Britain still owns all, not just a piece, of The Rock

Hell Rick

Whilst your interest in Gibraltar is welcome and your article is reasonably 'friendly' I nevertheless feel I should correct a number of errors in it.

First and foremost, your readers should understand that neither Gibraltar nor the Gibraltarians are English. We speak English but we are British as is Gibraltar and as you point out in your article, that's how it's staying.

Gibraltar is not a colony. It is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

It is not the Governor who is in his third term, it is our Chief Minister and head of the Government who is serving his third term in office, but according to polls for the upcoming General Election in October, is unlikely to be elected for a fourth term. The Governor, who is recently new to Gibraltar having been appointed in September 2006, is the representative of the British monarch, the Queen, and is the de facto head of state of Gibraltar... but with relatively few powers these days, following our new Constitution which took effect in January 2007.

Since you crossed into Gibraltar from Spain across an overland border with Spain it should have been pretty obvious to you that Gibraltar is not an island. It is a peninsula, connected to Spain by a three-quarter mile (1.2 km) isthmus.

Your comments about the euro is correct. Visitors to Gibraltar are best advised to change their Euros for Pounds at a Bureaux de Change where they will get a very good rate of exchange, better than they will receive in Spain.

As to the quality of the food available, well, as one finds wherever one goes around the world, largely depends where you eat. There is however much that can be improved with the quality of service and this is being worked on.

Readers should know that, whilst we may be a little quirky, we are also extremely friendly and Gibraltar, as your article demonstrates, is a very interesting and fun place to visit and Americans are very welcome as indeed is everyone else.

Once again, thank you for your interest in my homeland.

Saludos!

Cybernest
Webmaster

Gibraltar News Online Forums:
http://www.gibraltarnewsonline.com/forums

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Your article has a number of errors:

"The.. people ... are happily English."

Erm, the people are happily British. However they are proudly Gibraltarian and British, the same way as people in Scotland are Scottish and British, etc.

[However while Gibraltar is British, it does not form part of the UK which comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.]

You say:

"...their current governor, now in his third term..."

You are clearly thinking of the Chief Minister (a position also known in other countries as Prime Minister, or First Minister, etc), Peter Caruana.

The Chief Minister is head of government, in the Gibraltar Parliament.

The role of Governor, however, is largely ceremonial.[It is usually held by a retired senior military officer.] The governor is the on-the-ground representative of the head of state (i.e. the Queen)- a similar situation to Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc..

You say: "Gibraltar business people say, "Sure, we take euros." Later you realize it comes with about a 20 percent loss in the exchange rate."

Most shops are totally open about their exchange rates and will tell you in detail if you ask. 20pc is very far from the norm. For Euros, normally shops might as for 2-3pc, 5 max.

Remember they are agreeing to take payment in a differnet currency and will incurr banking fees.

Many main street shops also accept USD, however you would expect a less favourable exchange rate for USD due to the risk - the USD-GBP rate is more volatile than EUR-GBP as the European and British economies are more directly connected in everyday terms.

You can of course ask to pay by credit card and have your card debited in local currency and your bank or card issuer handle the exchange conversion.

"Gibraltar's economy, once dominated by the military, is now based mostly on tourism."

Actually, the finance centre is far more important for jobs and Gibraltar earning its money than tourism, though as a visitor you would probably not notice it and form the conclusion you outlined.

Finally, you keep refering to Gibraltar as a colony. This is highly misleading.

Firstly it suggests the Gibraltarians are deposited colonists in ancestry. In fact you would class them as indigenous - yet VERY ancestrally diverse as Gibraltar has been at the cross roads of international shipping and sailing for centuries.

In the words of the British government 'Gibraltar has a modern and mature (integrated) constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom - one that could in no way be said to be based on colonialism.'

After reading the first two comments and at the risk of appearing stupid, could someone please explain to me the difference between being English and being British. Most Americans have no idea how these two terms differ. Thanks.

Linda wrote:

After reading the first two comments and at the risk of appearing stupid, could someone please explain to me the difference between being English and being British. Most Americans have no idea how these two terms differ. Thanks.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four constituent countries -- England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland -- in addition to various overseas possessions such as Gibraltar. To put an American twist on it, to say the English and British mean the same thing is like saying New Englanders and Americans are the same thing.

It's a shame the Trib would publish an article with so many inaccuracies. That's usually the Sun-Times' role.

Linda, put simply: all English are British, but not all British are English (there are Scots, Welsh, etc.)

Gibraltar is unique - You can see it in a day but after several visits I still find hidden gems of historical and geographic interest. Hotels are too expensive but future development and more competition should improve things. As for food - your journalist should have spent more time looking rather than chossing the greasy spoon cafes or pubs common to most Brit seaside resorts. There are some excellent restaurants by the new Marina developments. Still no excuse for shoddy journalism ~ the chief minister in his third term is not the governor and there is a difference between English and British.

