Olive Press Gibraltar Newspaper - Issue 6

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1,700 new homes for Rock!

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The only investigative local newspaper

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Property sales are back on track with purchases, renewed multi-million confidence and fresh hope for the euro future

Let the good times roll...

THE GSLP are ising to build prom1,700 new homes if they get into power this week.

Fabian Picardo has insisted the of propertiesmajority will be affordable homes.

The homes will be built at Hassan tenary Terraces CenBob Peliza Mews.and This is more than double the 850 new homes which have been constructed in the party’s first four years.

THE property sector is set back at an even to bounce faster pace over coming years. the And many in change is across the industry feel this apartments and the board, from studio small holiday right up to the homes If 2015 was theluxury sector.

Crosshead 2016 and 2017 year of the ‘comeback’, “We will ue to rise with will see prices continto prioritisecontinue gaining ground, the rental market also on the basis people property expert. according to a leading eligibility andof their need,” Prices are predicted states the manifesto. to increase around 6.2% next year “And we anticipate tat CEO Julian alone, claims Servihabiother exciting This rise is Cabanillas. developments almost three also beyear’s increase, times this coming available.” dicted to sit at which is currently preMeanwhile, between 2.3% overall. and 2.6% tarians who GibralThe real estate were forced to abandon Caixa bank, giant, part owned by La hopes also predicted of chases next year that purproperty on buying the Rock This positivity could grow by 25%. and have moved is shared by property pert Terra Meridiana’s to Spain will be Adam Neale. exeligible “The crisis brought to buy in many tough the next for the property round of affordable market with the years really hitting housing. in 2011,” he told crunch Press the Olive Those who “The market ly owned previoushas picked up across all budgets since then will need to property and now we pass the ly see the good financial assessment times picking can realup again.” test.

olive press Vol. 1 Issue 6

Daniel Feetham, GSD “I want the good times to last forever, let’s not gamble with our children’s future.”

VITAL STATISTICS: Age: 48 Grew up: Varyl Begg estate First job: Lifeguard University: Reading then Manchester Married to: Julia Feetham, from Nottingham Father of: Two sons, one daughter Supports: Manchester United Listens to: The Script

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Gibraltar goes to the polls as Feetham and Picardo wait excitedly to see who will be next Chief Minister

Battle for No 6

PROMISES have been made, speeches have been delivered and manifestos have been published... now all that’s left is for votes to be cast.

Fabian Picardo and Daniel Feetham will find out on Friday morning which one of them will lead Gibraltar for the next four years.

While many assume the result is a forgone conclusion - with Picardo all but

By Tom Powell

clinking a champagne flute in Number 6 - one pre-election poll by GBC revealed that a third of voters are still undecided.

However, while the latest poll puts the GSLP/Liberal Alliance out ahead on 67%, it is worth remembering that this year’s UK election exposed how unreli-

able polls can be.

There are 17 seats to play for in total, meaning the GSD require a swing of four seats.

Picardo and Feetham, along with the rest of their parties, have been campaigning relentlessly for the last month.

Picardo’s left-leaning GSLP have fought to persuade the public that investing savings into Gibraltar’s future is the right path.

The current leader insists the Rock has become far more financially stable under his stewardship.

However, Feetham and the centralist GSD argue to the contrary. They believe the government has ‘gambled’ with Gibraltar’s future, spending too much money, and kept secrets from its subjects.

Either way, their rivalry has bubbled over at times, most recently with a daft spat over who was the most experienced lawyer in a TV debate, which even made the tabloids in the UK. But the time for debate is over.

Now is the time for Gibraltar to elect its next leaders.

There will be 14 voting booths open from 9am-10pm on Thursday, with the result expected early Friday morning.

Police hunt yacht-owning lover of missing mother EXCLUSIVE

SOUGHT: Lisa Brown and Alcaidesa Marina where ‘boyfriend’ lived

FULL STORY - Page 2

I’ve met the new Dawn: Pages 6-7

Fabian Picardo, GSLP

“Give us the chance to show you all the great work we’ve been doing, and will continue to do.”

VITAL STATISTICS: Age: 43 Grew up: Calpe, Upper Town First job: Runner at Hassans University: Oriel College, Oxford Married to: Justine Picardo, from Gibraltar Father of: Two sons Supports: Liverpool Listens to: Kings of Leon

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November 25th - December 9th

NEWS IN BRIEF

Gay rights THE Equality Rights Group has criticised the GSLP/ Liberals’ manifesto on LGBT issues as a ‘far cry’ from their 2011 general election stance and not ‘a credible position on equality’.

50th honour THE 50th anniversary of the commissioning of HMS Calpe is being marked with an exhibition until the end of November.

Fire feast THE Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service has held a gala dinner at Grand Battery House to commemorate 150 years since the service’s inception.

Stop bullies CHILDLINE Gibraltar has been carrying out an anti-bullying awareness month, most recently with a poster competition and bake sale at John Mackintosh Hall.

NEWS

LOST AT SEA?

www.gibraltarolivepress.com MISSING: Scottish mother Lisa Brown has not been seen since November 6

Police hunt yacht-owning boyfriend of missing mother who worked in Gibraltar

A MANHUNT is underway for the EXCLUSIVE yacht-owning boyfriend of a missing

By Tom Powell mother who worked in Gibraltar.

Police are probing the possibility that he recognised her face as soon as he Lisa Brown, 32, may have been absaw the first news reports online. ducted and taken out to sea, possibly “She often came to visit her boyfriend en route to Ibiza. who is from Liverpool, in his mid-30s The mother of an eight-year-old and generally seemed like a nice son was last seen at her person,” he said. home in Guadiaro, near “But about six weeks ago Sotogrande, on Novemhe disappeared in the ber 6, having failed to middle of the night appick up son Marco parently without payfrom school. ing his berth fees.”

A search of the According to Young, surrounding area, he was later told including helicopthat his boat broke ters, sniffer dogs down in the middle and a diver operaof the Straits and tion in nearby Rio had to be towed into Guadiaro, has so far Ceuta. A few nights found nothing. later he left again after Now it can be revealed getting it fixed. that her boyfriend, from “He may have left Ceuta and Liverpool, has also vanished then called in at Duquesa THE EX: in mysterious circumstances. port and picked her up,” he The Olive Press has discov- Tomillero is suggested. ered that he was apparently looking after “He had always said he living on a yacht in La Lintheir son planned to soon take the boat ea’s Alcaidesa marina where to Ibiza.”

Brown was a ‘regular visitor’.

The retired expat from Northwest A Briton, Peter Young, who also has a England added that while he knew boat at the marina told the Olive Press the Liverpudlian as ‘Simon’, he also

supposedly used the name ‘Damien’.

“It’s a real mystery and everyone is talking about it,” he added.

Police have meanwhile made further enquiries in Gibraltar, it can be revealed, including at the offices of her former employer Ladbrokes.

Brown, from Dumbarton, Scotland, was actively searching for jobs in Gibraltar the day before she vanished, it can be revealed, having left betting firm Ladbrokes in August.

The Royal Gibraltar Police have been working with the Guardia Civil in the search and spoke to staff at one Gibraltar recruitment agency.

The police have declined to give an official comment on their search for her

boyfriend, or even disclose a name at this stage.

But a source close to the inquiry said: “Police are keen to speak to him and haven’t yet been able to reach him.

“They believe he has left the country.

He’s a young British man who was living in Spain.”

Brown’s son is currently being looked after by his father – her ex - Tony Tomillero.

Her family members have flown over from Scotland to help the search.

Sister Helen said last night: “I last spoke to Lisa on November 4 but she never mentioned anything about a new boyfriend.

“Everything seemed fine.”

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NEWS

November 25th - December 9th

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Gib: Thorpe Park without the rides British comedian flummoxed by ‘crazy’ Gibraltar FOR first-time visitors to Gibraltar, the place can seem somewhat bizarre.

That’s exactly what British comedian Marcus Brigstocke found when he arrived for the literary festival this month.

Before beginning his talk at John Mackintosh Hall, he asked if anyone in the audience would be happy to help him understand ‘this crazy place’.

“Do you actually come from here?” he asked the audience. “Because I’m going to need someone to help me understand it.

“Main Street is like Thorpe Park with no rides, and you have to cross a runway to get there,” he joked.

Brigstocke, who regularly appears on TV and radio panel shows, was talking about his new book God Collar which explores religion and his personal faith, or lack of.

CONFUSED: Brigstocke

Fashion queens

And she’s off!

FIRST she conquered the Rock, now she’s out to conquer the world.

Miss Gibraltar 2015 is in China competing against 119 other beauty queens for the Miss World title.

Hannah Bado, a primary school teacher when she’s not dazzling pageant audiences, bid her family and friends goodbye at Gibraltar airport.

Miss World begins in the city of Sanya on December 19, where Hannah will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Kaiane Aldorino, who won the event in 2009 and is now Gibraltar’s deputy mayor.

She will be keeping fans up-to-date with her eastern adventure through photos and posts on her Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The event has already caused controversy though, with Miss Canada being denied the right to compete after speaking out about Chinese human rights abuses.

Anastasia Lin, 25, did not receive an invitation letter to the opening ceremony which means she could not apply for a visa.

Other contestants received their letters at the end of October.

FEW royals are as stunning or fashionable as Queen Letizia... yet her latest house guest is giving her a good run for her money.

Opening up her royal palace to Queen Rania of Jordan - alongside husband King Abdullah - she has got the media analysing her every item of clothing, alongside those of Rania.

The pair have so far been snapped at the airport and at the Prado museum where both looked fabulous.

On route to Nirvana!

RICHARD Gere and his Spanish girlfriend Alejandra Silva are well on their way on the eightfold path to Nirvana.

The Buddists have been in Madrid to help highlight the plight of homeless people.

The pair were on hand to attend the premiere of Gere’s new film Time Out Of Mind, which tackles the difficult subject.

They were attending the event alongside the boss of the homeless charity, the Rais Foundation, for which Silva, from Galicia, is a patron.

In the film, Gere plays a panhandler on the streets of New York.

Jungle star Lady Colin Campbell has links to Gibraltar THE most talked about contestant of I’m a Celebrity…

Get Me Out of Here! is closely connected to Andalucia and Gibraltar.

Controversial royal, Lady Colin Campbell, who has become a jungle favourite, heralds from a long line of Sephardic Jews from Cordoba.

Aristocrat Campbell, 66, who married the queen’s cousin in 1974, found her ancestors, the de Pass family, had been expelled from Spain 500 years ago and emigrated to Jamaica.

She is however, a regular visitor to the region and has a large network of friends in Spain and Gibraltar.

A friend told the Olive Press: “She is often over here and loves this area of Spain. She

EXCLUSIVE

By Iona Napier

OUTSPOKEN: Lady C

normally comes completely unrecognised… but that is unlikely next time!”

He added: “She is also frequently in Gibraltar and has one or two close friends living here.”

Campbell is a controversial character, who describes the British television-watching public as ‘oiks’.

She was raised as a boy named ‘George’, due to a protruding clitoris, and it was not until she was 21 that she was confirmed female and had corrective surgery.

In her 1992 biography of Lady Diana, Lady Colin controversially claimed King Juan Carlos had a fling with the queen of hearts, as well as breaking the story of Diana’s bulimia.

PHOTO: EFE

BEAUTY IN THE EAST: Hannah heads to China

Cowardly cancellations AMERICAN music giants have bottled performances in Spain after the Paris terrorist attacks.

Prince and the Foo Fighters cancelled a string of high-profile concerts following the attacks, that killed 130.

Prince cut short his European tour, which included a date at Barcelona’s Teatro Liceu, while Dave Grohl’s band announced a gig in Barcelona, alongside other concerts in Europe, was being scrapped.

A statement on the band’s Facebook page said: “In light of this senseless violence, the closing of borders, and international mourning, we can’t continue right now.

“There is no other way to say it. This is crazy and it sucks.”

