was originally described as a pinprick but turned out to be a larger and generic defect. Despite local protests, it was decided on the grounds of safety to repair it in Gibraltar. The Government of Gibraltar commissioned their own report on safety and permitted the repair to take place. The submarine finally left on 7th May 2001. 12. ACCOMODATION 12.1 Can I find somewhere to live in Gibraltar ? 12.2 Traditionally finding somewhere to live has been the number one problem in Gibraltar. During WW2 the population was evacuated and there was a delay in repatriation due to lack of suitable accommodation, much having been taken over by the military. Several housing estates were built, however this remained the largest local political issue, until the reclamation project when the new private estates built and the Government estate coupled with the release of MoD property no longer used, has largely solved the problem for local residents. 12.3 Renting housing remains a problem as the private sector is expensive and there is more demand than supply. 12.4 What about Spain ? 12.5 Many non-Gibraltarians working in Gibraltar live in Spain which has the advantage of size and space. The problems are the frontier, where the delay to cross by car can be considerable, although many park their cars in La Linea and cross on foot. Living in Spain is easier for EU nationals now that Spain is a full member, but the issues are beyond the scope of this FAQ. 13. TALKS WITH SPAIN 13.1 What dialogue is there with Spain. 13.2 In 1980 as a democratic government emerged in Spain the British initiated a process of discussion culminating in the BRUSSELS AGREEMENT of 1984. This is a BI-lateral forum which does not explicitly recognise the Government of Gibraltar as being the legitimate representative of the people of Gibraltar. 13.3 Why does the Chief Minister not attend talks Sir Joshua Hassan did attend talks until the 1984 Airport agreement was entered into above his head. Joe Bossano, his successor, has consistently refused to participate in a process he believes to be structured towards a sell-out to Spain. The current Chief Minister, Peter Caruana believes in dialogue providing it is safe and he can participate fully. A detailed discussion of this topic is beyond the scope of this FAQ and can be found on the Gibraltar Government website and in the texts section of http://www.gibnet.com 13.4 What about talks on a local level The Gibraltar Government regularly holds talks with the mayors of neighbouring Spanish communities about issues of mutual interest. The Government is committed to "Good Neighbourly relations with Spain" 14. DEMONSTRATIONS 14.1 Why are Gibraltarians so often seen in the streets demonstrating Its a locally accepted democratic method of expressing the view of the people, after all elections occur only every four years, and most protests are about issues supported by the Government. Gibraltar demonstrations are noted for being very peaceful events attended by a wide section of the community from the very young to the pensioners. - This FAQ (c) Jim Watt 2002 may be reproduced in whole only with no addition or alteration. Information is believed accurate, however no liability whatsoever is accepted for anything. - | |
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