Oct 04 - GSD Accuses Government Of Hiding Behind “Shroud Of Secrecy” Over Public Debt
The GSD has accused the Government of hiding behind a “shroud of secrecy” for failing to answer questions in Parliament on gross debt, cash reserves and net debt.
The leader of the Opposition Daniel Feetham called a press conference at the GSD headquarters in College Lane yesterday to raise his party’s concerns at the Government’s refusal to answer questions put forward by the opposition.
Mr Feetham said: “This is very worrying for Gibraltar because at a time when we should be more transparent than ever, and we should be reassuring the community that look we have managed our public finances well, and the situation in Gibraltar is solid, the Government has reverted to a curtain of secrecy.”
Mr Feetham says that, for the past five years, the Government has answered any questions put forward by his party just as the GSD administration answered any questions put forward by Minister Joe Bossano when they were in government.
“This is not simply a transparency point or a criticism of a government that refuses to be transparent with the people of Gibraltar, but it is also about preventing an Opposition from its job, not only holding the government to account but also spotting financial problems as they emerge,” Mr Feetham added.
Roy Clinton, the GSD’s spokesman for public finances, said: “We in the Opposition are paid to hold the Government to account, we will not have access to [Government accounts] during the year, and we have no way of knowing how well or badly the Government is doing and we cannot put down markers and it defeats the object of asking questions in the House if they are simply not going to be answered point blank.
“The idea of this being a question of inaccuracy is a nonsense because we have been given the answers in the past.”
Mr Clinton said he saw a change in attitude when the budget was announced, and wants answers as to why things have changed, however he added that there is nothing the GSD can do as the opposition.
“We can’t appeal to anyone or ask the Speaker to make them answer because it is up to the Government,” Mr Clinton adds. “This is a Government that had a mantra of transparency and are now hiding behind a shroud of secrecy.”
The GSD has written to the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo to meet with finance experts, but they add that the ball is in the Government’s court, and they will continue to press the Government for information on figures.
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