GSD calls for Sacramento to resign over ‘vete al dog show’ remark

GSD MP Lawrence Llamas has accused the Gibraltar Government of adopting the “cheap bullying tactics” associated with one-party states and called for Equality Minister, Samantha Sacramento, to resign.
This follows an incident in which Mr Llamas, who is the Shadow Minister for Social Services, was allegedly turned away from a disability training seminar before being “humiliated” by Ms Sacramento.
Mr Llamas said this itself was an “escalation” after he was criticised by Gibraltar Government MPs in Parliament on Monday before the exchanges spilled over onto social media.
The row stems from Mr Llamas’ absence from a previous session of Parliament to fulfil a contractual obligation at a dog show in Brussels.
In a statement in which he set out to ‘make the public aware of the government they have elected to serve them’, Mr Llamas said: “Nothing could have prepared me for the showdown from Government on a motion aimed to promote the well-being of elderly residents in care homes to digress in such a manner.”
“I had decided to address the matter in Parliament as I felt it would be the appropriate platform,” Mr Llamas said.
“However, given the escalation of this morning’s event more resonant of a “patio de vecino” tyrannical fusion, I feel the public must be made aware of the Government they have elected to serve our community.”
“On the 15th February 2017, the Ministry for Equality announced a disability training seminar to be held at the University of Gibraltar, the public event required prior notification.”
“On the same day, I emailed the Ministry with my interest to attend this seminar, no reply was ever sent.”
Mr Llamas explained that when he arrived at the seminar he was told at the door that the event was by invitation only and was full.
“The Minister for Equality, Ms Samantha Sacramento arrived at the door and said that they were oversubscribed and I could not attend, following which I replied “Brilliant, well done.”
“Not only was this humiliating enough given the Ministry’s failure to reply to my email, [but] the Minister exclaimed as I left the University “Que cara tiene, vete al Dog Show” in front of members of the public and civil servants.”
Mr Llamas said Ms Sacramento “has demonstrated she has lost the respect for members she represents regardless of political party affiliations and is unable to place her political differences aside for the better good of our community, political differences they promised to bridge by promising Gibraltar a ‘Government for all.’”
He added that it was “simply untenable for a so called Socialist Government Minister,” to conduct herself in and outside Parliament in such a manner and “should therefore step down”.
“It is deeply worrying that this Government is adopting cheap bullying tactics that are usually associated with one party states.”
He added: “It is shameful how a Minister for Equality deems fit to humiliate a serving Member of Parliament in this way.”