11^th December 2025

Madam Speaker,

I have the honour to move the motion standing in the Chief Minister’s name which reads as follows:

“THIS HOUSE HEREBY APPOINTS Mr Nicholas Guerrero to be Mayor of Gibraltar and Mrs Andrea Simpson to be Deputy Mayor of Gibraltar as from Tuesday 16^th December 2025.”

Madam Speaker,

The House already knows that the Chief Minister has undergone emergency eye surgery.

The operation went well.

And he continues in recovery.

Indeed, he has a medical checkup today.

I am sorry to be moving this Motion in such circumstances.

I want to thank Honourable Members and indeed members of the public who have been asking after him.

I know that the House will join me in wishing him a speedy and a full recovery.

And I am grateful to the Honourable Leader of the Opposition with whom we have discussed the agenda for today and the adjournment.

So Madam Speaker, moving on the motion,

I want to first pay tribute to outgoing Mayor Carmen Gomez.

She has held the office with distinction, gravitas and grace.

Carmen has made an important contribution to the Office of Mayor.

She has brought to bear

the flair of her artistic background;

her warmth and humanity;

her kindness and charm; and above all

her passion for her country.

Sadly, during part of her tenure she has been unwell.

Despite that, she has persevered and overcome.

So I want to thank Carmen for her selfless service,

on behalf of the Government and the People of Gibraltar.

Carmen Gomez will be replaced by Nicholas Guerrero under the terms of the motion before us today.

Better known to all of us as Nicky, he already boasts an impressive record in public life.

That life was tourism.

And his name has become synonymous with it.

Madam Speaker,

I am not sure whether I need to declare a personal interest in this appointment.

Nicky Guerrero and I were in the same year at Bayside Comprehensive School.

We studied different subjects and moved in different circles.

But that means we have known each other, on and off, for over forty years.

Indeed, this is a connection we both share with the Leader of the Opposition as well.

From the student I once knew, Nicky went on to become a committed public servant fully devoted to Gibraltar and to its future.

We worked together during his spell as CEO of Gibraltar Air Terminal Ltd.

Where he always demonstrated exceptional professionalism.

He worked at the Gibraltar Tourist Board for 24 years.

And retired in June 2021 as its CEO.

I have to say that this work often extended beyond conventional tourism.

It was permeated with a deep commitment to promoting Gibraltar on the international stage.

That facet of his work is reflected in his top roles at the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports, MedCruise.

Nicky has showcased our identity, our heritage and our sense of community to the wider world outside.

That makes him ideally suited to hold the Office of Mayor.

Obviously, the experience gained as Deputy Mayor will also stand him in good stead.

This kind of civic engagement is made for him;

personal and hands-on,

interacting with the lives of real people, and

hosting many of them in charities, clubs and associations.

In addition to this, he will be the visible face of Gibraltar for many overseas visitors to the City Hall.

Nicky Guerrero has the qualities we expect from our next Mayor.

In an interview ten years ago, he said that Gibraltar is much more than a tourist attraction, it is also our homeland, a territory we dearly cherish and care for.

That outlook and that personal journey, combined with his professional track record, gives me full confidence to move his appointment as Gibraltar’s 21^st Mayor.

Madam Speaker,

This motion also moves the appointment of Mrs Andrea Simpson as Deputy Mayor.

Mrs Simpson, Andrea, too is very well known in Gibraltar as a top vocalist and lifelong performer.

She is one of our great characters who has made a significant contribution to the rich cultural life which Gibraltar enjoys.

It is very fitting that she passes on her energy and enthusiasm to younger generations by teaching music.

As the Chief Minister said, Andrea has brought creativity, passion and pride through her performances at venues all over our country.

I must declare an interest here too,

having had the pleasure to attend many of her wonderful concerts over the years together with my wife and children.

Like Nicky Guererro, she has also shown a keen interest in Gibraltar’s heritage.

In 2021, alongside her husband Charles, she received the Individual Heritage Award from the Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

This was in respect of the sensitive restoration of 1 North Pavilion Steps, one of the row of 19^th century properties.

Andrea Simpson will therefore follow a tradition as Deputy Mayor.

Like many others from the world of culture who have held this office before.

Madam Speaker,

The first Mayor of Gibraltar in recent times was elected in 1955.

Seventy years ago this year.

That person was Sir Joshua Hassan.

Before then, the position was described as Chairman of the City Council.

Now there is no City Council.

And there is no Chairman.

The office has evolved through time.

Nonetheless, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor play a key role in the representation of our community.

The Government is confident that Nicky Guerrero and Andrea Simpson will make a great team.

And that this new team at City Hall will continue the good work of their predecessors.

We know that they will leave their own mark on an office which has now spanned seven decades.

And so Madam Speaker,

I commend the Motion to the House.

ENDS