By Jackie Anderson

There is a frisson of fear rippling through our community. There are simply some words that we don’t like to hear. Like “corruption” and “poverty”. We don’t like to speak those words publicly because if we do, then we have to acknowledge that just possibly these things exist and then we would need to do something about it. There is another word that no-one likes to use. No, not Brexit, although the fear-mongering from the current administration is as impressive as it is irresponsible.

The word is “evict” and the fear I refer to is the fear of eviction. The false fear that if Together Gibraltar takes its principles of equality, transparency, sustainability and diversification and applies it to completely overhaul the housing system, there might be mass evictions. The false fear that if Together Gibraltar is in government, we will means test tenants and evict those who earn higher levels of income.

This is wrong. It could not be further from the truth. To say this is not just misleading. This is not just irresponsible. It is an out and out lie, a measure of the lack of integrity that is far too prevalent in the establishment, in the way that politics has been done in Gibraltar for far too long. As Joseph Goebbels was purported to have said: “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth.”

Gibraltar’s current truth is that people are misled, misinformed or not informed at all. And this leads to a deep void of trust in the political establishment and a distrust in the ability of our government to govern honestly and wisely for the benefit of all our people and not just an elite.

Which brings me back to the lie that Together Gibraltar’s housing policy would lead to evictions. We are the only party with a policy that goes far beyond empty promises or random platitudes that start with “we’re going to help you” and end with “so we’re going to build, so that your green Gibraltar can drown in grey silica dust and so these rich developers get immensely richer…”

We are taking a far deeper and broader view. We have a fully comprehensive, holistic vision of what needs to be done to establish a coherent housing system that functions well for all people. That is going to take time and effort. We will certainly be putting in the effort from day one. Because we believe that every person in Gibraltar matters, whether they are “high net worth individuals” or whether they have nothing but the rags they stand in. We are all equal in rights and in value as individuals.

So, means testing. This has bad press. And if it is not done very carefully, very sensitively and very thoroughly, it might not entirely achieve what you want it to achieve. And what we want it to achieve is to ease the way into decent housing, housing that is right for each person’s needs. So to means test at the point of application to the housing list can’t possibly result in any form of eviction from anywhere. So to say otherwise, is misleading. It is so factually incorrect that it is morally wrong to say so.

What we are not going to do is means test those who are already renting a government house. They already have a contract with government. And why would anyone with any compassion consider that it would somehow by acceptable to evict someone because of their earnings? Government housing exists to help people get on their feet, to start to live a life that is rewarding. If they happen to do well in life, that’s great. It’s great because they will be stable, their kids will have a good start and they will contribute that much more to our overall economy.

However, from the start of a Together Gibraltar government, through means testing applicants on our waiting lists, we will be able to make sure that government housing – the lowest cost housing in Gibraltar – is allocated to those that most need that help to get their lives on track.

Simple isn’t it? Not at all frightening. Not at all linked to eviction. Just honest, fairer allocating of a resource that is owned by the community to help those in our community that most need help.

There is a huge outcry in Gibraltar that we need to help those that are rapidly sinking into poverty because of the growing gap between those that have more and those that have less. One of the factors causing poverty and the desperation that come with it, is the sheer inaccessibility of decent housing for so many. Since there are limited government rental homes that people can afford, we can make an immediate impact to the quality of people’s lives by making sure the system of accepting people on the waiting list is fair, just and serves to help those that are most vulnerable and most  need their community’s help.

The next step is to make sure there is a greater supply of housing that is truly affordable whether for rent or for purchase, and we have comprehensive, integrated plans for that too. And alongside that, is to manage government housing properly, so empty homes are let, all rents are paid and all homes are kept in good repair. Sometimes that might mean tough decisions. Sometimes that might mean that those who can pay rent but won’t pay rent don’t get to keep their government home. It might mean that those that break their tenancy conditions or damage property time and time again won’t get to keep their government home. Mass evictions from means testing? Absolutely not true.

Together Gibraltar is the only party of positive policies. We believe in fairness and social justice. We believe that it is only when everyone has a decent home that the housing system is working to the benefit of Gibraltar. That is why fear has no place in our politics. Nor have lies. You can trust us to lead Gibraltar through all the external challenges, because we are going to help our community become strong and unified once again.

Jackie Anderson is a candidate for Together Gibraltar