Below follows a statement from Together Gibraltar, in reply to the Government:

Government’s response to the TG PR criticising the delays in the payment of grants and  the policy of executing random searches in houses of students is but another example of  this Government’s incompetent and malicious management. 

-INSTRUCTIONS COME FROM ABOVE 

Even though this is obvious to the wider population, TG wishes to clarify that it has not,  and does not “shoot the messenger” when criticising Government policy. These searches  have been clearly instigated by the Ministry, and are performed professionally but  begrudgingly by BCA officers who feel like they are being pushed beyond their call of  duty. People must remember that these officers will have to be knocking on doors of  members of the community, questioning their integrity and inspecting the most personal  and intimate sphere of their lives - their homes. 

-IT IS A LATE AND INEFFICIENT POLICY 

As explained in TG’s previous PR, there is no way that an impromptu visit can determine  whether someone lives in a home. If one observes the problems being experienced in the  Northern Ireland border, or the technology and resources being deployed in verifying  residence status of Gibraltarian residents in Spain, it is clear to see that adequately  verifying someone’s residence is an extremely complex affair. This is something that  would have required a thorough vetting process and ongoing scrutiny, but this  administration has been too careless or too incompetent to implement that in the last  three terms in Government. The same can be said of eligibility for Government housing  or other benefits deriving from Gibraltar residence which have been incompetently  managed by successive administrations.  

Also, is the time to implement this policy the end of September, weeks into some  university courses? 

-MANIPULATION OF CIVIL SERVANTS 

As is the usual MO of this Government, it is obvious that the BCA hierarchy have received  pressures to defend a policy which they know is highly unpopular amongst their rank  and file. Using the BCA as instruments of political spin is yet another display of disregard  from Government to all the BCA officers who are having to undergo these undignified  and distasteful operations. 

TG reiterates its critique of a policy that is inefficient, comes way too late and forces BCA  officers to execute operations that smack of authoritarianism. It also reminds  Government that many stressed and upset students are currently undergoing daily  expenses at their universities, and are yet to receive their grant payments.