Gibraltar’s representation at the Labour Party Conference continued yesterday evening with the Gibraltar Reception hosted by the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and featuring a keynote speech by the UK Minister for Europe and the Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty MP.
As part of a New Statesman supplement on Gibraltar, Gibraltar Gaming Commissioner Phil Brear has outlined how the UK Government’s proposed ‘Point of Consumption Tax’ will ‘alter licensing arrangements, regulatory arrangement and tax arrangements’.
Speaking to the Publication, Mr. Brear believes that the UK is attempting to form a gaming hub in the country, which could cause fallout for Gibraltar, which currently acts as one of few centres for the industry.
Frontier queues yesterday evening focused on both motor vehicles and bicycles, with a free flow of pedestrian traffic through the Gibraltar – Spain border. Cyclists were forced to queue for a maximum of an hour and 15 minutes during the height of Monday evening’s frontier queues into Spain.
Equality Rights Group Chairman Felix Alvarez has detailed an event set for July to celebrate Pride 2014, honouring the community’s diverse cultures, ethnic groups, LGB members, and any other sectors ‘who may wish to come forward to celebrate in peace and understanding’.
Mr. Alvarez insists that the annual worldwide event recognizes diversity and equality and ‘will be focused not on measures which may contribute to greater isolation but, rather, to greater togetherness here in our country’.
Officers of HM Customs came under attack at Western Beach yesterday evening. Whilst officers were conducting a routine patrol of the area, a group of 4 men in hooded tracksuits were sighted immediately south of the frontier fence. The men proceeded to throw stones at the officers in a completely unprovoked attack. The group then fled across the frontier fence to Spain where they continued their assault. Gibraltar Defence Police marine section attended the area in support and similarly came under missile attack. No-one was injured in the incident.