Government criminalises and patronises our community over LFTs

The government's policy on lateral flow tests makes no sense. During the Christmas period it admitted the 111 helpline was overwhelmed. We understand people are taking up to two days to receive the results of their PCR tests. This is having an impact on people's personal freedoms as well as businesses as people wait around for days to receive their test results.

And yet the government is stubbornly clinging on to its law which criminalises anyone who imports a lateral flow test.

Everywhere around the world governments are encouraging people to take LFTs, and in the UK they were even free until days ago. A timely LFT could prevent someone from spreading Covid. But in Gibraltar, the government disallows the population to swab themselves.

The Government will attempt to defend its policy by claiming it is following public health advice. But it has been following UK public health advice throughout the pandemic. The argument that Gibraltar is smaller and therefore different has never influenced government to stray from the guidance and policy coming out of the UK, so why is government not following UK public health advice on this particular issue? It defies common sense.

The fact here is that the control of LFT imports lies with the government, and people are being charged £30 per test when they cost practically nothing. Why the massive mark up when this should be a public service? Why should there be such a huge profit margin when we're talking about people's health during a pandemic? None of the government's assertions in their press release explain that.

More testing is a way to prevent the spread. The people demand transparency and common sense from their government.