Jan 26 - Opposition Hits Back At Government Over Laguna Lighting
The Opposition Spokesman for Housing, Edwin Reyes, wishes to thank the pertinent Government Department / Authority / Contractor for installing additional lighting at the temporary entrance to Resolution House in Laguna Estate, despite the Minister for Housing having originally denied there were any Health & Safety concerns as expressed by tenants. The provision of more lights, as from Saturday, enhancing the access area to Resolution House is appreciated by residents in the block of flats concerned, says the GSD. Several tenants have personally thanked the Opposition for their input in helping to bring this matter to the Housing Ministry’s attention, “more so since their own course of actions had failed to achieve this.”
A statement from the party continues:
“Through her reactionary Press Release, issued on Friday, the Minister for Housing tried to pull the wool over the public’s eyes by giving the impression that the complaint was merely over a fused light bulb. If only the Minister for Housing would have taken a bit more care when reading the GSD’s statement she would have understood that the concerns raised were in respect of the residents’ health & safety, more specifically - “no adequate lighting” had been provided at the now only entrance to Resolution House. The allegation that there was a fused light bulb does not appear anywhere in Mr Reyes’ statement. The Government’s references to other matters not relating to tenants’ Health & Safety concerns are a mere smokescreen created by Government, something Gibraltar is now getting rather tired of.
“The Leader of the Opposition reassures the public at large that the GSD is more than willing to act as “Clerk of Works”, or whatever other profession/trade it requires them to assume, if this helps to provide solutions to any concerns members of the public in may have. The public at large may rest assured that the GSD’s Members of Parliament will not be silenced or deterred from carrying out their duties as Opposition Members, despite the personal accusations and innuendos repeatedly launched against them as individuals.
“In an attempt to further sidetrack the electorate from the real concerns being raised, Housing Minister Samantha Sacramento went as far as to say that the GSD are against the refurbishment works at Laguna, Glacis and Moorish Castle Estates. This unfounded allegation really does require a huge stretch of the imagination by the Honourable Lady as she does not seem to recall that there was a firm Manifesto Commitment from the GSD to carry out refurbishments in these same housing estates. The repeated lie that Laguna Estate was a forgotten estate under the GSD administration holds no water when one looks back and sees the works carried out, such as the building of sheds, etc.
“A further erroneous impression and attempted diversion from the crux of the matter given through the Government’s Press Release is that The Hon Edwin Reyes has a somewhat blithe attitude towards his Parliamentary duties, particularly in respect of attendances. The Leader of the Opposition and those close to the Reyes family are well aware of the reasons why they could not travel abroad during Parliament’s Summer Recess, this was as a result of Mrs Reyes undergoing surgery at St Bernard’s Hospital during the month of August.”
Mr Reyes wishes to personally explain as follows: “This is now my 8th consecutive year as a Member of the Gibraltar Parliament and throughout this period I have only ever missed one day in Parliament for personal and/or private reasons. Government’s accusations that I missed meetings (erroneously written in plural) of Parliament last year, for the purposes of accompanying my wife on a convalescing holiday, needs to be challenged as my absence was just for one day - namely Thursday 20th November 2014. I thank those who understand that for the sake of one day’s attendance at Parliament I placed my wife and her personal medical needs first.
On behalf of my family I wish to take this opportunity to express our collective gratitude to all across the political divide who expressed any concerns for Mrs Reyes’ health, together with the support and assistance offered to us”.
