Pressure Group Urges 'No' Vote In Constitutional Referendum
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19 August, 2006 08:00
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With no political platform as such but a passionate belief that Gibraltar should attain decolonised independence and that Gibraltarians alone should decide on their future without pressure from Spain or Foreign Office bureaucracy, the Self-Determination for Gibraltar Group has never fought an election. Not, had it done so, would it have been likely to win a place on the House of Assembly's benches, its spokesman Willy Serfaty admits.
Yet as a pressure group - formed in 1992 to attain decolonisation, while protecting the Rock from Spanish wiles and guile - it has significantly influenced politicians on both sides of the party divide, and many of its original aims have been furthered by the existing political parties and through the House of Assembly.
(In fact, to some extent, the Self-Determination for Gibraltar Group's approach to the Rock's broad political arena echoes that of the man who has become its main spokesman. Although the son of a popular political figure, Serfaty - an architect-turned-businessman by profession and a traditional trade unionist by sentiment - has never sought the political limelight. And while he has contributed significantly to the local good, his public persona has centred on activities in less overtly political bodies such as Rotary and - until he parted company over what he saw as an issue of right or wrong - as a board member of the Chamber of Commerce whose Treasurer he was for seven years.
So though he shuns the political limelight and has never considered seeking political public office (“I don't want to talk about me…we should talk about the Grolup and what it stands for,†he tells VOX when we meet), Serfaty has a strong sense of moral duty to the community of which he is part.)
SINGLE-MINDED
Similarly, such is the single-mindedness of the Group's main objective that it will urge the electorate to vote “no†in the referendum of the new constitution when we cast our votes, probably in October or November. However, Serfaty and his fellow members of the Group will also urge people to actively participate at the polls. “I don't think abstention is a way to go,†he tells VOX. “A blank voting paper is a statement, staying at home is not.â€
But, unlike the new uncertainties about the merits of the proposed new constitution generated by questions of the role and control of the police authority or the threat to the independence of the judiciary which many are reading into it, “we don't want to get involved with the judiciary or the police,†says Serfaty. The group is more concerned that Gibraltar is being misled into thinking that a decision on whether or not to adopt the constitution is an act of “self-determinationâ€.
“Peter [Caruana] has always been honest about this,†Serfaty stresses. “He has always maintained that the aim of a new constitution is to modernise, not decolonise. Equally Britain 's Coreign Offcice mandarins, or whoever has drafted it has not tried to confuse the issues with contradictory or confusing labels.â€
However, the concept of self-determination - and, indeed, the way in which it is interpreted in relation to decolonization - is at the core of the Group's philosophy. And while some may regard this as semantic quibbling, the Group takes very seriously the United Nations' idea that decolonisation must be confirmed by an act of self-determination. Hence part of the reasoning in calling for a “No†vote in the referendum on the constitution,
If a “No†vote succeeds and Gibraltar rejects the proposals would this not take us back to “square oneâ€, VOX suggests.
NATIONALITY IS INVIOLATE
Serfaty shakes a head which gleams under the sophisticated lighting of his Main Street shop: “No. At best we would be back to where the Select Committee were when they left for the UK.†In the draft 'self determination' has been dropped from the preamble and the dispatch says [the constitution] “is as far as Gibraltar can go while remaining British,†he points out.
“They can change the status of the land, the territory - but our nationality no-one has the right to change,†Serfaty says firmly. “:We are British.â€
With the prospect of a new, modern constitution which gives greater 'independence' than ever and defines our relationship with Britain in terms fitting to the 21st Century is a self-determined decolonisation of major significance?
CORE ARGUMENTS
Certainly, and there are three core reasons, Serfaty maintains.
“Until there is true, self-determined decolonisation, Spain will continue to think that the door remains open to encourage 'decolonisation' through integration with Spain,†he says. It was this threat that led to the Group's watershed Casemates Declaration which defined a stance from which it has not shifted. “What's more - whatever the politicians in Madrid, London or here may say - there is clearly a link between Spain's 'decolonisation' hopes and the current tripartite talks.â€
Secondly, the Group believes, the decision on decolonization must be taken now. “It is not something that can be fobbed off on the next generation.â€
“Finally, until it is resolved Gibraltar's position is neither dignified, nor safe,†Serfaty continues. “It is not dignified that one should bathe in one's servility - it's a form of modern serfdom.â€
Serfaty and the Group admit that the road ahead will not be easy. In becoming decolonized Gibraltar will face problems not only of our small geographic size and what remains essentially a still-hostile neighbour.
“To give them credit, these are things the parties are looking at…but while our first priority must remain our political dignity, that's where the [tripartite] talks should be leading,†Serfaty adds. “And, at the same time, it should be clear p- or made clear - to Gibraltarians that there are non-elected people who are taking decisions for us…this is seriously non-democratic.
“We should remember that, however benign the Foreign Office wants to be we cannot accept them as our 'governors'.â€
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