Peter Caruana: A sometimes uncertain hand on the tiller in Gibraltar's turbulent times

So, instead of the customary interview, VOX has trawled recent Caruanan statements and speeches - as well as some of the Press statements issued on his behalf by Gibraltar's answer to the disgraced former No 10 spin doctor Alasdair Darling - in an attempt to capture the essence of a man who has left an indelible mark on the Rock's history at the end of one and the start of another millennium.

There are those who see some part of that historic mark as a ‘stain' - imprinted through steam-roller tactics with scant regard to the democratic process to which the Chief Minister has paid lip-service and which is allegedly embraced in the name of the party he leads. But there are others - dyed-in-the-wool GSD supporters and those who have benefited from the Government's economic support and financial largess - who see Caruana's 11 years in office as the best thing since sliced bread...which is all very well if you like sliced bread and don't yearn for the healthy, wholesome and honest product of the traditional bakery.

POTTED BIOGRAPHY

The potted biography of our Chief Minister which appears on the Gibraltar Government's official web-site along with

To effectively round out a pen portrait of the Chief Minister and his impact on Gibraltar, VOX has had to “imagine” the replies Peter Richard Caruana would have given to us had we been able to put questions to him. Regular readers of VOX will understand why... and most will be able to distinguish which Caruana quotes are genuine and which are not... However, some of the claims made by the Master of No 6 during his extended tenancy are so improbable that readers may have difficulty in distinguishing truth from reality and fact from fiction...

Above: Caruana as seen by Spanish cartoonists Idígoras y Pachi

a bland welcoming message to the browser, offers nothing but a string of dates and relevant facts. Peter R. Caruana - one has to visit his Wikepedia entry to discover that the R stands for Richard - was born on October 16, 1956; is married; and has fathered six children. He was educated initially at Christian Brothers School on the Rock, and later - as a member of one of Gibraltar's more fortunate "silver spoon" families - at Grace Dieu Manor and Ratcliffe College in Leicester.

There's no pointer to when or why he decided to carve a career for himself as a lawyer - though contemporaries point to the young Caruana's early leanings towards politics - but on leaving school he enrolled at Queen Mary College in the University of London and concluded his legal studies through the Council of Legal Education in the British capital.

Called to the Bar, from 1979 until 1990 he worked for local law firm Triay & Triay, becoming a partner from 1990 until 1995 and specialising in commercial and maritime law. And, although no longer practicing as a lawyer, was appointed Queen's Council in 1998 - taking silk (and raising a few legal eyebrows in the process) during his first term of office as Chief Minister.

VOX: Chief Minister, some may find it curious that you took silk although you were no longer practicing as a barrister?

PRC: Well, the time may come - though it seems to me that this is unlikely - when the people of Gibraltar no longer need me to lead them and I have to return to earning an honest living. Ha Ha - that's a joke. As to ‘taking silk', when you are Chief Minister you have to take what you can get...That's another joke by the way.)

EARLY FLIRTATION

The official website CV is hardly more forthcoming about Caruana's entry into the hurly-burly of the Rock's politics and makes no mention, for instance, of his early flirtation with the ‘Palomos'. It notes that he became a member of the Gibraltar Social Democrats and became leader of the party in February 1991. In May of that year he won the Rock's first ever contested bye-election to gain a seat in the House of Assembly. "In January 1992 Caruana led his party to the position of Official Opposition by winning seven seats in the House of Assembly thereby becoming Leader of the Opposition. In May 1996, he led his party to win the General Election and became Chief Minister."

(VOX: The website does not mention Peter Montegriffo's significant role in achieving that election victory or the fact that he gained more individual votes in that election than you did. Why?

PRC: Well, the website entry is supposed to be about me... And anyway, I don't want to dwell on those aspects. What counts is what I achieved.)

FOREIGN OFFICE WELCOME?

