GSD wants to cut 20% of Public Sector, says Picardo

A statement says: "The statement from the GSD demonstrates that they are the party of austerity and of cuts who want to cut jobs in the public sector and public services.

"Sir Joe Bossano and I are entirely on the same page. As the Minister with responsibility for Public Finance, I believe that we have to ensure a sustainable public sector and that to do that we need to deliver greater efficiencies - which is not a way to talk about job cuts or cuts in public services.

"Indeed, whilst I have been Chief Minister the numbers of employees in the public sector has increased. As a result, the GSD - Mr Clinton and Mr Feetham in particular - have referred to the public sector being "bloated".

"The GSD are therefore very clearly committed to cutting £50m a year in recurrent public expenditure - and the only way they can do that is to cut jobs and cut public services.

"At the same time, the GSD pretend that they are on the side of the public sector, when what they want to do is cut almost 20% of all public sector and civil service jobs!

"The GSD should make that clear in their next meeting with the unions that this is their policy - and not pretend to be all things for all men.

"As for public procurement and value for money, I am happy to see the GSD adopt the policies we introduced - leaving behind the direct allocation of contracts which Mr Azopardi's GSD had done, in breach of EU law.

"The most high profile of these was the grant of a contract to a preferred service provider where they charged a percent of the £1 Billion (one billion pounds sterling) contract value. A value for money audit is, by the way, already published annually by the Principal Auditor.

"Additionally, the GSD are clearly now a party that is bitterly at odds with itself.

"Roy Clinton has made clear in an opinion piece this week that he is against the methods of management of the Public Finances which Keith Azopardi's GSD introduced in HIS time in Government. Mr Clinton's criticism of the mechanisms introduced by Mr Azopardi and the GSD when they were in Government show a party that is divided down the middle and at odds with itself and its own history.

"The schism in the GSD is clear, palpable and undeniable."

28-02-19 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR