Govt must ‘come clean’ on public sector vacancies, GSD says

The Gibraltar Government must “come clean” on whether it plans to fill 177 vacancies in the public sector, the GSD said.

In the latest exchange in the row over the civil service efficiency review, the Opposition questioned government statements that there would be no cutbacks in the civil service.

It said the vacancies at AA level were advertised prior to the last general election but had not yet been filled.

“Not filling those vacancies will be an effective cut in the public service complement,” the GSD said, adding the No 6 Convent Place had not addressed this issue in replying to Opposition concerns.  

“The Government continues to dodge the issue and refuses to come clean on its intentions.”

The Opposition said the Government had also failed to deal with the use of contract workers from recruitment consultants on the minimum wage occupying public service posts on a long term basis. 

It had also failed to justify why the Chief Secretary and the Principal Auditor had received 28% pay rises in the current situation.  

“The reality is that Mr. Bossano is trying to cut back on the significant increases in recurrent expenditure that we have seen over the last five years by Mr. Picardo,” the GSD said.  

“The creation of the new public efficiency ministry is an attempt to do precisely that.”  

“We do not criticise Mr Bossano for the mess we are in.  It is a mess created by Mr Picardo in his quest to be all things to all men.”  

“His brand of populist politics was never sustainable and did not take into account the fact that Gibraltar faced significant curves up ahead, a potential Brexit being one of them.”  

The GSD said Mr Bossano had been “metaphorically pulling his hair out” for some time.  

“His comment on GBC last year that significant overspending across Government departments was due to consultants brainwashing ministers is illustrative of that,” the Opposition added.  

“In this regard, the GSD has never said it would cut £50 million from recurrent expenditure; what we said was that we would not allow a £50 million over spend across Government departments as we had seen in 2014.” 

“Hypnotic consultants would form no part of a future GSD Government.”