Monday 23 August 2010

Toll Solution? It is in the Hands of Madrid.

In life, often, it is better to find a practical solution to a problem rather than enter into protracted and unnecesesary argument, contention and aggravation. I believe that there may well be a practical solution to the threat of the Mayor of La Linea to impose a toll on all cars leaving Gibraltar, despite that calling it a "Congestion Charge" is a travesty of reality and language.

A "Congestion Charge" has as its main objective the avoidance of congestion. This is not the aim of the La Linea Mayor. If it was then he would impose it as cars entered La Linea. He cannot because they enter on what is (we are told) a National Highway. What he plans is not a "Congestion Charge" but an "Extortion Charge". He wants to allow cars into Gibraltar, then, because there is no other way out, other than the frontier road into La Linea, he can extort a payment from each of those drivers trapped in Gibraltar thus enanbling each to return home or to their destination of origin. Sicilian Mafia tactics? ... maybe not ... I think that it beats anything that that Mafia could have thought of.

The solution? Well, if the Government of Spain is to be believed, in that they proclaim good intentions toward Gibraltar, both specifically on this issue and generally under the Cordoba Agreement and the Tripartite Process, then the solution is entirely in their hands. We have been told that the road to the frontier is a National Highway and not a La Linea ayuntamiento road. If that is so (and, as I believe the case to be, the frontier area comes, also, under the responsibility of the National Government) then all that needs to happen is that traffic is diverted away from the road controlled by the La Linea Ayuntamiento, on which they are undertaking preparatory roadworks in order to implement the toll. This is the road that is just beyond the exit of the frontier perimeter next to the La Linea frontier taxi stand.

This diversion can be achieved very easily by turning outbound traffic to the left, just beyond the Spanish Custom House and behind the Taxi Stand, rather than in front of it which puts traffic onto the La Linea Ayuntamiento road. This traffic will then join the National Highway that is used to access the entry into Gibraltar. Thus the La Linea Ayuntamiento cannot charge a toll as that road is not locally controlled. Those who want to contribute to the well being of La Linea, beyond all the help that Gibraltar already gives La Linea by employment and cross-border business, fro example Mr Reggie Norton and his supporters, can volunteer to go via the La Linea local road and pay the toll.

40 comments:

  1. Of course, the toll will collapse anyway when the toll booth operators are not paid- because they don't collect enough money! Then La Linea will be even worse off.
    Then maybe they'll get someone in who'll balance the budget and claw back the money from Juarez, rather than encourage racism by blaming Gibraltar.

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  2. One assumes that the Mayor will be obliged to advise visitors to the Rock (who will probably be unaware of the situation) on the way in, as to the toll on the way out, given that there is no alternative route.

    An opportunity was also lost with the `park and ride` scheme, where to my mind both Gibraltar and La Linea could have benefitted from this having been in Spain with people being bussed across the frontier into town. Gibraltar would have less vehicular traffic and La linea would have seen some financial benefit.

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  3. Bay of Gibraltar24 August 2010 at 01:07

    La linea's financial shortfalls is not of our concern... pareciera como si nos sintiésemos de alguna forma responsables... and that is not the case!
    They have clearly mismanaged their finances; que se las zapateen ellos dado la cantidad de concejales que tiene Sánchez en su nomina...

    ¡Ni que fuera nuestra culpa!... ¡Hasta ahí podría llegar la broma!

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  4. I strongly believe that politicians of all sides should put this toll thing to an end forthwith. I say this because there is a growing anger in Gib about this and at any time an incident can sparkle ugly scenes that we will all regret later.
    Therefore it is the responsibility of our elected parliamentarians to do their utmost to have this problem solved. I know that we cannot stop Sanchez ourselves but surely we can do something that can placade local feelings before they get out of hand. By the way I am one of those who at times would like to participate in an action against Spain.

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  5. The 2006 Constitution, Cordoba Agreements and Trilateral process are dragging Gibraltar directly into the heartland of Spanish politics. Isn't this political osmosis?

    Gibraltar now totally depends on Madrid for an immediate solution to the toll threat!

    Legal action is what is required instead of this Government's passivity and rallying Gibraltarians for demonstrations is the biggest mistake ever...wait and see.

    We've lost the plot Llanito-World.

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  6. llanita from Gibraltar says...

    once again, we are at the mercy of the spanish, and there is talk of possibly obtaining our electricity from Spain?

    Are we mad? They will hold us to ransom!

