Dr. Cortes this morning gave his budget speech covering responsibilities from his position as Health Minister. Here is the speech in its entirety:
Mr Speaker, I now turn my attention to the Ministry of Health and the Gibraltar Health Authority.
Mr Speaker
Introduction
This past year has seen the consolidation of environmental thinking in Government policy and action, cascading and percolating well into the private sector. On looking back and taking stock, Mr Speaker, I am at the same time embarrassed at the huge environmental deficit Gibraltar held to the rest of the world in 2011, as I am proud of the way that it has advanced since.
Coinciding with the visit of UK Europe Minister to Gibraltar, David Lidington, the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has this week insisted that the British Government has ‘shown weakness in response to a concerted Spanish campaign directed at Gibraltar.’
The Defenders of Gibraltar met yesterday with the Minister for Europe David Lidington. ACSTEG, For A Humanitarian Border and VOGG were also present.The Defenders of Gibraltar expressed their concerns regarding the continued harassment and bullying of Gibraltarians and cross frontier workers by the Spanish Government. The group explained that not enough was being done from a UK perspective to rein in Spain, adding that the the effect of this “fence-sitting” was beginning to affect “our economy and way of life.”
