A statement from the GSLP-LIBS follows below:

The GSLP Liberals note the comments made by Craig Sacarello in his Party Political Broadcast aired on GBC last night regarding the state of education in Gibraltar. Mr Sacarello’s comments not only demonstrate his lack of understanding of education in Gibraltar but also his disconnect from from the working class that he claims to represent.

In his broadcast, Mr Sacarello made inaccurate statements about the facilities in our new schools, particularly focusing on the locations of our new schools, canteens and outdoor areas. 

Mr Sacarello said this:

“We can all acknowledge that most of the old schools were not fit for purpose, but we can still be realistic in saying that all the new schools should have been provided canteens could have been built in less polluted areas or could have more outdoor and green areas”

The GSLP Liberals would like to respond as follows:

1. ALL our new schools have been provided with canteens
2. ALL our new school have more outdoor and green areas than they ever had

Additionally, Mr Sacarello suggested that our new schools “could have been built in less polluted areas”. The GSLP Liberals call on Mr Sacarello to identify a ‘less polluted area’ in the centre of town or is Mr Sacarello suggesting we should have built our new St Martin’s School, Bishop Fitzgerald and Governor’s Meadow at Europa Point? 

Mr Sacarello also questioned the GSLP Liberals brilliant St Mary’s financing arrangement. This is yet another example of Mr Sacarello’s inability to understand that it will NOT cost more money in the long term if the Government exercises its option to purchase which it fully intends to do once our public finances are fully recovered from our COVID expenditure.

The Leader of the GSLP Liberals, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC, said: “Mr Sacarello’s comments last night are absolutely unbelievable. He is wrong on so many levels. For Mr Sacarello to suggest our new schools should all have canteens, when they already do, demonstrates how out of touch and inexperienced he is. Mr Sacarello also clearly fails to understand how catchment areas work. To suggest that we should have built our schools in a less polluted area is to, in fact, suggest to build our new schools in a place like Europa Point. The public are seeing how out of touch the GSD candidates are on all issues. The GSD are no government in waiting.”