There we have it. He has every intention of clinging on. The Chief Minister’s highly performative New Year’s Message and his interview on GBC’s Viewpoint was unprecedented, nausea provoking and shocking. A sad display evidencing a disregard of the heavy criticisms levelled at him by Sir Peter Openshaw.
I am unable to cite another example of so severe a reprimand having been meted out to a Chief Minister as contained in the Openshaw report. Mr Picardo knows this and yet in the face of such relentless lambasting from a respected retired Judge expects us to believe his version of the truth, that he continues to enjoy support and a morally legitimate mandate to continue. This undermines the dignity and regard of the office he discharges.
Let us not lose sight of the inescapable fact that strong criticism has been visited upon the individual who occupies the highest elected office of our land. If that were not bad enough, in his post-publication pronouncements, he evinces further politically questionable behaviour.
CONTRADICTIONS
In what can only be described as a hotchpotch of contradictions, he has gone from using the language of full vindication and exoneration to dismissing Sir Peter Openshaw’s findings as one opinion of many, to now admitting, in mock humility, that he made mistakes without stating which those are and yet indicating that he is considering a legal challenge.
All of this posturing defies logic.
He says that we should not look at the “rearview mirror” on the spurious basis that this happened 6 years ago, invoking, in effect, the school-playground “purish” defence.
Time may be a healer, but he surely cannot have such little regard to the intelligence of the public that it is expected to swallow the concept that it is also the balsam that can miraculously eliminate past misdemeanours as if nothing had happened. How many criminal prosecutions would falter if the same applied to others?
In his interviews with GBC, he also astonishingly sought exoneration on the ground that if he had wanted to interfere in the police investigation he would have done so. This provides little comfort and in any event side-steps the finding that while there was no actual interference his actions were “a grossly improper attempt to interfere in a legitimate police investigation.”
The Principal Auditor’s reports and now the Openshaw report are but two windows which have been opened allowing us to peep into the workings of this Government and its leader in particular. Like an Advent Calendar we have had two little flaps opened and been treated to revelation after shocking revelation. We should shudder at the prospect of what might lie behind other windows.
STATE OF AFFAIRS IMPACTS ALL OF US
What does it say of the standards of public life that we expect of our politicians? What does it say to younger generations who may be contemplating entering the political fray about the behaviour that ought to be expected of them?
What does it say, too, to those of us who live outside the select conflict-ridden cabal of powerful people? Would we get the same treatment and protection?
SILENT MINISTERS
We saw how the Deputy Chief Minister is the only Cabinet member (significantly I say) to make any statement following the publication of the findings. However, like a gigantic “elephant in the room” the Report stood out like a sore thumb for his failure to refer to it at all. Unless his reference to past mistakes was an allusion to it – a bellwether of the line his political boss plotted in his message about looking forward and ignoring the past.
Ultimately, the silence of the other Ministers – despite the rumours of internal dissonance and rumblings – is a verdict on each of them and amounts to nothing other than express support for the Chief Minister. If they do not act, what are they demonstrating fealty to? This sorry situation has a particular impact on the Minister for Justice who took an oath to “respect the rule of law”.
FALL ON HIS SWORD
When all is said and done there is only one decent option open to the Chief Minister which is to fall on the sword of his own making. Instead, he has chosen to brush the unbrushable to one side and pretend that people will continue to be wowed by highly questionable announcements of sovereign wealth funds worth hundreds of millions and new cruise liner terminals.
The retired Judge has gone down on him like a ton of bricks; the Court of public opinion ought to be given the chance to do the same.
1a College Lane Gibraltar GX11 1AA
