GSLP Leader Fabian Picardo started off the press conference by saying: “Today after meetings of the various executives of the Liberal Party and the Socialist Labour party and in the context of the GSLP also meeting yesterday of party officials and also activists, we are in the position to share with you our timetable for the next two weeks as we kick off the campaign. I think it is important for people to be aware of what our own internal timetables are going to provide for and how they can therefore see how our campaign is going to be rolled out. 

“As from today, at 9am, the GSLP will open up the opportunity for any prospective candidates who wish to stand for election with the GSLP side of the equation of the GSLP Liberal alliance to put their names forward to be interviewed by the executive. The closing date will be 5 o’clock on the 22nd of September which is Sunday. The process of selection will commence on the 23rd of September and there will be an executive meeting of the GSLP that evening at 8pm which will interview prospective candidates.

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

On the 24th of September which is the following Tuesday, the GSLP will hold an extraordinary general meeting. As you know, in the GSLP the executive will make a recommendation to the general meeting, which is open to only members of the party, and will then have the opportunity to accept or indeed to deal with that recommendation as they see fit.

“By the end on that extraordinary general meeting on the 24th of September, 7 candidates will have been selected by the GSLP and 3 candidates will be selected by the Liberal Party.

“On the 1st of October, we will host our public meeting as a joint candidature of 7 GSLP and 3 Liberal Party candidates in a then public meeting and therefore that meeting will be open not just to card carrying members of the Socialist Labour Party and the Liberal Party but to all of the members of the public to see what it is we have to say.

“Of course, as technology has changed, the way that we carry out campaigns has changed and you will see a lot of the technology will also affect people’s ability to see what we are saying will not just depend on them actually being present in the hall and we expect to be able to transmit what we’re saying beyond the place where we are holding the meeting so that members of the public can join us on the various social media handles; GSLP Social, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, and indeed other of our pages.”

CRUCIAL TIME FOR GIBRALTAR

Leader of the Liberal Party, Dr. Joseph Garcia said: “Can I just say first of all that obviously the election comes at a very crucial time for Gibraltar, we could be facing a situation where on the 31st of October the United Kingdom and Gibraltar will crash out of the European Union in what is known as a no deal Brexit, or there could be a deal, a withdrawal agreement which will include Gibraltar in the transition which is something we have negotiated.

"The people with the experience and with the personal contacts with UK Ministers, senior politicians across the board in UK Parliament are us and we have developed very good personal relationships over the last few years. I think that Fabian has already shown that he is, and we are, a safe pair of hands when it comes to taking Gibraltar forward.

“In respect of the nominations on the Liberal party side of the Alliance, the nominations are already open, from the moment that the election was called, people were free to express an interest in standing for election or being selected as a candidate. There is a meeting on Friday, this Friday the 20th and a second meeting on the Tuesday where by which point we expect to have made the selection of candidates which is done using a secret ballot. And like Fabian has already said, on the 1st of October will be the public meeting, public rally of the Election Campaign.

“My message would be at this stage would be that those who want a GSLP Liberal Government should go out and vote for it. I don’t think people should take advantage that the Government is not going to change, and obviously to go and give us their support.

19-09-2019 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR