The Gibraltar Magazine - May 2014

19 # 07 May 2014

dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • history • property • community

the gibraltar magazine

gibraltar the

May 2014 Vol. 19 # 07 FREE

Where in the World is Gibraltar?

Why Invest in People?

Our Wonderful Wildlife

COVER_2014may.indd 1

Gib Tribe Makes a Difference

One Man & His Machine

The Gibunco Success Story 24/04/2014 17:42

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ISO 9001:2008 | FSSC 22000:2010

19 # 07 May 2014

dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • history • property • community

the gibraltar magazine

g

ibraltar the

May 2014 Vol. 19 # 07 FREE

contents Business & Finance 8 Business & Finance Guide 9 Where in the World is

Where in the World is Gibraltar?

Why Invest in People?

Our Wonderful Wildlife

Gib Tribe Makes a Difference

One Man & His Machine

The Gibunco Success Story

COVER_2014may.indd 1

24/04/2014 17:42

19 # 07 MAY 2014

Cover: Gibraltar‘s Casino Photo: John James Wood johnjameswoodphotography.com

The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by Guide Line Promotions Ltd PO Box 1124, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748

info@thegibraltarmagazine.com

Publisher/Editor: Andrea Morton Forde Copyright © 2014 Guide Line Promotions Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of The Gibraltar Magazine.

www.TheGibraltarMagazine.com Magazine & website archived by the British Library @gibmag

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20 22 26 30 50

Gibraltar?

Banking, still in Credit?

Hide it & We’ll Tax it Record Breaking eGaming Summit Why Invest in People?

Lyana Aims for Brussels Gibunco Group Success Story A Question of Timing Stand Aside Sir Richard, it’s Our Turn Now

Arts & Leisure 40 Therese’s Universal

44 47 60 64

66 74 86

Symmetry Colours of Paco A Grand Gala of Tenors The Gib Fringe One Man and His Classic Machine Body Painting Winners Ali’s Colouring Kids Happy Cafe Art with Kimberly

Interview 32 Tim’s Cycling Challenge for

Charity

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19 # 07 Father Michael: Religion Gives You Hope

Health & Well-being 54 Health File 58 Health Directory 59 2nd Place for Rock Nurse 80 Headway: The knock-on effect Past Revisited 48 Great Escaper was Sea

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Disaster Hero World’s 1st Frogman Swam Strait of Gibraltar Prince & Pomegranate Pip

Appetite 88 Food & Drink Directory 92 Wine Column: Maybe

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Features 42 70 52

Saccone & Speed’s 175 years Miss Gibraltar - the Line Up Gib Tribe Makes a Difference

Property 34 36 38 39

The Stadium Dilemma Ask the Architect Property Directory Kids’ Space

Regulars 62 What’s On: Spring Festival 76 Puzzle Page 82 Question of the Month 94 Around Town Information 68 City Centre Map 88 Clubs & Activities 98 Gibraltar Information

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

24/04/2014 17:53

finance

words | Ian Le Breton

Where in the World is Gibraltar?

Over the last couple of months I have been considering Gibraltar’s place in today’s offshore — or “international” — finance centre pecking order. This has been no simple task for whilst each centre boasts its own particular advantages, it is equally easy to identify disadvantages in using one centre over another.

In comparing Gibraltar’s position vis-à-vis its competitors, readers may recall that I considered areas such as legislation and regulation by the relevant authorities combined with infrastructure and qualified, experienced personnel and so on. In other words, local factors that, taken together, led me to the — perhaps inevitable but nevertheless heart felt — conclusion that Gibraltar compares favourably to most other similar centres worldwide So much for the local factors. Global events that at first glance would seem to have no particular relevance to Gibraltar, can and do have an impact on us; perhaps far more than we think. Recently I was interviewing a senior politician for a local Internet TV business programme and he told me that he preferred to concentrate on things he could control. “Why worry about things I can do nothing about?” he argued.

I thought at the time that this was a sensibly pragmatic approach — after all politicians

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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should properly be focused on the things that their voters empower them to do — but on further reflection I also believe that some degree of peripheral vision is necessary in order to ascertain which external factors might someday become pressing internal issues. This line

I would suggest that the consequences of the global financial crisis — although the more cynical might say they were not entirely unintended — have had a far greater effect on us here than we might imagine

of thought led me to consider the consequences of events and decisions made across the globe that in many cases appear to have nothing to do with Gibraltar.

“May you live in interesting times” goes the famous Chinese curse. Well anyone born in the last 50 years or so can hardly be in a position to ask for their money back. After all we have enjoyed unprecedented health and prosperity and haven’t had to live through the world wars that so blighted our immediate forbears. But having said that, our age has certainly not been lacking in “interest” — the heightened threat of terrorism, the inexorable rise of celebrity culture and the phenomenon that is the digital age.

So for this final article in my mini-series about Gibraltar and its place in today’s financial world, I have considered such “consequences”. As a starting point, I thought I could do worse than simply define a consequence.

My favourite dictionary describes the noun as

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finance a result or effect, going on to say that typically it is one that is unwelcome or unpleasant. The definition goes on to provide some useful alternatives such as “outcome”, “repercussion”, “ramification”, “aftermath” and the like. Well, you get the idea, I’m sure.

The French have a phrase for this: les effets pervers, which may be translated as “unintended consequences”. I would suggest that the consequences of the global financial crisis — although the more cynical might say they were not entirely unintended — have had a far greater effect on us here than we might imagine. For instance some banks in Gibraltar are reducing their headcount locally or even exiting altogether and, arguably, this is much more a reflection of the UK banking sector than its local equivalent.

In the past week or two I have finished reading a book by a professional trainer who specialises in the art of negotiation. In it he sets out some thoughts about balance and the importance of achieving it — the aim being to get things into a state of equilibrium at all times.

To an extent this is true in financial markets; so, dear reader, where, you may well ask, is all this leading?

Let’s consider some examples of how “macro-type” events affect Gibraltar. I define these as global occurrences or trends over which our tiny (but perfectly formed) speck in the far western Mediterranean has absolutely no control — yet the effects are enormous, or indeed pervers.

In recent years, I have written about international bodies whose rules and diktats exert far reaching consequences over Gibraltar. Not only must we contend with European Union rules but also those imposed by other organisations like the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), IMF (International Monetary Fund), or the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) and others with intractable acronyms for names — IOSCO, BCBS, IAIS and ESMA to name but a few. The result is complex rules, regulations and codes on widely different matters such as business taxation, exchange of information or anti-money laundering.

No doubt these international initiatives are born out of decent, common sense thinking but by the time the rules emerge from any of these international behemoths, it’s the small jurisdictions — and firms such as Sovereign — who have to expend time and energy on ensuring

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compliance with such rules. It is our obligation but of course it doesn’t make any money — indeed the costs can be enormous. This is a good example of such consequences at work.

Of perhaps even more significance for you and me are great international events over which we have no control. What, if anything, can we do about them? Two simple examples illustrate my point in this category; both distinct, albeit related, areas that affect each and every one of us but where no-one, individually, can do a thing about them.

The first is the exchange rate. I have written in the past about how important one “currency pair” in particular is to us here in Gibraltar — that is the pound sterling rate against the euro. Those of us who are Spanish residents commuting in daily or, like me, who cross over to Spain at weekends can attest to how the cost of living can vary considerably from month to month because of changes in the prevailing exchange rate.

Future exchange rates are notoriously difficult to predict and we are powerless to control this. However if faced with a large transaction, perhaps a house purchase or similar, then it is not difficult to arrange a forward contract with one of the currency exchange companies. If one is happy with today’s rate then “fixing” it now might be a good plan because it helps to budget when faced with certainties rather than an unknown future rate. As always, seeking professional advice would be wise.

An even more important area is the future direction of interest rates as this affects both savers and borrowers. Generally the press highlights the effect of interest rate changes on mortgage holders but I have never felt this to be entirely fair. Interest rates affect everyone, be they savers, borrowers or retired people relying on a pension. Of course rates here in Gibraltar follow the Bank of England whilst just over the

Generally the press highlights the effect of interest rate changes on mortgage holders but I have never felt this to be entirely fair

border it is the European Central Bank — an institution dealing with a multinational “economy” that is in a completely different phase of its recovery cycle. In this case, we have two entirely different sets of consequences to deal with — and so it goes on.

Interest rates and currency movements are inextricably linked; traditional economic theory teaches us that as interest rates rise, then the value of the domestic currency should also appreciate against others. Other factors such as overall confidence in the economy will also play a part but, once again, the overriding point here is that we — the individual savers or borrowers — have precious little influence on such matters.

That does not however mean that there is nothing we can do. In the same way that we might try to avoid some of the swings seen in exchange rates, we can also take advice on future interest rates. We might decide to fix our mortgages rates — or at least a margin above a base rate — sometimes for years ahead or, if saving, by using fixed term deposits.

To conclude then, I’m afraid we are all at the mercy of “consequences”. We should be aware of the potential impact of global events on our own finances. There are often ways we can mitigate the effects with a little planning and the right advice, so we should all try to stay one step ahead and decide whether and how to react to events happening around us — and indeed further afield.

This concludes my three-month tour of Gibraltar and its place in the global economy.

Next month as we head towards the summer, I will cover some more seasonal themes and in the meantime do enjoy the onset of the longer, warmer days. And watch out for unintended consequences — they are to be found everywhere! n

Ian Le Breton

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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isolas-house-gibmag:Layout 1 8/9/13 10:41 AM Page 1

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The quality of a magazine reflects on the businesses that advertise within it. The Gibraltar Magazine is Gibraltar’s quality magazine — packed with great, readable content. We don’t have pushy sales people, so get in touch if you have a business or strategy to promote in Gibraltar. We will explain your options within your budget and help you with artwork if you need us to.

We are passionate about what we do and about our home, Gibraltar.

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If you are an artist with an exhibition, or a club or charity with an event coming up, we’d love to hear from you. This is a community magazine and there is no VIP area. Everyone is welcome to contribute so drop a line, send an email or phone us.

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We’d love to hear from you. Sometimes we get a bit lonely in our office, and we like to get letters, phone calls and emails with your feedback and photos. We might even publish the best so keep them coming. This is your magazine so get involved.

Email: info@thegibraltarmagazine.com Tel: 200 77748

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Hassans Funds Department team with the Banque Populaire du Tanger - Tetouan team

Hassans Funds Dept plays Inaugural Intercontinental Football Match The weekend of 5th-6th April saw the funds department of Hassans welcome Banque Populaire du Tanger – Tetouan to Gibraltar for a business and social visit culminating in football match, which is hoped to become a regular event.

The leading Moroccan Bank arrived in Gibraltar on Saturday with a delegation of 14 representatives from the Banque Populaire.

The group enjoyed a tour of the Great Mosque at Europa Point, greeted by the Imam, and continued with a guided tour of St Michael’s Cave and the Upper Rock. The clear skies offered the chance for spectacular views of Africa on the warmest day of the year so far.

Saturday evening’s dinner took place at Queensway Quay with the Hon. Gilbert Licudi QC MP as a special guest. The meal was hosted by James Lasry, a Partner and Head

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team players of the Funds Department at Hassans. During dinner, ceremonial silverware was presented by Said Ahmed Cheddadi, the Finance Director at Banque Populaire du Tanger – Tetouan.

Sunday saw the Hassans funds team face Banque Populaire in a five-a-side football match. Gibraltar international footballer and associate in the Hassans Funds Team, Aaron Payas, made an appearance for both sides. After a competitive match the bank ran out winners scoring 10 goals to Hassans’ 6.

A return leg of the match is scheduled for June, offering Hassans the chance to bring the cup back to Gibraltar.

James Lasry commented: “For many of the bankers from Morocco this was their first trip to Gibraltar. They were impressed with the Rock as a tourist destination and the hospitality that was shown by the Gibraltarian people they met. They were also impressed with Gibraltar as a business location, by Gibraltar’s dedication to cross-border business and its global reach as an international finance centre. We look forward to welcoming them back to Gibraltar in the not too distant future”. n

DHL Supports Rugby on the Rock

Global logistics group DHL is the official logistics partner of the Rugby World Cup 2015, and DHL Gibraltar is pleased to support the development of rugby on a local level by becoming a support sponsor to the Gibraltar Rugby Football Union’s Senior Super IV’s League. The Super IV’s League, in its 4th season, is open to players aged 18+ and offers a competitive local league with regular training, fixtures and social events. Four teams play in the league — the Gibraltar Bay Buccaneers, the Europa Stormers, the Rock Scorpions and the Straits Sharks.

Players from the Gibraltar Bay Buccaneers and the Europa Stormers are pictured (above) with Martin Forde and Nicky Darby of DHL Gibraltar, and the latest DHL liveried van now in use around the Rock. The Super IV’s Cup final takes place on 6th May. If you are interested in playing rugby for the Super IVs email: super4s@rugby.ngo.gi

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finance

Banking, still in credit?

words | Christian Garcia

It had been some time since the local banking industry was in the headlines as consistently as in the past months. The fact is that this is only a drop in the ocean as regards the publicity which the global banking community has received since the crisis hit in 2008. Financial institutions, at the hand of executives and key employees, have been widely considered to be the culprits of the current state of affairs. Unfortunately, local events and developments have been, to some extent, the result of these occurrences elsewhere.

The extent of the financial crisis has led to the continuous use of terms such as “liquidation”, “nationalisation”, “intervention” and “financial rescue” when referring to the status of organisations, some of which rank among the largest players in the market. The readjustment of the global economy also leads to a readjustment of the pillars which support it and enables it to function. Public pressure, which has translated into political initiative and action, has eventually led to increased regulatory pressure. This has activated

We find ourselves in an environment where the “big boys” of banking are governed by performance statistics, public opinion and regulation

Christian Garcia is the President of the Gibraltar Bankers’ Association and previously a member of the Association’s Executive Committee.

He has been actively involved in engaging with the Association’s members with the objective of protecting and promoting the sector.

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the need for financial institutions to put in place adequate measures to strengthen their finances and simultaneously feed the public with news of a renewed programme of change. For any board of directors this is a costly exercise better avoided, if not totally ignored.

However, unlike crises of the past, banks have had a direct and identifiable role in this, the most important crisis of recent history and fingers are pointing at bank directors and top management.

So, how does this affect Gibraltar? Well, the scale-back announced by Barclays last October was described by the bank as part of a global review of Barclays’ Wealth and Investment Management operations, which also

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finance included the Gibraltar branch.

Barclays had shortly before announced that it would significantly cut offshore operations by more than half and was looking to cut its approximately 120,000 global employee count by a third.

This marked the beginning of the end of a local retail banking business which had been offered

by Barclays for over 125 years. The practical consequences of this are more far reaching than having to visit a different bank to transact daily financial operations. With potentially 17,000 accounts, a relatively substantial local mortgage book, an important tool for the Government of Gibraltar’s own treasury requirements and responsible for some of the local transactional infrastructure, a plug and play solution would not come easy. Whilst there has been significant engagement by representatives of various interest groups and stakeholders of the finance centre at large, it was immediately apparent that a quick solution was not going to come fast enough. The Barclays scale-back became the catalyst for the establishment of the Gibraltar International Bank, a government led initiative which has been widely supported. Even though this transition in itself is anything but straight-forward, the GIB will add confidence and stability to the needs of the local retail banking community.

We find ourselves in an environment where the “big boys” of banking are governed by performance statistics, public opinion and regulation. Unfortunately there is no room for loyalty and sentiment, and quick decisions made abroad have enormous impact on our community. This begs the question as to how Gibraltar will continue to grow this important component of the finance centre. I have always believed in the saying “time puts everything in its place” and as history has shown, Gibraltar has an enormous ability to transform rapidly to meet the demands of changes in the international community. Our size, quality training and education, common law legal system, a rep-

utable supervisory and regulatory regime, an attractive and compliant fiscal policy and quality of life are some of the factors that permit us to continuously mould into an ever changing cast of international finance.

It is unlikely that during this contraction phase of global economics, the top end of European banks will be looking at Gibraltar as a new place to set up. However, Gibraltar does offer advantages to organisations with certain characteristics.

Union Banque Privee announced during May 2013 that Gibraltar would form part of their international presence, benefiting from the instant EU access which can be acquired through passporting rules. Additionally there has been an increased interest in E-Money institutions with new firms licensed and commencing operations. The jurisdiction also offers an up-to-date technological infrastructure enabling international firms with high dependence on information and technology to operate from here. Gibraltar already has a high level of knowledge in this area and the import of highly specialised and skilled personnel is generally a non-laborious task Gibraltar also serves as an ideal platform for the outsourcing of various functions or departments of the larger organisations.

Gibraltar will need to continue to promote itself as a key jurisdiction for wealth management. The management of wealth requires the services of the finance centre as a whole, including financial institutions. The strengths mentioned earlier form the backbone of one of the jurisdiction’s main GDP contributors and will underlie conversations when considering Gibraltar as a place to do business.

Local banks will need to continuously demonstrate that small businesses can deliver a quality service and that local and international clientele can be served professionally, irrespective of the jurisdiction of residence or type of business that is being conducted. I believe that we are well positioned to achieve this. n

Eric Verleyen, Group Chief Investment Officer for Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros

SGPB Hambros Gibraltar: Best Range of Investment Products Following the success in December which saw Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros scoop the Investors Chronicle and Financial Times Wealth Management Award 2013 for Best UK Private Bank, Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros Gibraltar has won the Euromoney Private Banking Survey 2014 award for the “Best Range of Investment Products” offered by a Private Bank in Gibraltar Eric Verleyen, Group Chief Investment Officer for Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros said “I am delighted that SGPB Hambros Investment offering has been recognised in the Euromoney Poll. The quality of our local Team in Gibraltar combined with the strength of our Group is providing a unique offering to our clients”. n

Barclays Mortgage Offering Gibraltar will need to continue to promote itself as a key jurisdiction for wealth management. The management of wealth requires the services of the finance centre as a whole, including financial institutions GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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In a feature that appeared in the April issue of the Gibraltar Magazine entitled Government to the Rescue, Part 1: Mortgages, the author wrongly reported that Barclays has ceased providing mortgages to the local market. Karen Maloney, Mortgage Specialist at Barclays, Gibraltar says, “We will continue until September 2016 to offer Gibraltar residential mortgages and any mortgages taken out before this date will continue on the terms set out within the original agreement.” Details of the types of mortgages Barclays is offering can be obtained by calling Karen’s mortgage team Tel: 20015134. n

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workplace

Hide It & We’ll Tax It The Family Office comments on the UK Government’s continued fight against tax avoidance as well as outlining some key highlights of the UK Budget on 19 March 2014 that are likely to concern non-UK resident individuals.

Although dominated by measures intended to further curb attempts to avoid or evade tax, there are significant changes affecting non-UK resident individuals. The biggest reform of the UK pensions legislation for many years was also announced which is of relevance to anybody who has a UK personal pension.

the individual.

Consultations have already taken place and the Draft Finance Bill has been published. These measures are likely to become law once Royal Assent is passed in July 2014.

Follower Provisions The Follower Provisions are aimed at individuals who have Avoid tax – not any more! used a marketed tax avoidance Two measures will be intro- scheme (“scheme”) which remains duced that will change the eco- under open investigation or litinomic landscape for individuals gation. HMRC has made it clear who have participated in marketed tax avoidance arrangements; the Follower Provisions and Accelerated Payments Provisions.

Both represent bad news and seek to shift the financial burden of protracted enquiries, and potential litigation, from the Government to

that it dislikes the fact individuals can retain the disputed tax during the course of an enquiry into a scheme. These new measures aim to give HMRC the power to require individuals to pay any disputed tax until the outcome of any investigation or litigation is known. This represents a fundamental shift in approach, as previously individuals would only be required to pay any disputed tax when the “test case” for a particular scheme had reached the end of the appeal process.

This represents a fundamental shift, as previously individuals would pay disputed tax when the “test case” for a particular scheme had reached the end of the appeal

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Not any more! The only crumb of comfort is that the measures are not retrospective and individuals should have time to plan, although much will depend on the facts of each separate scheme.

Accelerated Payment Provisions Of greater concern are the Accelerated Payment Provisions, which are far more draconian.

The new Accelerated Payment Provisions will require individuals to pay all the disputed tax where there is an ongoing enquiry into a scheme that was issued with a DOTAS (“Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Scheme”) reference number, or in relation to a scheme where HMRC believe a DOTAS number should have been issued but was not!

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finance Under self assessment individuals who may have participated in a scheme could legally, through their self assessment tax return, withhold payment of any disputed tax. HMRC could not, until now, force an individual to pay this until an individual’s appeal had been heard by the Courts.

Put simply any individual who has participated in a scheme since 2004 will be required to make a payment on account of all outstanding tax within 90 days, possibly as soon as the end of October 2014. These provisions will apply in relation to both existing schemes that have yet to be settled and to new schemes.

Until the Draft Finance Bill receives Royal Assent both the Follower Provisions and the Accelerated Payment Provisions will remain subject to possible revision. TFO Tax understands that the promoters of such schemes have resolved to lobby Parliament and engage Counsel to advise, and if appropriate, challenge the provisions under the Human Rights Act, especially in relation to the Accelerated Payment Provisions. This retrospective action will almost certainly result in real financial hardship to individuals caught by the provisions.

Osborne’s New Attack More recently the Chancellor has indicated that he intends to give HMRC new powers to make it easier to prosecute individuals that evade tax by hiding funds offshore. This may see the introduction of a new criminal offence carrying with it the possibility of a custodial sentence for individuals with undeclared foreign income, even where it was not their intention to evade taxes!

This would signal a change in HMRC’s current policy of relying on “cost-effective” civil investigations to collect tax from evaders, while only using criminal prosecution in the most extreme cases. Furthermore, the new rules on international exchange of information will make it easier for HMRC to locate funds in offshore accounts when they finally come into force. The Chancellor also alluded that the Government will seek to strengthen penalties for offshore tax evasion and seek

to improve incentives for whil- properties valued between £1m and £2m and from April 2016 a stleblowers. further ATED of £3,500 will be introduced for properties valued International Exchange between £500,000 and £1m. of Information From 2014 the UK’s version of the US Foreign Account Tax Overhaul of the UK Pension Compliance Act (“FACTA”) will System Many commentators were see the disclosure to HMRC of information about accounts held caught out by the sweeping changby UK individual taxpayers in es to the current UK pension reits Crown Dependencies and gime. Some of these changes came Overseas Territories. Under these into effect from 27 March 2014 proposals these jurisdictions will and give pension holders greater have until 30 September 2016 flexibility in how and when they to exchange information for the can access their pensions. This is calendar years 2014 and 2015 viewed as a favourable measure with HMRC. From 30 September and it is anticipated that in the 2016 onwards information will be 2014/2015 tax year alone this will reportable to HMRC by 30 Sep- benefit around 400,000 individtember following the end of the uals. relevant calendar year.

From April 2015 the Government is proposing that individuals will be able to access their defined Non residents – CGT on UK contribution pension fund in full residential property From April 2015 non-UK resi- or in part, subject to: dent individuals will be liable to • being aged over 55 years; and Capital Gains Tax (“CGT”) on the • being taxed at their marginal rate of income tax in the relevant tax disposal of residential property year. situated in the UK. Until such time as HMRC publish their consultation document there is little information available, including the rate of CGT payable. The top rate of UK CGT is currently 28%.

Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings The Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (“ATED”) came into effect in April 2013 where high value residential properties (i.e. £2m an above) in the UK are owned by companies, partnerships with corporate members or other collective investment vehicles.

For the current 2014/2015 tax year the ATED is as follows: Property Value ATED £ More than £2m but not more than £5m 15,400 More than £5m but not more than £10m

35,900

More than £10m but not more than £20m

71,850

More than £20m

143,750

However, lower thresholds will be introduced over a period of 2 years. From April 2015 an ATED of £7,000 will be introduced for

The Chancellor has indicated that he intends to give HMRC new powers to make it easier to prosecute individuals that evade tax by hiding funds offshore GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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The tax free cash allowance is to remain at 25% of the pension fund.

Individuals can have the security of purchasing an annuity, or take greater control of their finances by accessing their funds.

A consultation will also take place with the aim of reducing the current 55% tax charge on any residual pension fund on death.

Qualifying Non UK Pensions Schemes (“QNUPS”) A consultation document will be issued in due course to consider the current unlimited Inheritance Tax exemption of QNUPS; again in a bid to clamp down further on tax avoidance. n If you are concerned about any of the above or your tax position in general TFO is ideally placed to assist.

In June, Tim Richardson of The Family Office, Irish Town, Gibraltar is taking on the challenge of the Race Across America endurance cycle, to raise funds for Help for Heroes. See page 32 for full details and interview with Tim.

Steve Bold, Partner TFO Tax LLP

The Family Office Europe oversees and provides comprehensive private office services including wealth management, international tax advice, generational planning and high-level advice.

The Family Office Europe aims to help high net worth individuals and their families navigate through the shark invested waters that exist in any offshore jurisdiction, where often the man in the pub has the best ideas on how to arrange your affairs.

Central to the core belief of the founders is the mantra that clients should expect the same level of service, integrity, fee transparency and professionalism that they would expect to receive themselves.

The Family Office Europe, its affiliated businesses, TFO Tax Strategies Ltd based in Gibraltar and TFO Tax LLP in the UK, and appointed Advisory Board, are well placed to help with all these client concerns.

The Family Office 15 Irish Town, PO Box 1483 Gibraltar

TFO Tax LLP Peter House Oxford Street Manchester M1 5AN

T: +350 200 62084 F: +350 200 49290 info@tfoeurope.net www.tfoeurope.net

T: +44(0)161 209 3838 F: +44(0)161 209 3836 steve.bold@tfotax.net www.tfotax.net

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Record Breaking Success at KPMG eGaming Summit in Gibraltar A record number of eGaming professionals joined KPMG on the Sunborn Gibraltar at the beginning of April for what one notable speaker jokingly described as the first ‘on-liner’ gaming conference in the world.

Over 230 delegates drawn from regulators, operators, non-licensable businesses, law firms, payments providers, telecoms and data specialists boarded the five star floating hotel to discuss cutting edge issues as diverse as

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taxation, regulation, crypto-currencies, and anti-money laundering, as well as gaining an insight into the present state of the global industry.

The morning’s proceedings kicked off with an opening address by Gibraltar’s Minister for Financial Services and Gaming, the Hon. Albert Isola, who outlined the Government’s commitment to maintaining a world leading environment for its 28 licensees, and congratulated the industry for a series of expansions which has seen its employee base grow from 2,000 to 3,000 individuals in just nine years.

Gibraltar’s Gambling Commissioner, Phill Brear, then gave his regulator’s update, before Jansen Reyes of domestic telecommunications provider Gibtelecom provided an exciting and interactive presentation of Gibraltar as a telecoms hub, and the many challenges it faces as a leader in its field. In keeping with the theme of infrastructure and telecommunications, Nick Nally, Chief Development Officer at Continent 8 then offered a jurisdictional comparison and benchmarking of Gibraltar’s offering, before an international panel of representatives from DLA Piper UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and

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egaming KPMG Netherlands discussed the evolution of remote gambling regulation across Europe, moderated by DLA’s own Stephen Ketteley.

The afternoon’s proceedings commenced with Counting House’s Paul Davis, Ukash’s Stephen Quinn, Ian Benson of Maclay, Murray & Spens, and Eric Benz, Chair of the UK Digital Currency Association tackling the contentious but fascinating topic of crypto-currencies and their place in the eGaming landscape in a debate on ‘Bitcoins & Beyond: payments, conventional and alternative’.

Standard Bank’s Matt Gorman then took over with a complementary presentation entitled ‘Digital Banking – Africa leapfrogging the developed world’, which demonstrated to operators how Standard Bank is using mobile technology to transform how it interacts with its African customers and corporate partners through their smart phones.

Occupying the final slot before coffee was Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association’s Peter Howitt and Paul Leyland of Regulus Partners, discussing the opportunities for the industry bodies to speak with one voice.

Drawing proceedings to a close Sir Peter Caruana gave a spirited address in his capacity as an industry expert, QC and former Chief Minister on ‘The Dangers of the UK Point of Consumption Licensing and Taxation Regime’.

Peter Montegriffo of Hassans then brought together a stellar final panel; Michael Carlton (BetVictor), Martin Weigold (bwin.party), Juergen Reutter (William Hill) and Archie Watt (KPMG); to discuss the outlook for gaming in Gibraltar and worldwide.

Car

Bike

Home

The Hon. Albert Isola congratulated the industry for a series of expansions which has seen its employee base grow from 2,000 to 3,000 in just 9 years Russell Kelly, KPMG’s Director for eGaming, was delighted to announce the appointment to director of Archie Watt, KPMG’s Head of eGaming, in a final highlight of the day.

