⚠️The Chief Minister has reached new levels of trashing the Principal Auditor by saying that the “sensationalist and tabloid nature of the errors and bias the report reflects has already led to death threats against me.” It is hugely serious to ascribe the cause of any “death threats” to the Auditor. This is nothing more than an attempt to silence future independent auditors or other constitutional officers from speaking their mind.
📣Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi said: “Any threats of violence are totally unacceptable and the GSD wholly rejects any such threats as reprehensible. But democracy and accountability is not served by wild language or exaggerated imputations by the GSLP Government. It creates a side-show that is not about the substance of the issues raised in the Report. Perhaps the Government need to be more reflective and understand that it is their conduct of Gibraltar’s financial affairs that have legitimately led to the criticisms by the Auditor. They are the authors of their own misfortune. No one else is to blame.
This is just the desperate GSLP continuing their campaign to discredit the man they openly commended as dedicated and professional only a few weeks ago. Just because the Report is not to their liking it is biased. If you do not agree with them then you are unfit for office or are biased or are imputed other motives.”
👉🏼If there are answers to the issues mentioned in the Report then let these be stated. We note for example that there has been no comprehensive attempt to respond to the detail of many issues where the Principal Auditor has raised questions in respect of particular ex gratia payments.
What is a serious doubling down today is the implicit attempt to intimidate a constitutional officer (and anyone following in his footsteps) from doing their job. This is now layered over the attempt to discredit a public officer with nearly 40 years public service who the Government itself described as “professional” and “dedicated” on 22 April.
📣Mr Azopardi added: “The attitude of the GSLP Government is disgraceful. They are on their last legs of credibility if all they can do is undertake a daily trashing of the Auditor that only the most sycophantic supporters could believe.
1a College Lane Gibraltar GX11 1AA
