The GSD’s disclosure that the Chief Minister has bought a deluxe parking space for only £22,500 instead of £40,000 in the Midtown carpark has drawn a reply that shows he, not only, does not deny it but he knows no shame.
Nowhere in his reply does he say how much he paid, despite his admission that he bought a larger and a smaller parking space. Where does that leave his explanation for a design change, from which he says he benefitted? Could that design change, that created an additional space, not have been sold to someone else, in that way raising more money?
The shadow Minister for Public Finance Roy Clinton said:
“I have become accustomed to the Chief Minister’s insults when he does not want to answer or has no answer for a question. That he suggests that I “crawl back into the gutter” is perhaps a new low even for him. I have provided to the news media all the evidence supporting my disclosures from the land registry. I am not lying. I have no need to.
I will not reply to his baseless and defamatory allegations as to my professional competence I leave that to my peers to determine.
I have not yet heard anything from him as Minister for Finance to explain how potential conflicts of interest were handled in the sale of car parking spaces at Midtown. He would have approved the financing of the developer by Gibraltar Car Parks Limited and the pricing of spaces was agreed by the Government with the developer.
Upon signing the final underlease for his parking space the Chief Minister would have seen the large deluxe space demarcated on the floorplan attached to the deed and thus he knew he was getting a good deal compared to standard single spaces priced at £20,000.
As a public figure, and the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Mr Picardo should know better and have refused to accept such a price.
My questions remain unanswered other than by insults.”
1a College Lane Gibraltar GX11 1AA
