Text by Richard Cartwright, Photo by Donovan Torres.

If he hadn’t become a busy lawyer and one of Gibraltar’s leading politicians he might have, by this time, been flying commercial airliners into Gibraltar. Who knows!

He’s 41 years old now, so flying fighter planes for the RAF would have, by now, I suppose, been coming to an end, so ‘flying commercial,’ would have been a reasonable option to take. “Yes, becoming a fighter pilot was something I would have liked to have done if I had been able to see properly and hadn’t gone down the road I chose.” Keith tells me that he didn’t much enjoy studying law. “I chose it because it seemed to me to be a good career choice.” The choice has turned out to be a good one by all accounts. These days he’s a partner at Attias and Levy, after having spent a short period at Hassan’s and Partners and a few years at Marrache and Co. “I left Hassan’s at the time when one wasn’t allowed to be practising at the firm and actively involved in politics, so I had to move on.” Since 1994 lawyer Keith has been with Attias and Levy, and litigation is what he thrives on. “I prefer going to court and doing my work there in the court room. I think it’s important to do what you like and enjoy. In court I mainly do financial services work and shipping, property and judicial review/human rights cases.”

And what about this politics business, when did it all start? Keith says he’s always had a liking for history, and hence politics. “I can trace it back to when I was 11 or 12 years old.” Even today, and when he’s got the time, his reading material includes history books, mainly on the commonwealth. Busy lawyers who are also involved in politics don’t have, I suspect, a lot of time on their hands to enjoy other activities like sports - Keith enjoys football, rugby, tennis and these days cricket - especially when they have to help look after daughters - Zita, who’s eight, and six year old Asta. “My wife Zoe and I chose those names after relatives. Zita is Italian and Asta is Scandinavian. We didn’t make them up or pick them off a can of baked beans!” With so much on, it’s surprising Keith still manages to jog two or three times a week as well as attend party meetings. And when it comes to politics, the Progressive Democratic Party is what he is all about these days. “As you know I was a founder member of the Gibraltar National Party - the GNP, and then joined the GSD in 1993. I joined after some assurances were obtained on the Brussels Agreement and to ensure we would only back tripartite, open agenda dialogue.” Keith rose through the ranks and became Minister for Health and the Environment and later DTI minister and Deputy Chief Minister. He was responsible for heritage issues as well. He was instrumental in setting up the Primary Care Centre at the ICC and the new St Bernard’s Hospital at Europort and heavily involved in the run-up to the constitutional changes and discussions thereafter. “I was closely engaged in political issues, practically on a daily basis, with Peter Caruana.” This was a good juncture to throw in the question once more - perhaps, after time to reflect, things had changed.

“Why did you leave the GSD? Some say you should have bided your time and stayed on board.” “No, despite what some people think, I left because I was not happy with the merger with the Labour Party. I thought then as I think now, that the GSD would and will change direction because the Labour Party is made up of younger individuals that have their own ideas that are out of place with the traditional GSD views and ways of doing things. That is why I left the Party in 2005. In so far as the rumours that I didn’t get my own way, and that is why I didn’t stand for election in 2003, well, those are untrue. I never asked Peter Caruana to step down in 2003 with a view to my taking over as leader. I did express interest in one day having the chance to become the GSD leader, but I did also tell him that as long as he wanted to be leader, I would never challenge him and remain loyal to him within the party. I consider I worked pretty well with Mr Caruana throughout those years - even though there were some normal disagreements from time to time between two people with strong views on issues. There came a point though, when I did get the distinct impression that there was no real intention of ever ensuring a real transition to a new leader or a regeneration of the party. I accept that by 2003 I thought there should have been much more clarity about how those questions would pan out in the future. Notwithstanding those doubts, I stayed within the party executive post-2003 and thought that the party should regenerate itself from within. I had my own strong views as to how Gibraltar should be governed - some of which we have been expressing through the PDP, and I did want the chance to take those policies forward.”

Well politics, as they say, is a thankless task isn’t it. I think that those that get involved are very brave and are mad. They all deserve a medal, especially in government. “It’s certainly a difficult job. People’s expectations and sensitivities are very high and the longer you’re in office the more mistakes you’re bound to make.” I put it to Keith that it has to be very difficult to try and get it right all the time and judging by the criticisms governments constantly get, it seems to me that if all the opposition parties in the world came into power at midnight tonight, the world would be a perfect place tomorrow. “Well you know, former UK Labour minister, Dennis Healey said something like, `when in opposition you want to create heaven on earth and when in government you realise that all you can do is prevent hell on earth!` I always like to measure my words in press releases because I’ve been there, so with the PDP we always try to be constructive in our criticisms of government.” Keith acknowledges that it’s difficult to govern. People are becoming more informed with the help of the internet, for example. “I’ve just spent a short spell in hospital and I was treated very well. There have always been complaints of one sort or another. When I was Health minister, there were very few cases of litigation against the hospital. I know that there are more nowadays, but that has more to do with a change of culture than a change of service. If anything there are more resources and better qualified staff. There can always be improvements to the service, in better training, more equipment and other resources. The staff does a very difficult job in difficult conditions and need to be appreciated. If anything, what I hear is that there is insufficient understanding of the staff’s concerns and poor engagement with them by the government and imported management. That would also improve the service.”

