Govt’s track record on waste-water plant ‘abysmal’, says GSD

The GSD has criticised the Gibraltar Government’s failure to deliver a waste-water plant.

The party called this “incredible” after 13 years the Government still engaged in a tender process with a preferred bidder.

The GSD added that the Government has yet to sign a works contract for the construction of the wastewater treatment plant despite the waste-water plant being a manifesto commitment in 2011.

They said sewage treatment plant would be at a more advanced stage, if not finished, had it been given “appropriate priority”.

The GSD said the waste-water plant has been a “hallmark feature” in the GSLP/Liberals’ manifesto, appearing in each and every single edition since 2011.

The criticism comes after a statement from Spanish ecological group Verdemar that called out Gibraltar for “not meeting the objectives" in waste-water management.

“The complaints levelled against Gibraltar by Verdemar are somewhat hypocritical, given the poor environmental track record of our neighbours but what is not defensible is the GSLP/Liberals’ track record, when it comes to resolving the issue of wastewater treatment management,” Shadow Minister for the Environment, Giovanni Origo, said.

“It is incredible, that after three consecutive parliamentary cycles, and almost one year now into the fourth, the Minister for the Environment confirms that they are still engaged in the negotiation process with the preferred bidder, which he hopes will conclude in the next few months.”

The GSD pointed to a Government press statement issued last year, days before an election was called.

“Days before the election was called and in a flurry of promises to people, the Government announced that ECO Waters Ltd had been nominated to the rank of preferred bidder status,” the GSD said.

“Only last week, 9 August 2024, and 12 months since that announcement, the Minister for the Environment confirmed during interview, that he hopes he will be able to sign an advanced works contract in the next few months and expects the project will be completed two years from then.”
Mr Origo added that the Government’s “failure to deliver” is no different to “so many other big promises made since 2011 in many areas”.

“We sincerely hope that the wastewater treatment plant saga, is completed within the term of this Parliament so that we do not find ourselves in a situation where this promise, features once again and for a fifth consecutive time, in their 2027 manifesto,” Mr Origo said.