Commenting on the success of this year’s eGaming Summit Micky Swindale, Managing Director of KPMG Gibraltar, said: “When we first embarked upon organising a Summit for Gibraltar eGaming professionals, we wanted to provide an open, academically

Holiday Apartment

Commercial

focused forum to promote and enhance the maturity of this industry. That was three years ago, and it’s incredible to see the momentum it has gained.”

Archie Watt agreed: “This year was our most successful eGaming Summit to date, with over 230 individuals from across the globe signing up to engage with the industry’s top representatives, or simply to gain a better understanding of how it has progressed.” n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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25/04/2014 11:37

Kevin Jones, CEO of the Bassadone Automotive Group

Kevin Jones:

Why Invest in People? words | Paul Wharton

There is no doubt in my mind that people are the most important part of any business. Engaged and motivated employees can make a real difference to your bottom line in terms of bringing those new orders in, developing those new products and bringing new ideas to the business, I could go on and on.

When we look to assess and value a business, we can sometimes miss a trick here as it’s that very important piece that is our people that doesn’t show up as an asset in the balance sheet and budget.

So all businesses need to make sure that they consider the best ways to attract and keep talented employees by giving them the autonomy to make decisions, be creative, building their skills, and encouraging the development of an interesting and challenging place to work. To

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oversee all of this, we need strong leaders with a clear vision and ambition to succeed.

All of the above is great, but the question has to be asked “Just how do you get to this point in the game and what help is there out there?”

Yes, there are all the obvious places you can go to locally; your professional advisors and the various business support groups, however to compliment all of this good advice, I personally have a lot of time for the “Investors In People” framework that leads onto an accreditation

based entirely on arguably, your most important asset; Your people. This framework has been around for over 20 years with some of the world’s leading organisation benefiting from this good practice. The great thing is that it’s available for all sizes of business.

So I would like to share with you a locally based company that we all know very well that has embraced this framework over many years.

Over to Kevin Jones, the CEO of the Bassadone Automotive Group to find out more about his

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movers & shakers business as well as a few personal secrets!

So Kevin, what initially attracted you to the Investors in People accreditation and how has your business benefited from this association?

Like most things in business, to be sure you are doing things right (and doing the right things) you need to measure your progress and achievements against a benchmark. Investing in our people is one of the key pillars of the Bassadone Automotive Group Vision Statement therefore it is essential that we can prove that we are not merely paying lip service to it.

Having decided to go for the Investors in People accreditation, our management team being what it is and who they are, we aimed for the top and achieved Gold status. Not only that but we achieved Champion status within Gold which makes us ambassadors for IIP. Only a very small percentage of companies in the UK have achieved this level.

What makes us even more proud of this achievement is that within our Gibraltar workforce of over 200 people we have a wide range of skills including sales, I.T., workshop technicians, warehouse personnel, finance etc so our training and development plans have to be very varied to accommodate their different requirements.

The IIP accreditation gives our team a sense of pride in the company they represent and sends a strong message to prospective new recruits that the Bassadone Automotive Group is a great company to work for.

Tell me why you ended up in Gibraltar When I came out here for an interview in 1990, the Toyota export business had just started, George [Bassadone] was in the middle of a family buyout and the Finance Director at the time was close to retirement. Coupled with it being a great place to raise a family, it was a no brainer really.

What are the things that you most love about your job?

Creating a culture within the company that will still be in place long after I have departed... and driving change — ­ essential to stimulate progress What is your least favourite part of doing what you do?

Any type of bureaucracy... and airports.

Have you and the business any plans to enhance the company’s excellent reputation in the community?

The Bassadone showroom needs an overhaul, hopefully we can get that project underway fairly soon.

During the time that you have been in Gibraltar have you been able to mentor anyone?

I am currently mentoring one of our talent management team members. This is a new initiative where two teams of our brightest young members are working on a project that will culminate in a Dragons’ Den/Apprentice finale.

Nobody is perfect, so what decisions have

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You are a very frequent business traveller to the Far East. Is business etiquette very different in that part of the world? Do you have any funny anecdotes you can share?

I don’t think there are any secrets to dealing with the Japanese. Mutual respect is the key as Where will the most significant growth when dealing with most cultures. I do recall a occur in the company in the next few years meeting where Toyota was singing the praises and will Gibraltar benefit?

We are working towards significant growth of their bland image. Mystified at first, I soon in the UK via the SsangYong brand and also in realised they were talking about their brand Finland and the Baltics via Renault, Dacia and image!

Hyundai. Also our Jeep J8 business is expected to grow significantly over the next few years. Do you have enough time to sleep and rest?

No two days or weeks are the same but on Each of these ventures will require additional investment in our Gibraltar management team. balance I generally get the right mix between work, family and personal life .

With space being such a premium in Any ambitions not yet fulfilled?

Gibraltar have you ever considered reOn a personal level; learn to play the piano, locating the business to another country?

Some of our conversion work is already walk Offa’s Dyke with my three sons, get my subcontracted to Poland and Portugal but we golf handicap down to single handicap, become are hopeful that new facilities in Gibraltar will fluent in Spanish, get to know Japan outside of Tokyo and help my children to become fine retain and create jobs in Gibraltar. young adults. Plenty of work ambitions too but those remain behind the closed Boardroom Your business must be one of the most doors for now. dynamic businesses in Gibraltar, tell me how the business comes up with new and Which person would you most like to work fresh ideas.

At the very top George (Bassadone) never with / for?

Either of the two Warrens — Buffet or stops coming up with new ideas but throughout the organisation we foster a culture of Gatland. innovation.

Mountain hideaway or beach house?

Mountain Hideaway — we see enough of How much of the “Toyota Way” of doing the sea. things has been implemented in the business and how have these improved your business?

What’s the favourite item in your wardrobe?

One of the main pillars of the Toyota Way (I haven’t used this one before!) is the principle of Kaizen which means conMy golf shoes tinuous improvement and is what has made Toyota the most successful car manufacturer Best advice anyone has given to you — who in the world today. Each manager within the were they and how did you then use it?

Bassadone Automotive Group has an annual I started my working life as a trainee accounKaizen plan. The author of the book The Toyota tant in the NHS. A chap there advised me that if Way is Godparent to one of George’s sons.

I wanted to get out of the public sector I would have to do so before the age of 30. I am glad I took his advice. you made in your career that you look back on and would do differently?

Underestimating the importance of cultural differences when investing overseas.

The IIP accreditation gives our team a sense of pride in the company they represent and sends a strong message to prospective new recruits that the Bassadone Automotive Group is a great company to work for

What movie (no matter how many times you’ve watched it) do you have to watch, when it comes on?

From the ’60s — Zulu, a magnificent victory for the Welsh! More recently — Shaun of the Dead (British film comedy at its best).

If haven’t chosen your current career, its there another career path you would have liked to pursue?

Investment Analyst I will be back again next month, sharing insights from another mover and shaker in Gibraltar. n

Paul Wharton is Head of Corporate Banking at Barclays Wealth & Investment Management in Gibraltar having arrived on the Rock from the UK eight years ago. Paul has over three decades’ experience gained in various roles within Barclays, predominantly in and around London and is passionate about supporting the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) market which he sees as the lifeblood of the Gibraltar economy. Paul has won several awards for his work in Small Business Enterprise markets and has served on the London Board of the Prince’s Trust.

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shorts

Lyana Aims for Brussels The European Parliamentary elections are fast approaching and local politician Lyana Armstrong-Emery urges all Gibraltarians to cast their vote for the party they feel would best represent our homeland in Brussels.

Of course, she believes, no one could do so better than the Liberal Democrats of Sir Graham Watson. After all, he has so far done such a sterling job in championing Gibraltar’s rights with the big boys while he’s been an MEP for the UK’s South-West constituency to which the Rock is attached.

A political animal for longer than she can remember, Lyana has been involved with the local Liberal Party after disbanding her own Reform Party with which she stood for the 2004 European election in association with the UK Green party. She explains she still has respect for much of the Green agenda, but nowadays she pursues it in other ways, including via the Green Liberal Democrats, an internal pressure group within the UK LibDems.

Regarding local issues, she says: “Europe-

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an elections are very important for Gibraltar because we are part of Europe and there are decisions taken in Europe that do have a deep effect on the local community. We Gibraltarians well know what these issues are and my main personal interest is to defend them in Gibraltar and hopefully in Brussels too.”

While Lyana enjoys a fairly slim chance to earn her MEP status, the significant leap forward for Gibraltar is that she regularly participates in the executive committee

She hopes that the marriage of a political brain and a Gibraltarian heart is the winning combination for a candidate who aims to be the first and sole MEP hailing from Gibraltar.

An ambitious plan indeed: it would surely benefit the Rock, by bringing a direct voice in the too often discordant choir.

Lyana’s team leader for the South West is Sir Graham Watson, a staunch friend of Gibraltar, as everyone knows, and the local Liberal Party has been a member of Liberal International for a long time, dating back before Gibraltar was given a voice in the EU elections, so it was used too as a platform to lobby for support.

The reality is that while Lyana actually enjoys a fairly slim chance to earn her MEP status, as she is the sixth candidate on the list, the significant leap forward for Gibraltar nonetheless

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europe is that she regularly participates — and will continue to do so — in the executive committee.

In the event that Gibraltar sets aside its bipolar political differences and bulk-votes for her party, the dream may become more solid for Lyana and benefit everyone else with the bonus of a handy homegrown MEP, fast approachable for grievances and suggestions alike.

Most of all, she urges everyone to vote in a way that makes their vote count, now that more than ever we need to have our voice heard in Europe after some progress has been made in raising our profile and cause around the world.

Lyana also urges the electorate to carefully pick ‘positive’ parties, in a self-destructive climate that sees discontent simmering with jingoism and rejection of the European Union, claiming that the United Kingdom would be better off without it.

It is no secret that both the Government and the Opposition in Gibraltar strongly support the status quo, as it would be a “tragedy for Gibraltar” as Lyana describes it, if mainland UK were to forsake the EU. “I appreciate the ongoing difficulties with Spain are making some frustrated citizens believe we would be safer if we followed the UK in the plea of disassociating from the EU, but in the long run isolation would not be sustainable. We must fight for our right to be fully-fledged Europeans after we raised our profile last year with an exhibition that clearly illustrated to all members how human rights are affected by the land frontier.”

Besides English and Spanish, Kenya-born

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Lyana speaks Portuguese fluently from a childhood spend in Brazil where her British father worked for Cable & Wireless, after a long spell in Africa. Her world-savvy stance is surely an asset for a community whose cosmopolitan identity she is extolling.

If she is elected, Lyana will police the EU policies that most affect the free movement of people and goods across the frontier as well as our environment as soon as they are legislated — if this sounds like nothing new to the average elector surely the approach she is taking is fresh and direct.

Lyana says: “I campaigned in Cornwall in 2004, for our very first European election, and I was fascinated to see that they are affected by day-to-day issues quite similar to those affecting Gibraltar.”

Just to mention some, their real estate market has soared with the confluence of ‘foreigners’ buying property in Cornwall; they also value their separate identity and they would like their black-and-white flag to officially fly,

“

I campaigned in Cornwall in 2004... I was fascinated to see that they are affected by day-to-day issues quite similar to those affecting Gibraltar

”

like Wales and Scotland’s and have a distinct voice in the UK Parliament too; surprisingly enough, Cornwall has its fair share of dealings with fishermen, both because it is an economy largely based on fishing as well as for the peaceful incursions of French vessels into their territorial waters.

The South-West, like Gibraltar, often feels overlooked by Westminster in the name of centralised interests, but its seats in the European Parliament could be a way to override the lull, and lobby directly for environmentally friendly policies according to EU guidelines.

Means have indeed changed since a decade ago — and this time Lyana is all geared to take her campaigning to the people not just by setting up meet-and-greet stalls at the Piazza, but also via the social media frenzy.

She credits Facebook and Twitter for sensitizing the youth to politics, reversing the worrying trend of indifference that dulled first-time voters in the past.

“Last general election was huge on social media and, even if it sadly strayed from the point or degenerated in trolling sometimes, it succeeded in seeding some political conscience in the youth. They got the message they must go and vote for someone. Whom for, is a matter of personal and free choice, as long as they do vote.”

On the logistics of her new enterprise, she comments: “I wouldn’t relocate to Brussels of course, but I would travel there to attend Parliament sessions every time it is necessary, as I took early retirement and I have no work commitments. My home is where I make it.” n

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key moves

New Captain of the Port Following the resignation of Captain Roy Stanbrook, Minister responsible for the Port, Neil Costa MP, has announced the appointment of Bob Sanguinetti as the new Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Port Authority and Captain of the Port.

Bob Sanguinetti was born in Gibraltar and spent most of his career in the Royal Navy reaching the rank of Commodore. He spent some time at sea, commanding warships, and then with the MoD in a variety of strategic roles. Most recently he was Head of Intelligence at the UK’s National Operations HQ in North London.

He is a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a Yachtmaster Offshore and has wide experience of management and planning.

Married with three (nearly) grown-up daughters, he is looking forward to returning to his birthplace and contributing to continuing development of the Port.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr Costa said: “We look forward to welcoming Bob Sanguinetti home. The Port is a major economic player in Gibraltar with an impact on the lives of many people. I am sure that Bob will provide the leadership and drive to continue the growth and development of the Port”. n

First Reservist Becomes Port Sgt A Royal Gibraltar Regiment reservist soldier has taken on the role of Port Sergeant.

In the presence of the Governor, Colour Sergeant (CSgt) Steven Wood handed over the historic keys to incoming Port Sergeant, CSgt Mark Hitchcock.

This is the first time a Reservist soldier has been chosen to take over the role of Port Sergeant and the Governor has absolutely no reservations about it: “I think it is a good idea; as we know, in the British Army at the moment regulars are reducing and reservists are being recruited

in greater numbers, so perhaps once again Gibraltar is leading the way,” he said.

Outgoing Port Sgt CSgt Wood said: “It was a great honour for me as a Gibraltarian; the highlight for me was the Ceremony of the Keys and when my image was used for a commemorative postage stamp.”

New Port Sgt CSgt Hitchcock was surprised to be offered the position and said: “I was speechless when the RSM asked me to think about it, for me there was nothing to think about because it is such a privilege, especially being the first reservist.” n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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finance

Professionals networking during a break at the conference aboard Sunborn

Swiss Asset Managers Conference in Gibraltar Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros Gibraltar, lead sponsors of Invest Tour Gibraltar 56 Swiss Fund and Investment Managers arrived on the Rock at the beginning of April for a three day event held in various locations around Gibraltar in a successful marketing event supported by the Gibraltar Finance Centre. The conference was organised by Voxia, a Swiss financial PR firm, and is sponsored by a number of Gibraltar-based financial services firms.

These firms, together with Gibraltar Finance, exhibited, delivered presentations and participated in roundtable discussion groups during the day.

SGPB Hambros Gibraltar were the lead sponsors of the event, together with Isolas, which raised

bert Isola, at a reception at Grand Battery House. A gala dinner at St Michael’s Cave, hosted by the Chief Minister, for delegates, sponsors and guests closed the conference.

Emma Perez, CEO of SGPB Hambros Gibraltar said she was SGPBH Gibraltar’s exhibitors stand at the event delighted that the delegates ating the close knit environment that tending the seminar were exactly the right people and the organisa- we live and work in.

Albert Isola MP, Minister for tion of the event showed Gib Plc in the best possible light, demonstrat- Financial Services and Gaming, said he was delighted to support this event which will serve to The event raised the profile of Gibraltar and strengthen and develop the existshowcased the features and advantages of our ing close commercial ties between Gibraltar and Swiss financial serjurisdiction as an International Finance Centre vices firms. n

the profile of Gibraltar and showcased the features and advantages of our jurisdiction as an International Finance Centre.

Over the three day period, visitors were treated to a series of cocktail parties, presentations and dinners and were able to network with professionals in the wider finance industry.

Visiting delegates and sponsors were hosted by the Minister for Financial Services and Gaming, Al-

The well attended seminar addressing the panel during a Q&A session

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25/04/2014 12:09

The Gibunco Group Success Story The Gibunco Group is the most prominent private enterprise company in Gibraltar and its subsidiaries include companies in the oil, energy, bunkering, shipping, maritime engineering, logistics, real estate and property development industries. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the start up of Gibraltar Underwater Contractors (Gibunco) so Mike Brufal took the opportunity to speak to Group Chairman John J Bassadone for The Gibraltar Magazine.

John Bassadone, 64, is a role model for non-academic Gibraltarian students as he left school at 15 to join his father Georgi and brothers Gigi and Jimmy in the family business which was started in 1965. John developed this small company into what today is one of the leading companies in the Western Mediterranean. He is married to Eileen (neé Gache) and they have two children, John Jnr and Michelle, and four grandchildren. John runs the Group from his office in Europort with unrivalled views of the Bay and Strait of Gibraltar.

John was born in London, baptised in Tarifa and educated in Gibraltar. First and foremost he is a Gibraltarian and he would never move the headquarters of Gibunco to another territory. He was taught by Miss Piccone and in the Christian Brothers’ Prep School, failed the 11+ and so went to St Jago’s rather than the Grammar School.

His father started cleaning underwater hulls,

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also doing repair work for MH Bland. George, realising his son had no future at school, employed him in the business as a diver to clean the hulls of ships which were as large as football pitches. In those days fuel was cheap so speed was the key factor in shipping companies making profits, by maximising the number of

Today Gibraltar is one of the premier bunkering hubs in the Western Mediterranean and one of the most important refuelling stops for vessels

sea voyages between dry-docking; the more trips the more profit.

It might be thought that being the owner’s son ensured a comfortable life in the company avoiding hazardous jobs. Nothing could be further from the truth as diving, even in a wet suit, was cold and dangerous. He soon learned the meaning of comradeship and trust, as all the divers were in the same position with their safety underwater depending on their co-workers.

This was a key learning curve in his business development, getting to know each member of the team however big the company might become and leading by example.

Needless to say he did not enjoy diving and quickly moved to managing and marketing within the family diving business and developed other business activities.

There are still a number of employees who have been with the company for decades, which evidences their continued allegiance

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interview to the Group. John knows the name of every member of staff and says they are all treated as family members.

John is a hands-on leader and there are not many positions that, in an emergency, he could not take over. “I have never really been concerned with having partners in my business. Today Gibunco is a team leading the company forward and I think the success has been in diversifying. Whenever I have needed a partner or a potential partner then business has been done for that specific contract. In all Gibunco Group companies there is a close knit relationship between management and the employees.”

The Ministry of Defence became a client and together they built Rosia Jetty, incorporating seawater intakes for the MOD desalination plants, laid pipes underwater and built sea defences and repaired quayside walls below sea level. If there was a problem, John would be consulted and when necessary he would fly to London and elsewhere to find a solution and buy the necessary equipment.

After the success in cleaning hulls in Gibraltar, John thought about expanding the business.

Gibunco became a Scamp subcontractor and so was able to use the company’s patented SCAMP hull cleaning machine. It became apparent that Scamp was the answer to his plans to operate in other ports. Scamp was owned

by Butterworth, a subsidiary of the Exxon Oil Company, at the time when oil companies were diversifying. Suddenly Exxon decided to concentrate on oil and sell non-oil businesses.

John saw his chance and, after much negotiation, in 1985 bought the Scamp business which operates worldwide.

It was a perfect mix as it enabled John to sit down with the directors of the largest worldwide shipping companies and sell Scamp’s services which previously had never been sold in such a direct fashion.

When the GSLP, under Joe Bossano, won the 1988 general election in Gibraltar, one of the most important issues was finding a solution to the ongoing problem of the future of the Royal Navy’s dry docks, where 800 jobs were under threat. The British Government had

John meets future wife Eileen at a dance performance

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awarded the contract to manage the commercial operation to Appledore International. This included a £28 million payment — provided an agreement was reached with the workers and the Union. However Appledore only agreed to retain about half of the jobs. Joe Bossano did not wish to rely on Appledore to market the usage of the dry docks as a commercial operation.

John Bassadone was alerted by his UK Scamp Agent that the Government of Gibraltar, during the first weeks of the GSLP Government, were about to appoint Appledore as the marketing agents for the shipyard. John immediately approached the Chief Minister to propose that he gather, from Lloyd’s of London Intelligence, the data and nationality of all ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar which were suitable, owing to their size, to use the Gibraltar shipyard. This enabled John to distribute information to his worldwide Scamp Agents and instruct them to target the owners of vessels which would passing through the Strait.

Shortly after ship enquiries started coming in to his office, John requested the Shipyard directly appoint these agents, enabling him to withdraw from the scene.

In 1989 only 200,000 tons of bunkering fuel were being supplied in Gibraltar, mainly by well established companies such as Shell Gibraltar. John considered this volume to be very small considering around 70,000 ships passed through the Strait every year, so he

...it enabled John to sit down with the directors of the largest worldwide shipping companies and sell Scamp’s services which previously had never been sold in such a direct fashion

joined forces with CEPSA and CEPSA Gibraltar came into being, able to supply a physical bunkering service. This enabled Gibunco to compete with the major oil companies in the Gibraltar market.

Today Gibraltar is one of the premier bunkering hubs in the Western Mediterranean and one of the most important refuelling stops for vessels. Gibunco is one of the engines of the highly successful Port of Gibraltar.

Now John was in a position to start the serious wooing of ship owners as the business depended on a close relationship with the two different arms of the business — technical and commercial with bunkering coming under the later heading. Both ultimately come under the control of the managing director. John was now able to offer ship owners fixed price packages, inclusive of agency fees and port charges, and became one of the first international companies to do this in respect of bunkering as SCAMP underwater services, and ship agency.

Even though John never allowed any third party access to decision-making in Gibunco, he did form partnerships with other local business groups to achieve certain objectives.

Gibunco together with local companies Benpar and Pegasus, created Gibraltar Homes to enter the property market in 1988 when the GSLP came into power. Their manifesto declared that flats would be constructed and made available to reduce long housing waiting list and Gibraltarians would be able to buy their own apartments. Up until then it had been very difficult for Gibraltarians to obtain a mortgage.

The answer was the 50/50 shared ownership arrangement where the Government owned 50% of the flat and the occupier the other 50%, with an interest free loan. As there was limited land available it was necessary to build on reclaimed land.

John said: “Montagu Group then attracted to Gibraltar international companies that were eager to pursue the business of reclaiming land and building apartments. After the 1988 election the Government wanted more land reclaimed for housing, commercial and office space. A joint venture company was set up between the Government, a Dutch company

Cool kid! John J Bassadone as a child

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interview

John takes a break from his business ventures

Young John (centre front) with his siblings

and ourselves. We were given the rights to reclaim land at the Montagu Basin and beyond. This is where the Montagu Sea Bathing Pavilion used to be and on which were built several large housing complexes. The first built by the Montagu Group was Westside 1 (now Montagu Gardens) and Westside 2 (now Harbour Views).”

To date, the Montagu Group is responsible for reclaiming over 30 hectares of land and has built more than 2,000 apartments. Some of the more recent projects of the Montagu Group are Europlaza, King’s Wharf and the Anchorage luxury flats.

In the1990s John’s brothers, Gigi and Jimmy, sold their shares in the business to John.

Peninsula Petroleum was set up in 1996 operating from a London office under the management of John’s son John Jnr with another key employee who had extensive experience in the international bunker industry.

The decision was taken to market the CEPSA Gibraltar bunkering activities. At this stage Gibunco was providing a variety of services for shipping companies, being ship agency, diving, hull cleaning and repair base. A first class customer base had been established through

the worldwide Scamp network. The decision to add bunkering to the services meant John spent most of his time in aircraft flying round the world speaking to the management of the main global shipping companies. Peninsula Petroleum was soon able to provide physical bunkering at several ports, where they mostly operate their own barges to supply the bunkers rather than using third parties, giving them full control of the operation to better service its customers. The business grew so rapidly that Peninsula Petroleum moved to larger offices on more than one occasion.

Peninsula Petroleum was soon able to provide physical bunkering at several ports, where they mostly operate their own barges to supply the bunkers rather than using third parties

John took an early decision that bunkering could not operate without Credit Insurance, even though it took around nine months to arrange. This was an industry breakthrough as companies then involved in bunkering did not rely on Credit Insurance which provides cover in the event of bad debts and is considered a necessary expensive cost — amazingly the company has never had to make a claim. On the rare occasions when there have been problems the offending ships have been detained at their next port of call and the Peninsula products de-bunkered. Peninsula employs its own inhouse team of lawyers for commercial matters, a first for a Gibraltar-owned company.

John also decided a robust credit control system had to be started and today, under the management of John Jnr, a team of credit controllers manage the company’s traders by approving the credit limits allowed for their customers. “These controls have been essential in the development of our business. Premiums are kept low and the Group is able to move forward with a strong financial position with minimum financial exposure.”

The next stage was to open Peninsula Petroleum offices in strategic parts of the world with

What story would be complete without the grandkids!

John and Eileen with their children Michelle and John Jnr

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interview Geneva being one of the most important as many shipping companies are registered there with many key personnel living in Geneva and Zurich. These personnel make important decisions such as buying bunker fuels, which is nowadays the highest cost in operating a ship.

To conclude John said: “We have always enjoyed a good relationship with the Governments of Gibraltar. Our group has always been at the forefront in the implementation of EU and other international directives all the more so when their aim has been to protect our environment. We do our utmost to assist the Gibraltar Government in making Gibraltar greener.

“I have total confidence in John Jnr as he has developed the business in a competent manner and works even harder than I did at his age.

The Gibunco Group is in good hands and it will continue to expand with new lines of operation.

We need to continue to focus on our goals and the rationalisation and control of our growth. I am proud of our employees wherever they are in the world. They are loyal and committed to their work and make valuable contributions to Gibunco’s success.” n Note: Some of the largest companies within the Group are Gibunco Ship Agencies, Maritime (Gibraltar) Ltd, Peninsula Petroleum (global bunker suppliers and traders), Montagu Group: property development, CEPSA Gibraltar: main fuel suppliers in Gibraltar, and Scamp Network: fuel conservation, underwater engineering and hull cleaning.

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John with John Jnr

Peninsula Petroleum Sailing Team

It was John Bassadone Jnr who established the Peninsula Petroleum Sailing Team. After gaining experience on the GP42 circuit the team moved to the Adris RC44 World Championship tour in 2010 which, only after two seasons, they won in 2012.

John Bassadone junior, the captain, said “I am stunned. It is unbelievable. We were hoping for a good result but we did not expect to

become world champions”. n

The Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival

The Gibunco Group accepted an invitation from the Gibraltar Government to sponsor the inaugural festival which took place last year.

It was such a success that the Gibunco Group will continue with the sponsorship of this event this year. n

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human resources

?

A Question of Timing words | Sylvia Kenna,

The HR Dept

Q

We have an employee who arrives later than other staff for work most days and they often take a longer lunch break. They live locally so I know they are not caught in the border queue or traffic. A couple of other staff members have told me that they are not happy about this. This person does a good job and they manage to have their work done when required. What am I supposed to do? I want the staff to be happy and I don’t want to demotivate this individual either.

A. Staff turning up late is one of the biggest annoyances in the workplace for employers and employees alike.

When does the working day start? The answer will of course vary from profession to profession, although one thing remains the same: timekeeping is an issue.

Arriving on time is not always evidence of a great worker. Do you recognise the following types of workers, you know the ones, they come in exactly on time when their contracts state. They spend half an hour before actually working — catching up on the gossip, they bring breakfast to have at their desk before starting any work, they make a cup of tea, check their mobile, check their personal emails and

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their Facebook page and, just like that, they are 30 minutes into the working day.

Even if that goes on for one week, that’s 2.5 hours lost and paid for.

Or how about these people, the ones that have every excuse for not turning up on time: feeling unwell, traffic delays, issues at home, oversleeping/broken alarm, very tired and couldn’t sleep at night. Keeping records will help you spot patterns. There are even websites that can give tips to staff on excuses to use. So keep a note of the reasons in order to identify patterns.

Explaining the company’s standards and expectations on timekeeping, reporting absences and where associated policies can be found should be carried out at induction. Secondly monitor all absence and where you feel there is a problem, record lateness.

When someone doesn’t arrive on time or leaves early, deal with it immediately. No matter how easy it feels to put this off until later, the longer you don’t mention it, the more the behaviour appears reasonable and therefore acceptable. Speak to the person and outline your dissatisfaction, explain why it is important for them to be on time and the consequences of their late arrival on others and the business.

When you see patterns forming, speak to the individual to find out if there is anything you

both can do to alleviate any problems. Effort has to be made from both parties and a time limit set for improvement.

And remember to keep a note of any conversations you have with staff and keep these in their personnel file. These notes of conversations may be required in the future if you have to move forward into a formal disciplinary process.

Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) reveals “that some of the most successful tools in reducing employee absence are an early intervention by line managers and good communication. This effective communication can help to identify underlying causes of absence. A large part of managing absence is about ensuring that staff can raise issues that may be troubling them at an early stage so they can be addressed before they escalate. A focus on employee well-being can also be an effective way to avoid absence problems developing.”

Always take advice from The HR Dept. in these situations. If you don’t tackle issues straight away, it can give others an excuse to push the boundaries on persistent lateness. Or worse you may lose some good people if they feel you are not dealing problem staff. Contact us anytime for support with your people hradvice@thehrdept.gi. n

When someone doesn’t arrive on time or leaves early, deal with it immediately. No matter how easy it feels to put this off until later, the longer you don’t mention it, the more the behaviour appears reasonable and therefore acceptable GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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finance

DHL Express is the global market leader in the international express business, so you probably already know that we can deliver your documents and parcels from Gibraltar to virtually every country in the world.

What you might not know is that we can also take care of all your importing requirements.

For further information please contact: DHL Gibraltar Unit 36 Harbours Deck, New Harbours, Gibraltar Tel: 200 72210 Email: GIBSN@dhl.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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It is an event that you have to qualify for, so I chose to qualify by racing the first part of RAAM, the Race Across the West (RAW), in 2009. I failed at this due to inexperience and injury, but came back to complete the 860 mile race in 2011, in a time of two days and 21 hours.

I have cycled for various charities, including Purple Salute in 2009, which is a charity set up to assist returning injured servicemen at the Selly Oak facility in Birmingham. Help for Heroes appealed due to my forces background, and the ongoing challenges the forces maintain despite fighting an enemy that is not traditional in the sense of an invading conflict, which is also politically controversial.

Tim hits the road for some of his 500 plus miles a week in the saddle

Tim’s Ultimate Cycling Challenge for Charity Tim Richardson of The Family Office on Irish Town has set himself the ultimate cycling challenge for charity — the Race Across America, a 3000 mile endurance race which few Brits have ever completed before.

We spoke to Tim to find out more about the race and his reasons for competing this June.

Tim, you will be competing in the 50 to 59 year old category of The Race Across America ultra endurance transcontinental event with the support of Team Brazen in June to raise money for Help for Heroes. Could you tell us why you chose this incredible 3000 miles race, said to be the World’s

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Toughest Bicycle Race, to raise money for the charity, and why Help for Heroes?

In 2008 I chose to cycle from Gibraltar to Newcastle to run the Great North Run (the world’s biggest half marathon) in aid of the cancer charity established by Jane Tomlinson, who had sadly

just passed away. Her endeavours greatly impressed me and one of her endurance events was a cycle across America. Once I had completed the cycle to Newcastle, and run, I started to look for another challenge, which is when I came across the Race Across America (RAAM).

Are you racing as a team in relay format or solo? Tell us about Team Brazen and how you came together for this challenge.

I am racing solo, so covering the full 3000 miles on the bike with only my crew supporting. Brazen was an old Royal Naval posting of mine — I served with Prince Andrew on HMS Brazen (Type 22 frigate) in 1985 whilst I waited for promotion to engineering officer and a Dartmouth entry. It was the ship where I met my wife Irene when we visited our adopted city of Sunderland so holds great memories for us.

The crew are all friends, colleagues and fellow ultracyclists who have a love for the sport and for achieving something at the highest level. They come from the UK, Iowa, Sydney and of course Gibraltar.

Unlike the three great European Grand Tours (Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana and Giro de Italia) RAAM is not a stage race — it’s one stage and once the clock starts it doesn’t stop until the finish line (about 30% further from the start than the Tour de France) and you will be expected to complete the distance in roughly half the time allowed for the Tour de France.

You say you are setting out to win the race, not just compete and complete, but only five Brits have ever completed RAAM in its 32 year history. Do you think your goal is achievable and what made you take on this extra challenge?

I am entering in the 50-59 age bracket which gives me a chance to win as I am competing on level terms and I will be one of the youngest 50-59 year olds as my birthday was in March!

In reality, completing is the primary goal, which few have

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fund-raising achieved. My second goal is to be the fastest Britain to race the 50-59 age bracket and my third goal is to win the age bracket. Unlikely given the competition but I believe that if you set out your goals they can be met with a fair wind. A lot can go wrong on a 3000 mile race and even the best have to sometimes withdraw through circumstance.

RAAM is described as a pinnacle of athletic achievement and you will be riding with professional

I am entering in the 50-59 age bracket which gives me a chance to win as I’m competing on level terms and I will be one of the youngest 50-59 year olds cyclists and amateur athletes.

How have you been training for the race and are you ready to go?

In reality I started getting my cycling proficiency for long distance honed in 2008, and have done a long distance event every year since then despite injury through accidents. This time my proper training started in October

and I have ramped up ever since.

I am now doing 500 plus miles per week plus gym work on top to get ready.

The hardest area for me is keeping my weight down. I have a target weight of 144 lbs so I have 12lbs to lose over the next two months. Cycling distance means always being hungry but this has to be balanced with the fact that carrying extra weight is detrimental to performance.

There are so many variables to training for a race like this that it can become a constant battle to achieving the desired outcome.

But you can but try. Nothing of import was ever achieved without significant effort — it is one of the mantras of RAAM. If someone in Gibraltar wants to donate, sponsor or track your progress from when the race starts on 10th June how can they do this?

All the details are here: Team Brazen: www.teambrazen.co.uk, Facebook: RAAM Team Brazen, Sponsor Team Brazen: www. bmycharity.com/TeamBrazen, and RAAM www.raceacrossamerica.org This will allow people to track progress, sponsor and generally get involved. I would love it if people can sponsor me per mile or time station so that I have a huge incentive to do that extra mile for the charity. Thanks for getting involved. n

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This trial forms part of the Government’s commitment to produce at least 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020, as required under the Directive on Promotion of the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources (2009/28/EC), with a view to increasing this in the long term. n

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The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee unveiled the concept design for Al Wakrah Stadium during a press conference in Doha in November

The Stadium Dilemma It’s no secret that I am an avid follower of football.

I have attended each of the first three official Gibraltar UEFA games and have just booked my Dublin flights for Gibraltar’s trip to Eire in October. Add a handful of West Ham games each season and I can vouch for having seen a fair few football stadia over the years.

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The Gibraltar football stadium debate is red hot. After the euphoria of becoming UEFA’s 54th member, the highly credible 0-0 draw with Slovakia and the drawing of Scotland, Germany, Ireland and others in Group D, the buzz has somewhat dissipated into disagreement. Where should the stadium be built? Should a stadium be built? What size? What height? How about the impact on the environment? Some of these factors are ones that the planning authority considers all the time.

This application is different because it is the national football stadium and a real game changer for the Gibraltar landscape.

This debate is not unique to Gibraltar.

West Ham submitted their bid to convert the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, London, into a football stadium in 2010. It took three years of planning issues, bidding battles, high court decisions and judicial reviews before planning permission was granted in May 2013. West Ham will kick off the 2016-17 season at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stadium (and hopefully still in the Premier League!).

In March 2014, David Beckham, recent owner of a Miami MLS football club, unveiled detailed plans for a 25,000 all seater waterfront stadium on the island port with sweeping views of downtown Miami. Development of the 36acre space would cost about $200 million and include shops, hotels and offices connected to the mainland by a pedestrian bridge.

Yet, within a month, on 14th April, an alliance of shipping in-

It seems that iconic football stadia around the world never escape controversy from inception to completion

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property terests and a billionaire car dealer placed an advertisement in the Miami Herald protesting against Beckham’s plans for the football stadium at the Miami port, saying it threatened the city’s plans to capitalise on the expansion of the Panama Canal. How long will this planning process take I wonder? And is Beckham up for the planning process and facing up to the many obstacles ahead of him?

It seems that iconic football stadia around the world never escape controversy from inception to completion.

The initial plan for the reconstruction of Wembley was for demolition to begin before Christmas 2000, and for the new stadium to be completed sometime during 2003.

However, this work was delayed by a succession of financial and legal difficulties. In October 2005, the then Sports Minister Richard Caborn announced: “… the 2006 Cup Final will be there, barring six feet of snow...”. However, in February 2006 the FA announced that due to safety concerns, that year’s FA Cup final would be at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and not Wembley. Big shame as West Ham won their way through to the FA Cup Final that year. (I was there to witness Stephen Gerrard’s last minute equaliser prompting extra time, penalties and a Liverpool victory. What a shame, wouldn’t have happened at Wembley!) £120m of the funding for Wembley’s reconstruction, came from the National Lottery and a condition of the funding was that the stadium must be capable of being used for athletics. So the ability to add a running track was included in the design. Yet, even now, the process to convert the stadium into a track and field venue would take weeks and would costs millions. To the best of my knowledge, no athletics events have ever taken place at the stadium and none are envisaged.

Wembley Stadium, London

Next month sees the start of the Word Cup in Brazil. Although expectations are high for the host’s football team, it’s quite clear that the country didn’t do a very good job preparing for the tournament.

At the time of writing, there are still doubts as to whether the stadiums will be finished in time, and it’s highly unlikely that all the promised infrastructure work will be completed. And that’s despite the event being awarded to Brazil in 2007.

The World Cup stadiums were supposed to be financed mostly by private companies but today it’s known that public funds are behind the vast majority of them, either through loans or tax breaks.

That, in part, is what has fueled the street protests across the country over the last few years.

Controversy surrounds the mistreatment and conditions of the immigrant workers in the construction of the World Cup

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Stadiums in Qatar as well. A Daily Mirror investigation in March of this year revealed 1,200 workers had died so far during the course of construction.

However, it is the design of the Al-Wakrah stadium in Qatar that really had the media buzzing last November. Holly Baxter, writing in the Guardian described the artist impression of the finished stadium as “an accidental vagina”.

She wrote: “The Qatari stadium’s resemblance to a woman’s private parts may be unintentional, but I for one applaud it.” But the

renowned (female) architect of the stadium, Zaha Hadid, was unamused by comparisons of her stadium to female genitalia. “It’s really embarrassing that they come up with nonsense like this,” she told Time Magazine.

So whilst we debate the merit of the design and location of Gibraltar’s new football stadium, we can rest assured that rarely does a new national football stadium, not attract controversy from inception to completion. At least our stadium does not resemble any private parts. n

Mike Nicholls is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a member of the Gibraltar Society of Accountants, a member of the Gibraltar Funds and Investment Association and a board member of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce. Mike operates the Chesterton estate agency in Gibraltar and runs a real estate investment solutions consultancy.

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ASK RUTH

Ask the Architect Your structural and design questions answered by Ruth Massias Greenberg of Gamma Concepts www.gamma.gi

Q

I thought my

project was

simple — why do I need so many different consultants? What does each of them do?

Starting a construction project in Gibraltar, as elsewhere, may sometimes be daunting as so many different parties seem to be involved.

There are times when appointing

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email your architectural questions to ruth@gamma.gi

Looking to make structural changes to your home or office?

Need design advice? Want to know what you can and can’t do? Ruth is here to answer your architectural questions.

a number of different consultants is simply to your benefit and other times when it is essential from a legislative point of view. A construction project requires the involvement of a range of professionals with different skills who all need to work together as a team in an iterative process to achieve the end goal and to satisfy the client’s requirements.

The kinds of consultants who will need to be involved will depend on the type and scale of the project. A typical consultant

team will vary but is usually made up of at least of an architect, a structural engineer, a mechanical and electrical engineer, a quantity surveyor and a planning supervisor/CDM (construction design and management) coordinator.

For larger scale projects you may also have a project manager. On some projects you will need an EPC (Environment Performance Certificate) assessor to produce an energy use assessment and to advise you on how to lower your energy consumption.

An architect is usually the starting point and will prepare the general design and layouts for your project. The architect will firstly take into account the client’s criteria and requirements and then, among other things, will consider the aesthetics, how the building will be used, buildability and relevant legislation. The architect will submit drawings for planning, building control and tenders.

The structural engineer will take on the architect’s plan and

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will design structural elements, which will ensure your building stands up and is able to take the loads and stress that it needs to take. For example, a house in Norway will need to withstand heavy snowfall, whereas a bridge will need to withstand constant passage and movement of cars and larger vehicles. If you are demolishing a wall within a house the structural engineer will advise on whether it is a loadbearing wall and whether a beam is needed to retain the structural integrity of the wall once it is removed. The structural engineer will need to submit their designs and calculations to building control for approval. Think of a building as though it were a human body: whereas the architect is concerned with the skin and body shape, the structural engineer is concerned with the skeleton that holds it all up.

A mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineer will ensure that all services, including electrics, drainage and ventilation, are designed to offer optimum efficiency and comply with relevant legislation. For example, there are various ways to ventilate a building and, taking into account its use, size and form, the M&E

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engineer will advise on the pros and cons of different systems.

A planning supervisor will look at the designs and will provide feedback in respect of construction health and risk management issues to ensure the project designs comply with Gibraltar ’s CDM laws. A planing supervisor is

A planning supervisor will provide feedback to ensure the project designs comply with Gibraltar’s CDM laws required by law on all projects for all except “domestic clients”. The definition of domestic clients is included in the legislation itself.

The planning supervisor will ensure that health and safety is taken into account in the design, relevant information is made available to consultants and contractors before they carry out their contracts, and a health and safety file or user manual is handed to the client on completion of the project.

A quantity surveyor (QS) will help you to manage and control

the financial aspects of your project. For example, they will set up a cost plan at the start of the project and will offer advice on how to keep to the budget throughout the design process. They will also advise on value engineering and cost control issues from inception through to completion. A QS will often save you money in the long term.

It is very rare for one person to be trained and insured for any two of the disciplines mentioned.

The complexity of a construction

project requires that different consultants are involved. The descriptions given above are, of course, only a short summary of the role each consultant plays and they will have years of training and experience in order to become a professional in their field.

Ideally all of the consultants will work together, advising and coordinating with each other, to achieve the best and most efficient end product possible given the budget and environmental constraints they are working within. n

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decor

Growing Pains A child’s room can be one of the most interesting places in your home. It’s possibly the one area where you can let your imagination run wild and play with bright colours and fun themes — and if your child is old enough, they can be fully involved in the project too.

Choose the right Photo Mural, like this one from www.photowall. co.uk, and it will see you through from nursery to pre-teens

Growing children don’t just grow out of their clothes, they grow out of their bedrooms too.

Not literally, but in a design sense.

We see babies’ rooms as soft pastels of creams, blues and pinks with soft cushions and blankets in clean, light colours. Through the toddler stage you may be thinking bright primary colours, cartoon characters or images from their favourite TV programme but if you have chosen furniture and base colours carefully it is easy to switch the accents to transform the room.

Up until here, all is okay. Your child trusts your judgement entirely, and if we’re honest with ourselves, possibly isn’t that concerned with the decor — they have more important things to do, like playing. But there’s a point in their lives which is hard pinpoint when they start to take an interest

in their room. Their friends are coming home from school with them and they are visiting their friends homes too. You’ll soon be up against the “my friend has that” type of statements and suddenly they have their own idea of how their room should be.

Rather than a problem, you can turn this into a fun challenge, getting them involved in the creative process and letting them help choose colours, duvets and designs as well as getting their hands dirty helping out with suitable tasks in the makeover of their room. At this stage it is worth trying a whole wall photo scene in any size from www.photowall. co.uk for a dramatic look to transform any space. (You may want to try this look in other rooms too).

In many homes, especially here on the Rock, space may be an issue

Inspirational quotes are big at the moment - and where better than for a child’s room.

You can buy them as prints, removable vinyls to paste on the wall, or get some paint and paint your own if you feel creative enough.

Upgrade boring wardrobes with vinyl prints of images of your choosing — Easiprint can produce large vinyl canvases to any design — and this idea is not just for the kids

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and wardrobes may dominate the room. Cover them in custom vinyl canvas prints (Easiprint can print these from your own images).

The pre-teen phase is great from a decorating point of view, but it doesn’t last long. Before you know it, they may have decided their fa-

vourite colour is black — and they want everything in that colour.

But we’ll leave it up to you how you try to persuade your teenager that you know better than them — you may just need to buy them a pot of paint and let them get on with it! n

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Therese’s universal Symmetry words | Elena Scialtiel

A mysterious emerald-eyed ‘hot’ man bursts an amnesiac young woman out of the Swiss hospital room where she’s spent a quarter century being tested for bogus illnesses, while her blood was actually used for experimentation in the CERN lab particles accelerator.

And so, it’s love at first sight (or is it?) between knight in ‘bronze’ armour Tarus and pretty petite Susy on their journey to the Pillars of Hercules, where they find angelical Kora, steadfast Hunter, aquatic Leo, telepathic Samuel and sanguine Michael, the other Knights of the Honorary Order tasked with rescuing her and the worlds that depend on her energy. A seventh Knight, the elusive Chameleon, is based on Earth and doesn’t join the rescue party as he will play a pivotal part later.

In fact, naive but stubborn Susy holds the key (quite literally!) to the survival of the six worlds where from each of the Knights come.

The worlds were created in the Big Bang that also generated her. Her name is in fact the acronym for Super-Symmetry, the force she masters and used to distribute periodically to the worlds before she was kidnapped by gravity discoverer Isaac Newton, who is planning to exploit her powers.

Named Teli in Susy’s cosmos, Earth is the only world that she has personally created and has equipped with a moon, a detail that complicates inter-world travel. After a setback with the portal location, Susy manages to be transported from Mount Ararat to Pixi, the central world and her ‘hometown’, where her soul-searching anamnesis will restart.

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book launch Constructed around the pentagram and the number seven, Therese Caruana’s biopic fantasy and romance novel features an imaginative cosmology based on the colours of the rainbow, the chakras and the primal elements, in which the seven worlds crystallize around a female deity who is simultaneously finite and infinite, mortal and eternal.

An ingenious attempt to reconcile science and religion, the action-packed plot follows the adventures of Susy, her friends and foes in a race against time to stop the evil Wicca Eutychia to bank on the prophecies hidden in various Bible verses as well as Shakespeare’s sonnets, while the clock inexorably ticks towards Mayan apocalypse.

Not everything is as it seems for these multifaceted heroes often are faced with the dilemma of where the thin line between good and evil is drawn. Sometimes some kind of hidden agenda seems to fuel their shape-shifting, swashbuckling bravery.

However, ‘love conquers all’, according to Susy’s primary motto, and ‘everything turns out as it should at the end’ - otherwise it wouldn’t be the end, as she wisely philosophises. ‘Love’ is not necessarily intended as romantic love, but the force that glues together the universe – and in this case the truism is truer than ever: love does make the world go round!

Love conquers all is the subtitle to the simple but euphonically effective title Symmetry, that epitomises in one all-important word the essence of the book, the victory of order on chaos.

With Symmetry, the teaser of her forthcoming heptalogy, novelist debutante Therese Caruana embarks in an ambitious project. Although the first book is a standalone piece of narrative, it skilfully leaves some doors open – and many questions unanswered – to titillate the readership’s curiosity and leave them hungry for more.

Symmetry boasts a sleek cover featuring the key elements the potential reader can expect to encounter inside: orbiting worlds, blue-violet, Susy’s favourite colour, a feminine hand that holds up the destiny of Earth and computer circuits in watermark form to symbolise the role played by science in kicking off the plot.

Swedish-born 31-year old business graduate Therese (née Von Wachenfeldt) cultivated her interest for culture and adventure during her Erasmus placement in the Netherlands as a student. Lessons were in English though, which explains her command of the language and stylistic tricks of the trade. Her fresh approach and North-European perspective further contribute to the already thriving Gibraltarian literary scene recently show-

When her mother told her she could become whoever she wanted to be if she put her mind at it, she styled herself as a supreme creator in this fictional autobiography cased at the first Gibraltar Book Fair held on World’s Book Day at the John Mackintosh Hall.

There’s much of Therese’s in Susy’s characterisation, starting from their physical resemblance and continuing with their common determination in attaining their goals, as well as some autobiographical hints, par-

ticularly in her lively description of her first visit to Gibraltar and a fleeting reference to her tatty teddy bear which her beloved once won for her at La Linea carnival.

In fact, Symmetry started as a diary, but Therese soon realised that a product of her sheer imagination — where she was free to create and explore a brand new universe, with no limitations but a few rules the inhabitants must abide when world-hopping would have been way more exciting for her to write and for more compelling for the reader.

When her mother had told her she could become whoever she wanted to be if she put her mind at it, she styled herself as a supreme creator in this fictional autobiography: after all, novelists are a sort of platonic demiurge, as their universes live on forever etched in the readership’s mind.

Narrating in the first person, Therese suggests that the story can be every reader’s own story, as they learn their future as long as it unfolds in twists and coup de théâtre on a journey of self-discovery, a symbolical rite of passage from childhood to adulthood.

Some characters’ names are borrowed from Greek and Norse mythology and astrology, while some passages echo literature’s most iconic classics. The central episode, for instance, is a poignant and masterful account of Susy’s quest for a magic potion across the enchanted forest of distraught souls, where she has to overcome the make-or-break tests of the seven deadly sins while she gets a glimpse of the glowing ‘Oracle Train’, the most plastic and literarily successful chapter in this 400-page strong volume.

Edited by friends and Therese’s husband Anthony, whom she married in a romantic lakeside summer ceremony at a cabin near her hometown Gävle in 2011, the novel is available locally from the author and worldwide on Amazon under the title Symmetry: Love conquers all (Science) priced £10 or £2.05 for Kindle.

ThereseCaruanasBookPage on Facebook offers a discussion forum and calls for suggestions from the readers about what direction the plot should take (the first sequel is already brewing, but Therese is keeping the working title super shush!) and which characters should take centre stage. n

Savills (Gibraltar) Ltd, Suite 1B Icom House, 1/5 Irish Town, Gibraltar

Tel: 20066633 email: sales@savills.gi www.savills.gi

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All images repoduced with permission of Saccone & Speed

Jerome Saccone

James Speed

Saccone & Speed: a Family Story words | Richard Garcia MBE

This year sees an important milestone for Gibraltar wine and spirit merchant, Saccone & Speed: the company celebrates its 175th anniversary. So who were the Saccone and Speed who laid the foundations for the present-day successes of the company?

Both Saccone and Speed were born outside Gibraltar, and came here looking for fame and fortune. They both found it!

Speed came from England, and Saccone was born in Finale in what was then the Republic of Genoa. It would seem that Saccone had relatives on the Rock.

Speed was following in the wellworn tracks of young British entrepreneurs who came to Gibraltar to set up in business, make money and then retire to England. The difference, in his case, was that he never left Gibraltar: he founded a family firm that became enormously successful and he and his family made Gibraltar their home. Saccone was also following a well-defined path, as many Genoese men came to settle in Gibraltar in the 18th and 19th centuries and to find work here.

Speed’s full name was James Durnsford Speed Andrews. He set up in business in Gibraltar in

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1839, when he was aged 23. Initially, he described himself as an “Importer and Dealer in Wines, Groceries, Provisions and Havana Cigars” although it is clear that what he really wanted to be was a wine and spirit merchant.

He married Louisa Fostero, who was born in Savona, part of the Republic of Genoa. James and Louisa had six children. The eldest was a boy, and he was christened James Francisco Andrews Speed. Curiously, the surname was inverted: James Sr was a Speed Andrews; James Jr was an Andrews Speed. From that point on, the family retained the name Andrews Speed.

By the time Jerome Saccone

started in business in 1850, Speed had been carving out a niche for himself for 11 years. Jerome Saccone was actually known as Geronimo to his family. That is the name that appears on his memorial tablet in the cemetery.

He was not only a wine and spirit merchant: he was also a prominent banker. His bank was the largest in Gibraltar. After he died in 1887, aged 61, his heirs entered into negotiations with the Anglo-Egyptian Bank and they opened a branch in Gibraltar operating from Saccone’s premises in Irish Town, opposite the Police Station, and taking over his former customers. The Anglo-Egyptian Bank in due

Both James Speed and Jerome Saccone saw that there was a good business opening for them in servicing warships that regularly called at Gibraltar

course became Barclays Bank.

Saccone liked to portray himself as a banker first and foremost, and then as a wine and spirits merchant.

Both James Speed and Jerome Saccone saw that there was a good business opening for them in servicing warships that regularly called at Gibraltar. Saccone became the supplier of the US Navy; and Speed the supplier of the Royal Navy.

James Speed Jr took over the business when his father died in 1867, aged 50. Initially, he went into partnership with his brother-in-law, but the partnership broke up after two years when James’ sister died, probably in childbirth. From then on James Jr took full control of James Speed & Co and grew the business, developing particular links with Gonzalez Byass, the principal exporter of sherry in nearby Jerez. James Jr then married Leonor Segalerva from Malaga,

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175 years whose family were also in the wine trade.

James and Leonor had two sons and they added a hyphen to their surname, which became Andrews-Speed. Their elder son, another James, married Lucy Imossi. James and Lucy had a son, another James, and a daughter, Mabel. She married George Gaggero (later Sir George) of M.H.Bland’s. The family’s connections through marriage were consolidated across a significant portion of the upper level of Gibraltar society at the time.

Jerome Saccone married a French girl, Josephine Langlais.

They had eight daughters, one of whom – Rosa – died young.

Jerome probably wanted a male heir to take over his businesses, but he had to content himself with two of his sons-in-law building on the foundations that he laid. They were Albert Porral and Joseph Patron.

Patron was a barrister. He was the third son of the popular physician and pharmaceutical dispenser, Dr Joseph Patron. Dr Patron was involved in the famous Mary Celeste case, where he was asked to analyse the “blood” found on a sword and found it was rust.

Porral was married to Mary Saccone, the eldest of the sisters, and Patron to Clemencia Sac-

cone, the youngest sister. Two of the sisters married diplomats.

Leonie married an Italian Marquis, who was in the consular service. She became the Marchioness of Carcano.

Ernestine married the Spanish consul in Gibraltar, Francisco Martí. One of Ernestine’s descendants is the present Duke of Medina Sidonia.

Victorine married Pedro Canepa. Their daughter Victoria married John Mackintosh, Gibraltar’s biggest philanthropist.

Elena married William Thomson. Their descendant, Sir Willie Thomson, was the first Gibraltarian to be commissioned into the Gibraltar Defence Force (now the Royal Gibraltar Regiment) in 1939 and was later Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Emilia married a military officer, William Haskett-Smith, who attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He headed a London branch of Saccone’s business. Their son Carlos went into insurance: the name SOLRAC is his Christian name spelt

backwards.

The Saccone family thereby became linked through marriage to many important families.

Thus, not only were Speed and Saccone hugely successful in business, they were also very well connected in Gibraltar society.

In 1908, James Andrews-Speed, the grandson of the original James Speed, and the heirs of Jerome Saccone entered into negotiations. The result was a merger of the two companies, on 1st October. They had both been at the forefront of the wine and spirit business. After the merger, the new company became the largest and most important wine and spirit merchants in Gibraltar.

The companies, by that stage, had already looked abroad and had opened branches in London, Portsmouth, Chatham, Devonport and Malta, and had agents in Mumbai (in India) and in Malaga. The company was then called Jerome Saccone and James Speed Ltd, but the name was too

Not only were Speed and Saccone hugely successful in business, they were also very well connected in Gibraltar society

cumbersome, and it was soon shortened to Saccone and Speed.

As Saccone & Speed, the company grew and prospered notwithstanding the ravages of two world wars, the depression of the 1920s, and the many challenges that were posed by changing international circumstances in places where the company set up branches and agents.

Over the years, Saccone & Speed established branches and agencies in many UK cities and in many overseas countries and cities including Malta, Spain, Morocco, New York, Washington, India, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Italy, Cyprus, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Today, the company is also synonymous with the bottling of Coca-Cola in Gibraltar and as builders’ merchants through Gaggero Cemats Home & Building Supplies, over and above selling wines and spirits by wholesale.

It still retains a strong sense of family and family values, and of providing excellent value for money — all of which were espoused by James Speed and Jerome Saccone. n The full story of Saccone & Speed is told in Richard Garcia’s book Wholesome Wines and Kindred Spirits: Saccone & Speed, 1839 – 2014 which has been published by Saccone & Speed.

1906 advertisement shows Saccone & Speed premises, 130 Main Street (corner of Market Lane)— the company’s headquarters until the move to Devil’s Tower Road

1900 Gibraltar Directory GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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1930 Gibraltar Directory

James Speed Jr, Leonor Speed and James Andrews-Speed

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Like liquid light saturating a glossy surface, unadulterated colour envelops and outlines shapes in the innovative artwork of this contemporary painter, whose main subject matter is pure emotion.

