Oct 23 - Opposition: Opaqueness Surrounds ‘Centrefold Park’
The GSD says it “laments the lack of transparency in relation to the estimated cost of the Commonwealth Park.” The Opposition argues that, “It is clear that the Government simply doesn't want to say how much the Park is expected to cost for fear of a public backlash.”
"I would be nervous too," explained Opposition MP Selwyn Figueras, "because at this stage, the Government has spent over £1.1 million and, according to the Government in Parliament last week, there's much more to come by way of cost."
As the Government said: "...the green grass destined for our lawns is already growing in a plant nursery in the south of England."
The GSD say this is “not to mention all the trees, plants and bushes - all of which will be brought to Gibraltar at serious expense to the taxpayer.”
The GSD claim that the Government's position is that they do not want to share the estimate to ensure they get the best value for money and that it will share the Government's estimate, as well as the total cost of the Park, when the Park is complete.
"That is simply unacceptable – this is about ongoing scrutiny - the public needs to know the estimate now, and not in March next year, if the Government is going to be held properly to account by the majority of Gibraltarians who did not vote for ‘Centrefold Park’,” said a spokesperson.
The statement concluded: “The GSLP/Liberals misled Gibraltar before the last election, telling us that Gibraltar was broke. With the 'no expense spared' spending spree that they've been on for two years, I don't think there's a single voter beyond the party's core supporters that believes the spin they put on public finances to win the election. I hope Gibraltar sees through this spin and, importantly, calls the Government to task on its management of the public purse to ensure that it is not the public finances themselves that are put into a spin."
