Frantz Fanon, in his 'The Wretched of the World', wrote how colonised people had colonised minds; they fell into the place the mother country had put them in, but were not aware they were conforming to that role.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon's visit and his programme of events are a case in point. His attendance at every Governor's, MOD and RN function and/or parade was patently a celebration of a military victory and their role on The Rock since then. No surprise that this caused the chagrin of the Spaniards, justly or unjustly.

Meanwhile and somewhat surprising, the Spaniards, bar the usual suspects in The Campo, played down the 'Encircling the Nation'. Even Moratinos, rather belatedly or opportunistically, understood that the Gibraltarians were entitled to celebrate their own history.

After careful pondering, The VOGG can only reach one conclusion. Geoff Hoon's 'reluctance' to hold hands, whether on orders from Tony Blair or otherwise, is a clear indication that Jack Straw's policy statement of 12July 2004 is alive and kicking in the minds and souls of HMG and F&CO.

Spanish reaction to the visit and MOD events is water off a duck's back for HMG as The Base is untouchable in a joint-sovereignty scenario. However, holding hands with the natives would have been taken as recognition of the Gibraltarians' genesis and right to their land, not contemplated in the said policy.

After the 'euphoria' of last week, 'enhanced' by Moratinos' 'enlightenment', The VOGG humbly asks the People of Gibraltar to consider this quote from Mexican author and philosopher, Octavio Paz:

'All the history of every people is symbolic. History with its events and protagonists allude to another concealed history and are the visible manifestation of a hidden reality.'

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