Well known as a contributor within Gibraltar’s fine arts circles, Paco Conti is an autodidact who has been exploring colour and light since the late ’80s, starting with figurative expressionism and slowly but steadily evolving towards abstract.

Paco Conti’s artwork has travelled the width and length of Andalucia, from his hometown Cordoba to the capital Seville. It also went abroad, not only in neighbouring Gibraltar where he exhibited in 1998 and most recently in the collective tribute to Gustavo Bacarisas, but also to New York and Los Angeles, where he was hailed as a fresh and innovative voice of the 21st Century. He has also adjudicated for the local Spring Art competition.

After several solo and collective exhibitions, an anthology of his most significant work will be on display at La Linea’s Universidad Menéndez Pelayo premises during the second fortnight of May. Born in Cordoba, where he graduated as a Spanish Literature teacher, Paco Conti was soon assigned to La Linea de la Concepción high school, where he’s been teaching ever since, while dedicating his spare time to painting.

Despite his familiarity words | Elena Scialtiel and interest for classic and contemporary literature, words don’t come easy to him, and he much prefers palette and brushes to express himself.

“Of course I do read and appreciate poetry, but I am not a poet. Actually, I feel that I couldn’t convey my message by composing verses, but colour does it for me.” He says, subscribing the old commonplace that a picture is worth a thousand words.

And his pictures surely do all the talking, concocting in the onlooker ’s imagination fantastic landscapes and marine horizons, inspired by the mesmeric light of Andalusia.

They are otherworldly in their stark simplicity, untainted by human footprint, as they burst with fiery sunsets or minimalist glacial planes frozen in time.

However, Paco’s early work, albeit characterised by and infused with vibrant colour, is more figurative and his collections themed on subject matters well rooted in Andalusian tradition, such as Meninas evanescentes, De toros... y toreros, Iconografías, Casualidades y fronteras, and Bañistas, just to quote some.

His favourite medium is oil on canvas, but he enjoys watercolours too, and sometimes

Colours of Paco

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he thins his oils towards the watercolour-like effect, while in other occasions he builds bas-reliefs by applying layers of thick paint or resorting to collage techniques.

He pastes fabric on canvas and uses it as part of the picture, whether it becomes the alternative to colouring in that section, or perhaps it is just the base for paint, highlighted by the textured effect of the textile below.

Damask, brocade, lace, beadwork, embroidery, cable-knit or velvet: any napery or upholstery sample Paco can get his hands on is given a second chance to be reborn as a part of, and immortalised in, a masterpiece. ‘Donations’ are most welcome, he says, confessing that sometimes he raids his wife’s closet for frocks she hasn’t worn for a while, because they would be just perfect for that Meninas’ gown or to mimic hair locks, or to give extra movement to a neutral background.

For example, one of his Bañistas wears an old-fashioned swim cap decorated with daisies: they are actual haberdashery decorations, pasted on the canvas and incorporated in the picture, thus donning it with a third-dimension, not only physical but also sensorial, as it encourages tactility.

Bañistas and Meninas are iconic collections, the first banking on the supremacy of all shades of blue, and the second going wild with the exuberance of warm and cool tones. Meninas

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is reminiscent of Austrian symbolist Gustav Klimt in the way the composition is filled and enriched with small geometric shapes and extra detail. In Bañistas, the technique employed to depict water rings quite unique, transforming the waves’ fluidity into solid and irregular short perpendicular strokes to suggest chopped seas or pungent temperature.

Paco’s women are surrealist and statuary, distant and poised, something in between Byzantine icons and fashion design sketches, their faces carved out of the background, like apparitions or blurred visions through rainstained windows.

They wear luscious trajes de sevillana, sometimes with painstaking attention to detail, others just outlined through a golden fog.

They favour sunny hues, with an explosion of yellow and orange, but the soothing blues of subtropical skies do take centre stage too,

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highlighted with flashes of orange.

Meninas y Mininos is a clever pun on the vernacular pet name for cats used in La Linea.

Common theme to this collection is the constant presence of the young ladies in period costume, enjoying the company of their cat, more or less conspicuous in the intricacy of their frocks or the musical instrument they play.

Paco pretty much allows the spur of the moment to guide his hand on canvas, reducing pre-planning, sketches and pencil drawing to a minimum: he just delimits the spaces he wants to fill in with a couple of lines and then he literally lets his colours run wild, with dripping effects, dramatic brushstrokes in contrast with blended lowlights and the sparse but pivotal use of metallics.

If Meninas is virtually a compulsory meme for any respectable Spanish artist, Paco also trialled his creativity and historical perception with an ambitious study of the Inquisition, La hoguera de la Inquisición. The onlooker literally feels the heat in this accumulation of red, yellow and orange, scarred with dramatic black,

to draw the eye to the towering grey cross centrepiece. Grandiose hellish flames and hinted human figures fuse together at its feet in the hectic flurry of nervy brushstrokes directed to stir a stifling sense of pompous intransigence seen through billowing pungent smoke.

Original, inspired and inspirational, Paco shuns commissions and sitting portraiture: “I paint what I see in my mind and in my heart.

If you like it as it is, it’s gladly yours.” But he declines to paint something he is contracted to see trough someone else’s sensitivity.

“Many of my pictures are sold unfinished, when someone falls in love with them while I am still working at them in my studio, and they take it away there and then. Sometimes in such hurry that I forget to sign it! Later I am invited to their home to rectify that — so I can see for myself where they have been placed.”

His work comes in a variety of sizes, from 80cm up to a couple of metres, with prices varying accordingly, from 200 euro up. n For information and prices visit Paco Conti Domenech’s Facebook page or www.pacoconti.com.

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Grand Gala of the Tenors at St Michael’s Cave On 22nd May the Gibraltar Philharmonic Society will present The Grand Gala of the Tenors at St Michael’s Cave.

Following huge successes over the last seasons with its opera concerts, the society has decided to repeat the formula which proved so effective where two voices singing popular operatic arias and Neapolitan songs are accompanied by a pianist.

A society spokesman said; “Once again our artistic director, Karel Chichon, has secured for the society the services of very exciting soloists.

This will be a great comeback for both of the leading tenors in Europe, Ho-yoon Chung and Álex Vicens.”

Ho-yoon Chung’s talent reaches across oceans, having won the Korea National Opera Competition (2001) and the Concour International de Chant de Verviers in Belgium (2001) as well as being a finalist in

the Belvedere Competition in Vienna (2003). Recent reviews have hailed him as one of the best tenors to have performed in Europe. Álex Vicens with his warm, beautiful and powerful tenor voice has collected applauses and great critics at world theaters such as “Stuttgart’s Staatsoper”, Baden Baden’s “Festpielhaus”, Barcelona’s “Palau de la Música Catalana”, Innsbruck’s “Tiroler Landes Theater”, Madrid´s “Teatro de La Zarzuela”, “The Palm Beach Opera” and Barcelona’s “Gran Teatro del Liceo”.

The two tenors accompanied by pianist David Aronson, promise a night to remember!

The concert, which starts at 8pm, is sponsored and organised on behalf of the Ministry of Culture. n

Tickets £20 are available from Sacarello’s coffee shop in Irish Town and the Silver Shop, 222 Main Street, or directly from the Society Tel: 200 72134. A limited number of tickets at £10 available to senior citizens and students via the John Macintosh Hall at 308 Main Street. Further information available from Tel: 200 72134 or www.philharmonic.gi Ticket price includes a return shuttle service from Eliotts Way and the Public Market from 6:30pm.

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past revisited Squadron Leader Harry ‘Wings’ Day, together with Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, planned the mass escape from the prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III located near the Polish town of Zagan on 24th March, 1944.

Of the 76 escapees, 73 were recaptured and 50 of those were murdered on the orders of Adolf Hitler. Only three men made their way to freedom, Norwegians Jens Muller and Per Bergsland and Dutchman Bob Vanderstok.

The Norwegians managed to get smuggled on to a Swedish merchant ship and were taken to Stockholm while Vanderstok spent three months on the run in Holland, Belgium and Spain before reaching Gibraltar and being flown to London.

Day was one of the 23 recaptured and returned to Sagan. He later claimed that Hitler had ordered him to be killed but Herman Goering talked the Führer out of it because Day was from a well-known family. Day was later moved to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp where he and four others (including three from the Great Escape) made another bid

Of the 76 escapees, 73 were recaptured and 50 of those were murdered on the orders of Adolf Hitler for freedom. Again Day was recaptured and taken to Gestapo headquarters where he was interrogated and tortured. He was moved to two more camps, Dachau and Flossberg, before ending up at Villa Bassa in the Tyrol where he was finally freed on 30th April, 1945.

Day had been shot down in October 1939 and so had spent almost the entire war in one prisoner of war camp or another. For his services while a prisoner he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, Officer of the Order of the British Empire and the United States Legion of Merit. Day proudly displayed these medals along with the Albert Medal he had been awarded for the courage he displayed during the sinking of HMS Britannia near Gibraltar at the end of World War I. Harry Melville Arbuthnot Day was born in Sarawak, Borneo on 3rd August, 1898. When the First World War broke out he enlisted in the Royal Marines Light Infantry. He reached the rank of Sub-Lieutenant and, with two years left in the war, was assigned to HMS Britannia where he was nicknamed ‘The Boy Scout’. words | Reg Reynolds On the morning of 9th November, 1918, just two days before the Armistice was signed, Britannia was at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar when she was torpedoed by German U-boat UB-50.

Two large explosions rocked the ship and she developed a list of ten degrees to port.

Day was preparing to abandon ship when he discovered two wounded sailors trapped in the wardroom. With the help of two stewards he rescued the men and before leaving the cabin battened all the hatches and scuttles to prevent

Great Escaper was Sea Disaster Hero

In March, television programmes around the world marked the 70th anniversary of the Great Escape famously portrayed in the movie of the same name. There was no mention, however, of how one of the leaders of that escape had performed heroics in a sea disaster near Gibraltar in the First World War. 48

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the fire from spreading. For his courage Day was awarded the Albert Medal for Lifesaving (since replaced by the George Cross).

Later, Day joked that he was only trying to rescue the key to the wardroom liquor cabinet.

The doomed Britannia stayed afloat for two and a half hours allowing most of the crew to be taken off. A total of 50 men were killed, mainly by toxic smoke, and another 80 were injured; 39 officers and 673 men were saved.

Britannia was the last Royal Navy vessel to be lost during World War I. A funeral procession through the streets of Gibraltar was held on 19th November, 1918 and all of Gibraltar turned out to honour the dead. The tombs of 23 of the men who died on HMS Britannia are located at North Front Cemetery.

UB-50 sank 39 merchant ships but Britannia was the only warship claimed. UB-50 didn’t surrender until January 1919 and was then broken up at Swansea. Oberleutnant Henirich Kukat who torpedoed the Britannia was killed fighting in the Ruhr Uprising (Red Ruhr Army attempting to foment revolution)

A funeral procession through the streets of Gibraltar was held in November 1918 and all of Gibraltar turned out to honour the dead in 1920 aged 27.

Between the wars Day saw the world with the Marines and decided he needed a new challenge. He joined the RAF and became a pilot, so expert that he was chosen to lead the synchronised aerobatic team at the Hendon Air Show.

When World War II started he was 41-yearsold and offered a staff job but elected to join a bomber squadron. On 23rd October, 1939 he was piloting a Blenheim Bomber on a mission over Germany when he was attacked by a Messerschmitt 109. The Blenheim caught fire but Day waited till the crew had bailed out before parachuting out himself. He landed safely but was arrested by a ‘Forest Guard’ and was shown the bodies of his crew who had bailed out with their parachutes on fire. He saluted them before being taken off to prison.

Following the War, Day returned to service.

He was promoted to Group Captain in 1946 and retired in 1950. Day acted as technical advisor for the films Reach for the Sky (the 1956 biopic of legless wonder and fellow pilot Douglas Bader starring Kenneth More) and for The Great Escape (1963) starring, among many others, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Richard Attenborough and James Garner. A biography Wings Day: the man who led the RAF’s epic battle in German captivity by fellow Squadron Leader and POW Sydney-Smith was published in 1968

by William Collins & Son and re-released by Pan Books in 1970. Married to Margo, Day lived mainly on the Isle of Wight or in London.

He died in Blue Sister’s Hospital, Malta on 11th March 1977, aged 78. n

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Running for Education

Rachel Goodman (right) and Joelle Vazquez (left) ran the recent Gibraltar Half Marathon to raise funds for school projects in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The girls managed to raise an impressive £1,400 for their efforts and the funds will be used to provide windows at Church of Christ Primary school (http://www.action4schools.gi/church-of-christ/). More information on the Sierra Leone school projects visit www.action4schools.gi, e-mail info@action4schools.gi or Tel: 57631000.

The Gibraltar Darts Trophy 2014

Darts Set to Score Again Once again all the top darts players from around the world — including Phil Taylor, Michael Van Gerwen, Adrian Lewis and many more including Gibraltar’s own Dylan Duo and Dyson Parody — will be competing for the top prize of £20,000 at the Gibrlatar Dart Trophy in June.

This year’s event will take place from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th June at the Tercentenary Hall. There will be five sessions with the big final on Sunday 29th June at 5.30pm. Tier tickets (seated on the unnumbered stands) and Table tickets (seated numbered table) are available from the Ministry of Culture, 310 Main Street from 9am-5.30pm. Tel: 20047592 email: mschy@gibtelecom.net Friday 27th June 2014: afternoon session play starts 3pm. Tickets: Table £15, Tier £10.

Saturday 28th June 2014: afternoon session round 2 play starts 12pm. Tickets: Table £12 Tier £7. Afternoon session round 2 play starts at 3pm. Tickets: Table £20 Tier £15.

Sunday 29th June 2014: afternoon session round 3 play starts 12pm. Tickets: Table £20 Tier £15. Evening session Quarter Final,

Semi Final and Final play starts at 5.30pm.

Tickets: Table £20 Tier £15. Also season tickets available at £65 table and £45 tier.

An innovation for this year’s tournament is the showing of live World Cup football matches on the big screens after each evening session, so those present will be invited to stay on and enjoy the matches. Members of the public who have not purchased a ticket to watch the darts will also be allowed into the venue after the evening sessions are over and will be required to pay a nominal fee at the door. More information will be made available during May. Full bar services will also be available at all times.

The event is organised by the Ministry for Sports in conjunction with the Professional Darts Corporation. n

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Young Enterprise Scheme

Stand Aside Sir Richard It’s Our Turn Now

words | Eve Maddock-Jones

In this age of young people having a more diverse range of opportunities open to them there’s a development in the desire to “be more”. It’s now a more realistic prospect to make a career on your own as opposed to 50 years ago, when if you told your guidance counsellor that you wanted to be an entrepreneur you’d probably just be met with a quizzical look and a pamphlet advertising the “joys of office life” slid across the table.

To aid this entrepreneurial idea an American named Sir Walter Salomon founded the Young Enterprise Scheme in 1962, with the philosophy of “learning by doing” setting out to inspire teenagers to grasp the opportunities available to them and create their own careers.

The UK followed suit in 1963 where the first programme was launched in Chatham, Kent, with Gibraltar only becoming involved in 2008.

The scheme is set up as a competition, whereby each country involved holds their own regional competitions between schools in local areas. The winning business group, made up of students, is then entered into the European Competition where an overall winner is selected.

It all starts at home though right in the common rooms of the local high schools. This year in Gibraltar there are currently six teams remaining: Slick, with a mobile phone stand; Ease, selling a comfort grip for bags; Energize who’ve designed a portable mobile phone charger; Plumpy Penguins who provide a

selection of recipes including local Gibraltarian cuisine; Superficial and Hydropz who’ve created a waterproof covering for satchels.

The product can be anything of the group’s choice, but they’re solely responsible for the funding, business management, advertisement, in fact, all the aspects of a business. This is the genius nature of the Young Enterprise Scheme; it teaches school children the tools of how to create a substantial business themselves. Major

The product can be anything of the group’s choice, but they’re solely responsible for the funding, business management, advertisement, in fact, all the aspects of a business

business empires in the world — Apple, AliBaba, Sony — started in the exact same way as these Young Enterprise groups, people with an idea trying to create something new.

British Prime Minister David Cameron remarked that “Young Enterprise is vital in fostering the culture of enterprise we need right across our country”. This is very much the case since, to roll out an old cliché, “the children are the future”. Within the schools of today lie the next breed of Raymond A. Krocs, Asa G. Candlers and Howard Schultzs.

Sir Richard Branson, multi-billionaire businessman, recognises how “the organisation [Young Enterprise] is playing a vital part in creating the next generation of great entrepreneurs”.

The most success Gibraltar has had in the Scheme came two years ago when team DevelopI.T created the Key2Gib app, coming second overall in the finals that year. The app is a tourist device, giving information about the main tourist attractions to be found in Gibraltar. The

The Gibraltar macaque experience A new, educational and non-intrusive Barbary Macaque tour has been set up by Blands Travel and Monkey Talk.

The ‘Gibraltar Macaque Experience’ has been devised with the aim of providing tourists to the Rock with an exclusive opportunity to learn more about these animals in the company of a local primatologist, observing them in their natural habitat and respecting their individual space. It will also provide the local community with the opportunity to further their understanding of these primates.

The two-hour tour will be launched this spring and will be available throughout the year.

Brian Gomila, a qualified primatologist will be directing the tours and providing a wealth of information about the animals’ social organisation, hierarchy, natural feeding habits and general behaviour.

The tour, described as “a familiarisation outing”, will be held every Tuesday and Thursday during the last two hours of daylight, which experts believe is the best time of the day to observe the macaques .

The exclusive tour will take participants through Royal Anglian Way footpath, to spend time with the macaques away from the roadside at sunset. n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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app also includes sections covering “Where to Eat”, “What to Do “even a “Getting Married” section. The success of this Young Enterprise group has led to the product gaining official government backing and recognition, with many local businesses now becoming involved with advertising. The originality and cleverness of developing a product combining both the new found technological dependence of our societies and the big business of tourism in Gibraltar, has given the group the foundations to build on an idea which could expand even further in the future.

Last year’s winning Young Enterprise Team in the European finals was Prime from Kingston, London, who developed an MP3 amplifier called “Grammaphone”. As with the Key2Gib app the group’s product is still available and has received a wide range of interest, from music businesses to online media. It’s opened up a new series of doors for these teenagers, which is what the Young Enterprise Scheme aims to do.

Having this Young Enterprise Scheme in place in Gibraltar means the students of Bayside and Westside have a chance to follow in the footsteps of other innovative members of their generation. One of the most famous examples is Jamal Edwards, an internet business sensation who went from filming his friends rapping to touring with Dr. Dre. Edwards is an avid supporter of the Young Enterprise Scheme, constantly promoting the enterprise from his various media power houses, as well as personally attending events held by the scheme himself. He’s a modern day rags to

Having this Young Enterprise Scheme in place in Gibraltar means the students of Bayside and Westside have a chance to follow in the footsteps of other innovative members of their generation riches story who at the age of 22 has already achieved more than many people cannot even fathom achieving.

Jamal Edwards and the participants of the Young Enterprise Scheme are just the tip of

the iceberg of examples of the entrepreneurial spirit sweeping through the high schools of the 21st century. It’s an innovative age where millionaires are springing up from most unlikely of places. It’s our turn to get busy now. n

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25/04/2014 18:45

Gib Tribe Makes a Difference

A large group of volunteers from Gibraltar is travelling to West Africa this June to finish building a school for children in a coastal Ghanaian village, Maranatha. Make A Difference Gib Tribe is a part of the MAD (Make A Difference) Foundation which aims to touch lives of academically talented young people from less privileged circumstances by creating educational and related opportunities. The Gibraltar Magazine spoke to Cathy Lopez, the leader of MAD Gib Tribe to find out more about the Tribe’s plans for next month.

Building a school on a beach After a big success last year, team leader Cathy is returning to Ghana with 24 volunteers, to complete a school in Maranatha.

“I am currently organising a second project in June, to complete the one we started last year, when we built two classrooms. Last year’s project was such a success that people have been constantly emailing me, so I had no choice but to do another one,” she grins.

“The project this year is going to be done by Gibraltarians with Gibraltarian money. I kind of became a figure head for this project,” she adds modestly.

“This year we are going back to the same village to finish the school with four more classrooms. With six classrooms the school is complete, project done,

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and we can move forward to the teresting.

“That was actually my bignext project.” gest fear last year — the culture shock,” Cathy admits. “I was Living with the locals “The village is quite inaccessi- worried for the people who came ble so we are going to live there with me, because the standard of with the locals,” Cathy explains. living is totally different there.

“We are going to be eating their There is no running water or food, speaking their language electricity, the food is different, and playing with their kids. We there are no showers, you have to actually live in a beach camp, in bathe in the river. Every evening huts. When you are there for 24 we went to the river in our bathhours you really get a feel for the ing suits with soap,” she laughs. community, it is really really in- “Everyone adapted really quick-

“

We are going to live there with the locals. We are going to be eating their food, speaking their language and playing with their kids

”

ly, so I have no fears this year.”

Facing the challenges might be difficult, but it is also very gratifying for the volunteers. “This year we are going for four weeks to complete four classrooms. We have the same amount of time and double the work. That is going to be the biggest challenge.”

Luckily, they also have more volunteers now, so the MAD Gib Tribe will number 25 this year.

Volunteering in Ghana “I love Ghana, but there is so much scope with MAD Adventure, that you can do anything from teaching to sport placements and it is not just about Africa — there is also Asia, Australasia, South America — so I would really like to branch out,” she says.

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“I would love to do a sports placement in Fiji, and a teaching placement in Peru. The bigger the challenge, the better.

“I want to put out the idea that volunteering is for everyone — women, men, young and old. You don’t have to do it by yourself either; last year we had a father and his son, this year we have a mother and her daughter.

Hopefully next year we will have a whole family,” Cathy says with genuine enthusiasm.

Raising the funds The volunteers are fund raising at the moment with events events planned in the next few weeks before they leave for Ghana.

“Last year we had to raise £8,000, this year we have to raise £12,000 because it is a bigger project. This money goes towards the project — the cement, shawls, building materials etc., nothing goes to volunteers or our travel expenses. The flights, the visas and vaccinations are all paid for by the volunteers.

“It is a significant amount of money to raise, but in Gibraltar people are so generous, that so far we are doing really great!” she says with confidence.

“At the moment our biggest challenge is to raise the money, but when we get there every day is going to be a different challenge. One day a wall might be coming down, the next day we might not have anything nice to eat — you never know.”

The MAD philosophy “The best thing about an adventure like this is that when you go there, you are trying to give to them, but at the end, the people who give the most are the kids and the locals. They give everything to you. They give you a different perspective on life, you gain loads of experience and you think about things in different way.

“When you come back home it is easy to get back in to the same routine, but the project becomes a part of you and honestly every day something happens that makes you think of this experience. You grow and you become part of it, you are always going to be a part of the Tribe. Once you go MAD you don’t go back,” she chuckles.

Her thinking behind becoming involved with the project is that we all live on the same planet and people in the West should be more aware about the situation on other continents.

“Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something,” she says. “So this is GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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a little something for this year, next year it might be an orphanage in Fiji. MAD Adventure does projects in Thailand as well,” she adds.

Plans for the future Planning for the future have to be sustainable, thinks Cathy.

“When we go to complete the school in Ghana, we will employ local builders to help us. We also buy everything locally so the economy grows. We help them help themselves,” she explains.

“We don’t want to go and take over and impose something on them and then leave, we have a lot of help from local community.

They love us and we love them!”

It is too late for new volunteers to travel to Ghana for this project, however if you would like to join the adventure they are still looking for help with fund raising.

“Whoever is interested can still help with fund raising at our web page Just Giving, by joining our Facebook group or applying for the next project,” Cathy assures.

The only restriction is that you must be over 17 years of age. You also have to be enthusiastic, motivated and a little bit MAD. “We are will hold more fund raising events in the next few weeks before we leave in June and everybody is welcome to join in,” concludes Cathy. n If you would like to donate please visit www.justgiving.com/GibMADTribe To learn more about their work visit www.madventurer.com/group-support/ mad-gib-tribe.html or join their group on Facebook.

The village school’s old classroom

Two classrooms were built by the team last year, this year more volunteers are going to the school in Ghana to build a further four classrooms to complete the school

Team leader Cathy Lopez is enthusiastic about this year’s project and the future of MAD in Gibraltar

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Water Works Wonders As the weather hots up and we prepare for the summer sizzle, make sure you stay hydrated in the heat.

Did you know that water makes up more than half of your body weight? Every cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water to function correctly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste and lubricate joints. Water is essential for good health.

Our bodies are nearly twothirds water and so it is really important that you consume enough fluid to stay hydrated and healthy.

If you don’t get enough fluid you may feel tired, get headaches and not perform at your best. You also

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get water from the food you eat passing very small amounts of – on average food provides about urine, then you probably need 20% of your total fluid intake. to drink some more fluid. n Your body has special mechanisms to make sure you stay hydrated. Feeling thirsty is your body’s way of telling you that you need to drink more. However, the easiest way to spot that you might not be getting enough water is if your urine is a dark yellow colour during the day. If you are getting enough water your Gibraltar Citizens Advice urine should be a pale straw colour. So if it is darker than this or if Bureau was invited to you are urinating infrequently or

CAB a Model to Emulate

attend a two day study visit in Dublin recently.

This visit was hosted by the National Association of Citizens Information Services.

The project seeks to promote the role of civil society in giving citizens a voice and influencing government policy on key reforms and their implementation.

The immediate concept is to spread the citizens advice concept to Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo and Turkey by setting up advice and information services in these countries.

The Manager of the Gibraltar bureau and Chairperson GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

27/04/2014 14:32

well-being Symptoms of Dehydration in Adults The signs and symptoms of dehydration range from minor to severe and include: Increased thirst • Dry mouth and swollen tongue • Weakness • Dizziness • Palpitations (feeling that the heart is jumping or pounding) • Confusion • Sluggishness • Fainting • Inability to sweat • Decreased urine output • Urine colour may indicate dehydration. If urine is concentrated and deeply yellow or amber, you may be dehydrated.

Heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness that can occur after you’ve been exposed to high temperatures and have become dehydrated.

There are two types of heat exhaustion: Water depletion Signs include excessive thirst, weakness, headache, and loss of consciousness.

Salt depletion Signs include nausea and vomiting, frequent muscle cramps, and dizziness.

Although heat exhaustion isn’t as serious as heat stroke, it isn’t something to be taken lightly. Without proper intervention, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke, which can damage the brain and other vital organs, and even cause death.

If you, or anyone else, has symptoms of heat exhaustion, immediately get out of the heat and rest, preferably in an airconditioned room. If you can’t get inside, try to find the nearest cool and shady place • Drink plenty of fluid (avoid caffeine and alcohol) • Remove any tight or unnecessary clothing • Take a cool shower, or bath • Use fans or ice towels.

If such measures don’t provide relief within 30 minutes, contact a doctor — untreated heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke.

of Citizens Advice International, Pilar Rodriguez, was invited to address the participants. The presentation from Gibraltar was on the services and developments of the Gibraltar bureau since its launch.

Looking at the make-up of the community of Gibraltar identifying issues, trends and concerns CAB has initiated services that other larger jurisdictions have emulated.

The Manager of the bureau was

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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accompanied by Chairperson of CAB Marie Lou Guerrero.

European Citizens Advice Services (ECAS) is the lead partner in this project that aims to support access for all citizens to information, advice and active help services in their respective countries. n The Gibraltar Citizens Advice Bureau can be contacted on 200 40006 or info@cab. gi or by facebook or visiting the website www.cab.gi

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27/04/2014 14:32

REAL-LIFE STORY

Mini Tummy Tuck / Liposuction & Breast Augmentation/Uplift ‘Laura’* recently had a cosmetic procedure with Aria Medical Group. In fact it was a twin procedure, combining a mini-tummy tuck & liposuction together with a breast augmentation & uplift.

Now, just over a month after the surgery, Laura is well on the way to a full recovery and wants to share her experiences for the benefit of other women considering these procedures.

Why did you choose cosmetic surgery?

‘I’m a mother of two young children. Both pregnancies had a real impact on my body and I just wanted to get my figure back. I’m 29 years old, yet my tummy had saggy skin and my breasts had lost their shape and were too big and hanging down.

There were several years between my children, so I knew that although I had left time for my body to recover naturally after my first child, it never bounced back.

So having had my second child, with no plans for more, I was ready to have surgery to reclaim my figure.

I had scar tissue on my stomach from my two caesarean births and also from an operation I had when I was young, so I was really hoping that the mini tummy tuck could improve these.

Were you concerned about surgery?

Having had ops before, and two children I wasn’t particular concerned about having a cosmetic procedure. I was more concerned about having two procedures at the same time. As a young mother I knew that it would be difficult to make all the arrangements for my family if I was to have the procedures apart, so I opted to have them together which I was told is common. Apparently breast surgery with abdominal surgery at the same time is the most popular “multiple” procedure.

