GSLP-Liberals-Manifesto-2019

new Town Planning Act requires the
Government to obtain the approval
of the DPC for its own projects. This
contrasts sharply with the position
under the GSD, where Government
projects ended up not being presented
at all and must call into question any
claims made by the GSD now to be
‘transparent’ in any respect. The next
GSLP/Liberal Government will review
the workings of the Development and
Planning Commission and consider any
improvements which may be required
to the existing process.
PUBLIC GHA MEETINGS
The Board of the Gibraltar Health
Authority first met in public when the
GSLP Liberals formed Government
in 2011. We will continue to hold
meetings in public as we think that
public scrutiny is the best way to
ensure growing confidence in the
Health Authority.
FREE SPEECH
The GSLP Liberals have defended
and will continue to defend the
right to freedom of speech. This is a
fundamental right contained in the
Constitution of Gibraltar. We will
continue to be an explicit promoter
of the freedom of citizens to express
themselves without fear of retribution
from the Government or any of its
agencies. We have removed the
restriction which prevented certain
grades of civil servants from being
critical in public of the Government of
the day, as long as this is not in their
specific area of employment. This was
simply not allowed before. Indeed, one
of the administrators of one of the
largest groups on Facebook is a civil
servant.
COMPANY ACCOUNTS
In 2011, the incoming GSLP/Liberal
Government inherited a backlog of
Government company accounts that
had not been completed or even
commenced by our predecessors. We
have worked to reduce this backlog
over our time in office and this is now
nearly complete. In order to provide
full transparency to the taxpayer, the
accounts of all Government-owned
companies will be published online.
Importantly, you should note
that the GSD say it is wrong for the
Government to use companies to fund
capital projects, even though that is
what they used to do themselves. The
GSD did not even comply with the laws
that they passed requiring companies
to file accounts. We have therefore
had to reconstruct the accounts of the
companies. We will publish all of them
in keeping with the obligations as to
timings set out in the law.
CITIZEN’S CHARTER
We are conscious that it has not
always been possible for letters to
the Government to be acknowledged
within 14 working days of receipt and
substantive replies sent within 21
working days. However, this remains
our objective.
There are some GSLP/Liberal Ministers
and some Departments who reply to
communications instantly, on occasions
within minutes, and others who take
longer when more complicated issues
are involved. We will strive to ensure
that communications between citizens
and official bodies continue to improve
through the use of new technology.
MANIFESTO COMMITMENTS
In the past, GSD Governments have
considered their manifesto as nothing
more than a mere wish list. The GSLP
Liberals changed this thinking when
we were first elected in 2011. This
manifesto is our commitment with
the electorate. It will become our
programme for Government in the
event that we are returned to office.
GSLP/Liberal Ministers will continue
to place the commitments that we
make in this manifesto at the centre of
their work-streams as they have done
in the past. The implementation of
the manifesto on the part of different
departments and Ministers will
continue to be monitored separately
from No 6 Convent Place. A GSLP/
Liberal Government will therefore
continue to appoint a Minister with
specific responsibility to oversee the
delivery of our election manifesto.
HUMAN RIGHTS
CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW
The Constitution makes provision for
the updating of its fundamental rights
section without the need to convene
a Constitutional Conference, with the
prior consent of Her Majesty. This can
happen first on a motion carried by at
least three quarters of the Parliament,
thereafter supported by a simple
majority of votes in a referendum. A
GSLP/Liberal Government will conduct
a review of the fundamental rights and
freedoms section of the Constitution,
in the light of developing international
law and practice. The objective would
be to determine whether there are
parts of our Constitution which need
to be brought up to date.
GBC
A GSLP/Liberal Government will
continue to maintain and promote
the independence of GBC. We are
committed to the continuation of GBC
as a public national broadcaster. We
have made provision for new premises
to house GBC at South Jumper’s
Bastion. This will allow the Corporation
to modernise and to develop new
technologies. Despite the continued
investment, it is important that GBC
exploit commercial opportunities
that will have the benefit of creating
further outlets for staff creativity and
development.
ANTI-CORRUPTION AUTHORITY
In 2011, we were criticised for having
committed to the establishment of an
Anti-Corruption Authority in Gibraltar,
on the basis that this already existed.
When we came into Government we
reviewed the matter and the advice
given was that the potential powers
of such an Authority were already
held and exercised by the Royal
Gibraltar Police and the Attorney
General’s Chambers. A GSLP/Liberal
Government will nonetheless formally
designate an anti-corruption authority
for Gibraltar. See more details under
‘Justice’ in this manifesto.
GIBRALTARIAN IDENTITY CENTRE
We will work to create a centre for
the promotion and study of the
Gibraltarian identity. This space will
allow the establishment of permanent
exhibitions on the subject. This can be
done through the Gibraltar National
Archives.
The Archives have already organised
exhibitions on the Gibraltar’s role in
World War One, on the evacuation of
the civilian population during World
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