The Gibraltar Magazine - January 2014

19 # 03 January 2014

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

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January 2014 Vol. 19 # 03 FREE

Team 54’s Communicator Sephardic Samaray

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19 # 03 January 2014

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

the gibraltar magazine

raltar

gibraltar the

January 2014 Vol. 19 # 03 FREE

contents Business & Finance 8 Business & Finance Guide 9 Goodbye 2013 & a financial

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Team 54’s Communicator Sephardic Samaray

Monkeying Around with Colour So Long & Thanks for All the Fish

Moving with the Times

19 # 03 January 2014 Cover: The first rain of the season Photo: Volrab Vaclav

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

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column hello to 2014 Argus Invests in Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce Dinner Piecing Together the Finance Puzzle 2014 So Long and Thanks for All The Fish Los Cazafantasmas De Hacienda Building Business Tourism: The Caleta Moving with the Times Tradewise - a Festival of Strategy

19 # 03

Arts & Leisure 40 Team Gibraltar: Dancing to

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the Podium Lianne is Monkeying Around with Colour Fatosh, the Sephardic Samaray The Escape Artist: MG Sanchez’s Novel Experience Fabulous Cavalcade What’s Your New Year’s Resolution?

Health & Well-being 43 Going Smoke Free 44 Health Directory 45 Getting that Rosy Glow 46 Keeping Motivated in 2014

Publisher/Editor: Andrea Morton Forde

Appetite 71 Emilio Moro at the

Past Revisited 54 The Singer, an Anthem &

Copyright © 2014 Guide Line Promotions Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of The Gibraltar Magazine.

76 78 80 84

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

Waterfront Lounge Gastro Bar Official Smoothie Season Food & Drink Directory A Cheap New Year?

Regulars 68 Puzzle Page 72 Image of the Month 86 Around Town

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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a BBC Scandal Gibraltar Connections: 1st Black World Champion The Changing Face of Governor’s Parade

Information 60 City Centre Map 88 Clubs & Activities 90 Gibraltar Information

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feature 56

Daniel Guerrero: Team 54’s Communicator

home file 30 32

33 34 36 38

Let It Rain, Let It Rain, Let It Rain What is Sustainable Construction & why is it Important?

Destress Your Home with Plants Top Six Predictions for 2014 Property Directory Ask The Architect

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

finance

Goodbye 2013 & a warm Finance Column hello to

business

words | Ian Le Breton

2014

So here we are at the turn of another year and I find myself thinking: “So that was 2013?

Where did it go?” I generally use my January column to air a few theories about the state of the financial world. This year is no different and yet it seems to have been a much greater challenge that usual. Read on.

What then is the problem? To misquote Bill Clinton’s 1992 catchphrase: “it’s the recovery stupid.” There is no doubt that I could write optimistically about the green shoots — and in certain areas, more than mere shoots — of recovery that are there to see if we look hard enough for them. But would this be fair? How real is this recovery and is everyone actually feeling the benefit? I’m not so sure.

Let’s start with the negatives — that way I can end this piece on a high. Focusing on Gibraltar for a moment, and from a financial perspective, I don’t suppose that many locals will remember 2013 with any great affection.

It is fair to say that our economy continues to grow at an annual rate that would have most EU finance ministers salivating. Unemployment continues to be manageable and many

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

local firms, including the one for which I toil, blow away. are attracting more business to Gibraltar and For example, the significant downsizing of growing their staff numbers as a result. But one of the major banks in Gibraltar has had a there are still some dark clouds that refuse to considerable impact. The most immediate concern of course is for the prospects of the dozens of staff affected and we can only hope that It is fair to say that our all will find alternative employment quickly.

The broader picture is that any reduction in economy continues to grow Gibraltar’s already relatively narrow range of at an annual rate that would banking options may be viewed negatively by who are considering the jurisdiction. In have most EU finance ministers those such a competitive field, this may add to the challenges we face but face them we must if salivating. Unemployment are to survive and prosper. continues to be manageable wePolitics is an area in which this column is not and local firms are attracting supposed to stray, so I tread carefully when I mention the difficulties that many of us will more business to Gibraltar have experienced at the border with Spain in

business

finance

recent months. I hope most sincerely that 2014 will see a reduction in the delays because the economic impact is clearly visible for all to see.

And I don’t subscribe to the theory that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Gibraltar’s recent appearances in international news bulletins may create the wrong perception and, when it comes to location, perception can often be the critical factor in decisions taken at both a commercial and personal level.

Add to these issues other threats such as the changes to UK gaming legislation and the notion — however ill informed — that offshore companies, trusts and other structures cannot be used for compliant, legitimate business reasons. Finance centres around the world are coming under sustained pressure from the OECD, the G20, the USA and the EU itself, it is easy to see why those of us engaged in promoting Gibraltar abroad have our work cut out. Gibraltar is working hard to ensure that it passes the OECD Global Forum’s Phase II review and that it maintains its “cooperative” status in respect of all these international initiatives. It is a considerable challenge but one that the authorities and those of working in the finance centre must rise to because preserving international compliance will be of benefit to all of us who live here.

Away from Gibraltar, economic concerns in several EU states refuse to go away. The situation in Spain is, of course, of particular concern to us. At the end of 2013, Spain joined France in trumpeting the fact that it is officially out of recession, reporting its first quarterly economic growth since 2011. The country’s GDP grew 0.1% in the July-to-September period, after contracting for the previous nine quarters.

Welcome though this may be, as my regular readers will recall GDP is not the end of the story; real problems such as chronically high unemployment and a devastated property market continue to weigh heavily on prospects for the future.

None of us will forget the plight of Cyprus, one of the smaller EU nations, in the past year.

The island’s financial crisis, which resulted from its banks’ exposure to Greece, saw the imposition of financial controls amid fears of a run on the banks. In order to raise enough funds to meet strict conditions imposed by the EU for a 10 billion euro bailout the Cyprus government was forced to close the country’s second largest bank and convert large proportions of client deposits into illiquid bonds that may take years to recover. My colleagues in our Cyprus office report that there is now optimism that Cyprus has steadied the ship but it has not

been a good year, to say the least.

Even the BRIC countries — Brazil, Russia, India and China — about which I am so fond of writing have all had their fair share of problems. In particular, it will be interesting to see how Brazil fares when she hosts the monthlong World Cup in June this year. The Olympics are also just around the corner in 2016. Both events should provide an enormous financial boost to the country but they will also place immense strains on infrastructure and will subject Brazil to intense international scrutiny.

Let’s hope it passes the test.

So why is writing this end-of-year piece more challenging than in any of the last five years since the economic crisis began? Put simply, it’s the recovery – or more importantly the extent of it. Gibraltar relies to a large extent for its economic success on the state of the British economy so I will focus on the situation in the UK to illustrate my point. The UK has turned the corner economically in recent months.

True, there is still a very, very long way to go — overall national debt remains at historic highs, and even the annual deficit (akin to the country’s overdraft) is still stubbornly refusing to play ball and come down. But there are also very good reasons to be optimistic.

The most positive news is that British economy is growing again. Not only has it posted several months of positive numbers but the forecasts from independent bodies show the UK expanding by between 2% and 3% in 2014.

It may not seem a lot but the figures involved are huge and a positive growth rate has wide implications. It means that more employment and increased consumer spending is likely, and higher company profits will lead to more investment, higher tax receipts and so on. But it is all too easy to get carried away and we should not forget that it was getting carried

The most positive news is that British economy is growing again. Not only has it posted several months of positive numbers but the forecasts from independent bodies show the UK expanding by between 2% and 3% in 2014

away that got us all into this financial mess in the first place. But after five years of economic downturn, recession, crisis — call it what you will — even a limited recovery is something to be welcomed.

Elsewhere too there are signs of life in what had become moribund economies in recent years. In the US, for example, stock markets have been at or close to all-time highs in recent months. The national debt there will remain the most important issue for the latter years of the Obama administration — as the recent government shut down amply demonstrated — but again, things are looking up.

Even in the European Union, for so long the “sick man” of the global economy, there are some hopeful signs. The mighty German economy continues to flatter the picture of the weaker “Club Med” group but at least the euro has not imploded. And Ireland is able to consider recovery after exiting its bailout.

The Gibraltar Magazine is of course designed to show our country at its best. I cannot end without commenting on UEFA. Not only did Gibraltar succeed in becoming the 54th member in 2013 but followed that with an historic 0-0 draw in its first international match against Slovakia. Why mention it in a finance column?

Because it attracts positive publicity to our little corner of the Mediterranean and that can only be a good thing for business. So roll on the next match.

So whilst the financial situation may not be too rosy for many people this New Year, there remain good reasons to be optimistic in Gibraltar from an economic perspective. Let’s all strive harder in 2014 to ensure those prospects turn into real, profitable business opportunities — for the benefit of all of us who live and work in this wonderful place.

On behalf of all my colleagues at Sovereign, I wish you all a most prosperous, financially positive and most importantly a healthy and happy 2014. n

Ian Le Breton

The team at The Gibraltar Magazine wishes everyone a very

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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technology

Licensing of 4G Mobile Services & Liberalisation of Mobile Bands The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority’s (GRA) has issued a public consultation on proposals to licence the provision of 4G mobile communications services in Gibraltar.

The introduction of 4G mobile is particularly suited to the provision of better mobile data services, faster speeds and improved quality of service, which means that, potentially, broadband delivered over mobile networks could be as good as or, in some circumstances, even better than broadband delivered over the fixed network.

The focus of this consultation is on the process for licensing 4G services in Gibraltar and, in this context, to set out the GRA‘s plans for the spectrum bands which should be granted access for the provision of 4G services. In this regard, the GRA has considered current spectrum assignments, and has considered what spectrum is available, and how this may best be offered to mobile operators.

In the proposal, contained in the consultation, the GRA has built into the award process a methodology that takes account of the possibility of interest from new operators as well as current mobile operators. The GRA proposes to define a set of service and performance criteria, which all applicants will be expected to meet.

Should there be more than three valid applications from suitably qualified bidders, the GRA, after examining the market sustainability of more than three operators, could propose to invite sealed bids setting out detailed business plans and implementation schedules with an aim to award spectrum to the best proposals.

The public consultation is available on the GRA’s website www.gra.gi. n

gibraltar the

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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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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

finance

Boost for Gibraltar’s Hedge Fund Industry The strength of Gibraltar’s burgeoning hedge fund industry has attracted two new specialists to the Rock: Felicity Cole has joined the Funds Team at Hassans and Helen Gammons has relocated from Lloyds Bank Private Clients in Geneva to join the team in Gibraltar.

Both women are members of 100 Women in Hedge Funds, a global organisation for women in the hedge funds industry which offers a global programme of education events, professional leverage initiatives and philanthropy. Felicity is a former member of the Education Committee in London, where the organisation’s three patrons are the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Felicity Cole has over 20 years experience as a funds lawyer and has worked with top-

tier firms both in London (Linklaters and Hogan Lovells) and offshore (Conyers Dill & Pearman). At Conyers she ran the Cayman Islands practice and was heavily involved with the island’s hedge funds industry. Felicity’s appointment increases the size of Hassan’s funds team to 15 members, including two London-based consultants, and underscores Hassans’ strength in the hedge fund arena.

Helen Gammons has been with the Lloyds Banking Group for the past 4 years working

as a Relationship Manager within the International Private Client team. Helen primarily works with Anglophones based worldwide, concentrating on the UK and Caribbean market. She was also on the committee of the British Swiss Chamber of Commerce for the past three years helping to facilitate businesses entering the British-Swiss market place as well as being awarded Citywealth’s “Emerging Wealth Manager of the Year” in 2011. n

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business events

She said Argus’s commitment to Gibraltar was plain to see, with this recent injection of investment in the local premises.

In the presence of the Minister for Housing, Traffic and Technical Services, the Hon. Paul Balban, the Mayor and other Group Executives from Bermuda, namely CEO Alison Hill and Chief Financial Officer, David Pugh; Ms. Nicoll praised the General Manager, Tyrone Montovio, and his team for their commitment to Argus operations here in Gibraltar.

Staff and invited guests enSpeaking at the inauguration joyed drinks and canapés as they of the newly refurbished offices mingled and viewed the newly at Regal House, Ms. Nicoll said refurbished offices. n there were many similarities between Gibraltar and Bermuda, namely a rich heritage and Brit- Photo left: Argus Group Chairman, Sheila ish history, but another important Nicoll and General Manager Gibraltar, likeness was the commitment to Tyrone Montovio at the reception to good regulation and well-run inaugurate the new Argus & WestMed offices in Regal House. institutions.

Argus Invests in Gibraltar The Chairman of the Argus Group in Bermuda, Sheila Nicoll, last month emphasised the Group’s commitment to its presence in Gibraltar, which has been marked with a further investment in its premises on the Rock.

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

training

First Aid First Hand Getting trained in first aid could be one of the most important things you do in 2014 — join one of St John Ambulance Gibraltar courses and you might put yourself in a position to save a life this year.

First aid at work This course provides the comprehensive set of practical skills needed to become a confident first aider at work, or at home giving you both the ability and knowledge to deal with first aid emergencies.

expert trainer/assessor while the course is progressing. Assessment is through observation along with some written exercises.

Candidates receive a certificate on completion continuous assessment by the trainer.

All the 2014 courses will be carried out at the new St John’s Headquarters at 47 North Mole Road, Who should attend?

This course is designed for fitted with all the latest training people who want to receive St aids. St. John Ambulance GibralJohn Ambulance Gibraltar’s most tar is a CIEH Training Centre. thorough first aid training.

What you will learn The content of the course will cover how to deal with the following: · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Bleeding (minor and severe) Burns Casualty movement Choking (adult) CPR (adult) Fainting Primary survey Seizures (adult) Shock Unconscious casualty Allergic reaction Asthma Bone, muscle and joint injuries Chest pains (including heart attack) Eye injuries Head injuries Low blood sugar Poisons Spinal injuries Sprains and strains Stroke

Course duration - three days.

First Aid Courses 2014 EFAW (£65) 13th January 2014 4th February 2014 4th March 2014 25th March 2014 15th April 2014 FAW (£150) 14-16th January 2014 28th-30th January 2014 11-13th February 2014 25-27th February 2014 18-20th March 2014 1-3rd April 2014 28-30th April 2014 RFAW (£95) 21-22nd January 2014 5-6th February 2014 18-19th February 2014 12-13th March 2014 8-9th April 2014

EFAW Emergency First Aid at Work FAW First Aid at Work (Qualified First Aider) RFAW Requalification after FAW expires (3 years)

Assessment & Certification People attending St John Ambu- www.stjohn.gi lance workplace First Aid courses Email: training@stjohn.gi are trained and assessed by one Tel: 20077390

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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events

Chamber of Commerce Dinner The Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce held its annual dinner at the Khaima, Rock Hotel in December. This pre-Christmas get-together attracted Ministers, and members of the business community for a relaxed three course meal in the Rock Hotel’s tented event venue. The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, gave his mid-term address to the diners. Founded in 1882 the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce can be found online at www. gibraltarchamberofcommerce.com.

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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finance

words | Paul Wharton

Piecing the Finance Puzzle 2014 Here we are again — another year — and so what will 2014 bring us? Let me start of by talking about a couple of things that we know will happen. This month, Latvia will adopt the Euro currency and will become the 18th Eurozone country, next month the winter Olympics will be held in Russia, in June the Word Cup will be hosted by Brazil, September will see Gibraltar staging another Music Festival that promises to be even bigger and better than previous years and at the end of the year, the US and UK will officially withdraw their troops from Afghanistan.

So, what will happen in the financial marThe short answer is, it’s a tool that is used kets in 2014? William Hobbs, Equity Strategist by the central banks, such as the Bank of Engat Barclays Wealth and Investment Manage- land and the Federal Reserve to stimulate the ment says to expect the timing and pace of the economy. When I say it’s a tool let me stick my tapering of Quantitative Easing (QE) in the US to remain a key driver of sentiment as we go into 2014. It is inevitable that the debate over the role of QE in the recovery will intensify over the year and continue on for some time.

However, if a withdrawal does begin in 2014, as we expect, what are the implications for markets? Before I let William answer that question, I thought it would be good to explain just what QE is all about — not a week goes by in which the advantages and disadvantages of QE are debated.

It is inevitable that the debate over the role of QE in the recovery will intensify over the year and continue on for some time

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neck out and say it’s an unconventional tool as normally when an economy starts to slip into a recession, the central banks would reduce short term interest rates which would simply mean that you and I can borrow at cheaper rates; mortgages are cheaper, which results in us having more money in our pockets; in turn we spend more, and that money finds its way into the economy and bingo.... that recession is avoided. The problem we had this time around was that rates were being cut and were already close to zero and the economies were still struggling so the central banks were unable to use the usual tool of reducing rates... therefore, they turned to QE. The way the central banks do this is by buying assets, usually government

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

update Paul Wharton is Head of Corporate Banking at Barclays Wealth & Investment Management in Gibraltar having arrived on the Rock from the UK six 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.

bonds from private sector companies, banks and pension funds; this creates new money which should filter into the system.

So back to what may happen when a withdrawal of QE does start. It is William Hobbs’ view, that the direct economic impact of stimulus has probably been smaller than many commentators seem to suspect. In essence, one can drop as much money into the banking system as one likes, but if that money doesn’t get into wider circulation, it won’t have much direct effect.

Consumers and corporates must have the confidence to borrow and spend for QE to make any difference to underlying activity over and above its impact on the cost of servicing existing loans. Confidence has been fragile but is unevenly improving in both corporate and consumer sectors and this is surely why a good deal of the QE programme has lacked strength and we are yet to see this resulting in an increase in inflation.

Even so, there are enough market partici-

pants that disagree with us — believing QE has been far more instrumental than we are arguing here — so it is to be expected that equities, as well as bonds, will register some jitters when the Federal Reserve does decide to stand back a little.

So what does this all mean for Gibraltar?

To-date we have found ourselves sheltered from the economic issues that we have seen around the world, clocking up a year on year impressive growth in GDP and surplus and I see no reason why that won’t continue. The fact that the major economies are growing, and in an increasingly synchronised fashion, the Barclays view is that developed world GDP seems likely to accelerate noticeably in 2014, from 1.0% to 1.9%. The emerging bloc will of

course continue to grow, though its lead over the developed world may narrow slightly, and growth globally seems likely to increase from 2.9% to 3.4%. The US, China, the Eurozone, the UK and Japanseem set to grow together for the first time since 2010, this has got to be good for inward investment opportunities for Gibraltar.

So bottom line, there are some positive signs for 2014 and I certainly hope it is another good year for you all.

Happy New Year and all the best for the year ahead! n Paul Wharton is writing in his own capacity and none of the above is intended to express the views or opinions of Barclays Bank PLC.

Sir James Arrives Pictured above: Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton KCB, CBE

arrived on the Rock in December to take up his post as Governor of Gibraltar. Photo: Derek Booth

Hour Style opens on Main Street Pictured right are Caroline, Priyana, Sapna and Eva of the newly opened Hour Style, at 105 Main Street, with some of the fabulous handbags in store.