I was a little concerned about pain though, as I recalled the recovery from the caesareans was very uncomfortable. However Dr. Marco Vricella explained to me during my private consultation that the mini tummy tuck was less invasive than a caesarean as it doesn’t

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affect as many layers of tissue, so he reassured me that the recovery would be easier – and he was right.

Tell us about the procedure On the morning of the procedure my husband took me to the HC Hospital and I was taken to my private room.

I have to say at this point I was feeling a little nervous, as I suddenly realised this is it, I was having the procedures.

The nursing and medical team at Aria Medical Group and the HC Hospital were fantastic. They took time to explain everything to me in advance, to make sure I was again fully informed and feeling more at ease, before being taken to the operating theatre. I have to say that I was very impressed by Louise Truelove my patient care coordinator and the whole team.

Recovery & Results After the procedures I stayed at the HC Hospital for two nights. The first day I was still affected by the anaesthetic so I slept most of the time. By the end of the second day I was feeling alert and more mobile and certainly ready to be at home.

The pain was totally manageable and easier to deal with than from my previous experiences of surgery.

My family knew I had been wanting this operation since the birth of my first child 8 years ago, so it was a dream come true.

Dr. Marco Vricella was able to remove the scars from my caesareans and my other op, and now looking at my flat stomach I feel 16 again!

My clothes feel so big on me, so I can’t wait to go shopping and buy new, close fitting clothes! *For privacy, we change clients’ names, but all testimonials are genuine.

More information: To watch an informative video, read client testimonials and to see before and after photos, visit the Aria Medical Group website at:

www.ariamedicalgroup.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

24/04/2014 18:34

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They should be registered with the UK General Medical Council (GMC), the Spanish CGM and also on the UK Specialist Register of Plastic Surgeons (SRPC).

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health& fitness PASSANO OPTICIANS LTD British Registered Optometrists

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Dr Steven J. Crump BSc, DC, MCC ICC F5C 1st Flr, Casemates.

Tel: 200 44226 Gillian Schirmer MA, DC, MMCA McTimoney Chiropractor, Clinic (Claudia’s), 1st Flr, 58 Main St Tel: 200 41733 After hours: 200 40026

Dr Steven J. Crump B.Sc, DC, MCC Open: Mon - Fri 9.30am - 6.30pm

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Dr Carsten Rudolf Steiner BSc, DC Steiner Chiropractic Clinics, College Clinic, Regal House Tel: 200 77777

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Health Clubs Now at Unit F5, 1st Floor, ICC Isabella Jimenez, Sports Therapist (BSc Hons) Tel: 54002226 Email: sportongib@gmail.com

Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa Tel: 200 48147 Ocean Village Health Club Tel: 200 44242

Health Stores The Health Store 5 City Mill Lane. Tel: 200 73765 Holland & Barrett 160 Main Street

HEARING CENTRE

Oigamas Hearing Centre Unit S3h 2nd Floor, ICC Casemates Square Tel: 200 63644 Email: info@oigamas.com

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Simon Coldwell Complete Fitness Unit G3, Eliott Hotel Tel: 200 51113 Isabella Jimenez BSc (hons) Unit 5, 1st Floor, ICC Tel: 54002226 email: jimenez.isabella@gmail.com

SPECIALISTS

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GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• MAY MAY 2014 2014

24/04/2014 18:29

health

Gibraltar Nurse takes 2nd place in top UK award Linda Castro, the Gibraltar Health Authority’s Dermatology Specialist Nurse, has been awarded second place in the British Journal of Nursing’s 2014 Awards in the Dermatology Nurse of the Year category. Linda received this prestigious award in the BJN Awards Ceremony in London last month.

The British Journal of Nursing’s is the UK’s largest and most prestigious nursing awards ceremony. The awards seek to recognise excellence throughout the profession with nominees of all levels and experience.

First prize went to Professor Steve Ersser, Skin Health and Integrity team from the University of Hull. Second placed Linda has been responsible for the development of the dermatology service based at the Primary Care Centre, and has worked incessantly and with great energy and commitment to bring the service to the level it is at now.

Commenting on her award, Linda said, “Coming from our little but wonderful Gibraltar, my home, I was privileged to have

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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Linda Castro (left) with first place Professor Steve Ersser and third place Anna Baker

been shortlisted and given second place in the category of Dermatology nurse of the year in the UK. “My husband and I had a wonderful time and it was a great experience but it would never have been possible without the support from my wonderful husband and daughter Amy who put up with my long hours at work as well as all my time studying at home. My small

Dermatology team are also owed my thanks for their support as we are like a family. Without them this would not have been possible and I wish to thank Ayshea De La Cruz, Frances Catania, Dr Jose Ferrera, Dr Robin Graham-Brown, Dr Robert Burd and Nuria Campos, our new addition who we are a privilege to work with. A last but very special thanks goes to my patients who make my job enjoyable and worthwhile.”

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storm enchanting audiences and reviewers alike. Reviews for Tricity Vogue’s show The Blue Lady Sings include “Tricity Vogue’s The Blue Lady Sings has more laughs than several alleged comedy shows I’ve seen at the Fringe.

It’s highly original and almost indescribable because it falls into no existing genre,” John Fleming, What’s On Stage and “Refreshingly bizarre,” Sally Stott, The Scotsman In March 2013 the painting by Vladimir Tretchikoff which inspired Tricity Vogue’s Blue Lady character was auctioned at Bonhams Auction House in London. Tricity Vogue as the Blue Lady was invited to attend the press photocall and appeared in the international press alongside the painting which inspired her act.

Photo: Rich Dyson

Friday 16th May 6.30pm £7.00 Dr.Keith Vinnicombe featuring Andrew Pons - Gibraltar’s own talents.

Keith Vinnicombe has delighted the crowds with lovely harmonies at Gibraltar’s National Days and many other events. As a Classical guitarist, Keith enjoys playing as well as composing songs and recorded a five song CD of Flamenco/Classical guitar fusion tracks. He will be on stage with fellow musician Andrew Pons performing a fusion of classical guitar harmonies and flamenco mixed with his very own works providing an hour to relax and come down after a hard days work!

The Gib Fringe

8.30pm £7.00 Paddy Taylor - new addition to Gibraltar Paddy Taylor is a Singer/Songwriter from Portadown, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland. Since first picking up a guitar at age 10 he has been writing and performing music all around the world. As a serving member of the Royal Navy he’s had the opportunity to travel

The Blue Lady Sings

Get ready for some offbeat entertainment in the Alameda Botanic Gardens from 15th - 17th May at the Gib Fringe Festival 2014. There is a great line up of acts from dance and cabaret to fusion flamenco, from rock to blues.

The Dopes

Thursday 15th May Doors open 8pm 9pm Opening act £7.00 Tricity Vogue’s The Blue Lady Sings A kitsch portrait comes to life to perform Tricity’s unique take on the blues in a dazzling, witty and strangely haunting cabaret spectacle.

One-hour musical extravaganza The Blue Lady Sings premiered at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern’s Hot August Fringe in August 2009, then went on to take the Edinburgh Fringe by

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the world serving his country and show off his passion for performing original music. During the last 16 years he has supported the likes of Mumford and Sons, Bastille, Frank Turner and many more touring artists and bands. He lists his influences as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, David Gray and Ray Lamontagne to name a few. Having recently moved to Gibraltar with the Royal Navy he is looking forward to performing at the Fringe 2014.

Dadivas

10pm £7.00 Gareth Owen & Band - featuring Taleme. Songwriting and vocals supplied by Gareth Owen and Billy Morrison.... giving a true fusion feel and something that creeps up and takes you to a place of Love, Travelling and echoes of a sound of early ’90s Seattle rock!

Saturday 17th May 7pm - 11pm Combo ticket £10.00 Spend some great time with awesome tunes at the Gardens. One ticket for the whole night!

The Gib Fringe is a fun event with unusual acts for all ages in the beautiful setting of the Alameda Theatre

Photo: Marti Fredera

7pm £7.00 The Naughton Sisters - good, solid music, that will move you with songs Sunday 18th May you know and don’t. Performed by two young, 3pm Closing act £6.00 El Globo Azul premiered in 2007 and performed at diverse beautiful talents. international festivals. El Globo Azul (The 8.30pm £7.00 Johnny Cash and June Carter Blue Balloon), uses paper creating several Tribute - feel free to dance and enjoy all your roads with messages to care for the earth. Is a favourite classics performed by The Strange- great dance performance with live music, and loves. A lovely Australian/Brazilian couple the actors use different elements to involve gives another wonderful couple their tribute. the audience to be part of the show. The blue ballon is a beautiful visual game that is about the planet on which we live. It focuses 9.30pm Dadivas (free performance) A walking on environmental care in a playful act who encourages audience interaction. and magical way. The blue planet is our home, we shall look after it and 10pm £7.00 The Dopes An Australian acoustreasure it... n tic rock band, jamming all the songs you love and make you move, including rock, blues, Tickets available from www.gibfringe.com. folk, originals and classics from down under For further information on the Gib Fringe 2014 email: info@gibfringe.com and the world over.

El Globo Azul

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1st May – 21st June 2014

Spring Festival - This Month’s Events Thursday 17th April Saturday 10th May 10am to 6pm Art Exhibition by Karl Ullger at Fine Arts Gallery, Casemates Square. Entrance free.

For info Tel: the Fine Arts Gallery 20052126 or email: finearts@ gibtelecom.net Thursday 1st May 11am-7pm May Day Celebrations organised by Unite the Union, Casemates Square Saturday 3rd May 10am-2pm Christian Aid Charity at Lobby of Parliament 10am-3pm Arts & Crafts Market, Casemates Square.

12 noon Re-enactment Society march to Casemates Square.

Association at Casemates Square 10am to 2pm Gibraltar Amateur Astronomers Society at Lobby of Parliament 10am to 3pm Arts & Crafts Market at Casemates Square 12 noon Re-enactment Society march to Casemates Square 3pm Mr Natural Strongman and Strongwoman Gibraltar Championships, Victoria Stadium. Proceeds from ticket sales donated to an orphanage in Gambella, Ethiopia. For info and tickets contact Shane Smith 54006862.

9pm onwards Bob Marley Tribute Reggae Night featuring Don Spider, Heritage and Lion Rock Crew at Latinos on The Beach.

Tickets £10 includes Jamaican barbecue and welcome cocktail.

For info Tel: Stephen 54005729.

Thursday 8th Wednesday 14th May* (*No performance Sunday 11th) 8pm ‘The Goodfather’ — a Llanito Musical Comedy by LOL Productions at the Ince’s Hall Theatre. Tickets £12 on sale at Cosmetic Angels, ICC. For info email LOL Productions lolproductionsgib@hotmail.com

3pm-Midnight Runway Gibraltar at Tercentenary Sports Hall.

Tickets £25 on sale at Colorworks, Irish Town. For info visit www. runwaygibraltar.com

Monday 12th May Friday 16th May 8pm ‘Time’ - 30th Anniversary Dance Production organised by the Gibraltar Academy of Dance, John Mackintosh Hall Theatre.

Tickets £10 from John Mackintosh Hall Ticket Office from Monday 5th May. For info Tel: Paulette Finlayson 57292000 or 20079788

Monday 5th Friday 9th May 9.30am-9.30pm GABBA 50th Anniversary Photographic Exhibition at Upper Exhibition Gallery, John Mackintosh Hall.

Entrance free. For info Tel: John Goncalvez 57224000

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Saturday 17th May All day Museum Open Day at the Gibraltar Museum, Bomb House Lane. Free entrance.

10am to 1pm Classic Car Rally, Casemates Square.

10am to 2pm Gibraltar National Dance Team Presentation organised by the Gibraltar National Dance Organisation at Lobby of Parliament.

10am to 3pm Arts & Crafts Market Casemates Square 10am-6pm 12 noon Re-enactment Society march to Casemates Square 2.30pm to 6pm Classic Car Rally, Ocean Village.

Sunday 18th May 10am EY Relay for Children — Family Fun Run in aid of Save the Children, Casemates Square. Organised by EY Ltd in association with GAAA. For info Tel: Janice Buttigieg 20013200 or email: Janice.buttigieg@gi.ey.com

Wednesday 21st Friday 30th May 10am-10pm Spring Art Exhibition, Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery.

Entrance free.

Thursday 15th Sunday 18th May The Gib Fringe Festival featuring Blue Lady, GA: Globe Azul, The

at O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel. For info Tel: Claus Olesen 20002024. (see page 77) Friday 23rd May Saturday 14th June 10am to 6pm Art Exhibition by Jane Langdon, Fine Arts Gallery, Casemates Square. Entrance Free For further info please contact the Fine Arts Gallery on 20052126 or email: finearts@gibtelecom.net

Thursday 22nd May 8pm Grand Gala of Tenors at St Michael’s Cave arranged on behalf of the Ministry of Culture by the Gibraltar Philharmonic Society.

Tickets £20 on sale at Sacarello’s Coffee Shop, Irish Town and the Silver Shop, 222 Main Street.

Tickets £10 for Senior Citizens and Students available from the Silver Shop, 222 Main Street, and the John Mackintosh Hall reception. (see page 47)

Tuesday 20th May 6.30pm Spring Art Exhibition, Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery, official opening & prize giving.

Tuesday 6th Friday 9th May 9.30am-9.30pm Gibraltar Annual Flower Show, Lower Exhibition Gallery, John Mackintosh Hall. Entrance free.

For info Tel: Suzanne Gache 54006466 Saturday 10th May 10am onwards Queen’s Commonwealth Baton Relay and Events organised by the Gibraltar Commonwealth Games

Dopes and The Naughton Sisters at Alameda Open Air Theatre For info email: info@gibfringe.com or tix@gibfringe.com. Tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite. co.uk/e/gibfringe or visit: www. gibfringe.com (see page 60)

Wednesday 21st May 7.30pm ‘Hand Grenades like Cartier Clips’ Lee Miller - an art lecture by Anthony Penrose organised by the Gibraltar DFAS,

Saturday 24th May 10am-3pm Arts & Crafts Market, Casemates Square 11am-1pm Calpe Rooke Band, Lobby of Parliament House 12 noon Re-enactment Society march to Casemates Square.

Wednesday 28th May 7.30pm ‘For Music Inspired by Weddings’ organised by InCantus, King’s Chapel. Tickets £10 on sale at Imperial Newsagency (includes after show reception). For info email: InCantus8@gmail.com Saturday 31st May 10am onwards 1st / 4th Scouts Group Fundraising, Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned 10am-3pm Arts & Crafts Market 11am-2pm Book Crossing Day at Lobby of Parliament House 12 noon Re-enactment Society march to Casemates Square.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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fashion

leisure & sport

Retail& Activities

shopping & gifts

hair & beauty

HORTICULTURAL CONTRACTORS Tel: 200 43134 Fax: 200 50648 Convent Gardens, Convent Garden Ramp

Ali’s Make Up Plan

Make Up Artist Face painting for children’s parties M 5800 9284 E ali@makeupplan.com W makeupplan.com

lessons & tuition

GACHE & CO LTD EST. 1830

• Giftware • Jewellery • Sports Trophies • Awards & Engravers 266 Main St, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75757

travel & hotels CRAFT CLASSES - PHONE FOR INFO

newsagents/books

Health & Beauty Salon

Queen’s Hotel Gibraltar

• Aromatherapy • Sugar Waxing • Facials • Manicures • Pedicures • Reflexology • Luxury Organic 2hr face & body treatment Open: Mon-Fri 9.30-9 Sat 10-3

Excellent Prices • Centrally Located • Easy Access • Parking • Bar • Restaurant

Don House Arcade Tel: 20077311

Tel: (+350) 20074000 Fax: 20040030

FROST LANGUAGE CENTRE (registered in Gibraltar)

Professional Spanish Teacher All levels, singles, groups or Skype

pets & accessories

Tel: 200 73786

Protect Your Dog Against Fatal Summer Diseases Heartworm, Leishmaniosis, Tickborne Diseases Phone Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic for details 200 77334 Emergency: 8977

Call Margaret Tel: 0034956173384 Mobile: 0034609717296 Email: margaretjf13@gmail.com

photography

Archive editions of The Gibraltar Magazine now available online at www.thegibraltarmagazine.com GIBRALTAR MAGAziNE • MAY 2014 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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One Man and His Classic Machine words | John Alcantara

Stefan Nicholson is a real Gibraltarian. Like many through the ages his arrival in Gibraltar was planned but his extended stay was not!

Stefan arrived in 1977 intending to use the slipping facilities at the then Sheppards Marina. The intention was to haul out his yacht Sarah, a 30 foot converted lifeboat, over a two week period and to then continue his voyage which had started in the UK. Maybe his charming wife Judith had something to do with his decision to extend his stay, he won’t say.

Nearly 40 years later they are still here! This is home. Although they did not move ashore until 1993.

I have lost count of the number of yachtsmen who have come to Gibraltar for a technical stop and are here decades later. I am fond of telling them that Gibraltar is like Marmite “you either love it or

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hate it”. I can fit both sentiments into a single day.

Stefan is a practical guy. He is the ideal classic car man. Technically knowledgeable and not afraid to pull things apart to understand how they work. It’s not surprising that he started his own business here selling and servicing domestic appliances. He has always run his own business and understands the anxiety of meet-

ing payroll obligations at the end of the month. This is something only the self-employed businessman can understand.

He has always had a passion for classic cars, but it was following discharge from hospital after a serious spinal operation in 1989 that he placed an order for a new Morgan Plus 8. There was a seven year waiting list at that time for these cars. This betrays another of his traits a willingness to work and wait for what he really wants.

The delivery of the Morgan seven years later kicked off another series of adventures that took him all over Iberia and parts of Europe

It was following discharge from hospital after a serious spinal operation in 1989 that he placed an order for a new Morgan Plus 8

and even N. Africa at the wheel.

An advert in the personal columns of the Gibraltar Chronicle sometime in 2000, placed by John Ferrari, announcing a meeting to found the Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association (GCVA) caught his sharp eye.

The rest is history even though at times it has been chequered.

Stefan was a founder member and has guided the GCVA in various committee roles between 2003 and the present. He has been President of the Association and is now our Treasurer where his skills as a small businessman ensure that we always get value for money and clear, transparent accounts.

In 2006 Stefan bought a vintage 1925 Morris Cowley ‘Bullnose’.

You’ll often see it in pride of place at the head of our rally parades.

The Bullnose draws admiring glances which evidently please Stefan but it has not all been ‘plain sailing’.

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The Bullnose does not meet the stringent modern safety and emission controls required of modern vehicles. This threatened to banish the vehicle from our roads and deprive us of the pleasure of seeing it. In his typical style of not taking “no” for an answer Stefan set about lobbying the administration for a change of law that would allow classic vehicles to circulate on our roads.

I am happy to say that after many years of lobbying a change in the law will be put through in the current parliament. This legal recognition is a tribute to a person who has been one of the pillars of the classic car movement in Gibraltar. I bet he never expected that to happen when he first tied up his yacht here in 1977. n

Gibraltar Classic Car Rally 2014 The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association’s 13th International Rally for Classic and Vintage Cars will take place on Saturday 17th May. Participants will fill Casemates with their cars from 9am on Saturday and visitors are free to look around the cars and speak to the owners. At 12.30pm Miss Gibraltar and Princesses will mingle with the participants and their cars for a photo shoot.

At 1pm Miss Gibraltar and Princesses will board selected open cars for drive up Main Street followed at 1.15pm by the rest of the cars driving to Southport Gates and on to Europa Point. On the way back they will stop at Catalan Bay car park for a short break and refreshments.

At 2.15pm the cars leave Catalan Bay and drive down Devil’s Tower Road, then return to Casemates via Queensway. The cars will disperse from Casemates after lunch.

On Sunday 18th May the GCVA extends its rally to a day in Spain giving the participants the opportunity to drive on minor roads through some beautiful scenery. n Entry forms for cars are available on GCVA’s website or directly from Howard Danino email: howard@ gibraltar.gi Tel: 20074657.

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Reggae on the Rock Big Man Entertainment, a new entertainment company in Gibraltar, will hold their inaugural event Steel Pulse Live in Concert on Friday 18th July at the Victoria Stadium.

Big Man Entertainment is a team of people with experience in the entertainment industry at home and abroad who have come together in these exciting times for the Rock to bring the good music, film and media.

After working with some of the most prestigious live venues in UK such as the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre and Hammersmith Apollo the team has returned to Gibraltar with some exciting plans — aiming to create special events for different ages, inspired by the passion the people here have for arts and entertainment.

“Our ethos is to provide entertainment in the more alternative musical genres that enjoy popularity in Gibraltar, and nowhere is this seen more than in reggae

which has been huge amongst Gibraltarian youth for very many years without perhaps as many concerts being staged here as they would have liked,” said a representative of Big Man Entertainment. “So for this reason we are extremely proud to announce our inaugural show with one of the biggest reggae bands in the world today Steel Pulse, at the Victoria Stadium Sports Complex (MUGA) on Friday 18th July 2014.”

Formed in Handsworth, Birmingham in 1975 as a British, rather than Jamaican, reggae act Steel Pulse was influential in promoting multi-culturalism in British society in the ’70s, becoming a big part of the Rock Against Racism movement that did so much to bringing sectors of British youth together with music.

Their early success caught the attention of legendary reggae label Island Records who gave them their first break. They supported Bob Marley on his European tour and released the landmark album Handsworth Revolution. They went on to become one of the most influential reggae bands in Britain and

“

the world today, achieving wide acclaim in Jamaica and the USA. Their Washington DC concert was played live worldwide the night of Bob Marley’s funeral in 1981.

Switching to Elektra records soon after they won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 1986 for Babylon the Bandit, they remain the only British act to have done so. They were further nominated for Victims (1991) and Rastafari Centennial (1992).

Despite going on to produce 11 classic studio albums, it is as a live band that the group has won much acclaim, headlining some of the world’s biggest reggae festivals, such as Sunsplash in USA and Jamaica, the Japan Splash and the Reggae on the River Festival in California. n Contact Scheherezade Nath King scheherezade@ bigmanentertainment.net or Paul Isola paul@bigmanentertainment. net for more information. www.facebook.com/

Our ethos is to provide entertainment in the more alternative musical genres that enjoy popularity in Gibraltar, and nowhere is this seen more than in reggae

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past revisted

The Body Painting Festival Competition Winners The 2014 Body Painting Festival in April was a huge success with international artists presenting workshops and vying to win the prestigious competition.

On the Friday there were three demos by workshop teachers who painted five people (three women, two

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men). One of the couples painted will be representing Gibraltar as models during this year’s World Festival held in Austria.

Saturday was competition day with 14 entries from six countries — Gibraltar, Spain, UK, Italy, USA and France.

The overall theme was SciFi as seen in the winning designs.

Sunday was expo day when everyone got a chance to show off their unique styles.

Throughout the three days there

3rd place - Artist: Monica Castellon Herrera Model: Gwendolen Mei Mei Williams Photo: Karon Yusifredo

1st place - Artist: Alisia Angel Silliman Model: Keisha Moreno Photo: Karon Yusifredo

2nd place - Artist: Sophia Rose Model: Sanna Forslund Photo: Karon Yusifredo

Surviving Exams

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

25/04/2014 18:18

Adopt Don’t Buy

Give a Dog a Home

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE•• MAY MAY2014 2014 GIBRALTAR

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y

ACHT SCENE tar l Gibra SAILORS’ GUIDE • 2014

Yacht Scene 2014

get your copy now

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was a small visitors area where the public could see what the festival was all about. Visitors were not charged an entry fee but were asked to give donations to Bosom Buddies local breast cancer charity.

Internationally renowned artist, Pashur, stayed a few extra days to work with people before and after the festival to show case his range of skills, and add to his growing portfolio — further promoting Gibraltar to other festivals and artists. In fact, the organisers have already received requests for information regarding next year’s dates and theme, which are almost set. n

Demo - Artist: Pashur Model: Siobhan Jay Parody Photo: Karon Yusifredo

People’s Choice - Artist: Sophia Rose Model: Jessica Baldachino Photo: Anthony Williams

If you are interested in adopting call the GSPCA on 540 19968 or 540 29927

Send cheque to PO Box 555 Gibraltar

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That Nail Place Nail Extensions Gel - Acrylic - Fibreglass

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Unit F22A 1st Floor, ICC. Tel: 200 73211

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GACHE & CO LTD EST. 1830

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• Giftware • Jewellery • Sports Trophies • Awards & Engravers

266 Main St, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75757

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Gibraltar Taxi Association

Gibibikes Stations

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GUIDED ROCK TOURS 19 Waterport Wharf Main Office Tel: 20070052 Fax: 20076986 Radio service: 20070027

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Quality Kitchen Ware Gibraltar’s Best Stocked Cook Shop K5

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take-away or reserve a table

Tel: 200 46993

BUDDIES 184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun) Accountants Durante Carboni Jardim..............X3 ESV Hassan & Co........................ I4 Business/Financial Services AI Couriers..................................K3 Barclays...................................... M4 Jyske Bank.................................. L4 Sovereign Trust...........................N4 ITMS............................................ J9 Business Services Waste Management......................a6 Business Supplies Beacon Press...............................N6 Image Graphics...........................N3 Stitch Design................................P3

pasta casa

7 days 11am - 3pm, 6pm - late

Come and enjoy real Italian meals in Gibraltar’s leading pasta house

Queensway Quay (next to Waterfront)

TASTY INDIAN CUISINE

15 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 40627 for reservations

Motoring & Car Sales A. M. Capurro & Sons Ltd ........ N6 Computers & Cableing Image Graphics........................... N3 Newton Systems.........................M5 PC Clinic..................................... U3 Fashion/Clothing Marble Arc....................................J4 Food & Drink Amin’s The Office....................... K5 Bridge Bar .................................. B5 Buddies Pasta Casa..................... Q4 Cafe Rojo.................................... K5 Café Solo..................................... G3 Casa Pepe.....................................Z6

Z6

Get Stuffed................................... A3 House of Sacarello........................L5 Just Desserts...................................I4 Lord Nelson................................. H2 The Lounge ..................................Z6 O’Reilly’s Irish Pub......................B5 Picadilly Gardens.......................... b4 Pick-a-Bite.....................................J6 Saccone & Speed...........................J4 Solo Express................................ H4 Star Bar........................................ K5 Verdi Verdi................................... H4 Waterfront.................................... Y7

Roots.............................................T4

Hair & Beauty Salons Claudia’s Clinic............................ K4 Joya’s Gents Hairdressers............ N2 Renaissance Beauty.......................J4

Legal Services Hassans........................................ Q6 Isolas.............................................E4

Jewellery Sales/Repair Essardas.........................................L4 Jewellery Repairs..........................L4 Matthew’s Jewellery......................I3 Radhika.........................................L4 Leisure Complete Fitness ������������������������� R3 Dolphin Safari ����������������������������� A3 Ocean Village Gym �������������������� C4 Atlantic Suites Gym & Spa...........J9

Medical / Health Bell Pharmacy..............................N3 Claudia’s Clinic............................K4 Dr. Crump, Steven, Chiropractor I4 Health Food Store........................O4 Louis Pharmacy...........................H4 McTimoney chiropractor.............L4 Sport-On - Sports Therapy...........K3 Steiner Chiropractor.....................K7 Pet Services / Supplies Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic..........H4 Property Sales / Estate Agents BFA..............................................G4 Chesterton....................................D5 Savills............................................J5 Solomon Levy .............................U3

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General Services Balloqui ......................................P4 LP Borge.................................... X3 Denville Designs........................M3 Greenarc..................................... X5 Larbi upholstery......................... R3 Shopping — General Image...........................................E6 Originarta ....................................)2 Recruitment RecruitGibraltar ������������������������ O6 SRG Europe.................................I3 Transport / Marine Services Gib Cargo................................... B8 Tarik Oil..................................... C8

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For info or to book a lesson

O2 Tel: Adam 58181000 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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The Miss Gibraltar 2014 Producer James Neish said: “We are committed to delivering a professional show in June which will have a bit of a retro theme. In a way it will also be a celebration of what the cinema has meant to us as a community over the years”.

Main photos: Photography: Jayden Fa Makeup: Liza Mayne Outfit: Priscilla Sacramento Art Direction: Guy Baglietto Hair: Miss Shapes Makeup assistant: Nyree Chipolina

Miss Gibraltar 2014

www.missgibraltar.gi

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Larisa Volitskaya 18, Student.

Hobbies: Include skiing, travelling, reading and studying languages.

Ambition: To obtain a Masters Degree in Psychology and ideally a Doctorate.

Kristy Torres 22, Student Teacher.

