MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spanish companies secure Gibraltar PW contracts

Chief Minister Peter Caruana has declared that the Gibraltar Government has adjudicated public works contracts to Spanish companies worth an estimated 200 million Euros.

Mr Caruana was speaking at a meeting of Costa del Sol socialists in Malaga where he was the guest of Spain's former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Bernardino Leon, widely credited with being one of the intellectual instigators of the (UK, Spain, Gibraltar) Tripartite Forum.

Leon is a leading member of the PSOE in the Malaga area and holds office as a close adviser to President Rodriguez Zapatero in Madrid. "This co-operation is important for both our economies and creates employment in the Campo," declared Mr Caruana. Meanwhile Leon has been mooted in Spanish press circles as a likely successor to Foreign Secretary Miguel Angel Moratinos in a forthcoming Government reshuffle in the Spanish capital. Mr Caruana and Leon also highlighted the importance of the Forum as a working tool to further promote a climate of cross-border co-operation between the different administrations "to solve problems and create mutual opportunities." As regards the economic crisis affecting western countries, Mr Caruana said Gibraltar's economy was small and highly diversified, and it was unlikely that the Rock would be affected unless the recession lasted for a long period of time. Mr Caruana did concede that the crisis affecting the international financial system was having repercussions locally "since the scarcity of available capital and unwillingness by banks to lend money is going to affect any market." The Chief Minister once again commented on the possibility of a Spanish airline resuming flights between Gibraltar and Spain, and said he would be discussing the matter with Leon. Mr León added that the visit by Mr Caruana "was good news for the Costa del Sol because in times of crisis we have to change the productive models and co-operate with all the social agents in the surrounding area, and share experiences with Gibraltar, Portugal and Morocco". The Spanish press was out in force as the Chief Minister's arrival at the conference centre in Malaga closely followed the announcement earlier in the day of the successful outcome for Gibraltar on the Euro tax case. The journalists bombarded Caruana with questions with Mr Caruana emphasizing the very positive implications for Gibraltar's finance centre future. (Gibraltar Chronicle).-