Sep 08 - Government Says It Has A Cast-Iron Commitment To Employment

The Government has said it is churlish for the GSD to say that the Government is failing in its employment policy, given that it currently have the highest number ever of Gibraltarians in employment.

A spokesman for the Government said: "Whilst Mr Phillips plays party politics, the Ministry of Business and Employment assists 20 additional Gibraltarians into full time positions. Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar notes the desperate statement by the GSD in respect of our announcement that 147 previously unemployed Gibraltarians have found gainful employment over a three month period.

"Since coming into Office, the GSLP-Liberals’ various focused employment policies have helped 730 more Gibraltarians to find full-time jobs over four years. In contrast, over a period of almost 16 years, the GSD oversaw just 337 full-time Gibraltarians jobs. Under the GSD, therefore, there was an average of 21 Gibraltarians per year in employment, whereas this Government’s record is an average of 182 Gibraltarians every year of its first four years of office. Given their shocking and abysmal record, the GSD really should know better than to lecture the Government on employment issues."

The Minister for Employment, Neil Costa, said: "I really expected better from Mr Phillips. All he has achieved is to greatly insult the excellent work of my teams, as we carry out every single day the process of finding our fellow Gibraltarians employment in the fields in which they have expressed an interest. And the proof of our work is that we have reached new record highs of Gibraltarians in employment. In any case, workers in Gibraltar know the truth and, for many, it was only the election of the GSLP-LIBERAL Government that delivered jobs for them. Indeed, whilst Mr Phillips plays party politics in such an important matter as employment, my teams and I have continued our work and I am pleased to note that we have assisted 20 additional Gibraltarians into full time positions.

“Our employment policies are therefore proving extremely effective. Whilst the GSD try to hide their abysmal employment record when in Office, the public know that this Government will continue to find jobs for every unemployed person and train them for employment. That is our cast iron commitment."

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