Hobbies: I enjoy reading, dance and keeping fit.

Ambition: To become a qualified teacher and work with children and young adults.

Jaiza Bird 17, Student.

Hobbies: Include fashion design, shopping and keeping fit.

Ambition: To study law and major in criminal and human rights law.

Eleanor Wright 17, Student.

Hobbies: piano, maths and science tutoring, gym, reading, hiking and dog-walking. I am also involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Ambition: To become a doctor, preferably working with children.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

24/04/2014 18:57

Megan Bonavia 21, unemployed.

Hobbies: I enjoy dancing, playing the piano, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Ambition: To become a chartered accountant.

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Claire Nuñez 23, Physical Education Teacher. Hobbies: Include playing, coaching and umpiring Netball.

Ambition: To obtain a Masters in Leadership and Management to further my career.

Kirsty Serra 21, Student.

Hobbies: I enjoy training, reading, law and the legal system, acting and learning about religion and sciences. Ambition: I aspire to work in the legal field and to become a good role model.

The Contestants...

Shyanne Azzopardi 22, Teaching Assistant and Zumba Instructor.

Hobbies: Dancing, zumba and spending time with loved ones.

Ambition: To further career by completing a PGCE in near future.

The Miss Gibraltar 2014 contest, organised by Stage One for the Ministry of Culture, will take place at the Queen’s Cinema on Saturday 7th June 2014.

8 girls between the ages of 17 & 24 will compete for the title this year and for the opportunity to go on to represent Gibraltar in London at Miss World in November.

www.missgibraltar.gi

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Father Michael Bonifacio

Religion Gives You Hope...

words | Richard Cartwright

“Religion’s not a pill to make you feel better but to give you hope!” The words of Father Michael, whose first attempt at becoming a priest was at a wrong moment, but becoming a man of the cloth was definitely in his life plan... Family upbringing and being altar boy at a very young age influenced the path he would choose in later life.

Father Michael’s parents were truly devoted, practising Catholics which clearly inspired not just Michael, but his brothers and sisters, to follow the church.

“Oh yes, to the point we used to play act religious settings at home and I was always the priest! But my parents were always mindful of being very human and compassionate which is something that’s stayed with me to the present because religion goes with the human being and the human heart.”

Not surprisingly Michael and his brothers became altar boys at a young age and got involved in prayer groups. “The frontier was

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closed then and there were more prayer groups during that time. I was a member of the CYC, one of the Christian youth groups which were very well attended.”

At age 13 young Michael made the most of his spare time and became a voluntary worker at St Bernard’s Hospital. He eventually became a nurse and remained in the profession for four years.

“Nursing is a magnificent profession and I loved the job. I think it was the caring side of me that made it so fulfilling. I found that a pleasant bedside manner was an important part of the recovery process. I met all kinds

of individuals with so many problems who needed to be listened to and who would appreciate your compassion and a few minutes of your time.”

It was during those years that Father Michael felt there was one road he would eventually follow, to become a priest. “I really experienced the ‘vocation’ during that time and felt becoming a priest was what I really wanted to do. The process was very human, like falling in love! It was a great attraction that made me feel very happy.”

Falling in love was something, Michael had experienced. “Oh yes, I can assure you I’m very

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vocation human, just like anyone else. I had a couple of girlfriends during my younger years and now, after being a priest for close on 14 years, in order to be celibate I have to understand and accept that you like, and are attracted to, women. Life gives you opportunities and there have been moments of course which you have to confront, deal with and pray. I keep track of things and have become very self critical and often ask myself ‘How am I doing?’.”

Father Michael’s first attempt at becoming a priest was unsuccessful, he felt he wasn’t ready and after attending the English college in Valladolid in Spain for his theological studies he returned to the Rock and took on a number of clerical jobs and even dabbled at DJ-ing for a while. I first met him when he was doing some evening shifts at Radio Gibraltar in the late ’80s-early ’90s.

“I really enjoyed that because I love music and radio really influenced me as a child. I also did some work in the then Cornwall’s Club by the Cornwall’s Centre. But I went off to the UK for four years to study for my degree in Social Sciences with Psychology and Sociology and on my return felt I was then ready to ‘go for it’ and ended up in Spain again in the Salamanca Pontifical College.”

In 2001 Michael Bonifacio was ordained a priest by the late Bishop Charles Caruana and spent many years in the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned as its Parish Priest. He then moved to his present parish at St Joseph’s.

“I have had opportunities to move to Rome and the States but I feel there’s a great need here. Gibraltar is peculiar though, I feel church attendance has dropped and people have stopped going to church but continue to have contact with priests. The fact that the frontier opened must’ve influenced this also with Gi-

braltarians acquiring properties in Spain and maybe going to church there at weekends.”

Father Michael agrees priests are more approachable and easier to talk to nowadays.

There seems to be less of a serious ambiance or tone about them.

“Yes and I think in Gibraltar the change was spurred on by Father Paul Bear who was one of the first of the ‘young priests’ to begin working here. He always used to tell those who spoke to him to call him Father Paul as opposed to Father Bear or simply ‘Father ’ and I think that paved the way towards the more casual attitude you experience with priests today.

“I think it’s also important to bring the word of God in a today fashion when delivering sermons in church or when addressing school children, as I do regularly at the Loreto Convent and the two St Joseph schools here in my parish.

“The late Ken Anthony used to tell me when on radio ‘it’s knowing your audience’ and by applying a relevant theme which may include

“

It’s important to bring the word of God in a today fashion when delivering sermons in church or when addressing school children, as I do regularly at the Loreto Convent and the two St Joseph’s schools

”

dealing with issues of sickness or a hard working individual for example, I have found that to be good advice, but it’s a continuing learning curve.”

Father Michael is kept quite busy as most priests are and is generally available for individuals’ needs whenever a situation arises at any time of the day or night. There are many of our community who are having a hard time for a variety of reasons and come to him for hope.

“Yes they do,” Father Michael assures.

“Hope is what I can give those who come to me with all sorts of problems — people of all walks of life who seem to be finding obstacles in whatever form. My role is to make things clearer as best I can and give them that hope. Of course, I’ve been called at three o’clock in the morning and you simply have to go because they need you.

“Older people ask for help more often but more young people are dying these days also than I seem to remember was the case in years gone by, then, it was something of a rarity.

Changes in lifestyle are having an influence on all these issues. I like the way the church prescribes the sacraments and I find that very helpful.”

If a role model of the modern day priest was needed, Father Michael would certainly fit the bill. He is pleasant, chatty and full of smiles and laughter.

When it comes to filling the little spare time he gets, he likes reading, listening to all sorts of music especially alternative folk and a little jazz. When time allows, he also likes to treat himself to a well deserved break — a ride on his Piaggio 300 motor scooter, which he admits, because he loves to ride it so much, he may challenge the speed limit at times. Pray for forgiveness Father Michael, pray! n

For Art’s Sake The Ministry for Sports, Culture, Heritage and Youth is working together with Little Constellation (a Network for Contemporary art in small states in Europe) for the opening of a new project dedicated to contemporary art in Gibraltar.

The first artist invited for this project is Miki Tallone, who is based in Switzerland.

Her artistic research revolves around the relations between sculpture, installation and cultural identity.

The following is a statement and request by the artist: “My first trip to Gibraltar as an artist took place in March 2014 to set up an upcoming exhibition that has the purpose of opening a dialogue with the local area. Given Gibraltar’s history, I decided to explore a sensitive subject like the World War II evacuation. I don’t have the intention to deal with the subject under a historical or political perspective. I would rath-

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er gather together the signs of a shared visual memory. For me, these signs are represented by the ‘bed sheets’ that all of the women and their families probably had to leave behind in their homes.

“With these few lines, I would like to ask each family that still has a connection with that evacuation that left a mark in Gibraltar’s history, to contribute with one action: donate one of their own bed sheets as a sign of everyday life, in remembrance of something that lies in the memory of many residents. Each one of these precious and personal donations will be used

together to produce a work of art, and in this way everyone making a donation will take part in this project. The artwork will be exhibited for three months.

“In a low voice will be the title of the artwork, because when many people whisper together their own story, their voices grow in importance and history can be remembered. I thank you all,” Miki Tallone. n For more information on the project contact Gino Sanguinetti at the Fine Arts Gallery in Casemates Tel: 20052126. Donated bed sheets may also be handed in to him at the Fine Arts Gallery in Grand Casemates Square.

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�li Usai

Colouring Kids Happy...

It seems every children’s event in Gibraltar has a face painter turning our kids into the frighteningly ghoulish, comic superheroes, roaring animals or sparkling butterflies. But face painting is not just for kids, adults also request it on special occasions like sports events or sometimes just to make their kids laugh. The Gibraltar Magazine spoke to Ali Usai, one of Gibraltar’s face painters and make-up artists to find out more about this colourful art-form.

A native of the beautiful Mediterranean island of Sardinia, Ali Usai, 32, came to Gibraltar six

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years ago to learn Spanish and practise her English, which she has been studying since she was a child. Ali took up face painting as a new challenge. “As a mother (I have a five year old daughter) it was pretty impossible for me to find a part time job in Gibraltar, so I had to invent something I could do in my spare time. I came up with idea of starting face painting and doing makeup, which I have always been good at,” she explains of how she created her new role.

Her idea soon took off when the Squash Club in the South District needed somebody to

face paint at the birthday parties they host. This happened at just the right time for Ali to get her business off the ground.

“I did the make up artist course at the online English College and I just started from that!

It was something completely new for me,” Ali smiles.

As well as entertaining kids at their own parties, face painting is an ideal way to keep younger guests amused at other events and Ali now works as a make-up artist and face painter at parties and corporate events throughout Gibraltar.

Face painting designs are

constantly evolving and it is important to keep up to date with what children’s are currently into. “I have been doing it for over a year now and I have found you have to update your styles all the time. Children are always asking for new things, like Winks, dragons or Mickey Mouse, Spider Man, Iron Man or Angry Birds,” she tells.

As a mother herself, Ali is strict about the quality and safety of the paints she uses; “I use Snazaroo products,” she says, “which are highly regarded for being safe on any skin.”

You might think it takes a lot

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arts file

of patience to draw on a child’s face, especially during the excitement of a busy party or event, but Ali doesn’t think so. “If you like children it comes very easily. I just chat to them. It is challenging though when they are small and they don’t stay still,” she laughs, “but the whole point is to make them happy and the children are always happy with the result.”

Ali says the current trends are Hello Kitty, butterflies, Spiderman and Batman. Zombies and vampires have become very popular too recently because the children like to have some fun Before...

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and scare other people, she says, rather than just sitting down and looking pretty.

Ali’s favourite designs are butterflies and Batman — butterflies because she can add lots of glitter, and both because they allow her to work on perfection.

“Face painting for me is a way of expressing myself,” she explains. “I have always liked children and make up and I think I have combined the two in my life in a perfect way! It is lots of fun and I don’t really feel like I am working.”

Ali loves the energy at kids parties and she also loves it

when parents get involved too.

“Sometimes parents will have their faces painted,” she says. “It has happened on a few occasions and it is great because they make the children laugh.”

“The Gibraltar community is very welcoming and people are very nice and friendly and they always put you at ease so it doesn’t feel like a job but more of a hobby. On a scale one to five I would have to say five is how much I love my job!” Ali concludes. n For more info visit www.makeupplan. com. To book Ali for your party Tel: 58009284 or email ali@makeupplan.com

“

I have always liked children and make up and I think I have combined the two in my life in a perfect way!

”

...and after!

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puzzle page

by Alan Gravett

SUDOKU Just for fun!

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Jotting Pad Send completed crossword to: The Clipper, Irish Town, Gibraltar.

FIRST PRIZE: Lunch for 2 at The Clipper

One entry per person.

Closing date: 16th May 2014 Last month’s winner: F. Monteverde Portland House LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: Across: Instep, Adsorb, Content. Natal, Miaou, Astoria, Detestation, Kampala, Dhaka. Passe. Nostrum, Dweebs, Mohair.

Down: Income, Senna, Execute, Steamtrains. Donut, Ontario, Balkan,Skyped, Enmasse, Acerb, Tedesco, Aorta, Hammer.

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Across 1 Radioactive element discovered by

the Curies (6) 4 Religious songs (5) 7 Short name of an antacid remedy or

ingredient of baking powder (6) 8 Cat with specific hunting purpose (6) 9 List of dishes (4) 10 Follower of a 16th century German

Protestant reformist (8) 12 Follower of a 20th century British

Prime Minister (11) 17 Greek hero or Steptoe and Son’s

horse (8) 19 State of mental agitation (which may

be found on a 9) (4) 20 Join by weaving together; serve

drinks if you do this to mainbrace! (6) 21 Freehold property (6) 22 Of more than average size (5) 23 Native of province of northern France (6) Down 1 Item of clothing (7) 2 Count in a Bram Stoker novel (7) 3 Relating to the cord connecting mother

to her baby (9) 4 Illegal alcoholic drink (5) 5 Semi-aquatic rodent of N. America (7) 6 Part of a guitar which is plucked. How

long is a piece of it? (6) 11 Official of a club or other entity

responsible for the finances (9) 13 Athlete who jumps over obstacles (7) 14 A moment; type of coffee

which is made quickly (7) 15 English Premier league football team (7) 16 Beach which is a major shingle

structure near Weymouth (6) 18 Male relative - or pawnbroker! (5)

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DFAS lecture: 21st May

Hand Grenades Like Cartier Clips The subject this month’s Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society lecture promises to be fascinating and just a little out of the ordinary from traditional art subjects. It is entitled Hand Grenades like Cartier Clips which was a quote from American photographer Lee Miller.

Born in New York in 1907, she was a successful fashion model in New York City before going to Paris, where she became an established fashion and fine art photographer. During the Second World War, she became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue, covering events such as

the London Blitz, the liberation of Paris and concentration camps at Buchenwald and Dachau. After which she returned to her role as a distinctive and witty photographer for Vogue in the post war years.

Antony Penrose returns to Gibraltar after his brilliant lecture last year to give this follow on talk about Lee Miller. He has lectured at many venues around the world.

For the last 25 years he has run the Lee Miller Archives and the Penrose Collection, located at Farley House Sussex.

This is sure to be a very interesting lecture, and is the last one in this season’s calendar, so be sure not to miss it. It is on 21st May at the O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel.

Welcome drinks from 6.30pm, lecture starts at 7.30pm. Guests are welcome £10.00 on the door.

Gibraltar DFAS lectures will resume in October 2014. n

Around the World in 80 Days in Music & Dance A concert Around the World in 80 Days, organised by the Rotary Club of Gibraltar to raise funds for Cancer Relief, will follow in music and dance the story of a wealthy Londoner who accepted a bet to circumnavigate the world in 80 days.

With a wealth of local talent, music by the Calpe Band and our National Choir, and soloist Claire Hawkins, dance by Danza Academy and Danza Dance Company and Sunari’s belly dancers, and narration by Karen Lawson, you will be taken around the world in an evening of superb light entertainment.

The concert will be held in the Ballroom of the Convent, by kind permission of His Excellency Sir James Dutton, Governor of Gibraltar, on 8th May from 7.30pm.

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The tragic reality that every family in Gibraltar has been affected by cancer in one way or another makes it an ideal opportunity to contribute to the Gibraltar Society for Cancer Relief, while enjoying a wonderful evening’s entertainment for all age groups.

Tickets, £15 including interval drinks generously donated by Anglo Hispano, are available from King’s Chapel, Sacarellos, Chique Boutique - Ocean Village and Solomon Levy Estate Agents.

The Rotary Club thanked everyone taking part in the concert for their generosity in giving their time and talent to such a worthy cause enabling the club to give the charity the maximum amount. n

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26/04/2014 14:44

World’s First Frogman Swam Strait of Gibraltar

words | Reg Reynolds

The world’s first ‘frogman’ isn’t in the record book for swimming the Strait of Gibraltar but maybe he should be...

The Albany Evening Journal Almanac of 1879 recorded that on 20th March 1878 the Irish-born American Paul Boyton entered the water at Caripa [sic] at 7.50am and emerged at Tangier at 12.55pm. Further confirmation of the feat was reported in Harper’s Book of Facts for 1906: “Paul Boyton swims the Straits of Gibraltar from Caripa to Tangier in five hours five minutes”.

Boyton, nicknamed the ‘Fearless Frogman’, was already famous when he made the crossing of the Strait wearing the first ever ‘scuba gear’ which was actually the first ‘survival suit’ and had been created by inventor Clark S. Merriman of Iowa.

Merriman had invented the suit because of his concern for the many people who died every year from drowning after shipwrecks.

Boyton, a strong swimmer and a member of the fledgling United States Life-Saving Service (later Coast Guard) was just the man to promote the device.

Boyton proved to be a natural self-publicist and he hatched a spectacular stunt to introduce the ‘frogman’ suit to the world. He would stowaway on an ocean liner at New York and when it was sufficiently far out to sea he would jump overboard and swim to shore.

Everything went to plan in the beginning and Boyton managed to hide away in a canopy-covered lifeboat on the liner Queen. But that night Captain Bragg went for a stroll around the deck and happened to arrive at the lifeboat just as Boyton climbed out carrying his strange looking gear.

“What do you think you are doing?” asked the surprised Captain Bragg.

“I’m going to jump from the ship,” replied a self-assured Boyton.

“Not from my ship you’re not,” growled the Captain.

Boyton tried to argue that as he had not paid a fare the Captain should allow him to leave. Captain Bragg had the suit confiscated and assigned the stowaway to a comfortable cabin. The two men dined together through the next few days and the personable Boyton finally convinced the Captain to allow him to go overboard. Following is Boyton’s description of the suit: “It was 1874 when I donned my first rubber suit. It was composed of vulcanized rubber and consists of two distinct sections, both joined at the waist. The pantaloons end in a band of steel over which the lower part of the tunic fits with a strap covering it all, thus making a perfectly water-tight joint. At the back of the head, the

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past revisited back, the breast and on each thigh there are five internal compartments, each have a tube for the purpose of inflating them with air from the mouth. The face is the only part of the body exposed to the weather when completely encased in the rubber suit.

“I float on my back, and propel my body feet foremost with a double-bladed paddle at the rate of a hundred strokes per minute. Whenever I choose I can get into an upright position. For the purpose of conveying provisions [and so on], for a long trip I have a small iron boat, which I named Baby Mine, this boat is 30 inches long, 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep.

She is completely closed other than the hatch which is protected by a water tight cover.”

At 9pm on the night of 21st October 1874, the Queen slowed to a stop 30 miles (some reports have it at only 2 ½ miles) from the Irish shore. Boyton shook hands with the Captain, waved goodbye to the assembled passengers and slid down a rope into the dark water below.

Using the Cape Clear lighthouse as a guide Boyton made good progress for the first few hours but around midnight a gale blew up and he was battered by the seas. By early morning he was completely exhausted and about to be dashed onto rocks when a freak wave hurled him into the mouth of a fresh water stream. He had landed at the small Irish village of Trefiska Bight.

The news quickly spread around Ireland and across to England. Boyton began touring the country giving demonstrations and making speeches for as much as $250 a time. In England he gave a demonstration for Queen Victoria who watched from the Royal Yacht Albert. He floated down the Thames smoking a cigar and waving the Stars and Stripes.

In April 1875 Boyton failed in his attempt to become the first person to swim the English Channel. The Captain of the support boat described the event: “It was a strangely fascinating spectacle to watch him in his hand-to-hand struggle with the ocean. The waves seemed to become living things animated by a terrible hatred for the strange being battling with them. Sometimes they seemed to withdraw for a moment, as if by concert, and then rush down on him from all sides, roaring like wild beasts.”

15 hours after he had started, Boyton reluctantly conceded defeat.

Six months later, the champion of British swimmers, Captain Matthew Webb, dramatically eclipsed Boyton’s accomplishment and became first to swim the Channel. Captain Webb swam across in a simple swim suit and without swim aids in 21 hours and 45 minutes.

In her book The Crossing about Webb and his achievements Kathy Watson writes: “Boyton’s exploits were history, the previous hero of the Channel cut down to size, written off as a pushy little New World adventurer with a funny rubber suit and too high an opinion of himself.”

Beaten but not down Boyton crossed the Channel, from Dover to Boulogne, a short time

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later in 15 or 24 hours (depending on source) but because he had swimming aids (he may have used a paddle) it was not an official swim for the records.

He continued to float and swim down the rivers of France, Germany and Italy. He crossed the Strait of Messina between Sicily and mainland Italy and claimed to have killed a shark which broke three of his ribs.

After recovering from his injuries Boyton floated/swam through Spain until he arrived

Boyton proved to be a natural self-publicist and he hatched a spectacular stunt to introduce the ‘frogman’ suit to the world at Gibraltar. Many of the articles about Boyton and his accomplishments are contradictory and one has to wonder if he wasn’t given to exaggeration. His story of the crossing from Tarifa (Caripa must have been an error of translation) to Tangier is just one example: Both the Journals above gave Boyton’s time to cross the Strait of Gibraltar as five hours, five minutes. This is commensurate for modern times but seems a bit quick for 1878. The first officially recorded crosser was Mercedes Gleitze and it took her 12 hours, 50 minutes.

The first person to swim the Strait in under six hours was Florence Chadwick in 1953.

Boyton himself said it took him 17 hours and 55 minutes, which would mean he went into the water at 7.50am (as noted above) but landed

at Tangier at 12.55am not pm — an easy mistake to make.

Boyton’s story of the crossing is dramatic. He said he dragged himself from the water at Tangier totally exhausted. He was spotted by a guard who was so terrified by the strange creature emerging from the sea that he went running through the town shouting that “Satan had landed.” Residents ran into the streets firing wildly and Boyton ran for his life. He claimed he spent the night hiding inside a wrecked boat and the next morning made his way to the American Consulate and safety.

Born in County Kildare on 29th June 1848 Paul Boyton was an adventurous lad. His family migrated to the United States when he was young and during the American Civil War, aged 15, he joined the Union Navy.

When that war was over he fought in the Mexican Navy against France and then in the French Navy against the Prussians.

Returning to the US he was put in charge of life saving at Atlantic City where he was first introduced to the survival suit. His duties included supervising the lifeguards at the seaside resort. In light of these aquatic management responsibilities, he received the honorific of “Captain.” A strong swimmer, he harboured a passion for lifesaving from his youth when he saved a child pinned beneath a log by the strong Alleghany River currents.

During Boyton’s tenure, the incidence of drowning deaths dropped from 20 per year to none. He was credited with saving 71 lives.

After his years of exposure in Europe, Boyton spent some time with the Peruvian navy in a war against Chile. He was arrested and slated for execution but friends helped him escape back to America.

For years Boyton floated/swam the rivers of America delighting crowds wherever he went.

His greatest achievement was floating from Montana down the Yellowstone, Missouri and Mississippi Rivers to St. Louis, a distance of 3,580 miles. He claimed to have swum every significant river in North America.

In the 1890s, as his physical abilities declined, he became a promoter and show manager, founded a travelling aquatic circus and opened water parks in Chicago and New York, including the famed Coney Island Sea Lion Park. His ‘Water Chutes’ were forerunners of today’s water slides.

Captain Boyton lived in Brooklyn until his death on 19th April 1924.

Because he wore the frogman outfit (it would be called a dry suit today) for his crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar he doesn’t qualify to be on the Reglementary List of Swimmers for ACNEG (Associaction de Cruce a Nado del Estrecho de Gibraltar). These swimmers are allowed only: a standard bathing suit never below the knees; a standard bathing cap; eyewear, ear stoppers, nose protector and grease.

But I believe he could qualify for the Neopren Section — (if the swimmer wears neoprene or lycra they will be included in other special list) — maybe with an asterisk. n

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The knock-on effect: Making Headway words | Elena Scialtiel

They are dubbed the ‘walking wounded’, because their illness is not obvious to outsiders. Like many other medical conditions, the after-effect of traumatic head injury is not immediately recognisable, but it can wreck the life of the affected person as much as their families.

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A

fter a traumatic head injury, most pa tients walk away from hospital with few

outward signs and make a full recovery

within six months, but some 7-8% will need rehabilitation, being likely faced with long-term problems affecting their personality, relationships and ability to lead an independent life.

Headway is an UK charity with the purpose of offering help, advice and rehabilitation to those affected with a consistent presence on the Rock.

Thanks to the indefatigable work of Sharon Whatley, who is lobbying for awareness after being directly involved in the care of a head injury victim for about 20 years, Headway Gibraltar was set up as an outreach centre and registered as a charity in 2008, to try to create a wider group of volunteer helpers and support systems, taking the form of direction, information, after-care and family support.

Sharon also works with other local mental health awareness charities, because this is more often than not a behavioural and mental issue rather than a physical handicap, although in most serious cases it can tragically affect mobility and alertness.

Her husband Steve received an injury to the head not once but twice within the time span of two years. “After stitching his wound that was copiously bleeding, the doctor gave us some leaflets to guide me through post-traumatic care. I had to keep him awake for the following 24 hours and was urged to call the ambulance again should he start vomiting or feeling nauseous.”

Steve’s case wasn’t serious enough to be sent to the specialist unit in Cadiz. However, Sharon noticed significant changes in his character which worried her to the point they had to seek private neurological care.

He recovered fairly well and returned to almost his normal self, but unfortunately two years later he suffered a head-on collision with a car that sent him tumbling off his moped and, despite wearing his crash helmet, he hit his head again several times during the accident.

Injury was added to injury, resulting in further medical examinations, including a top professor in neurosurgery in Cambridge.

“I didn’t know anything about the subject at the time, and there was no readily available information, until I found by chance an advert in the paper that made me liaise with the UK charity to seek help,” Sharon says.

It was quite an ordeal, and he never recovered fully from the unfortunate repeat. The major consequence was he found himself incapacitated to work, and he suddenly developed shortened attention span, an inability to reason in the same way as he had before and his previous aptitude and sharpness in business had been lost overnight. Other issues such as short term and some long term memory loss lead to anger issues and aggressive traits that before were, according to his wife, completely out of character.

“This is quite common with traumatic head injury patients,” she explains, “as injury to the brain or knock on the head might loosen one’s inhibitions and ability to control their emotions in the same way, more often than not it can bring out one’s worst traits.”

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Other common effects can be unstable balance and poor eye-hand coordination or control of limbs and extremities resulting in recurring bumping and breaking fingers and toes.

The first two years are crucial to a full recovery, so it is important not to procrastinate about appointments with a specialist, and when possible, avoid added stress from work and family setbacks.

Behavioural changes do take their toll on the immediate family too, particularly partners, who have to learn to live with a ‘new’ person.

“A high percentage of couples are not able to sustain their relationship following a head injury. Often couples split over it. And it is fully understandable,” Sharon laments. It is perfectly human and normal for spouses to be angry at the situation, and to be unable to cope with someone they used to know behave in a completely different manner. In fact, it is often easier for a head injury victim to start a new relationship with someone who didn’t know them before and so is ready to like them as they are now.

Otherwise, relatives must learn to live with it as well as not making excuses for their loved ones ‘bizarre’ conduct, because pity just masks

Life can change in a blink of an eye for patients and their families. Worst still, traumatic head injury is sudden and so it catches everyone unprepared, requiring quick but harsh adjustment the fact that anger and social withdrawals are actual symptoms of the patient’s struggle against their new selves.

The magnitude of a head injury may be difficult to assess in the emergency room if the patient is conscious at all times, and often the knock-on effects of an injury to the brain or head are not immediately realised, sometimes even for years: “There is this diehard myth amongst the general population that concussion must be diagnosed only if the patient falls unconscious for a noticeable amount of time,” Sharon deplores.

Sometimes however, a black-out is instantaneous and consciousness is regained immediately and a knock on your head is not necessarily expected to knock you out or down to the floor, so one may keep on standing on his or her feet while fleetingly passing out — but the damage is equally done.

Through her harrowing experience, Sharon is now able to help and raise awareness for Headway charity in Gibraltar, and she is a sort of one-stop-shop for those in need of advice and support, whether they are looking into

being put in contact with the sister organisation in the UK to find the right medical/ surgical specialist, or they just need some respite or a shoulder to cry on.

She points out that Headway is also involved with all types of brain injuries other than those stemming from an external injury. The brain ‘rocks’ inside the skull too, and a violent shake may hurt it from within.

For instance, boxers and American football players are likely to suffer this kind of side effects later in life and notice it after retirement: slowly but surely, new regulations are being introduced for sportsmen and women involved in full-contact activities to be regularly CT-scanned in a bid to prevent or minimise it.

Brain injury can also derive from oxygen deprivation after strokes, epileptic fits and heart attacks: they do come under Headway umbrella although they often involved more serious issues of low physical functionality than the average trauma.