    Time and time again, they prove they are not to be trusted. When are we going to learn? How many times do we have to be kicked in the teeth before we accept they will not stop until they achieve their one and only objective... sovereignty!

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  7. Llanita, you said that "there is talk of possibly obtaining our electricity from Spain?"

    There is, but only from the Chamber of Commerce. They think that sourcing electricity from Spain will lower costs but of course if we get cut off during any future dispute it won't affect them because most of them live in Sotogrande and Guadiaro.

    And they also have business interests outside Gib so a dip in business here won't affect them much. Am surprised the backlash against the Chamber has been so subdued.

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  8. Although going off topic the Chamber did get put in their place by the ESG, who came out in favour of the new Power station at Buffadero, the lesser evil, given our current ones are responsible for Gibraltar exceeding PM10 limits.

    If the toll ever get gets implemented the authorities here will no doubt implement our measures, which will include doucument checks on all Spanish workers coming in. Once they have been given a warning for late attendance they will all be queuing up to have a go at Sanchez and we will see how long it lasts.

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  9. Major SANCHEZ Frontier Toll solution is not only in the hands of Madrid but of UK, EU and Gibraltar. PC must act before it’s too late. He must be seen to be adamant and invite and involve journalist from UK and other European countries without any further delay in order to show the World the power of a simple Major of the town of La Linea adjacent frontier with Gibraltar has in Spain. This should embarrass Madrid who claims to be in the democratic world engaged at present with the Cordoba agreement and the tripartite process with Gibraltar. Gibraltar cannot afford to wait and allow its implementation which will affect everyone.
    While it may not affect the super-rich the rest of its citizens are worse off than ever. Unemployment is rising; and many businesses are struggling to survive, please read the NEW PROPLE front page of the 19th August. The GAP between rich and poor is wider than ever and the middle class will disappear within the next 5/10 years.

    Even more worrying is the fact that Gibraltar which has always been considered by its unshakable belief that anyone, even those at the very bottom, could rise to the top, has vanished. A significant number of Gibraltarians now believe that their children’s / grandchildren’s will be worse off than they ever ware.

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  10. Personally I blame this Government and no one else for the way Gibraltar politics has become. The Government have been as tame as a little kitten on issues that are important to Gibraltar, particularly where Spain is involved.
    Governments lackluster efforts concerning these vital matters have been plain to see. The Territorial waters issue is one where GOG appears to be in cahoots with the RGP in playing down, doing little and turning a blind eye to Spanish incursions.
    The La Linea mayors toll plan is another matter where the GOG have remained on the sidelines 'Monitoring we are told'
    It's all a dangerous Policy by Government, a DANGEROUS low key non-committal approach on anything concerning Spain, something that is certainly not in the 'Interest of Gibraltar' - Not convincing at all by Caruana & Co. Although the Opposition haven't really set the place alight either,in not taking any advantage of all GOG'S shortcomings regarding all these sensitive and vote catching matters.
    I just hope that the Gib Electors come polling day sometime next year remember all this????

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  11. I tend to agree with a previous comment that things can get ugly if the Toll matter is not resolved soon. Already the traffic situation (on Wednesday) was chaotic to say the least.
    God forbid that we have an emergeny situation somewhere and ambulances and fire engines cannot get to the incident and as a result there are casualties. THis would inflame relatives and ordinary citizens into taking the law into their own hands.

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  12. If Gibraltar WERE spanish, then it would just be an extension of La Linea - so how would that help Sr. Sanchez and his lot? Who would he blame and who would feed at least 6,000 (officially and a lot more unofficially!)of his 10,000 unemployed? There would just be a few tens of thousands more in his dole queue!!And another thing, does he think the hundreds and hundreds of cars that come in every day will continue to do so if they not only have to pay five euros to get out but have to queue every day for hours for the privilege of doing so! Wake up and smell the roses, Mr. Sanchez!! A small voice.

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  13. The only solution to the problem is RVLW to stand for election next year... For Mayor of La Linea!

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  14. Today Caruana has met with De la Iglesia to discuss the toll amongst other things. Caruana said last month when asked about the toll that it 'will not see the light of day' Well Sanchez has already brought it alive and is doing the works to implement it.
    A few thoughts though who is going to pay the toll collectors? From which fund is Sanchez getting the money to do the works at the frontier? I thought he couldn't pay his workers. Where is Paco Oliva these days? Is he in La Linea?
    Other relevant thoughts did the CM not say that we cannot be cherry picking from the Cordoba Agreement? then what has he done about the fact that the Spaniards have not laid a brick to do the other side of the air terminal? What about the normal fluidity at the frontier won't the 'congestion charge' Congest the frontier area more? Where is Caruana to tell the Spaniards that this is not acceptable and that fluidity will not be kept? Caruana is to blame for Spanish attitude towards us since he is allowing them to cherry pick and to pick our brains constantly.

