Friday 26 February 2010

Hat Tricks - a Conflict of Interests?

A "hat trick" is an expression coined in the game of cricket. A game renowned for its genteelness and fairness. It is now used more widely to describe any three consecutive achievements or successes. I fear that in Gibraltar it can be used today to describe a fast developing and spreading practice: the wearing of different hats to justify, rather than to avoid a conflict of interests!

It has always been the accepted practice that if one wears more than one hat, then in order to avoid a conflict of interests arising, one would choose the hat to run with and discard all other hats. Things have changed. Today officials and professionals feel free to decide and act wearing different hats with impunity, in the belief that by donning a different hat and taking decisions and acting temporarily with one hat before donning another, a conflict of interest is avoided.

Different hats has become an excuse or justification as opposed to a warning light for a conflict of interest to be avoided. What an odd world we live in in Gibraltar! In truth those wearing more than one hat and acting at different times with different hats should pause and think for a while. These arrangements have a habit of resulting in unwanted and adverse consequences.

The affairs of Marrache & Co, its partners and associated companies may yet have other unwanted repercussions, if people continue swapping hats. Then, indeed, the phrase "hat trick", in Gibraltar, could take the different meaning suggested and it will not describe a success or achievement but rather a failure.

8 comments:

  1. Is there more than one? How many? Who are they?

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  2. More than one? How many? Who are they?

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  3. Dear Llanito World

    How can the Attorney General have recommended suspension of B an I Marrache pratising certificates and then on the other hand head the prosecution??

    Please answer...this is so bizarre...

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  4. The problem is it doesn't start or end there ... let us see how the scandal develops ...

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  5. The atmosphere in Gibraltar in 1995 was very bad. Do you sense a similarity in 2010?

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  6. There is a beginning of bad vibes but the lack of alternatives makes the circumstances different.

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  7. The last 22 years of Gibraltar politics has proved one fundamental political reality and a disaster for one or other side of this society. Both the GSLP and GSD have failed to govern for Gibraltar, i.e. for the benefit of our small community horizontally and vertically: rich and poor, businessmen and employees, big and small businesses, public services vis-a-vis the private sector, residents and non-residents, an inclusive, effective and sustainable economic plan, developments and local needs. Thus, no sense of or preoccupation with balance and fairness as the underlying paramount duty of government. Too little and too late for these two spent political forces, I say.

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