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The GSD is totally at sea and heading fast for the rocks
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By DAVID EADE
I suspect for the next year or so we should ignore the GSD because quite obviously the party doesn't know whether it is coming or going. Going in all probability on its recent showing but it is plain for all to see that the former Supreme Leader's troops do not know how to act in opposition.
Of course having spent four terms in power the GSD is used to ruling and being obeyed. The former Supreme Leader still thinks he is chief minister and having spent around 16 years with his head in the clouds has yet to crash down to earth. He is in free fall and when he does finally re-enter the earth's atmosphere expect an almighty sonic bang.
DO NOT KNOW
Some of his present team do not know what it was to govern and none of them have experience of being in opposition. The former Supreme Leader was in opposition before the GSD swept to power in 1996 but he is probably in denial of that too. He was always God.
The notion of a loyal opposition has existed in various Commonwealth realms, being therein termed formally as Her (or His) Majesty's Loyal Opposition and informally as the Official Opposition, with the head of the largest opposition party - normally that which holds the second largest number of seat - designated as the Leader of Her (or His) Majesty's Loyal Opposition. This tradition emerged in the oldest of the Commonwealth realms- the United Kingdom-during the 18th century - but it was not until a debate in the British parliament in 1826 that John Hobhouse coined the term His Majesty's Loyal Opposition.
It is that very term we use in Gibraltar's Parliament following on as it does in its own way from the Mother of Parliaments in Westminster. The role of an opposition is certainly to scrutinise government policies and actions but in a mature democracy an opposition does not oppose simply for opposition's sake.
The current GSD policy is to oppose everything the GSLP Liberal government does not because it is bad but because that is what it thinks an opposition does. If the Government proposes or supports a measure we oppose it regardless of whether it is bad or not. The troops of the former Supreme Leader know no better and sadly he is not the person to give them any moral political lead.
Hence we have the bizarre spectacle of the GSD claiming government measures for itself or rubbishing plans that had been its own because they are now being implemented by the GSLP Liberals. The GSD is totally at sea and heading fast for the rocks.
The first problem the GSD has to solve is that of its leadership. Clearly the former Supreme Leader only wants to lead if he is the Chief Minister and as he is never likely to be that again he is giving no direction to his troops who he considers inferior beings anyway.
DO THEY WANT A SOCIALIST AS THEIR LEADER?
If the former Supreme Leader steps aside then what? Already trying out his clothes for size is the Deputy Leader of the GSD, Daniel Feetham, but he is a socialist so do the GSD voters want a socialist as their leader. Keith Azopardi is hardly likely to save them now he is taking a mid-life break which just leaves Peter Montegriffo. So before the party goes anywhere it has to have a leader whereas now it has none.
With a new leader in place the GSD then might start to learn the art of opposition. For now we can simply ignore what it says for the majority of its pronouncements are an insult to our democracy and to our intelligence.
13-08-12
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