Not Another Press Release!

About Not Another Press Release!

Not Another Press Release is a new podcast from the HM Government of Gibraltar Press Office, creating space for longer, more honest discussions about how government works and the issues that affect everyday life. No soundbites or choreography. Just context, nuance and direct conversation with the people doing the work. Small filter, big picture.

Publisher

Gibraltar Government

Category

government

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Jan 2026

Latest episode

17 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

2 of 11 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   17 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Episode 11 - Alzheimer's and Dementia

   GHA Dementia Coordinator Karen Truman interviews Amy Hayward about Alzheimer's and dementia symptoms, support services, and community initiatives during Dementia Awareness Month.

2. 

   4 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Everyone's History - Inside the Gibraltar National Archives

   Host Anton interviews Gerard Wood and Marcelino Linares about the Gibraltar National Archives' exhibition on Gibraltar's UN history and the realities of archival preservation.

3. 

   23 Jul 2026

   Episode 9: Safeguarding Is Everybody’s Business

   Safeguarding children is not only the responsibility of teachers, social workers or sports coaches. It depends on people recognising the signs, trusting their instincts and knowing when to speak up. Anton Calderon is joined by Jackie Linares from the Department of Education, Giselle Carreras from the Care Agency and Michelle Turner from the GSLA to discuss how Gibraltar’s different services work together to protect children. They explore the realities of safeguarding in a small community, the importance of sharing information, and why every adult may hold a vital piece of the puzzle. The message is simple: you do not need to investigate or have all the answers. When something does not feel right, your responsibility is to pass it on. Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility.

4. 

   25 Jun 2026

   Summer Sports, World Events and Free Facilities: Behind the Scenes at the GSLA

   In this episode, James Perera, sits down with Minister Leslie Bruzon, Regan Lima and Sean Collado of the GSLA to talk through Gibraltar's busiest sporting season yet. With the school term reshaped this year, the Summer Sports Programme has been extended to nine weeks, the biggest the GSLA has ever run. The team explains how they planned around exam timetables and student lifeguards, why almost 400 children signed up within 48 hours of launch, and how the programme now goes well beyond sport into art, photography, history walks and cultural activities for the kids who are not so sporty. The conversation also covers how a small jurisdiction shares limited facilities across every association, what it takes to host world-class events like the World Darts Federation tournament, EBA Pool Nations and international netball and hockey, and why so many of Gibraltar's services, from facilities to the summer programme itself, are offered free of charge. The team closes on what matters most to them: developing the young leaders who run the programme and supporting children of all abilities through Stay and Play.

5. 

   1 Jun 2026

   From the Rock to the World, and Back

   Dr Paul Bosio grew up sharing a one-bedroom flat in Humphreys with six brothers and a closed frontier. He wouldn't change a thing about it. Now he's the Director General at the GHA. In this episode, Anton traces the long road that got him here: Sea Scouts and street football in Gibraltar, medical school in Dublin, decades of clinical and leadership roles across the UK and Abu Dhabi, and eventually the decision to come back home. They get into what it actually means to be a "local" who's been away for 41 years, why Paul eventually stopped seeing patients, the uncomfortable ethical trade-offs that come with running a health service on a budget, and what he's genuinely fired up about: mental health, elderly care reform, and training Gibraltar's own doctors and nurses, so the system can stand on its own feet.

6. 

   15 May 2026

   From Stage to Service: A Journey Towards Inclusion

   An episode about representation and the journey to a more inclusive and fair society. In Part 1, Minister Christian Santos talks about his journey from performance, media and showbiz into politics, and what it means to be a different kind of politician, shaped by community, dreams ofrepresentation and the people who do not always see themselves reflected in public life. In Part 2, we meet Jenny and the Supported Needs and Disability Office team, whose work goes far beyond ramps and access points. They talk about the quiet, human work of building bridges, raising awareness and making sure people with supported needs have a visible place in public life. Two conversations, one thread: inclusion is not just something government talks about. It is something people work on, every day.

