Govt response on heritage ‘weak deflection’, GSD says

The GSD’s Damon Bossino on Tuesday said “no amount of deflection and spin” will get the Government “off the hook” on what he describes as the mismanagement of tourist and heritage sites.

The Opposition said that it will not be “dissuaded” from continuing to highlight the core point that Gibraltar needs to have a “much more ambitious programme to properly utilise its heritage and touristic assets in the most effective way”.

“No amount of deflection and spin will get the Government off the hook as ultimately it is their and no one else’s responsibility,” said Mr Bossino.

This is the latest in an exchange over heritage sites in Gibraltar, and in particular, Parson’s Lodge.

The issue was first raised by the GSD which said an online post by a local company advertising the removal of rubbish from Parson’s Lodge “confirmed” its concerns over the site’s state of disrepair.

The Opposition said it has raised questions about the state of Parson’s Lodge and other heritage sites in the past.

But the Government said it is “fully satisfied” that the contractors have fulfilled their contractual obligations.

It added that the GSD’s accusations against the contractors operating the site is “tantamount to bullying”.

In a statement issued on Tuesday the GSD said: “Raising value for money considerations in respect of the management of some of Gibraltar’s most iconic sites is not an exercise in bullying but one of an Opposition exposing what appears to amount to an ineffective use of public funds.”

“The GSD is of the firm view that Gibraltar‘s tourist offering is lacking and is not being effectively, efficiently and sensitively exploited for our economic benefit.”

“This is a failing of the Gibraltar Government and not a private company and is something the GSD will be determined to address immediately upon entering office in a few months time.”

“Insofar as Parsons Lodge is concerned, the Government’s response amounts to little more than playground politics which fails to address the very serious points made by the GSD, which is that the site has been used to store rubbish in the removal company’s own words.”