Hour Style includes a Tous shop in shop plus great brands in watches including Boss, Mi Moneda, Lacoste, Festina, Lotus, Bohemm, Armani Exchange and Casio. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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finance

key roles

“So long & thanks for all the fish” words | Marcus Killick, CEO, Gibraltar Financial Services Commission

Everyone should, at some point in their life, have a mentor. Mine was my CEO at the Isle of Man Financial Supervision Commission, Jim Noakes. Jim, ex Bank of England and Bahrain Monetary Agency, recruited me from National & Provincial Building Society in 1993, where upon I moved from the “sunny delights” of central Bradford to Douglas, swapping kormas for kippers.

Jim was an old school regulator, focusing on experience and instinct rather than relying on tick and bash checks on compliance with specific rules. Indeed he was probably one of the first “principles” based supervisors. However, Jim was not my mentor because of this but rather the integrity he brought to the role.

Indeed integrity was a feature sadly lacking at that time (though not now) in the finance sector he was tasked with supervising. He arrived at a time of the collapse of Savings and Investments Bank there and where Atholl Street, the heart of the finance district, was described as the only street where sunglasses were never necessary as it was permanently shady on both sides.

Jim was part of the early catalysts for change.

Those who laid the groundwork for the evolution of many smaller international centres into

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today’s constructive, positive and important parts of the global economy. Our critics may be stuck in the past but we are not.

Yet that evolution has come at a price for some. Those unwilling or incapable of change

20 years ago, if you had suggested tax information exchange agreements, removing harmful tax structures or effective KYC, the lynch mob would have been marching down Atholl Street

have found their businesses decline and their markets contract. As have those who boasted of their ability to hide assets and facilitate the movement of undeclared tax money through myriads of structures to frustrate revenue authorities. 20 years ago, if you had suggested tax information exchange agreements, removing harmful tax structures or effective “Know your Customer”, the lynch mob would have been marching down Atholl Street. You would have been accused of wanting to destroy the industry. Today they are accepted as normal and the industry still grows.

Yet evolution is continuing and we face new challenges. Esoteric new creatures such as Bitcoin (which I loathe and personally fear could be the world’s largest Ponzi scheme) represent exciting investment opportunities in the minds

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

of some. Low returns on deposits encourage people to invest in highly speculative and risky assets in the hunt for growth. Many advisers ably assist such people, however some are less able, more focused upon the commission generated than the service provided. Increased freedom for people to invest the assets they have set aside for retirement has led to hideous concentrations of risk which may lead to old age poverty not security.

I have long advocated that, as in the UK, financial advisers in Gibraltar should be required to be properly qualified to do the job they do.

We even managed to get legislation on it, the Financial Services (Training and Competence) Act 2006. Yet, more than seven and a half years later, the Act is still not in force. You expect your doctor, architect and accountant to be suitably trained, why not the person in whose hands you entrust your future economic wellbeing?

There is another risk of the current economic climate, and those who think Europe is out of its problems, just walk across the border (or rather queue, queue some more and then walk across the border) and look. The risk is that some businesses will be less selective in their choice of business partners. It is sometimes forgotten that we are all custodians of Gibraltar’s reputation. Some seem to use the Commission as the only filter separating good from bad potential business. It is not, we all are. Some firms seem to see their profitability in isolation from the general welfare of the jurisdiction. We are a small centre, we are paddling the same canoe. Those who insist on sitting with their

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

arms folded or trying to use their oar to go in a different direction may find they have a sudden, intimate knowledge, of the depth and temperature of the surrounding water.

Yet there is much we have to look forward to, if we work together for quality business. New and growing sectors, such as Electronic money and Alternative Investment Funds are but two.

The possibility of new investment mechanisms, such as crowd funding and peer to peer lending have barely been tapped. The challenges thrust upon us by the recent decision by Barclays Bank may give rise to new opportunities for the customers it will no longer service. Such changes may be painful but if we use them to develop, rather than bemoan their happening, we can easily overcome such temporary setbacks. But we have to be imaginative and swift. And we have to work together.

I am now exactly six weeks from my depar-

It is sometimes forgotten that we are all custodians of Gibraltar’s reputation. Some seem to use the Commission as the only filter separating good from bad potential business.

It is not, we all are.

ture as Chief Executive [14th February 2014]. I will miss the role but am grateful for the years I have been granted to head the Commission.

I genuinely believe that, even given our small size and large number of tasks, we are one of the best regulators. I have every intention of remaining in Gibraltar. It is my home and its fate is my fate. To date that fact has not given me a single sleepless night. n

Marcus Killick departs as Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission in mid-February 2014

21

tax matters

If you are considering taking advantage of the bargain property prices available in Spain for a holiday home or to base yourself while working in Gibraltar, take careful note of your tax position before diving in

Los Cazafantasmas De Hacienda words | Chris & Angela White, Hassans International Law Firm Ghostbusters In the UK the Revenue investigators who identify those citizens who should be on the HMRC books but are not (aka “Tax Ghosts”), have been known for some time as Ghostbusters. Now in Spain the Departamento de Hacienda has launched its own team of Ghostbusters.

It was always going to happen; it just took a long time in the coming.

The Hacienda has woken from its slumbers and realised that there is a massive potential for tax gathering from the ranks of the ex-pats up the coast who have always forgotten to declare their presence and the Gibraltar workers who live in Spain and have suffered from similar memory failings.

The last six to 12 months have seen a flurry of investigations up

22

the coast carried out by a Hacienda unit controlled in Cadiz and reporting to Madrid. The unit has also sent numerous information requests to the Gibraltar Tax Authorities under the EU Mutual Assistance Directive.

The information requests indicate that there are a lot more tax investigations to come.

What has taken those who are on the wrong end of these investigations by surprise is the information in the possession of the Hacienda

when they approach a target and the lengths to which they are prepared to go to identify potential targets. The Hacienda are clearly taking their jobs seriously and have given a lot of thought to how they can best approach it.

Information It is clear from several approaches made to company managers in Gibraltar by the Commissioner of Income Tax (“CIT”) that the Spanish authorities have been seeking

The tax haven presumption is open to attack as Gibraltar is fully compliant with the transparency required to take it out the bracket of “tax haven”. Even Spain asks for tax information from Gibraltar!

information exchange with the CIT. Many of the requests appear to lack a legal basis in that the approach is made under the European exchange of information legislation which specifically excludes fishing expeditions, i.e. seeking information to generate targets rather than obtaining information on those who are already under investigation. Requests for the details of the beneficial owner of a company are self evidently fishing expeditions (if the Hacienda knew who their target was, they would not need to ask the question!) but a number of company managers have been providing the information. (Other jurisdictions are not immune from making unenforceable requests; various company managers have recently received requests from UK Revenue offices which do not come through official

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

tax matters channels. Hopefully these will be ignored!)

Hacienda, Guardia Civil and Aduana have worked together in generating information from observation. In a recent operation in Sotogrande, one of the streets off the Paseo del Parque was closed at both ends by Hacienda and Guardia who then knocked on the doors of every villa in the road seeking details of the occupants. Individuals with Gibraltar registered cars have been stopped and questioned.

From those investigations which have taken place so far, it is apparent that Hacienda has obtained access to bank accounts and telephone company accounts for both land lines and mobiles. These are used not only to establish wealth but also to establish the location of individuals at a particular point in time. The information from those sources is also cross-checked with day counts and diaries provided by the investigatee to establish the truth of their story.

Who is at risk?

The glib answer to the question is “anyone with a property in Spain”. The default attitude of the Hacienda is that anyone who has a property in Spain is tax resident there unless they can prove otherwise.

The law can however interfere with the attitude of investigators.

Tax residence in Spain is determined in law by one of two factors: A day count. If an individual is present in Spain for 183 or more days in a tax year, s/he is tax resident for that year.

Centre of Vital Interests (“CVI”).

If an individual’s CVI is in Spain, he is tax resident there. The CVI may be defined as the centre of the individual’s business interests or his social interests. If an individual’s wife and children are resident in Spain, there has always been a presumption that Spain is his CVI. There is also the issue that if an individual claims to be resident in a tax haven, he has to prove that he has spent 183 days there or be branded as tax resident in Spain.

The current wave of investigation has put many of the previous notions and interpretations into confusion and left a considerable degree of uncertainty.

In the case of Gibraltar, the tax haven presumption is open to attack as Gibraltar is fully compliant with the transparency required to take it out the bracket of “tax haven”. As mentioned above, even Spain asks for tax information from Gibraltar!

In a recent operation in Sotogrande, one of the streets off the Paseo del Parque was closed at both ends by Hacienda and Guardia who then knocked on the doors of every villa in the road seeking details of the occupants A recent court precedent in Spain relating to an Andorran resident has destroyed the burden of proof required by a resident argument advanced previously by the Hacienda.

There appears to be an area of confusion which the Hacienda, as all good tax investigators will, tries to use to advantage. Anyone under investigation has the same opportunity. Doubt is doubt and is usually resolved by negotiation.

The Spanish legislation allows for relatively low prosecution hurdles but, in the end, the Spanish Government needs the money more than it needs people in gaol.

How to avoid the issue The easy answer is “do not buy property in Spain” but this may not satisfy many.

If the Hacienda knock, there will be questions to answer. The best strategy is to prepare for those questions.

Diaries are powerful material.

Hacienda will start on the basis that you need to show that you have been in Gibraltar for 183 days (or, if your other potential place of residence is not a tax haven, that you have not been in Spain for 183 days). Back them up with travel documents and the accoutrement of location. A bank withdrawal or phone call from outside Spain backs up a schedule of days.

When looking at your CVI, look at the clubs to which you belong, where your doctor/dentist/etc. are. How many residents of Spain are registered with Gibraltar doctors? The vice versa is, of course, a potential problem.

Schooling the children in Spain is generally regarded as a major problem.

What to do when the Hacienda knocks?

If you know that you are not tax resident in Spain, then you know you have to be prepared to fight

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

The Hacienda activity, combined with problems at the border, has significantly increased demand for Gibraltar properties

the Hacienda turning your holiday home into a problem.

If you are not sure, you have to make a life choice. If you want to live in Spain then you will need to be prepared to cough up some tax.

If you do not, you will still need to pay past dues but will want them minimised.

There is a lot of flexibility in how liabilities can be negotiated.

It is not all bad news; collection of back tax is usually limited to three years, but, one way or another, you will need professional advice to ease your path to where you want to be.

The ladies and gentlemen of Hacienda cannot be ignored or underestimated (an easy way to criminal charges). You will need help from Spanish professionals who are used to dealing with Hacienda.

The expenditure will be worth it for your peace of mind. n Chris White is an ex Inland Revenue investigator who is the head of the Taxes and Overseas Property Team at Hassans International Law Firm. Angela White, formerly a regular contributor to this magazine as Angela Smart, is a certified accountant and consultant at Hassans.

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23

HR issues

Business Building

Q

words | Sylvia Kenna, The HR Dept

Looking to the future and the uncertainties of running a business here in Gibraltar, like everywhere, how do I strengthen my business?

Here are five tips to start 2014 off right.

1 Focus on employee retention If you do

only one thing differently this year, it should be this. Companies waste money every year on attracting talent to their company. Instead the focus should be on, keeping their top people.

It costs a lot less to engage the minds and the hearts of your employees.

Successful CEOs have a never-ending commitment to employee satisfaction, not customer satisfaction. Without the first how

will you achieve the second? It is impossible to have high levels of customer satisfaction, without employee satisfaction.

Here is an example: At a café recently I ordered a coffee while I had 20 minutes to spare before a meeting. I noticed there was a staff change over, and after a short wait I reminded the new waiter of my order. His response was that he was very busy because they were short

staffed and, his colleague had not given my order to him before he went off shift. Is this a good quality service? Are you sure that your staff behave differently?

2 Pay for results If your HR person has con-

vinced you that it would be unfair to give a high performer a salary increase because they have only been with you for a few months, or they want you to wait until everyone is reviewed prior to rewarding a particular group of people for legal reasons, then maybe you should challenge your HR. Companies spend so much time covering themselves that they forget why they have some policies in place. Over the years it has become more and more apparent that most reward systems do not work. So be different, reward those who are doing a great job and let others see what is important.

3 Trust your people Every day I see examples

of companies that don’t trust their people to do the right thing. They have trained their people and then are unwilling to let them have responsibility for their own actions.

Here is an example: I recently bought a fan heater and when I got it home it did not work. I returned it to the shop and asked for a replacement fan. The sales person advised that the company policy required that it be sent for repair. Each week I received a call advising the fan would be back, and then after four weeks I was advised the part required was not in stock and it could take three months to source a new part. The result is that I am highly unlikely to use the shop in the future.

4

Lose the deadwood This means specifically the people in your company who are not adding value and should have been let go a long time ago.

Here’s an example of a business owner who was proudly sharing with us how low employee turnover was in his company. He then confessed that there happened to be one area where this was not so. He followed up by saying that he knew the problem was the manager and that eventually he had to do something about it.

Well make today the day that you deal with matters that are weighing down your company.

You don’t have to do this alone, we can provide advice and support on how to deal with difficult situations.

Every day 5 Go after the best; not the rest There is no reason why you can’t have a great team. In I see examples Gibraltar most of you know who the top perare in your sector. So start building a of companies that formers relationship with these people so that you can get them to consider switching to don’t trust their people eventually your team. Before you say this is unethical, to do the right thing. consider the following. If their employer has been doing a great job of employee engageThey have trained their ment then these people would not consider to you. Which brings us back to our people and then are talking first point. n unwilling to let them The HR Dept wishes you a prosperous 2014 and we look have responsibility for forward to working with you by supporting you to manage your people in a way that produces the best results. their own actions www.thehrdept.gi 24

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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

Franco Ostuni at the World Travel Awards

The Caleta: Moving with the Times

interview | Mike Brufal

This month Mike Brufal speaks to Franco Ostuni, executive director and general manager of the Caleta Hotel, about his role at the hotel, the changing face of tourism on the Rock and plans to build a 5-star bijou hotel and serviced apartments within the footprint of the existing hotel’s site.

Making of a Hotelier Franco Ostuni, 46, was born in Brindisi, Milan and moved as a child to Rome. At age 14, when faced with a choice of what to study for the next five years, Franco had no problem choosing as he had already decided his career would be in hotel management. He spent three years at the School of Tourism, followed by two years studying for a Master’s diploma in tourism at Brindisi Istituto Professionale Alberghiero di Stato.

During the long summer holiday, students were offered work experience in a variety of hotels in Europe. In 1988 he went to the Holiday Inn, Strasbourg which stands opposite the European Parliament; the next year it was the Holiday Inn, Paris and in 1990 the Holiday Inn, Bavaria. By the age of 19 he had first hand experience of every aspect of hotel work, from scouring the pots and pans to working in reception.

In 1991 Franco moved to the UK and joined Thistle Hotels where his first job was restaurant

26

manager at the hotel at Brand’s Hatch followed by the same position at the Bedford Arms, a 16th century coaching inn, at Woburn, where he was promoted to food and beverages manager with responsibility for bars, kitchen and room service — in effect everything that involved food and drink. During his two years at this inn he was promoted to deputy manager.

He was moved in 1996 as deputy general manager to the Royal Scots hotel in central

The Caleta Hotel has an 80% merit score which is the highest on the Rock. If London is used as a benchmark, of 200 hotels rated four star only 15% receive an 80% merit score

London. This was one of the largest Thistle Group hotels in London and is now the Islington Thistle. Two years later he was appointed general manager of this hotel.

The previous year he had married a girl from Brindisi, and his marriage had made him consider moving to a sunnier clime. In 1999 he read an advertisement in the Caterer and Hotel Keeper, the bible of the hotel industry, for a general manager at the Caleta Hotel and, although he knew next to nothing about Gibraltar or its tourism industry, Tim Turner, a close friend who had been general manager of the Eliott Hotel was so enthusiastic about life on the Rock, that he had no hesitation in applying. A three day visit and a meeting with chairman Brian Callaghan resulted in him accepting the job and taking command in July that year.

The Caleta Hotel — moving ahead On arrival Franco decided a change was needed and, while not forgetting the past, it was time to move ahead and prepare for the

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

tourism coming decades. One idea to illustrate this change was to drop the word ‘Palace’ from the name and become simply The Caleta Hotel. In 2003 he was elected to the board of G&JB Hotels Ltd, the company which owns the hotel.

The grading system on the Rock is the same as the UK, using the AA grading system. Not all local hotels participate in this scheme although all the four star hotels do. In addition to the grading there is also a merit score. The Caleta Hotel has an 80% merit score which is the highest on the Rock. If London is used as a benchmark, of 200 hotels rated four star only 15% receive an 80% merit score. Every year since 2009 the Caleta Hotel has been awarded the accolade of being Gibraltar’s leading hotel; an award made by the industry, not the public.

The 125-room Caleta Hotel is also the largest on the Rock, and includes 11 self-catering apartments on the top floor. Banqueting facilities are also the largest in Gibraltar and can cater for up to 400. There is a fully contained conference centre which is equipped with state-of-the-art audio visual equipment and seats from 10 to 200. Guests in pursuit of maintaining fitness will enjoy the dedicated health and beauty club.

In fact, £7 million has been invested in the hotel over the past 12 years and it is well regarded within the industry, however Franco does not intend to rest on his laurels as “the hotel has to either go forward or go backwards — it cannot remain as it is.”

Up until recently Gibraltar had no need of a five star hotel but it became obvious two years

ago that a need now existed, although the market is small and limited as the clients would come mainly from the finance and corporate business sector.

Franco explains that it is not easy or practical to change an existing hotel from a four star to a five star hotel and it was never the intention to make such a move. To achieve a five stars rating a hotel has to have a complete refurbishment, with high quality fixtures and fittings, a minimum size for all bedrooms, en suite bathrooms of high quality — in effect, a total transformation. There is also a huge difference in the standard of service provided, with staff needing to learn new skills and a higher ratio of staff to guests.

The Board therefore made the decision to keep the four star hotel as it is, but build a bijou five star hotel on the North side overlooking Catalan Bay. This will have 41 suites, a 70 car indoor car park and an infinity heated swimming pool, at a cost of some £15 million, including

On the South side, there are plans to build luxury residential apartments, 15 of which will be retained by the Caleta Hotel as serviced apartments and the others sold

complete refurbishment of the existing Caleta Hotel exterior, which will be self-financed and is expected to open in early 2017.

In addition, on the South side, there are plans to build luxury residential apartments, 15 of which will be retained by the Caleta Hotel as serviced apartments and the others sold.

These two exciting new projects will be kept within the footprint of the existing Caleta Hotel site.

Tourism in Gibraltar For decades, in Franco’s opinion, the industry has been denied proper recognition as an important pillar of Gibraltar’s economy. He believes the governments of the past 20 years have not invested sufficiently in the product, resulting in a lack of vision which has created a situation whereby the last decade has seen a dramatic rise in the corporate market share and a decrease in the leisure market. The latter remaining the natural market for Gibraltar. Today 70% of hotel occupancy is corporate and 30% leisure. This also means the corporate market is becoming more sophisticated while the leisure trade is has become more down market.

Today all the hotels are looking after these completely different customers under the same roof and with the same staff. As the Caleta Hotel enjoys more space and facilities it was able to manage these two different markets and could segregate the customers. But recent difficulties led to the board’s decision to alter the hotel’s profile and reposition it as a multiple accommodation centre offering the existing

The new look Caleta Hotel

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

27

tourism

The new facade and wing proposed for the Caleta Hotel

four star hotel, a five star boutique hotel and the service apartments.

In Gibraltar (and not only on the Rock) access and airlines are paramount for the hotel and tourism industry in general as the amount of tourists staying in hotels is limited by the numbers of flights. The hotels are totally dependent on airlines which are their blood line. Today, Gibraltar airlines report a 90% load factor which means without more flights there can be no growth as, when flights are full, potential visitors will simply fly elsewhere.

In the low season months the beds cannot be filled so there is no need for the bedroom stock to be increased.

The GSLP came to power with a manifesto where proper recognition was given to tourism, he says. In two years there has been considerable activity with tourist generating events such as the jazz, music festival and literary festivals. Investments have also been made in the product, but there still remains considerable under investment in the Upper Rock.

Franco muses about the huge investments in the airport terminal, the hospital and the failed Theatre Royal project and ponders that if Gibraltar could afford to pay for developments of such magnitude and costs then perhaps the Gibraltar Government could also have afforded the cost of investing equally significant amounts of capital into the tourism product.

At a time when European cities were struggling to keep theatres open, the Gibraltar Government was trying to open one. Neil Costa, the Minister of Tourism, is exploring new ideas and is a needed breath of fresh air, he adds.

Franco then turned his attention to the political situation with our northerly neighbour.

“It is obvious to me that the economy is vulnerable to many factors outside our control.

28

The only pillar that we have always had and will have in the future is tourism. If the Government is looking at ways to replenish revenue, income and wealth I think that tourism is where investment should be made. Consider where we are situated geographically, consider the culture and heritage, consider that we are almost surrounded by water.”

The Caleta Hotel is a member of the UKGTA and Franco is a member of the Tourism Advisory Board and both forums are there to support and advise Government by coming up with strategies. But if there is no budget to spend on these ideas and suggestions then they will come to naught.

The annual Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, as an example, takes place at the Caleta Hotel, this year from 27th January until 6th February. The first tournament took place in 2002 and it has grown exponentially each year.

Franco has been a key player in the development and success of the festival which brings a host of visitors from worldwide to the Rock.

going to generate growth to the destination and if, as the result of the marketing and decisions by the Gibraltar Government, growth is generated then the target will be accomplished.

If the figures for the hotels for last 13 years are examined then there has been no increase in room occupancy and the local hotel industry’s unsold rooms have been 40%.

Gibraltar is the only destination in the Mediterranean with an airport, with a cruise liner terminal, surrounded by sea and which over the past 40 years has not built one extra bedroom. In fact there are now fewer bedrooms with the closure of the Montarik, Both Worlds, Mediterranean and Continental hotels.”

Franco Ostuni’s message to the Government is that there must be a significant investment in Gibraltar tourism and he is pleased with the progress made in the first two years of the new government. n

Conclusion Franco ended the interview with these words: “I make judgements based on results.

The issue facing the industry is how are we

“

It is obvious to me that the economy is vulnerable to many factors outside our control. The only pillar that we have always had and will have in the future is tourism

”

Franco and Maria Ostuni

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Tradewise 2014

tourism

A Festival of Strategy words | Alice Mascarenhas Spanish husband, Juan Manuel Bellon, have participated in the festival every year since 2003. Both are grandmasters, and their 11-yr old daughter, Anna.

Entries and enquiries have been received from, amongst others: Bangladesh, Philippines, Paraguay, Martinique, Mongolia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Zambia, Egypt, Iceland, Chile, Nigeria, Brazil, Canada, USA, South Africa, as well as India (at least ten participants) and China (six participants). A great number of European countries will be represented: we have received many entries from Germany and Norway.

The ten day festival will see a full schedule of Evening Events, including two blitz (5 minute) team tournaments, Master Classes (a top player discusses a game, and takes questions The Tradewise Masters is a favourite from the audience), plus Opening and Closing amongst the players themselves and has been ceremonies.

Once again the organisers will be holding the voted “World’s Best Open Tournament” for the last two years by the Association of Chess Players (ACP).

With a £165,000 total prize fund the tournament sees many returning year in year out.

The top prize in the Masters is £20,000. The top female award in the Masters is £15,000.

Last year’s winner, Nikita Vitiugov (Russia), ranked 17th in the world, and last year’s top female, Zhao Xue (China) have both confirmed their participation.

Top seeds in the Masters: Michael Adams, UK #1 and current world #14 will be back to play again. Also returning is England’s Nigel Short, three time winner in Gibraltar, and who last year lost in a play-off to Nikita Vitiugov for first place. Other highly rated players coming include Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France, world #16), Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine, world #19), and Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine, world #22) who set a record score in Gibraltar of 9/10 in 2012. Gata Kamsky, US #2 (and world #30).

Top female seed is Anna Muzychuk, representing Slovenia. She is world #4. Last year’s winner Zhao Xue (world #5), and Georgia’s top two women, Nana Dzagnidze and Bella Khotenashvili (ranked world #6 and #8) play, as does Sweden’s Pia Cramling (world #10), a frequent guest in Gibraltar - in fact, Pia and her

Entering its 12th edition the Tradewise International Chess Festival is still looking at setting new records. Last year the event saw 51 grandmasters (GMs) this year the organisers hope to beat this number with already 43 registered ahead of the first moves for 2014. Director of the festival Stuart Conquest said they once again expected entries from players from at least 50 countries.

‘Battle of the Sexes’, a match between teams of men and women on a giant chessboard. This proved a big hit last year.

Daily live game commentaries will be

by GM Simon Williams (UK) and GM Irina Krush (USA) — Irina is reigning US women’s champion, and earned the full Grandmaster title a few months ago. The commentaries will be broadcast live over the internet, as will the Master Classes.

The festival venue is the Caleta Hotel. There is no charge for admission to watch the games.

The Morning events, Amateurs and Challengers, are suitable for club players of all levels.

The Masters is open, but with guaranteed participation of elite players. n The 2014 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival takes place from Monday 27th January to Thursday 6th February at the Caleta Hotel. More details plus the full schedule is online at www.gibraltarchesscongress.com.

“

The annual Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival has established itself as the most prestigious open tournament in the world - The Sunday Times

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

29

Are you hungry?

The average rainfall here in Gibraltar per annum is 7,100 litres.

Do you know how many litres of water are required for you to eat each of your meals?

To produce a tomato requires 13 litres, for a potato requires 25 litres, for a cup of tea it took 35 litres, for a glass of wine 120 litres, for a glass of beer 75 litres, for a glass of apple juice 190 litres.

If the above figures are alarming, have a think about this... to produce a hamburger 2,400 litres are required and to produce one kilogram of beef 15,000 litres were needed.

Let It Rain, Let It Rain Let It Rain

Figures sourced from Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations 2007

words | John Clifford , Director, Cocoon Renewable Energy Consultants

On average, water consumption per person in a home involves more than 150 litres per day, of which 50% is intended to be used in the toilet, cleaning, irrigation and operation of the washing machine and dishwasher. While drinking water is usually used for these purposes, the fact is that this would be easily

Water: Our Most Precious Resource

replaceable by rainwater.

Indeed, rainwater is ideal for domestic use due to its excellent quality: no chlorine or chemicals nor calcium, so domestic appliances, and even plants would benefit from the purity of rainwater.

Being much softer than tap water, it can save up to 50% of

30

Advantages in Urban Areas Rainwater harvesting in urban

collect rainwater from roofs from the 1850s onwards. In 1869 the first Public Health Ordinance was published making it mandatory for underground rainwater collection tanks to be provided for any new dwellings constructed.

As the demand for potable water outgrew supply our unique system of dual water supplies developed to conserve our precious resource.

Seawater is used for fire-fighting, The concept of rainwater collection street flushing, sewer flushing is especially familar to Gibraltarians and other sanitary purposes, such as toilet flushes, where the use whose landscape was, until of potable water is not essential. recently, dominated by the huge watercatchments (in use until 1993) Every house now has a supply of which were attached to the eastside salt water (paid for under “Rates”) and potable water that is metered of the Rock. The first catchment and billed. This dual supply system area (an idea conceived by the reduces the amount of potable City Engineer of Gibraltar) was constructed in 1903 and reservoirs, water required by over 50%. still in use as water reserves, were Today Gibraltar’s potable water excavated from the rock to contain supply is via AquaGib Ltd’s the water.

Reverse Osmosis Desalination Prior to that, on a domestic level, water tanks were incorporated into the basements of buildings to

the detergent that is needed in the washing machine and dishwasher. Also, having no lime it reduces the build-up of calcium in pipes as well as in all household appliances thus making them more efficient and extending their lifespan, it is also the most natural source with which to water your beloved garden or patio.

Around the World Currently in China and Brazil, rooftop rainwater harvesting is being practised for providing drinking water, domestic water, water for livestock, water for small irrigation and a way to replenish ground water levels.

Gansu province in China and semi-arid north east Brazil have the largest rooftop rainwater harvesting projects ongoing.

In Bermuda, the law requires all new construction to include rainwater harvesting adequate for the residents.

plants which provide a production capacity maximum of 6,300m³ per day. n

Our unique dual supply system reduces the amount of potable water required by over 50%

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

areas like here in Gibraltar can have numerous benefits. It can provide supplemental water for the city’s requirement, it can increase soil moisture levels for urban greenery, it can increase the ground water table through artificial recharge, used to mitigate urban flooding and to improve the quality of groundwater. These are just some of the reasons why rainwater harvesting is adopted in cities throughout the world.

In urban areas of the developed world, at a household level, harvested rainwater can be used for flushing toilets and washing laundry. Indeed in hard water areas it is superior to mains water for this. It can also be used for showering or bathing. It may require treatment prior to use for drinking.

Domestic Systems As water conservation is becoming increasingly popular, more people have begun to make their own homebrew installation.

These systems range from traditional technologies like rain barrels to more complex grey water systems. Through the internet, plans and accurate construction information have become more readily available. Depending on the degree of personal skill and preference, a more basic (regular water tank and piping) or more advanced (e.g. pressured systems with water treatment, etc.) system can be chosen.

A basic water catchment system for roof rainwater is fairly simple utilising the existing guttering and down pipes, and can store water for outdoor irrigation.

Roof water gathers in the gutters and runs to a pipe towards the tank.

The first rain of the year is the dirtiest as it cleans the roof. This water is directed away from the tank in a “first flush system” and the subsequent water continues to the tank. When designing a system consideration should be made for how to redirect the “first flush” rain water away from the storage system installed.

The rainwater goes through a screen to remove leaves and debris, and then funnels into the top of the covered tank.

The tank should be dark, to prevent algae from growing, and screened, to prevent mosquitoes from entering.

One of many types of water catchment tanks available on the market, suitable for use to save on metered water in Gibraltar properties

A hose attachment is located near the bottom for irrigation and the distribution of the collected water.

Rain barrels are a popular way to begin rainwater harvesting, especially in urban areas like Gibraltar where space is a rare commodity. They are low cost, and can be installed along the sides of houses, on patios, or in other unused spaces.

There is a huge range of options for cisterns, large single storage tanks. They can be made from plastic, ferrocement, metal, or fiberglass, ranging in size from 50 gallons to tens of thousands of gallons.

Design landscape to welcome the rain The easiest rainwater source is that which falls on gardens.

Proper placement of plants, trees, and water sources can turn any garden or outside area into a water efficient system.

Shape the surface of the soil to slow down runoff, raise paths and patios, and sink all planting areas to capture the flow. Choose plants that can absorb and hold water in their root systems, or pass it down to the water table.

This way, rainwater doesn’t run off into the street, where it would be swept away with motor oil, into the sewer system or discharged directly into local waters. n

A basic water catchment system for roof rainwater is fairly simple utilising the existing guttering and down pipes, and can store water for outdoor irrigation GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

31

efficiency and environmental sustainability are all-important factors that also ensure better wellbeing for residents.

Standard building practices are normally guided by short-term economic factors, sustainable construction, on the other hand, emphasises the long-term efficiency, quality and financial viability of a building. This approach encompasses a wide array of factors that form part of both the construction and operational phases of a building. Procuring ‘green materials’, for instance, is just one factor affecting the sustainability of a building. Another is its energy efficiency – looking to design buildings that use as little energy as possible. Sustainable construction also looks for ways to reduce water usage and to reuse or recycle water whenever possible. The layout and design of a building can additionally maximise the amount of natural light entering a building therefore reducing the use of lighting.

There is a great deal to learn and with new legislation being introduced at an ever-increasing pace, the challenge is to keep abreast of new developments and remain competitive. In view of these emerging challenges, and as part of its commitments under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the Environmental Action & Management Plan and the Government’s Green Procurement Policy, the Department of the Environment has organised a two-day training course on sustainable construction.

The course will be held at the Caleta Hotel on 23rd and 24th January 2014. The course is being offered to individuals who work or have an interest in the construction industry and the built environment.

The first day of the course is a comprehensive look at all aspects of sustainable construction, from Sustainable Construction Standards, through to Low Carbon Technologies, allowing you to take away a greater understanding of what works and what is just eco-bling. The second day of the course provides an ideal opportunity to learn about subjects that are relevant to your profession and skills, choosing four workshops from a range of topics. These 90 minute sessions are at the advanced level and topics range from Breathing Construction in Detail, Eco-retrofit of Historic dwellings, including best practice detailing, Specifying Sustainable Timber and Rainwater/Greywater Systems, offering something for every discipline. n

What is sustainable construction and why it is important?

Sustainable construction is no longer viewed as an ‘alternative’ method of building, and is increasingly being considered a fundamental approach to the way we design and construct our buildings.

Sustainable construction has arisen from an cupy and operate buildings. When considering understanding of the large amount of energy that most people spend the majority of their and resources that are required to construct, oc- lives inside buildings, increasing a structure’s

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Anyone interested in attending should register with the Department of the Environment on info.environment@gibraltar.gov.gi by no later than 17th January 2014. Further details can also be obtained by e-mailing the above address, calling us on 20066507 or visiting the Thinking Green website www.thinkinggreen.gov.gi

Sustainable Construction Course Course venue: Caleta Hotel Date: 23rd and 24th January 2014 Open to: Those who work or have an interest in the construction industry and the built environment

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

home ideas

Destress Your Home with plants Indoor air is typically far more polluted than outdoor air. Projects like installing new flooring, curtains and painting walls can release chemicals that pollute indoor air.

spider plant battles benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene, a solvent used in the leather, rubber and printing industries.

Mother-in-law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’) This plant is one of the

best for filtering out formaldehyde — common in cleaning products, toilet paper, tissues and and other bathroom items. Put one in your bathroom — they love low light and humid conditions. n

In the late ‘80s, NASA studied houseplants as a way to purify the air in space facilities.

They found several plants that filter out common volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — and luckily they work just as well in our homes.

For optimum results you’ll want at least two plants per 10m2 of space for the ultimate in functional decorating. Here are our three favourites because they are easy to take care of and effective for creating cleaner breathing air.

Aloe (Aloe vera) Easy-to-grow succulent which loves a sunny windowsill. Helps clear formaldehyde and benzene, which can be a by-product of cleaning products and paints.

Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the gel inside the plant can help heal cuts and burns.

Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Even the least green-fingered amongst us will have a hard time killing this resilient plant. The

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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The border problems and the Spanish tax issues have combined to create a recent surge in demand for Gibraltar‘s residential property

Top Six Predictions for 2014

words | Mike Nicholls

Traditionally, January is the month for making predictions for the year ahead. Never one to miss an opportunity, here’s some slightly tongue in cheek predictions for 2014 in a few sectors that are close to me. As ever, the verdict will follow in 12 month’s time.

1

Residential property The border problems and the Spanish tax issues have combined to create a recent surge in demand for residential property (sales and lettings) in Gibraltar, most notably at the lower end of the price spectrum. I believe the border issues will ease in due course, however, there will remain a net inflow into Gibraltar from those seeking a well regulated low tax base as their residence. With minimal new supply locally, and an improving economic climate generally in Europe, prices will continue to edge up.

2 34

Commercial property

Rents in quality office space rose significantly in 2013. Too many office tenants chased too few quality offices. This has led to a number of new office development schemes, at least one of which will begin in 2014. I believe the number of companies moving to Gibraltar will ease until the border issues are resolved with some degree of certainty. Hence, impending new supply and a steadying demand will result in rents staying at

around the 2013 levels.

3

Property development In 2013 Barclays announced it was leaving Gibraltar and that the departure will be undertaken throughout 2014. Barclays’ exit leaves one bank, RBS, comfortable with funding some, but by no means all, property development.

Despite a number of planning consents awarded to local developers

7.8% GDP growth last year was an amazing success for Gibraltar given the economic plight around most of Europe

for hotels and offices, without bank funding there is little likelihood of much property development in the private sector. So despite the fundamentals stacking up for new private sector building projects, I think we will be fortunate to see just one new office building and perhaps one new hotel under construction by the end of 2014. The Government however, should be able to ensure that their residential building projects have begun.

4

Gibraltar economy 7.8% GDP growth last year was an amazing success for Gibraltar given the economic plight around most of Europe. Some Government funded housing projects

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

(for example the coach parksite and Arial Farm) will probably not boost the economy until 2014/15.

Main Street retail suffered most notably during the second half of 2013.

My prediction is for 5% GDP growth maximum this year, and if we achieve that, we will have done very well.

4

Gibraltar economy Prediction: “The low tax environment continues to attract incoming new business and hence employment. However, the lack of new government projects which also contribute to the GDP measurement may mean that growth is much closer to 1% or 2% per annum in real terms.”

Verdict: Wrong. The economy grew 7.8% before taking into account inflation, hence net GDP growth of c 4%.

Three out of four.

5

Estate agency regulation The industry in Gibraltar is unregulated. Tenant deposits, tenant rents and purchaser deposits are most likely sitting in many estate agents’ office account as opposed to a properly segregated client account. Mixing client money with office money can lead to many undesirable issues and is a precursor to greater problems ahead when clients want their money back.

Not all local agents mix monies in this way (Chesterton certainly does not as it has rigorous client accounting procedures akin to the UK).

I believe that in 2014 there will be moves towards a code of conduct over the holding of client money as the start of a process leading to greater regulation of the industry in the future.

6

West Ham It has been a poor first half of the 2013/14 season for my team.

High hopes were dashed prior to the season start when it was announced that Andy Carroll, our £15m record signing, was to missthe first few months. Yet we had created a team with the sole purpose of feeding him up front.

Eggs and basket come to mind.

Avoiding relegation this year would, at the time of writing, be most welcome.

Best wishes for a happy and successful 2014.

5

2013 Predictions:

The Verdict 1

Residential property Prediction: “The residential market is strong at the lower end and holding up well at the upper end of the price spectrum. I think with development finance so hard to come by, this same trend will continue, that is, upward pressure on prices at the lower end of the market but with the rest of the property market stable.”

Verdict: One out of one right.

2

Commercial property Prediction: “Office rents will continue to increase due to the demand / supply imbalance.”

Verdict: Two out of two.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

3

Hotel development Prediction: “Each year I am optimistic that at least one of the hotel developments will start, so once again, I will stick my neck out.

A new hotel project will start in Gibraltar in 2013.”

Verdict: Three out of three – because I’m counting the Sunborn floating hotel as a project!

New initiatives Prediction: “A debate begins which considers addressing the imbalance between tax on investment income and tax on rental profits.”

Verdict: Wrong. The imbalance is still there and there has been no such debate other than in my office. Three out of five.

6

Football Prediction: “West Ham will finish a very acceptable 14th in the 2012/13 season and be in the top half by the end of October in the 2013/14 season.

Verdict: Wrong. My team finished 10th last season but, at the time of writing this article, are languishing just above the relegation zone this season. It can only get better.

So that’s three out of six correct predictions for 2013. Must do better.

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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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

home style

Kathy Apap

photos: Claudia Schiel

Alexandra Finlayson

Winner Nadia Ivanova

Christmas Cake Off Lots of new and exciting programmes have been produced at GBC in the last few months — which means many hours of hard work, effort and enthusiasm from the team, lead by Paula Latin, Head of Television, with Gerard Teuma at the helm. Here are the contestants and winner of the recently screened Christmas Cake Off with their very artistic creations.

Stephanie Brown Corbacho GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Phil Docker

37

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

ASK RUTH 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 other rooms. mass to walls. If one wall 5 Add faces a busy, noisy street con-

sider adding mass in the form of drywall, for example. Trees can provide psychological relief by blocking the sources of noise from view and they will absorb some of the sound.

Q

I am going to hire an

architect. How do I

select one and what

questions should I ask?

If your noisy neighbours are getting you down, consider soundproofing your home

Q

I live on a busy road

and have noisy

neighbours — how

can I soundproof my house?

Living in a densely populated area like Gibraltar can often present issues of noise pollution from different sources. Additionally a lot of the housing stock is in the form of apartments or flats where quite literally noise can come from all directions.

Sound travels through the air to our eardrums — even noise that appears to be travelling through a wall reaches our ears via vibrations in the air.

Noise consists of low frequency waves which will keep travelling until they meet some form of resistance, such as a wall or sofa.

Sometimes, sound waves can bounce off these items causing an effect known as reverberation and makes the situation worse.

The best way to insulate your property against noise is to stop

38

these waves in their tracks. Effective soundproofing uses materials that absorb or block sound. These materials should also prevent noise from reverberating or echoing.

Materials used for soundproofing rooms are usually rated according to their effectiveness at dampening sound. These ratings are known as Sound Transmission Class (STC) ratings. Many windows, forms of insulation and carpeting come with STC ratings even if the product is not specifically designed to offer sound insulation.

Look out for materials with higher ratings for the best results.

Here are five helpful tips: a material such as flex1 Use ible polyurethane to seal any

gaps around windows, doors etc. Noise will come through even the smallest gaps. Squirt expanding foam around pipes and wires where they enter your property.

around existing 2 Weatherstrip doors and windows. Consider

installing a solid-core door.

This type of door will block more sound than a door with glass panels, for example.

installing high-qual3 Consider ity windows. Windows with thick glass, sturdy frames, air gaps and good weather stripping will be the most effective at blocking sound.

insulation to ceilings and 4 Add walls. If you are on a budget try

to ensure that at least a quarter of the room contains absorbent materials, such as carpets or curtains. If you are stuck for solutions and are looking for an interim measure you could try hanging carpets or decorative rugs on walls. Soft, dense materials, such as heavy curtains, stuffed furniture and thick carpet, will make the room quieter and will slightly reduce the noise transmitted to

There are a few key questions that you should ask yourself and any potential architect during the hiring phase. At the very outset you should ensure that any architect under consideration is registered with the relevant bodies and carries Professional Indemnity Insurance. This will protect you if anything should go wrong.

Following this vital step, the next step is to take the time to understand your candidates and their sensibilities. As you will potentially be working or living in the space that the architect designs, you need to ensure that he or she has a similar sense of style and idea of functionality as you do. You may want to see photos of an architect’s recently completed jobs or ask to visit a finished project with the architect.

By viewing an architect’s work you will be able to understand their style and gauge if they are a good fit for your project.

Meeting with an architect at a past project also allows you to ask important questions regarding their work. Ask how he or she made a specific decision and decided on elements such as a finish or colour. This will enable you to understand their decisionmaking process. Knowing how an architect makes choices will help you to gauge if he or she is right

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

advice for your project.

Once you have seen examples of past work, begin to ask questions about your own project and how the architect would plan and implement it. In particular, ask if there are any important issues, challenges or considerations specifically associated with your project and what contingencies the architect would put in place to deal with these issues. Understanding an architect’s plan for your development will help you to make informed decisions during the hiring process.

Finally, ask the architect what form of agreement he or she proposes to adopt for your project and if there would be any flexibility once the project began. Ask what basic services are included and what additional fees and charges might arise and in what circumstances, eg what happens if the project design needs to change due to planning conditions — how would fees for that be worked out?

These questions should help you navigate the landscape of professional architects out there.

An architect can help your development project immeasurably but only if they are the right person for the job. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

property

Ask to see other projects your architect has been involved in to establish if his or her style matches your vision

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Team Gibraltar

Dancing to the Podium The Gibraltar National Dance Team rocked Germany by being crowned World Champions at the recent World Show Dance Championships. The event was staged in Riesa, with 3,301 dancers from 34 nations such as Russia, Canada, Germany and South Africa, taking part.

The event was organised for the world governing body the International Dance Organisation (IDO) by the Germany Dance Federation (TAF), FSVG Riesa and a good friend of Gibraltar, IDO Vice President Michael Wednt.

The competition bagan with the Children Solo Female section, in which Gibraltar’s Louise Martinez, Sarah Montovio and Caitlin Rodriguez competed against 47 other dancers. Sarah qualified for the quarter finals, while Caitlin made the semi-finals finishing 11th out of the top 12 children soloists.

Louise Martinez and Sarah Montovio, Celine Stewart and Siandayle Alman, and sisters Caitlin Rodriguez and Megan Rodriguez took part in the Children Duets and all qualified for the quarter finals out of 32 entries. Louise and Sarah qualified for the semifinals finishing in a remarkable 9th place.

The Gibraltar National Dance Team also performed in the Children’s Group section to a piece called They Don’t Care About Us. The team missed the semis by one point finishing in 14th place out of the 26 entries.

There were 53 competitors in the Junior Solo Female section, with Louise Flower, Sarah Anne Maclaren and Jenella Sodi representing Gibraltar. All three qualified for the quarter finals, Sarah and Jenella went on to the semis, and Sarah in a fantastic 8th place with Jenella managing to qualify for the grand final amongst the top 7 junior female soloists finishing in an excellent 7th place. Jenella’s piece was choreographed by Jolene Gomez and Jade Federico.

Gibraltar was also represented in the Junior Groups with a piece entitled One of Us — the group qualified for the quarter finals from 33 groups.

The Adult Solo Female section saw 50 dancers compete with Gibraltar represented by Nicole Valverde and Nicole Victor. Nicole Valverde reached the quarter finals whilst Nicole Victor competed in the top 11 semi-finals finishing in an outstanding 8th position.

In the Adult Groups, Gibraltar’s piece The Reef came 11th out of 35

40

teams taking part.

Gibraltar ’s Adult Solo Male, Duncan Grech, performed a piece choreographed by Gillaine Alman in the grand final, coming 6th out of 28 entries.

Gibraltar won Bronze medal in the Adult Duet Division with Tyron Walker and Nicole Victor’s piece Remember Me Daddy choreographed by Jade Fedrico. Duncan Grech and Genyka Celecia qualified for the semi-finals.

The best result of all a Gold medal for duet Sarah Anne Maclaren and Isabella Gomez who were crowned IDO World Champions in the Junior Duets division with the piece The Forgotten Idol choreographed by Paulette Fin-

Gibraltar was also represented on the panel of judges by IDO Official International Judge, Seamus Byrne layson. Louise Flower and Emma Flower, Joelle Davis and Chelsey Celecia also reached quarter finals against 49 entries.

Gibraltar was also represented on the panel of judges by IDO Official International Judge, Seamus Byrne.

The official choreographers for this project were Paulette Finlayson, Gerald Rodriguez, Sabrina Abudarham, Nichol Montovio, Gillaine Alman, Genyka Celcia, Duclie Edwards, Jolene Gomez and Jade Federico.

GNDO President Seamus Byrne said, “I take this opportunity to thank all the sponsors and most importantly Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar and the Cultural Grants Committee for making our participation a reality.

“IDO competitions are where la

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

It was Gold for Sarah Anne Maclaren and Isabella Gomez who were crowned IDO World Champions in the Junior Duets division

Adult Duet Tyron Walker and Nicole Victor won the Bronze medal with ‘Remember Me Daddy’

crème de la crème at an amateur dance level compete, and where international dancers get together at the best World and European dance events. And in Riesa, our dancers faced tough opposition, with many countries providing a very high level of technique and incredible high standards of Show Dance. Nevertheless, Gibraltar once again proved that we can take part in international dance events organised by the IDO, at the highest level to the extent that the team managed to qualify for many semi-finals and four finals, culminating with the Gold and Bronze medals.” n For the full results please visit: www.ido-dance.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

41

No More Shaving or Waxing? eLight is the latest laser treatment technology for permanent hair removal, which works while rejuvenating the skin.

Barbara MatĂŠ is the fully trained salon therapist at The Home Of Your Beauty (pictured left with the eLight Laser) and this treatment promises to permanently remove hair on all skin types.

The treatment works by targeting the melanin (pigment) in the hair with the light from the system, and upon absorption the light is converted into heat. This intense heat action breaks down the hair follicle, reducing the opportunity for any re-growth and also changing the entire structure of the follicle itself; over time altering the density and appearance of the hair until it becomes unnoticeable.

Prior to treatment the area is shaved before a thin layer of protective gel (similar to that used in ultra sound) is applied to maximise absorption.

The light used is completely safe and visible.

Hair grows in three different cycles and the eLight treatment can only successfully treat hair during its growth stage. Therefore it is often necessary to undergo a course of 3-6 treatments.

The Home of Your Beauty offers a free consultation and trial of the eLight Laser treatment, so give them a cal on 200 67111 to book an appointment and have an excess hair free 2014. n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

health

Going Smoke Free...

One of the top five New Year’s resolutions is to stop smoking. Our own research when compiling our New Year question on pages 74-75 was that a lot of you want to give up smoking, but were too afraid of failure to have it put into writing.

In September 2012, the Gibraltar Parliament unanimously approved a law making enclosed public places, including workplaces, restaurants, bars, private clubs, and enclosed common areas of housing estates, smoke-free beginning on 1st October 2012. This gave a boost to those wishing to give up smoking but still many struggle to kick the health damaging addiction.

There is help out there though if your promise is to stub out your last ciggie this year.

The Gibraltar Health Authority runs a Stop Smoking Service on Tuesday (newcomers) and

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Friday (renewals) afternoons.

The format of the service is that the smoking adviser (a Nurse Practitioner) will ask you about your smoking habits. Together you will decide on the best way for you to stop.

Programmes include prescription medicines proven to help smokers stop.

You will be supported while you try to

stop smoking, and you will be able to discuss worries and ask questions about quitting. The sessions will spread over 12-14 weeks. You’ll be given information and encouragement to help you through this difficult period.

Visit the Primary Care Centre (Green Area) to book an appointment and make 2014 the year you quit smoking for good. n

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health& fitness Bell Pharmacy

Your Family Chemists

Here to help you by answering all your pharmaceutical questions Consult us at 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989

McTimoney Chiropractor Gentle holistic treatment for all back or muscular problems and sports injuries Gillian Schirmer MA, DC, MMCA Clinic (Claudia’s), 1st Floor, 58 Main Street Tel: 200 41733 or after hours: 200 40026

STEINER CHIROPRACTIC CLINICS

Chiropractic Health Clinic

Dr Carsten Rudolf Steiner BSc DC

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

Member of the British Chiropractic Association

Back to better health with Chiropractic for headaches, dizziness, neck and lower back pain, sciatica, osteoathritis and sports injuries.

College Clinic, Regal Hse. Tel: 200 77777

health & medical directory CHEMISTS

Bell Pharmacy 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989

PASSANO OPTICIANS LTD British Registered Optometrists

38 Main St Tel: 200 76544 Fax: 200 76541 Email: passano@sapphirenet.gi

Louis’ Pharmacy Unit F12, International Commercial Centre, Casemates.

Tel: 200 44797

ChiropraCtors

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

Treatment of Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches, Limb Pain & Sports Injuries

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

Tel: 200 44226

ICC Suite F5C 1st Floor, Casemates, Gibraltar Member of British Chiropractic Association

Hypnotherapy

Rose Favell Central Clinic, Horse Barrack Lane.

Tel: + 34 655 699 841 www.hypnotherapygibraltar.com

Health Clubs

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

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

HEARING CENTRE

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

Opticians / Optometrists Gache & Co Limited 266 Main Street. Tel: 200 75757 L. M. Passano Optometrist 38 Main Street. Tel: 200 76544

PERSONAL TRAINERS

Simon Coldwell Complete Fitness Unit G3, Eliott Hotel Tel: 200 51113

Primary Care Centre 2nd Floor International Commercial Centre Casemates

Weekend & Public Holiday Opening Hours (use Irish Town entrance) Saturday: 9am - 11am, 5pm - 6pm Sunday & Public Holidays: 10am - 11am, 5pm - 6pm

44

Isabella Jimenez BSc (hons) Unit 5, 1st Floor, ICC Tel: 54002226 email: jimenez.isabella@gmail.com

SPECIALISTS

Need somebody to talk to?

Specialist Medical Clinic 1st Floor International Commercial Centre, Casemates. Tel: 200 49999

7 days a week 5pm-9pm

Dr Vricella, Cosmetic Surgeon College Clinic, Regal House Tel: + 34 951 276 748

GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• JANUARY JANUARY 2014 2014

well-being health

l

Getting that Rosy Glow When Australian model Miranda Kerr claimed the secret to her radiant complexion was rosehip oil she sparked a renewed interest in this centuries old natural beauty powerhouse.

Kerr told PopSugar Beauty: “I like to wear rosehip oil at night.

It’s full of that many antioxidants and it really works on a cellular level too to rejuvenate the skin. I put it on at night and I wake up glowing.”

In fact with skin rejuvenating contents like vitamin C and lycopene, rosehip seed oil is a safe solution to repair the skin’s surface, restore elasticity and protects against sun and pollution stressors that can lead to wrinkles.

Non-greasy and super light so it absorbs easily, rosehip oil’s antiinflammatory and anti-oxidant, which helps to decrease environmental damage and soothe the skin.

Harvested from the seeds of rose bushes predominately grown in Chile, rosehip seed oil is full of vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that are known to correct dark spots and hydrate dry, itchy skin, all while reducing scars and fine lines.

Miranda Kerr claims Rosehip Oil is the secret to her glowing complexion

The essential fatty acids found If you can find cold-pressed oil in rosehip seed oil also work this is the best to use as it hasn’t wonders for dry scalp and itchi- been altered by heat and retains ness due to stress and chemicals more nutrients. in shampoo.

Try it — and wake up glowing!

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Skin Tag & Thread Vein Removal Laser Clinic Permanent Hair removal Pigmentation and anti-aging Visiting Surgeon varicose veins, sebaceous cysts, innovative haemorrhoid surgery Cosmetic Surgeon Breast implants and augmentation, face-lifts, tummy tucks

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Keeping Motivated in 2014

words | The Ocean Village Health Club Team

Fresh from their New Year’s resolutions, fitness novices fill Gibraltar’s gyms at this time of year. But how do you ensure you turn from a gym novice to a gym bunny during 2014 rather than falling by the flabby wayside after the January gym rush has worn off? What will keep you keeping fit until next New Year and beyond? The team at Ocean Village Health Club gave us their top tips for staying motivated in 2014.

Slow and Steady Set yourself realistic goals that you can stick to over the first weeks. Do not try too much too soon as this can be off putting — start slow and build up your routine.

Don’t do it alone Get yourself an exercise buddy or a personal trainer to help start your fitness routine. Also tell your friends and family what you are doing and get their support for your lifestyle change.

Fitness Classes There are classes to suit men and women of all kinds of exercise abilities. These not only give you structured workouts to push you towards your goals but also help teach you new techniques to train your body which you can use when you’re by yourself.

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Plan Plan Plan!

Limited for time?

Get yourself an exercise programme for Half an hour intense sessions can be just as the gym and set out classes during the week. rewarding as long gruelling workouts. Get Once you have a great schedule in place all yourself in and out and work up a sweat! you need to do is stick to it.

Monitor your results and sack the scales!

Do not weigh yourself every day! Instead get a Body Composition breakdown and take body measurements so you can see Get a Body Composition what you want to tackle. Repeat this every 3-4 weeks so that you can see your overall breakdown and take REAL progress.

body measurements — repeat this every 3-4 weeks so that you can see your overall REAL progress

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Have a happy and healthy 2014! n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

health & well being

I was a gym Novice too Getting picked last for a team in netball at school made me decide to focus on my academic career and leave the sport and athletics to those better built for it. But my years of inactivity, sparked by rejection in primary school left me wheezing at the least bit of exertion, exasperated by my desk job and my close proximity to my home which meant walking to work took five minutes at most (and I walked slowly).

Then two years ago I joined a gym in a fit of New Year’s resolutionitis and, because I am usually rather careful with my money, felt I had to attend.

I was lucky — I started my gym experience in January. Instead of the hardcore of fitness fanatics I expected I found myself surrounded by other New Year Resolutionists, fighting the flab or determined to get just a little bit fitter.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

I began to realise that no matter what level of training you are on or how long you have been training, you have to have started somewhere.

Everyone, at one point in time, was a beginner and while some of us started from a pretty low fitness base, it is more about improvement than actual level.

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47

Get the healthy looking figure you’ve always wanted

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This surgical procedure with remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen, and tighten muscles. Abdominoplasty surgery greatly

48

improves the profile and shape of the body, and is often done in conjunction with liposuction to the hips (‘love handles’) in order to improve and reshape the waist.

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/kAÄ ½ÄÌ ÀlÎ Äw And best wishes for 2013 to all our valued clients!

re a c r e t f A E E R F re a c r e t f A E E R F

www.ariamedicalgroup.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2013

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words | Elena Scialtiel

Monkeying Around with Colour “Gibraltar as we know it” may mean crisp blue skies, azure seas, olive-green woodland, coral-pink sunsets to some and grey levanter clouds to others. To 18-year old art student Lianne Agius it means lavender-haired monkeys climbing art gallery walls and grabbing prestigious accolades.

No, we’re not talking about the latest cheeky-monkey attack snatching goodie bags from college students, but about the awarding of last year’s Young Artist Prize at the 40th International Art Exhibition.

And if a monkey ever deserved an award, this one is definitely the one: the cherry on the layer cake of modern art, with its fruity square brushstrokes and the dramatic background that evokes sounds and smells from a dying twilight.

“Animals are part of my course work,” Lianne explains, “so I entered one of them. Portraiture is my strong point, yet my portrait A Father Figure, inspired by my dad, with slightly distorted features, didn’t fare well at last Young Artist Exhibition 2013 and I wasn’t hoping or expecting to win this time either.”

But the adjudicator picked her large and colourful painting for its in-your-face immediacy and most of all because the subject matter could be seen right through the soul.

The expression of the monkey is intense and meditative, but not at all anthropomorphised as the animal retains its true-to-life proportions, giving in to abstract just because of the unusual colours, borrowed from springtime posies

50

and bridesmaids’ gowns.

Lianne says she used those colours because it would be too obvious to paint the sky blue and the macaque brown: “I didn’t want an actual monkey, I wanted a creative monkey.”

Indeed that would be boring hyperrealism, while the aim of her painting is an emotional impact through matching an instantly recognisable shape with conceptual tinges. This is not any ordinary monkey: this is an abstraction of Gibraltar ’s essence, and the colours leverage on emotional appeal.

While the shape is reduced almost to a symbol, an ideogram, the colour combination is the real subject matter. And so is the clever brush work, thin here, thick there, bold and geometrical at times, delicate and accurate at others, effortlessly figurative and expressionist.

The background is a real surprise too, as it adds dimension to the abstract feel, almost like the macaque was being the unfazed witness of a night explosion in a sweet factory: “I had originally planned a different background, but I painted over it in black because I just saw that the first one was not working,” Lianne explains. And she did good, since

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

tells me “thatEveryone the smaller the

community

better... but honestly, I cannot work on a small surface, because I feel restricted” black is and will always be the new black, when it comes to make posterised shapes pop out of the flat space.

Artistic flair runs in Lianne’s family: her father Lewis paints too, and her sister Linette landed the same award as Lianne a few years back with her view of Eastern Beach.

Are they in competition? Of course not! They actually complement each other well, as Lianne is a fine portraitist and Linette a landscapist. Futhermore, Linette is as fond of small detail as Lianne is spellbound with going large and bold, pursuing the bigger picture rather than pixel-by-pixel photographic perfection.

Wi t h m a e s t ro s l i k e A l e x Kanevsky, Francois Nielly, Jerome Lagarrigue and Christian Hook to draw inspiration from, Lianne is planning to take her Fine Arts degree by storm as from next year, once she completes her A-levels.

“Alex Kanevsky is a lot like Christian Hook, who is my art teacher at Westside, but a lot messier if I can describe it like so...” she chuckles.

Perhaps Lianne needs work on her art critics’ skills, but she has found her own voice in the varied and sometimes contradictory art world, winning the heart of a Royal Academician adjudicator and getting a boost for future ventures. “I’m entering the Young Artist competition in February, yes,” she announces, “with new artwork.”

Although it is top secret, a sneaky leak reveals this new coursework will be again large and bold: “Everyone tells me that the smaller the better... but honestly, I cannot work on a small surface, because I feel restricted.”

Lianne usually works on a table or easel and outlines her subject matter on canvas before slapping on acrylics, layer over layer, from darker to lighter. Acrylics are handy when it comes to cover up mistakes: “You just give it a good lick of paint and start all over, while with other media there is little or no room for corrections.”

There’s a certain degree of improvisation to Lianne’s work, which can be best described by her own tagline: “Colourful, vibrant, effective. Immediate communication, not abstract, not defined.” n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

51

arts focus You may know her as the raven-haired exotic beauty hanging about at the wrought-iron gate to a secret patio encumbered with plants and lacquerred leather sofas in Irish Town. From her small office, Fatosh Samuray — the epitome of the Mediterranean woman on a mission to save Mediterranean culture from the great leveller of globalism — co-manages Gibraltar Productions, a company born from a philanthropic drive that aims to promote traditional and modern World Music, organising annual Gibraltar World Music Festival and managing wide range of artists.

Gibraltar Productions also focuses on recovering and rediscovering Sephardic culture, via their portal Sephardic Stories.

The added bonus is that its very company name helps put Gibraltar on the map every time it represents an artist at an international festival or produces an album as an independent record label.

“I believe that Gibraltar could become a focal point in Sephardic culture which had to flow through

With Kurdish, Greek and Turkish blood running in her veins, Fatosh is a living gateway to Central Asia

Fatosh, the Sephardic Samuray

photo: Jon Segui

words | Elena Scialtiel

52

the Strait, whether southbound or back into Europe, and further afield towards the Middle East and Asia Minor,” Fatosh says.

And she continues: “Founders Yan Delgado and Fred Ohana started with bringing four Sephardic Divas (Sarah Aroeste, Mor Karbasi, Francoise Atlan and Ofir) to Gibraltar and now we are bringing international world music festivals to Gibraltar on a yearly basis.”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Basic Definition: A Sephardi Jew is a Jew descended from, or who follows the customs and traditions followed by, Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and modern Spain), before their expulsion in the late 15th century.

fascinates Fatosh — Rebetiko diva Roza Eskenazi, born to an impoverished Jewish family in Constantinople who relocated to Thessaloniki at the turn of the Century.

There, her career rocketed and she became an icon not only of the folk music she loved to sing, but also a beacon of women’s liberation, which bordered legend during the war, when she became a bit of a Greek Mata Hari.

Frowned upon by her fellow Jews for her libertine lifestyle, which made her give up her son’s custody and flutter from lover to lover, she never disowned her roots, and was eventually lay to rest in an unmarked grave while clerics disputed her conversion to Greek Orthodox Christianity following her relationship with a married man called Christos.

Roza’s story intrigues Fatosh, who sees in her the prototype of the artist who lives to perform: “I watched My Sweet Canary, Roy Sher ’s documentary about her screened last spring at the Instituto Cervantes. What struck me was how keen she was to sing even at a mature age.”

Learning about an artist so committed to dedicating her whole life to what she loved and excelled at inspired Fatosh to park her professional background in finance and chase her dream of supporting the arts full time.

A shift in career that has driven her to attend a couple of editions of WOMEX, the world music fair that showcases artists, venues and agents — and quickly make a name for herself and Gibraltar there. To the point that Gibraltar was short-listed to host a future edition.

“I was surprised because I sort of expected the organisers to rule Gibraltar out because of its size, that may play to our advantage as much as disadvantage when it comes to logistics,” she says, “but I am pleased Gibraltar was deemed a suitable venue that can easily compare to the likes of Cardiff or Thessaloniki, where we

Fatosh with her partner Ian Delgado at Queenways Quay marina

photo: Gibraltar Productions

Gibraltar Productions is in fact managing Mor Karbasi, a Ladino singer / song writing Israeli rising star who ranks eighth in the worldwide listings for World Music artists.

Mor is currently touring with her third studio album La Tsadika, produced and published by Gibraltar Productions, a feat Fatosh is very proud of, because it really sums up the spanning of Sephardic culture edge-to-edge across the Mediterranean.

“This is hard work, as the big responsibility of landing her the right gigs to further her career falls on our shoulders, but it also comes with the big reward of watching her grow artistically, while she puts Gibraltar on the map, being associated with the Rock through us and the concerts she held at St. Michael’s Cave in June 2012 and 2013.”

Fatosh extends the concept of ‘Sefarad’ to Berber culture too, historically interwoven with Jewish culture in the Maghreb: “I visited Tangier’s synagogue some time ago. I was shown a small chest containing the name tags of the deceased devotees who had attended religious services regularly in the past.

“The place fell silent as we spared a thought for them, and about how everything is just transitory: those voices were no longer resounding between those walls, and their memory was kept alive only by visitors reading out their names on those tags.

“Suddenly two birds flew in through a broken window and chirped loudly. It still gives me goose bumps when I tell this story, but the episode taught me that past, present and future are one and we have the duty to keep the memory alive, celebrate it and channel it to shape the future.”

Eastbound, Sephardic tradition was pretty much alive along the African shore and stretched towards Israel of course, but also to Turkey and Greece. Until the first half of the 20th Century, when Jewish communities thrived alongside Muslims in the Ottoman Empire and the cultural exchanges were lively and fruitful for both.

Here thrived a character who

Learning about an artist so committed to dedicating her whole life to what she loved inspired Fatosh to park her profession in finance and chase her dream of supporting the arts full time

“

went last year and made priceless connections amongst international professionals, like the founders of WOMEX, and heads of other well established festivals.”

Freshly back from Cardiff, Fatosh is not resting on her laurels.

Preparations are well on the way for the third World Music Festival to be held in early June. This time even bigger and better, if possible, expanding to the Far East along the Silk Route.

With Kurdish, Greek and Turkish blood running in her veins,

This is hard work... landing her the right gigs to further her career falls on our shoulders, but it also comes with the big reward of watching her grow artistically

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

”

Fatosh is a living gateway to Central Asia. Business brought her to the UK, and family to Gibraltar 10 years ago. What started as a short holiday to visit her sister, turned into permanent abode when she fell in love with the place and the people who reminded her of her native Cyprus: “I was born after the war that torn Cyprus between Greeks and Turks, and my parents chose to stay on the Turkish side, in Kyrenia.”

She has been in touch with the flavours of Anatolia since her childhood, and now she is very proud of claiming that her partner, who is from Casablanca, praises her exotic cooking because it reminds him of his own grandmother ’s kitchen’s aromas.

Sadly, an all-Med food festival is not on the menu (yet), but expect a big stir with a multi-artistic Sephardic extravaganza soon. n

53

celebrity

The Singer, an Anthem & a BBC Scandal words | Reg Reynolds

“Our Rock, Our Home, Our Pride” were the words powerfully sung by Dorothy Squires on the Rock of Gibraltar in the autumn of 1970.

The words were the opening for a song titled Gibraltar Anthem and written by the London-born pianist and lyricist Ronnie Bridges.

The occasion was the third annual Gibraltar International Song Festival. Bridges, who had been a juror at the first Festival in 1968 (with the assistance of BBC executive Brian Willey) composed the tune for the 1969 Festival. He had given it a particularly patriotic theme because at the time the border to Spain was closed. Organisers deemed it too ‘National’ for an ‘International’ event but they suggested reserving it for the interval at the next year’s Festival.

Ronnie Bridges later wrote: “I asked Dorothy if she would perform it, she said she would and duly did so, on Saturday 14th November 1970, in St. Michael’s Cave in Gibraltar. The venue may sound strange, but it is actually a magnificent natural 500 seat auditorium, halfway up the Rock, resplendent with stalactites and stalagmites as a stage background”.

Gibraltar Anthem went down so well that Dorothy encored it twice. More than 1,000 song copies had been printed and autographed and they sold out the minute they went on sale.

Copy No. 1 was later presented to the Queen while copy No. 2 was given to then Governor of Gibraltar Sir Varyl Begg.

Dorothy had been so thrilled with the response that she included it in her comeback concert held at the London Palladium just three weeks later. This was a difficult time for Dorothy as she was recently divorced from

Adopt Don’t Buy

the love of her life, actor Roger Moore, and she had lately been shunned by the major players in radio and television. She had been forced to finance the Palladium concert herself at a cost of £5,000.

Cynics in the media felt she was making a big mistake but within hours of the box office opening all 2,300 tickets were sold.

The Palladium concert put Dorothy on the comeback trail but unknown to Dorothy there were tougher times and a major scandal ahead.

After her divorce from Moore she became extremely litigious (she would undertake 30 suits over the next 15 years). In 1972 she sued the actor Kenneth More because he inadvertently referred to the Italian actress Louisa Mattioli as Roger Moore’s wife. Moore and Mattioli were living together but they weren’t married.

The affable Moore apologised but she sued anyway and lost.

In 1973 Dorothy, aged 49, was charged with

Cynics in the media felt she was making a big mistake but within hours of the box office opening all 2,300 tickets were sold

y

ACHT SCENE tar l Gibra SAILORS’ GUIDE • 2014

high-kicking a taxi driver when he tried to throw her out of his cab, but worse was to come. In October that year Dorothy was one of several artists and agents arrested and charged in what was termed in the media the ‘Payola Scandal’ that 20 police had been investigating for more than two years. The charges revolved around the corrupt acceptance of expenses, falsifying record sales and the supplying of

Arrested along with Squires was singer and brothel keeper Janie Jones

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

prostitutes and the payments of bribes to BBC staff. Dorothy was specifically charged with paying the travel and hotel expenses for one producer’s trips to Malta and Gibraltar. She claimed the charges were ridiculous.

“They say this is all over my record My Way. But it was played only 14 times on the BBC in seven months. If I had bribed anyone surely it would have got more plays than that.”

Arrested along with Squires was the 32-yearold English singer and brothel keeper Janie Jones (real name Marion Mitchell). Jones wrote about the event in her autobiography The Devil In Miss Jones: “At Bow Street I was put in a cell with Dorothy. It was a horrific and disgusting experience. There was excrement all over the floor and walls. To make matters worse, Dorothy suffered from claustrophobia — she’d never been able to ride in a lift at the record company offices — so she started banging on the door with a shoe. ‘Let me out’ she shrieked. ‘We’re stars not criminals, you bastards!’ She was effing and blinding like mad.”

Jones claimed that the police reacted by calling Dorothy a “Silly old bag” and shouting, “You’re not a star in here, you’re a prisoner.”

“They were definitely getting their jollies out of it all, seeing Dorothy under pressure and cracking jokes about her age.

“I just couldn’t believe what was happening.

Three whole years had lapsed since the parties I’d innocently held for President Records, and in all this time, I’d never tried to reinstate the separate escort service I’d once provided for rich and titled clients. So I sat calmly in the cell and tried to comfort Dorothy, confident that I’d soon be home for a cup of tea.”

Dorothy was eventually released on £250 bail but Jones remained locked up on multiple charges, including procuring prostitutes for BBC officials and threatening a potential witness. When the cases came to trial at the Old Bailey, Dorothy was acquitted on all counts.

She would later win £30,000 damages from the News of the World.

Several former escorts, who had worked for Miss Jones, testified against her and she was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison. One claimed that Miss Jones told her that she could get work in modelling and television commercials, but she must play her cards right and that ‘Playing her cards’ meant going to bed with producers and show business people.

It is interesting to note today that among the BBC programmes involved were Opportunity Knocks, Top of the Pops and Jukebox Jury, television shows that involved Jimmy Savile and other prominent BBC personnel under investigation today.

More tragedy hit Dorothy in 1974 when her Bexley mansion burned down. She escaped with just her dog and all her love letters from Roger Moore. She moved into a house in Bray next to the River Thames. It flooded three weeks later but she remained there until 1988 when she lost it through bankruptcy proceedings. She held her last concert in 1990 to help pay her taxes.

Dorothy was born Edna May Squires at Pontyberem, Wales on 25th March 1915 and died at Llwynypia, Rhonda, South Wales on 14th April 1998 aged 83. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Dorothy Squires

When the cases came to trial at the Old Bailey, Dorothy was acquitted on all counts. She would later win £30,000 damages from the News of the World

Squires with husband Roger Moore

55

photo: Ian Martinez

3 KINGS

Daniel Guerrero answers questions at the press conference in Portugal for Gibraltar’s match against Slovakia

Daniel Guerrero

Team 54’s Communicator The Gibraltar Magazine caught up with the Gibraltar Football Association’s freshly appointed Communications Manager, Daniel Guerrero, to find out more about him, the role and the opportunities for Gibraltar football now we have played our first International as UEFA’s Team 54.

You were appointed as Communications Manager for the GFA in November — can you tell us how this came about? Why were you chosen?

I was aware that the GFA was looking to appoint someone as this role was previously done

by CEO Dennis Beiso and it was becoming very difficult for him to take up this role too. I initially met with a few council members and also Dennis Beiso and Gareth Latin to discuss ways where I could assist the GFA in its new endeavours as Team 54.

During the last two friendly matches against Hibernians and Charlton Athletic, I was asked to take on this role and offer my expertise in events organisation, assisting the Match Manager, this also entailed dealing with the

56

press.

Subsequent to this match other meetings were held at council and club levels and the position was discussed. I was informed two weeks before the match against Slovakia that, after discussions, I had been selected to take up the role on voluntary non-salaried terms.

I accepted.

What does your role as Communications Manager involve? And how do you fit this in with your other commitments?

I was officially appointed Communications Manager for the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) on 4th November after I received the GFA Council and majority of local Clubs support to take on the role. This role is at present

on voluntary non salaried terms.

The Communications Manager role is an essential key role for any Football Association as described by UEFA. The role is essentially divided into two, that of communications and media. I am the first point of contact of the GFA primarily for the press/media and handle all media enquiries, interviews, etc.

The International Match against Slovakia, which was also our debut as a full UEFA member, was my first test to acquaint myself with the job; I spent four days with the team and dealt with the coordination of media attendance and press accreditation, interviews, pre-match and post-match press conferences, collating and distributing press releases and

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

media information as well as preparing press releases.

I also take care of the GFA presence on social media both on Facebook and Twitter.

It is also my intention to communicate with local clubs and assist in improving the communication between clubs and GFA but this is still to be discussed and a plan to proceed.

No doubt the role is a very interesting and challenging one and I intend to learn and give my best contribution towards it.

The media contacts I have created prior and post the match are very valuable ones for the organisation to have.

I once again would like to express my gratitude to the GFA council members, local club representatives and CEO Dennis Beiso for entrusting me with this responsibility.

How do you think football in Gibraltar will develop now we are a member of UEFA? What are the opportunities?

The opportunities are now huge for all those registered players. They now have the opportunity of playing in the Champions League and Europa League two most prestigious European football tournaments. Players have now the chance of making a career in football.

At national team level it means playing in the forthcoming European Nations qualifiers playing against top teams. It opens a window of opportunities and no doubt will put players on the international football market.

Membership of UEFA will transform local football and make it even more professional.

Club licensing is also an important issue that comes with UEFA membership.

Daniel at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal — Gibraltar’s ‘home’ ground until our own 10,000-seater stadium is ready for action

photo: Fabian Valerga

Tell us about your background involvement with football over the years and with the GFA. I have never had a background involvement with the GFA. After its admission into UEFA, I thought I would offer myself to assist the team in whatever was needed to make this institution a professional one and build on the hard work that the council members and many others over the years had put into achieving UEFA membership. I knew I could offer my expertise to the Association in other fields that would be useful to them.

I am a lover of the game but unfortunately I have been neither a good football player nor coach. I believe coming from a neutral non-biased football background is very useful when working for the GFA as communications manager as you also have to work with all clubs.

Some Premier League managers, fans and pundits want minnows such as Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, San Marino, Andorra and Moldova — and, it follows, Gibraltar as the smallest member — ousted from competition, with talk of a pre-qualifying event. How would you counter this stance?

In my view, every nation big or small deserve their chance to play.

Our planned 10,000-seater stadium is expected to be ready for Euro2016, but until then “home” games will be played 150 miles away at the Estadio Algarve (capacity 30,000) in Portugal, which we

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Daniel with Allen Bula, GFA Manager, before Gibraltar’s inaugural international performance as UEFA’s Team 54 against Slovakia

57

quaint ourselves with the stadium facilities.

photo: Ian Martinez

The interest in Gibraltar’s participation from outside has been phenomenal. It is not just the players who have been thrust into the international arena. How are you coping with the global curiosity?

The global interest for Gibraltar’s participation has been incredible — from my point of view as communications and media manager I can say that the interest to cover our story has been huge. Many sporting and non-sporting international press wanted to know more about Gibraltar football and Gibraltar as a whole.

The press coverage we got was huge and I am now in the process of compiling all press cut-outs, online links and videos for UEFA and the GFA records. We even had a film crew from China filming a documentary of us on the same day of our arrival!

We had over 60 different media accrediting themselves to cover the match in the stadium and many more who turned up on the day seeking accreditation. Post match I am still receiving requests from press.

Last week we had the Champions League film crew over to film us as part of a UEFA documentary to be shown all around Europe and next year we already have some TV filming crews scheduled to come over.

used for the recently ‘friendly’ too — how does this affect the players/fans?

