The Government notes the statement issued by the GSD’s spokesperson for everything, the Hon Damon Bossino on the Ince’s Hall mural.

HMGOG does not consider the expenditure of £19,881.34 related to the mural that has been in place at Ince’s Hall for six years a ‘waste of taxpayers’ money’ by any stretch of the imagination. The Government believes, and indeed said so at the time this was announced, that this was a piece of cultural art and made very clear this would only be in place until the wider Ince’s Hall refurbishment took place. The Ince’s Hall refurbishment project is now underway and will further enhance and beautify the area, which was already substantially enhanced by the Government with the establishment of the Gibraltar International Bank.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, said: “The Government believes the interim beautification of the Ince’s Hall façade with a mural was money well spent, given the poor state of the façade before the mural was painted and the fact it was a cultural piece of art painted by a well-respected international artist. Mr Bossino should have reflected on the GSD’s own record before having the audacity to criticise mine. The GSD Government spent an incomprehensible sum of almost £10 MILLION pounds on a massive hole in the ground at the old Theatre Royal site and are criticising us for expenditure of just under £20,000 for a mural that has brought significant cultural and tourist interest to this previously dilapidated area. Their MASSIVE hole in the ground left a MASSIVE hole in the taxpayers’ pocket and Mr Bossino should apologise to every single taxpayer in Gibraltar for the GSD’s lack of financial management in respect of this, and many other GSD Government projects.’

ENDS