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  15. Never forget that the "Cordoba Agreements" were negotiated and agreed behind the Gibbos' backs and rammed down the Gibbos' throats by the Chief Minister of the Gibbos.

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  16. Fred (a Gibbo) says:

    It's nice to see that we have appropriated the word "Gibbo", which has historically been used by the "limones" in a derogatory fashion in reference to us. African-Americans did the same with the "N-word" I guess, but on to the subject at hand.

    The situation with the tolls bring home a couple of political realities. As others have already noted, we are held to ransom by Spain as and when they wish, and Mr Caruana is confusing appeasement with non-inflammatory diplomacy.

    But, the real political story here is not Gibraltar, Mr Caruana, or the toll, it is the fact that the right-wing in Spain will always be the right-wing in Spain. Mr Sanchez stinks of Francoism in the same way as Mr Aznar does. Mr Sanchez has a go at Gibraltar and the left-wing government in Madrid; Mr Aznar visits Melilla at the time of heightened tensions with Morocco.

    Mr Aznar and his ilk want full political, economic and military control of the straits - Morocco will not stand for this, but the real question for us is how can one even talk of co-operation, nevermind joint-sovereignty in this context? Mr Caruana is deluded: Spain has to change fundementally before any real understanding is reached. Cordoba may look nice in the chanceries of Madrid and London, but is meaningless in the rough cut-at-thrust of daily geopolitical clashes and identity/nationalist politics.

    Time to reflect about our foreign policy before real lasting damage is done. Spain is a powder-keg that will heat up badly on the run up to their next elections, we should tak measures now to insulate ourselves from all this as much as possible. The toll is a first example of something a lot more dangerous. God help them.

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  17. Sanchez is mortally wounded by public opinion in Gibraltar and so is the Partido Popular from well before.

    That is fact because Gibraltarians have always been at the cracking edge of the facist wip in Spain and are totally fed up of decades of bullying and widespread political lies and patronising.

    We build an airport for increased passenger volumes (which we don't have), which in 50 years time our future generations will thank us for...what on the f...... earth do you call this?

    Yet Caruana negotiates 1 red and 1 green channel in the Cordoba Agreements knowing Gibraltar had huge frontier traffic volumes, queues and problems (constantly used a political weapon by Spain), which have been on the constant increase since the fronier opened...what on the f...... earth do you call this?

    What kind of deal did smiling Peter Caruana and Geoff Hoon make on frontier fluidity?

    We missed the banana boat but the banana skins were left on Gibraltar soil in 2006.

    What is happening with the toll is not just an example of professional political agitation by the right-wingers in Spain against the PSOE government using Gibraltar (as they've always done), but a direct challenge to one of the most intimate and sacrosant aspects of every country's sovereignty - the power to tax its citizens.

    A foreign municipality is threatening to tax our people to sustain a foreign and fallen municipal economy, which is also underscored by political mala fides...Sanchez should be reported to the EU Commission now and legal action implemented.

    We Gibraltarians should not punish Los Linenses for their misfortunes and because of Sanchez.

    Under direct threat too by Sanchez is the peace, good order and security of the Gibraltarians and Campo citizens.

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  18. The fact we don't feel insulted anymore when the Brits refer to us as "Gibbos" and Spaniards as "Llanitos" shows (a) we have come of age (b) reognition of our separate and distinct idendity as a people and (c) our core and substance as a people continues to grow and develop into full A* self-determination.

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  19. Fred says:

    Anon 12:24, I find your assessment about our political matuarity over optimistic. What comes out very clearly in llanitoworld is how deficient we are politically, so to argue how advanced we are you may wish to factor in the views of the rest of us - little thing called democracy.

    Also, I thought we were Brits?!

    As you write in terms of A*s you must be a student or a teacher, so I would encourage you to get out to the real world to find out about self-determination.

