Gibraltar 1 Gibraltar August 16th - August 29th 2017 business classifieds
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The Rock’s original community newspaper FREE
Vol. 3 Issue 51 www.gibraltarolivepress.com August 16th - August 29th 2017
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Check that out, mate
LEGEND: Coulthard
Medal trio for fire hero A LOCAL firefighter has taken home three medals at an international race in the UK. Matt Coulthard triumphed at the British Firefighter Challenge competition held at Du Montford University, Leicester. He won gold in the British category at the July 29 race which involved eight demanding physical tasks. He also joined a Humberside firefighters team for the team relay, where his contribution earned the team a silver medal.
Competing
He won a silver medal in the overall competition, competing against 120 firefighters from UK, Australia, Germany, USA, Austria, and France. The Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service said: "We would like to congratulate firefighter Matthew Coulthard for his fantastic effort and outstanding achievement at this international event. Matt is a true ambassador for the GFRS and has no doubt put Gibraltar on the map once again."
THE seventh edition of the Gibraltar Junior International Chess Festival will see over 135 youngsters from 14 countries compete for the title. From Friday, youngsters in the U12 and U16 categories will play in six rounds over four days at the Caleta Hotel.
Justice Jack says ‘unlikely’ government didn’t back contract renewal assurances EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan
THE government has come under attack over the dumping of Supreme Court judge Justice Jack. The GSD opposition has slammed the decision to not renew his contract as ‘out of sync’ and says it ‘does not sit well’ with promises of increased public expenditure in the recent budget. Justice Adrian Jack himself told the Olive Press he believes it’s ‘unlikely’ the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) would have given assurances over his contract being renewed without Government backing. He added that his unwanted departure as a Supreme Court judge was already making listing cases in 2018 ‘more difficult’, contradicting government suggestions that a work backlog he was hired to tackle had been cleared. Last night, a Government spokesperson said it couldn’t comment on contract assurances to Jack ‘as the JSC is entirely independent of Government’. It comes after Jack became Gibraltar’s first Supreme Court judge to not have his contract renewed, a decision one source called ‘very strange’. Jack told the Olive Press: “They assured me that, if offered the post, I would have a reasonable
“The number of registered participants has increased dramatically this year,” said tournament director Stuart Conquest. At least 135 players have signed up from Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, Portugal, Scotland, Estonia and Morocco. “The farthest travelled player
is Max England, who is coming with his family from Canada. The festival has always attracted a large number of Spanish and English participants, but this year there are also several Russian families, living in Spain, who are bringing their children to play,” he said. Fourteen local children are registered to play in the tournament.
Dumping Jack rash! ANGRY: Jack wanted to stay
prospect of renewal. “It is unlikely such a distinguished panel would make such statements unless that was their understanding of the Government’s position.” Jack said it is a ‘matter of concern’ the Government hadn’t explained ‘why they aren’t standing by those assurances’. He added it was a ‘matter of sadness’ the Government was reducing the size of the judicia-
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ry’ due to ‘uncertainties ahead’. “I was expecting Mr [Neil] Costa, the Justice Minister, to expand on that in his Budget speech,” Jack told GBC. “Somewhat to my surprise, he didn’t mention that the number of puisne judges was going to be downsized by 33%, which I found a surprising omission.” Suggestions the work of the courts has declined in recent months were also treated with
derision in legal sectors. “He is the most active judge we have ever had. So his early departure is a matter of concern,” a source said. “It is very strange that Judge Jack, who has shown himself to be utterly implacable, shouldn’t have his contract renewed. “He has shown himself completely immune to the cosy charms of the legal establishment in Gibraltar.” The Olive Press asked Chief Justice Dudley to provide any available data showing if the court’s workload had diminished, but hadn’t received a response at the time of going to press. One source said ‘there are troubling questions as to the independence of the judiciary, which cannot be brushed under the carpet’. GSD MP Elliott Phillips said the opposition was ‘concerned’ at Jack’s removal and the Government’s ‘clear u-turn’ in deciding a fourth judge was unnecessary. “This view is out of sync with the legal profession,” said Phillips. “What has changed since the passing of the Budget in Parliament? Was the legal profession consulted?” He added: “Gibraltar’s judiciary
is one judge down leaving many unanswered questions.” Jack gave his final judgment last Thursday, ruling an RBS manager was complicit in the Marrache brothers’ £28 million swindling. He ruled that the bank employee had abetted the three convicted fraudsters in the theft of £9.8 million from online gaming millionaire Jim Magner Jack’s judgments in some of the Rock’s most controversial cases attracted huge attention. His rulings in Isaac Marrache’s parole release this year sparked one of Gibraltar’s most intriguing legal sagas. Justice minister Costa took the extraordinary step of twice hiring the UK’s most expensive QC, Lord Pannick, to fight Jack’s judgment that Costa shouldn’t have discontinued his challenge to the Parole Board’s decision to release Marrache. Costa won a Court of Appeal case against Jack’s ruling in May this year. Last week, Freddie Vasquez QC, speaking on behalf of the Bar Council, said Jack’s stay had been ‘too short’ and it was unclear why the government hadn’t extended his contract. Opinion Page 6