CRIME NEWS

November 25th - December 9th

NEWS IN BRIEF

Teen mugged A 27-year-old Spaniard living in Gibraltar mugged a local teenager who was waiting to meet his mother for dinner, taking his phone and a silver chain.

Fake book AN online cyber-sex scam temptress has attempted to blackmail a local man over Facebook, the Royal Gibraltar Police have confirmed.

Locked up ONE of Britain’s most notorious drug traffickers, Robert Dawes, has been arrested at his luxury villa in Benalmadena.

Poor taste A SPANISH teenage prankster was arrested for a false terrorist alert in Malaga after doctoring an online El Pais article to suggest a jihad terrorist was attacking the city’s Vialia shopping centre.

Driver linked to Gibraltar runs over three after strip club fight

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Hit-and-run death horror

By Tom Powell A TEENAGER has died after being run over by a UK national with links to Gibraltar.

The Englishman drove his van into three Spanish friends, all from La Linea, following an alleged fight inside a strip club.

He then drove off up the A7 towards Malaga with one of the two friends in pursuit, until he was caught in a quickly set up police roadblock nearby.

PHOTO : M. Aspirina

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Alcohol

The incident took place at 1:30am on Saturday morning outside Show Paradise Striptease in Guadacorte, near Los Barrios.

Paramedics arrived on the scene within minutes but could not do anything to save the life of the youngster, Juan Carlos Perez, 19,who lived in the barrio of San Bernardo.

An investigation is now underway. Reports claim the

TRAGIC: Funeral in La Linea and (inset) crime scene

driver, currently in custody, was under the influence of alcohol.

Meanwhile, an emotional funeral has taken place, with hundreds of Perez’s friends and family members publicly mourning the teenager with a march through La Linea.

Armed police as Rock goes on alert ARMED police are patrolling the streets of Gibraltar following the Paris terror attacks.

Their presence has been heightened in key areas as the Royal Gibraltar Police reinforce their ‘Stay Safe’ message.

Although there is no specific intelligence of an imminent attack the threat remains at ‘Substantial’, meaning an attack is a strong possibility.

“The strongest message we can send to terrorists is to go about our daily lives as normal, and show that they cannot overcome our community by the use of fear and intimidation,” said Detective Superintendent Ian McGrail.

Gibraltar’s counter-terrorism security advisor is working alongside the UK’s counter-terrorism office to monitor critical infrastructure and crowded places.

No place for kids

GIBRALTAR’S Windmill Hill prison is not fit to detain children, according to a Council of Europe report.

The investigation, carried out last year by an anti-torture committee but only recently published, reveals a number of shortcomings in Gibraltar’s detention facilities.

Particularly, there is a total absence of specific rules, regimes or specially-trained staff to deal with juveniles.

“Windmill Hill Prison is not a suitable place to accommodate juveniles,” it states. “We recommend a strategy for addressing the specific needs of juveniles deprived of their liberty, which might include establishing a small unit with a few secure places.”

Furthermore, a need for an anti-bullying policy and problems with hot water, blocked drains, flushes not working and overcrowded cells were also mentioned.

Elsewhere, the report recommended upgrading the custody cells in New Mole House police station too.

In general, however, Gibraltar’s detainees were found to be treated in a proper, satisfactory way.

TRICOLOUR: Gibraltar’s tribute to Paris victims

Paying respect

GIBRALTAR government staff held a two minute silence to remember those murdered in the Paris attacks on November 13.

The French consul in Gibraltar Pierre Fayaud and Chief Minister Fabian Picardo gathered outside No6 with staff to observe the silence, as did Gibraltarians across the Rock.

The flag was flown at half mast until that evening and the Moorish Castle was lit in the colours of the French tricolour flag.

Out of line A PAIR of British soldiers have been fined for attacking teenagers in Gibraltar.

The two soldiers were both fined £500 for kicking and punching three teenagers in an unprovoked attack.

They were visiting the Rock for a training weekend when the incident occurred.

Russian bombers do overpass RUSSIAN bombers on their way to Syria have flown over Gibraltar in an 8,000-mile ‘show of strength’ round trip.

The two aircraft, the largest combat planes in the world, were spotted soaring through the

Straits before entering the Mediterranean and firing cruise missiles at ISIS targets in Syria.

It has been reported the two Blackjack Tu-160 bombers took the long route in order to demonstrate their long-range bombing ability.

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NEWS

October 15th - 28th

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OPINION THERE is nothing more heart-breaking than the loss of a young life.

And it will be very hard for mourners to forgive the death of 19-year-old Juan Carlos Perez who was the victim of a horrific hit-and-run incident this weekend.

The seedy backdrop of a strip club fight late at night only adds to the sense of pointlessness of this tragedy.

Rarely when we get behind the wheel after a drink or two do we consider the sheer destructive ability of the vehicles in our power.

We don’t know yet the fine details of this case, but going forward we should look out for our friends trying to drive after a drink and try to take the moral high ground in the face of a mindless brawl.

Searching for answers WITH a manhunt underway, rivers being searched and the mystery getting deeper by the day, it is difficult not to imagine the worst in the case of missing mother Lisa Brown.

As possible theories about abduction circulate, the search for her rings all too familiar.

With no recent news forthcoming on the disappearance of expats Agnese Klavina and Amy Fitzpatrick, Lisa is the latest example of a dark shadow that lingers over southern Spain.

We can only hope that the investigation into the case of Lisa isn’t swept under the carpet by tourism-seeking politicians, as seems to have been the case with Agnese and Amy before that.

Rock ready to vote

BY Friday morning, Gibraltar will know who its new leader is. As both parties campaign machines go into overdrive in the days before Thursday’s general election, polls suggest a clear majority for Fabian Picardo’s GSLP/ Liberal Alliance.

But Daniel Feetham’s GSD will be hoping the 2015 UK election result is a good gauge of the unreliability of opinion polls.

The GSD have underlined education as a cornerstone of their campaign, proposing a new secondary education campus at the Rooke site. The GSLP point to a stable economy and record-breaking unemployment figures during their tenure.

Once the polls open at 9am on Thursday morning, the choice is yours.

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Four years after taking charge, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo tells

No going back

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FEATURE

November 25th - December 9th

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F

ROM a new park to a fantastic university and from 850 new affordable homes to a new school, Fabian Picardo has certainly not contemplated his navel during his first four years in office.

But when asked what he is most proud of achieving, the Chief Minister leans back on his plush office sofa with a boyish smile and refers to one small line in his last election manifesto.

‘We will ensure that IVF treatment is available through the Gibraltar Health Authority’, read the promise in the GSLP/Liberal Alliance document four years ago.

Describing the entire manifesto as a ‘new dawn’, Picardo is buzzing to explain that he has ‘actually met this new dawn’. Quite literally.

By this, he means the babies born thanks to the free IVF treatment, which was introduced to help struggling would-be parents to conceiving naturally.

“There are now 25 new Gibraltarians as a result of that policy,” he states proudly.

“That is some achievement.”

As indeed, is his no small effort of introducing - with wife Justine - two small Gibraltarian boys into the world during his first term in office.

Handsome and healthy, Sebastian and Oliver are apparently only too happy to sit by their dad during key events in the Gibraltar calendar, such as National Day. It is just a shame that neither of them - nor the 25 others born from IVF treatment - will be old enough to vote for the Rock’s ebullient leader on November 26.

Not that it should matter. The Oxford graduate seems set for a landslide victory, although he is quick to rubbish any suggestion that it’s in the bag already.

“I won’t take any single vote for granted, there is everything to play for,” he states, pointing at a photo of a local lady in the last issue of the Olive Press, who had told Daniel Feetham she was voting for him.

“I spoke to her this week and she’s definitely not voting for him, that much I know for certain,” he laughed.

We are meeting the leader in his temporary office in a wing at Number 6, the historic crucible of Gibraltar government.

HAPPY FAMILY: Picardo, wife Justine and sons Sebastian and Oliver on National Day

Tabata or not tabata?

WHEN you’re working hard on an election campaign, it’s not easy to keep up your fitness regime.

So it’s a good thing Fabian Picardo’s workout of choice only takes four minutes.

The Tabata method is an increasingly popular form of high intensity training

founded by a Japanese scientist.

It involves 20 seconds of hard training (as hard as you can) followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated eight times.

The result? A gut-busting workout which builds muscle and sheds those extra pounds.

I’ve met the

Going through a major reform - like so much of the enclave these days - the whole building feels modern and stylish, if a touch sterile.

Ushered in with a perfunctory smile, we are seated on a comfortable brown Chesterfield sofa, from where we have a good view of the rather sparse office, which currently houses his treadmill, just one bookshelf and a rather lonely looking desk at one end.

Smartly dressed in a navy blue suit and light blue tie, he perches at one end of another sofa and, to be fair, looks like he would rather take a nap.

He immediately launches into full campaign mode though and admits he is working marathon hours at the moment in what he describes as the ‘politics Olympics’.

Indeed, before his party’s new manifesto was finished, he was getting just three hours sleep a night. Now it’s a more comfortable six although, as his chief press officer admits, a 1am text from the boss is not an uncommon occurrence. “Some idea he has on this or that. Sadly I can’t turn my phone off,” he adds.

But no surprise. Picardo’s work ethic is legendary.

He started out as a messenger boy with leading local law firm Hassans aged just 14, during the school holidays.

Entailing running around the enclave delivering this and that, he got his first taste of life in commerce and, perhaps most importantly, with litigation.

It was little surprise to anyone then, when he took up a full-time role with the firm the day he returned from Oxford University with flying colours. Some six years later, he had been made a partner.

The hard work continued into politics and, as if to emphasise his work ethic, after winning a closely-fought election four years ago, he and his team were sworn in

and started working straight after break- southern end now completed and water fast the next day. draining underway.

It might, of course, help to explain the tur- But his party is only fulfilling manifesto combocharged effect he has had on the Gibral- mitments made four years ago. This, Picardo tar economy. believes, is why Gibraltar has not seen GDP has rocketed from £1.16 the emergence of an anti-politics to £1.84 billion in four years. party like the rest of Europe.

Spain still And only the border problems “We have done exactly what stopped it short of reaching we promised we would. If has an allure for £2 billion. we had not carried out our him and his wife, Meanwhile, the Community promises people would who try to see the Care kitty has gone from have started to lose trust,” zero to £100 million, he in- real Spain as often says Picardo. “People value sists, while deposits in the honesty.” as possible Gibraltar Savings Bank have Honesty is, of course, one of grown from £300 million to over the most important aspects of £1 billion, and the list goes on ... government, but what happens Game-changing projects have been when the right-wing press in your coming thick and fast, from Common- neighbouring country takes a distinctly diswealth Park to two new schools, from the honest approach?

University of Gibraltar to sheltered accom- Picardo has been keeping a sharp eye on modation for the elderly at Charles Bruzon the Spanish media, forcing retractions and house and Seamaster Lodge. apologies from both Telecinco and ABC. Even the mythical airport tunnel is soon “If I’m not on the front page of a right wing to become a reality, he promises, with the Spanish newspaper then I haven’t done my job,” he jokes.

“We have done a fantastic job in getting apologies and now they are much more nuanced in their reporting because they know that we will be coming after them.”

Crossing the border into Spain has generally not been an issue for the Chief Minister, where he is indeed recognised.

There has only been one real incident of note, in Algeciras, where he was stopped from speaking and left without police protection.

“It was clear we had been set up, they just wanted there to be trouble,” he says.

But Spain still has an allure for him and his wife Justine, who try to get in to see the real Spain when they can.

This meant slipping away to celebrate her 30th birthday in Barcelona earlier this year, WELCOME: Picardo with the Olive where despite being recognised by a few loPress’ Tom Powell cal Catalans, he had no problems.

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FEATURE

7

November 25th - December 9th

Tom Powell his proudest achievement, one regret and why Gibraltar doesn’t need a Podemos or UKIP

I READ MY OLIVE PRESS ONLINE

‘T

THE first issue of the Gibraltar Olive Press is undoubtedly a collector’s item, and Fabian Picardo has been wise enough to bag himself a copy.