The former minister’s concentration now is very much focused on the future and his relatively new party, the PDP. “We nearly managed to contest the last election with a full slate of nine or ten, but people get cold feet or can’t decide. Interest in the party is growing and I’m pretty sure we will have a full team next time. Our party objectives are very clear. ` The issues’ are social services, housing, health, the environment and planning. Those are at the top of the agenda. On the question of, `it’s always a two horse race,’ the GSD were once a, `third party’ when the AACR and the GSLP were the main parties. They are now in office for a fourth term, and the GSLP were also a third party once, so clearly the third party can move up. But the time comes when people want a change. You can’t stay in power forever.” Keith thinks it’ll be interesting how voting patterns might change when, as announced, Joe Bossano steps down as leader of the parliamentary party. Will they remain faithful to the GSLP or won’t they? Where will they go? Will those that voted GSD at the last election because they didn’t want Bossano in government again, now change their voting inclinations? So is it all down to leaders? “No, it’s not all to do with leaders. In my view it’s the team. In 1996, the GSD put up a good team which was very helpful in winning that election.” And what about, because Gibraltar is so small, the idea that we should go for `best brains’ and not have political parties? “Look, in Jersey they have now resorted to adopting a ministerial system because having independents didn’t work. They ended up with a house of 53 members trying to negotiate 53 manifestos!” In those circumstances electors don’t get what they vote for.”

And I had another question for the PDP leader. What if, at the next election, you’re asked to form an alliance? The answer came.... “I have learned never to say, never.” That’s true. There have been plenty of defections and accommodations of that sort in the past, so another one, is just another one. But he emphasises, “However we are clearly focused on our programme and going forward with our vision. That is best achieved if we can progress as a party without needing to form pacts.” And if once again Keith doesn’t make it to the Gibraltar parliament, litigation and the Gibraltar courts will keep him busy, though he tells me his focus has not turned to that. “I am confident we can make real inroads in Gibraltar politics over the next few years and that at the next election we will have a clear programme and good candidates that will excite people and garner support. We firmly believe we have a real contribution to make.”

Well politics, as they say, is a thankless task, isn’t it? I think that those that get involved are very brave and are mad. They all deserve a medal, especially in government. “It’s certainly a difficult job. People’s expectations and sensitivities are very high and the longer you’re in office the more mistakes you’re bound to make.” I put it to Keith that it has to be very difficult to try and get it right all the time, and judging by the criticisms governments constantly get, it seems to me that if all the opposition parties in the world came into power at midnight tonight, the world would be a perfect place tomorrow. “Well, you know, former UK Labour minister, Dennis Healey, said something like, ‘When in opposition you want to create heaven on earth and when in government you realise that all you can do is prevent hell on earth!` I always like to measure my words in press releases because I’ve been there, so with the PDP we always try to be constructive in our criticisms of government.” Keith acknowledges that it’s difficult to govern. People are becoming more informed with the help of the internet, for example. “I’ve just spent a short spell in hospital and I was treated very well. There have always been complaints of one sort or another. When I was Health Minister, there were very few cases of litigation against the hospital. I know that there are more nowadays, but that has more to do with a change of culture than a change of service. If anything, there are more resources and better qualified staff. There can always be improvements to the service, in better training, more equipment and other resources. The staff does a very difficult job in difficult conditions and need to be appreciated. If anything, what I hear is that there is insufficient understanding of the staff’s concerns and poor engagement with them by the government and imported management. That would also improve the service.”

The former minister’s concentration now is very much focused on the future and his relatively new party, the PDP. “We nearly managed to contest the last election with a full slate of nine or ten, but people get cold feet or can’t decide. Interest in the party is growing and I’m pretty sure we will have a full team next time. Our party objectives are very clear. The issues are social services, housing, health, the environment and planning. Those are at the top of the agenda. On the question of, ‘It’s always a two-horse race,’ the GSD were once a, ‘third party’ when the AACR and the GSLP were the main parties. They are now in office for a fourth term, and the GSLP were also a third party once, so clearly the third party can move up. But the time comes when people want a change. You can’t stay in power forever.” Keith thinks it’ll be interesting how voting patterns might change when, as announced, Joe Bossano steps down as leader of the parliamentary party. Will electors remain faithful to the GSLP or not? Where will they go? Will those who voted GSD at the last election because they didn’t want Bossano in government again now change their voting inclinations? Is it all down to leaders? “No, it’s not all to do with leaders. In my view it’s the team. In 1996, the GSD put up a good team, which was very helpful in winning that election.” And what about, because Gibraltar is so small, the idea that we should go for ‘best brains’ and not have political parties? “In Jersey they have now resorted to adopting a ministerial system because having independents didn’t work. They ended up with a house of 53 members trying to negotiate 53 manifestos! In those circumstances electors don’t get what they vote for.”

I had another question for the PDP leader. What if, at the next election, you’re asked to form an alliance? The answer came.... “I have learned never to say, never.” That’s true. There have been plenty of defections and accommodations of that sort in the past, so another one is just another one. But he emphasises, “However, we are clearly focused on our programme and going forward with our vision. That is best achieved if we can progress as a party without needing to form pacts.” And if once again Keith doesn’t make it to the Gibraltar parliament, litigation and the Gibraltar courts will keep him busy, though he tells me his focus has not turned to that. “I am confident we can make real inroads in Gibraltar politics over the next few years and that at the next election we will have a clear programme and good candidates that will excite people and garner support. We firmly believe we have a real contribution to make.”

© 2008 Insight Publications LTD