May 29 - The GSLP New Dawn: GBC, Another Broken Promise
Having questioned the independence of the recent GBC Board appointments, the Government's response to the Opposition (as is now customary) is to basically say "we are only doing what you did when you were previously in Government so don't complain."
Well, the Opposition, and indeed the electorate that voted the Government into office, has every right to complain. The GSLP fought the general election on a ticket of transparency, accountability and a promise of a New Dawn in local politics. Now that they are in Government, every time they are criticised by the GSD and held accountable, they try to deflect attention by either blaming the previous Administration or suggesting that the GSD did the same.
The GSD Opposition has already pointed out that Mr Picardo was very vocal, when himself in Opposition, about the importance for democracy of maintaining the independence of GBC Board. He was even quoted as saying "We have said before and continue to believe that it is time for the method of appointment to the Board to be changed and that a more representative system be introduced to ensure that there is no de facto ability for any Government to control the Corporation’s Board by the manner of appointment of its members. The proposal at present is for the Government to continue to appoint the new proposed Board of Governors and this is unacceptable to the Opposition." (Gibraltar Chronicle, 2 September 2011).
Clearly he has now changed his mind but does not have the political courage to admit it.
The Government also says that the GSD are questioning the integrity of members of the GBC Board. The GSD has done no such thing. In fact, the only party that has ever publicly questioned the integrity of the GBC Board was the GSLP when in Opposition. Mr Picardo clearly needs reminding that the GSLP, on 9 June 2009, questioned the integrity of the then Board of GBC even going as far as to signal out its then Chairman by name. This related to the decision by the Board that led GBC to refuse to grant any interview with the then Leader of the Opposition in respect of his intervention before the Committee of 24 of the United Nations in New York.
In fact, the GSLP Opposition went as far as to say in their press release of the 9 June 2009: "In the circumstances, the Opposition considers that the Board of GBC is acting in a manner that is partisan and biased. This is perhaps not a surprise to the Community at large, given that the Government has loaded the Board with a number of its own appointees."(http://www.liberal.gi/press/opposition/2009/GSLPLiberalOpposition72-2009.pdf).
The people of Gibraltar can make up their own minds as to who is right and who is wrong. It has become increasingly apparent to everyone except their hardcore supporters that the GSLP 'New Dawn' is made up of broken promises and delivering the exact opposite when in Government.