7. 

   17 Apr 2026

   The Structures Within, The Structures Without

   This episode brings together Terence Lopez and Carl Viagas, two people who have spent decades in public service and who have each helped shape Gibraltar in different ways. Carl has spent his career thinking about the physical shape of Gibraltar: its buildings, heritage, and public spaces, and how we present ourselves to the world. Terence has worked at the operational end, the airport, the frontier, security, and the systems that have to function every single day, no matter what is happening around them. Together, they talk about infrastructure, yes, but also about service, leadership, and what it means to quietly get on with the job.

8. 

   17 Mar 2026

   Gibraltar's Future, Gibraltar's Youth

   In Episode 4, we bring together two conversations about the people and decisions that will shape Gibraltar's future: one grounded in constitutional law, the other in community. Part 1 is a conversation with Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia on the UK-EU Treaty on Gibraltar. As one of the people most closely involved in both the formal negotiations and the years of no-deal contingency planning that ran in parallel, he offers a frank account of what was at stake, how the final text differs significantly from where negotiations began, and why the mitigations and protections built into the treaty matter as much as its headline terms. He addresses the political risks directly, including the possibility of a hostile future Spanish administration, and explains why the treaty's architecture as an agreement between the UK and the EU provides a layer of protection that extends beyond Gibraltar's own leverage. The conversation also covers the implementation timeline, the legislative framework being prepared ahead of the April deadline, and the three parallel workstreams underway: physical infrastructure at the border, primary legislation, and administrative change across government. The episode also touches on the longer constitutional picture: what this treaty means for Gibraltar's relationship with the UK, the case for modernising the constitution, and the ongoing pursuit of decolonisation through the UN list of non-self-governing territories. Part 2 brings in Rebecca Figueras and Abdul Afrah from Gibraltar's Youth Service for a candid conversation about what it means to work with young people today. From the service's recent rebrand and its expanded reach, now covering ages seven to thirty, to the realities of youth work in a small, tightly connected community, they reflect on how needs have shifted over two decades: the rise of wellbeing and mental health conversations, the retreat from street culture, the pressures of social media, and what it means to grow up navigating AI and information overload. The discussion covers how the service operates across four clubs, in schools, and through programmes like the Youth Symposium, which bridges young people and civic life, and the Future Pathways careers initiative, which connects students with professionals across industries. The broader message is clear: young people today are navigating more complexity than any previous generation, and what they need most is space, trust, opportunity, and empathy from the community around them.

9. 

   20 Feb 2026

   Emergency Preparedness, Traffic and Infrastructure

   In Episode 3, we look at Gibraltar’s preparedness on two levels: immediate emergency response and long-term resilience planning. Part 1 is a conversation with Ivor Lopez, Civil Contingencies Co-ordinator, on how government plans for complex and evolving risks, including extreme weather, pandemics, cyber incidents, terrorism and system failures. Ivor explains how multi-agency coordination works in practice, why exercises matter, and what Gibraltar’s size means in real operational terms: strong relationships and rapid mobilisation, but finite resources and a need to call on specialist support when required. We also unpack how Gibraltar’s weather alerting system operates, including the distinction between Weather Advisories and Severe Weather Warnings, why thresholds matter, and how the system has evolved to reduce confusion while still warning the public in time. The message is clear: rely on official sources, follow updates as conditions change, and recognise that individual behaviour can either help or worsen a live situation. Part 2 brings in Minister John Cortes and Stewart Harrison to connect day-to-day disruption with structural decisions that define resilience: drainage capacity, road networks, traffic management, vehicle policy, and environmental planning. They discuss how severe weather changes travel behaviour, why east-side closures and rockfall risk quickly strain Gibraltar’s limited routes, and how transport responses are adjusted in real time, including bus routing during closures. The conversation also covers practical delivery: plans for six new fully electric buses for Upper Town routes, expected from September, work with stakeholders across transport (buses, taxis, car parks, highways, licensing), and steps to tackle issues like car park vandalism through closer coordination with the RGP. Finally, we widen the lens to climate change, environmental policy, and the realities of transitioning away from oil-dependent activity, including a frank discussion on bunkering and why global change cannot be solved by unilateral local displacement. The episode closes on what may define Gibraltar in the coming years: wastewater treatment, waste management, and the potential implications of the future UK–EU treaty, including environmental safeguards and pressure points for transport and traffic flow.

