Chief Minister Peter Caruana has declared that the boycott of the Europa Point redevelopment inauguration by John Cortes – the former General Secretary of GONHS who resigned his position to offer himself as a candidate to the GSLP – was just “a political stunt.”

He said a person who aspires to hold political office in Gibraltar cannot see life only from the perspective of plants “but has to be balanced with the needs of the community.”

 

Mr Caruana said the senior officials connected to the Europa Point project who have been in consultation with GOHNS over a long period of time, “are very, very upset and disappointed at what GONHS have said.”

The Chief Minister said these officials have a very different view on the matter, and said this will “emerge in the future.”

Mr Caruana told GBC that the Government has in the past dealt with Mr Cortes and GONHS “on a goodwill basis and has consulted him on practically every project that the Government does including this one.”

He declared that Mr Cortes’ absence from Europa Point in the light of his announcement just a few days later that he would be presenting himself as a candidate for the GSLP at the forthcoming elections, “is little more than a political stunt.”

Mr Caruana continued: “All the plants that he wants planted are in there, but are supported by others while they grow. All these explanations will come out. To stay away, to boycott for that reason, frankly looks to me like a political stunt designed to coincide with an announcement of candidates for the GSLP.

“Gibraltar has got to be shared by plants and by people, and anyone who seriously aspires to be a minister in a government in Gibraltar, cannot see life only from the perspective of plants, however important this is and it is, and the Government is hugely sensitive to plant life, but has to be balanced with the needs of the community.”

Mr Caruana reiterated the Government’s disappointment with Dr Cortes’ stand.