Of course the logistics of travelling to Portugal, approx eight hours return trip, will no doubt put fans off, especially if the match is televised live as was the case on this occasion. It will endure fans with an expense for travelling, etc. That is why the GFA decided to make this event admission free as a gesture of gratitude to those fans that made their way to Portugal.

This of course will affect the number of fans attending the match, but no doubt the numbers will eventually start to grow once we start the Euro qualifiers. The televising of the match gave locals the opportunity to witness this historic occasion and I am grateful to GBC for this.

In respect of the team, I was a first hand witness to this as I travelled with the team in the same coach both ways and also stayed in the same hotel with them. I spent most of the time with them. I can say that, for them (in my opinion), this did not affect them at all. They were concentrated at all times and focused on the match — the result 0-0 speaks for itself. Both players and technical team proved professionals throughout, but of course it is not the same as playing home as it will ease the travel logistics. Our next two matches against Faroe Islands and Estonia will be played home.

We played our first official friendly under UEFA in Portugal as a dress rehearsal for what is to come next September for the Euro Qualifiers. The exercise proved very useful for the players, technical team and GFA staff to ac-

58

“Last week we had the Champions League film crew over to film us as part of a UEFA documentary”

Desmond Reoch, President of the Gibraltar Football Association, said “To walk out at Wembley for me, the players and Gibraltar — that is the dream.”

What’s your dream for Gibraltar football?

I too would echo the sentiments of our President. Achieving UEFA membership is already a dream come true and may it be full of well deserved successes. Who knows, maybe one day we can play Spain (at present World Cup and European Cup winners) in our own stadium and beating them in front of 10,000 supporters. Now that would be a dream! n

Daniel Guerrero being interviewed by Reuters with Danny Higginbotham, defender for Chester and the GFA

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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photography

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

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

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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ibraltar the

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celebritiy

The Escape Artist:

M.G. Sanchez’s Novel Experience words | Elena Scialtiel

The Escape Artist is the latest work of prolific yet relatively unknown Gibraltarian writer Mark Sanchez (sometimes credited as M.G. Sanchez) as well as his first full-length novel.

This plot follows two young Gibraltarians who meet at the University of Cambridge during the early ’70s and focuses on how their friendship drifts apart when they come back to Gibraltar — ‘with some pretty nasty and disastrous consequences’, the author discloses.

Henry Portas comes from a rich and privileged background, while Brian Manrique is a working-class kid from Laguna Estate. Henry is suave, sophisticated and full of confidence.

Brian is shy and quiet and struggles to make friends. Although they have very different per-

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sonalities, the fact they are both from Gibraltar brings them together. However, after they finish their studies and return to Gibraltar, the social gap between them begins to open once again, and they end up slowly drifting apart.

10 years later, however, an unexpected turn of events sees them reunited.

And there’s a cliff-hanger here (literally): “I won’t say much else except that the story ends in the Andalusian mountains, with a bitter act of revenge!” Mark teases.

Himself based in Huntingdon, not far from

Cambridge, Mark states that his book is not autobiographical, but inspired by the work of Portuguese author José Rodrigues Miguéis who explores the topic in his short story The Stain.

“I liked Miguéis’s story so much that I thought one day I might try to write a similar work but with Gibraltarian students for protagonists and with a Gibraltarian setting,” Mark says, because it gave him the opportunity of analysing his views on Gibraltarian identity in a fast-changing world.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

book launches However, he denies this is as a roman à clef: “I don’t want to put forward any lessons to be learnt from it. I just wanted to write an interesting story that at the same time would highlight our own unique Gibraltarian identity.”

And he adds: “I think it is our traditions and our heritage that make us what we are. That’s why I always introduce Gibraltarian elements in my books — whether fiction or non-fiction.

I think it’s important that Gibraltarian writers do this because there are many people outside Gibraltar who think we have no identity of our own. The more we write about ourselves, the more people outside Gibraltar will learn about who we are, and stop believing the baseless political propaganda that is often spread about us.”

Mark professes himself a Gibraltarian to the core: “I’m just as much of a Gibraltarian as anybody else in Gibraltar; the only difference is that I live in the UK. When I think of home, I think of Gibraltar.”

And like the next Yanito, he is indeed very passionate about self-determination and politics: “I am always researching Gibraltarian identity, either by reading books or meeting people with interesting stories to tell. If there is one thing I have learnt about us Gibraltarians, it is the more that people attack us, the stronger and more united we become.”

Mark describes himself as “an ordinary Gibraltarian who went to study relatively late in life and ended up with three university degrees. I have worked all sorts of jobs in my time — construction worker, office clerk, insurance salesman, ice-cream man. I don’t consider myself a particularly interesting person...” he concludes modestly... but what child doesn’t dream of being the icecream man when they grow up?

His previous five books are collection of short stories (Rock Black, Diary of a Victorian Colonial), one book of essays (The Prostitutes of Serruya’s Lane and other Hidden Gibraltarian Histories), and anthologies of historical writing

about Gibraltar (Writing the Rock of Gibraltar, Georgian and Victorian Gibraltar: Incredible Eyewitness Accounts).

His fascination with Victorian and Georgian times reaches its zenith in The Prostitutes of Serruya’s Lane, a work that traces a part of local history most old folks would rather leave swept under the carpet.

“I wanted to write a book that would shed some light on aspects of our past that have been either forgotten or overlooked. I think it’s important that we chronicle all aspects of our past — not just the ones we are comfortable with. Smuggling, prostitution, racism: these things were just as much a part of our past as battles and sieges and it’s important that someone writes about them. When I first brought out the book, one or two individuals came up to and asked me, in Spanish: ‘And what’s the point of dredging up all that now?’ I was very surprised to hear this sort of comment. Surely, the task of the historian is to write about the past as it was — not as we in the present would have wanted it to be!”

The perhaps provocative title may seem to capitalise on the sensationalism of a somehow romanticised red-light district of yesteryears,

Most of all, he listens to people’s testimonials: I think you can learn a lot from sitting down with people and listening to them speak about their past

“

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

”

but the book is much more than a joyride.

Further articles explore ‘anti-Gibraltarianism’ in life and literature, under the stern title The Mongrel Race of Rock Scorpions (Rock Scorpions is coincidentally Mark’s publishing house), the role of contraband in local life, and even the yellow fever epidemic of 1804.

Mark researched the British Library and the Gibraltar Government archives to compile his essays.

Most of all, he listens to people’s testimonials: “I think you can learn a lot from sitting down with people and listening to them speak about their past.”

Mark’s work has been discussed at several university conferences across Europe, but he fits the old cliché of nobody being a prophet in their homeland: “I’ve always found it relatively difficult to promote my books in Gibraltar because I live in the UK. You know the saying ‘Out of sight, out of mind’, don’t you? Well, I think this applies to my situation as an expatriate Gibraltarian writer. If you are not actually there in Gibraltar, going around talking to people and trying to promote your book, you will not attract a lot of interest in your work. However, over the last few years, as interest in my books has grown, things have begun to change and I am getting more press coverage locally.”

So, what are you waiting for? Find out why his first novel shares the title with a controversial thriller mini-series starring David Tennant!

Get your copy from local bookshops, Amazon. co.uk or from www.mgsanchez.net! n

Vanessa’s Return to the Rock...

Indie Author and publisher, Vanessa Wester, paid a visit to the Rock in December for the launch of Return, the final novel in The Evolution Trilogy, at the Garrison Library. The book completes the trilogy and will give a gripping conclusion to the revelations made in Complications and, her debut novel, Hybrid.

Born and bred in Gibraltar, Vanessa now lives on the Isle of Wight. She obtained a degree in Accounting and Law from the University of Southampton, where the novels are partly set.

In 2012, she boldly ventured into the world of self-publishing and also publishes anthologies for charity.

Vanessa says, “It’s been a hard road but I’m excited and amazed I managed to complete the trilogy in three years. Writing has allowed me to find an outlet for my imagination and escape everyday life.”

Vanessa’s books are available via Amazon in Kindle edition and paperback, or via other retailers listed on www.theevolutiontrilogy.blogspot.co.uk

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celebrity

Gibraltar Connections:

First Black World Heavyweight Champion

words | Reg Reynolds

Jack Johnson was the best boxer in the world but he had yet to get a shot at the world heavyweight title when he arrived at Gibraltar in October 1908.

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The ‘Galveston Giant’ as he was nicknamed was the world ‘coloured’ heavyweight champion and world famous but there are no reports of what he got up to in Gibraltar despite his celebrity and the likelihood that he would have cut an imposing figure striding around the Rock. The big man had sailed from London and was on his way to Australia where he was hoping to arrange a title fight against the champion Tommy Burns. The Canadian had said he would be interested if the money was right.

I did manage to find a report in one old newspaper that on the voyage from Gibraltar to Sidney, Australia one brave lad agreed to an exhibition fight. The lad, who had boarded at Gibraltar, was tall and sturdy and it was reported that he handled himself well and went five rounds with Johnson landing a few solid punches. Unfortunately the newspaper report didn’t give his name or his nationality.

It would be wonderful to learn if any Gibraltarians have an ancestor who boxed against a world champion.

In Australia both Johnson and Burns fought and won a few fights before Burns finally agreed, for a reported $30,000, to fight a world heavyweight championship bout against a ‘coloured’ contender. Previously white and black boxers had fought against each other but never for the sacred ‘heavyweight’ championship. Johnson’s share of the purse was to be $5,000.

The fight took place at Sydney on 26th December, 1908 and the two boxers could hardly have been more contrasting. Not only black versus white but big versus small. Burns was a short man, 5’7” to Johnson’s 6’1” and it was rumoured he was suffering from the effects influenza. He weighed in at 168 pounds — 15 pounds lighter than his previous fight, and well below Johnson’s 192. Burns did have unusually long reach for a man his size, 73 inches, while Johnson had a reach of 74 inches.

Johnson dominated from the start and Burns took a terrible beating but he battled on for 14 rounds before the police stopped the fight.

Although bruised and bloodied Burns argued that he wanted to continue.

The next year when Johnson visited Vancouver, Canada he told a crowd that greeted him that Burns deserved credit as the only white heavyweight who ever gave a black man a chance to win the title. He said, “Let me say of Mr. Burns, a Canadian and one of yourselves, that he has done what no one else ever did, he gave a black man a chance for the championship. He was beaten, but he was game.”

Johnson, the son of freed slaves from Texas, went on to defeat all challengers until 5th April, 1915, when he lost his title to Jess Willard before a crowd of 25,000 at Havana, Cuba.

Johnson was knocked out in the 26th round of the scheduled 45 round fight. Although having won almost every round Johnson began to tire after the 20th round, and was visibly hurt by heavy body punches from Willard preceding the knockout.

Two years after losing his title, Johnson was again in the Gibraltar news. In his book The Fight of the Century, Thomas R. Hietala recorded: “A report from Gibraltar written up in the gullible Chicago Defender that Johnson had

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

celebrity been captured by an Austrian submarine. Jack single-handed subdued the submarine captain, blew up the submarine and was rescued after drifting for three days.”

The Chicago Defender was an African-American weekly newspaper founded in 1905 and the story about Johnson appeared in 1917. At the time of the improbable story (never verified

by Johnson’s many biographers) Johnson was living in Spain and was said to be investigating German submarines off the Spanish coast.

Before arriving in Spain, Johnson had jumped bail in America and made his way to England. Prejudiced Americans had been angered by Johnson’s arrogance and the fact that all three of his wives and most of his mistresses had been white. In 1913 he was charged under the Mann Act of transporting a woman across state lines for “immoral purposes”. The judge, sentencing him to a year in prison, said he was “sending a message” to black men about relationships with white women. He was allowed out on bail and, disguised as a player on a basketball team, he travelled to Montreal, Canada where he met with second wife Lucille Cameron. They sailed together to Europe.

When, in 1917, the United States joined the war on Germany the couple were forced out of the UK which didn’t want to upset the new American allies. They couldn’t go to France because of the war and instead chose Spain.

Although Johnson was now over 40 he continued to fight and win. Spain was not used to boxing and most of his opponents were English or American. As for his wartime activities in Spain he claimed, “For my work and the information I obtained I received due recognition from the officials under whose instructions I operated, I had the great satisfaction of being of service to my native country, even though I was in exile.”

Cynics dismiss Johnson’s claims of helping

He was allowed out on bail and, disguised as a player on a basketball team, he travelled to Montreal, Canada where he met with second wife Lucille Cameron. They sailed together to Europe the war effort and believe that he was homesick for America and believe he was trying to ingratiate himself to the public back home.

After stops in Cuba and Mexico Johnson crossed the Mexican border and in September 1920 surrendered to Federal agents. He was sent to Leavenworth Penitentiary to serve his sentence and was released on 9th July, 1921.

Despite being overweight and in poor shape Johnson continued to box, primarily because he needed money. He fought his last fight aged 60.

John Arthur “Jack” Johnson was born 31st March, 1878 at Galveston, Texas. He made his debut as a professional boxer on 1st November, 1898 in Galveston when he knocked out Charley Brooks in the second round of a 15-round bout. In his career Johnson had 114 fights and lost only 13, most of those late in his life. Always a reckless driver he died on 10th June, 1946 when the car he was driving hit a light pole on a North Carolina Highway. He was on his way to watch a fight between Joe Louis and Billy Conn. n

Rock Hard - novel set in Gibraltar Bill Todd is a travel journalist and crime thriller writer who has visited Gibraltar many times and married here in 2006. His fourth crime thriller – Rock Hard – has just been published and a lot of the action is set in Gibraltar.

Rock Hard — the plot When Danny Lancaster gets a call from an old friend it looks like a chance to swap work and women worries in Brighton for a reunion.

Danny hasn’t seen Pogo since they fought together in Afghanistan. They have war stories to retell, beers to drink. But Pogo is broke, sick and in serious trouble. It started in Gibraltar smuggling cigarettes to pay his debts. Now his Russian boss has taken on a dangerous job for a mysterious businessman. A priceless package must be smuggled into Europe across the narrow strait from Africa.

But unseen eyes are watching. Lives are in danger. A game of Russian roulette is just the start of a deadly clash where two continents meet. The two friends are way out of their depth.

And Danny must make a decision. How far do you go to help the man who saved your life? n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Author Bill Todd Rock Hard is available at www.amazon.co.uk. Further details are available at www.billtodd.co.uk/rock-hard

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past

revisited

The Changing Face of Governor’s Parade words | Richard Garcia

Governor’s Street leads to Governor’s Parade, but who was the Governor that is remembered in these names? It is in fact an echo of centuries ago, when Gibraltar was a Spanish town in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Spanish Governor’s residence was where today’s City Hall is situated. There was no space there for a garden in which to grow fruit and vegetables for the Governor’s table, and so the Governor’s garden was located where the Garrison Library stands today, overlooking the square. Hence the name.

Indeed, the old 18th century name for Governor’s Street was “Governor’s Garden Street”, which was self-explanatory. It got shortened over time, and the reason for the name was lost.

After 1704, and for nearly 100 years, before the Garrison Library was built, there continued to be a vegetable garden and orchard next to Governor’s Parade. The locals called it La Huerta de Riera.

The change from a vegetable garden and orchard to a library is not the only one that Governor’s Parade has seen. In the 18th and 19th centuries, and until the middle of last century, there was a large open space on the Parade.

It was doubtless used by the gunners, given the close proximity of the barracks on Town Range.

The name of the square was then changed to Gunner’s Parade.

It was in that open area that

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

the bust in memory of Queen Victoria was erected in 1910. The monument was paid for through a public subscription. It was placed in the middle of the square. Later, with the advent of the motor car, and the need to dig an ARP shelter under Governor’s Parade, it was moved to one side to its present location. Inebriated sailors on shore leave would try to climb up the monument to try and snap off the decorations on the Queen’s diadem. They sometimes succeeded. Her Majesty would not have been amused.

In her new position, Queen Victoria has turned her back on where the Theatre Royal used to stand. The Theatre was built in 1847, and the opera Nabucco by Verdi was performed there on its inauguration. In its time, the theatre had major changes made to it and it was remodelled on three occasions. The works that began in 1889 took five years to complete.

It was again altered in 1914, when the unsightly fire escapes of 1893 were removed. The facade of the theatre was then brought further out into the square, with the emergency exits now inside the building instead of on the outside.

It was then remodelled, inside and out, in 1937-8. Prior to its demolition, the theatre had been closed for many years.

Today, the theatre is just a memory.

So is the City Council fountain on the square next to the London Bar. The fountain was set up by the Council’s predecessors, the Sanitary Commissioners. Water from the fountain was collected in large and small barrels, which were sold to the public. This was necessary in the case of houses that did not have a water cistern under the building to collect rainwater from the roofs during the winter months, or if the cistern ran dry.

The water-kegs were laden on the back of donkeys and taken round

For nearly 100 years, before the Garrison Library was built, there continued to be a vegetable garden and orchard next to Governor’s Parade. The locals called it La Huerta de Riera to the patios. Later, they were taken on wheel-barrows, at a time when the volume of this type of water sales dropped sharply. It was the way things were done before the advent of running water in every house.

The O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel stands on the site of another military building: the Command Pay Office. It is symptomatic of how things have changed. Military buildings that became surplus to defence requirements have either been converted to new uses, or demolished in order to allow better utilisation of the footprint of the building.

The old picture postcards of Gibraltar serve as a reminder of what went on in Governor’s Parade over the years. They show the monu-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

ment to Queen Victoria in its original location, the different faces of the Theatre Royal and the water fountain. Above all, they show what a large open space there once was on Governor’s Parade.

Progress always comes at a price. n Images of postcards have been taken from the book ‘Gibraltar through the Lens’

by Richard Garcia.

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puzzle page

SUDOKU Just for fun!

by Alan Gravett 1

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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 January 2014 Last month’s winner: Sylvia Serra, Sortie House LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: Across: Robert, Tusks, Red Hot Poker, Agreed, Team, Opera Hat, Realignment, Swamp Gas, Rare, Intake, Inches, Layer, Recess.

Down: Row Deer, Bohemia,Rationing, Tiger, Stephen,Sedate, Ernestine, Exactly,Earache,Turkeys, Espial.

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Across

1 and 11 The eve of 5 January, strictly, so

sometimes said to be 6th. (7,5) 8 Teach (7) 9 Roy Rogers’ horse (7) 10 Illness (7) 11 see 1 across 13 Last day at school before, say,

Christmas (3,2,4) 15 Assorted cold meats etc. as starters

in Italy (9) 18 Enid Blyton character (5) 21 French inventor of “writing” for

the blind (7) 22) Irregular; capricious (7) 23 Make jump (7) 24 When an expectant mother

expects! (3,4) Down 1 A Greek god; giant (5) 2 Surname of the main protagonists

in Dallas (5) 3 Those who flew in Spitfires etc. (7,6) 4 Old officer who made proclamations;

forerunner (6) 5 Paul McCartney’s huge Christmas hit

of 1977 recorded by Wings (4,2,7) 6 Reproductive cell (6) 7 In anatomy, a divider in a cavity or

tissue (6) 12 Metal chemical symbol fe (4) 14 South African currency (4) 15 One in charge of a convent (6) 16 Roman emperor 98-117AD (6) 17 Cooked for a long time; was

agitated (6) 19 Theatre production; crisis, for some (5) 20 (rare spelling) sing like a Swiss

maid (5)

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

41

Fabulous Cavalcade words | Richard Cartwright

The yuletide festive joy has now fizzled out… The Three King’s Cavalcade on 5th January is the last event on the make merriment calendar then it’s time to clear the decks and get ready for a brand new year!