But the Chief Minister tends to keep up with the latest editions online, through issuu.com, where each edition is available for free on the day of publication.

Visit www.gibraltarolivepress.com to read all the latest editions.

new dawn POWER COUPLE: Picardo with lawyer wife Justine

“We had a fantastic time because we love Spain, the food and the culture,” says Picardo, whose grandmother was in fact Spanish.

Growing up in a humble family of six on the Rock was very different to how it is now.

Back then, Gibraltar was completely cut off from its neighbour with the border shut, but the ‘claustrophobia’ felt by some adults, certainly didn’t transcend to children.

In a ‘very very happy’ childhood, the young Fabian enjoyed playing football, riding his bike – a red Chopper – without a helmet, and reveling in the sheltered safety of life on the Rock.

He was brought up in a working class home in the Upper Town and, despite having two brothers and a sister, the vast age differences meant he was effectively an only child.

It was a humble, Catholic upbringing that so many Gibraltarians can relate to, and which has equipped him to lead the nation he loves into a bright future.

But when asked if he has any regrets about his leadership so far, he doesn’t hesitate to hit out at rival Daniel Feetham, essentially the Punch to Picardo’s Judy.

“My biggest regret is that I told the Leader of the Opposition he should resign, because Danny Feetham is now the most important member of my team, going into this election,” he says, delivering the put-down with a wry smile.

Then he stands up, stretches and prepares to get back to the non-stop work that has served the nation so well, thus far.

The only question that remains to be answered is, do Gibraltarians agree?

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HERE is a shop window here versus the reality of what happens behind it,” explains gym fanatic Feetham. “This government projects itself in a positive way, but all of these schemes are actually funded by very, very large debt.”

Perhaps he has a point.

At the last election, the overall net debt was £240 million, which Feetham claims has now grown to £418 million, with allegedly departmental spending being about £40-50 million over budget across the board.

And don’t forget there is the small matter of the new power station and a sewage treatment plant to fund on top of that.

This is ‘gambling’ with the future of the next generation, ‘pure and simple’, Feetham insists.

“If I gave my daughter my credit card, I’m sure she would buy nice things, but she’d also ruin my finances and jeopardise our future,” he says.

Gibraltarian born and raised, his primary objective is to prevent austerity. “I want the good times to last forever,” he says. “And that takes proper planning.”

But there is more to Feetham than the pedantic politician, who loves his homeland as much as anyone, despite opposition claims he is unpatriotic.

“I was born and raised here in Varyl Begg estate. My father was a taxi driver and my mother was a cleaner,” he reminisces.

“We lived five of us in two bedrooms, which means I can immediately empathise with anyone who has a housing problem.

“To be honest, I have always been leftleaning due to my upbringing.”

But that’s not to suggest he didn’t love his time on the Rock as a kid. In fact, Feetham admits he had an ‘incredibly happy childhood’.

He would wake up at five every morning, in the days when Varyl Begg was still surrounded by water, and go spear fishing for sea bass, octopus and anything else he could find.

A natural swimmer, his first job as a 17-year-old was inevitably as a lifeguard.

And after studying at University in Reading and Manchester, he was quick to persuade his English wife to return to the Rock with him so their children could enjoy it the same way he did.

And in the blue corner…

The Olive Press previously spoke to Picardo’s opposite number, Danny Feetham. Here are the highlights

6

November 12th

OPINION

- 25th 2015

Second Battle of Trafalgar

IT is enough to make Trafalgar lighthous Admiral Nelson turn in his cally important site,e is a beautiful monument ingrave.

Denying the public not a private money-making a historishort of a travesty, free access to the lighthouse scheme. is nothing to all deserve all and those fighting for it to remain the support they open This especially goes can get. ties and proximity for Gibraltar, with both close historical Clearly Cadiz port to the site. house’s costs, but authority has grown weary of the lightin the applicatio as is all too often the case, ‘irregular n process have tions. thrown up serious ities’ quesIt is time to take a stand and fight cal monument. for this significan t histori-

FEATURE

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Olive Press meets the leade of the opposition r

www.gibraltarolivep

ress.com

W

E’VE only just sat down with croissants and coffee on Main Street, when a middle-ag ed Gibraltarian literally grabs Danny woman jumps in and Feetham.

All smiles and gushing, she insists her entire family is going to vote for the GSD leader in the forthcomi she is sure he is ‘going ng elections, and It is a glowing accolade,to win’. particularly after he entirely failed to come over for a pat persuade a dog to lier, the cur literally just two minutes earbetween his legs. sprinting away, his tail “And no I didn’t pay after I finally drag her,” he says beaming, him back to the hand: Running a rule job over the leader of at opposition in advance the of Gibraltar’s genAND so Gibraltar eral election on Novembe STAB WOUND: Feetham ’s airport tunnel r 26. buried.

Either way, it has saga has finally points to where he gone some way been was stabbed, losing Seven years after to answering my first 75% of his blood OHL was handed deal by the previous a lucrative £34 million Does the GSD have question... administration, any chance for take off. it may at last be of winning? set As the project crashed Despite his current and opponent burned, wrangling replaced , a £20 million legal caretaker Chief Minister Fabian But now with legal the promised construction.

Picardo, seemingly matters firmly put soaring celebrating his ‘greatest to to bed, and Picardo an easy victory, Feetham achievement’ as attentions can be firmly believes the election Chief Minister, will be ‘inThe tunnel would re focussed on completing the scheme. credibly close’. instantly make Gibraltar ed and more accessible No matter that he a less congestplace to visit.

It would also show ing on a paltry is languishthe government’s ress. commitment to progopinion poll and 16% in the the GSLP foe seems to be hardly putting a foot wrong. In particular , after Picardo steered in an impressive list of projects, such as WITH Christmas Gibraltar’s first university around the , the corner, real festive spirit.

World Trade Center it’s great to see some and a new Morrisons’ move national football to donate all of its stadium over caring for the vulnerabl unsold food to charities his first term. e is encourag for the hungry and “There is a shop for the reduction ing and exciting, both The shocking element versus the reality window here of needless waste. market to make this is that Morrisons is the first pens behind it,” of what hapof tonnes of edible brave step, which means that superfanatic Feetham.explains gym millions food continue to erty rages both on ernment projects “This govour doorsteps andbe binned while povHopefully the scheme positive way, but itself in a further afield. all of these will be a roaring positive results will schemes are actually success and the funded other chains, both shine so brightly from Gibraltar by very, very large in Spain and the that Perhaps he has a debt.”

UK, will follow suit. point.

At the last election, the overall net debt was £240 million, which Feetham claims grown to £418 million,has now THE following companie GRILLED: Feetham leged departmental with als are - Jaipur no longer allowed Press publisher Jon with Olive being about £40-50spending Purple, Estepona to do business with the million and chief reporter Clarke over budget across Olive Press - Reservatauro, Ronda Tom Powell (Luke Stewart Media - Webuycarsinspain.e And don’t forget the board. s B91664029), due SL - CIF - Motor Trader small matter of thethere is the “But in any democrac to long - Best new power standing debts: Coches station and a sewage one should be keeping y every- MWM Investmen treatment plant to fund ernment accountab the govon top of The details are being - Petersham Coins,ts Ltd that. times I have felt like le, and at Marbella published in support of other we are car- Investor Spain rying companies that responsib that may be unaware - Simple Care It is a fair point, so ility alone.” of the problems “I have been that might be faced tell us some- Autotunes Manilva thing by providing positive... credit facilities to the what - Hotel Embrujo, Arriate attacked for not businesses and three positive plans are your their present individual owners. will introduce on the the GSD being patriotic and Rock?

A tunnel under the doing Gibraltar way, a diesel powerairport runstation at GIBRALTAR Lathbury barracks down” Covering with backup connections Gibraltar main grid and a to Morocco’s EE with 10,000 This is ‘gambling (which would costsewage plant FR copies ture of the next’ with the fuThese are the £30 million).

Tel: (+34) 951 273 575 (admin) ‘pure and simple’,generation, things he wants three ‘vital’ to achieve.

Feetham Accounts: (+34) 658 insists.

And fast.

750 424 Sales: (+34) 692 725 475 “If I gave my daughter or admin@theolivepress There is also the necessary in.es or sales@theolivepress.es card, I’m sure she my credit dependent verificatio would buy nice things, but she’d nomic growth and n of ecoA campaigning, community also ruin my finances and jeopardise high on his agenda, debt is also newspaper, the Gibraltar the local and expatriate our future,” he says. ening of departme as are tight10,000 copies distributedcommunities working or livingOlive Press represents fortnightly on a Wednesday. on the Rock with CONFIDENT: The family man and planning for ntal budgets Feetham strolls has two sons a financially Luke Stewart Media as well as a daughter, down Main Street secure future, of course.

S.L - CIF: B91664029 all with Says Feetham: rob@theolivepress.es his English wife, But there is more “We were photo to Feetham (+34) 951 273 575 he met while at Julia, whom tipped off that Credit Iona Napier opportunity has become than the pedantic politician.

Finance paramoun Carretera Nacional Manchester and university in even funded the Sunborn This is a man who iona@theolivepress.es t, and value 340, km 144.5 persuade to movemanaged to hotel by around £30 Yacht ey for the taxpayer has for mon- first-hand evidence grew up in Calle Espinosa 1 Joe Duggan become tar’s of in 2000. He dearlyto Gibraltar but it’s not just about million, irrelevant.” housing crisis andGibralEdificio centro comercial joe@theolivepress.es the boat. Feetham El Duque, who kids, but they won’t loves his “It’s about oplater came within planta primera, 29692 may be making San centimetr be Luis getting erating in an valid de Sabinillas, Manilva es his credit card any points, but he is of death.

Admin / Distribution open way.”

Gibraltarian born time soon.

Printed by Corporación / Accounts: already begin- This is a man who will support “If and de Medios I did raised, not de Andalucía S.A. Meanwh have Maria González Feetham’s primary ile, ning to sound Manchester United through any my strength from is to prevent austerity.objective the Editor: Jon Clarke travel accounts@theolivepress.e like a perennial crisis, right up until his death.

“I want and enters jon@theolivepress.es the good times to Mirian Moreno lifting weights, moaner. Does “I was born and raised here in Newsdesk he says. “And that last forever,” t a i n m e n t he realise how Varyl Begg estate. My father admin@theolivepress.es takes proper e x p e then newsdesk@theolivepress he planning.” would was n s e a s taxi have driver and my mother many .es people Tel: (+34) 665 798 of the chief One of his main gripes 618 killed me” see him as neg- was a cleaner,” he reminisce with the m i n i s t e r SALES TEAM: s. current governme “We ’ lived s ativity five of us in personi- bedrooms Tom Powell Chris Birkett Head low lawyer Picardo,nt, led by fel- office have , which means I two fied? of Sales can tom@theolivepress.es issue’ of transpare is the ‘huge risen from £400,000 (+34) 652 512 956 The answer is immediately empathise with to £1.3 yes. million, he claims.

Many questions havency. anyone who has Rob Horgan Stephen Shutes (+34) a housing 671 834 479 “Nobody wants to of the governmen been asked “I think there are too Sarah Adams (+34) ask the diffi- problem.

655 825 683 Credit Finance, whicht company people going on trips, many cult questions, and “To be honest, used to fund various has been last month’s Gibraltar such as vilified for doing it at I have been been left-leanin I have always times; I have g due to my upprojects.

Day in London,” he says bluntly. “The been attacked for not being pa- bringing.” triotic and doing Gibraltar But that’s not to down. didn’t love his time suggest he on the Rock

Back on track?

High hopes

Olive Pres

s payments BATTLE: Feetham meets a ‘fan’ who Picardo later claimed is actually the olive prefor voting ss him

Pumping iron saved my life

Now let me save Gibral debt, pleads the GSD’s tar from national leader Danny Feetha determined m over coffee with Tom Powell, two weeks before election

A legal spat in the tabloids A LEGAL spat between lawyers Fabian Picardo and Daniel Feetham has become international news.

