public function getStartDate()
    {
        if (isset($this->_gemsData['gec_startdate']) && $this->_gemsData['gec_startdate']) {
            if (! $this->_gemsData['gec_startdate'] instanceof \MUtil_Date) {
                $this->_gemsData['gec_startdate'] =
                        new \MUtil_Date($this->_gemsData['gec_startdate'], \Gems_Tracker::DB_DATE_FORMAT);
            }
            return $this->_gemsData['gec_startdate'];
        }
    }