Feb 11 - Ellul-Hammond to Probe Cortes on IVF Alternatives

Written on 11 February 2013.

During this month’s session of Parliament, Opposition Spokesman for Health, Isobel Ellul-Hammond is set to probe Health Minister Dr. Cortes about when the new GHA website will be launched and when the Colon Cancer screening programme will start. She will also ask the Minister whether he is now in a position to publish the GHA review Report. Mrs. Ellul-Hammond will also query the GHA process used for measuring the results of hospitals used in the UK, Spain and other countries Gibraltar refer GHA patients to, as Sponsored Patients.

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Feb 11 - Civil Partnership Legislation Release Imminent

Written on 11 February 2013.

A draft for a new legislation on Civil Partnerships is currently being reviewed by the Gibraltar Government and is set to be published soon, as a Command Paper. Following this release, there will be a public consultation period of two weeks, then a further six weeks as the proposal becomes a Bill.

The legislation follows the Government’s Manifesto commitment to legislate for the recognition of civil partnerships between two people, regardless of gender of sexual orientation, reflected by a binding contract through the signing of an official register. The manifesto says that this action would entitle them to benefits related to tax, pension and property rights.

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Feb 11 - Finance Centre Exhibits at FONDS Conference in Zurich

Written on 11 February 2013.

This weekend, Minister for Financial services, Gilbert Licudi, attended the FONDS 13 conference and exhibition in Zurich. Also in attendance of the conference was the Gibraltar Funds and Investments Association (GFIA) who has six member firms exhibiting at the conference.

Speaking at the event, Minister Licudi noted Gibraltar’s status within the EU and its access to the single market. He also stressed that ‘Gibraltar is well on course for the transposition of AIFM and we are determined to hone our funds product range still further so as to become even more attractive for Swiss asset managers to consider using Gibraltar in various ways’.

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Feb 11 - Government Response to GSD Debentures Statement

Written on 11 February 2013.

In response to the GSD’s recent statement on Gibraltar Savings Bank Debentures, the Government has claimed that their policy to redeem debentures early is in order to provide these through the Savings Bank, the liabilities of which are secured on Government finances by law.

The Government is pursuing this objective in a manner that takes due care of its debenture-holders, who currently hold over 60% of this public debt, and who are mainly senior citizens of our community that have come to depend on the monthly interest that they earn on their debentures.

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