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  20. In the past 1950 to 1980 first time British MPs would take the Gibraltar Problem to heart,
    this way they would get publicity and many got promotions to keep them within party lines.
    Now it has being the turn of Spanish politicians to use the Gibraltar case to get publicity and promotion, we have already seen certain politicians going to the senate and other Madrid based appoints.
    Mr Sanchez is no different, he has succeed a Mayor who was a Brownie ( a follower of Brown get rid of the middle class and employ everyone in Government to sceure your next election.)Moreover he is as yet untarnished (unelected)and therefore not in control of Madrid Govt.
    However he is PP. His fight is with the PSOE and the Govt. Information La linea only collects 18 million euros, all Taxes etc are collected by Madrid and most Governments benefits are paid by Madrid.

    The Problem of La lines is ite local Ayutamiento empolys and therefore spends more the it collects through taxes like building permits etc. Ta Suarez.

    The Airport Terminal on Spanish side is also another battleground. My info tells me Suarex bought this land from the MOD (spanish) and the central Government assumed they could use it under Suarex no problem but Sanchez wants in the region of 40 million Euros.

    Sanchez unfortunately is a young man who sees his chance to go places. This bluff with the toll tax he will win unless he disappears.

    However he knows that this will not help La linea with any future PSOE Govts. But remember he will be gone.

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  21. I agree we should not do any demos as Gibbos and LLanitos we should see it as a problem that Madrid needs to sort out and when it affects us we should ask London.

    I expect NO6 and London have already told Madrid to sort it out. We should remind Madrid that smooth flowing of the frontier was agreed years ago but to be truthful has remined a weapon by Spain and pressure groups etc....

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  22. And what does Bossano say we should do? Govs in waiting provide alternatives to what Govs do or is it he understands Caruana is doing all he can?

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  23. What is "doing all he can"?

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  24. Yes ANON 27 August 2010 11:22

    What does Paco Oliva say about the Sanchez toll threat and what does he say the Gibraltarians should do?

    Pay the 5 euros?

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  25. But the interesting thing about all this is the defening silence emating from the GSLP.

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  26. Plato says:

    I reply to Anonymous 16:14.

    I congratulate the GLSP/Lib Alliance for their silence and not rising to take the bait.

    Madrid could have sorted this out 1 second after Mr. Sanchez threatened. Madrid did not. Therefore it is in Madrid's interest to keep this affair 'active' not for inter-party politics but so as to eventually give Mr. Sanchez's plan a final death blow when the time is ripe. The timing is important. A good relationship with the current 'understanding and cooperative ' GSD administration who will take glory arising out of the 'excellent' relationship that exists between Madrid and the GSD.

    The GSLP/Lib Alliance will be damned if they speak out ( any more than they have already)when the Madrid/GSD axis sorts the problem out irrespective of what the Alliance or PDP say now.

    After all, it suits Madrid to have the GSD in power rather than the GSLP/Lib or PDP. The GSD will bask in an almighty shining light.

    This is a powerplay by the big players in their big game to discredit troublemakers. Reminds me of the very first election when the GSD won and the GSLP was discredited, except the player is Spain.

    So Anonymous, I ask you now. What do you think about my thoughts?

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  27. Plato,

    sweet and to the point...i love it cos its so true!!!!!!!!

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  28. Well I actually think this: Bossano's natural instinct is to come out and say that if this goes ahead we should retaliate or undertake some form campaign placing pressure on local employers to sack Spanish workers or something else that would inflame the situation even further. I have no doubt that if he were CM or if this had happened a year ago he would have been his usual aggressive vocal self. Post opinion polls he has come to the conclusion that he wins by keeping quiet. He can only lose ground not win it by giving his frank view of what he would do. But you know people cannot criticise (and I don't mean you anon) Caruana without considering what can be done and what Bossano would do in the circumstances. I say Bossano because it is clear that as long as he remains on the GSLP slate, he will have his hand firmly on the rudder as far as this issue is concerned.

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  29. The opposition is criticised if they come out saying anything about the toll issue and they are now being criticised for their silence. Read the comical or Panorama letters to editor. Damned if they do damned if they don't. The fact is they are not in Govt. Yet the GSD Govt with Caruana at the helm brings out a statement on friday evening before the long weekend for minimum inpact. Caruana even stated that the Spanish Central Govt is not as bad as the alcalde. Who is trying to con the Spaniards or us??

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  30. time to change the topic?

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  31. Anon....... 31st August 2010 23:37

    You have the audacity to talk about Bossano's
    "natural instinct", what qualifies you to know about Bossano's natural instincts? you say he would put pressure on local employers to sack Spanish workers or something else that would inflame the situation even further, you also say that if he were CM he would be his agressive vocal self.
    Let me tell you that if Bossano had been CM we would not find ourselves in this predicament.
    As to putting pressure on local employers to sack Spanish workers , it shows how little you know about the man, his natural instinct would be to protect workers regardless of their nationality. What he would not have done is allowed so many frontier workers to take local jobs to the detriment of the local workforce.

