National Day message: Striving for a better Gibraltar

By Keith Azopardi, Leader of the Opposition

As we celebrate another National Day it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the challenges on our domestic and international horizon.

Nearly 12 months on from the closest election ever the issues of domestic governance - that affect you every day - that affect the cash in your pocket - remain. The mishandling of our public finances, the lack of controls on waste and abuse and the serious issues of democratic governance laid bare in the evidence given in the McGrail Inquiry are stark reminders. Layered over that the ineffective processes in housing or social services or health present obstacles to the quality of life of many of you. Our nation deserves more.

National Day is a time to celebrate our identity but it isn’t just a party. It’s a chance to also reflect on the many different parts of our community, how some people feel abandoned and the need to ensure that everyone in Gibraltar enjoys better services. It’s a time to reflect that we honour previous generations by continuing to strive for a better Gibraltar and improving how things are run.

On the international horizon eight years after the Brexit referendum Gibraltar still has no enduring Treaty with the EU. We continue to hope for a safe and beneficial agreement with the EU which we consider is the best outcome of this long process.

As we proudly wear red and white we celebrate our right to determine our own future on National Day. To ensure our right to self-determination is unhindered we need to be politically and economically free. That means that we must run Gibraltar in a politically and economically sustainable way. Without that everything that previous generations worked for is put at risk. That is why handling our public finances better matters so much

We are confident in Gibraltar's future. We believe in a better future for all of you. Together we can shape that for many years to come

On behalf of myself and all my colleagues in the GSD I wish you and your families a happy National Day.