But, where importantly, it had also been overlooked how much money this would and possible did cost the government and the taxpayer, not only to subsidise the resulting large number of laid-off workers, but also the loss of economic benefits!

Economic Engine Parts Closely Monitored During Covid

It wasn’t a Covid-19 related issue that went under everyone’s radar, certainly not with this newspaper, where the situation was closely monitored as was another national ‘economic engine part’ the Port. Where in a Panorama report on the 22 April titled: “While construction and port activity gets free Covid pass the rest of us bear the virus brunt” the matter was explained at length.

Before that, on the 26 March I also penned another Covid related report, specifically on the construction industry titled: “How constructive are these construction rules”

The report explained that although the construction industry had closed down due to Covid measures introduced by Government, construction works had continued!

A Government spokesman confirmed at the time that permission had been requested and granted by the relevant department to allow works on some sites to continue considered to be emergency or critical. Exemption certificates, we were told, were for projects where the workforce is permanently based in Gibraltar. Where this is not possible, strict conditions were set on the movement of construction workers who are not resident in Gibraltar. This really did not happen, as construction workers were seen wondering the streets and shopping and crossing the frontier, as depicted in photographs accompanying our reports.

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05-06-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR