European Commission Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, together with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo, met in Brussels earlier today.
During a press call this morning, the Chief Minister announced the commencement of the process towards converting the former Queen’s Cinema into Gibraltar New National Theatre. The flagship project is part of the Government’s manifesto commitment to provide a new modern theatre for Gibraltar.
The former Queen’s Cinema site was purchased for £3.5 million from the Benetar family and will undergo an extensive refurbishment programme. Speaking to YGTV about why the Government chose that site to hold Gibraltar’s new theatre, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo explained, ‘if you think about the plot and the fact that it’s got road access on both sides, it’s close to a car park, it’s in an area where we believe we can bring all the trucks necessary for touring productions. It’s also got the size that we need it to have.’
The GSD has today insisted that the Chief Minister has made no effort in contacting the Leader of the Opposition with regards to Gibraltar’s position in the EU. A motion was passed in Parliament earlier this year, claiming that Mr. Picardo would meet with Mr. Feetham to confidentially brief him on the matter, which could shift, due to the UK’s proposed referendum on EU membership.
A GSD statement continues, ‘given the fact that it is possible for the UK to advance its plans on a referendum on its membership of the EU, it is important that Gibraltar is prepared to face the challenges that this may pose. It is obvious, from the Government’s own statements, that it has been having conversations with the UK Government going back over a year. Whilst the Government might be confident it is doing all it needs to do, the Opposition cannot, at this stage, share that optimism and calls on the Government to make good on the EU Motion unanimously passed by our Parliament and public statements made by the Chief Minister about briefing the Opposition on Privy Council terms.’
The Opposition has today asked the Government to explain what alternative arrangements have been made in respect of the housing of Gibraltar’s Moroccan workers now that the Government has abandoned its ill-conceived idea of the Floating Hostel.
It has been a year since the Government arranged for the Floating Hostel to come to Gibraltar to provide temporary accommodation for the Moroccan workers, who had to vacate Buena Vista in June of last year as per the previous Government’s and BV Homes agreement. The GSD Government had plans to build a hostel at the end of North Mole which the present Government abandoned. By now, those plans to build a hostel would have been completed or well on their way to completion. Whilst we accept that the Government was perfectly entitled to pursue its own plans, the decision not to pursue the Floating Hostel idea at this very late stage has added to the delay in finding an alternative. The bottom line is that it appears that the Government did not think through whether the Floating Hostel was an appropriate solution, despite many concerns raised last year about the appropriateness of this vessel.
During a press call this morning, the Chief Minister announced the commencement of the process towards converting the former Queen’s Cinema into Gibraltar New National Theatre. The flagship project is part of the Government’s manifesto commitment to provide a new modern theatre for Gibraltar.
The GSD has today insisted that the Chief Minister has made no effort in contacting the Leader of the Opposition with regards to Gibraltar’s position in the EU. A motion was passed in Parliament earlier this year, claiming that Mr. Picardo would meet with Mr. Feetham to confidentially brief him on the matter, which could shift, due to the UK’s proposed referendum on EU membership.
