GSLP-Liberals-Manifesto-2019

distortions and altered differentials and
a review is now once again required.
Whatever the recommendations
of that review may be, no existing
officers’ salaries will be affected. All
will continue to receive at least their
existing salaries until retirement,
whatever the recommendations of the
review are.
EXTENDED SICK LEAVE AND
CRITICAL ILLNESS PROCEDURES
HMGoG has a duty of care to all
employees whereby these provisions
are put into place in order to assist
employees through periods of
adversity when confronted with
Critical Illness. We will introduce
a policy which will supersede the
provisions of Section 2 of General
Orders on sick leave. In genuine and
appropriate cases, should extended
sick leave be considered under the
Critical Illness Procedure, extended
sick pay, if awarded, will be at the
rate of full pay. The policy will provide
for cases to be considered on their
individual merits and circumstances.
The employee’s, sick leave allowances,
overall annual fixed earnings and
personal circumstances will also be
taken into account. A detailed policy
has already been drafted and worked
on by the brilliant professionals in
the Government’s Human Resources
Department.
SUCCESSION PLANNING
During the last four years we have
worked to deliver on our succession
planning commitment. We have seen
the appointment of a new Chief
Secretary who it is intended will
remain in post for the next ten years,
empowering the Civil Service with a
continuity that is key to delivering on
succession planning objectives.
OUR SOCIETY
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY
DIGITAL EDUCATION
In an increasingly connected world
where society faces new challenges,
the GSLP Liberals will invest in a
programme of education, for children
and adults, designed to prepare our
community in the best possible way for
the challenges of this connected world.
With a focus on being the best digital
citizens we can be, trained in the threats
and challenges of the internet and
prepared to seize its opportunities, we
will deliver an educational programme
in digital citizenship tackling the various
emerging issues that arise in the context
of our increasingly digital lives.
PARTY FUNDING
For the 2019 election, the GSLP
Liberals are fundraising from within the
ranks of its own membership to cover
the cost of our election campaign. We
are proud to count on the committed
support of so many of you. Without
our members support, we would not
have had the opportunity of making
our contribution for the generations.
In addition, the GSLP Liberals will
ensure that the Parliamentary Select
Committee on Parliamentary Reform,
conducts a review and consultation in
respect of the facilities and funding of
political parties in Gibraltar.
ABORTION
Our law has now been amended
by the inclusion of a law permitting
abortions in defined circumstances
up to twelve weeks. This law will not,
however, come into effect unless it
passes a referendum on Thursday 20th
March next year. You, the people, will
have the right to determine whether
the law should be commenced or
not. The GSLP Liberals will not take
a party position in the referendum. In
government we will fund both the pro
and anti campaigns equally to ensure
that the referendum contest is fair.
We do not think it is legally possible
or morally right to create a law which
allows for abortion only in cases of
alleged rape or incest. We believe
there is a potential for direct rule over
this issue, as has become a reality in
respect of Northern Ireland, which will
have to accept the application of the
UK’s 24 week abortion law from the
end of March if it has not put in place
its own laws by then. (See Northern
Ireland (Executive Formation) Act
2019, Section 9).
HELPING PREGNANT WOMEN
Whatever the result of the referendum
on the abortion law, we must ensure
that no woman or couple ever have to
decide to have an abortion because
of lack of social, economic or other
support. It has become apparent during
the debate we have had as a community,
that support structures are not there
to provide the assistance that many
require when they find themselves
with an planned pregnancy. We have
been presented with a thoughtful set
of proposals by the Gibraltar Pro-Life
Movement which relate to the services
which the GHA, Social Services and
the wider government structures
should provide in order to provide
such support. We will work with the
GPLM, all professionals in the sector as
well as with all other relevant interest
groups to ensure that we do provide
support services so that no woman or
couple ever again have to decide to go
through with an abortion because of a
lack of support.
THE BABY BOX
We will introduce the ‘Baby Box’ gift
for all new borns. We want to welcome
every baby born in Gibraltar, as they are
now in Scotland, by giving them their
own Baby Box. The Baby Box helps
families prepare for the arrival of their
baby. It gives a safe and comfy place
for them to sleep. The box itself comes
complete with a mattress and bedding
that fits perfectly. New babies need a
surprising amount of stuff! Scotland’s
Baby Box is packed full of clothes,
bedding and lots of other useful
things to help give your baby the best
possible start in life. We will sekk to
emulate this excellent initiative.
THE PRO-ABORTION GSD’S
POSITION IS MORALLY
REPREHENSIBLE
Whatever your position on abortion
may be, the worst and most morally
reprehensible position is surely the
position of the GSD. They are going
into this election saying “YES TO
ABORTION” in cases of rape and
incest. That means that they are saying
‘abortion is killing unborn children but
it is ok to kill unborn children if they
are conceived by rape or incest’. That
is to say that the value of a child’s life
should be determined by the actions of
his father. We cannot ever subscribe to
that view as a party.
SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
The abortion debate in our community
...aspire to the best Gibraltar
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