The GSD have issued a statement questioning the recent announcement regarding the Rooke Elderly Care Facility's July completion.

A statement from the GSD follows below:

The recent announcement that the long-delayed Rooke Elderly Care Facility will be ready by July has sparked more confusion than confidence, especially given that, just days earlier, the Minister for Elderly Residential Services, Mrs  Gemma Arias-Vasquez, told Parliament there were no plans to relocate residents from Mount Alvernia. 

This shift raises an obvious but unanswered question: Who is the Rooke facility for? 

During the most recent Parliamentary session, the Minister was specifically asked whether the Government intended  to use the Rooke facility to relocate Mount Alvernia residents. Her answer was clear: “that there were no plans to do  so at this stage.” But that response no longer adds up. 

Shadow Minister for Care and the ERS, Mrs Atrish Sanchez, notes: 

“To date, there has been little transparency around the Rooke facility, who will operate it, and under what terms. The  community deserves to know whether this facility will serve our elderly population as originally promised, or whether  the goalposts have quietly moved.” 

Adding to the uncertainty are reports that two UK-based firms have expressed interest in either purchasing or renting  the Rooke facility. But who exactly has been invited to express interest in this project? And more importantly, in  relation to the operation of the building as a potential elderly care home, the Government must urgently clarify whether local care providers will be given a fair and equal opportunity to participate, or will they be excluded from the  process altogether? 

These concerns are particularly pressing in light of the recent failures surrounding the Domiciliary Care and Home  Support services, where the company that was awarded, the contract had to be terminated after less than a year with  the Minister acknowledging that the company did not properly understand Gibraltar’s care and cultural context.  Gibraltar cannot afford a repeat of that mistake of due diligence by the Government. 

Finally, serious questions remain about the suitability and safety of the Rooke building itself. The use of modular  construction, years of construction delays, and significant cost overruns make it essential that the Government provide  clear assurances around compliance, certification, and long-term viability, backed by evidence, not vague promises. 

At over £38 million in borrowing (and counting) from the Gibraltar Savings Bank, funds that must be repaid, the Rooke  Care Facility stands as one of Gibraltar’s most controversial social infrastructure projects. The people of Gibraltar  deserve clear and transparent answers now.