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Over 70 commitments in
first 100 days, says Govt
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The new Government will be 100 days old this week. The implementation of the programme of Government of the GSLP/Liberal administration continues to advance at a very fast pace. The team of Ministers in office in different departments are spearheading, at a political level, the delivery on a daily basis of the policy commitments enshrined in the manifesto that won the general elections on 8th December last year.
The Government adds that it is very grateful to the professional civil servants and members of the public administration who have assisted in the delivery of policy over these 100 days and looks forward to their continued cooperation and support in taking the exciting and dynamic programme of Government forward in the years to come.
There are commitments contained in the GSLP/Liberal manifesto and elsewhere which have specific commencement or completion dates. There are others that have no dates but which are targeted for completion within this term of office. It will be recalled that some of the commitments are simply a question of honouring pledges given by the previous administration, whereas others will require dedicated bids for funding, administrative action, pre-legislative action or an Act of Parliament. The focus over these first 100 days has been to change the way in which Government does business. This transformation has been both internal, in the way in which Government operates and external, reflected in the way which Government deals with the citizen.
The statement adds that several of these changes have been nothing short of revolutionary, compared to what used to happen in the past. There are now meetings of the Cabinet, the entire political Government, practically on a weekly basis. This allows for collective discussion and decision-making on a whole range of issues which affect the community as a whole. The citizen now knows that when writing to a Minister, he is entitled to a reply and will receive an acknowledgement and a response in a reasonable period of time.
Citizens have already appeared before the Development and Planning Commission in order to exercise their right to complain or object. Decisions are no longer taken in secret and away from the public eye. In Parliament, there have already been the same opportunities for the Opposition to question the Government in only three months of 2012, including the meeting yesterday, than was common in a whole year under the previous administration.
The problems that the new Government inherited in areas like health, housing, employment and other areas are being energetically tackled.
The financial year closes at the end of this month. The approach of the first budget of a GSLP/Liberal Government will see more of our projects come on stream once funding has been approved by Parliament.
THE LIST
The current updated list of commenced, completed or actioned commitments is as follows:
1. Honour offers of sale of Government flats.
2. Honour agreements to purchase property.
3. Support chess tournament.
4. All tourism posts retained.
5. Minister for Small Business.
6. Honour housing allocations.
7. Minister for Industrial Relations.
8. Adopt three year pay deal.
9. Monthly meetings of Parliament.
10. Open development and planning process.
11. Talks with Customs Department.
12. Order new smoke extractor for Fire Brigade.
13. Legal work outsourced fairly and equitably.
14. New guaranteed superannuation fund.
15. Publish the King Report.
16. No tax on occupational pensions.
17. No inheritance tax. Tel: (350) 70071 Centrex: 3261; Fax: (350) 59271 Centrex: 3262; e-mail: dcm@gibraltar.gov.gi
18. Debenture interest guaranteed.
19. Citizen's charter for responsive Government.
20. 20-year rule for access to documents.
21. Town Planner to Chair Development and Planning Commission.
22. Bus to Both Worlds.
23. Civil service reform discussions.
24. Future Jobs Strategy - trainee employment contracts to be in place no later than 1 February 2012.
25. Publication of Government statistics.
26. Bullying at work prevention law - Command paper published
27. Establish Civil Service Review Board.
28. Publish Command Papers before relevant Bills.
29. Maintain undergraduate grants.
30. Continued training of social services staff.
31. Support event-led tourism.
32. Add beds to St Bernard's Hospital.
33. Dedicated maintenance team for schools.
34. Regulation of fishing in part (in the Port).
35. Commence health and safety audit of schools.
36. Start comprehensive traffic plan.
37. Start work on census.
38. Revise company legislation.
39. Parliamentary timetable.
40. Priority of employment in public service to local workers.
41. Sub-committee of the DPC to consider minor applications established. Tel: (350) 70071 Centrex: 3261; Fax: (350) 59271 Centrex: 3262; e-mail: dcm@gibraltar.gov.gi
42. Public meetings of the Board of the Gibraltar Health Authority actioned.
43. Reconvene climate change forum.
44. Encourage use of Gibraltar as a cruise port.
45. Work with tourism industry operators.
46. Set up Gibraltar Commission on Political, Democratic and Parliamentary Reform.
47. Set up Small Business Board
48. Commence rehabilitation of offender's legislation.
49. Free bus transport for Gibraltar I/D card holders etc actioned.
50. Direct democracy - Chief Minister to answer questions from the electorate quarterly.
51. Parliament website goes "live".
52. Work to attract flights to new air terminal.
53. On-line information on economic and financial matters.
54. Monthly meetings of DPC.
55. Simplify Employment Service employee registration etc actioned - e-Government.
56. CCTV installation.
57. Industrial tribunal - restore basic award discretion.
58. No smoking in enclosed public places actioned.
59. Enforce requirement for improved safety helmets actioned.
60. Increase in the number of teachers (advertised on 2 March 2012).
61. Forensic audit into payments made to OEM/Haymills actioned.
62. More rapid production of Parliamentary Hansard.
63. Website access to court judgments - e-Government.
64. Inter-ministerial meetings.
65. Environmental filter for Government. Tel: (350) 70071 Centrex: 3261; Fax: (350) 59271 Centrex: 3262; e-mail: dcm@gibraltar.gov.gi
66. Mandatory postgraduate grants since September actioned.
67. Practice of engaging supply teachers as "permanent supply" discontinued.
68. Secretarial support for all schools throughout the day actioned.
69. Increase in the number of classroom aides available to support children with special needs actioned.
70. Cat 2 individuals allowed to do business in Gibraltar subject to the obligation to pay Gibraltar tax on Gibraltar earnings.
71. New products for finance centre - drafts prepared to amend the Experienced Investor Funds Regulations and for QROPS transfers.
16-03-12
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