Mar 18 - GSD Calls for Government’s Inconvenient Truth on Presidential Dinner Invite
Following the Government’s statement on the Chief Minister’s Washington visit, the Opposition has insisted that the Government reveal who paid the minimum donation of $100,000 for the invite to the President’s inaugural Candlelight Dinner. The GSD asks what arrangements (if any) does the Government have the individual or company that donated to the president’s election campaign.
The Party notes that for the Government to refuse to identify by name the individuals or companies that invited the Chief Minister and Dr. Cortes to these events is nothing short of scandalous’.
A GSD Statement adds that what is equally astonishing, ‘is the Government assertion that if such individuals have made any contributions, payments, donations or other fundraising contributions to the Obama campaign it is a matter entirely for them and with which the Government has not been involved.
Clearly it would have been entirely improper if the Government were so involved, but given that the names of donors are required to be, and are made public in the US, the Government is in a position to know whether such an individual has or has not made any such contributions, because the name would be on the public list.’
Commenting on the matter, GSD Leader Daniel Feetham explained, ‘the Government needs to realise that it is not the guardian of patriotism and it cannot hide behind bare assertions that the Opposition is tarnishing Gibraltar’s image to refuse to expose itself to public scrutiny when it might be inconvenienced by the truth. It has done so on the issue of the apes, fishing, the Gibraltar Savings Bank and now the Washington visit. By seeking to invoke it as often, and for such cheap party-political motives as it does, it is betraying its nervousness to an electorate which is growing increasingly tired with the Government’s handling of the important issues of the day’.
