Together Gibraltar Says Government Reply Is An Example Of Their “Incompetent And Malicious Management”
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.
