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.
With beach appropriate weather officially settled in, Tourism Minister Neil Costa this morning outlined the first phase of this year’s beach initiative. New features already installed at Eastern Beach, Western Beach and Catalan Bay are concrete walkways that mirror former wooden paths leading onto the sand. Suyenne Perez Catania Senior Manager for Products at the Tourist board insisted that these would not give beach users splinters and would avoid being vandalised, with one slab weighing 450 kilos. Improvements further included re-designed and recently implemented walkways, for easier access onto the sand.
The GSD Opposition has welcomed the comments made by the Young Members’ Committee of Unite the Union calling for the revival of the apprenticeships programmes and a return to the trade and partnership agreements with the private sector. The GSD Opposition says it is well known that it has expressed serious concern at the lack of good quality or any training, which is currently being provided and has been sharply critical of the abandonment of the partnership agreements, which it had negotiated when in Government with some of the major companies in the private sector.
The Government has today responded to the GSD’s recent comments on the Government’s ‘political hypocrisy’ claiming that they have already made its position clear in relation to the housing issues, which is how the current debate started. A No.6 statement added, ‘While such discussion and debate is healthy in a democratic society, the Opposition has to understand that the infantile tone and content of its latest statement does nothing positive to promote serious debate.
The UK Government’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander will pay a visit to Gibraltar this week. Mr. Alexander, who’s responsibilities include public expenditure in the areas of capital investment and public sector pay and pensions, will hold meetings with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Joseph Garcia.