It came after the Chief Minister and opposition leader traded jibes over who was the better lawyer during a televised debate ahead of the general election.

A clip of the row, which reduced the au-

dience to laughter, was uploaded to YouTube.

The argument over who had been a practising lawyer for longest (Picardo for 21 years and Feetham for 22 years) culminated in the Chief Minister trumping his opponent with an ace card that he was ‘a silk’ and his rival was not.

A-7 dual carriageway Km 150 Sabinillas – 29692 Tel. 952 89 15 65 Fax. 952 89 12 49 info@ortegaaviles.com

www.ortegaaviles.com

8

November 25th - December 9th

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR

www.gibraltarolivepress.com

Run like the wind!

HUNDREDS of budding Mo Farahs and Paula Radcliffes took to the streets of Algeciras for the town’s third half marathon on November 5.

The sun was shining as the runners began the gruelling 21km run in the town centre, heading alongside the port before venturing out into the countryside.

The winner Mustapha Sabili (left) crossed the line to raucous cheers at an

NEWS IN BRIEF

Big deal THE world’s leading petrochemical producer, Indorama Ventures Plc (IVL), has acquired the Cepsa plant in San Roque in a multi-million euro deal.

Get well soon Hospital staff demand an end to austerity cuts

No Pass DUTCH freelance journalist and photographer Rik Goverde was expelled from Morocco to Algeciras after he was accused of operating without accreditation.

HEALTH workers at La Linea hospital are demanding improvements to pay and work conditions.

Staff protested outside the hospital doors to call for the reversal of cuts made years ago during austerity measures.

They want a return to a 35hour week, for pay to return to 2012 levels and an end to docking pay for those who are off sick.

According to the Cadiz provFAMILIES earning less ince health minister, Eloisa than €967.95 a month will Bernal, the cuts made have receive 100 free litres of directly affected the quality water a day, the mayor of of public services provided.

Algeciras has announced.

Free water

Transformer ALGECIRAS Town Hall has backed a report to the Junta declaring the barrios of Los Pastores and La Bajadilla as areas in need of social transformation.

impressive 1 hour 11 minutes.

Even the Olive Press’ own Chief Reporter Tom Powell managed to drag himself over the line, in his ‘triumphant comeback’ from surgery before the summer.

“I wasn’t pleased with my time, or my fitness level, but I can’t complain considering I couldn’t even walk a few months ago,” he said.

Writing’s on the wall POLICE are investigating three pieces of Arabic graffiti that sprung up in San Roque on November 13, the same night 129 were massacred in the Paris attacks.

The inscriptions, which translate as ‘Allah is great’, all contained minor spelling errors.

The graffiti was found in Calle Pitas, Calle Portugues and also on the back of Iglesia Santa Maria Coronada.

Their immediate removal has been demanded and will be carried out by the Guardia Civil.

Grievances

The current campaign, titled ‘The Forgotten Andalucian’, aims to pressurise the Junta and highlight the grievances of hospital workers.

Staff at hospitals in Puerto Real and Algeciras are now set to protest, while staff in Cadiz and Jerez have already done so.

José Ignacio Landaluce said households with an income of less than one and a half times the minimum wage are entitled to their first 100 litres of water for nothing.

Landaluce said: “We are a pioneering town hall in this type of social project and we also intervene against evictions, or to avoid electricity cuts.”

A party for pooches A FUNDRAISING bash for stray and abandoned dogs in the Campo de Gibraltar will take place on November 27.

Spanish Stray Dogs preChristmas bash and boogie, at Bianca’s restaurant in Gibraltar, will feature a threecourse dinner and live entertainment from the Lola Boys.

The money raised will go towards rescuing and rehoming dogs in the Campo area, particularly those in the overcrowded Los Barrios pound, w h i c h currently h o u s e s more than 300 stray dogs.

Volunteer Sarah Fernandes told the Olive Press: “We spend approximately £2,100 every month on food for the dogs, veterinary care and wages for workers to help the struggling volunteers.

“All of that money comes from hard fundraising and kind donations.

“The pre-Christmas bash is going to be a great night and a lot of fun,” she added.

Tickets cost £27.50, and there will also be a raffle and auction.

To purchase, contact Bianca’s on 200 73379, Sarah on 0034 667 031 847 or email sarah@ spanishstraydogs.org

la cultura

9 November 25th - December 9th

Upper Town tales New book explores life in the Rock’s old victorian streets

EXCITED: Archivist with Deputy Chief Minister

Super scanner

A NEW highly-specialised scanner is revolutionising Gibraltar’s National Archives.

The £16,850 German machine, funded by a grant from the Parasol Foundation Trust, makes light work of digitising everything from musty tomes to newspapers, and from maps and government files.

It will be used to provide a permanent database of historic documents that can be easily referenced.

“In a single hour, this machine has been able to scan all the copies of the El Mono newspaper from 1879 – over 260 double pages in all,” said archivist Anthony Pitaluga.

A GIBRALTARIAN author in Japan has published his seventh novel, set in the Rock’s Upper Town.

M.G. Sanchez, 47, who grew up there, described his latest work as a ‘eulogy to Gibraltar’s old Victorian streets’.

Entitled Jonathan Gallardo, it follows the fortunes of a Gibraltarian youth who begins to hear voices in different locations around the Rock, after being badly beaten up in a street fight.

“I had been meaning to write a novel set in the Upper Town area for some time,” explains THERE are not many festivals where you’ll Sanchez. find Anthony Worrall Thompson serving “I grew up in Chicardo’s Pasup a delicious lunch before discussing sage, a stone’s throw from his ‘rebellious’ ways, while Spanish the old St Bernard’s Hospifootball expert Guillem Balague lifts tal, and I have always been the lid on the real Cristiano Ronaldo. fascinated by the labyrinth And it is certainly a rare occurrence to of narrow, crooked streets have Esther Rantzen competing with found in this part of the Marcus Brigstocke and Myles Jupp in a Rock.” live version of Just a Minute, hosted by Sanchez worked in eight legendary radio presenter Nicholas Pardifferent jobs, from petsons, all on board a floating hotel. rol pump attendant to ice But that’s exactly what the November’s third Gicream salesman, before braltar Literary Festival delivered, and some. gaining a PHD at Leeds It brought a different sort of celebrity to the Rock, but the University. He has released four-day event in different venues across the centre of town six novels set in Gibraltar, was just as star-studded as the summer music festival. as well as several GibraltarThe highlights were numerous, but comedian and author themed collections.

Brigstocke’s interview in a packed-out John Mackintosh Now based in Tokyo, he Hall stands out. promotes his homeland As does TV legend Esther Rantzen’s engaging appearance in books as well as at uniand literary agent Andrew Lownie on the antics of spy Guy BIG NAMES: Rantzen and versity talks and media Burgess during his time in Gibraltar.

Worrall Thompson appearances.

Bookworms and stars REVIEW: Third Gibraltar Literary Festival was best yet, writes Tom Powell

what’s on

P

hotographic exhibition, November 24 to December 11

Marcos Moreno’s exhibition charts the trials and tribulations of immigrants crossing the Straits of Gibraltar. At Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery. Info: bookings@culture.gov.gi

C

onvent Christmas Fair, November 26

More than 40 festive stalls, many run by local charities.

Loreto Convent Choir singing Christmas carols at 6pm.

Mulled wine and minced pies from the Red Cross.

Info at www.convent.gi

T

he Sunborn Christmas Cracker, November 29

The Rotary Club’s charity concert features songs from your favorite Disney films, with soloist Claire Hawkins and guest singers. Tickets at Sunborn and the Music Corner, 114 Main Street.

C

hristmas Flower Show, December 3

Organised by the Gibraltar Horticultural Society at John Mackintosh Hall Lower Exhibition Room.

Info: Gibraltar Horticultural Facebook page

10

la cultura

Gibraltar’s Northern Defences are a fascinating walk through its military past that brings the bloody sieges and battles to life for tourists, as Tom Powell discovers

W

E peer up at the old machine gun hole leering menacingly down at us.

In front of us is a drawbridge, once the only way into Gibraltar, which would have crossed a flowing moat below.

Whether it’s Moorish, 18th century or Second World War Gibraltar we’re facing, staking a claim to the British Territory is looking like an increasingly impossible task as our tour guide points out the seemingly impenetrable defences.

November 25th - December 9th

Man the ramparts!

Beauty

But we haven’t had to travel far to reach the first part of the Northern Defences tour. In fact, this is the Landport Tunnel entrance to Casemates Square, once lapped by the ocean. Thousands of people walk through it every day en route to the shops in Main Street without realising its huge historical significance.

That is the beauty of Gibraltar, built on hundreds of years of genuine military heritage. This is a rock that has seen action and plenty of it. The place names alone (Line Wall Road, Casemates Square and King’s Bastion Leisure Centre, to name a few) are rooted in military terminology.

I was lucky enough to bag a place on one of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust’s preliminary Northern Defences tours, after a year-long project to restore the circuit, hidden under rubbish, and open it

NORTHERN ROCK: Uncovered zone above Moorish Castle Estate and (right) guide Ian Martinez

t o t h e public.

Although it isn’t finished yet.

Even the enthusiastic project manager, Carl Viagas, doesn’t know exactly what the long-term aim for the defences is. But whether it is a key tourist attraction, an open area for local use, a circuit training ground or all of the above, the Northern Defences are going to be a revelation for Gibraltar.

We begin our tour at Landport Bridge, where guide Ian Martinez – a military man with a thirst for heritage – takes us back to Moorish times.

The old ‘Castle of Homage’ would have been divided into three parts, with the Puerta de Granada the main entrance.

Historians have long debated the exact site of the Puerta de Granada but we are taken to the most likely spot.

This brings us into the cordonedoff area above Moorish Castle estate, where workers have been uncovering the site from beneath a mountain of rubbish since last November.

“The key to the whole project was removing the rubbish,” explains Viagas. “People have looked at it before and decided it was just too much of a dump.

Torches

FORTRESS: Cannonball dents cover barracks wall

“But it hasn’t actually been that difficult. It has only cost £4,000 when other projects I’ve managed have cost millions,” he tells me.

The transformation, I’m led to believe, has been incredible. When they first started you could not even walk through the defences in the area known as ‘the jungle’. Now it is a beautiful stroll in woodland, up stone passages, past barracks and

ENTICING: Previously hidden steps

through galleries.

At one point, torches are required as we head through a tunnel, Prince’s Gallery, with Ian shedding light on the gap used for firing the cannon.

He illustrates every aspect of the tour with juicy historical tidbits that I won’t go into now (get on a tour with the real expert).

The views are panoramic and exquisite, while it is easy to picture soldiers hurtling along these defences and desperately manning the ramparts. In one particular barracks, which would have housed 70-to-100 soldiers, cannon ball-sized holes dimple

the outer wall.

We don’t venture down as far as the Kings and Queens Lines, the first line of the tunnel defences, and yet to be cleared.

That is the next stage of the project. When finished it will complete a perfect circuit which will take several hours of walking.

Gibraltar’s topography makes it almost impenetrable. Add all these layers of well thought-out defence and it’s clear there’s no place more solid than the rock of Gibraltar, as the saying goes.

No wonder so many powers through history have wanted a piece of it.

12

LETTERS

November 25th - December 9th

POTTED POINTERS EMERGENCIES Police 199 Medical service 190 Fire 190 EURO EXCHANGE RATES 1 euro is worth 1.06 American dollars 0.70 British pounds 1.42 Canadian dollars 7.46 Danish kroner 8.21 H Kong dollars 9.19 Norwegian kroner 1.50 Singapore dollars ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 61.14% Same week last year: 73.15% Same week in 2005: 50.89% AIRPORTS Gibraltar 00350 22073026 Granada-Jaen 958 245 200 Jerez - 956 150 000 Malaga - 952 048 844* *For English press 9 Sevilla - 954 449 000

Second battle of Trafalgar DEAR OP, THE plan to privatise Trafalgar lighthouse is outrageous, thank you for bringing this to the public attention (We will fight them on the beaches, issue 5).

