Gibraltar’s representation at the Labour Party Conference continued yesterday evening with the Gibraltar Reception hosted by the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and featuring a keynote speech by the UK Minister for Europe and the Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty MP.
This morning Parliament unanimously approved the Civil Partnership Bill, which will bring the right for same-sex partners to formally establish legal unions. Both sides of the house welcomed the introduction of civil partnerships, being extremely verbal on their distaste towards discrimination against same sex couples.
Works at the Commonwealth Park continue to push on with the hopes of meeting a Spring opening deadline. In February the Government put out a tender for the maintenance of the park, for 2014 and 2015. A YGTV viewer sent in this panoramic photo of works at the park, today.
A clash in Parliament this afternoon during Questions to the Chief Minister, saw Opposition leader Daniel Feetham question Mr. Picardo on the Government’s decision to not pursue outstanding rents for Government rentals. The issue, the Chief Minister insists, is one of law and not policy; he noted that the Statute of Limitations states that rent debts from over 5 years ago are no longer recoverable.
The Opposition leader questioned the Government’s decision to ‘write off £3 million of arrears’ that are adding to the Gibraltar’s ‘culture of entitlement’, which he suggested the Government was supporting. Mr. Feetham said, ‘in the spirit of constructiveness I’m asking CM to consider and reverse his policy’.