CONSTRUCTIVE VS DESTRUCTIVE POLITICAL STYLES

When it comes to election time, the GSLP-Liberal Opposition have always tried to present themselves as a caring, constructive Opposition who are sensitive to the real needs of the community and who believe that the electorate should choose their Government by studying carefully the "policies" presented by each political party contesting the election. "Don't believe their propaganda!" They shout from the rooftops, "Look carefully at the policies they have". "What do they propose to do about housing for those who can't afford to buy; the traffic problem; parking; the elderly, facilities for young people who are forced to go to Spain for their sporting and leisure activities etc; etc! What are their policies on these issues?" All sounding very objective, caring, forward-looking and constructive.

As soon as the election is over and they find themselves in opposition the style changes dramatically. The need to focus on policies, to be constructive and objective, to solve problems in real terms, to be caring, all this flies out of the window. The chameleon effect takes place (or is it a rare case of amnesia?) and everything they say and do points to negativity, destruction and even fear. Suddenly the harmless "What is Government policy on the elderly?" becomes a vicious cry of: "Government has no money left for Community Care!" which is not true and simply aims to worry and disconcert the elderly. Their "seemingly reasonable" policy at election time to, for example, discuss good neighbourly relations with Spain whilst, of course, safeguarding sovereignty etc, etc turns ugly and becomes a systematic highlighting of any event to do with Spain, however small and inconsequential, and distorting that event till it becomes a stick to hit the Government with and an attempt to rock the Tripartite Forum. Peter Caruana cannot be seen to have succeeded where Joe Bossano failed.

Their politics is reduced to knocking the Government's reputation at any and all costs. Gone is their reference to policies. Their veneer of apparent constructiveness disappears. Out come the ugly rumours, the innuendos, the oblique references to half truths, the scaremongering. The GSLP/Liberals don't care if they frighten the old and vulnerable, it doesn't matter if Gibraltar's reputation abroad is affected, the accepted tradition for Gibraltar's political leaders to speak up for us with one voice is discarded. The illusion must be created that Bossano is the only one who stands up for Gibraltar abroad.

The very many successes of the GSD Government in: obtaining for all Gibraltarians a new and far-reaching Constitution, beautifying Gibraltar, in managing our economy, the new lease of life given to pensioners, the fantastic opportunities given to our young people who go to University or take up vocational training (revived by the GSD after the GSLP did away with all of it in order to save a few pounds), all that is denied. The houses being built for renting right up on the sea front, the Edinburgh Estate turned into Government rented flats, the millions spent on refurbishing whole Government rental estates are not mentioned. "The GSD only build houses for the rich", they declare maliciously. The new, first class St Bernard's Hospital becomes, in their lips, "that converted office block"! That is the extent of the GSLP/s attempts at deception and denial of the transformation Gibraltar has undergone, led by the GSD.

Going about politics destructively is easy. That is the way of this Opposition. But obviously it doesn't take them very far. Taking the right decisions for Gibraltar and sticking to them, no matter if they are easy or difficult; building a future for our children and grand-children, that is a more complex yet necessary task and one at which the GSD Government has been succeeding over the last fourteen years. This success, which the GSLP-Libs are incapable of understanding, is simply the result of the constructive way, the progressive way, the caring way - the GSD way.

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