But as far as the Cavalcade committee is concerned the New Year only contains about nine months because come September the Cavalcade preparations commence all over again.

I remember the early years when the idea of the Cavalcade got off the ground. What comes to mind, much like the present, is the atmosphere, the floats and bands... but very especially, in those days, the lorry or two loaded with presents for Gibraltar’s needy — there were many then.

As youngsters, when the actual parade was over, we would follow these trucks out of curiosity really, to see where they went. There were distribution points where the vehicles would park and helpers would disappear into the night and deliver gifts to underprivileged children in their homes. Strangely enough for Gibraltar, given its size, we never really knew who those needy kids were, which was a good thing as many would consider it a stigma they would not want to be branded with. I’m sure that is something the organisers were aware of and did their best to keep those individuals’ names under wraps as best they could.

The present day committee is headed by Eric Abudarham who has been busily involved

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

for the past 30 years or so. “The story goes it was all started by John Ochello, a gentleman they called the White Bomber who was a local amateur boxer. It must be remembered it wasn’t long after the war had ended and some families were still returning to the Rock after the evacuation, even into the ’50s.”

Some recall that in the late ’50s, John went up Main Street with a toy horse between his legs — of the horse’s head and broomstick type — popping into shops asking for sweets, chocolates and whatever items businesses could spare to distribute amongst those needy children, in a small attempt to make Christmas a little happier for them. Others tell me he would walk along our main thoroughfare with gifts accompanied by a donkey called

The Three Kings were introduced, riding on horseback, and more floats and bands joined the parade

Bienvenido.

That gesture by this kind individual obviously struck a cord with the community. The then very popular Gibraltar United Football Club — their premises in those days situated almost opposite the Gibraltar Magazine offices in Turnbull’s Lane — took over and organised a proper cavalcade, similar to what was seen in the surrounding towns in Spain. Proper collections were coordinated and better gifts were provided for the Rock’s disadvantaged families. The Three Kings were introduced, riding on horseback, and more floats and bands joined the parade.

The footballers and members of the club’s committee and local personalities took it in turns to be the Three Kings for the night while others helped marshal along the route.

“On a number of occasions, the Mons Calpe ferried camels across the Strait from Tangier for the event and we’ve even had Gibraltar’s last hackney carriage in the parade. Later three thrones were built for the Kings that were towed along on trailers. There were three different versions of those thrones and not many people know that, assuming they were the same ones every year,” Eric reflects.

Many of our leading Government depart-

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ments used to take part providing floats in the ’60s and early ’70s, like Customs — who were often prize winners and the Fire Brigade. The story goes, their Bridge on the River Kwai float was set alight one year by vandals, when it was parked at Grand Parade after the Cavalcade was over. “We also had the Police taking part, clubs and associations, the services and many others.”

Clearly groups were eager and a lot of effort and enthusiasm went into the building of these floats especially when, as Eric informs me, there was a period in the mid ’60s when on the first day of the annual fair, another cavalcade was organised by some other entity!

It’s plain to see that through the years some very dedicated helpers have been members of the Cavalcade committee and it’s because of their unstinting dedication that the community — especially the kids — has enjoyed the early January, Eve of the Epiphany annual event.

GBC too has, for many years, contributed by raising funds for the Cavalcade cause.

During summer the hard working committee takes a break, but once the season’s over, committee meetings get organised with fingers and toes crossed in the hope that a reasonable amount of organisations and groups will show an interest once more, come forward and provide the traditional, motorised floats or even, walking floats which are also very welcome.

“As with most events we’ve had our ups and downs. Our highest year for entries was 2007 with 22 floats and our lowest, so far, has been seven. Invariably there are difficulties with where to build the float and ‘where can we get hold of a trailer?’.”

At the time of writing, Eric tells me over the past few months the hanger on the airfield and former dockyard workshops have been sought for float building areas. Hopefully they were lucky but somehow they seem to manage in the end.

“Weather wise,” Eric recalls, “we’re generally very lucky. It hardly ever rains much.

Sometimes it rains during the day, stops for the event and starts again soon after! One year it was organised to start at Rosia Parade and travel down to Casemates in reverse order and I remember as soon as we set off it poured!”

That’ll teach them… if it’s not broken, why fix it? They should have kept to the traditional route...

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The re-introduction, a couple of years ago, of (circus) camels didn’t work either and some have commented on the gaps that are created as the parade makes its way up Main Street…

“Well, that’s not to do with the stopping at the churches as some may think — we’ve now done away with that anyway. We visit the cathedrals earlier in the afternoon for a symbolic visit to their respective cribs. The problem is it sometimes becomes a little awkward as we

“

leave Casemates where a bottleneck is created by the crowds spilling out off the pavements into the road in an attempt to collect as many sweets as they can! That’s when the wider vehicles have to slow down and take greater care not to run anybody over. The plan from now on is to do away with the distribution of sweets.”

The delivering of gifts is done a little differently these days too. Eric says there are about 30 or 40 children they provide presents for but this is undertaken by a caring lady called Carmen Xerri and her group. Gifts are purchased and given out at a party organised by Carmen and her team. The Kings then move on to Rainbow Ward and the Maternity Unit at St Bernard’s.

“The look on the kids’ faces is incredible.

It’s great to see how their eyes light up when the Kings enter the ward with their presents,” Eric tells me.

And how many floats this year? Again, at time of writing there were five or six and Eric expects more... “If we get at least six or seven, we have a cavalcade!”

It is the last Chrismassy event of the season and the community’s children always look forward to it eagerly and with a passion. The 2014 event will prove as popular as ever with residents and visitors. And then? Yes, it’s all over for another year and the Cavalcade ‘doers’ take that well earned break, but not for long…

September is just a few months away! n

Our highest year for entries was 2007 with 22 floats and our lowest, so far, has been seven

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

events

Emilio Moro at the Waterfront Anglo Hispano held a well attended tasting of Emilio Moro wines at Waterfront Restaurant, Queensway Quay, in December. The full house of guests enjoyed ham, cheese and a selection of wines in a convivial atmosphere. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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call

Image of the Month

photos: Carmen Lima

Our image of the month for January is a view of the Bay of Gibraltar taken from the World War II tunnels

by Stephen Herron. We loved this peaceful night shot of our town and the sunset.

Send your image to info@thegibraltarmagazine.com if we like them we will put them in print!

The Newton Creative Awards The Newton Creative Awards took place last month at the Newton Store on Irish Town. Pictured above are winners of the 12 years and under category — Keiron Bueno, Ami Goulamhoussein, Jade Victory and Ethan Cruz; winner of the 13-16 year old category — Jack Scott; and winner of the 17 years and over category Jason Sutherland who won a Mac Book Air for his entry Greet the Weather. Also in the photo are the Mayor, Tony Lima, who presented the awards, organiser Ludo Leroy (managing director of Newton Stores) and Head Judge of the awards Charlie Moore.

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Cornerstone Community Awards The Newcastle Building Society’s Cornerstone Community Award — People’s Choice — was awarded to Tito Vallejo last month. Pictured is Tito receiving the award from Maytor of Gibrlatar, Tony Lima at the award ceremony.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

The Gibraltar Decorative & Fine Arts Society

Venice in 18th Century London GibDFAS is holding a lecture entitled Venice in 18th Century London – a musical and artistic partnership by Peter Medhurst on Wednesday 16th January at the Roof Top Suite, O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel. Meet at 6.30pm for the lecture at 7.30pm.

As Venice declined, it produced ever fewer opportunities for highgrade lucrative employment and as a result, many of its native artists and musicians looked for work elsewhere. Some went south to Rome and Florence, some gravitated to Paris, Vienna, and even

Madrid, but many — inspired by the constant procession of Englishmen on the Grand Tour — set their sights on the ever expanding English capital.

Once again we welcome Peter Medhurst who will give a LectureRecital on the subject. Although not strictly speaking a visual art, such has been the popularity and success of these talks one would think that the mental images conjured up by music were in fact, visual and that the two arts were symbiotic. Through digital images, film and live examples sung and played at the piano, Peter Medhurst explores the knock-on effect of the Venetians’ stay in 18th century London and reveals how English culture took on a discernible Venetian quality that was to be detected in its art and music for many years to come.

Music performed includes: Largo

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

from Fourth Set of Suites, Richard Jones, Allegro from Piano Sonata in C, Hook, Allegro from Voluntary in D minor, Stanley, Sonata No 3 in A minor, Galuppi, Generous and Gallant Nation, Greene

For further details of membership of the Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society and the current programme, contact: claus. olesen@sghambros.com or ilebreton@ SovereignGroup.com or visit the website: www.nadfas.org/gibraltar

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S TELL rUNew Year

u 14? t’s yo Wha ise for 20 prom mail: i e ltar.g gibra @ g a gibm

Pepe Soiza Building Porter

Founder GADSG (Gibraltar Alzeheimers & Dementia Support Group) First President of the Gibraltar Senior Citizens

My New Year’s Resolution is to carry on doing good work for those around me in need.

What’s your New Year’s Resolution? compiled by Pennie Gwilt

A New Year’s Resolution is a little promise we make to ourselves. A promise to make things better this year than they were last, to improve our health, our outlooks or our minds and generally be a better person. If you are still deciding on your New Year’s resolution, here is some inspiration from the great Gibraltar public.

Omaima Moumouya Sales Assistant, R&J Refigeration I have decided to make it my resolution to go to Paris in 2014!

Erika Gonzalez Data Processor, Restsso My New Year’s resolution is, again, to stop smoking. I have tried to stop smoking every New Year for four years now. This year year if I can get through the first hour I will be really pleased!

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Donna Montegriffo Self Employed My New Year’s resolution is to be best grandmother I possibly can. My daughter Natalya and her husband David had their first baby in September 2013.

Jeremy Clifton-Psila Telesales & Marketing, Insurance For my New Year’s resolution I am going to try to eat more healthy food (especially vegetables)!

Stephanie Eynaud Trainee Interior Designer, Denville Designs I am aiming to live more healthily. I am going to get back into running — I love fitness training up and around the Rock, especially the Med Steps.

Jenny Fernandez Transport Inspector Well last year my resolution was to travel more, and I did — I went to New York. This year’s resolution is to learn another language — Russian! I think I will do it.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Gary Lowe Corporal, Royal Gibraltar Regiment New Year’s resolution will be to appreciate what I have in life and to enjoy as much time as possible with my loved ones.

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Lounge Gastro Bar Official Opening The newly extended Lounge Gastro Bar hosted its official opening in December when invited guests enjoyed a celebratory glass of champagne followed by food loving prepared by the chefs (sushi and bread was made in front of the guests), drinks, jelly shots and a party atmosphere. The full house of delighted guests — suppliers, friends and customers (some all three) — had a chance to socialise and enjoy the night while congratulating Stafford sisters, Sonia and Michelle, on their fabulous venue. A great addition to Queensway Quay’s offering.

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

photo call

Happy 107th Phyllis! Gibraltarian living in London,

Mrs Phyllis Farrugia, celebrated her 107th birthday at the end of November. She is probably the oldest Gibraltarian living in the UK (tell us if you know different!). Phyllis Farrugia started to work for the Gowing family in 1937 when DS Gowing was Gibraltar’s Commissioner of Police and she rejoined the family when they returned to England in 1953. Since then she has worked in the Dorking area as house keeper and caring for the elderly. Today she lives in Westcott and by coincidence Tim Gowing, who took this photograph and has known her since he was a baby, also lives in the village and keeps a close watch over her. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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e i h t o o m � eason S

So our New Year’s resolution is to eat more fruit but you want to make it interesting and stick to your promise.

You are ready for some tasty smoothie recipes to give your health a boost to start 2014 right.

In addition to fresh fruit, many smoothies include crushed ice, frozen fruit and honey. They can also contain milk, yogurt or ice cream. They should have a milkshake-like consistency that is thicker than slush drinks.

These delicious healthy smoothie recipes make it easy to eat healthily year round.

Breakfast Smoothie Fill up with a quick and easy breakfast in a glass.

1 ripe juicy pear, cored 1 banana 30g porridge oats 1tbs honey 110g natural yogurt 250ml apple juice handful of ice cubes Blend in a processor until smooth.

This smoothie will keep hunger at bay until lunchtime.

Ginger, Banana & Yogurt Smooth Smoothie Ginger has long been touted as a remedy for all manner of things including heartburn, nausea and motion sickness. Here, ginger teams with a banana, which acts as a natural antacid. So before you reach for an over-the-counter product for relief, whip up one of these soothing smoothies instead.

1 Small 1 tbs 1/2 tsp

banana, sliced vanilla yogurt honey freshly grated ginger

Whizz it all together with a food or stick processor and enjoy!

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Try your own combinations and have some fun

Green Tea, Blueberry, and Banana Smoothie 3 tbs water 1 green tea bag 2 tsp honey 2 handfuls frozen blueberries 1/2 medium banana A mug of soy milk Microwave the water on high until steaming. Add the tea bag and brew for three minutes. Remove tea bag. Stir in the honey until it dissolves and allow to cool.

In blender, combine berries, banana, and milk. Add the tea.

Blend ingredients on highest setting until smooth. (Add more water if necessary). Pour smoothie into tall glass and serve Strawberry-Kiwi Smoothie This high-fiber drink becomes even

healthier when you use organic kiwis, which contain higher levels of heart-healthy polyphenols and vitamin C. Small strawberry yogurt 6 strawberries, sliced 1 kiwi, peeled 1 tbs honey handful of ice

Handful crushed ice Blend it all together on high until smooth and serve. This is the smoothie we loved the most!

And that’s it — so simple to make and full of goodness. Once you get the smoothie habit and try out your own combinations you will find eating healthily is fun. n

Whizz in a processor with and icecrusher setting. Drink!

Mango Surprise The Surprise with this smoothie is that it contains avocado — and tastes absolutely delicious!

1 1/4 Glass 2 tbs 2 tsp

chopped ripe mango avocado, peeled, pitted skim milk honey lime juice

Contemporary Mediterranean Dining

Grand Casemates Square Tel: 200 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

44449 for reservations 79

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

restaurants

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.

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

Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town. Tel: 200 51738

Nunos Italian Restaurant and Terrace Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay Tel: 200 76501 Email: reservations@caletahotel.gi

Casa Pepe

The Waterfront

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.

Right on the quayside at Queensway Quay Marina, this restaurant offers everything from coffee through to 3-course meals with champagne! A bar snack menu is available all day from 10.15am; the a la carte menu from midday to 10.30pm, featuring daily specials. The barbecue grill from 7pm offers sumptuous steaks aged in-house, and fab fish including dorada and sea bass. A delicious array of desserts/ice creams. Extensive terraces provide ideal location for summer dining and drinks with stunning sunsets. Caters for large parties - weddings, holy communions, birthdays etc. Est. over 16 years.

Open: 7 days a week 9am-late

Casa Pepe, 18 Queensway Quay Marina, Tel/Fax: 200 46967 Email: casa.pepe@gmail.com.

Visit: www.gibtour.com/casapepe.

The Waterfront Queensway Quay Marina. Tel: 200 45666 Visit: www.gibwaterfront.com

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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

Get Listed!

Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar?

Get your business listed here

CALL 200 77748 for details GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar?

Get your business listed here

CALL 200 77748 for details 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

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

food & drink

directory 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

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

e to wher drink eat & the on k Roc

Sacarello Coffee Co Converted coffee warehouse, great coffee, homemade cakes/ afternoon tea, plus 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. Art exhibitions. Available for parties and functions in the evenings.

Open: 9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri. 9am-3pm Sat Sacarello Coffee Co. 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625

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

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

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.

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.

Just Desserts 1st Floor ICC. Tel: 200 48014

Piccadilly Gardens Rosia Road, Tel: 20075758

The Tasty Bite 59a Irish Town. Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

informal food

Get Listed!

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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

Jury’s Café-Wine Bar

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. Jury’s Café & Wine Bar 275 Main Street. Tel: 200 67898

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

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

Star Bar

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.

Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Visit: www.starbargibraltar.com

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 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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

• Pizza • Pasta • Salads • Fresh Juices • Cappuccino • Ice Creams

DAILY SPECIALS 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) Queensway Quay Marina, Tel: 200 61118

184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)

restaurant bar guide &

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 •• JANUARY JANUARY 2014 2014 GIBRALTAR

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A Cheap New Year? words | Peter Rodney

You look at the wine list in the restaurant. Some names you recognise, others you don’t. The safest option is to go for the second cheapest on the list: that way you don’t seem too mean but also you are not overspending. The wine is reasonable and you enjoy it without really noticing it — although you probably paid £12 or more.

In the supermarket or wine shop you look round and recognise many names, usually because they are tried and trusted and somewhere round the £6 mark for everyday drinking. You may decide to splash out £12, £20 or even more for a special occasion. Perhaps you already know the more expensive wine; perhaps you take the advice of the merchant (Tony at My Wines is especially reliable).

You paid £12 in the restaurant, without batting an eyelid, for a wine you could buy in a shop for £6 (the mark-up is usually 100%).

Yet when spending £12 in a shop you are rather more careful. Why should this be? Well, partly of course, because there is nothing much cheaper in the restaurant and if the mark-up is 100% then the amount you are paying out increases geometrically. So it makes financial sense to stay at the cheaper end. But it is also the expectation. You know you are

going to be paying a lot in a restaurant so you expect to do so.

In a recent survey, a large number of (non-expert) consumers were given a blind tasting of two wines. One was a decent claret costing about £6; the other a supposedly much superior one at £25. The question was not: ‘Which is the better?’ but: ‘Which do you prefer?’ Some 80% of the tasters preferred the cheaper one.

It was smoother, easier to drink, uncomplicated and — perhaps most importantly — what they were used to in a wine. Many recognised that the more expensive one was probably a better wine, but nevertheless they preferred to drink the cheaper one as it slipped down more easily.

They didn’t have to find hints of apricot together with deep tannins making the meniscus more pronounced (whatever that may mean).

The lesson is that you are not alone in failing to see why you

Some 80% of the tasters preferred the cheaper one. It was smoother, easier to drink, uncomplicated and — perhaps most importantly — what they were used to in a wine 84

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

wine should pay a fortune for something that you feel inhibited by. It is perhaps the same with designer clothes, enormously expensive hotels and other luxuries which are not part of everyday life for the majority of us. The need to show off may be a natural human desire but it is rather an unpleasant one.

There is the story of the titled owner of a large country house who opened it to the public for a few days each year. As Mr and Smith wandered round the estate they noticed a man in a rather shabby tweed jacket and grubby corduroys dead-heading some roses. Naturally assuming he was one of the gardeners, they engaged him in conversation and, as keen gardeners themselves, learned some interesting tips on the proper upkeep of roses.

After a pleasant talk, they were just walking away when a young man appeared and admonished ‘Daddy’ for boring the visitors to his house when they should be left to enjoy themselves in peace.

‘Daddy’ was of course the owner.

Mr and Mrs Smith were covered in confusion for what they saw as their importunity. But they were not importunate and had no reason to be embarrassed.

‘Daddy’ was a very good wine of a certain vintage who did not need to show off.