    Are you aware that for eg. if in the future the toll is implemented and there is conjestion at the frontier the Hospital our "state of the art hospital" The Elderly Care Agency ect. ect. ect would be down to 50% of the staff?
    If you think that calling a Spade a Spade is agressive talk, you must then be one of those who believe in appeasement. In being fed a pack of lies and a complete distortion of reality and when eventually the true colours of our neighbours and their real intentions come out in the open you try to cast aspersions on everything and everybody except yourselves. I call those people PANCISTAS who would never stand up and be counted.

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  32. The Opposition considers that the measures planned by the municipality of La Linea to raise money by charging cars that leave Gibraltar, although motivated by the fact that they are bankrupt, is part of a wider campaign orchestrated by Spanish politicians which reaches many fronts.

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  33. 1 September 2010 17:39
    Anonymous said...
    time to change the topic?
    In Typical GSD style you now want to change the topic? Why shouldn't it be the owner of the blog who does that excellently? The topic is the frontier toll and I therefore agree with Anon 15.13 and 23.37 above.

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  34. anon you say "you have the audacity to talk about Bossano" "what qualifies you to know about Bossano's natural instincts": this is typical Zombie follow Bossano at all costs attitude. So I have no right to express my view? Same old GSLP - just as intolerant as ever. So it wasn't a GSLP candidate that visited the hospital at the last election and said the foreigners employed there would be sacked if they got into Gov? Grow up please.

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  35. Fred says:

    On the issue of the illegal toll, check this out:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvYZKdr0Eh4

    The search is: "alejandro peaje"

    Me parto de risa! At least some of our Llanito bretheren have a sense of humour.

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  36. Anon........4 September 2010 18:06

    Of course you have the right to express a view,
    that is what this blog is all about. What you do not have is the right to make a statement as if were a fact without producing the evidence.
    To assert that Bossano would DO this or that when the man has done neither just because YOU think he would is not freedom of speech its' slander.

    The only party that immediately coming into office sacked people just because they had been employed by it's predecessor was the GSD.

    The first one that comes to mind, John Gomez better known as Harry Gomez, who took the Government to an unfair dimissal tribunal and
    won.
    The second that comes to mind was Jason Cruz who emigrated from Gibraltar because he could not find a job.

    I could carry on but the list would grow and grow. Those I have mentioned are local lads not
    foreigners.

    In your second post, you say a GSLP candidate said in 2007 that they would sack all foreign workers. What candidate, what day, who was present?

    Freedom of speech is not attributing statements to people "porque me lo dijo fulanito o menganito" its something more serious than that.

    You have learned well from your leader, when somebody says something you do not like resort to insults.

    You have called me Zombie which is a living dead. Let me tell you that I am "alive and kicking" waiting impatiently for election day when I hope to be as alive as I am today "si dios quiere" and I will enjoy seeing the GSD get the Order Of The Boot.

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  37. The pedestrian crossings on the La Linea side of the frontier, which gives direct access into and out of Gibraltar, are the prime reasons for vehicular delays.

    There are three demarcated pedestrian crossings that directly interfere with traffic flow in a massive way.

    A single pedestrian crossing into, or for that matter out of Gibraltar, will delay vehicular traffic coming from:
    (a) east to west from the Atunara, Gibraltar and La Linea from the road adjacent to the Burger King;
    (b) west to east towards La Atunara or those turning left towards the road adjacent to the Burger King;
    (c) west to east towards Gibraltar.

    Also, there is another demarcated pedestrian crossing on the east to west road from the Atunara that is regularly used by pedestrians, which delays traffic turning right into that road and with cars coming from La Atunara.

    Add to this: 1 red and 1 green channel into Spain; 1 entrance road into Gibraltar; the large number of pedestrians crossing in and out of Gibraltar daily; policia nacional passport checks; guardia civil custom checks; the number of vehicles; no policia locales to control pedestrians and traffic; the political mischief sometimes associated with tighter border controls; and, passport and customs checks on the Gibraltar side.

    What do we have?

    One large and eternal fuck-up that makes the lives of ordinary people a misery, raises tension and fans the flames of political animosity and mischief. It is bad for our health and the environment.

    Many of us wonder what all these technical talks within Cordoba are all for or about if they cannot sort out these simple matters.

