Minister of Equality, Employment, Culture and Tourism, with responsibility for Commercial Aviation, the Hon. Christian Santos GMD MP opened the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry Industry Briefing Day held at the Sunborn Hotel. The briefing was held by the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry and the Gibraltar Civil Aviation Authority to introduce Gibraltar's professional services community to the aircraft registry project and to outline the opportunities arising from its development.

Minister Santos welcomed the introduction of the registry and reiterated the importance the Government placed on the project. In particular, he highlighted the wider opportunities the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry would afford to the professional services' community.

Minister Santos' speech was followed by an address by Sir Jorge Colindres. Sir Jorge owns the Aviation Registry Group, that owns the locally registered Gibraltar Aircraft Registry. He noted the success his Companies have had in introducing similar aircraft registries in Aruba and San Marino and his confidence that Gibraltar would be equally successful due to the significant advantages available in the Territory. These include a well-established Finance Centre, a common law legal framework, a reputation for stable government, and an English-speaking jurisdiction.

The regulatory framework and the relationship between the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry and the Civil Aviation Authority were then explained by Mr Chris Purkiss, the Director General of the Authority. He also introduced the regulatory team behind the project, which he explained consisted of personnel with many years of regulatory oversight experience. Finally, Ms Lindy Castillo, the Director of the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry, provided information on the registration process, particularly explaining who would be eligible to register aircraft and what size of aircraft would be accepted.

The Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority, Mr Chris Purkiss commented: "Today's event, while not a launch in itself, is a significant step on the road to the commencement of the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry. We aim to be ready to accept aircraft onto the Registry during July and hope that some of the aviation professionals at the event will introduce aircraft for us to register. The Authority has come a very long way in a very short time and I am immensely proud of the people I have working with me."

Minister of Equality, Employment, Culture and Tourism, with responsibility for Commercial Aviation, the Hon. Christian Santos GMD MP said: "It was a pleasure to open the industry briefing day. While aimed at local industry it was also well attended by a significant number of aviation professionals from around the world. I am truly encouraged by the turn-out for the event and I call on local industry to support the project, which will effectively see the introduction of a new industry in Gibraltar."