His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar regrets to announce that the Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, is suffering from a retinal detachment on his right eye for which he was urgently referred to a hospital in Jerez yesterday afternoon. Given the seriousness of the condition, the Chief Minister was immediately admitted into the hospital where he has remained overnight awaiting the immediate emergency eye surgery that the condition requires later today.

The recovery from Mr Picardo's procedure will require him to be as immobile as possible for fourteen days. As a result, Mr Picardo will be unable to discharge the functions of the Office of Chief Minister for two weeks from today. The Deputy Chief Minister will assume the powers of the Office of Chief Minister for the relevant period.

The circumstances of Mr Picardo's required recovery process will necessarily require that some events and matters programmed for coming days, and which require Mr Picardo's participation, will have to be delayed. This will include, amongst other things:

• Mr Picardo answering questions at 3pm in Parliament on Thursday, 11th December
• Direct Democracy, which was programmed for the following week

The publication of the full, unedited report of the McGrail Inquiry, which was scheduled to occur at 3pm tomorrow in accordance with the Government's previous statement that it would be published well ahead of Christmas. Ahead of the scheduled publication tomorrow, access to an advance copy of the Report has been provided electronically to 34 individuals, the RGP and the Gibraltar Police Authority. An advance copy has also been provided to His Excellency the Governor. In addition, an advance copy was provided yesterday to GBC and to the Gibraltar Chronicle to assist them to prepare media coverage upon publication. Given that his alleged actions have been central to the Inquiry, the Government considers that it is inappropriate and unfair that the Report should be published at a time that the Chief Minister is unable to address the Report and participate in the foreseeable public debate about its content. Given that Mr Picardo is unable to engage in any activity for two weeks, the publication of the McGrail Inquiry Report will be delayed until early in the week commencing 15 December.

The Deputy Chief Minister, the Hon Dr Joseph Garcia, said:
“All the members of the Cabinet wish the Chief Minister a full and speedy recovery from this emergency operation and look forward to his return to the Office as soon as his health permits it.”

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC, said:
“I am very grateful to those of my colleagues who have insisted I should have my vision checked, given minor concerns, as leaving this condition without immediate attention could have led to permanent loss of vision in the relevant eye. I am sorry that the procedure will require me to be completely out of action in person for two weeks. I am not looking forward to being out of action for 14 days! I know that Joseph Garcia will be able to do an excellent job in my place, and we are and will remain in close contact during the whole period.”

ENDS