It is so clear that the Cadiz Port Authority has simply grown tired of the financial burden and wants an easy way out, irrespective of the historical importance of the site.

It has the potential to be an excellent tourist attraction which would, in turn, boost the local economy. We need to fight to make sure it is not simply converted into flats.

Anon, Gibraltar

At last!

I HAVE always hated the way supermarkets simply throw out all the unsold food, so I must say a big ‘well done’ to Morrisons (No sell out, issue 5). It’s great to hear they will be donating all the food that is unsold - but still perfectly edible - to local communities and charities. A lot of credit for this must go to celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his TV campaign. Now we have to hope the rest of the world’s supermarkets will follow suit.

Ash Bolton, La Linea

Under the weather

www.gibraltarolivepress.com AN ominous black cloud hovered above Gibraltar as I hurried across the runway to attend the literary festival last weekend.

They say Gibraltar has its own microclimate, and although I am no geographer, I saw it first hand. Luckily Gibraltar is charming come rain or shine, but I must confess it was a wrench to leave the unbroken sunshine of La Linea! However there was a silver lining, because as I left the Just a Minute festival special on the Sunborn Hotel, Ocean Village was bathed in sunshine and there was not a spot a rain. What a beautiful place.

Ellie Cronin, La Linea

Immigration issue... again THIS week on www.gibraltarolivepress.com , we revealed the woman behind a 500,000-signature petition to close UK borders spends most of her time living in Spain. The actions of Tina Reeves, who has a house in Jaen, certainly got our readers talking. Here are some of the top comments: WHAT these UKIP-supporting types signing petitions like this haven’t quite realised is that closing the UK’s borders would hurt the UK far more than anyone else. It’s not just the millions in Britain who earn a living from tourists and visitors – around half our food and many essential medicines and materials have to be imported.

Each print issue of the Olive Press can be read in its entirety on www.theolivepress.es And our site is updated daily with the latest news, making it one of Spain’s most visited news websites.

The fact it is an expat who spends half of her time in Spain behind the petition is beyond ridiculous. What is the world coming to?

to get back into the UK. Please, let’s not turn this into a personal campaign against her just because she spends a lot of time in Spain.

Anon, Gibraltar

Helen Smith, Manilva

ON the contrary, I don’t understand why a British person spending a lot of time in Spain doesn’t have a right to speak up for her country.

She should be allowed to want to protect the UK, especially when she has friends and family are still there.

I spend most of my time in Spain and strongly defend the UK and want to protect it. It is my homeland where my family live and where I care for my fellow British.

If the UK borders are closed when Tina happens to be in Spain, all the more courageous she is as she risks not being able

WE may have different opinions but can we all agree the EU is an unmitigated disaster? Just look at Greece and other Club Med countries in the crisis. It costs the UK far more than it receives. I believe the UK pays approx £55 million a day to the EU but receives approx £37 million back, meaning a net outflow of £18 million. How daft is that when people are suffering in the UK in deprived areas?

If the UK closed its borders to immigrants, tourists would still visit, imports and exports would still happen but with whoever we like as the EU countries will still need the UK as a major customer.

Letters should be emailed to letters@theolivepress.es. The writer’s name and address should be provided. Opinions are not necessarily those of the Editor.

Mike Hall, UK

olive press October 2015 online

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Property olive press

the

ON THE UP: Stunning Spanish properties, such as luxury villa (above) sold by Panorama, are being snapped up in the post-crisis boom

SO

LD

PUERTO BANUS PRIZE: Sold by Panorama

GOLDEN MILE PAD: Sold by Terra Meridiana

ESTEPONA ESCAPE: Sold by Terra Meridiana

Property sales are back on track with multi-million euro purchases, renewed confidence and fresh hope for the future

Let the good times roll...

THE property sector is set to bounce back at an even faster pace over the coming years.

And many in the industry feel this change is across the board, from studio apartments and small holiday homes right up to the luxury sector.

If 2015 was the year of the ‘comeback’, 2016 and 2017 will see prices continue to rise with the rental market also gaining ground, according to a leading property expert.

Prices are predicted to increase around 6.2% next year alone, claims Servihabitat CEO Julian Cabanillas.

This rise is almost three times this year’s increase, which is currently predicted to sit at between 2.3% and 2.6% overall.

The real estate giant, part owned by La Caixa bank, also predicted that purchases next year could grow by 25%.

This positivity is shared by property expert Terra Meridiana’s Adam Neale.

“The crisis brought many tough years for the property market with the crunch really hitting in 2011,” he told the Olive Press.

“The market has picked up since then across all budgets and now we can really see the good times picking up again.”

THE GSLP are promising to build 1,700 new homes if they get into power this week.

Fabian Picardo has insisted the majority of properties will be affordable homes.

The homes will be built at Hassan Centenary Terraces and Bob Peliza Mews.

This is more than double the 850 new homes which have been constructed in the party’s first four years.

Exciting

“We will continue to prioritise people on the basis of their eligibility and needs,” states the manifesto.

“And we anticipate other exciting developments also becoming available.”

Meanwhile, Gibraltarians who were forced to abandon hopes of buying property on the Rock and have moved to Spain will be eligible to buy in the next round of affordable housing.

Those who previously owned property will need to pass the financial assessment test.

SO

SO LA ZAGALETA BEAUTY: Sold by Panorama

SO

1,700 new homes for the Rock!

SO

November 25th - December 9th 2015

LD

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BIG SPLASH

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Llanitos get their homes

Pioneering company to invest €121 million in Europe’s first ‘megapool’ and resort

By Iona Napier

THE company behind the world’s largest outdoor swimming pool is diving into its first European project.

The real estate giant Crystal Lagoons - behind a pool in Chile some 11 football pitches in size - is bringing its expertise to Casares.

The €121 million luxury resort will have the biggest pool in Europe, with 450 homes scattered around it.

The hectare and a half Alcazaba Hills Lagoon will create a huge area for swimmers and for other watersports.

Estimated to take eight months to build, the site is close to a development, once chalked in for a Spanish Disneyland.

Some 350 new properties are to be built alongside an existing 100 properties, which have sat unsold since 2009.

Spelling great optimism for the abandoned development, the scheme will target wealthy European tourists, principally British, German and Dutch.

COOL POOLS: Alcazaba Hills Lagoon (above) and (left) world’s biggest swimming pool in Chile

HOMES have been allocated to the majority of those on Gibraltar’s housing waiting lists, the government has announced.

Only a few people in search of single-room properties have failed to get them.

It comes as the GSLP/Liberals vowed to improve the quality of rental properties, if re-elected this week.

Picardo also committed to build more rental homes for the elderly.

A troubled path...

“With Crystal lagoons’ revolutionary technology, we can bring the idyllic beach lifestyle anywhere in the world which could reactivate unsold and empty projects which were considered devoid of hope,” said regional director Sebastian Pillado.

The Estepona, Marbella and Mijas property landscape has seen a magnificent year with €376 million of investment scheduled in so far alone.

Casares town hall failed to comment on this matter when approached by the Olive Press.

SAN Pedro’s iconic footbridge has walked its way into controversy.

The stunning overpass has been denounced by political party Costa del Sol Si Puede over

claims of embezzlement and funding irregularities.

The Podemos breakaway group claims the former PP-run Marbella town hall put the

SEEING DOUBLE: Part of bridge payment was allegedly paid twice

same €309,000 payment through the books twice as a way of embezzling public funds.

The denuncia claims that demolition payments for a playground were put through twice among other irregularities.

The party is now demanding the new Marbella mayor discloses all payments in connection to the San Pedro project.

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FIVE STAR HOLE: In Torremolinos

Hole in head

THE idea behind it was one of decadent luxury: a 22-floor, five-star hotel to revolutionise the Torremolinos tourist scene.

But six years after the €120 million Hotel Cruiser project fell through, the building’s massive footprint remains a reminder of its failure.

Only now has the town hall finally started work to fill in the ‘five star hole’ which sparked complaints.

It was not only unsightly but became dirty and was frequented by rats.

Work is predicted to last six months after which the land will be sold.

ITH the traditional pantile roof tiles to timeless cobbled courtyards, at least one local architect has dedicated his life to protecting the Andalucian vernacular.

From classic white-washed houses to old style cortijos, Donald Gray has long worked to preserve local architectural disciplines.

One of the region’s longest-serving expats Gray has, fittingly, now been recognised for his remarkable catalogue of sensitive designs.

Everything that the typical Costa del Sol monstrosities are not, his buildings have recently earned him an award, the Rafael Manzano Martos prize, that is given for honouring traditional Andalucian architectural styles.

And it is no surprise. For Australian Gray, 80, counts among his fans both actress Brigitte Bardot and world-respected writer Gerald Brenan, for whom he once designed a home.

His devotion to Andalucian architecture was sparked when he embarked on a love affair with Spain 57 years ago.

“I arrived in Spain about a year before Castro rode into La Havana,” he reveals.

It was 1958 and he initially settled in Valladolid, where he got a job as an English teacher.

But he soon got the travel bug to adventure further afield.

“I was young and spent a lot of time travelling around,” he tells the Olive Press. “I was teaching English wherever I went, including in Madrid and later in Torremolinos and Malaga.

“I did that for a year or two then went back to England. After that I went to Copenhagen to teach English then settled in Almunecar.”

Intriguingly, the one-time English teacher didn’t learn his craft for designing buildings at college, at all. Instead, he learned directly by studying traditional styles and drawing lessons from the craftsmen who kept these styles alive.

“I put as many years into studying as I would have at university. The type of architecture I’m interested in they don’t teach at university,” Gray continues. “Modern art is gimmickry, and gimmickry doesn’t make good art.”

His first forays in design came when he settled in Almunecar.

“There was something about the style of the old buildings there that I fell in love with… it was a beautiful town to walk around and the

www.gibraltarolivepress.com

Defender

Donald Gray has devoted his life to traditional Andalucia architecture, with Brigitte Bardot and Gerald Brenan big fans. Joe Duggan met the man

architecture really got to me.”

Gray’s CV now includes buildings all around the region.

As well as the town hall of Pitres, in Granada, he designed the urbanisations of Pueblo Lopez, in Fuengirola and the celebrated La Virginia urbanisation, in Marbella.

All of his designs are gleaming white jewels and unmistakably Andalucian.

Gray’s loyalty to local heritage, and his enduring interest in the beauty of domestic dwellings, are certainly a counterpoint to famous modern architect Frank Gehry’s otherworldly inventions, including the Guggenheim, in Bilbao.

His 12-bedroom La Tartana hotel, in La Herradura, won admiring glances from a famous guest.

“Brigitte Bardot stayed there. She said it was the most agreeable hotel she had stayed in,” says Gray.

Gray’s early years in Spain also drew him into contact with Brenan, the British writer and Hispanophile, whose books including South from Granada, transmit the very essence of Andalucia.

“I met him very early on when he was living in Churriana,” says Gray. “It turned out he wanted to leave his house in Churriana where he lived from before the Civil War. He wanted to forget about it all so I ended up designing

W

ith

PRESTIGIOUS: Gray (left), Brenan (ce a house for him in nearby Alhaurin El Grande.

“I first met him not long after I moved to the Alpujarras region, where he lived for a long time.

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November 25th - December 9th

entre) and Bardot (right) while (above) examples of Gray’s designs I used to see a lot of him. He was extremely interesting, an elegant conversationalist.”

Gray still lives in Las Alpujarras, in a tiny vil-

lage called Atalbeitar embedded in the Andalucian hills where he says he feels more Spanish than Australian or British.

In a long career that has taken him around the whole region, he in particular loved Marbella and Torremolinos.“I love Andalucian architecture because it is so pleasing,” he says.

“It’s lovely to walk down a street designed in the old Andalucian style. Marbella used to be like that. Torremolinos used to be one of the most beautiful places in the world.”

But his heart was broken when he saw the beloved unspoilt coastline of Andalucia slowly get eaten up by development.

