TG raises concerns about border controls

Together Gibraltar has questioned the Gibraltar Government on whether border controls have been eased following the Covid-19 lockdown, after receiving reports that groups of visitors have been seen in Gibraltar.

In a statement to the press, Together Gibraltar has asked for clarification from the Government as to whether border control authorities have been ordered not to ask for work contracts and, if so, the reason behind this.

The party said that it was brought to its attention that “anybody who wishes to cross the border is currently being let through with only valid passport or visas as form of identification, and not work contracts as has been the norm with the Covid-19 pandemic controls.”

It said constituents had reported seeing groups of visitors walking the streets of Gibraltar.

Together Gibraltar questioned whether these visitors “will be off the radar of our tracking, tracing and isolating efforts”, while representing a risk to the local population.

“This, together with the general lack of social distancing, complete disdain of mask wearing and general lack of observance of all protocols advised by the Gibraltar Public health authorities, is alarming proof that the process of ‘unlocking the rock’ is well and truly out of control,” the statement from Together Gibraltar read.

“This flies in the face of much more serious and stringent efforts across the border and
indeed in most affected countries, where the dangers of living with the virus have been better communicated and the importance of cautionary protocols clearly understood.”

Last night, the Gibraltar Government confirmed that Gibraltar’s controls at the frontier had followed restrictions on movement within Gibraltar.

“Once the restrictions on movement in Gibraltar were lifted last Thursday, there was no justification for those controls at the frontier,” a Government spokesman said.

“The Government has not detected any movements of concern of the type alleged or at all.”

“There are no public health concerns expressed to the Government in this respect.”

“The Government calls on Together Gibraltar to publish the empirical evidence it relies on to raise the concerns it has referred to, if it has any such empirical evidence at all.”