10. 

    30 Jan 2026

    Inside the Civil Service and Inside the Podcast

    In Episode 2, we go deeper into what Not Another Press Release is trying to do, and what it is not. Part 1 is a one-to-one with Chief Secretary Glendon Martinez, exploring the day-to-day reality of leading Gibraltar’s public service. Glendon explains why the role is strictly apolitical, what it means to oversee an organisation spanning 54 departments (plus agencies, authorities and government-owned companies), and how the job is often defined by the unexpected. We also talk about morale, training, reforms, and why recognising public servants matters. Glendon reflects on union negotiations, the balance between supporting staff and protecting the public purse, and why long-term affordability sits at the heart of public finances. Looking ahead, he discusses the civil service’s approach to modernisation, including how AI is already being used to improve processes, and what a future treaty could mean for Gibraltar and the public service, including adaptation without job losses. The conversation also touches on public perceptions of the civil service, accessibility in a small community, and the value of local talent in senior roles, alongside recruiting the best candidates from abroad when needed. Glendon finishes by sharing cultural picks, from grunge music and Alice in Chains to Meet Joe Black, plus a message of gratitude to public servants across every area of government. Part 2 is a transparent “housekeeping” chat with the podcast team: Anton Calderon, Amy Hayward and Daniel Ghio. We explain how the podcast is made, the format and frequency (every two weeks, usually in two parts), and how guests and topics are chosen. We also address editorial intent: this is a communications tool for the public, not a replacement for journalism and not a vehicle for partisan political debate. Furthermore, we also set out our approach to AI. AI was used to design the logo and compose the theme music, but the conversations and content are unscripted and intentionally human. Finally, we break down the cost: the set-up uses existing Press Office equipment, with spending of just under £400 on items like the neon sign, mugs and paint.

11. 

    26 Jan 2026

    Chief Minister Fabian Picardo & The Equality Team (Marlene Dalli & Christian Olivares)

    Not Another Press Release! launches with a two-part conversation recorded at No.6 Convent Place. Part 1: Chief Minister Fabian Picardo speaks with HMGoG Communications Director Anton Calderon about leadership, the changing nature of social media, disinformation and AI, and what the emerging UK–EU treaty framework could mean for Gibraltar in the years ahead. Part 2: The Equality Team, Marlene Dalli and Christian Olivares, join Anton Calderon and Daniel Ghio, Digital Communications Officer at the HMGoG Press Office, to discuss the Women’s Mentorship Programme, how the scheme supports women at different stages of life and work, and how equality policy is shaped by online culture, backlash and misinformation. New episodes are released fortnightly. Subscribe or follow Not Another Press Release! to receive future episodes featuring ministers and teams across government, focusing on the context behind the work and the issues shaping Gibraltar.

Inside a recent episode

Episode 11 - Alzheimer's and Dementia

Published 17 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Sure. So the message is to go and speak to your GP. Absolutely. First call. Yeah. And I know that dementia and Alzheimer's is usually typically thought of as being an older person's problem. But from speaking with you, it can affect anybody, even young people. Absolutely. So there is some form of childhood dementia, but the most common sort of thing is the under 65. So the majority of people with dementia are over the age of 65. And that's the same in Gibraltar as well. However, what we don't want to rule out is the fact that people think that it is an old person's condition because it isn't. You know, we know people here who have a condition, have a diagnosis of dementia who are under the age of 65 and are living with that diagnosis in our community. […]

Who has been a guest on Not Another Press Release!

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Karen Truman
• Gerard Wood
• Marcelino Linares

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

3.0 / 5

2 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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