As the collar of concrete expanded ever wider, his style of architecture got increasingly lost.

“You can see on the Costa del Sol there are massive amounts of architecture and most of it is very depressing,” he says.

“It used to be extremely beautiful - one of the most beautiful places in the world. Now it’s one of the ugliest. It doesn’t say much for modern architecture.”

However, he did not give up hope…. and landed a job as artistic director of a restoration school in Lebrija between 1986 and 1989.

The school taught young people to restore local monuments and churches and produced some of Andalucia’s finest artisan craftsmen.

“I thought that would be a way of teaching people what was being lost with the old Spanish crafts, things that had been completely destroyed. Ceramics, ironworks, carpentry,” says Gray.

Remarkably Gray is still working today, in particular on a house in Las Alpujarras.

“I will continue to design and renovate houses as long as I can. People no longer want to build urbanisations so I am doing what I know best and protecting what little is left.”

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Property

www.gibraltarolivepress.com ADVERTORIAL

November 25th - December 9th 18

the Gibraltar Olive Press September 17th - 30th 19 Property 10 Property

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On cloud nine!

Expat salesman ties up ‘unheard-of ’ nine home sales on the bounce... and he could be in for a tenth!

EXCLUSIVE

By Rob Horgan AN Englishman is aiming to make it an unprecedented 10 out of 10.

Following in the footsteps of Premier League marksman Jamie Vardy, is Inland Andalucia’s very own sharp shooter Paul Barnett.

After bagging an unprecedented nine straight property sales in a row, Barnett will be the envy of estate agent bosses across Andalucia. And he could make it a perfect 10 with a decision imminent on yet another potential purchase

www.gibraltarolivepress.com

Properties making Paul so happy Client Name

Type

Town, Region

Price

1. Francisco & Antonia 2. Sean, Caroline & Thomas 3. Trudi 4. Tony & Louise 5. Victor & Cheryl 6. Murial 7. Jeff & Chrissie 8. Mark & Lorraine 9. Pillar & Jesus

Townhouse Cortijo Villa Townhouse Villa Townhouse Townhouse Villa Villa

Fuente de Perda, Malaga Iznajar, Cordoba Puente Genil, Cordoba Encinas Reales, Cordoba Lora de Estepa, Sevilla Villanueva de Algaidas, Malaga Casariche, Sevilla Marchena, Sevilla Casariche, Sevilla

€ 75,000 € 87,000 € 185,000 € 79,000 € 125,000 € 45,500 € 36,000 € 32,000 € 139,000

10.? Peter & Patricia

Townhouse

Molina, Malaga

Pending

in the inland Malaga area.

His boss Graham Govier said in his 15 years in charge of company Inland Andalucia no one agent has ever come close to Barnett’s cur-

YOUR AVERAGE JUAN

FORGET turrets and drawbridges, the average dream Spanish home is a four-bedroom affair, with a garage and set in a modest 120m2.

While a massive 64% of Spaniards in a European survey demanded a garage, just half prioritised a terrace and 47% required green spaces nearby.

Brits meanwhile are happier to live in shoeboxes, with their ideal home measuring 80m2, while the average Portuguese opted for a larger 211m2.

Europeans, in general, favour five bedrooms, the RE/MAX survey revealed.

rent streak.

“It is an unbelievable feat,” Govier told the Olive Press. “A one-inthree viewings-to-sales conversion ratio is deemed good business, so to tie up nine on the spin is truly unheard of.

“Not even in the heady days of the Costa boom did anyone come near to that.

“I think a pick up in the property market, a return of foreign buyers to Spain along with the improved online viewing system we have introduced have all contributed to his success.”

He added: “But let’s not take anything away from him. Paul is one of the good guys, a real old-fashioned salesman.

“ H e d o e s things the proper way, gets to know the buyers and doesn’t use any tricks to sign them up.

“He deserves his success and I’m sure with all the commissions coming in he will have a pretty good Christmas.”

November 25th - December 9th

NEWS IN BRIEF Quarter pounder SPANISH house prices rose by 6.6% in the third quarter of 2015, with over 92,000 transactions taking place, representing the highest result of the last 10 quarters.

Renters buoyed TENANTS in Spain continue to get a good deal, with rental costs on the slide. A 1% year-on-year decline in October represents 31 straight months of decline in the rental sector.

Payment plan THE average Spanish mortgage costs €760 a month, with 75% of loan repayment terms set over 30 years, according to bank Goldman Sachs.

Holiday homes SPANIARDS have €9.2 billionworth of properties overseas, half of which are in the UK, France, Germany and Portugal.

Retail therapy REAL estate investment firm AEW Europe has launched a European retail fund aimed at investing up to €800 million in top tier cities, including Madrid.

21

Top Dollar www.gibraltarolivepress.

Border force THE Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce is strengthening relations with its Spanish neighbours.

Meeting with La Linea Town Hall’s commercial officials, the two sides discussed mutual business interests.

GIBRALTAR will host the Ideas to improve cross-bornext annual convention of the der business relations inInternational Bunker Indus- cluded reducing traffic flow, try Association (IBIA). additional opening hours for Since its launch in 1992, IBIA commercial trade as well as has expanded to become the La Linea offering additional authoritative voice on marine warehouse space for Gibralfuel and now counts over 600 tar businesses. members from 66 countries.

The Chamber also highThe convention, to be held lighted the need for Spanish in November 2016, was de- businesses who wanted to do scribed as a ‘real feather in business in Gibraltar to be Gibraltar’s cap’ by Shipping properly licensed and regisMinister Albert Isola. tered.

Bunker boost

www.gibraltarolivepress.com

STUCK for space when visitors come to stay on the Rock?...

Then despair no longer, as one of the world’s leading hotel chains is about to set up shop.

Gearing up for a 2017 launch, Holiday Inn Express will build a new 120-room hotel.

Oil together now PROTECTING Gibraltar’s marine environment is a top priority.

And there are now significantly more specifically trained operatives to safely deal with an oil spill, should disaster occur.

Staff from both the Port Authority and the Ministry of the Environment took part in the Oil Spill Response Beach Master course.

The training involved simulating a real oil spill at Western Beach, so if you’ve been worried sick after seeing what looked like a terrible oil spill, you can now relax.

PROFICIENT: In the war against oil spills

November 25th - December 9th

Located close to the airport, on Devil’s Tower Road, the Holiday Inn will also feature a restaurant, bar and meeting rooms.

Targeted as a ‘growing finance centre’ in Europe, Holiday Inn director of development Hylko Versteeg is ‘excited’ to be setting up in Gibraltar.

“We’re thrilled that Holiday Inn Express Gibraltar will be the first internationally branded hotel to have a presence in the territory in decades,” he said.

“As well as being a tourism destination, Gibraltar has an established reputation as a financial centre and the hotel is well placed to attract strong demand from business and leisure guests alike.

“It will fill the mid-priced hotels gap in Gibraltar’s current hotels offer.”

The dancefloor classic Hotel, motel, by Pitbull (above) will now have extra resonance when played at Dusk.

NEWS IN BRIEF

US praise

GIBRALTAR’S tax transparency has been praised in a letter from John Koskinen, the Commissioner of the US Department of the Treasury in Washington DC.

Train tracks TRAIN users are on track for a big boost after Spain’s Renfe announced it is spending millions on 30 new trains.

On board COSTA workers commuting to Gibraltar now have a handy park and ride scheme, Gib X, which will take passengers from Estepona, Manilva, Sotogrande and Alcaidesa to Ocean Village.

Base rates THE running cost of the UK’s military base in Gibraltar amounts to £70 million a year, making it the fourth most expensive military base for Britain.

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All you need is

‘Bringing music to your ears, and Gibraltar to your screen’

Top Dollar

First class ticket boost TRAIN users are on track for a big boost after Renfe announced it is spending millions on 30 new trains.

The Spanish rail company revealed it is splashing between 2,061 billion and 2,642 billion on its new fleet.

The 400-seat trains, which will have a minimum speed of 320 kmh, come into service between 2018 and 2025.

Work starts on the first batch of 15 trains in May 2016 with Renfe ordering the remaining 15 when required.

Green light

Follow the Election 2015 campaign on GBC Television & Radio Gibraltar

Spanish power provider Acciona tops world list of 100 most eco-friendly utilities

GBC TELEVISION

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A SPANISH company has been named greenest utility in the world by industry experts Energy Intelligence.

Acciona, an independent power producer

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with completely renewable energy capacity, topped the list of the world’s top 100 Green Utilities.

The rankings are based on companies’ renewable energy portfolios and greenhouse gas emissions.

The 100 utilities in the list have a combined 3,100GW of installed capacity, equivalent to around 55% of the world’s total power generation.

Acciona obtained 234 out of GAMBLING giant Paddy Power is setting its a possible 300 points in the sights on Spain. ranking for CO2 emissions Teaming up with Spanish betting company per MWh. Reta, Paddy Power’s sport-betting products The company beat energy will be on offer in Spain. giants such as Iberdrola It is the latest move in the UK company’s global and EDF to the number one expansion which has the company tie up deals spot. with major gambling providers in France, CanIt’s the first time Acciona ada and Slovakia. has appeared in the annual Energy Intelligence report.

Rolling the dice

AGONY ANT YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY ANTONIO FLORES

Home of contention Divorce and separation: what happens to the family home?

T

HE title is short but the consequences of divorce are often complex, far-reaching and can last decades.

When a couple, married or otherwise, decides to end the joint use of the family home following separation or divorce, the family home whether jointly or privately owned by one partner - becomes the asset that is the subject of the greatest disputes.

These concerns arise, for many and obvious reasons, both personal and financial.

In Spain, courts have certain guidelines that they tend to stick to when deciding about who is to retain possession.

These include: ownership situation, existing judicial precedent, social inertia, mutual or unilateral decision (very often, one partner leaves willingly) and, most importantly, children.

The following guidelines can help us understand what we can expect when in this situation: - Where children are involved, 95% of the time the use of the family home goes to the mother because she is granted custody in 95% of cases.

- Where children are not involved, the judge can decide that possession, for a prudent period of time (some courts establish this to

be 6 to 12 months), goes to the non-owning spouse/partner if he/she is in more demand of protection (lack of income, financial situation, or illness).

- Where children are not involved, the property is not owned jointly and both parties are in a similar financial situation, the owning partner will have the right to enjoy possession. Where it is jointly owned, courts expect partners to agree on its use, failing which, the property is sold at public auction and the proceeds, if any, divided.

If the property is not sold at auction, a common occurrence particularly where a large mortgage is registered, the court can allocate the use of the property by alternate periods of time and, very exceptionally, it could even be partitioned with a wall if the home lends itself to it.

- Situations of domestic violence are extremely complex because the male partner generally spends time in police cells, gets prosecuted and normally, regardless of the actual outcome of the proceedings, is given a restraining order which automatically means that he is now out of the family home.

Email Antonio at aflores@lawbird.es

Columnists

November 25th - December 9th

The 12 weeks of Christmas

I

t’s an extraordinary fact that while Christmas always falls on the same day it gets earlier every year - even in Spain.

Although that’s no fault of the Spanish who don’t get their decorations up and their belens out until December.

Every year from around mid-September, down here on the Costa, the first expat restaurateurs appear flourishing festive menus and urging booking without delay.

But in weather hot enough to wilt an ensalada tropical, who feels up to considering mulled wine, stuffed turkey, baconwrapped chipolatas and plum pudding (with home-made custard or brandy butter)?

Blame it on the summer visitors who come back to Spain in December and like to make their reservations early. (It’s nice to see they enjoy the ‘traditional’ local cuisine.)

Blame it on the TV. I like whiskers on kittens as well as the next man but if I hear the Aldi Christmas commercial just one more time I fear I’ll be within a whisker of turning into a serial kitten abuser.

Or blame it on the consumer society. Gibraltarians have been enjoying the twinkle of Christmas lights in Main Street since November 8th, London even beat them to it on the first of this month, while festive produce has hit the shops so early that M&S mince pies are past their sell-by date way before the 25th!

