Glossy Propaganda and Social Issues

This is the week that the GSD governing party published its booklet "Celebrating 15 years of success for Gibraltar". The timing of its publication must raise eyebrows. It is not illegal but its timing certainly smacks of sharp practice. The only person who knows with exactitude the date of the impending General Election is the Chief Minister. It is his party who makes this publication available on the eve of it being called.

Timing it in this manner very adeptly sidesteps the rather archaic rule that any expenditure incurred prior to 30 days before the election does not fall to be calculated within the limits imposed on candidates by the Parliament Act. A reading of section 14(2) is also indicative that, if any expenditure is incurred on materials and services before the prescribed period, then it is not to be taken into account, even if used within the prescribed period (although this depends on the interpretation of the word "expenditure" and "incurred"). This loophole must give the incumbent government from time to time some advantage. 

The content of the GSD booklet says much. It certainly says that an enormous amount of money has been spent on tangible assets. It boasts that "Our economy has tripled in size, the number and quality of jobs has grown very significantly, our income tax rates have fallen dramatically, standards of living and take home pay have risen sharply ... We have invested most heavily in modernising and upgrading the most important things: our health service, our care services, our education and housing". Undoubtedly an impressive past record.

However questions need to be asked as to who has made it possible government or private enterprise? It would, however, be churlish not to recognise all the progress that has been achieved by Gibraltar, whether with or without the intervention of Government. It may be that those readers with specific knowledge of each "achievement" will reveal that all that glistens is not gold. I will leave that to them. It is also true to say that elections are fought and won on policies about the future not just past performance.

I will concentrate in this blog on a specific social issue. The issue that I want to focus on is the issue of housing and its impact on unsocial behaviour. It is an area in which I have anecdotal knowledge only, from reading the English press and watching current affairs programmes on TV for the last 40 odd years. My clear recollection from these sources is that high density housing, which is the only type of housing of general availability in Gibraltar, gives rise to many a social evil. These evils include vandalism and criminality, especially (but not limited to) amongst the youth. There is much comment  in Gibraltar that unsocial behaviour is growing, certainly the Magistrates and Juvenile Courts seem to be increasingly busy.

In many parts of the UK one solution found was to demolish what has come to be known as "sink estates" and to rebuild more "user friendly" housing. In the UK this has often been found to be prohibitively expensive. In Gibraltar, expense aside, space limitations completely preclude this alternative. What I do not know (but it cannot be beyond the wit of man to discover) is what other solutions have been found in the UK where expense has precluded demolition and redevelopment? My belief is that if future governments of Gibraltar do not give this growing social problem attention but simply carry on building high density estates, the day will arrive when the problem will be beyond reasonable and affordable management.

In part some assistance in solving the issue could be found in an educational policy, that does not only encompass academic achievement, but also is empowered to teach moral and social values. Educators will also need to be armed with adequate discipline and disciplinary powers. The carrot alone is not enough, however, there must be a stick and that stick is already sorely missing.

I refer to the need to provide a facility to which the courts can refer juveniles and children for corrective therapy. I am being overly polite, what is needed is an appropriate "boot camp" to send offenders to, so that they can have education and discipline instilled in them. Many suggest the reintroduction of compulsory military service. This is neither permitted nor feasible. It also affects and imposes upon youngsters who are positive and beneficial members of society without need, rhyme or reason.