Another underestimated issue at stake is the condition in children and teenagers: your cliché fall from the monkey bars, kissed away and alleviated with the proverbial ice pack and a sweet treat, can actually resurface later in life through the form of cognitive and behavioural oddities.

Nightclub drunken fights are anther hot potato, because the victims’ slurred speech, dizziness and blacking out are too often blamed on their substance abuse rather than the violence of the impact.

Life can change in a blink of an eye for patients and their families. Worst still, traumatic head injury is sudden and so it catches everyone unprepared, requiring quick but harsh adjustment.

She explains: “It is also often misunderstood, if a person has no apparent physical injuries, can hold a perfectly normal conversation and appears to friends as unchanged, then a sudden mood swing is put down to having a bad day, or getting out on the wrong side of the bed.

Scratch the surface a little deeper and spend some time in the presence of a sufferer and you will soon realise that the damage inflicted on them, however severe or minor is with them for life, they don’t grow out of it, neither are there any cures. Little wonder that when the realisation of their future becomes apparent, they, like their families will need all the support they are able to access.”§ Once the medical team have signed off a patient into the outside world, both they and their families will face difficult and ever changing times ahead. It is important for them to know that they are not alone. Sharon points out that Headway Gibraltar hasn’t the resources to resolve anyone’s plight, or for a day centre or rehabilitation unit, but Gibraltar’s outreach facilities are available for networking towards those experts and organisations who can help with post-traumatic disorder and counselling.

Wearing her hat of Headway representative in Gibraltar, her phone is an almost 24-7 hot line for advice seekers. For urgent matters, she can be called on mobile 54029720. Otherwise, contact the charity’s email: headwaygibraltar@ hotmail.com.

Visit the UK charity’s website for further information: www.headway.org.uk. n

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t Karen Lomas Managing Director, Zestrill If I could go for a meal anywhere in the world I would love to go to Bora Bora to experience the islands and their food.

Where in the World?

compiled by Nina Sostaric

Our question of the month for the great Gibraltar public this edition is: If you could go for dinner anywhere in the world where would it be and what would you have to eat? Here is what you said....

p Maricela Jaen Hook Interpreter and Translator If I could go anywhere in the world to have a meal I would go to Cordoba, Spain to a restaurant called El Cabollo Rojo. That area is famous for hunting and they serve lots of traditional local dishes. My favourite is the roasted venison, which is served with roasted vegetables; just talking about it is making me hungry.

t David Marin Operations Manager, MRW If I could go anywhere in the world I would like to go to Cancun in Mexico to eat fresh seafood, especially crabs and lobsters.

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t Louis Perry Chestertons Sales Admin & GBC TV Presenter If I could go for a meal anywhere in the world I think I would probably go to Australia. I would go to Melbourne and have a stereotypical shrimp on a barbecue and I believe they would do it very nicely there!

Christel Mifsud u Fashion Designer If I could go anywhere in the world I would go to Japan, I would love to go there again. I would go to Tokyo, there is a great place called Australian Diner Outbacks. They’ve got massive ribs and delicious cocktails. I love it, it’s an amazing restaurant.

q Other one Prop About

t Richard Mew Bartender, Cannon Bar If I could go for a meal anywhere in the world it would have to be Sydney Opera House. I would have a fillet steak, medium rare. I love that place!

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past revisited

The Prince & The Pomegranate Pips words | Reg Reynolds

One of the pleasures enjoyed by Royal Navy sailors when visiting Gibraltar more than 100 years ago was the year-round availability of fresh fruit. Unfortunately while moored at Gibraltar in November 1898 some crew members of battleship HMS Majestic were a bit sloppy with their fruit and the result was a minor mutiny.

It seems that sailors were dropping orange peels and pomegranate pips on various areas of the decks and they were also being careless with their cigarette ends.

As a result the captain posted an order that: “Owing to orange peels and pips

of pomegranate being dropped on the deck the fruit is no longer allowed on board.”

The captain in question happened to be Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg * [see note] who was married to Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Victoria.

Although born in Austria in 1868 and raised in Italy and Germany he was a career navy officer who had joined the Royal Navy aged just 14.

He received steady promotion as he served on numerous warships and the Royal Yacht Albert during

his 40-year active career.

Launched in 1895 Majestic was the pride of the fleet and the largest ship in the Royal Navy. It would not do to have pomegranate pip stains and cigarette burns on her well scrubbed decks. But besides banning fruit Captain Prince Battenberg also curtailed smoking hours and these new regulations caused much dissatisfaction among the crew of more than 650 men.

Some were so annoyed that they were driven to a mutinous act. On the night of 9th November, 1898 they dumped overboard a quantity of ship’s equipment, including some valuable quick-firing gun

fittings.

The Prince responded by posting sentries around the 16,500 ton vessel and stopped all leave. He ordered the crew mustered and made an impassioned speech.

“You all know what has occurred. I need not ask who has done this. It is not the work of one man but of several. The one’s who did this are not men they are curs and cowards. I am not going to have Government property destroyed in this manner, and I have given the commander orders to put on sentries around the ship.

If one will not do we will put on two, and if two will not stop it then we will have three but I am determined to stop the destruction of Government property. No leave will be given to anyone.”

I have not been able to discover if anyone was ever punished for the crime but presumably the Prince’s actions put an end to the mutinous actions. He must have been content with the competence of the majority of the crew since when he became an Admiral a few years later he chose Majestic for his flagship. And he didn’t suffer any long term career problems due to the mini-mutiny as in 1912 he was appointed First Sea Lord.

His life changed, however, when Britain went to war with Germany in September, 1914. Although Prince Battenberg was capable and patriotic he had a German name and spoke with a German accent.

Hounded by the press and public opinion he retired three months after the outbreak of war. In 1917 he changed his surname to Mountbatten and on 7th November, 1917, almost 19 years to the day of the pomegranate pip incident, he was created Marquess of Milhaven. Mountbatten died on 11th September, 1921 aged 67. His son Lord Louis Mountbatten served in the Royal Navy, became First Sea Lord like his father, was the last Viceroy of India, and was created Earl Mountbatten of Burma in 1947. He was assassinated by the IRA on 27th August 1979 aged 79.

HMS Majestic also suffered a tragic ending. While taking part in fighting in the Gallipoli campaign she was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-21. Majestic capsized in shallow water and 49 of her crew of 672 were killed. n *Note: Battenberg cake is said to have been created in honour of the wedding of Prince Battenberg and Princess Victoria on April 30th, 1884. Ironically, considering the German connotations, it is often claimed that there is no cake more British than the Battenberg. I checked the recipe and there are no oranges or pomegranate pips included.

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food file

Battenberg Cake: Fit for Royalty 5¼oz/150g fine/caster sugar 3 large eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 5¼oz/150g self-rising flour 1fl oz/30 ml milk 2 drops of pink food colouring 2¾oz /75g apricot jam, warmed with 2 drops of water 7oz/200g marzipan, ready rolled

Preheat the oven to 400° F/ 200° C. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Slowly add the beaten eggs, beating constantly.

Add the vanilla extract and stir.

Sieve the flour into the baking bowl and continue beating until smooth. Place half of the mixture in another bowl, add the food coloring a little at a time until you have a colour you like and stir well.

Grease a 6”/15cm square cake tin and divide into 2 by placing a thick layer of aluminum foil down the center. Put the pink mixture into one side and the plain cake the other.

Place in the oven for 2530 minutes, or until the cake

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springs back when pressed lightly. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Cut each cake to the same size, then cut each cake in half lengthways. Take a pink cake and brush one side with the warmed jam. Place a yellow piece next to it, jam side together and push gently together.

Brush the top surface with jam and place a piece of yellow cake atop a pink piece and vice versa.

Brush all the outside edges with more jam.

Brush the rolled marzipan with a little jam and wrap it all around the cake., hiding the seam underneath. Trim away any excess. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, then serve. n

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afé � �r� Coffee, culture, conversation and contemporary cuisine — what could be a better combination. All of these are available at Cafe Solo, Casemates Square, where the walls are home to a changing array of artworks from our local artists. For the whole of the month of May, Kimberly Turnbull’s first exhibition of abstract works graces the limestone vaults.

The vibrant abstracts which feature in Cafe Solo this month are a testament to Kimberly’s evolution as an artist. She has transitioned from the African themed realism of a year or so ago, to the use of pure abstract themes which are both intriguing and meditative.

26 year old Kimberly began painting seriously two years ago as she found it therapeutic following the sad death of her mother Annabelle (it was her

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mother who had taught and inspired her to paint as a child).

Recently returned from an artists course in the UK, Kimberly says she loves learning new techniques and experimenting with colour and styles. Certainly the diners at Cafe Solo this month are enjoying the benefits of her skills with paint and brushes.

You can view Kimberly’s works, which are all for sale, at Cafe Solo, Casemates, until 30th May 2014. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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17 Days 1700 Miles 2 Great Causes Ex-England Rugby Union, Rugby League and Sevens player Paul “Sammo” Sampson is cycling 1700 miles from Bradford to Gibraltar in 17 days to raise money for two charities - Marie Curie Cancer Care and The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund - in an event called Ride4Care - Tour To The Rock.

He will arrive on the Rock on 10th May when he will be joined by the team, his wife TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, plus other famous sporting names for a party at the Lounge Gastro Bar, Queensway Quay.

of (even at my age).

He explained the reasons for choosing the two charities: “I would love to have joined the Royal Marines but previous rugby injuries prevented me from doing so, so the next best thing for me was to try and raise money for the RMCTF which I’m proud to be an ambassador of.”

Marie Curie provided Paul’s father with tremendous care as he lost his battle with terminal illness and consequently served as a great support structure for the family. “I lost my Dad when I was still playing professionally A group of riders – and I had to put it to one side because I had to retain my focus, serviceman, elite so I never properly had a chance cyclist and members to grieve. I was really close to my Dad and the care he was given by of the public — will the staff at Marie Curie Cancer before he passed away was join Paul, who set off Care amazing. This is my thank you on 24th April, to fol- to them and my way of finally paying my Dad the respect he low all or part of his deserves.” The ride started at the in Bradford, Yorkshire grueling route from hospice where Paul’s father passed away.

Yorkshire to Gibraltar When the riders reach Gibraltar on 10th May they will be in a celebratory mood and the word ‘Gibraltar’ on their crest to Lounge at Queensway Quay will commemorate their capture of surely give them a very warm welcome indeed. n the Rock in 1704).

The former Wasps player has launched Ride4Care in an effort to take cycling challenges to the next level. A group of riders – serviceman, elite cyclist and members of the public — will join Paul, who set off on 24th April, to follow all or part of his grueling route from Yorkshire, through London, then into France and the spectacular Pyrenees. Gibraltar was chosen as the cycle’s end destination to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Marines (who have the

“Since retirement I’ve had a desire to raise money and awareness from two charities that have inspired me over the years - Marie Curie and the RMCTF,” Paul explains. “I have reignited a passion to push myself physically to see what I’m still capable

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Paul Sampson at Hampton Court Palace on day three of the ride

www.ride4care.com Follow the cyclists on Twitter @ Ride_4_Care and @Sammo15 to keep track of their progress.

Contact the Lounge , Queensway Quay for details of tickets the after race party.

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appetite

e to wher drink & eat the on k Roc

Café Solo

Modern Italian eatery set in lively Casemates square. Everything from chicory and crispy pancetta salad with walnuts, pears and blue cheese dressing, or king prawn, mozzarella and mango salad to pastas(eg: linguine with serrano ham, king prawns and rocket; smoked salmon and crayfish ravioli with saffron and spinach cream) to salads (eg: Vesuvio spicy beef, cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers and red onions; and Romana

Cafe Rojo Sleek modern comfort in this relaxing little restaurant. Brunch (10am-12pm) includes ciabatta, granary, foccacia sandwiches with fillings such as pear and blue cheese, smoked bacon and brie, cheese and honey roast ham, delicious desserts. Lunch 12-3pm, dinner 7-10pm; dishes such as Marinated Tuna Steak & Sesame Crust; Roasted Lamb Shoulder; pastas or risottos such as Roast Pumpkin, Mushroom, & Spinach Curry, Langoustine, Lime & Coconut; Pear, Walnut & Blue Cheese; and Creamy Mixed Seafood; and salads such as Warm Goats’ Cheese, Fresh Spinach & Chargrilled Aubergine; and Roast Duck, Chorizo & Pancetta Salad.

Open: Tues - Fri 10am- late, Saturday lunch 12-3pm, afternoon drinks & desserts, dinner 7-10pm. Closed Sundays & Mondays.

Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town. Tel: 200 51738

restaurants

Casa Pepe

A delightful terrace, bar, restaurant on the prestigious Queensway Quay Marina. Wonderful location for business meetings, weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions. Specialising in fresh fish caught locally with daily specials including seabass, dorada, sole, and bream, plus a very comprehensive a la carte menu. Also available are tapas and raciones (double size tapas) to share (or not!) prior to a main course. Mixed paellas also available, as well as fish cooked in rock salt, whole suckling pig and baby lamb to order.

Open: Tues-Sat lunch & evening, Sunday lunch only, closed Mondays.

Casa Pepe, 18 Queensway Quay Marina, Tel/Fax: 200 46967 Email: casa.pepe@gmail.com.

Visit: www.gibtour.com/casapepe.

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Nunos Italian

Nunos Italian Restaurant, overlooking the Mediterranean, is popular with hotel guests, tourists and local residents. This 2 rosette rated, AA restaurant is renowned for its eclectic interior, intimate atmosphere and fine cuisine. Savour a wide selection of freshly prepared Italian delicacies, including bread, pasta, meat and fish, followed by delicious desserts. In the summer months, the hotel offers alfresco dining for private parties in the Garden Grill. Sitting nestled in the colonial garden you can enjoy a mouth-watering menu of charcoal-grilled meats and freshly prepared salads in candlelit surroundings.

Open: Mon-Sun 1-3pm lunch, 7–11pm dinner Nunos Italian Restaurant and Terrace Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay Tel: 200 76501 Email: reservations@caletahotel.gi

chorizo, black pudding, egg and pancetta) and pizzas (eg: Quatto Stagioni topped with mozzarella, ham, chicken, pepperoni and mushroom) and specialities such as salmon fishcakes, beef medallions and duck. Daily specials on blackboard. No smoking.

Café Solo Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 44449

Solo Bar & Grill

Solo Bar and Grill is a stylish and modern eatery — perfect for business functions or lunches — and part of the popular Cafe Solo stable. Serving everything from Goats’ Cheese Salad, Mediterranean Pâté and Cajun Langoustines to Beer Battered John Dory, or Harissa Chicken, and Chargrilled Sirloin Steak. This is a delightful venue in Europort with a cosy mezzanine level and terrace seating. Well worth a visit, or two! Available for private functions and corporate events — call 200 62828 to book your function or event.

Open: 12-8pm.

Solo Bar & Grill Eurotowers Tel: 200 62828

Sacarello Coffee Co

Located in a converted coffee warehouse, and famous for its great fresh ground coffee, homemade cakes/afternoon tea, plus full menu and excellent salad bar with quiche selection, specials of the day and dishes such as lasagne, steak and mushroom Guinness pie, hot chicken salad, toasties, club sandwich and baked potatoes. Holds popular art exhibitions with the Sacarello collection and guest artists. Very busy at office lunchtimes (1-2pm).

Sacarello's is available for parties and functions in the evenings.

Open: 9am-7.30pm Mondays - Fridays. 9am-3pm Saturdays Sacarello Coffee Co. 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625

Get Listed!

Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar?

Get your business listed here

CALL 200 77748 for details GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

24/04/2014 19:08

directory Get Listed!

Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar?

Get your business listed here

CALL 200 77748 for details Buddies Pasta Casa Italian specials in pleasant ambience. Large selection of starters from garlic bread to calamari. Main courses include spinach caneloni, spaghetti alla carbonara, fusilli al salmone, and peppered steak to name a few. Tasty desserts and variety of wines.

Outside seating too.

Open: Monday - Thursday 11am - 5pm, Friday 11am-3pm and 7pm-11pm, Sat 11am-4.30pm Buddies Pasta Casa 15 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 40627

Get Stuffed Very popular takeaway, sandwich bar and hot food.

Serving all fresh and homemade sandwiches, salads, soups, pasta, pies, cup cakes, plus hot/cold drinks and smoothies and a different special every day. Outside catering for corporate parties.

Open: 8am - 4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat. Get Stuffed Marina Bay. Tel: 200 42006

Just Desserts B r i g h t a n d a i r y, recently redecorated cafe on the first floor of the ICC. All homemade food including daily specials, vegetarian options, desserts and small cakes. Eat in or takeaway. Try their daily roast with everything on, or their all-day breakfast. Pensioner’s lunch - 2 course meal for £5.25. Friendly, cheerful and fully licensed.

Open: from 7.30am Monday to Friday Just Desserts 1st Floor ICC. Tel: 200 48014 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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Amin’s Office

Sit down, informal and friendly bar with informal eating. Amin is well known in Gibraltar for his Moroccan, Spanish and international cuisine. Open early for breakfast at 7am right through the day. Try the Moroccan soups, couscous, lamb tagines and kebabs. Terrace, just off Main Street (turn left at Trafalgar Pharmacy coming from Casemates).

Open: 7am to midnight.

Amin's The Office 30 Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 40932

Oasis Eatery

Located in Governor’s Parade, just across from the Elliot Hotel, and offers hot/cold drinks plus a delicious homemade selection of baked items such as cakes and quiches, also sandwiches and wraps, bagels and cupcakes. Vegan/vegetarian items. Oasis is on Facebook and Twitter and you can pre-order online which is handy for a quick lunch.

Special orders taken for a range of bakery goods.

Fully licensed for beers and wine. Terrace seating.

Open: 8am to 3pm Oasis Eatery Govenor’s Parade Tel: 200 65544 www.oasiseatery.com

Pick a Bite

Morning coffee and daily lunch specials, one of largest selections of traditional home made food, to eat in or takeaway. All the old favourites — spinach pie, croquettes, quiche, spanish omelette, shepherd’s pie and more. Delicious sandwiches, baguettes, ciabatta melts and wraps, with a variety of fillings. Salads, snacks and soups. Cakes and muffins for those with a sweet tooth. Friendly, cheerful and very reasonal prices. Terrace seating.

Open: Monday to Friday 8am - 3pm.

Pick A Bite 10 Chatham Counterguard Tel: 200 64211

Picadilly Gardens Relaxed bar restaurant located near to the Queen’s Hotel and Cable car, it has a cosy garden terrace, which is great for drinks, tapas and food al fresco.

English breakfast, tapas, hamburgers, fresh fish, paella by pre-order, prawns, squid, clams and a variety of meat dishes. Eat in or takeaway. Open: 6:30am till late.

Piccadilly Gardens Rosia Road, Tel: 20075758

e to wher drink eat & the on k Roc

Mumbai Curry House Indian cuisine, eat-in/take-away, from snacks (samosas, bhajias, pakoras) to lamb, chicken and fish dishes such as korma, tikka masala, do piaza. Large vegetarian selection. Halal food. Outside catering for parties/meetings. Sunday Mumbai favourites such as Dosa & Choley Bhature.

Open: 7 days a week 11am - 3pm, 6pm -late.

Mumbai Curry House Unit 1.0.02 Ground Floor, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711 Home delivery: 200 50022/33

Raj’s Curry House Raj’s tasty Indian cuisine is now available to eat in or take away, from his new fully refurbished premises in Queensway Quay next to the Waterfront. Serving authentic dishes such as Creamy Butter Chicken, Bhuna King Prawn or Chana Masala, and so much more. There is something available to suit all tastes. Pop in or telephone for food orders or table reservations.

Open: food served 7 days 11am- 3pm, 6pm-late Raj’s Curry House Queensway Quay. Tel: 200 46993

Solo Express

Located next to Pizza Hut in Casemates and in Eurotowers, serves a variety of salads/baguettes (white, brown, ciabatta) filled with a deli selection such as roast chicken; smoked salmon & mascapone; ham, cheese and coleslaw; or humous, avocado & roast red pepper. Salads fresh and tasty (Greek, Waldorf, cous cous, tuna pasta etc), great value. Jackets, quiches, coffee plus cakes (flapjacks, muffins) available all day. Eat-in area. Soups in winter.

Solo Express Grnd Flr, ICC, Casemates & Eurotowers

The Tasty Bite

informal food

food & drink

Tasty Bite has one of the biggest take-away menus around with home cooked meats, filled baguettes, burgers, chicken and everything else you can think of! Try the quiches, tortillas and jackets spuds with all kinds of fillings.

This little place gets busy with those popping out from the offices for lunch so get there early.

Open: Monday - Saturday.

The Tasty Bite 59a Irish Town. Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321

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food & drink informal food

directory Verdi Verdi All day coffee plus all homemade and delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes, fresh baked bread and desserts.

A selection of bagels (try the smoked salmon and cream cheese) and baguettes to eat in or take away. Try the light homemade pizzas, or the falafels and humous. Daily special soups are fabulous and filling. Ask for Idan's hot homemade chilli relish — sweet and scrummy.

Open: Mon/Thurs: 7.30-6, Fri 7.30-5, Sun 10-3.

Verdi Verdi ICC, Casemates Tel: 200 60733

Get Listed!

Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar?

Get your business listed here

CALL 200 77748 for details All’s Well

Traditional pub in fashionable Casemates area. Named for the 18th century practise of locking gates to the city at night when the guard called ‘All’s Well’. All’s Well serves Bass beers, wine and spirits plus pub fare. English breakfast all day, hot meals such as pork in mushroom sauce, sausage & mash, cod & chips and steak & ale pie plus a range of salads and jacket potatoes. Large terrace.

Karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays until late. Free tapas on a Friday 7pm.

All’s Well Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987

bars & pubs

Bridge Bar & Grill

Located on the water’s edge, Ocean Village, just across the bridge from O’Reilly’s.

This bar & grill is a fusion of an American themed menu with Tarifa chill out style. Open for breakfast from 9am serving healthy options, freshly squeezed orange juice and Italian Lavazza coffee. Try the spicy Caribbean rum ribs, southern fried chicken bucket, the popular Texas burger or a selection of tasty salads and homemade desserts. London Pride, San Miguel & Carling beer on draught, live sports.

Bridge Bar & Grill Ocean Village Tel: 200 66446

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Cannon Bar

Jane is still there and still packed out with tourists and regulars!

Word has it that she nearly managed to escape, but wasn’t allowed to. The famous fish and chips, the odd French speciality, there’s always something happening in the Cannon! Located between Marks & Spencer and the Cathedral just off Main Street.

Cannon Bar

Gibraltar Arms On Main Street opposite the cathedral, enjoy a meal, coffee or a cool beer on the terrace and watch the world go by!

Bar decorated with rare military plaques from regiments and navy ships visiting Gibraltar. Full breakfast menu served from 7am, draught beers on tap include Old Speckled Hen bitter, Murphys Irish stout, Heineken lager and Strongbow cider.

Gibraltar Arms 184 Main Street. Tel: 200 72133

e to wher drink & eat the on k Roc

The Lounge Stylish lounge and gastro bar on the quayside at Queensway Quay with very reasonable prices and food from 10am until late. Popular quiz on Sundays (from 7.30pm) and a relaxed friendly atmosphere... always plenty of people / yachties to chat to. Events (matches etc) covered on large TV. Great place to chill out. Pool table.

Open: 10am Mon - Sat until late and from 12pm on Sun (get there early for a seat for the quiz).

The Lounge Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 61118

O’Reilly’s

Traditional Irish bar with full HD sports coverage and Irish breakfast from 7am (Sunday from 9am). Guinness on draught. Food includes salads, jackets, beef & Guinness pie, Molly’s mussels, drunken swine, Boxty dishes (potato pancake wrapped around delicioius fillings), sandwiches, rolls, Kildare chicken and much much more. And just like in Ireland there’s no smoking inside, so a great atmosphere for all.

O’Reilly’s Ocean Village. Tel: 200 67888

Jury’s Café-Wine Bar

Star Bar

Jury’s Café & Wine Bar 275 Main Street. Tel: 200 67898

Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Visit: www.starbargibraltar.com

Next to the Law Courts, with a terrace seating area, Jury’s has a selection of Ciabattas, paninis, baguettes and wraps, plus popular sharing dishes, such as Your Honour’s platter. Jacket potatoes, main courses, pasta and some innocent salads too.

For those with a sweet tooth, there are tantalising homemade desserts, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, as well as Lavazza coffees and frappes.

Open: 7am-midnight Mon-Sat, 9am-midnight Sun.

Lord Nelson

Bar/brasserie in Casemates.

Done out like Nelson’s ship.

Starters & snacks include fresh mussels, blue cheese and rocket bruschetta, potato skins, spicy chicken wings and calamares. Main courses from chilli con carne and chicken & mushroom pie, to crispy duck burrito and fish & chips.

Jackets, burgers and kid’s menu. Live music on stage nightly. Spacious terrace.

Open: 10am till very late.

Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie 10 Casemates Tel: 200 50009 Visit: www.lordnelson.gi

Gibraltar’s oldest bar, just off Main St. Small cosy and famous for its full English breakfast from 7am (9am on Sunday). A full menu including fish & chips, until 10pm. The home of Star Coffee, draught beers include Heineken, Old Speckled Hen, Murphys and Strongbow cider. Managed by Hunter Twins from Stafford, England, also home to Med Golf & Tottenham Hotspur supporters club.

The Three Owls

The Three Owls is a traditional bar serving best of English beers.

Three separate bars/floors: ground floor — big screen TV, pool table, poker machines, bar — open from 10.30am daily. First floor ‘Hoots’ bar, two match pool tables, poker machines, dartboard, bar, open from 5pm daily. Second Floor the ‘Nest’ — American pool table, poker machine, card table, bar — open from 7pm daily and also at weekends for the Rugby Union matches. If you are looking for a sociable game of pool or darts this is the place to be.

The Three Owls Irish Town. Tel: 200 77446

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Traditional Pub Serving Traditional Pub Fare, Bass Beers, Wines & Spirits

Visit us and step back in history

Casemates Square Tel: 200 72987

Full menu served inside or on our terrace including British Fish & Chips, Jackets, Salads, Burritos, Homemade Pizzas, our special Fresh Local Mussels and much more.

Visit us and buy yourself a souvenir, T-shirts, beer glasses, lighters etc Live music every evening, join our Jam Sessions on Wednesday or Sunday.

GLMS Music Venue of the Year.

Official Home to Gibraltar Rugby Club Free WiFi

10 Casemates www.lordnelson.gi Tel: 200 50009

Grand Casemates Sq Tel: 20044449 take-away or reserve a table

Tel: 200 46993 7 days 11am - 3pm, 6pm - late

Queensway Quay (next to Waterfront)

restaurant bar guide &

Queensway Quay Marina, Tel: 200 61118

184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)

TASTY INDIAN CUISINE

Get Stuffed!

Marina Bay Tel: 200 42006 Take-Away, Sandwiches & Hot Food Different Special Every Day salads, soups, pastas, pies, cupcakes, all home made Open 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat

Indian Cuisine to Eat In or Take Away

Unit 1.0.02 Grnd Flr, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711

Casa Pepe Open: Mon-Sat 11am-late 18 Queensway Quay Marina Tel/Fax: 200 46967

BUDDIES pasta casa

Come and enjoy real Italian meals in Gibraltar’s leading pasta house 15 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 40627 for reservations

Award winning breakfasts from 7.30am Great meals & snacks all day Evening Steak House menu Med Golf Clubhouse Tottenham Hotspur HQ Parliament Lane Tel: 200 75924

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• MAY MAY 2014 2014 GIBRALTAR

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b y a

. . e.

� Most things in life are doubtful. There are some certainties (upon which we rely so we must regard them as certainties): the sun will rise tomorrow; the air will remain breathable; the water will remain drinkable and food available.

(The latter two certainties do not in fact apply in large parts of the world but I confine myself to Europe.)

words | Peter Rodney

whether a parking place will be available; whether the queue at the checkout will have diminished by the time you get there; whether you should stop to fill up with petrol at this service station or the next; whether the train will arrive in time to make your connection; whether anyone will notice that you have now been wearing the same tie for two weeks.

Que sera, sera is all very well as a philosophy of life but it is not a very helpful one. It is indeed pointless to worry over matters over which you have no control

There is no solution to the problem of the tastes of others except to learn a little bit about them and adjust accordingly

Doubts remain over the rest.

Will I pass the exam? Will I get the job? Will my alarm clock go off in order to wake me up to go to work? Will the rather nice blonde girl whom I met last night appreciate a phone call immediately? Or should I wait a bit? I know my son/daughter is the brightest and most handsome/beautiful boy/girl in the world but will everyone else realise this? Will my speech at the wedding go down OK? Will my grandchild have ten fingers and ten toes? Did I remember to lock the door when I left? Where did I put my false teeth?

