HE STOOD FIRM THEN - HE STANDS FIRM NOW!

John Clear March 31, 2025

The 24th of March 1988 was undeniably a watershed moment for Gibraltar - a turning point that marked the end of one era and the dawn of another. At the helm of this transformation was none other than Joe Bossano, whose vision and determination reshaped Gibraltar's future.

Under Bassano’s leadership, Gibraltar underwent a profound transformation.

Nothing would ever be the same again. Joe was the architect of the new era, like he had been the architect of parity with UK. He demonstrated to the UK colonial establishment that they could not trample on our dignity. His determination, imagination and brilliance were undeniable. It still is.

Of course, there were detractors and imbeciles. There always are. Once he had accomplished the transformation, the right, in the guise of the GSD, wanted to take over. Without the wealth and assets left over by Joe Bossano, it would have been impossible for the GSD to function in 1996. At least not to the same level it was then able to.

Not one bit of gratitude and recognition was ever forthcoming from Peter Caruana and his cohorts. Instead, they unleashed a massive denigration campaign against Joe Bossano, which lasted until Fabian Picardo took over the leadership of the party.

Nevertheless, the right was always wary of eagle-eyed Joe Bossano’s resilience and his capacity to pounce if he ever put a foot wrong on the sovereignty issue. One of his earliest and most impactful initiatives was the establishment of the mandatory scholarship scheme. This groundbreaking policy granted Gibraltarians the right to attend UK universities, fully funded by the Government. It was a cornerstone of his broader educational reforms, aimed at dismantling the barriers that had long restricted access to higher education.

Before this, financial constraints had turned higher education into a near-monopoly, dominated by a handful of privileged families who consistently produced lawyers, doctors, and other professionals.

Bossano's reforms signalled a departure from Gibraltar's past as an economic backwater, devoid of hope and ambition following the decline in defence-related activities. The UK's apparent willingness to appease Spain had left Gibraltar at a crossroads. The AACR Government of the time believed there was no alternative to acquiescing to the UK’s demands if we wanted to avoid falling into Spain’s clutches.

Sensing Gibraltar's vulnerability, the UK sought to exploit it. They engaged in sovereignty discussions with Spain in various forums, culminating in the Brussels Agreement, and attempted to impose the controversial 1987 Airport Agreement.

By then, Sir Joshua Hassan had lost his erstwhile resolve and struggled to stand up to Geoffrey Howe. Meanwhile, Spain interpreted the UK's overtures not as gestures of friendship but as signs of a once-mighty power in decline ready to acquiesce to Spanish demands.

Joe Bossano, however, refused to accept either the Brussels Agreement or the airport deal. He demanded that Gibraltar be treated with the dignity it deserved. One of the most contentious issues during his tenure was the matter of Spanish pensions.

Following the closure of the frontier in 1969, Spanish workers had contributed approximately £0.75 million to the fund. Bossano offered to return this amount to Spain, but they rejected the proposal, insisting on updated pensions at contemporary levels.

Bossano stood his ground, asserting that Gibraltar had not agreed to pay updated pensions to Spanish workers. This was a commitment made by the UK, and it was their responsibility to honour it. True to his campaign promises in the 1988 elections, Bossano refused to pay the updated pensions, attend Brussels, or implement the Airport Agreement.

At the end, the F&Co, or whoever was directing its destiny, realised that the GSLP was a different kettle of fish to the AACR. Undermining the GSLP Government was the F&CO’s priority!

Eventually the UK paid the Spanish pensions they had agreed should be paid. All £250, 000,000!

Joe’s vision and confidence had no parallel. He transformed Gibraltar into a modern economy capable of paying its own way without having to go cap in hand to the F&CO for crumbs.

Telecommunications entered the modern era, something we had been in dire need of.

He increased Gibraltar’s landmass via the Westside reclamation, and it did not cost us a penny. He made home ownership a reality.

Community care was created to compensate those who, because of the F&CO’s limitations on increasing pensions, had been shortchanged.

Without Joe’s vision, tenacity and panache, Gibraltar would now be a very different place.

Joe was precisely the leader Gibraltar required for that epoch. Without his courage and vision, Gibraltar would not have progressed.

First, Geoffrey Howe would have implemented the Airport Agreement. He would have twisted our arm to pay the Spanish pensions, leaving us completely destitute, and we would have been forced to attend the Brussels talks, including possible transfer of parts of Gibraltar to Spain, the isthmus for example, leading, eventually, to joint sovereignty.

Spain would not have been grateful for the UK’s betrayal. It would have left the UK trying to assert sovereignty over the military base with Spain arguing the toss. Perhaps with the UK eventually agreeing to fly the Spanish flag over the military base as an initial measure.

Eventually the EU would have supported Spain’s stance and that would have been the end of Britain’s over three hundred years of British presence on the rock.

So not only should the population of Gibraltar be grateful to Joe Bossano but also the UK!

Joe Bossano and his Government were under huge pressure from both the UK and Spain. Both wanted Joe gone.

Late 1995 or early 1996, Kvaerner, a very successful ship repair company operating in the old naval Dockyard, announced it was packing up and leaving Gibraltar. This put a huge strain on the Government.

The right-wing opposition created as much mischief as possible. They accused the Government of Kvaerner’s decision.

Despite the massive 76% vote in the preceding elections, the GSLP lost popularity.

The UK Government saw that there was an opportunity for getting rid of Joe Bossano and replacing him with a right-of-centre party, some of whose members were on record saying they would welcome an understanding with Spain.

In the general election campaign, Peter Caruana said that if he won the election, he would attend the Brussels talks. Wary of eagle-eyed Bossano waiting to pounce, he changed his stance and said he would not attend.

In March 1996, when Peter Caruana was in opposition (before becoming Chief Minister of Gibraltar), the UK sent David Davis, who was then the Foreign Office Minister responsible for European affairs under the UK Government to meet with the opposition leader Peter Caruana. The meeting was very public, so much so that both took a stroll down Main Street, which people took to mean that the UK Government supported the GSD. This was always the intention.

This was March and the general elections were held in May. The UK Government was very confident that the GSD would go along with them. In May 1997, one year to the day that Caruana had become Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Blair became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 2 May 1997.

Governments change, but the civil servants guiding the destiny of British foreign affairs remain in situ.

Peter Hain was sent to Gibraltar in July 24, 2002. He was the British Minister for Europe at the time, and his visit was part of efforts to resolve the sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Spain over Gibraltar. He tried to do this by meeting and lunching with Peter Caruana.

Hain said he was given to understand that Peter Caruana was amenable to an arrangement with Spain. Peter Caruana as always denied this.

But Joe Bossano was as steadfast and as firm in opposition as he had been while Chief Minister and Caruana always knew that a faux pas on his part would bring Joe Bossano’s fury on him, followed by the masses.

Sir Joe is as firm now as he always was about his beloved Gibraltar. His intellect, cognitive abilities and sense of logic are as they always were. If anyone has any doubt, just refer to his parliamentary exposition on Gibraltar’s future sustainability.