After its often abrasive relationship with the former Chief Minister Joe Bossano. Britain's Foreign Office probably breathed a sigh of relief at the change in the occupancy of No 6; and, initially at least, their optimism appeared to be justified. Thanks largely to the effort and skills of Caruana's deputy Montegriffo the tarnished reputation of Gibraltar's finance sector was re-polished and the industry began a surge of growth that continues. The Fourth and Seventh EU Directives (which eliminated the lucrative but sometimes dubious operation of ‘brass plate companies') were introduced and the first major internet and on-line gaming companies began their pilgrimages to set up businesses on the Rock.

The Chief Minister, basking in the reflected glory of Montegriffo's achievements, turned his mind to more pressing affairs. The refurbishment of the old Theatre Royal was to be a monument to the Caruana regime and cost was apparently no object. Gradiose plans were drawn up - and approved by No 6. Work began, funds were allocated and lease was signed which would ensure the owner of the site a ‘reasonable' income in return for its use...But quantities of asbestos were found and work ground to a halt. Was it the first of many Caruanan white elephants? It will certainly be remembered as one of the first by tax-payers who continue to foot an annual bill of £65,000 (increasing each year) for the ground rental - again approved by No 6.

(VOX: You have a reputation for wanting to take the final decision on everything - whether this is choosing the colour of the tiles to be used in the toilet facilities at the new sports centre to the texture of the paper used in them?

PRC: That's a bit thick...not the paper, but the suggestion that I would concern my mind with such trivia. Though, of course, with the welfare and well-being of Gibraltar's citizens ever my concern, I believe that their comfort comes first... in all things.)

Caruana and his party had been returned on a manifesto which promised many things - more homes, more jobs, better wages, greater comfort for the Rock ageing population... the list seemed almost as endless as the list of manifesto undertakings that did not materialize after the first election... and after the second election...and after the third...

IMPORTANT PROJECTS

For by now Caruana had more important things on his mind. There was the vexed question of Spain's claim to sovereignty of the Rock; there was the equally vexed question of Gibraltar's colonial relationship with Britain - which involved an annual foray to the United Nations in New York, accompanied by an entourage (including whoever was party-political flavour of the month) and at the tax-payers' expense; there was the equally vexed question of pressure from Britain to resuscitate the Brussels Agreement; and there was the need for a new constitution which would bear the indelible stamp of Caruana's authority as well as irrevocably strengthening that authority.

(VOX: There were a lot of vexed questions, Chief Minister. How ever did you cope?

PRC: As a lawyer and politician questions do not bother me, whether they are vexed or otherwise... I either brush them aside or ignore them...as I propose to do with this one.)

Attempts by the Foreign Office to impose as ‘solution' to the Spanish sovereignty claim prompted the visit and the ignominious departure of the then Foreign Secretary Jack Straw who had to flee from an egg- and insult-hurling crow through the rear entrance of the Convent. And this led to what was undoubtedly Caruana's ‘finest hour' - when Gibraltar not only took to the streets but voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to reject any official link with Spain.

(PRC: Of course, unofficial links have always been acceptable - Sotto Grande - our own ‘Little Gibraltar' in Spain bears testimony to this.)

LESS SUPPORT

There was less enthusiastic support for the new Constitution - where the rumblings continue, despite official attempts to quell any dissent, whether from the Chief Justice... or VOX... or members of the electorate. And even less for aspects of the Cordoba accords which included the dubious airport agreement and briefly on paper created a new airline which never took off.

(PRC: There you go again, blaming ME for someone else's shambles. It was my greatly admired friend and colleague Joe Holliday who was responsible for that particular boo boo.

HOLIDAY TO QUIT?

"A man, who incidentally will not be standing on the GSD ticket later this year.

VOX: Does he know that?

PRC: Perhaps not yet...

VOX: But how about your approval of the Fly Gibraltar scheme? Wasn't that your decision?

PRC: I only take successful decisions...if things go wrong it means someone else has slipped up. Why do you think I have an entourage at No 6 and a party machine which is at my beck and call? No more questions, thank you!)

NEXT WEEK: How Peter slew the Spanish wolf, rebuilt the economy single handed, provided homes for everyone... and slew an imaginary dragon.