Today, Jamie Oliver is showing you how to turn your Halloween pumpkin into the starter for your festive 10-course dinner before the candle has gone out.

They’ll have to change the wording of The 12 Days of Christmas to: ‘On the Twelfth Week of Christmas my true love gave to me … the priority order form for a free range turkey (buy in September to assure December delivery)’.

Not even the Queen gets a threemonth birthday build-up

Not even HRH Queen Elizabeth gets that kind of birthday build-up. Although in publishing, too, you’re always ahead of the game. I wrote this article in October!

The average European travels 190 miles on five Christmas shopping trips, suffers

three hangovers and gains 4lb in weight over Christmas, according to research by Visa, pretty scary on the medical front considering that December 25th is only one day …

That day will cost the average Brit a cool £796 per person this year. You could get a whole week of winter sunshine in Benidorm for that …

It certainly makes my flight tickets to New Zealand seem a lot more reasonable, despite the hassle to get them (I won’t go into the detail but savvy travel agents are an endangered species and flight comparison sites tell lies).

I’m having two Christmases this year – one in Spain and one in the Antipodes. Although as New Zealand’s in the Commonwealth, Santa gets there early too.

I’ve already put an All Black on my wish list but, failing that, I’d like to order a Grow Your Own Boyfriend, an adult ‘toy’ featured in the last issue of Olive Press.

I like the one I’ve got but a back-up might come in handy, especially as the packaging claims: ‘Mr Right Grows Six Times his Size in Water’.

No hard feelings Dave but I’m told November sea temperatures are still pretty icy in New Zealand!

I

GOT home late that fateful Friday night from a housewarming in the campo where I was introduced to one of my best friends’ new man, who was born in Paris.

I host a Saturday morning breakfast show so left the party early to drive back to the casita and was heading off to bed with a midnight cuppa when I thought I would check what was going on in the world of Facebook.

That was when I started seeing the posts about the Paris attacks.

I flicked on my radio (I don’t have a television at home) and listened to the horrific events unfold for the next couple of hours.

One of the great things about living in an international community like Marbella is the fact that we have friends all over the world.

My thoughts went straight to my French friends, as well as a pal who was on holiday in Paris and had only sent me a photo of the Eiffel Tower the day before.

I WhatsApped her to check that she was OK, but there was no reply. I went to bed around 3am, worried.

Up at 6am to head to the studio for the show, I received a message from her. She had taken shelter in the basement

With friends all over the world, the Paris attacks felt closer to home than ever

of a bar with other customers and was stuck, with all transport links shut down. But at least she was safe.

Other friends started checking into Facebook that morning, letting us know that they were safe.

As the full horror of the attacks were revealed, I kept an eye on social media.

Of course, there were the usual ‘close the borders’, ‘kill ‘em all’ and ‘let God sort ‘em out’ comments that always appear after these atrocities.

But there was a huge public display of solidarity with the people of Paris.

Residents threw open their doors that terrible night to shelter those stranded and get people off the boulevards that had become killing grounds.

No one asked what the religion was of the people they were letting in, or what part of the planet they came from.

It was just a natural, gut instinct to help fellow human beings in distress.

Marbella, with its wonderful mixture of cultures and creeds, religions and races, is living proof that we can all co-exist.

So we pray for those we lost, offer comfort for their friends and families and say in solidarity, ‘Je suis Paris’.

TRAZADO + info christmas olive press ocean village for christmas.indd 1

18/11/15 18:13

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Interviews will be held in the Costa del Sol region during September.

OVERSEAS

PROPERTY

Christmas in Gibraltar

27 Lots of great Christmas gifts now in store Pop in to see our full range Make your Christmas special!

Festive spirits T

HE one sure-fire way to bag a kiss under the mistletoe this winter is to combine a little Christmas spirit with a lot of flavour… in a glass, with a little umbrella perhaps.

It’s that time of year to delve into the liquor cupboard and drag out those spirits that sit unused for the other 11 months.

Add a little zing with some seasonal Spanish flavour and you’ll be in for a very ‘merry’ Christmas indeed… or a recipe for a new year hangover. Chin chin!

The red Rudolph

Pour 200ml of vodka and 200ml of Cointreau into a jug, add 600 ml of cranberry juice and 400ml of orange juice. Add the peel from two limes and serve over crushed ice.

Christmas cosmo

Mix 500ml vodka with an equal amount of ginger wine in a jug. Stir in a litre of cranberry juice, the juice of five limes and some sliced stem ginger.

Serve garnished with lime zest.

Elfs’ eggnog

Refrigerate all the liquids so they are very cold. Beat six eggs in a mixer until they are frothy. Gradually add 200g of sugar, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Turn the mixer off and stir in 500ml whipping cream, the same of milk, 175ml brandy and 75ml rum. Chill before serving and garnish with sprinkled nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

Snowball

Pour 200ml of Advocaat into a large jug, add 100ml of lime cordial and 100ml of sherry. Mix and add 200ml of lemonade. Serve over ice in a tall glass.

Mulled over

Boil 100g of light muscovado sugar in a pan with one star anise, one cinnamon stick, four cloves and 150ml water. Simmer for two minutes, then pour into a large jug. Add a sliced lemon and two clementines, with 150ml of Cointreau and 750ml of red wine.

31 Main Street, Gibraltar tel: +350 200 76006 Mascot Gibraltar SOFT FURNISHINGS

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FOOD & DRINK

- June www.gibraltarolivepress.com the OliveOlive PressPress JuneJune 11th -11th June 24th 24th 20152015 www.theolivepress.es www.gibraltarolivepress.com 29 www.gibraltarolivepress.com 29 29 the Gibraltar

November 25th - December 9th

November 12th - 25th 201511th 2015 October 28th - November

The only newspaper in Gibraltar with a dedicated food and drink section in every issue

Back for seconds MAMA’S BOY: Bautista

EXCLUSIVE

ROUND TWO: Mama Lotties

to be written down clearly and preserved so they weren’t forgotten,” said Bautista.

“After sitting with Mama and talking to friends who form part of the Mama Lotties community, I managed to get these down into clear, tried and tested recipes.”

Dishes include puchero (a stew made from chicken, pork or beef), cima rellena (stuffed flank steak), tortillas de pasas (sticky raisin puffs) and callos (tripe).

The book costs £12.50 and is available from all local bookshops, Heritage Trust, Eroski and, in due course, Morrisons.

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The newly expanded and refurbished venue includes three bars, bigger VIP areas, extended terraces, high performance air-con, more toilets and a new cloakroom.

Come down on Friday November 27 for the Official Relaunch party with Fuller DJ, Roberto

A med-icinal cure A MEDITERRANEAN diet containing fruit, vegetables, olive oil and fish can stave off Alzheimer’s, a new study claims.

The Columbia University report says the lack of red meat and dairy products may be linked to losing fewer brain cells as people age.

The findings, published by the Neurology journal, show those eating a Mediterranean diet have a larger brain volume than those who don’t.

This comes as good news for Gibraltar, which enjoys a diet rich in fish and vegetables.

Cantero (Sax) Quike Navarro House Violin, Aurelio Vargas Percussion and the sensational club dancers from 11pm.

Ring in the New Year at the epic Fire & Ice themed party where a mix of crystal cool vibes and explosive passion will bring you the best ever start to 2016…

Entry is £25, which includes a flaming or iced cocktail. Limited VIP packages are also available. Call 20066277 or email nicola@dusk.gi

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29

Spain’s the way!

Gib’s chef supremo releases second Mama Lotties book GIBRALTAR’S most famous chef has released a follow-up to Mama Lotties cookbook.

After the tremendous success of his first book, Justin Bautista went back to his grandmother’s kitchen and raided her recipe notes once more.

The result is Mama Lotties – Tasting the Mediterranean, a smaller, 80-page book with more of the tasty dishes that led to the first book being nominated for the international Gourmand Award.

“There were quite a few recipes I was not able to include in the first book, which I felt needed

29 29

SPANISH cookbooks are the flavour of the month for celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson.

Appearing at the Gibraltar Literary Festival, the TV star revealed his current number one recipe book is that of Juan Mari Arzak, owner and chef of the eponymous Basque Country restaurant.

“I find British cookbooks very dull,” he admitted to the audience at Elliott O’Callaghan hotel, having prepared a festival lunch earlier in the day.

“But there are some Spanish cookbooks I’m really loving right now, Arzak being the best.”

“I have about 2,000 sitting on my shelves in total, and from

REBEL: Anthony WT each one I get about two dishes.”

Worrall Thompson, who has a house down the coast near Mijas, began his talk by revealing his somewhat troublesome childhood, beginning from the moment his actor mother’s waters broke during the middle of a scene at the Royal Shakespeare theatre.

“I was a rebel then and I’m a rebel now, without a cause, you might say,” he said, hinting at the 2012 incident which saw him arrested for shoplifting from his local Tesco supermarket in the UK. “But I’ve learnt that you’ve got to be able to laugh at yourself and not regret your mistakes, just learn from them.”

Ravenous route TARIFA is set to swap seafood for jamon iberico for the third edition of its Ruta del Iberico.

Taking place from December 4-8, the gastronomic festival will see around 30 of the town’s restaurants serving up innovative dishes with the Iberian theme.

In each place, just €3 will get you a tapa and a drink.

There will also be a professional judging panel rating each tapa on various qualities, before electing the overall winner.

ED G IT IB IO N

30 30 30

FOOD & DRINK

30

Xmas lunch with punch A

re you brave enough to turn your back on the traditional trappings of Christmas?

By that I mean kicking the turkey into touch, along with the cranberry sauce, the Brussels sprouts (who likes them anyway?) and, of course, the peas.

After all, no one said it was the season of peas and goodwill …

In fact, turkey isn’t always the star of Christmas dinner on the cosmopolitan Costa del Sol, where the Scandinavians often prefer duck while the Spanish favour seafood.

Stuff the turkey and predictable Christmas pud! How about a hot prawn cocktail to wow your guests this year - and that’s just for starters! OP sales chief and wannabe chef Chris Birkett shares his recipes for an alternative menu in the Christmas run-up

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4) - 500g Raw King Prawns Peeled - 2 Romaine lettuces, separate leaves - 2 tbsp Olive Oil - Spring onions, washed and chopped - 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

METHOD

- Fresh Basil

- Heat oil in a large frying pan on a medium setting and add paprika, chilli flakes and crushed garlic.

- Cook for one minute and add chopped Spring onions, cook until softened.

- Stir in tomato puree add alcohol and small amount of water to create a sauce.

- Drop in King prawns and cook until pink, add salt and pepper to taste then take off heat to rest.

- On a side plate put three lettuce leaves with four/ five cherry tomatoes halved inside - Place a generous amount of prawns and sauce over each leaf and sprinkle basil leaves for decoration. Serve with warm crusty bread and enjoy!

- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree - Cherry Tomatoes - 1 tsp Sweet Paprika - Brandy or Sherry - Chilli flakes add to taste - Double Cream - Salt & Pepper

Spicy

So in the first of a three-part series I’ll be bringing you my favourite recipes for a threecourse festive feast with a difference, featuring fresh local ingredients - all tried and tested in my own kitchen and officially approved by friends and relations, por supuesto!

If that sounds appealing, first peel your prawns. King prawns of course, in deference to the magi (we can’t forget Christ-

www.gibraltarolivepress.com November 25th - December 9th

A mas entirely). They star in a seasonal starter that’s hot, spicy and not your average

prawn cocktail … but I guarantee you won’t have to fish for compliments!

Taste test

WE knew men were from Mars and women were from Venus, but who knew that sex affects our tastebuds?

Women have an emotional reaction to food as soon as they lock eyes on it whereas men have to taste it in order to engage cerebrally, Madrid neuroscientist Miguel Valdeolmillos has discovered.

Men reacted most strongly to chocolate and steak tartar, ahead of tortilla or casserole, while women had the strongest response to traditional dishes such as jamon, followed by chocolate.

