The Government of Gibraltar says it notes the statement issued by the GSD following the appointment of Mr Phil Sharman as the new Principal Auditor.

A statement from the Government follows below:

The Government deeply regrets the GSD’s decision to use this appointment by the Specified Appoints Commission to politicise a constitutionally independent role.  

The obvious fact is that the Principal Auditor is not a policymaker.  

He is an auditor and a public official whose statutory remit is to examine Government expenditure  and assess value for money, not to express opinions on political matters or support or oppose  Opposition arguments, however strongly they may be held by the relevant politicians or  professionals in question.  

It is therefore wholly inappropriate for the Opposition to attempt to immediately draw the  incoming Principal Auditor into political debates or to suggest that he should endorse their  interpretations of past events.  

The Principal Auditor is not answerable to the Opposition, nor should his Office be used as a  platform for political point scoring by the Opposition, nor should the Opposition try to use the  Principal Auditor for political point scoring. 

Moreover, issues such as the potential establishment of a Public Accounts Committee are  exclusively policy matters for Parliament and politicians. They do not fall within the constitutional  remit of the Principal Auditor, who must be allowed to carry out his professional duties impartially  and without undue pressure or direct or indirect political interference. 

The Socialist Liberal Government will therefore continue to uphold and respect the independence  of the Office of the Principal Auditor and provide full cooperation in ensuring the audit of public  finances continues in line with established practice and statutory responsibility. 

Furthermore, this GSLP/Liberal administration has demonstrated a greater commitment to  transparency and accountability than any Government in Gibraltar’s history.  

For the first time, the accounts of all Government-owned companies have been made publicly  available, ensuring that the people of Gibraltar have access to the fullest possible picture of public  spending and financial management. Additionally, more financial information is published about the  Government’s accounts than ever before. 

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, said: “The GSD’s latest attempt to politicise the  role of the Principal Auditor is not only disappointing, but also dangerous. The Office of the Principal  Auditor must be protected from party politics and the Principal Auditor must be free to carry out his statutory responsibilities without being dragged into the political arena. He must be free to say  and not say what he wants, when he wants and should not be submitted to public statements by  politicians suggesting one view or another as a better position. 

“The GSD knows full well that the Auditor is not a policymaker. His role is NOT to echo their views  or to support their policies. It is to assess facts, measure value for money, and hold Government to  account, NOT to become the Opposition’s spokesperson. Mr Sharman will, no doubt, not allow  himself to be lobbied or leaned on by either side, and certainly not bullied, through incessant public  statements starting even before his arrival, into aligning with Mr Clinton’s view of our public  finances. 

“This Government has delivered more financial transparency than any in Gibraltar’s history. We  published, for the first time EVER, the accounts of every Government-owned company, putting an  end to the secrecy the GSD themselves entrenched during their time in office, despite legislating  for the publication of company accounts and then breaching their own rules. Mr Clinton’s party had  every chance to do this and they didn’t. We did. 

“It is ironic that those who once resisted transparency now claim to be its champions while  attempting to politicise an independent office. Mr Sharman deserves the space to do his job with  the impartiality that the Constitution demands. The public deserves better than this from its  Opposition on so sensitive a subject. 

“I congratulate Mr Phil Sharman on his appointment as Principal Auditor and wish him every  success in this important constitutional role. I also extend my thanks, and that of the Government,  to Mr Tony Sacramento for his years of dedicated and professional service to Gibraltar.”