Oct 30 - Cortes: Figueras’ Interventions Provide “Comic Relief”
The Government have said that “for all his bluster in relation to the GSLP/Liberal Government's magnificent Commonwealth Park development, Selwyn Figueras has not been able to deal with the nub of the issues debated in Parliament on the subject.”
This comes after Mr Figueras was told by Environment Minister John Cortes that the Government will publish both the full costs of the Commonwealth Park development and the estimates once the works have been completed.
Dr Cortes said: "The public will, as usual, find Mr Figueras difficult to take seriously. He is talking - on behalf of the GSD - about being on top of the cost of this great park in the heart of our City. This comes from the GSD, that presided over the inflation of costs in the new airport development from £24m to over £80m; a lot of millions over-spent. How can they seriously keep a straight face and pretend to be responsible when it comes to project financing from public funds? Mr Figueras' statement is laughable. We have, nonetheless, committed to publishing all relevant figures when providing them is not commercially sensitive as it is now that some works are still being procured. That is accountability and commitment to real transparency. But in the end, anyone reading Mr Figueras' sour series of press releases on the subject of the brilliant Commonwealth Park will detect that there is more than a hint of jealousy in the tone of his statements. I think it’s clear he wishes that Commonwealth Park had been a GSD idea and not something so bold and so positive for the development of our city thought up exclusively by the GSLP/Liberals and set to be delivered within our first 30 months in office. The fact is the New Dawn is eclipsing the GSD and their increasingly desperate press releases evidence how the GSLP/Liberal Government is out-shining their dismal political performance. At least Mr Figueras' interventions in local politics help to provide a little comic relief!"
