MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar Breaking News.

Headlines:
Gib at Cruise Shipping Convention; Spanish Attorney General remarks trigger surprise; Trans border environmental legislation.

Gib at Cruise Shipping Convention

The Port of Gibraltar participated last week in the 21st edition of the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention, the international exhibition and conference serving the cruise industry which took place in the Miami Beach Convention Centre, Florida. The Port of Gibraltar did not have its own stand this year, but was represented in the cruise destinations pavilion of the trade show as part of the Medcruise organisation. "With the steady increase in growth that the cruise industry is enjoying, it is important that Gibraltar, as one of the principal Mediterranean ports of call, should participate in this event," said the Minister for Trade, Industry and Communications Joe Holliday. "It is at this forum that we can best show the industry the developments that are taking place in Gibraltar to enhance the destination for both new and returning cruise passengers. The promotional and networking opportunities afforded by Seatrade are second to none."

Spanish Attorney General remarks trigger surprise

The Gibraltar Government expressed surprise at the statement attributed to the Spanish Attorney General Candido Conde-Pumpido that Gibraltar does not co-operate in the fight against money laundering. A Convent Place spokesman said: "If that statement has been made, it is false. Gibraltar's anti-money laundering legislation (in addition to being much stricter than Spain's) complies with all European and international agreements, as do our judicial, police and administrative procedures for enforcing them". "It is also the case that Gibraltar responds positively to each and every request from Spain for judicial or police assistance that complies with the relevant international treaty. As all of this must be well known to the Spanish Attorney General, the Gibraltar Government assumes that the Spanish Attorney General did not make the statement attributed to him. If the opposite were confirmed, the Gibraltar Government will lodge a protest with the Spanish Government". Mr. Conde-Pumpido remarks apparently followed the busting of an international money laundering operation in Marbella involving hundreds of millions of Euros and several European countries, which he described at the "tip of the iceberg". UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke who was is in Spain at the time attending a meeting with Interior Ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Spain, praised the coordinated effort and crackdown. "Obviously, it is important that all jurisdictions work together to contest money laundering in every respect', said Mr. Clarke.

Trans border environmental legislation

A bill that will allow for trans-boundary consultation when a development is thought to have significant environmental effects on a neighbouring country was passed unanimously in the Gibraltar House of Assembly. Minister for the Environment Fabian Vinet said that The Environmental Bill 2005 that gives effect to an EU directive will include procedures for consultation relating to plans or programmes prepared in Gibraltar "that are likely to have significant effects on the environment in other Member States and vice-versa". Mr. Vinet explained that the bill sets out the requirement for environmental assessment of plans which set the framework for future development consent of projects. The Minister said the legislation will create "an element of certainty and avoid applications being rejected only after a lengthy process and after expenditure which could have been avoided if it was clear from the outset that that particular project application would fail" He added that the bill will have the cumulative effect of delineating no go areas from an environmental perspective.