| Time for 'Queen of Gibraltar' to visit the Rock? |
| By David Eade The heir to the Spanish throne, the Príncipe de Asturias, will visit Algeciras today to inaugurate the new Hanjín shipping container terminal. Which is a strange coincidence because today should also see the start of the commuter helicopter service between Ceuta and the same port. However as the helicopters were meant to start flying on July 1st and 5th if they do make the trip it will be third time lucky! Given the Hanjín terminal and heliport are in close proximity it will need some co-ordination to ensure the prince is not drowned out by the sound of a chopper landing or taking off as he makes his speech. The Spanish national football team may have demonstrated the skills of organisation at the highest level in the World Cup. As Vicente Del Bosque is not in charge of the celebrations in the port it will probably be the chaos as usual we more normally associate with Spanish events. Royal visits across the border are a regular event and the prince in 2002 laid the first brick for the then new Isla Verde quay on which the TTIA terminal is located. The TTIA has been operating since last May after a dispute involving manning levels was settled. It is the first terminal in the Med and Southern Europe that operates on a semi-automatic basis and is key to the competitiveness of Algeciras especially in its battle with Tangier Med. Indeed now that Maersk seems to have moved much of its operations to Tangier Med, the Hanjín terminal is vital to the future of Algeciras. It vies as Spain’s top container port with Valencia but is receiving a massive investment package from Madrid at this time of economic crisis with a lorry train running from Northern France also being discussed. Controversial are the Spanish royal family’s trips across the Strait to Ceuta and Melilla. These two enclaves were seized by Spain and Morocco claims them as its own. There is not even a faded, discredited piece of paper such as the Treaty of Utrecht to wave to underscore ownership. Indeed you have to give the Spanish Royal Family its due. It considers Ceuta and Melilla to be integral parts of the Spanish nation so no amount of sabre rattling or political - diplomatic threats from Rabat stops its various members from visiting. Compare that with the British monarchy – or rather the Foreign Office – that pussy foots around sending only lesser members of the royal flock and even then apologises profusely to Madrid for doing so. If Queen Elizabeth is now on a Gibraltar coin as “Queen of Gibraltar” perhaps its time for her and her heir to visit their loyal subjects. |