Dec 10 - Picardo Third Anniversary of Government Political Broadcast
Marking the Government's third anniversary in office yesterday, the GSLP released a party political broadcast featuring Peader of the party and Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. The full test is as follows:
'Good evening.
It seems incredible that it is already three years since we won the general election.
Three years since we started the work of bringing the changes necessary in our nation.
Three years in which you have grown to trust us.
Because we are delivering on every single one of the commitments that we entered into with you.
And with today’s Cabinet Reshuffle, I am making sure we will now end the process of delivering to you before the end of this term.
Let us look at some of the most important areas where we are delivering.
Remember the old car park at USOC. It is now a magnificent park which the whole of our community enjoys. Exactly as we promised.
We are building 890 flats two new residential estates on co-ownership terms here at Eastern Beach and at Mons Calpe Mews, on the site of the old coach park.
And two more new estates will shortly be announced catering for approximately 1,500 more families.
We are delivering the 700 berth small boats marina, to be ready during next year.
And for our elderly citizens, we are building Charles Bruzon & Sea Master Houses, which will be modeled on Albert Risso House.
We won the litigation on the tunnel, which I have been directing. This will very likely produce the highest award of damages to the Government in the history of Gibraltar, about sixty million pounds.
And we are refurbishing our previously forgotten estates, Moorish Castle, Laguna and Glacis. As well as completing the refurbishment of Alameda Estate and other Government estates.
And we are finally establishing our National Bank… and our Gibraltar University which will start operating as from September 2015.
As you can see we have been working hard to deliver. And there are areas where we have still not finished our work.
I think every one can agree that this is an excellent programme for the growth and development of our Community.
But Mr Feetham says we cannot afford to do all this. He says, using cartoons, that we are taking a risk with the public finances and the economy. Well, Mr Feetham is wrong and what’s worse, he knows it.
First of all, the numbers speak for themselves.
There are more Gibraltarians in work than ever before. In three years we have been able to employ many of the Gibraltarians who Mr Feetham and the GSD classed as “unemployable”.
Unemployment under the GSD was in the region of 1,200.
Unemployment today, stands at 269 and falling!
Our useable cash reserve is up from £2m at the end of the financial year that Mr Feetham and GSD left office to well over £50m today.
Credit Finance has not been used to finance ANY government project, it is just making money steadily and prudently for the depositors in the Savings Bank.
That Bank has itself grown from when Mr Feetham was in office.
Deposits went up from £70m under the GSD with Mr Feetha to over £700m in deposit terms now, with the majority of depositors remaining local pensioners.
And the reserves of the Bank have gone up from a record low of about one thousand pounds when Mr Feetham left office to a new high of over £15m.
That is a huge increase in the reserves of the Savings Bank in the time I have been in office.
And look also, for example, at the reserves of Community Care.
The reserves of Community Care have gone from zero when Mr Feetham was in power to over £80m today.
So don’t let Mr Feetham worry you.
But if you needed a final nail in the coffin of Mr Feetham’s lies, then don’t just take my word for it.
Listen to what Sir Peter Caruana QC himself had to say in Parliament during this year’s Budget Debate about our pubic finances:
PRC : So it is really no difficulty frankly and ought to be no difficulty and is no difficulty from the Opposition benches to note with pleasure and satisfaction that despite the threats and challenges it has faced, the
economy of Gibraltar continues to prosper and the Government finances continue to hold well…
[FP:] And then he said this, which further contradicts Mr Feetham…
PRC : … let us be clear. I think the levels of net public debt remain, even increased as they have been, well within the levels that are prudent in macro-economic terms by any European standards. So I am not saying any of this to criticise the level of public debt. They are at the level, or perhaps lower for all I know, than they would have been had we been in office…
[FP:] I never thought I would share a broadcast with Sir Peter Caruana; but I do think he is a more serious and persuasive character to feature in political broadcast than an attractive cartoon.
It is clear that the GSD cannot recover from the loss of his leadership.
So when you are deciding whether you should believe me or whether you should believe Mr Feetham in relation to debt levels, please factor into the equation that even Sir Peter Caruana, the man who led Gibraltar and the GSD for 16 years agrees with me.
Our finances are stronger than ever.
Our economy is growing stronger than ever.
On the fundamental issue of the state of our economy and the health of our public finances, the GSLP is once again being proved right.
As with all the seminal issues Gibraltar has faced; the GSLP has been right about all of them.
As we are right to stand firm and unflinching in the face of unprecedented aggression from Spain.
We have to stand up to bullying and not succumb to it.
Remember the Partido Popular were just as aggressive between 1997 and 2003 when the GSD was in power; when they almost got away with the Joint Sovereignty attempt.
I am right to appear in top Spanish television programmes to put Gibraltar’s views across to Spanish public opinion.
And right to visit the Spanish Parliament in Madrid and meet all political groupings at the highest levels, except the Partido Popular who would not meet me.
That is the top level of Spanish politics in which we are rightly operating positively on your behalf every day.
Just like we were right on the decision to reject the Brussels Agreement.
And on the decision to introduce scholarships for all our students, which our opponents said would bankrupt Gibraltar.
And now we are undoubtedly right in spending carefully, halving our debt, starting our national bank and our university.
And that is why you are right to trust us.
Because we do what we say we will.
Because we told you we would deliver real and positive change for our community.
And we have.
And because every day we put our hearts and souls into our work for our beloved country.
So thank you for continuing to trust us.
And at this special time of year, enjoy your time with family and friends and let me end by wishing you – on behalf of Justine, Sebastian and myself – a very merry Christmas and happy and prosperous new year.
Goodnight.'
