The annual Short Story Competition organised by the Gibraltar Cultural Services on behalf of the Ministry for Culture in conjunction with the Gibraltar Chronicle attracted a total of 350 entries from children in School Years 4 to 13 and adults. The Minister for Culture, the Hon Steven Linares, presented the awards on Wednesday 5th June 2019 at 4.30pm at the John Mackintosh Hall.

A panel of judge’s composed of Mrs Aida Delaney, Mrs Patsy Scott and Mr Charles Durante judged the competition.

In presenting the prizes today, Minister for Culture, Steven Linares said: ‘The Short Story Competition was devised to incorporate an element of literature alongside the music, theatre, art and other aspects more traditionally linked to the Spring Festival. I would like to thank everyone involved in this venture, including the Gibraltar Chronicle and the judges. However, my biggest personal gratitude goes in particular to the many people who put pen to paper and in doing so allow us to enjoy their vivid imagination.’

The Prize Winners are:

Adult Category

Winner: Yvonne Sacarello – ‘The Bay’

Runner-up: Jackie Anderson – ‘Morning Coffee’

Highly Commended: Vicky Bailey – ‘Message in a Bottle’

Highly Commended: Jane Casey – ‘The Yew Tree’

Years 11/13 Category

Winner: Botond Lassan – ‘The Odd one out in the collection’

Runner Up: Carmen Anderson – ‘A Last Shot’

Highly Commended: Pierre Leroy – ‘PX-The Missing Episodes’

Years 8/10 Category

Winner: Angelica Bosco – ‘The Guardian’

Runner-up: James Wilson – ‘Angel’

Highly Commended: Gini Lima-Gomez – ‘Always in Trouble’

Highly Commended: Raul Perez – ‘My experience at the Mossad’

Years 6/7 Category

Winner: Megan Edmonds – ‘Imagination’

Runner-up: Eva Baglietto – ‘Flashing Lights’

Highly Commended: Ana Sanguinetti – ‘The Book with no words’

Highly Commended: Izabella Searle-Matthews – ‘The Competition’

Years 4/5 Category

Winner: Julia Cecile Mena – ‘Twin Trouble at Mena House’

Runner-up: Farrah Bruzon – ‘The Crazy Dance Class’

Highly Commended: India Rawal – ‘Chance – A True Story’

Spanish Category Adult

Winner: Mark Montovio – ‘Con fe venezolana’

Spanish Category Years 12/13

Winner: Nicola Gee – ‘El dia que me robaron la vida’

Runner-up: Arianne Busto – ‘La humanidad del ser humano no es tan noble’