@shakeel wrote:
Hi Mike:
I have spoken to my Spanish friends and you may not have heard Spaniards saying “Gibralter siempre Espanol”
I have heard similar remarks on numerous occasions
@shakeel wrote:
On the subject of the Brits caring about the rights of Gibralterians. In the recent history the Gibralterians had a higher standard of living, this gap is now closing. As they say ( Its the economy stupid).The Brits in the near future will than not have the excuse of the wishes of the people when this evens out and as Britian now has little or no stretegic use of the straights of Gibralter apart from allowing mark Thachter to live there.
It’s no excuse. If you travel to Gibraltar and meet a Gibraltarian, born and bred there, they will tell you that they are British rather than Spanish. You do not have to raise the subject, they will raise it first.
@shakeel wrote:
The dislike of the Spanish by the Gibraltrians stems from Francos actions forced upon by the British policies.
We do have a history of giving fascists a bloody nose, I’m rather pleased that we did the same to the Franco regime.
@shakeel wrote:
I have worked in Gibralter for nearly two months and found them to be as Andaluz as their neighbours in La Linea. In fact many live in La Linea as they could not afford to live/or buy in Gibraltar.
I hope you didn’t tell Gibraltarians that they were as Andalucian as those in La Linea, it would have been so rude. If some of them choose to live in La Linea then good, I would like to see a resolution to this problem.
@shakeel wrote:
Besides, when have Brits cared for the locals. They have always dumped the colonies and have left deep rooted economic/social/politocal problems so that they can never prosper. Its part of Imperialsm and I dont have a problem with it. I undesrtand the situation at Diplomatic/political level and further also understand that might is right wether it is Military or economical might. The thing that concern me is that a Brit feel very smug about things and is blinkered with the views of others and what it government does around the world.
We’re very well received in the US and in India and I know for a fact that many Irish families have integrated very well into English society.
@shakeel wrote:
You may not be aware that The Brit have sold an whole Island in the Atlantic to the Americans and without compensation etc. The island population is at par with Gibralter. The Islanders have been fighting for their Island, they have been ignored by the Brits, even though the Islanders have won their case at all levels in the UK Courts.
I think you may be referring to Diego Garcia in the Indian ocean. John Pilger refers to it in his 1998 book “Hidden Agendas” and he compares the indigenous people, the Ilois, to the Australian Aborigines rather than the Gibraltarians as they have been refused recognition. The Gibraltarians are recognised and consulted on any changes to the constitution.
@shakeel wrote:
The Consulate. I dont see why you should be disappointed about it. I have respect for him that he has broken the protocal (gagging in other words) to speak the truth.
But we’ll never know until you can provide a link. Then I can dissect what he has said and tell you whether I consider it accurate. As it stands it’s just your interpretation and I think we have already established that you are capable of making a mountain out of a molehill.
@shakeel wrote:
In the recent history the Spaniards,Portuguese, Dutch, French had all been trading nations at some/all stage of their existence. So this is a common denominator and your statement of English waving money at Spaniard for his property is not unusual, The Germans, Irish, Scandanavians do as much.
On the point of corruption. It may surprise you that this is common everywhere in the world, some people do it openly others through off shore companies or calls it loans and use proxies for it and later given them a knighthood.
Of course there is corruption everywhere. It’s just that in Spain it has been taken to new lows with the vast majority of Marbella mayors having spent time in prison for it.
When you buy a property in Britain you get a property, when you do the same in Spain you might get one if you are lucky. Can you see the difference?
@shakeel wrote:
There is an developer in UK, who had over built 60 extra flats than pemitted by the planning permission. The same developer had used a marketing company to influence peddle on behalf of the developers. The marketing company had forged signature of people who objected to the propsed development to show to the Council that there was a favourable backing to the propsed development.
Heaven forbid that that should happen in Spain
@shakeel wrote:
I would just like you know that if you wish to see reality you must look at things a bit deeper and not only read history written by the victors and what media or politicians spins for you and me.
And that statement just goes to prove that arrogance is not the preserve of the British.
