May 20 - PDP Reacts to By-Election Announcement
The PDP notes that the CM has called a By-Election for the 4th July 2013 to fill the vacancy that was left by the sad passing of the much loved Mr Charles Bruzon.
This by-election is about the celebration of democracy and so the PDP believe it is entirely appropriate and symbolic that the chosen day coincides with what the day upon which one of the world’s leading democracies, the US, celebrates its “Independence Day”.
The PDP believe that Gibraltar needs a fresh opportunity and an independent thinker in its democratic chamber and hopes that the electorate will take this opportunity to introduce the PDP’s brand of constructive politics into our Parliament. To that end the PDP executive will meet between now and the 13th June to consider whether to put forward a candidate, which it expects to do so and to elect whom that candidate should be.
The PDP points towards the latest Punch and Judy ding dong between Government and Opposition on the Obama photo and the resultant questions and arguments about it. This in fact is taking more Government and Opposition time than many other far more important matters not least the economy, education or housing and has resulted in the Spanish Government taking the matter up as well.
Whatever the merits or facts of the photo, who paid for it, why the CM released it and what we might have to do to repay such a coup of a PR opportunity the facts are the Government should stop dodging the bullet and answer the questions and equally the Opposition should also focus on challenging the Government on more important issues.
The PDP believes that this is an example of precisely why we need a more constructive and mature debate. Parliamentarians on both sides should recall that the electorate is the taxpayer who pays their salary and is entitled to a more mature approach. The By-election is an opportunity to introduce such a debate.
