Government has today launched the Safety Advisory Group, with the purpose of bringing together key agencies, to ensure the safety of all events in our community.

The key agencies represented include the Department of Environment, Heritage and Climate Change, Ministry of Culture and Gibraltar Cultural Services, the Royal Gibraltar Police, Gibraltar Fire & Rescue Service, Gibraltar Health Authority and the Gibraltar Ambulance Service, with the Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authority represented in the case of sporting events. Other Government agencies or organisations will also offer specialist advice.

SAG will support, guide and advise all event organisers, whilst ensuring that they maintain a high standard of safety when considering or planning a specific event. SAG will also be responsible for liaising with the relevant organisations to assist them in adhering to the ‘Gibraltar Events Safety Guide’, published at the launch of SAG today.

This is an event safety policy and guideline booklet which has been produced to provide guidance and information to individuals and organisations planning a public event, from a small charity event to a major public gathering.

The Minister for Culture, the Hon Prof Dr John Cortes, who today launched the initiative, said:

"It gives me a great pleasure to launch a new Safety Advisory Group that will advise the Government on all aspects of public events and entertainment. This is an initiative that was started under my predecessor as Minister for Culture, the Hon Steven Linares. This multi-agency committee, in such an important area as event safety, will aim to make Gibraltar a safer place for everyone who attends our public events.

The Ministry of Culture recognises the value of events and encourages them. At this stage this is an administrative process, with event organisers required to complete the event notification form, which will allow the different authorities to assess the events and advise accordingly. It is possible that we will in the near future legislate to make these procedures a legal requirement."

Copies of the booklet and event notification forms are available at the Ministry of Culture, City Hall or can be downloaded from www.culture.gi