GSD questions Govt’s plans for Upper Rock nature reserve

The GSD said the expression of interest issued recently by the Gibraltar Government in respect of the Upper Rock “smacks of a wholesale privatisation” as a tourist destination.

In a statement, the Opposition said the document accompanying the Government’s invitation points to a significant contract relating not just to “improvement” of sites but also to “new services” without detailing what these are.

The list of sites identified is “hugely extensive”, the GSD added, ranging from the Mediterranean Steps to Apes’ Den, Princess Caroline’s Battery and what the document describes as “other sites…in or in the vicinity of the wider Gibraltar Nature Reserve”.

That widens the scope of the contract “in an undetermined way”.

The GSD questions why the move was not referred to at all by the Ministers for the Environment or Tourism in their recent budget addresses.

It asked too why responses to the invitation were directed to the Ministry for the Environment and not the department responsible for procurement.

The GSD also questioned why such a short period of time had been allowed for proposals to be submitted.

“It is very odd that the Government seems to be dealing with what is a significant private sector investment in one of Gibraltar’s largest assets in what appears to be such an ‘under-the-radar’ manner,” the party said in a statement.

“It seems that they want this to escape people’s attention as was evident also by the very limited advert which was published without any accompanying government press release.”

The GSD said it had wider concerns about transparency should a contract be awarded, added it expected full details to be disclosed of who has been awarded the contract, the price and details of any third parties as the expressions of interest is envisaging may be involved.

“This initiative must be seen in light of the already significant direct expenditure to the tune of almost £6.85 million which is spent annually on upper rock tourist sites and was approved barely just over a month ago at the last budget session,” said GSD MP Damon Bossino.

“This does not include the further almost £1.4 million spent on the Knightsfield Holdings contract which also covers sites such as the Moorish Castle which is in a state of disrepair.”

“It begs the legitimate question whether this is an admission by the government that the sites are in a poor state as has been raised by the GSD on many occasions in the past.”

“It further raises the issue as to what the government’s plans are in connection with the staff it currently employs to run these sites.”