The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has announced a Housing Bursary for eligible members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.

A statement from the Government follows below:

The Chief Minister has confirmed the details of the programme, aimed at fostering local talent, enhancing recruitment, and providing a strong incentive for young Gibraltarians to serve in the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.

Set at £30,000, the approximate cost of university degrees over a three-year period, the bursary will be applied as a deposit upon the successful completion of the purchase of a residential property by the individual, either within the private property market or through the purchase of a property from the affordable housing scheme.

Applicants must be between 18 and 29 years of age, registered with the Civil Status and

Registration Office and hold a valid Gibraltar identity card and have been resident in Gibraltar for the last 10 years with no permitted gaps. Applicants must not have previously benefited from the education bursary, which this initiative is intended to substitute, or have previously purchased an affordable home. Other details on eligibility will be provided in due course.

The amount can be released as from Year 3 of commencement of employment within the Royal

Gibraltar Regiment. This housing bursary will not be retrospectively applied and will only be available to new entrants. Recipients must commit to a total of seven years of service.

These mechanisms ensure that the bursary is linked not only to service and commitment to a career in the Royal Gibraltar Regiment but also gives a helping hand to young Gibraltarians moving forward in life and looking to purchase a home.

The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said: “In every manifesto since the one that spurred our first election to Office in 2011, this Government has reiterated its full support for the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and made repeated commitments to ensure its growth. I’m proud that because of agreements made by this Government, all RG permanent personnel have had the opportunity to benefit from all affordable housing schemes in Gibraltar since 2015.

“But that did not go far enough, which is why our current programme for Government included specific commitments to find solutions to the housing problems faced by the Regiment as a direct result of the previous GSD administration’s land agreement.

“I’m proud to announce this Housing Bursary as the Regiment celebrates its 86th anniversary and in the year that we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, and to bolster the UK’s Strategic Defence Review Objectives. It is nothing less than the brave men and women of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment deserve. The vital global importance of their roles has been highlighted by the UK’s announcement of the Strategic Defence Review, in which the whole UK military including the Royal Gibraltar Regiment has been placed on wartime readiness, backed by unprecedented investment in resources.

“In a statement yesterday, the UK Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, reiterated the vital role of Gibraltar’s service personnel in the defence of the UK and the Euro-Atlantic. The Regiment, and their professionalism, is even more important now than ever, and it is essential that they are provided with every level of support required.

“This Bursary gives those signing up to a career in the Regiment the same assistance that is given to those who choose the path of university study in the United Kingdom. In line with our policy to incentivise apprenticeships and vocational pathways, this Bursary gives young Gibraltarians a real alternative career option that simultaneously provides them with job security and a helping hand in securing their homes, whether on the private market or in one of our affordable housing developments, whilst assisting the recruitment and retention objectives of the MoD.

“This is a prime example of this Government’s holistic approach to finding real-life solutions that makes life better for Gibraltarians and their families. I am really proud of every member of our Regiment and, as the son of one of the first 100 who signed up 86 years ago, I want to do everything possible to ensure the continuity and the strengthening of the RGR. I hope this helps and look forward to doing more to guarantee the future of the Gibraltar Regiment! I look forward to continuing to work with Commanding Officer John Pitto to make the many further improvements for our serving men and women.”