The GSD notes that there is a possibility of another ship-to-ship transfer of LNG in the Bay of Gibraltar today and that the Chief Minister is scheduled to pay these ships a visit. The party says that it does not understand what this visit achieves. People, argues the Opposition, “do not want another photo of the Chief Minister; they want clarity and reassurance as to the safety of ship to ship transfer of LNG in our Bay.”

The GSD says that the Government needs to satisfy the public that the port has all the necessary regulations in place in order to ensure compliance with the best possible practice in this area and that there is a proper Emergency Response Contingency Plan in place to cater for a possible incident in the Bay.

Equally as important, says the Opposition, is an assurance that the emergency services in Gibraltar and especially the Fire and Rescue Service are sufficiently resourced and trained to deal with an accident involving LNG. From questions in Parliament, the GSD argues thar such training is in the pipeline but has not yet taken place.

The GSD says that it would also have expected that Emergency Response Contingency Plans would have been translated into a Public Risk Communication Document widely distributed in Gibraltar to create awareness amongst the general public as to the process being conducted, its possible risks and impacts, early warning systems in place to alert the public of an incident or potential incident.

The Opposition says that these are all valid concerns which the Government has a responsibility to deal with. It says that people “want assurances concerning their safety and not another photograph of the Chief Minister.”

{fcomment}