GSD Renews Call For Controls Over Public Contracts
The GSD are calling on the Government to demonstrate how they are "ensuring transparency and financial accountability" following the allegation against the Managing Director of Casais (Gibraltar) Limited.
A statement from the GSD follows below:
The GSD has noted with concern the statement issued by the Royal Gibraltar Police that the Managing Director of Casais (Gibraltar) Limited is the subject of a criminal complaint alleging attempted Bribery. While the GSD notes a not guilty plea has been entered, it highlights the need for vigilance in the management of high value Government construction projects.
Roy Clinton the GSD Shadow Minster for Public Finance stated: “The construction contract for the comprehensive schools was awarded to Casais (Gbraltar) Limited, through a Government owned company GEP Ltd, for an amount of £52. 2 million in April 2018. The actual cost was reported as at 31 October 2019 was £55.6 and now we hear that Casais claimed at least an extra £2 million bring the total to £57.6 million or 10% more than the original quote.
This brings into question how these high value projects are managed and monitored on an ongoing basis. Given the multi-million projects being channelled through Government companies that are not audited by the principal auditor nor presented to Parliament, extra vigilance is required to ensure abuses do not occur. The GSD had a clear programme in our 2019 Manifesto as to how we would manage public contracts and ensure value for money; the GSLP need to demonstrate how they are ensuring transparency and financial accountability in the view of such serious allegations. “
Daniel Feetham the GSD Shadow Minister for Justice noted: “The allegations of bribery have made in the context of a flagship project funded by the taxpayer. That will concern members of the public and whilst we have full confidence in the RGP, legitimate questions arise as to Government policy in this area. The GSLP-Liberals in their 2011 Manifesto promised they would set up an Anti-Corruption and Anti- Bribery Authority which they then decided that the RGP should undertake instead. At the time we believed that the RGP were sufficiently equipped to deal with such cases but we lost the election and people voted for the GSLP manifesto. In their 2019 manifesto, the GSLP-Liberals changed their minds again and decided that in the interests of “transparency” they would set up a “totally independent” Anti- Corruption Authority within 6 months of the election. The speed with which the GSLP-Liberals promised to set up such an authority indicates that considerable preparation must have already been done. The alternative is that the promise was an election gimmick. Whilst we cannot comment on an ongoing investigation and criminal proceedings, the Government should confirm whether intends to set up such an Anti-Corruption Authority together with time scales to deal with investigations of corruption and bribery”
