By Vijay Daryanani

Elections are moments in the life of a community when the citizens are given the opportunity to express their view as a snapshot of the political landscape at a given moment.  I am thrilled to have a different honour bestowed on me in 2019, the privilege of being selected to replace the excellent Neil Costa as the third candidate for the Liberals for the upcoming election on 17 October.

I have always been engaged in politics, but largely from the sidelines. I have had the opportunity of influencing Government policy through the auspices of the Liberal party as it has shared the responsibility of leading this community during the last eight years.

I am honoured to now have the opportunity of standing for election. Should the community make the RIGHT choice for Gibraltar and choose the GSLP Liberals as its Government for four more years, I will now also have the opportunity to fully engage in a frontline manner, in the politics of this place I call home and which I love dearly.

It is true beyond question that never in the history of this community has the choice of political leadership been more important.  As the leader of the GSLP, Fabian Picardo, has said during the pre-campaign for this General Election, the choice for the community is as simple as it is stark.  It is a binary choice.  I fully agree with Fabian Picardo that come October 17th, the community can either choose the wrong people for the job or, in the GSLP Liberals, choose the RIGHT people for the job.

Deciding whether or not to honour me with your vote as I join the GSLP Liberals requires you to understand a little about my background and my vision for Gibraltar.  I was raised in Gibraltar and have been an active member of the Small Business community on Main Street for many years now.  I began my political career in the Liberal Party of Gibraltar which was launched as the Gibraltar National Party back in 1991.

I am committed to representing the interests of not just the Main Street traders, but also the interests of all the other sectors of the community, whose needs I believe this GSLP Liberal team has proven, over and over, is ready to protect and advance.  I bring my experience of running my own family business and the interaction with our customers and partners to the table.  Having the pulse of the people of Gibraltar and, importantly, the pulse of the many thousands of visitors who come to our shores every year. If we are to continue to make Gibraltar an appealing tourist product, I believe it is important for us to understand the trends and views of those whose trade we hope to attract. It is one of a number of very valuable contributions I believe I can make to the GSLP Liberal team if elected to Government.

On October 17th, the community is faced with a simple choice in a complex world. Now is not the time for novices or has beens.  Now is not the time for political experiments or spent forces.  It is the time for the tried and tested; the proven, not the promised.  On October 17th, choose all TEN GSLP Liberals to be your next Government. We will not let you down. I will not let you down.

Vijay Daryanani is an election candidate for the GSLP Liberals