Alliance will invest in parasports

The GSLP/Liberal Alliance will make provision for parasports in Gibraltar should the party be re-elected next week, given that Paralympics has been “ignored” locally.

Setting out Alliance policies in respect of sport, youth and culture yesterday party candidate Steven Linares said that proving for parasports will ensure an avenue for more ways for Gibraltar to be represented internationally.

“Our special Olympians are the ones who have won more medals than any other athlete in Gibraltar,” he said.

“These youngsters are incredible,” Mr Linares added.

He said the GSLP/Liberal government had invested quite heavily in the Special Olympics complex and underscored the importance of integrating and including Special Olympics into society.

At present the GSLA does not provide professional support, equipment or any parasports for those with physical disabilities in Gibraltar.

But the construction of an array of new accessible sporting facilities has pathed the way for the establishment of parasports in Gibraltar, Mr Linares said.

“We have never touched Paralympics in Gibraltar, it’s been ignored and therefore we are now going to employ a Paralympics officer who will be dedicated for people who have a disability to enable them to do sports.”

“This will open the doors to all those with physical disabilities in Gibraltar and it will also give us the opportunity to host more international sports competition in our accessible World Class Facilities.”

Additionally, the Alliance will press ahead with plans for a new National Theatre at the John Mackintosh Hall.

“It has been a disappointment for me that, for a number of practical reasons, we have not been able to deliver on the National Theatre in the last eight years,” he said.

“We are now determined that this will be delivered in the next term of office so that we can finally have a National Theatre to be proud of. The solution we have come up with means that there will be little to additional running cost, given that there is already a full complement of staff at the John Mackintosh Hall.”

“This will be a win-win situation since we will have our long-awaited theatre and it will be run by the great professionals from GCS who are currently now running the Hall.”