Caruana, Lights, Shadows and Picardomania

On Thursday 1st November 2011, coincidentally just days before the election was called for the 8th December 2011, the Chronic, which publishes under the banner "The Independent Daily", printed F. Oliva's opinion about each of Peter Caruana (Caruana: Lights and Shadows) and Fabian Picardo (Picardomania). His views merit some comment. Both of Paco's pieces, in my opinion, contain bland conclusions without sufficient analysis or argument. I will provide as examples a critique of the opening sentences of each piece. One should bear in mind that, importantly, opening sentences of any publication set the tone.

About Peter Caruana he opens his piece with praise. "The lights speak for themselves" referring to what Paco views as Peter's successes. Well, actually, the "lights" do not speak for themselves. For there to be "lights" they must be switched on. For the credit for switching them on to be attributed to someone, there must be evidence that it is that particular person that switched them on. It is not enough to say there are "lights" in Gibraltar as Paco seems to do.  According to Paco, it seems that it has been Peter Caruana and his GSD Government who switched those "lights" on. However, he does not show by argument that that is the case. It may have been others or events beyond government's control or just inevitable circumstances that switched on those "lights" or contributed to them coming alight.

Paco goes on to write, "Gibraltar is more stable, prosperous and overwhelmingly, residents enjoy higher standards of living than at any other previous time in our history ... ' I agree with all of that. However, he then goes on to write, "This is an achievement that has not happened by coincidence and should not be underestimated." I do not agree with this statement, if that comment is intended as an allusion to all the successes he mentions being exclusively or primarily due to the works of Peter Caruana and his GSD Government. In making this broad brush statement, Mr Oliva has not asked himself and so does not answer a fundamental question: what factors have led to all this happening? He implies that the successes that he alludes to are entirely down to Peter Caruana and his GSD Government.

It would be churlish not to admit that the ending of the fast launch saga set the background for the success of the private sector. It is also true that, albeit forced to by public opinion, the legislation that brought this about was enacted by the Bosanno GSLP administration in 1996. I just hope and pray that the present day cross-border tobacco trade, that is now so rampant, does not have the same adverse effect on Gibraltar and switches off the "lights" that Mr Oliva attributes to Mr Caruana having turned on. It must also be said and emphasised that stability provided to date by the GSD Government has been fundamental to Gibraltar's success and the success of its economy. It is for this reason that I have voted at all elections for the GSD, sadly no more.

However, I would like and would challenge Paco to tell us what specifically Peter Caruana and his GSD Government has done to give rise to the "new" Gibraltar that he refers to? It is only if he can answer this question that he may be able to convince readers that Peter Caruana did, indeed, switch the 'lights" on. His bland and unsupported by argument writings are not convincing enough for me. I actually believe that Gibraltar's turnaround has been achieved down to the efforts and innovative activities of the private sector. This has been based on an economic model the foundations of which were laid by the 1988-1996 GSLP administration. It has been the success of the private sector that has resulted in Gibraltar creating jobs and wealth. In turn this increased employment and wealth has resulted in higher tax revenues to the government. Once there is more revenue, governments have the necessary wealth to spend more extravagantly. 

Thereafter the analysis has to be, has this revenue been properly spent by the incumbent GSD Government led by Peter Caruana? I have argued in past blogs that much of our money has not been spent or prioritised properly by Peter Caruana and his GSD Government. It has been spent primarily on projects that were perceived to be electorally advantageous, especially in the months leading up to the election.

Much has been spent on projects that substantially increase recurrent government expenditure. I dread to think what, for example, will be the annual recurring expenditure required to run the new air terminal. A terminal that is unlikely to generate much income for the government. Additionally, how much will it cost to maintain all the new housing (rentals being decidedly low and an opportunity to increase, the Mid Harbours Estate, having been missed by reason of electoral opportunism) and all the new playgrounds etc etc? I dread to think but know that the resultant recurring public expenditure, together with the cost servicing the public debt that has mostly paid for the GSD Government's largesse, will over time reduce ability of future governments to undertake essential projects.

One important such essential project is the electricity generating station. All economies rely on the ability of each to provide energy to its businesses and people and Gibraltar is no exception. Gibraltar's longterm energy needs have not been catered for at all by Peter Caruana's GSD Government. Gibraltar is reliant on what, in a home or business, would be classified as "emergency" generators, for spin purposes called "skid" generators. Without power Gibraltar has no economy. I would like to be told by all political parties what they will do to provide Gibraltar with a sufficiently large electricity production capacity. I want all the parties to tell me how Gibraltar will pay for it too. 

The GSD (and so Peter Caruana) has the prime responsibility to explain itself on this core policy failure during its 16 years in government. This omission could have disastrous consequences on Gibraltar and its economy. We may even be forced to connect to the European Electrical Grid, via Spain, (not that I personally object to that but most do) as a result of this act of negligence by the GSD Government. The environmental excuse used by it is no excuse at all. The "skid" generators are far more environmentally unfriendly than any power station that might have been built, whilst money was available to do so.

The sewage treatment plant, which is a EU requirement, is a further failure. I would like to know from all the parties, how each intend to fund the construction of such a plant. I specifically want to know this from the GSD. It is Peter Caruana's GSD Government that has failed, over many years, to provide such a plant despite it being required by law and for environmental and health reasons,

It is all very well for the GSD to boast in glossy brochures about everything that it has spent our tax money on. However, what is important is not what it has spent it all on but rather what it should have spent our money on and has not. So Paco, what "lights" has Peter Caruana's GSD Government switched on in regard to electricity production and the treatment of sewerage? I fear none but he has left a massive legacy problem for Gibraltar. I sincerely hope it can be resolved in the best interests of Gibraltar. Government is about issues like energy and environmental policies not simply about projects that are considered, subjectively, to be electorally opportunistic.

So what does Paco have to say about Fabian Picardo? Well his opening paragraph sets the tone of antipathy:"He [Fabian Picardo] has long realised that the GSLP in its current format was unelectable" This about a party that in the 2007 election failed to get elected by approximately just 600 votes. This differential means that if 300 voters had shifted their allegiance from the GSD to the GSLP/Liberals then we would have had a completely different government.

Paco goes on to make his dislike known, "With Bosanno having become a type of Michael Foot of local politics leading a sclerotic party that had its roots in the Gibraltar of the 1960's with outdated dogmatic intransigence with Spain and a style of government as centralised and authoritarian as anything ever seen locally ..." All UK parties and those of most democracies were founded scores of years ago and have their roots moons ago. The depth that comes with years of political experience within parties is widely considered to be beneficial and a sign of a developed democracy, not a ground for adverse criticism. The nub of Paco's issue with the GSLP it seems is its policy on Spain, which is expressed by Paco in judgmental and pejorative language. But hey Paco, open your eyes, it may not be what some of us advocate but it is the wish of the vast majority of Gibraltarians. To cap it all he then accuses the GSLP of having exercised centralised and authoritarian government. It may be a justified criticism of the GSLP but, hey Paco, where have you been over the last 16 years or even since the 1968 Constitution?

Mr Oliva is then, very early on in his piece, churlish of his praise of Fabian Picardo, he writes "[including Joe Bosanno in the GSLP/Liberal candidature] ... would ultimately turn out to be too unpalatable, even costly in political terms, given that the inescapable paradox for the champion of change, who may have voluntarily planted his own combustible Trojan Horse right at the core of his message for renovation. Clearly Bossano's eagerness for acting as a 'hand-break' [sic, Paco it is "brake"!] since ousted from office in 1996 could in this context begin to acquire a new political meaning, whatever the outcome of the election." Well, well, well, Paco, already condemning Fabian to failure due to your speculation of a schism between him and Joe? Well some consistency, please, I thought that one major criticism was that Fabian was Joe's chosen successor? Maybe I have got that wrong! Your condemnation that Fabian will fail to deliver change is unsupported supposition and speculation on your part. There is no extrinsic evidence whatsoever to justify that criticism. The relevant policies have been publicly announced and, certainly, Joe has not voiced any opposition to them whatsoever. In addition you fail to factor in that the GSLP, both in and out of Parliament, consists of more people than just Joe. The paradox may only be in your mind, Paco.

It is possible to go on and on analysing the two pieces written by Paco but I believe that by commenting on the opening few sentences of each piece I make a strong point and argument. I would commend all readers of this blog to re-read Paco's pieces again. The conclusion, of subjective influences having come into play, that I came to is, I believe, inescapable. "The Independent Daily", I wonder? Fortunately, no newspaper that publishes more than just facts can be independent. I approve of editorial policies. I approve of full freedom of speech. I therefore agree that the "Chronic" should publish opinions but readers must be circumspect when reading opinions and come to their own conclusions and views. My reservation is that those who read a newspaper should be very aware of those realities, especially when a staff journalist writes an opinion.