Sep 08 - GSD Accuses Government Of Playing Party Politics With The Future Of Young And Unemployed People

The Government’s reaction to the Opposition's concerns as to the creation of better opportunities for our young people demonstrates the lack of commitment to the real training of skills and the development of a trainees, the GSD has said. 

 

A spokesman for the Opposition said: "Whilst Mr Costa may feel constrained by the fact that he does not have control of the training of skills he should at the very least recognise that much more must be done in the delivery of technical skills. 

 

"The Opposition receives daily reports in relation to the training centre and the Government’s failed Future Job Strategy whilst the Government continue, with much fanfare, to hail the policy of employing people in Government owned companies and companies who have contracts with the Government as a success.  It is not. Whilst the Opposition are pleased that unemployment figures are low,  the Government should strive to ensure that our people receive quality and state of the art training so that the private sector can have the confidence to employ our people.

 

"Success must be measured by introducing quality training and the creation of modern day apprenticeships and alternative pathway for the training of technical skills and not by how many jobs can be found in quasi- public sector employment.  It is a crude and disingenuous attempt by the Government to avoid dealing with the real issues that affect our young people and the unemployed. 

 

"Our people irrespective of background deserve the opportunity of quality training, only then will Gibraltar enjoy full sustainable employment.  It is not only the Opposition who advocate for the creation of better opportunities through Apprenticeships, Unite the Union before the last General Election highlighted the skills cliff edge claiming that there were serious concerns across Gibraltar as a result of sub-standard apprenticeship provision. The Chamber of Commerce also expressed similar concerns.

 

"The Government are playing politics with the future of our young people and the unemployed who will remain unskilled and unable to access secure sustainable employment.   The Government must recognise that we need to urgently address the critical skills gap instead of plucking employment statistics which do very little to ease the many genuine concerns of people in our community."

 

Shadow Minister for Employment and Training Elliott Phillips said: “The Opposition has offered the Government any assistance that it can in order to develop an Apprenticeship Programme and the training of technical skills which our community so desperately needs.  It is disappointing and unhelpful for Mr Costa to avoid constructively engaging with the Opposition on a subject as important as the skills training of our Young People and unemployed. It is regrettable that he wishes to continue to adopt an old political style which our community does not want and does not need. In times of great uncertainty we have an obligation to ensure that our people are the first choice for employers and to do that we need a robust training and Apprenticeship Programme which meets the needs of both trainees and employers."