Following the case of El Khalil Lyaacoubi, publicized by Action for Housing yesterday, the GSD says it is a “shameful indictment” of the Government’s housing allocation policy.

A statement from the GSD follows below:

The case of El Khalil Lyaacoubi publicized by Action for Housing yesterday is a shameful indictment of the  Government’s housing allocation policy and unfortunately is only one example of many other cases of people living in bad conditions. 

It also highlights that many medical or social priority cases are not actually benefiting from the recent  allocation of houses in the way they should. 

Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi said: “It is unbelievable and shocking that in 21st Century Gibraltar  there are people living in the squalid and wholly unacceptable conditions that El Khalil Lyaacoubi is living in.  This is totally appalling to any right-minded viewer. “ 

It shows that little has been done to tackle the issues raised by a similar Viewpoint programme more than 2  years ago. That programme was revealing and a warning shot that should have alerted Government to turn  its mind to the priority re-housing of some individuals. 

Shadow Housing Minister Edwin Reyes said: “Last month the Government congratulated itself on the fact  that it allocated 176 houses this year. Instead of taking a self-congratulatory position the question they  should be answering is why they haven’t done more to allocate housing to the most deserving medical and  social cases.” 

Mr Azopardi added: “If a community cannot house the most needy and raise them from these squalid  conditions it is failing. Clearly the Government’s housing policy is failing if these cases have still not been  tackled. The time has come to do a comprehensive overhaul of Housing Policy and of the criteria to deal with  how cases are allocated in a radical way.”