Dec 22 - Leader Of The Opposition Has Misunderstood Minister Neil Costa, Government Says

The Leader of the Opposition, in his recent criticism of the personal views of the Minister for Health Neil Costa, has clearly misunderstood what he said, a spokesman for the Government has said. 

The Minister explained that the Chief Minister has set up an inter-ministerial committee on drugs of which Minister Costa is a member. The question of, if and when public consultation on the issue should take place and what questions should be asked of the public, will be decided by the Committee as a whole in due course. It is obviously intended that the committee, both before and after any such consultation, will be informed by both public opinion and expert opinion in the area.

The spokesman added: "It is therefore inaccurate for Mr Feetham to suggest that the Government of Gibraltar would not take expert advice on the matter. Minister Costa himself expressed a desire in the interview to receive the latest research as to the medicinal properties of cannabis. Indeed, this is but one area where expert opinion may be sought by the Committee.

"What is becoming abundantly clear across all areas of policy is that Mr Feetham and the GSD cannot answer or criticise the Government's actual policies and so they distort what is said and then criticise their distorted version of reality. They make it up first and then criticise their own distorted version of the facts. The public will see through all that."

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