In reply to the Government's recent press release, the GSD has issued a statement highlighting a tweet from the Chief Minister in 2014. 

A statement from the GSD follows below:

So the Government’s defence of its handling of the power generation system debacle is to accuse the Leader of the  Opposition of consistency because he urged the then GSD Government in 2011 to sort out power cuts. Is that the best  they can do? How poor a defence of Mr Picardo’s failure to carry out what he himself promised in a tweet in 2014 namely: 

“Power outage too long. New plans must reflect lessons of such incidents so we never repeat.” 

That was on 20 April 2014 – seven and a half years ago. The big difference is that Mr Picardo was Chief Minister when  he said it and has had the chance since then and over the last 10 years to put his money where his mouth is. Instead, the situation is worse not better. So where are the “new plans” he promised and how has he learnt the “lessons of  such incidents so we never repeat.” 

Mr Azopardi was not in Government in 2011 and hasn’t been since 2003 – nearly 20 years ago. Mr Picardo has been  Chief Minister for ten years. No one will believe that the GSLP Government can distract from their failures or the fact  there have been almost 60 power cuts in the last two years according to GibElec by pointing at the distant past. They  have had ample time to sort issues out. People are tired of excuses from a Government that does not take  responsibility and throws GibElec workers under a bus 

Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi said: “The number of power cuts over the last couple of years is a stunning  statistic which cannot be airbrushed away whatever massaging of statistics the Government do and much worse a  picture than anyone can remember. Instead of raising smokescreens maybe the Government should consult that large  falling manual for tips on how to invest in the electricity grid.”