Images of chocolate stimulated the brain more than pictures relating to sex, travel or sport in 69% of men and 62% of women.

Chestnut charm THEY made Nat King Cole burst into song and they’re one of the most evocative Christmas images on the Costa del Sol. Chestnuts have been eaten in Spain for centuries and were known as ‘the bread of the poor’ in areas where they were dried and made into flour.

Growing around Leon, the Basque Country, Galicia and Austurias they are the centre of traditional ‘magosto’ parties around fires in northern Spanish towns.

And with a low calorific content and fat quantity, they make a healthy Christmas snack.

FEW years I was invited to be in the audience of Hell’s Kitchen as an expert chef and taster to judge and enjoy the food and to support my friend Gary Rhodes, the well known chef. He was competing against Jean Cristophe Novelli who I also knew well, he was linked to having an over friendly relationship with my ex-wife!

He barely looked at me and pretended not to recognise me although I had worked with him many years. In the team of celebrity chefs was Anthea Turner.

She always had a hard time from the public but that was because she handled it badly and not because she is a bad person because in fact she is lovely.

Anthea called out to me and I ducked under the kitchen unit to see her but was ushered out by BBC gorillas. “Sorry no public in here,” they said. I was hardly public, I was Anthea’s friend and a Master chef trying to help her and the teams.

“Give me your chocolate pot recipe,” she cried out. Not knowing what she wanted it for, but seeing her urgency, I wrote it on a paper napkin and slid it to her.

The presenter came over to our table and asked what time it was. ‘Chico time!’ replied the audience as I immediately remembered my table guest from X factor. “Didn’t you knock Madonna off the number 1 spot in the charts,” I asked.

“Sure bro.” he replied, “but how could she compete!” Turns out Chico is a very intelligent man with a passion for peace and love, almost hippy in his ways.

He said my wife ( Danni) was a real fan of mine and watched every show and even had the hots for me! “Really?” I asked. “How can she have the hots for me when you have a perfect male physique?” He replied: “Yes but you cook with

FLOWER POWER

by Steven Saunders of the Little Geranium

Hell’s Kitchen

A chocolate pot for popstar Chico and Anthea Turner... but not Aled Jones!

love and passion and I can’t do that …I am jealous bro.”

So that night Chico and I became bosom buddies. That guy is genuine and he can laugh at himself, which many of us find difficult.

“Did you give Anthea your telephone number?” he said. I replied: “No, I gave her a recipe.”

The guy from the table next to us was Aled Jones, the Welsh boy treble in the nineties that sang the Christmas hit song Walking in the Air´, and he then shouted out that he wanted that recipe… “Shut up Aled and stick to singing carols!”… Chico replied!

And so every time I hear that song at Christmas it brings back the memories.

And seeing as that little pot of choc was such a hit with Hell’s Kitchen, here it is for you to enjoy, especially great at Christmas topped with caramelised chestnuts and a good splash of Amaretto!

Steven’s little pot au chocolate Ingredients (makes approx 8-10 small pots) 4 bars of dark (black) chocolate 125-150g bars 750ml of thick cream 4 egg yolks 4 heaped dessertspoons of white sugar 4 dessertspoons of Amaretto or Tia Maria

Method · Heat the cream but do not boil it · Break the chocolate into small bite size pieces and melt all of it either on a low heat in the microwave or over a small pan of boiling water. · Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until smooth and creamy like

· Now gently pour in the melted chocolate but carefully and by whisking as you do it · Now gradually pour in the heated cream carefully and by whisking all the time as adding it · Whisk it all together, it should be light and airy and about the colour of milk chocolate by now. · Finally stir in the Amaretto or Tia Maria · Pour the mix into small pots or espresso cups and allow to sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. · For Christmas I buy cooked chestnuts and caramelse with a little sugar in a small pan over heat watching and stirring all the time until glazed and sticky but not burnt! · Top the pots with the chestnuts and finish with a little Amaretto and serve.

Steven Saunders FMCGB - www.thelittlegeranium.com - michele@thelittlegeranium.com +34 952 49 36 02

sport Back on top!

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31

November 25th - December 9th

Red hot Red Imps return to summit after mauling Manchester 62

By Joe Duggan

GOOD TIMES: Celebrations after Casciaro’s goal against Scotland

Football back on Rock

played at home since their match against Estonia on March 5 2014.

Gibraltar’s UEFA 2016 home qualifiers were all played in Faro in Portugal, with fans travelling there and back on a bus.

PHOTO: Neil Egerton

INTERNATIONAL football will return to the Rock when Gibraltar play a friendly against Liechtenstein on March 23 at Victoria Stadium.

It will be the first time Gibraltar have

BATTLE RESUMES: Gaelic football in Sevilla

Gaels’ Sevilla showdown GIBRALTAR Gaels head to Sevilla for matches against Eire Og Seville and Costa Gaels when the Andalucian Gaelic football league resumes on November 28.

Top-of-the-table Gibraltar won both games in the last round of games in Marbella, with debutants Gavin Doughty and Dave Masterson both impressing.

The third round of games is the last before the Christmas break.

LINCOLN Red Imps went back to the top of the Gibraltar Premier Division after a 4-0 win over Manchester 62.

Mikey Yome, Guido Abayain, Lee Casciaro and man-ofthe-match Liam Walker grabbed the goals as Lincoln leapfrogged Europa to regain number one spot.

Yome’s diving header gave Red Imps a half-time lead before finishes from Abayain and Casciaro and Walker’s expertly-taken 85th minute strike sealed the three points.

Pedro Carrion bagged a brace as Europa came from behind to win 4-1 against Britannia.

Peter Grimmer’s 25-yard lob was cancelled out by Antonio Trujillo with Alberto Merino and Carrion making it 3-1 at half-time before heading in his late second.

Robert Guilling gave Lynx the lead but Sergio Gines’s equaliser clawed back a point for Lions in Saturday’s early game.

Diego Merchan’s double fired St Joseph’s towards a 3-0 win over Glacis United, with Jose Luis Verdejo spectacular lastminute free-kick rounding off a comprehensive win.

ROCK RUGBY: Round four

Storm warning for Scorpions NATURE Group Europa Stormers take on Sovereign Insurance Scorpions in Thursday’s top-of-the-table John Smith’s Super IV rugby clash.

League leaders Nature Group Europa Stormers will be looking to stretch their three-point lead over Scorpions in the Round Four match at the Victoria Stadium.

InLine Framing Sharks and Kedhlow Gibraltar Bay Buccaneers face each other in the evening’s second game.

Fight club GIBRALTAR’S answer to Tyler Durden continues to impress.

MMA fighter Joe Williams successfully defended his Welterweight MMA belt with victory over the UK’s Andy Palin at the Central Hall.

Knocking his opponent to the floor with a heavy leg kick, Williams unleashed a flurry of brutal punches before the referee intervened.

Strongest boy in the world IT’S official: Gibraltar’s Leon de Roeck is the strongest boy in the world (at his weight and age, at least).

Smashing not one, not two, but SIX world

records, the 15-year-old Gibraltarian muscleman cleaned up at the WPC Weightlifting World Championships in Portugal.

Weighing in at 103.6kg, de Roeck started things off with a 235kg lift in the deadlift event before bench pressing an unprecedented 155kg at the event in Maia.

But he wasn’t done there GIBRALTAR international Jamie Bosio has signed for Canand further records tumterbury City FC in the Southern Counties East League. bled, with him claiming four Bosio completed his move from Lincoln Red Imps, but has been on loan recently at Ashford. more world records before In other transfer news, Gibraltarian Erin Barnett is expected the tournament was up. to complete his move to Bognor Regis in the Isthmian Pre“I am over the moon that mier Division.

I am not just breaking reBarnett studies in the UK and was thought to have been close cords but smashing them,” to joining Gosport FC. he told the Olive Press.

Canterbury tale

If you have a sports story, team or event, don’t hesitate to contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call 0034 951 273 575

No Rock return for Eva FORMER Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro is not expected to take up a position with the Gibraltar FA after her bitter fallout with Jose Mourinho.

Reports suggested Carneiro, born and raised on the Rock, was in line for a consultant medic’s role with the organisation following her departure from Stamford Bridge.

But a Gibraltar FA source confirmed to the Olive Press that they had not been in contact with Carneiro.

“We have not seen an application from her and we have not approached her,” a Gibraltar FA spokesperson said “If she does pick up the phone anyone is free to apply, but I doubt that will happen.”

Carneiro is currently taking legal action against Chelsea and Mourinho for constructive dismissal.

the

Captain Hook AWARD-winning artist, lecturer and teacher Christian Hook is in line to receive the Freedom of Gibraltar.

The Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2014 was promised the accolade by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo in a ceremony honouring Hook’s achievements at the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre. Among his collection of star-studded portraits are actor Sir Ian McKellen and boxer Amir Khan.

FINAL WORDS

Double up MORE than 500 Gibraltarian and Moroccan Armed Forces have been working alongside one another for the annual Jebel Sahara training exercise, near Marrakech.

Hop on BASSADONE Motors has donated a Honda MSX 125CC to the Convent Christmas Fair Raffle, which will raise money for various Gibraltar childrens charities.

Gen03.pdf 1 16/10/2012 08:51:33

GIBRALTAR

Covering Gibraltar in 2015 with over 20,000 papers and over 200,000 visits to the website each month

olive press Vol. 1 Issue 6

www.gibraltarolivepress.com November 25th - December 9th 2015

No Shepherd, but flocks for Big Switch on!

DESPITE no sign of a Shepherd, flocks of people still turned out for the Christmas light switch on!

Hundreds of children and parents were on hand to witness the spectacle at John Mackintosh Square.

It came despite the news that ITV presenter Ben Shepherd (Right) was not going to be handed the honour, having prematurely announced he would be turning on the lights only for it to prove a hoax.

Instead, in his place stepped two school children from St Martins.

The lights will now go on every night until January 6 between 5pm and 1am.

In the doghouse TAKING time out from fighting crime and catching crooks, Gibraltarian police officers are now switching their attentions to a messier problem… dog poo.

A clampdown on dog owners will see fines increased and custodial sentences introduced.

Those found not cleaning up their mutt’s mess could now find themselves behind bars for up to three months.

Equally, owners who let their pooches off

Dog mess increase leads to police clampdown

their lead could also be tried for a criminal offence.

The campaign comes after numerous complaints made by residents of various housing estates, with the RGP now insisting on a ‘no tolerance’ stance.

Real winner

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CM

MY

CY

CMY

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FREE

MOVE over John Lewis, this year’s Spanish lottery advert really pulls at the heart strings.

Beating John Lewis’s Man on the Moon ad hands down, the sentimental lottery advert follows lonely night-time security guard Justino.

Living a sad existence, Justino goes to work at the mannequin factory at 10pm every night.

And so, when one day he discovers the day staff have won the lottery, he assumes he hasn’t won and shrugs his shoulders and trudges to work.

However, when he arrives, he finds a mannequin holding the all-important ticket and a sign telling him he is to share in the win.

Dance chance THE Gibraltar National Dance Team is competing in two prestigious competitions organised by the International Dance Organisation (IDO).

The talented troupe join 2,100 dancers from 28 countries at the World Show Dance Competition at the Erdgas Arena in Riesa, Germany until November 28.

And from December 7-12, the team fly out for the World Modern and Jazz Championship at the Golebiewski Resort in Mikolajki, Poland, where 1,730 dancers from four continents.

Good luck to all!

Jewel in the crown AN exciting new footbridge is to be installed in a continued drive to improve the ‘jewel’ in Gibraltar’s crown.

The suspended bridge is to span a gully in the Upper Rock nature reserve, it has been announced by tourism minister Samantha Sacramento.

Describing the area as Gibraltar’s ‘jewel’, years of debris and vegetation has recently also been cleared in Anglian Way to make way for a picnic area and the opening of previously sealed tunnels and chambers.

Sacramento has been working hard to publicise the ‘government’s continued unprecedented investment in the Upper Rock’.