Alliance releases ‘ambitious’ programme for a green Gibraltar

The GSLP/Liberal Alliance launched its 2019 election manifesto yesterday with key social policies of creating a ‘green Gibraltar’ and a ‘child friendly city’ at its forefront.
These pledges sit alongside policies covering the politics and economics of Brexit, as GSLP Leader, Fabian Picardo, once again insisted his was the only party that can deal with the multiplicity of challenges Brexit presents.
Speaking from Alliance campaign headquarters yesterday Mr Picardo said his political rival GSD Leader Keith Azopardi “has no plan for a hard Brexit and he has no plan for what happens if there is a withdrawal agreement.”
He said that both the GSD and Together Gibraltar can only be categorised as “having a plan to have a plan about Brexit if they were to win the election.”
“That is to say to the public of Gibraltar that they will do the work now that the Deputy Chief Minister and our Brexit teams did together with me three and a half years ago.”
“Gibraltar cannot afford an administration that takes us back three and a half years in thinking and starts planning two weeks before a potential hard Brexit.”
“Their’s is a plan to have a plan, ours are clear plans about what we do the morning after the election and the morning after a hard Brexit if it comes.”
Alongside its political plans sits the Alliance’s post-Brexit economic plan, which sets out how the party plans to ensure the economy continues to grow.
The Alliance manifesto details a four-year post Brexit National Economic Plan to restructure the economy and deal with a hard Brexit scenario.
GSLP candidate Sir Joe Bossano has predicted that the minimum rate of growth will be lower in the first two years – 2.5% in 2020/21 and 2021/22 – and double that in the second part of the lifetime of the next parliament.
According to the manifesto this growth would be set against almost zero growth or contraction in the rest of Europe and most of the large economies in the rest of the world.
The ‘green’ plans include legislative proposals to require public bodies and those who make policy to think about the long term impact of their decisions.
The Mount will be transformed into an area for leisure, events, wedding ceremonies and adventure facilities for children and young people including camping areas, zip lines and nature trails.
The Alliance manifesto also outlines plans to turn most of the eastern side of Queensway into a park as well as a new Grand Parade park.
The Alliance also plans to establish a combined archive and museum of the Gibraltarian identity at the Duke of Kent House. It also plans to create a naval and military history museum in the old Fortress Headquarters overlooking Rosia Bay.
Elsewhere, the GSLP/Liberals have vowed to expand the training facilities for the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service by providing a new and technologically advanced fire training facility in the area of the old incinerator by Europa Advance Road.
Work on a new Fire Station will commence within six months of being returned to office, the Alliance vowed.
The Alliance will also build between 300 and 500 units for rental to ease delays in the housing waiting list.
The GSLP/Liberal manifesto also vowed to increase the sentences for sexual offenders, in particular offences involving children.