Oct 29 – GSD Says GSLP-Libs Have Been “Dishonest With Electorate” Over Fishing Laws
The GSLP-Liberals continue to place electoral expediency above political honesty on issues of public importance, according to the latest release from the GSD.
The party describes it as “astonishing” that in his recent interview with the Chronicle, Mr. Picardo should say that the Government is still consulting "local and Spanish fishermen" about its plans to regulate fishing with nets in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and that no decision had been taken on whether the current ban on net fishing would continue.
The GSD says that this is in contrast to statements made by Mr Picardo’s Government in the past, when they have made it clear that their intention was to permit net fishing in BGTW under certain conditions but that the detail had to be worked out. The GSD also notes that the Government even amended the Nature Protection Act in 2013 to allow them to do so. However, the party argues that the reality is that the GSLP-Liberals “are not being honest” about their intentions and will allow regulated net fishing. The GSD says that the party simply “does not want to reveal its hand” this side of a General Election.
A statement concluded: “Indeed, it is not the first time the GSLP-Liberals have not been honest with the people on this issue and it will be recalled that in 2011 their manifesto promised to put an end to net fishing and that the law would be enforced. Within months of getting elected, their tune changed and their mantra became that enforcement was a matter for the RGP and they could do nothing about the record number of incursions by Spanish fishermen fishing with nets. It is time for the GSLP-Liberals to be straight with the electorate once and for all and stop changing the goalposts when it suits.”
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