After the excesses of Christmas and spending large amounts on unnecessary gewgaws, January is a time to calm down

and regroup. Having doubtless splashed out on expensive tipples during Noel, consider now whether you got any real pleasure out of them – or was it just to show that you could buy the top of the range items and enjoy them.

What is important is to buy what you like and are happy with. Most Riojas and Ribeira del Douros are very good and very reasonably priced. Chilean and Argentinean Malbecs slip down a treat. Australian Chardonnays (now they have ceased overoaking them) and Cabernets are delightful. And all can be found at £6 or less. The savings you need to make for January are all there and you can build up your funds to discover just why the old vintage in the shabby tweeds is actually worth it.

It is worth it not because of its price or background but because it reveals a hidden quality of depth and taste that you were not used to. It may require some effort and a little background knowledge to appreciate just why this particular wine is better than all those recommended above, but after the first two sips you will be rewarded. A Pauillac Chateau Saint Georges 2005 at about £50 from Anglo Hispano.

Don’t show off or try to display it to all your friends. Just enjoy it. You will not be disappointed and you can return to everyday drinking — which is, in its own way, equally enjoyable. n

After the excesses of Christmas and spending large amounts on unnecessary gewgaws, January is a time to calm down and regroup

column

Please note: From January 2014 Cafe Rojo will be open Tuesdays-Fridays 10am - late Saturdays Lunch 12pm-3pm Afternoon drinks & desserts Dinner 7pm-10pm Closed Sundays & Mondays

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

85

d n u o r � ow� �

This page: photos from the launch of Richard Garcia’s excellent book Gibraltar Through the Lens, at Sacarello’s, Irish Town

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Well that’s it for another year, and say hello to 2014. 2013 has been an exciting year in many respects — it is the year Gibraltar joined the UEFA footballing family as Team 54. Now we just have the Three King’s Cavalcade to look forward to on 5th January and we can start 2014’s round of social events. January is always a quiet month on the Rock with everyone recuperating after the festivities of December.

One of our most popular restaurants, Cafe Rojo on Irish Town, has changed its opening hours to give host Annette and chef Luis some time off each week. They are now closed all day on Sundays and Mondays but open throughout Saturdays so you don’t have to miss out.

Birthdays in January, just to give everyone a little something to celebrate after the New Year extravaganza, are the Gibraltar Photographic Society’s Stephen Hermida on 6th. He shares his birthday with Janet Howitt, closely followed by John Green of Photocentre on 11th. Then it is Spanish teacher Margaret Frost on 13th. DHL’s Nicky Darby and Image Graphics’ John Bell share their birthday celebration on 15th January. Sophie Triay won’t look a day older on 23rd January, while Howard Danino celebrates his big day on 24th. Form-a-Co’s Jonathan Stagnetto will be buying the drinks on 25th January, and finally Sangeeta Mahtani rounds up the month on 28th January. Many happy returns to you all! May you start January off with good birthday treat. What better gift than a copy of Richard Garcia’s fabulous collection of Gibraltar postcards called Gibraltar Through the Lens (photos of the launch on this page)?

One event which is happening in January just to keep you active on the social scene is the GibDFAS lecture

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • January 2014

Lottery Photo competition A presentation for the winners of the Lottery Photographic competition was held at the Photographic Society Club premises in Wellington Front in December.

Pictured right are the winners with Minister Isola who presented the prizes. The winning photographs will be used on Lottery tickets during the draws held in 2014 beginning with Mr Passano’s for the Three Kings draw due to be held on 7th January.

The winners were Aaron Baglietto, Mark Celecia, Gerry Fagan, Nicholas Ferrary (3 photos won), Anne Ferro (2 photos won), Vera Francis, Jaqueline Freeman, Mark Galliano, Brian Gordon (2 photos won), Cayetano Guerrero (2 photos won), Mabelle Imossi, Roy Mcgrail, Brian Passano, Gabrielle Philips (2 photos won), Nicky Sanchez, Neville Zammit (2 photos won), Alex Zapata. (Mabel Imossi, Alex Zapata and Vera Francis were not present for the photograph). (photo: Derek Booth)

which strays, this month, into music with Venice in the 18th Century on Wednesday 16th January at the Eliott Hotel (meet at 6.30pm) — all welcome. And of course there is the prestigious Tradewise 2014 Chess Festival at the Caleta Hotel from Monday 27th January to Thursday 6th February. You don’t have to be interested in Chess to enjoy this fabulous event which see all top players arrive on the Rock to take part in competition.

This event was descibed by the Sunday Times as the most prestigious open tournament in the wrold, so we are privileged indeed to host it here.

All that remains for January is for the team at The Gibraltar Magazine to wish everyone — supporters, contributors, readers and friends — a very very happy, healthy and prosperous 2014. May Gibraltar continue to thrive for the coming year. See you all on Main Street!

Nigel Crome and Rani Menghnani volunteers from Action4schools-Sierra Leone selling chocolate Santas at the Piazza

Gibraltar at 2013 World Modern and Jazz Dance Championships Pictured right is the Gibrlatar team for the 2013 World Modern and Jazz Dance Championships. The event was staged in Mikolajki, Poland, with over 1,400 dancers from 25 countries taking part. Dancers travelled from four continents to join in this event organised by the International Dance Organisation (IDO).

The Gibraltar National Dance Organisation selected dancers from five different local dance schools to take part — Genyka Celecia, Tyron Walker, Dulcie Edwards, Duncan Grech, Francesca Morillo, Nicole Valverde, Lauren Schembri, Gianna Perera and Giovanella Vinales.

Gibraltar performed in the Adult division, Solo Female, Solo Male, Duet and Group sections. The National Team’s choreographers for Poland 2013 were GNDO Vice President Adrian Lopez, Team Captain Paulette Finlayson, Nichol Montovio, Gerald Rodriguez, Sabrina Abudarham, Jade Federico, Jarlene Jurado and Jolene Gomez.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • January 2014

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clubs&activities Arts & Crafts The Arts Centre, Prince Edward’s Rd. Art classes for children (5-6pm Mon, 5-6.30pm Tues, 5-7pm Thurs), adults (Mon - Tues 6.30pm8pm, Wed 6.30pm-8.30pm, life painting Wed 7pm-9pm). Tel: 200 79788.

The Fine Arts Association Gallery 1st Floor above Gibraltar Crystal, Casemates. Open 11am-2pm, 4-6pm Mon - Fri, Sat 11am - 2pm.

Arts & Crafts Gallery (next door) opens Mon - Fri 9.30am - 5pm (summer) -6pm (winter), Sat 9.30am - 3pm.

Exhibition Vin’s Gallery at the Rock, The Rock Hotel. Original paintings, prints, and souvenirs

by Vin Mifsud and her pupils. Monday - Saturday 9.30-11am and 8-10pm.

The Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society Affiliated to the UK NADFAS organisation meets third Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm at Eliott Hotel - lecturers & experts from the UK to talk on Art etc. Contact: ChairmanClaus Olesen: 200 02024 claus.olesen@sghambros. com. Membership Ian leBreton: 200 76173 ilebreton@SovereignGroup.com Knit and Natter Group: Tuesdays from 11am3pm, at Arts & Crafts Shop, Casemates balconyFree to join and refreshments provided. Tel: 20073865 for more information.

Board Games Chess Club meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall 8-10.30pm Tues.

The Gibraltar Scrabble Club meet at the Rock Hotel on Mondays at 3pm. For further information please ring Vin at 20073660 or Roy at 20075995. All welcome.

The Subbuteo Club meets Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall 7.30 - 11pm.

Dance Adult Dance Classes Wednesday evenings at the Youth Disco Room, Kings Bastion Leisure Centre from 7-8.30pm. Cha-Cha, Salsa and Merengue. Lessons £5 and all proceeds to GibMissionAfrica Charity. Contact Dilip on 200 78714 or dance@trainingtm.net Bellydance classes. Beginners level on Tuesday from 7-8pm at Danza Academy or 8-9pm at Ocean Village fitness centre. Tel 54005593.

Salsa Gibraltar Salsa classes held Tuesdays at Laguna Social Club, Laguna Estate. Beginners 7-8.30pm, £5 per lesson. Intermediates 8.30-10pm, £6 per lesson (all profits going to the charity Help Us To Help Them). Contact: Mike 54472000 Email: info@salsagibraltar.com website: www.salsagibraltar.com Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing Mondays Catholic Community Centre 8.30pm (beginners 7.30). Over 15s welcome.

Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at the Catholic Community Centre at 8pm, beginners at 7.30pm, Wednesday.

The DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at Central Hall Fridays 8pm, beginners 7.30pm. Tel: 200 78282 or e-mail manvio@ gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome.

Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Flexibility, Hip Hop & Dance Theatre classes weekly at Urban Dance Studio, 2 Jumpers Bastion. Tel: Yalta (54012212) or Jolene (54015125).

Ballet, Modern Theatre, Jazz, Contemporary & Hip Hop classes held weekly at Danza Academy, 68/2 Prince Edward’s Road. Training from 2.5 years to Adult Advanced. Royal Academy of Dancing and Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing exams taken. Competing opportunity with IDF European & World Championships. Tel: Anne-Marie 54027111 or Zulieka 54003973.

Aerobics, Step, Dancercise & Zumba classes for women held weekly at Danza Academy, 68/2 Prince Edward’s Rd. Tel: 54027111.

Zumba Classes at Urban Dance, Jumpers Bastion, with certified instructor Tyron Walker. Mon & Weds 8-9pm. Tel: 20063959 or 54012212.

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.

Members/vehicles meet 1st Sunday of month, Morrison’s car park from 10am. New members welcome. Tel: 200 44643.

Music Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir rehearse on Tuesday & Thursday

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Don’t be bored... do something fun!

7.30 - 9pm at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. New singers always welcome. Tel: 54831000.

St Andrew’s Music Academy Musical Monsters Club, workshops. Group musical activities for kids 3-7 years. Singing, rhythmic games etc.

Tel: 200 42690 email: samagib@hotmail.com The Calpe Band Mondays & Wednesdays. For musicians of brass/woodwind instruments of all standards/ages/abilities 7-9pm, 35a Town Range (behind the Senior Citizens Club) Tel: Claire 54017070 email: thecalpebnd@gmail.com Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award - exciting selfdevelopment programme for all young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. 5 million young people from 100+ countries have been motivated to undertake a variety of challenging activities.

Contact Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road. Tel: 200 59818 Quizzes The Lounge friendly quiz on Sundays from 8pm right on the quayside at Queensway Quay.

Social Clubs Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, Jumpers Bastion on these days: Provincial Grand Lodge, 1st Monday/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, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm. Por Favor 9444, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm.

Farewell 10001, Tues 8.30pm. Goldacre 10475 (social) last Fri/month 8pm.

Special Interest Clubs & Societies Gibraltar Horticultural Society meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, John Mac 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. Contact 54008426 (after 6pm) or email gibphilosophy@ live.co.uk for further information.

Gibraltar Photographic Society meets on Mon at 7.30pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, competitions etc.

Harley Davidson Owners’ Club www.hdcgib. com The Royal British Legion (Gibraltar Branch). For info/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.

Creative Writers Group meet Tuesdays at Eliott Hotel bar at 8pm, aimed at learning to write fiction/non-fiction, for pleasure or publication.

Session is £5. Contact Carla Tel: 54006696 Sports Supporters Clubs Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club meet at the Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check the game is televised. Great food for a lunch if the KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. For info call Mario on 56280000.

Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club meet on match days at the Casino Calpe (Ground Floor).

Gooners of all ages welcome. Tel: Bill 54010681 or Dion 56619000. Website: www.clubwebsite. co.uk/ArsenalGibraltarSC/.

Gibraltar Hammers meet 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 e-mail gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association. Tel: 200 Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661.

Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions throughout 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 IBA & EBA) has leagues and training

for adults and secondary school. Tel: Ivan 200 44045 or Linda 200 74753.

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 or Kirsty (minis) 200 49441.

Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome to join. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory (200 75513 w, 200 42788 h).

Cheerleading: Gibraltar Cheerleading Association, girls/boys all ages. Chearleading and street cheer/hip hop at Victoria Stadium. Recreational / competitive levels. Contact Gina: 58008338.

Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association. Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Eugene 58014000.

Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket, National Governing Body & Associate Member of ICC. Governs men’s, women’s, boys’ & girls’ cricket - league & cup competitions and in-schools coaching. www.gibraltarcricket.com email: info@gibcricket.com Twitter: @Gibraltar_Crick Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Tel: Uriel 200 79359.

Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (member WDF) mens/ladies/youth leagues/competitions.

Tel: Darren 54027171 “Secretary”, Dyson “Youth Rep” 54024149, Justin “President” 54022622 Email: info@gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association leagues/competitions for all ages October-May. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 200 42941 www.gfa.gi. Senior Tel: Albert 200 41515, Junior Tel: Richard 58654000, Women’s Tel: Brian 200 52299. Recreational football for over 35s Tel: Richard 200 70320.

Gaelic Football Club (Irish sport): males of any age welcome. Get fit, play sport, meet new friends, travel around Spain/Europe and play an exciting and competitve sport. Training every Wednesday in La Linea 7-a-side pitches at 8.30pm. Andalucia League with Seville and Marbella to play matches home and away monthly. Email team@gibraltargaels.com or visit www.gibraltargaels.com.

Golf: Med Golf tournaments held monthly. Tel: 200 79575 for tournament venues/dates. Gibraltar Golf Union has competitions through year, EGU handicaps. Tel: Bernie 200 78844.

Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/ training for adults/juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 Peter 200 72730.

Iaido Gibraltar - teaches the Japanese sword (Katana), classes every week, visit www.iaidogibraltar.com Iwa Dojo, Kendo & Jujitsu, classes every week, for kids/adults, visit www.iwadojo.com email: dbocarisa@iwadojo.com Tel: 54529000 Judo: Gibraltar Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front.

Tel: Charlie 200 73116 or Peter 200 73225.

Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion (Rosia Rd). Tel: Tony 200 79855 or club 200 47259.

Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association sessions for junior/seniors, gradings and demos at Karate Clubhouse, 41H Town Range Tel: Andrew 200 48908.

Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211.

Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior / junior leagues. Tel: 200 41795 or 200 41874.

Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association plays at Giralda Gardens, Smith Dorrien Ave. New members welcome. Tel: 200 70929.

Pilates: Monday & Wednesday 11-12am for beginners, and intermediate classes Monday & Wednesday 9:30-10:45am, at Shotokai Karate Centre. Contact Chantal: 60618882.

Pool: Gibraltar Pool Association (member EUKPF) home and away league played on Thurs through season. Tel: Linda 200 74753.

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions for 4 years of age and upwards, weekday evenings.

For information contact Sally Tel: 200 74661.

Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union training for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans. Play in Andalusia 1st Division Oct-April. Tel: 200 72185 Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/ senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: RGYC 200 48847.

Sea Angling: Gibraltar Federation of Sea An-

what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

glers (members FIPS-M & CIPS) Superb calendar of events with four clubs participating. Tel: Mario 200 72622 or Charlie 200 74337.

Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation (over 14s). Rifle, Europa Point range (Joe 200 74973); clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Fidel 200 71990).

Skating: Gibraltar Skating and Xtreme Sports Association. State of art ramps for Xtreme/aggressive roller blading /skate boarding. Leisure skating facilities provided within excellent rink (when not used for roller hockey training). Tel: Eric 200 70710 (after 5).

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: Sean Galligan 56262000 or Lee Prickman 54000068, email info@gibraltarsnooker.com Snorkelling & Spear Fishing: Over 14s for snorkelling, over 16s for spear fishing. Tel: Joseph 200 75020.

Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult/junior tournaments/coaching. Tel: 200 44922 or 200 73260.

Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs.

Voluntary sports clubs: Tel: Phil 200 44606, Noah’s Dive Club Tel: Leslie 200 79601, 888s Dive Club Tel: Martin 200 70944. Commercial sports diving schools also available.

Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming Mon - Fri 7-8.45am, 12- 4pm, 8- 9pm. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo (Rebecca 200 72869).

Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association (members ITTA) training / playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Lizanne 200 45071/54020477 or Eugene 58014000.

Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: 200 Mari 44142.

Tai Chi: Children’s fun Tai Chi at the Yoga Centre, 33 Town Range, Saturdays 11-12am. Beginners Tuesdays & Thursdays at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre. 6.30-8pm. Adults £5, Children £2, all proceeds to GibMissionAfrica Charity. Contact Dilip on 200 78714 or rocktaichi@traningtm.net Tennis: Gibraltar Tennis Association, Sandpits Tennis Club, excellent junior development programme. Courses for adults, leagues / competitions. Tel: Frank 200 77035.

Ten-Pin Bowling: Ten-Pin Bowling takes place at King’s Bowl in the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre every day. To have a go call 200 77338 to reserve your lane. Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. Contact Charly on 56014000 or Paul on 54029749.

Triathlon: Gibraltar Triathlon Union (members ITU) Chris 200 75857 or Harvey 200 55847.

Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association (members W & EVF) training, leagues, competitions for juniors/seniors. Tony 200 40478 or Elizabeth 58306000.

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 Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street Email:gibdrama@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 200 42237 www.geocities.com/gibdrama Trafalgar Theatre Group meets 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm.

All welcome.

Theatrix: Contact Trevor and Iris on Tel: 54006176 or email theatrixgib@yahoo.co.uk

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

sports update

Support Groups 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 and Me Breastfeeding Support Group for mums who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have breastfed to get together for coffee, chat and support.

Partners and older children welcome.

Meets first Wednesday of every 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. Info and advice is free, confidential and impartial.

COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Formed to ease day-to-day challenges of individuals, families and care partner. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book Shop at 7.30pm first Thursday of each month.

Contact Sue Reyes 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 granchildren. Tel: Richard 200 46536, Jason 200 76618, Dominic 54019602.

Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Meet Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: 200 51623.

SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, is a national charity, to assist serving and exService 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).

Taekwondo Gradings At the beginning of December, Junior and Senior Gradings for Gibraltar Taekwondo were held so members could progress to a higher grade in their category.

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art which combines combat and selfdefense techniques with sport and exercise. Taekwondo is known for its emphasis on high kicking and fast hand techniques.

A total of 21 (13 Junior and 8 Senior) participated in the Gibraltar Taekwondo event, which consisted of Pattern, Sparring and Self-Defence. The event was conducted by Master Ernest Garcia, with the help of Megan Ruiz 1st Poom.

A presentation was given to William Correa for Best Junior

Grading and to Ayoub Arrais and Patrick Francis for Best Senior Grading.

Gibraltar Taekwondo is now looking forward to their participation at the Nottingham Open Poomsae (Patterns) & Kyorugi (Sparring) Championships being held on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February 2014. This event is being organised by Nottingham Taekwondo Club.

For any further information, please visit www.taekwondo.gi or like them on www.facebook.com/Taekwondo Gibraltar.

Master Ernest Garcia with Ayoub Arrias and Patrick Francis for Best Senior Grading

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

Master Ernest Garcia with William Correa for Best Junior Grading

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sapphir

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 Commonwealth Day* Mon 10 March Good Friday Fri 18 April Easter Monday Mon 21 April Worker’s Memorial Day Mon 28 April May Day Thurs 1 May Spring Bank Holiday Mon 26 May Queen’s Birthday Mon 16 June Late Summer Bank Holiday Mon 25 August Gibraltar National Day* Wed 10 September Christmas Day Thurs 25 December 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

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2014

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.

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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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