Picardo Welcomes start of Inquiry
The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, has today welcomed the commencement of the live hearings in the Inquiry into the early retirement of Ian McGrail.
The Chief Minister also reacted to the continued statements from the Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi, whom he says continues to behave as, “no more and no less than, a cheerleader for ‘Team McGrail’.”
Mr Picardo said:
“I am very pleased to see that the Inquiry has now begun and that the Chairman, Sir Peter Openshaw, has confirmed the small amount of material that is subject to the Restriction Notice we have had to issue.
“Sir Peter is assured of our continuing and ongoing cooperation with the Inquiry as it does its important work.
“I look forward to the Inquiry considering the evidence that will now emerge and making findings.
“The Chairman’s statement this morning helps, however, to show up Keith Azopardi’s decision not to accept a confidential briefing as just clearly designed to try to continue to weaponise the McGrail Inquiry to further his own agenda of becoming Chief Minister at any cost.
“The public will be taken aback by the obvious selfishness of the position taken by Mr Azopardi, which mortgages the interest of the National Security of Gibraltar and the public interest of Gibraltar to Mr Azopardi’s ambition to finally became Chief Minister at any cost.
“In rejecting the briefing on matters of National Security and the public interest of Gibraltar from the Government, which is the ONLY aspect the Restriction Notice deals with, Mr Azopardi has demonstrated that he does not deserve the trust of the people of Gibraltar.
“He has demonstrated that he puts his interests and the party political interests of the GSD before the public interest of Gibraltar and our National Security.
“The Government believes Mr Azopardi has rejected the briefing so that he can pretend not to be aware of the issues at stake.
“There therefore could not be a more self-evidently selfish approach than that now displayed by Mr Azopardi.
“Mr Azopardi’s decision to reject the proposed confidential briefing, on Privy Council terms, on matters of National Security and the public interest, simply so that he is able to try and make party political capital, and further damage Gibraltar’s reputation in the process, shows he puts himself before Gibraltar and will completely disqualify him in the minds of most Gibraltarians as an option to ever lead Gibraltar.
“Additionally, this extreme example of Mr Azopardi’s selfishness comes days after he tried unsuccessfully to seek to have the UK apply direct rule to Gibraltar by his transparent attempts to have Assent withheld to the Inquiries Act.
“Keith Azopardi is not a leader and he is not worthy of the trust of the People of Gibraltar. The last few days have demonstrated that indelibly and forever.
“A man who puts his naked ambition before the interests of his country and his people has no role to play on our politics.
“The issues surrounding the passing of the Inquiries Act will serve to show our people, once again, who really cares for Gibraltar.
“I do. The GSLP Liberal Government and each of its ministers do.We will face any criticism we have to in order to protect Gibraltar. That’s our job. And it’s our vocation and our reason for being in politics.To PROTECT Gibraltar.”
