MODwww.gibraltarolivepress.com slammed over language sacking
The Rock’s original community newspaper
By Chloe Glover
THE Ministry of Defence has been slammed after it told a long-standing worker he would lose his job due to language barriers. Unite the Union regional officer Christian Duo claims it was wrong to tell a Moroccan panel beater, who has held the same job for 20 years, he could not stay in the role as he does not speak a good enough level of English. His criticism comes after the MOD wrote to the man, who is married to a Gibraltarian, to tell him that he had failed to meet language requirements. It came despite the worker having undertaken a one month English language course designed to help him. The union is currently seeking legal advice following the decision, which the MOD said was necessary due to the RAF takeover of the workshop he works in. The MOD has promised the worker an, as yet, unspecified alternative role with equal pay. “It is an affront to remove a job from someone who has been such a loyal employee,” said Duo. “He has been doing his job without issue for 20 years. “Moroccans came to the rescue of Gibraltar when the border with Spain closed so they should not be treated in this way.” An MOD spokeswoman said it was unable to comment on individual cases.
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Vol. 3 Issue 38 www.gibraltarolivepress.com Feb 15th - Feb 28th 2017
Gibraltar news
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Rock shop’s sales plummet thanks to new parking Page 4
So long Momy
Understanding Gibraltar head salutes Solomon ‘Momy’ Levy Page 6
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www.century21gibraltar.com Century21 Tele: 00 350 200 51020 202-204 Main Street Mob: 00 350 56523000 Gibraltar info@century21gibraltar.com
Gibraltar classifieds
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Gibraltar food & drink
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How a seized laptop with child pornography is being blamed for the tense border closure and the arrest of a military man INTRIGUE: The RAF Hercules was held up due to a laptop with sexual material
GHA says sorry for distress after cancer check-up letters posted to dead Gibraltarians EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan
Parking nightmare
Campo de Gibraltar
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February 15th - February 28th 2017
THE Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) has apologised after sending ‘insensitive’ cancer check-up appointments to deceased former patients. It comes after an Olive Press investigation discovered that at least four bereaved partners have received medical letters addressed to loved ones, who died months or years before. Last night, a GHA spokesperson told the Olive Press it ‘wished to apologise for the distress caused to any families who have received inappropriate correspondence’. The spokesman added that they had introduced ‘several improvements in the last few days’, after our probe. He continued:: “The GHA will continue to look at ways procedures can be further enhanced, especially for appointments made six months to a year in advance for postcancer treatments.”
STANDOFF MYSTERY PAGE 5
A Red letter day
INSULT: The offending letter for dead Anthony Olivares (below left)
In one of the worst cases, Linda Olivares, 63, was left ‘hysterical’ after receiving a letter more than two years since her husband Anthony died of cancer, aged 57, in September 2014. The grandmother choked back
tears as she showed the Olive Press the ‘insensitive’ letter, which contained information leaflets on colon cancer and a cancer testing kit. Anthony was diagnosed with a stage-four melanoma in February, 2012. The GHA missive, which Linda received last month, was headed ‘Urgent Medical Supplies, Please Do Not Delay’. The Morrisons worker, who has lived in Gibraltar for over 20 years since moving from Canada, has been on antidepressants since Anthony’s death. “It was very upsetting and I was left completely hysterical,” she said. “There were tubes in the letter, too and I was really angry and rang up and asked who sent the letter and where the information had come from? “My husband died over two years ago, and they send me this? I was hysterical.” She added: “I do not understand how their database has not been updated over the last
few years.” In total, the Olive Press found THREE other victims who had received similar letters advising dead loved ones to attend appointments. One widow, who asked to remain anonymous, said she had received a shocking three letters addressed to her dead husband, who died of mouth and throat cancer in August 2015. “I received the first letter six or eight weeks after he died. Several weeks after I received a second one. “I called the GHA. No-one said sorry about the mistake. “Then incredibly six to eight weeks later I got the third one.” Another 59-year-old widower, whose wife died of Alzheimer’s in 2013, said: “I received a letter from the hospital saying my dead wife was due a smear test. It just kept bringing it all back to me.” Opinion Page 6