This rather hasty (and less poetical) gallop through the seven ages of man details the more serious doubts of life. Minor ones are less pressing but seem equally vital at the time. It is possible to reach a state of nervous exhaustion by worrying. These are worries about little matters such as

(will the train arrive on time?) but learning from mistakes is an essential part of experience. Unless a mistake you have made causes you a certain amount of worry, it will not stick in the mind and you might well make the same mistake again without thinking.

At last, we come to the relevance of these doubts to the world of wine. You do have control over the wine you buy and three factors come into consideration: quality, price and your own taste. There is no doubt that some rosé wines are very good (especially sitting on a Provençal hillside in the sunshine) but they are not generally

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wine to my taste. I would love to drink nothing but Chateau Talbot 1982 but I cannot afford to do so. I am prepared to drink Morrison’s standard claret but only if it is all that is available (because it is the end of the month and my cash reserves have sunk to a dangerous low).

Balancing these three factors is always difficult. A fourth matter to be taken into account is the taste of others. For some extraordinary reason my wife drinks rosé from choice even when she is not on a Provençal hillside. She is also quite partial to Cava (although, happily, even she draws the line at Asti). While this is strange behaviour, I remind myself of ‘for better and for worse’ and all that — and it helps keep the household wine bill down. But what should be served when friends come round? If you bring out your best, you may well watch it being glugged back with no appreciation. One is not after compliments but a little comment never comes amiss. If you serve plonk, your guests will, without fail, notice that you have been rather miserly.

There is no solution to the problem of the tastes of others except to learn a little bit about them and adjust accordingly.

Meanwhile the search continues to find more wines to meet your own assessment of the three main factors. Tony at My Wines has just got some Lebanese Musa in.

Lebanese wine has always been a bit of a secret. Lebanon itself does not bask in a warm glow of

publicity and therefore suspicions arise as to whether anything of great quality can be made there.

But it is (and has been for a long time) superb. The top of the range is £80. This is a vintage, not for everyday drinking, but it will truly reward a special occasion.

At the more affordable end there are some at about £18.50. Quite a lot for something of which you may never have heard but it is still well worth every penny. It isn’t quite Chateau Talbot 1982 but it should be regarded as a serious competitor. In footballing terms, it is Wigan Athletic compared to Manchester City: nowhere near the price but still able to join in.

Charlie at Stag Bros presently has some excellent 2004 Rioja on special offer (if it hasn’t sold out by now). At £5.75 or so (reduced from £12) this meets all demands made of it and keeps the bank manager happy. It is a good year which should be drunk now. It does, however, require opening about an hour before drinking to let it breathe a little. 90% of the wines we knock back do not need this because they are not old enough or because they have been recently bottled. But this one (like most vintage stuff) will benefit from it.

There will remain doubts about whether you have made the right choice but it is always worth trying something new and maybe, just maybe, you will find the wine for you. Once you have, hang on to it — but keep looking for the next one. It may be even better. n

column

Tues-Fri 10am - late Sat lunch 12pm-3pm Afternoon drinks & desserts Dinner 7pm-10pm Closed Sun & Mon

There is no doubt that some rosé wines are very good (especially sitting on a Provençal hillside in the sunshine) but they are not generally to my taste

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May has arrived and as the weather hots up so does the social scene which gets into full swing this month with the Spring Festival events.

It really is a packed and varied calendar which includes a Grand Gala of Tenors on 22nd, the Gibraltar Fringe Festival on 15th - 17th, art exhibitions, charity fun runs and, of course, the annual flower show on Friday 9th May. We have classic cars lining up in Casemates on 17th May, and the Museum is also open and free of charge on that day too. There is the Strongman and Strongwoman Championships at the Victoria Stadium on 10th May (money raised from ticket sales for this event will go towards an orphanage construction in Gambella, Ethiopia

This page and bottom row opposite: Childline Gibraltar held an Appreciation Party in April at the Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club to thank the charity’s volunteers and supporters and to report on the children’s charity’s progress and future projects

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Photos this page: a selection from the Three Kings Cavalcade GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • APRIL 2014

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On Saturday 26th April, Veterans of The Royal Engineers led by The Gibraltar Re-enactment Society, took part in their annual parade along Main Street. At the Piazza, the salute was taken by recently appointed Mayor of Gibraltar Adolfo Canepa GMH OBE, supported by his Deputy Mayor, former Miss World, Kaiane Aldorino GMH and Lieutenant Colonel Martin Mogford MBE RE. Photos: Derek Booth

for extremely poor children).

For music lovers there is a concert by InCantus at the King’s Chapel on 8th May, but before that on 5th May, Harmonics Choir Present’s Faure’s Requiem & Vivaldi’s Gloria at the Holy Trinity. Tickets priced at £7 from Imperial News Agency.

Also from 5th May there will be an exhibition of paintings

by Jorge Caballero at Sacarello’s Coffee Shop - called Tribute of Gibraltar it will no doubt be up to Sacarello’s usual great exhibition standards.

See page 62 for more details of our fabulous events — this really is the most sociable time of year!

The Gibraltar Health Authority held a great sun awareness event in April and the message was clear — take care in the sun!

It is so easy to get burned when we first don our skimpies and enjoy the rays, but it is also so easy to burn and the damage can be lasting. Be especially careful of children and the elderly who may not be so aware of buring or dehydration. Drink lots of water, stay out of the sun at the hottest times, wear sunscreen, and most importantly have fun without the burn!

Finally a call from Sonia Golt - if you have modelled in the past with Golt & Associates Model Agency or in the Bosom Buddies Fashion Shows then your photos are needed.

They will be used for an exhibition of “Fashion Years” in aid of the Bosom Buddies Cancer Trust Charity 215. Sonia stresses that you should make copies of any photos (as they will not be returned) and leave them at Heart’s Boutique before the end of June 2014.

Well that’s it for this, the fifth month of the year (how time flies — 2014 seems to be just melting away!). See you all on Main Street and watch out for the Gibraltar Magazine camera at social events around town.

This photo and above: Outgoing Mayor, Tony Lima, held a party at the Casino Calpe in April to thank his many supporters during his successful time as Mayor of Gibraltar

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • APRIL 2014

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Clubs & Activities Arts & Crafts Cross Stitch Club: John Mackintosh Hall, 1st Floor, Mon 6-8pm, fee £1.

Gibraltar Arts & Crafts Association: Offers a variety of classes & workshops for children and adults Mon - Fri 3.30-7pm, Sat 2-3pm. For more info call Tel: 20073865.

Knit and Natter Group: Tues from 3.30-5pm & 5-6pm, at Arts & Crafts Shop, Casemates balcony. Free to join and refreshments provided. Tel: 20073865.

The Arts Centre: Prince Edward’s Road, Art classes for children and adults. For more info call Tel: 200 79788.

The Fine Arts Association Gallery: At Casemates. Open 10am-2pm, 3-6pm Mon-Fri, Sat 11am-1pm.

The Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society: Affiliated to UK NADFAS meets third Wed of month at 6.30pm at Eliott Hotel - lecturers & experts from the UK talk on Art etc. Contact: Chairman Claus Olesen 200 02024 claus.olesen@sghambros.com.

Membership Ian Le Breton 200 76173 ilebreton@SovereignGroup.com Board Games Calpe Chess Club & Junior Club: meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall 5-7pm (junior chess) 8-11pm (Calpe Chess) on Tues. Entrance Free.

The Gibraltar Scrabble Club: Meets at the Rock Hotel on Mon at 3pm. Tel: Vin 20073660 or Roy 20075995. All welcome.

The Subbuteo Club: Meets in Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall.

Dance Adult Dance Classes: Wed evenings at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre from 7-8.30pm. Contact Dilip on 200 78714.

Art in Movement: Classes for children Street Dance, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Pilates, Capoeira, Judo & Ju-jitsu. At Wellington Front from 4pm onwards. Tel: 54005785 or 54000027 or visit www. artinmovement.net Ballet, Modern Theatre, Contemporary & Hip Hop: Classes held weekly at Danza Academy. Training from 3 years to Adult Advanced. 68/2 Prince Edward’s Rd Tel: 54027111.

DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing: Sessions at Central Hall Fri 8.30pm, beginners 8pm. Tel: 200 78901 or tony@gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome.

Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing: Mon at Catholic Community Centre 8pm. Tel. Andrew 200 78901.

Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Flexibility, Hip Hop & Dance Theatre: Classes weekly at Urban Dance Studio, 2 Jumpers Bastion. Tel: Yalta 54012212 or Jolene 54015125.

Rockkickers Linedance Club: Governor’s Meadow 1st School. www.rockkickers.com Salsa Gibraltar Salsa: Classes on Tues at Laguna Social Club, Laguna Estate.

Beginners 7-8.30pm. Intermediates 8.30-10pm. Tel: Mike 54472000 or info@ salsagibraltar.com Zumba Classes at Urban Dance: Jumpers Bastion, with certified instructor Tyron Walker. Tel: 20063959 or 54012212 or Twitter: @UrbanDanceGib History & Heritage The Gibraltar Heritage Trust: Main Guard, 13 John Mackintosh Sq. Tel: 200 42844.

The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association: Dedicated to preservation of Rock’s transport/motoring heritage. Assists members in restoration / maintenance of classic vehicles. New members welcome.

Tel: 200 44643.

Garrison Library Tours: at 11am on Fri, duration 1h 50mins. Tel: 20077418.

History Alive: Historical re-enactment parade. Main Street up to Casemates Square every Sat at 12 noon.

Music Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir: Rehearses at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Tel: 54831000.

The Calpe Band: Mon & Wed. For musicians of brass/woodwind instruments of all standards/ages/abilities 7-9pm. Tel: 54017070 or thecalpebnd@gmail.com Jazz Nights: Thurs at 8pm at O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel. Tel: 200 70500.

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Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award: Exciting self-development programme for young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. Contact Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road. Tel: 200 59818.

Quizzes The Lounge: Friendly quiz on Sun from 8pm on quayside at Queensway Quay.

The Clipper: Quiz nights on Tues at 8pm.

Social Clubs Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes: (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, Jumpers Bastion on these days: Provincial Grand Lodge, 1st Mon/month, 8pm.

Executive Meeting, last Mon/month 7pm.

Knights Chapter, 2nd Mon/month 7.30pm.

Examining Council, 3rd Mon/month 7pm.

William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8pm. Buena Vista 9975, Wed (fortnightly) 7pm. Por Favor 9444, Wed (fortnightly) 7pm.

Farewell 10001, Tues 8.30pm. Goldacre 10475 (social) last Fri/month 8pm. www. raob.org Special Interest Clubs & Societies Creative Writers Group: Meets Tues at Eliott Hotel bar at 8pm, aimed at learning to write fiction/non-fiction, for pleasure or publication. Tel: Carla 54006696.

Gibraltar Book Club: For info Tel: Parissa 54022808.

Gibraltar Horticultural Society: meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, J.M. Hall.

Spring Flower Show, slide shows, flower arrangement demos, outings to garden centres, annual Alameda Gardens tour. All welcome.

Gibraltar Philosophical Society: devoted to intellectually stimulating debate.

Frequent lectures and seminars on a range of topics. Tel: 54008426 or gibphilosophy@ live.co.uk Gibraltar Photographic Society: Meets on Mon at 7.30pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, competitions etc.

Harley Davidson Owners’ Club: www.hdcgib.com Lions Club of Gibraltar: Meets 2nd and 4th Wed of the month at 50 Line Wall Road. www.lionsclubofgibraltar.com St John’s Ambulance: Adult Volunteers Training Sessions from 8-10pm on Tues.

Tel: 200 77390 or training@stjohn.gi The Royal British Legion: For info or membership contact the Branch Secretary 20074604 or write to PO Box 332, Gibraltar.

UN Association of Gibraltar: PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108.

Sports Supporters Clubs Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club: Meets at Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check game is televised. Great food for a lunch if KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. Tel: 56280000.

Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club: Meets match days upstairs at Time Out Café, Eurotowers. Gooners of all ages welcome. For info/news visit www.

GibGooners.com Tel: 54010681 (Bill) or 54164000 (John).

Gibraltar Hammers: Meets on match days at the Victoria Stadium Bar, Bayside Road. All league games are shown live. All West Ham supporters and their families are welcome. For details visit www.gibraltarhammers.com or gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association. Tel: Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661.

Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions through year for juniors, adults and veterans.

Two main clubs (Calpeans 200 71807, Lourdians 200 75180) training sessions at Victoria Stadium.

Badminton: Recreational badminton weekdays at Victoria Stadium (Tel: 200 78409 for allocations). Gibraltar Badminton Association (affiliated to BWF& BE) junior club/tournaments, senior leagues/ recreational. Visit www.badmintongibraltar. com for info.

Ballet Barre Fitness: Adults on Wed 10am & Fri 6pm at The Arts Centre. Tel: 54033465 or pilatesgibraltar@hotmail.com Basketball: Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (affiliated FIBA) leagues/ training for minis, passarelle, cadets, seniors and adults at a variety of levels. Tel: John 200 77253, Randy 200 40727.

Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory. Tel: 56382000 or 20042788.

Cheerleading: Gibraltar Cheerleading Association, girls and boys of all ages.

Chearleading and street cheer/hip hop at Victoria Stadium. Recreational / competitive levels. Tel: 58008338.

Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association.

Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Arturo 54025033.

Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket, National Governing Body & Associate Member of ICC. Governs International & Domestic Men’s, Women’s, Boys’ & Girls’ cricketleague & cup competitions and in-school coaching. www.gibraltarcricket.com, info@ gibcricket.com, Twitter: @Gibraltar_Crick Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Tel: Uriel 200 79359.

Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (full member of WDF & affiliate of BDO) We cater for men, ladies & youth who take part in leagues, competitions and a youth academy for development of the sport.

Tel: 54027171, 54014547, 54021672, and 54022622 or info@gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association - leagues/competitions for all ages OctoberMay. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium.

Tel: 20042941 www.gibraltarfa.com Gaelic Football Club (Irish sport): Males any age welcome. Get fit, play sport, meet new friends, travel around Spain/Europe and play an exciting and competitive sport.

Training every Wed on the MOD pitch on Devil’s Tower Road at 7pm. Andalucia League with Seville and Marbella to play matches home and away monthly. Visit www.gibraltargaels.com or secretary. gibraltar.europe@gaa.ie Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/training for adults/juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peter 200 72730 for info.

Iaido: teaches the Japanese sword (Katana), classes every week. www. iaidogibraltar.com Iwa Dojo, Kendo & Jujitsu: Classes every week, for kids/adults. Tel: 54529000 www. iwadojo.com or dbocarisa@iwadojo.com Judo and Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Budokai Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. Tel: Charlie 20043319.

Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion. Tel: 54011007.

Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association - Karate training for junior & seniors at Clubhouse, 41H Town Range. Tel: 57479000.

Karate: Shotokan karate midday Mon beginners, other students 8.30pm. Thurs 8.30pm. In town at temporary dojo or privately by arrangement. Contact Frankie 54038127 or info@fhmedia.co.uk.

Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211.

Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior/junior leagues. Tel: 20041874.

Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association.

New members welcome. Tel: 54002652.

Pilates: Intermediate Pilates: Tues & Fri 9.30am, beginners Pilates: Fri 10.50am at the Shotokai Centre, 41H Town Range. Tel: 54033465 or pilatesgibraltar@hotmail.com Gibraltar Pool Association: (Member of the EBA) home and away league played on Thurs through out the season, various tournaments played on a yearly basis both nationally and internationally, Tel: 56925000 gibpool@gibtelecom.net, www.gib8ball.com Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions for 4 years of age and upwards, weekday evenings. Tel: 56000772 or Sally 200 74661.

Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union

what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

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training for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans. Play in Andalusia 1st Division.

Tel: 200 72185.

Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club at 200 78897.

Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation.

Rifle, Europa Point Range (Stephanie 54020760); Clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Louis 54095000).

Snooker: Members of European Billiards & Snooker Association - facilities at Jumpers Bastion with 3 tables. Professional coaching for juniors/seniors. Organised leagues/tournaments and participation in international competitions. Tel: 56262000 / 54000068, or info@gibraltarsnooker.com Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult and junior tournaments and coaching. Tel: 200 44922.

Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs. Voluntary sports clubs: Noah’s Dive Club and 888s Dive Club. Tel: 54991000.

Commercial sports diving schools available.

Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo. Pool open Mon&Thurs: 7–10am, 12.30–4pm. Tue, Wed, Fri: 7–10am, 12:30–5pm. Sat: 3–5pm. Sun: closed. Mon to Fri from 5-6pm groups training. 6-7.30 squad training. Mon, Wed, Fri 7.30-8.30 swimming joggers, Tues & Thurs 7:30-8:30 junior Water polo. Mon, Tues & Thurs 8:30-10pm Adult water polo.

Tel: 200 72869.

Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association training and playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Tel: 56070000 or 20060720.

Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: Mari 20044142 or www.gibraltartaekwondo.org Tai Chi: Tai Chi for children and adults.

Mon-Thur 6.30-8pm at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre and Sat 9am-1pm at the Yoga Centre, 33 Town Range. Tel: Dilip 200 78714.

Tennis: Gibraltar Tennis Association, Sandpits Tennis Club. Junior development programme. Courses for adults, leagues and competitions. Tel: Louis 200 77035.

Ten-Pin Bowling: At King’s Bowl in the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre every day.

Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. Tel: 200 52442.

Triathlon: Hercules Triathlon Club organises swimming, running and cycling training sessions and competes regularly in Andalucia and Internationally. Contact chris.walker@york.gi or Facebook “Hercules Triathlon Club” Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association training, indoor leagues, beach volleyball competition, 3 v 3 competition, juniors and seniors. Tel: 54001973 or 54885000.

Yoga: Integral Yoga Centre runs a full programme of classes from Mon-Fri at 33 Town Range. Tel: 200 41389. All welcome.

Theatrical Groups Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association: Meet at Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street. Tel: 20042237.

Trafalgar Theatre Group: Meets 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm. All welcome.

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events

Support Groups ADHD & Learning Difficulties (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Meetings at Fellowship Bookshop Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Road. Coffee, chat, books and resources on display.

Tel: 54027551 or 54014476.

Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues & Thurs at Nazareth Hse Tel: 200 73774.

A Step Forward support for single, separated, divorced/widowed people, meet 8pm Mon at St Andrew’s Church.

Mummy & Me Breastfeeding Support Group those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have breastfed to get together for coffee, chat / support. Partners and older children welcome. Meets 1st Wed / month at Chilton Court Community Hall at 1.30pm. Enquiries and support 54014517.

Childline Gibraltar confidential phone line for children in need. Freephone 8008 - 7 days a week 6pm - 10pm.

Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Fri 9.30-4pm. Tel: 200 40006 Email: info@ cab.gi or visit 10 Governor’s Lane. No appointment necessary, no charge.

Gibraltar CAB outreach clinics at St Bernard’s Hospital every Tuesday. Advisors available at 1st floor reception, Zone 4, 9am-3pm. Free, confidential, impartial.

COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Formed to ease challenges of individuals, families and care partner.

Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book Shop at 7.30pm first Thursday of each month. Tel: 200 51469 Email: copeadsupport@hotmail.com Dignity At Work Now. Confidential support and advice for those who are being bullied at work. Tel: 57799000 Mon - Thur 8pm-9pm Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends who are concerned about the use of drugs or related behavioural problems. Meet alternate Thursdays at 9pm at Nazareth House. For info Tel: 200 70047 or 200 73465.

Gibraltar Cardiac Rehabilitation and Support Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 8.30pm at the John Mac Hall, except for July and August.

Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group 3/8 Serfaty’s Passage Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: www.gdsg.co.uk Gibraltar Marriage Care. Free relationship counselling, including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic Church, but open to all). Tel: 200 71717.

Gibraltar Society for the Visually Impaired. Tel: 200 50111 (24hr answering service).

Hope. miscarriage support Tel: 200 41817.

Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Overeaters Anonymous support group for compulsive overeating problems. Tel: helpline for meetings info 200 42581.

Parental Support Group, helping parents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and grandchildren. Tel: 200 46536, 200 76618, or 54019602.

Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Meet Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: 200 51623.

SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, a UK charity, to assist serving and ex-Service personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481.

Email: Susan GIB-CST-JSWPA@mod.uk With Dignity Gibraltar support for separated, divorced/widowed or single people. Meet Weds 9pm, Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/ activities. Tel: 54007181 or 200 79957.

Women in Need. Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence.

Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hrs).

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Warming Up for Calentita!

Calentita is just weeks away now — it will burst into life at Casemates on Saturday 21st June.

The food festival and street party is now in its 8th year. It was created in 2007 with some patio tents and enthusiastic volunteers.

The Gibraltar Magazine has always supported Calentita, documenting its growth in to one of Gibraltar’s biggest and most eagerly anticipated family events.

As part of its growth, this year

Calentita is going to extend beyond Casemates, more thoroughly into Market Place and also onto Main Street. The organisers Word of Mouth are hoping that expanding the footprint of the event will make it an even more enjoyable atmosphere for all.

Plans are well underway for some exciting entertainment on

the night — make sure you catch the June edition of the Gibraltar Magazine for more details. By the time we go to print for our next edition, we will also have a much better idea of the many delicious and different foods to be sold on 21st June. If you would like to serve some of your food at this event, contact info@calentita.gi. n

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information

T

he flora and fauna on the Upper Rock are considered of great conservational value. It’s the perfect place for birdwatchers, as migratory species use Gibraltar as the shortest crossing between Europe and Africa. Botanists will also be interested to see over 600 species of flowering plants, including some unique to Gibraltar. Watch out for colourful lizards, non-venemous Horseshoe Whipsnakes, butterflies and pipistrelle bats. Info on flora and fauna at the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society’s information centre at Jews Gate.

St. Michael’s Cave: The cave comprises an upper hall with five connecting passages and drops of 40-150ft to a smaller hall. A further succession of chambers, some at 250ft below the entrance, is reached through narrow holes. The Cathedral Cave is open to visitors and is used as an auditorium for concerts and theatre. The cave was prepared as a hospital in WWII, but never used.

A further series of chambers ending in a mini lake is called Lower St. Michael’s Cave and can be visited with a guide.

The Monkeys’ Den: There are around 160 monkeys in the Park and around 30 can be seen at the Monkey’s Den. Often called apes, they are tail-less Barbary macaques and Europe’s only free living monkeys. £500 fine for feeding the monkeys - don’t do it!

The Great Siege Tunnels: Tunnelling in the Rock began during the Great Siege (1779-1783) when France and Spain made an attempt to recapture the Rock while Britain was busy with the American War of Independence. Governor General Elliot offered a reward to anyone who could tell him how to mount a gun on the north face of the Rock. Sgt. Major Ince suggested tunnelling and there are over 30 miles of tunnels inside the Rock with various exhibitions inside.

The Military Heritage Centre: Housed in one of the Rock’s many historic batteries, the Military Heritage Centre displays information on the development of Gibraltar’s military defences through the ages.

A City Under Siege Exhibition: Exhibits depicting the lives of civilian population during the many sieges, are housed in one of the earliest British building on the Rock. Original graffiti, drawn by duty soldiers to stop themselves falling asleep, is still visible, the earliest dating back to 1726.

The Moorish Castle: actually just part of a Moorish town and castle which was built up during the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, spearheaded from Gibraltar in 711AD by Tarik-ibnZeyad (“Gibraltar” is a corruption of the Arabic words “Jebel Tarik” - Tarik’s mountain). The part we see today, The Tower of Homage, dates back to 1333AD, when Abu’l Hassan recaptured the Rock from Spain.

Natural History & Heritage Park Walks: Med Steps is a stunning walk with the steep climb at the end rewarded with spectacular views of the Rock and Spain. Another recommended walk is St Michael’s Cave through to Charles V Wall but walkers should be relatively fit for both. It

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is also pleasant walking along the upper rock roads. Brochures available free from all Tourist Board offices.

Botanical Gardens: Opened in 1816, the Alameda Botanical Gardens fell into disrepair but are being restored to their former glory. Visitors can enjoy a stroll beneath pines, dragon trees and palms, and see many of Gibraltar’s native plants as well as exotic species. The shop sells environmentally friendly gifts, plants and seeds. Tel: 200 72639/200 74022. Parking.

Nelson’s Anchorage: Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free with Nature Reserve ticket. Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought at this attraction).

Parson’s Lodge: Rosia Road. Narrow limestone outcrop with a labyrinth of tunnels surmounted by an impressive battery, which has witnessed the development of coast artillery over 300 years.

Housed three 18 ton 10-inch rifled muzzle loaders positioned behind a unique sandwich of armour plate/teak, known as ‘Gibraltar Shields’.

Flat Bastion Magazine Flat Bastion Road, Geological Research Station and Lithology of Gibraltar. To visit contact: F. Gomez Tel. 200 44460, P. Hodkinson Tel. 200 43910.

Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road. 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 11am-7pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.

Closed 1pm - 2pm.

Trafalgar Cemetery: Trafalgar Rd, 9am - 7pm daily (free).

Business Information Financial Serv. Commission Tel: 200 40283/4 Chamber of Commerce Tel: 200 78376 Federation Small Business Tel: 200 47722 Company Registry �������������������� Tel: 200 78193 Useful Numbers Airport (general info.) ���������������� Tel: 200 73026 Hospital, St Bernards ���������������� Tel: 200 79700 Weather information ������������������������ Tel: 5-3416 Frontier Queue Update Tel: 200 42777 Gibraltar Museum Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane open 10am-6pm (Sat. 10am-2pm).

Closed on Sunday. Admission: Adults £2/Children under 12 years £1. Exhibitions also at Casemates gallery.

Registry Office Tel: 200 72289 It is possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon.

Rock Tours by Taxi Tel: 200 70052 As well as

History Alive Every Saturday morning the Rock’s past is brought alive by a troop of soldiers in 18th century period uniform. The soldiers march from Bomb House Lane at 12 noon to Casemates. At Casemates they carry out a “Ceremony of the Keys” and then march back up Main Street to the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned.

offering normal fares, taxis provide Rock Tours taking in the Upper Rock, Europa Point and other sites of interest. It is the best way to see the Rock’s major features in a short time.

John Mackintosh Hall Tel: 200 75669 Includes cafeteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library.

308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends.

Bicycle Racks Bicycle parking is provided at the following locations: Europort Road, Casemates Tunnel, Land Port Ditch, Fish Market Road, Commonwealth Car Park, Reclamation Road (by English Steps) + Line Wall Road.

Gibibikes is a scheme for public use of bikes taken from stations around the Rock. Visit www.gibibikes.gi for info.

Public Holidays 2014 Gibraltar & United Kingdom New Year’s Day Wed 1 January Mon 10 March Commonwealth Day* Good Friday Fri 18 April Mon 21 April Easter Monday Worker’s Memorial Day Mon 28 April Thurs 1 May May Day Spring Bank Holiday Mon 26 May Queen’s Birthday Mon 16 June Mon 25 August Late Summer Bank Holiday Gibraltar National Day* Wed 10 September Thurs 25 December Christmas Day Boxing Day Fri 26 December *Gibraltar only

Gibraltar Postcode - GX11 1AA

Emergency Services

Emergency calls only: Fire/Ambulance ���������������������������������� Tel: 190 Police ������������������������������������������� Tel: 199/112 Emergency Number Tel: 112 Non-urgent calls: Ambulance Station Tel: 200 75728 Police........................................ Tel: 200 72500 os Emergency N : .............Tel: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598

GibiBikes Locations • Frontier • Victoria Stadium • Waterport Road (Watergardens) • Waterport Road (Waterport Terraces) • Eurotowers • Reclamation Road (Leisure Centre) • Commonwealth Parade Car Park • Rosia Road (Jumpers building) • Rosia Road (Bayview Terraces) • Grand Parade Car Park (Cable Car) • Southport Gates (Ince’s Hall) • Line Wall Road (City Hall) • Line Wall Road (Orange Bastion) • Market Place • Eastern Beach Road (coming soon) • Catalan Bay (viewing platform) • St Joseph’s School • Europa Point • Rosia Parade Visit www.gibibikes.gi to find out more about how you can benefit from GibiBikes

The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar. Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748

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atural History & Heritage Park admission 9.30am to 7pm by tickets (includes entrance to sites - St. Michael’s Cave, Monkey’s Den, Great Siege Tunnels, Military Heritage Centre, ‘A City Under Siege’ Exhibition and Moorish Castle). Facilities closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Adults £10, children 5-12 years: £5, children age under 4 free, vehicles £2.

Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times, tours available by taxi/mini bus. Also reached by cable car (leaves Grand Parade 9.30am-5.15pm Mon-Sun. Last cable down: 5.45pm). 50p per person to walk with no entrance tickets.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2014

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The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar. Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748

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