    This huge problem should have been sorted out in Cordoba 2006. It wasnt.

    4 years on they still haven't got a f...... clue how to sort it out. Alenjandrito is even making a political career out of it.

    This is an embarrasing and very bad situation, worse than any third-world comparison!

    To top it all up, pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists (many of them matuteros) wrongly use the vehicular exit from the frontier thus affecting traffic flow in the same way: cyclists drive ahead into the east to west Atunara road and pedestrian wrongly cross the west to east road to the Atunara or in front of cars coming out of the frontier.

    The solution is to manage the pedestrians strictly and not the cars. This will require infra-structural works and investment on the Spanish side: underground passageways or fly-over bridges so that traffic fluidity is given top priority over use of the current roads by pedestrian crossing.

    The lay-out of the Spanish side of the frontier will have to be properly re-designed to ensure strict compliance by pedestrians.

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  38. Thank you Anonymous 19 September a first class analysis and opinion with which I fully agree ... politicians being asked to resolve practical issues affecting their constituents ... that is what being in government is all about.

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  39. Thanks Robert.

    I'm fed up of all these self-proclaimed important men and politicians that only visit us with rubbish and partisan politics daily.

    It's a dangerous farce and politics is not a game or sport. In another age this sort of situation would have cost us many lives. Today it affects our health, well-being and good neighbourly relations.

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  40. You should read today's Chronicle...Sanchez is making comparisons between his proposed toll and the entrance fee for the upper rock for non-residents and coach park fees for tourism buses...the New People reported on Thursday that the signs with "peaje" and "toll" were being removed within Gibraltar.

    The Upper Rock is a nature reserve area and there are tourist sites.

    Coaches pay for the parking facility that they exclusively enjoy in a strapped-for-parking-space town.

    Neither fee breaches EU law because the residents are not charged. It has nothing to do with trade or freedom of movement between member states. The Sanchez toll does!

    Residents rarely go to the upper rock anyway. During the day and for 7 days a week, the upper rock is a total hostage to tourists and traffic congestions. It is a "no go" area for Gibraltarians. Can the government bring out the figures? If they do, you'll see it proved.

    After sunset, the upper rock is closed to the public and Gibraltarians except for those living there. That's for 'security' and 'anti-smuggling' reasons.

    That fully justifies an entrance fee for non-residents.

    One of the former major assets for the enjoyment and leisure of the Gibraltarians has been totally sacrificed for the tourist industry and income generation for the rock.

    The issue is whether the upper rock as a tourism product and in its maintenance justifies the entrance fee rate. That must be answered by J Holiday.

    It is self-evident why a fee is levied at the coach park. They are using a large parking facility that the Gibraltarians could use themselves for parking at no cost or more houses could be built there to accommodate our people. We are excluded from that big patch of land at all times and its vecinity. It's another "no-go" area. We get punished with parking tickets and clamps for the little parking that there is left available.

    The removal of the "peaje" and "toll" signs is a big political mistake and of weakness by the Government. Who has made this decision?

    If on the other hand, the government is breaching EU law then it has been caught out and another huge embarassment follows. How many more can we afford?

    If this Sanchez toll goes ahead (and if the PP win the elections it will), Gibraltar will be brought to its knees and we will have few friends left in power in the Moncloa and across in the Campo.

    Sanchez has become Gibraltar's real Opposition and the piercing edge of the PP.

    Joe Garcia, in his new book, talks of Spanish spies in Gibraltar. Sanchez obviously has inside knowledge or information that is being fed to him by either spies or locals. What's going to happen when the Instituto takes off?

    Gibraltar has been dragged into spanish politics and has become part of Spanish political life for all matters other than just the rhetoric of sovereignty. We even have karina Pau coming out in Salvame as Julian Munoz's girlfriend!

    One is begining to see that the Constitution, Cordoba & Tri-lateral process are now achieving its purpose of Gibraltar's slow but full intergration in Spanish political life, which may turn out not to be such a bad thing afterall because the only politician that's keeping Caruana on the hop is Sanchez from across the border, rightly or wrongly. I should mention that this blog is also doing its bit for real democratic debate and doing a huge public service...obviously led by the doughty Robert Vasquez.

    It may also happen with other Gibraltarian leaders when we, the Gibraltarians, are unable to keep a government's excesses or failures in check or even shape or influence anything that a local government decides to do or not to do in the face of an ineffective and incompetent Opposition.

    The great panzismo reality of so many is over my friends...this is real life and the shape of things to come. Are we ready for it???

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