The Government considers that the statement by the Opposition which seeks to compare Gibraltar with the British Virgin Islands (BVI) does not do anybody any favours, in particular not even to the GSD itself.

The statement is clearly a hollow and transparent attempt to mislead public opinion in Gibraltar with malicious gossip and innuendo and it risks damaging the international reputation of Gibraltar in the process.

It is now clearer than ever that the Opposition only think about gaining votes by fair means or foul and their narrow political interests no matter the impact that their destructive statements may have on Gibraltar as a whole.

The Opposition knows full well that the Government has already progressed, and continues to progress, many of the matters that they raise in their statement.

This includes, for example, the publication of tender notices and tender awards, something which the GSD did not do whilst in government, holding public meetings of the Development and Planning Commission with publication of the minutes and the agenda, something which they did not do in Government and which the GSD opposed when the GSLP Liberal Government proposed it and the televising and streaming of meetings of the Gibraltar Parliament. 

Additionally, the Government has shown its commitment to transparency and accountability by the constant   publication of more Government statistics and data online than ever before, and the publication of the first drafts of Parliamentary and Ministerial Codes in the history of Gibraltar which Parliament has not yet formally adopted as a result of GSD requests that these matters should not be implemented and should instead be considered by a Select Committee.

The Government recognises that there is always more to be done and has already established a Public Standards and Regulation Ministry led by the Minister for Justice which will deal with the Public Sector, the Parliamentary and Ministerial Codes and the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Authority a Bill for which is soon to be published.

In addition to this, the Select Committee on Parliamentary Reform will examine other areas in detail and will start its meetings in coming weeks.

In fact, in April, the Chief Minister invited the Leader of the Opposition and Mr Clinton to a meeting in No 6 Convent Place in order to seek consensus on the reform agenda, given that the two sides of Parliament seemed to be saying the same thing.

However, Mr Azopardi and Mr Clinton did not show up for the meeting and instead sent a letter afterwards seeking further information in writing instead of having that discussion in person.

This lack of commitment to cross party cooperation and half hearted response has exposed the Opposition agenda for what it is - nothing more than blowing hot air in public and steering away from constructive hard work to seek a cross party consensus on the detail of the policy in private.

The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo QC MP said:

“This attempt to now link what has happened in BVI with Gibraltar is a complete and utter disgrace. The public will recall that it was the GSD Opposition, when in Government, that breached the public procurement rules of the European Union and Gibraltar in relation to the grant of a contract for projects worth over £ 1 billion to entities controlled by parties closely related to Government Ministers.   Additionally, the overspend on GSD projects was constant, peaking with an overspend of over 150% on the Airport.  That is without having regard to payments made to family members of GSD Ministers which cannot, in the view of the GSLP Liberal Government, be justified.  Those are the types of things that have raised questions in the BVI.   

“Conversely, the GSLP Liberal Government that I lead is being attacked by rumour and innuendo.  As we establish the additional structures for people to make complaints of allegations of corruption we will ensure that any genuine concerns are properly investigated and that rumour and innuendo is seen for what it is. 

“But the plain fact is that the GSD has failed Gibraltar today.  For the cheap purposes of training to gain a few votes in an election that they keep imagining is around the corner, they have recklessly and irresponsibly tarnished Gibraltar’s reputation by association with the findings made in relation to the BVI. 

“Such actions by Mr Azopardi and Mr Clinton are genuinely unforgiveable and demonstrate that they have allowed their unbridled political ambitions to take control of their consciences. 

Gibraltar will always be able to do more and to do better in every field as times and international practice changes.  We will therefore continue our reform agenda and will continue to work to make Gibraltar even more transparent and accountable to its people in every aspect of life. 

“But we will take no lessons on this from the people who opposed our opening up of the DPC, who failed to put our Parliament sessions on TV and online and who routinely breached our laws and EU laws on procurement.  The GSD failed Gibraltar on these issues. 

“We are putting things right and we have still a way to go but we will get there.  Of the ten years we have been in Government six have already had to be spent on Brexit, incredibly.  We will, nonetheless, have transformed how accountable and transparent Government is already and we will continue to go more in the almost two years left of the life time of this Parliament.”

ENDS