My American wife and in-laws love the place.

Linda wrote:

After reading the first two comments and at the risk of appearing stupid, could someone please explain to me the difference between being English and being British. Most Americans have no idea how these two terms differ. Thanks.

Maybe Linda you would be better able to understand the term if you look back on your own history ....The Red Coats were English while you, your forefathers that is, prior to what you now celebrate on the 4th of July as Independence Day were considered, British.

Damn right we still own the colony shame we let the bloody colonials loose in the Americas look at the mess they have made of the world!

The thing that marked Gibraltar as being British the most to me was the fact that the day we visited it was the only day it rained on our entire two week vacation!
Gibraltar was very disappointing and we wouldn't visit it again. And having worked in that particular area of finance I can perfectly understand that everyday visitors don't realise it is such a big part of Gibraltar. Part of the very nature of the industry they are in is it's secrecy. I'm surprised that the tourism rep didn't mention it though.
Overall I'd say give Gibraltar a miss unless you are looking for the cheap cigs and booze that most of their tourists are.

General Blighty wrote:

Damn right we still own the colony

I'm sure if the mulims start moving there the Brits will turn it over to them as they have England.

American wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm sure if the mulims start moving there the Brits will turn it over to them as they have England.

The Muslims already have a vibrant community in Gibraltar. There are two cathedrals (one Catholic and one Anglican), four synagogues, a Church of Scotland, Military Garrison Church and several other churches. And, guess what? Everyone gets on in total harmony. They all see themselves as British Gibraltarians first ~ their religion (and they tend to be observant) is incidental.

If they could bottle it and ship it out to the Middle East the world would be a better place. The USA and UK have a lot to learn from the Gibraltarians.

I forgot to add, a mosque and a hindu temple too.

...I'm surprised you didn't get mauled/chewed by a Barbary Ape....a shame some would say

Jennifer wrote:

The thing that marked Gibraltar as being British the most to me was the fact that the day we visited it was the only day it rained on our entire two week vacation!
Gibraltar was very disappointing and we wouldn't visit it again. And having worked in that particular area of finance I can perfectly understand that everyday visitors don't realise it is such a big part of Gibraltar. Part of the very nature of the industry they are in is it's secrecy. I'm surprised that the tourism rep didn't mention it though.
Overall I'd say give Gibraltar a miss unless you are looking for the cheap cigs and booze that most of their tourists are.

Entitled to your own view, what a shame you did'nt see it as the unique cross cultural model Gibraltar is and how it is an example to the rest of the world that different communities and religions can co-exist amicably within the same territory.

We have our pros and cons, but at least our small friendly community tries to give other people a chance and treat each other as equals. Other larger countries use their size to bully smaller communities into submission.

Oh and you are an expert on the Gibraltar finance centre? Where does your expertise stem from, a rainy day trip?
I guess you were only looking for petroleum or WMD's! Next.....

Jennifer wrote:

The thing that marked Gibraltar as being British the most to me was the fact that the day we visited it was the only day it rained on our entire two week vacation!
Gibraltar was very disappointing and we wouldn't visit it again. And having worked in that particular area of finance I can perfectly understand that everyday visitors don't realise it is such a big part of Gibraltar. Part of the very nature of the industry they are in is it's secrecy. I'm surprised that the tourism rep didn't mention it though.
Overall I'd say give Gibraltar a miss unless you are looking for the cheap cigs and booze that most of their tourists are.

Oooh Jennifer thats rich coming from somebody who lives in Chicago!!

Capone wrote:

<quoted text>
Oooh Jennifer thats rich coming from somebody who lives in Chicago!!

Is one to assume it never rains in the Windy City? I didn't realise that the weather was so good in Chicago.

When my daughter lived in Spain while going to school, she visited Gilbraltar and thought it was nice. If we ever get to Spain, most likely we will stop on over just to see it and it's people.

Gibraltar is a superb place, no crime, people considerate and tolerant , as well as being friendly. Bit like Britain used to be about fifty years ago. We could learn a lot from Gibraltar as to how all the races and religions co-exist in harmony. I go there every year on business but always end up staying extra days for complete relaxation. Gibraltar is an very essential bunkering port at the cross-roads of the Med., and the Atlantic and that also boosters the coffers. Very efficient port for bunkers, stores and crew changes and one of the reasons Spain is very jealous of it.

Good, yet another ignorant American hack. We're used to them. The people in Gibraltar, Rick, wish to stay British: who are you to tell them otherwise?

Next time you venture out of your dumb, bullying, ill-educated, insular, country, check out Ceuta - a colony held by Spain a few hundred yards from the Morrocan mainland. And then write another lame dispatch.