Op-Ed: Gibraltar's Tipping Point: The Unstoppable Wave of Political Change

Originally published in The Gibraltar Chronicle, 1st May 2023

As the saying goes, history has a way of repeating itself, and nowhere is this more evident than in the cyclical nature of politics. Throughout the ages, governments rise and fall, often in response to changing social, economic, and political landscapes. When this realisation takes a grip within the electorate, change become almost impossible to stop, regardless of the invariably desperate attempts of the incumbent. In this dynamic lies the quasi-deterministic nature of political cycles: failing regimes have to resort to relentless, aggressive tactics to stay afloat, which ultimately make them even more unpopular. These dynamics are well and truly at play in Gibraltar. The current political cycle has reached a critical point, and the window for political change is now wide open, ushering in an almost unstoppable wave of transformation.

The current Gibraltar government, once the flag-bearer of a “new dawn” of democratic values is now caving under the weight of numerous episodes of moral bankruptcy. As the whispers of misconduct grow louder and become headlines plastered over international media, it is becoming increasingly clear that the current administration is no longer fit to govern.

I must admit that, despite the rivalry, I feel for the people in Government at the moment, even though much of the mess we are in is of their own making. These are people I have worked with for years, often constructively for the benefit of our constituents, and I have no doubt that most of them did not want to see these outcomes emerge from their hard work and good intentions. I do not wish them any personal harm, and I value many of them personally. All that being said, I have no doubt that this administration has run its course and will bring pain and suffering to our community if they are not pushed out at the next election.

It must be extremely tough to take the rudder of a ship that is springing leaks left, right and centre. To make matters worse, compounding the issue of mishandling, Gibraltar's government is grappling with the Herculean task of managing our public finances, which are in shambles. The financial mismanagement and lack of foresight has now led to austerity measures, affecting the quality of life of many citizens. People are fighting back, complaining about the ever growing holes in the provision of vital public services. The angry messages and emails must now be well and truly pouring in, pushing the vessel below the water line. The government's failure to effectively navigate these storms has further disillusioned the public, driving home the need for new leadership.

The stakes could not be higher for Gibraltar as it stands at the crossroads of political change. As International Workers' Day highlights the power of unity and the importance of the working class in shaping a better future, it also serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by another term of the current government. It has become evident that the administration is willing to undermine Gibraltar's institutions and compromise the fundamental tenets of democratic fair-play in its desperate bid for survival. This disregard for democracy threatens the very fabric of our society, casting a long shadow over its future.

I believe that at the heart of Gibraltar's woes is an outdated economic model, predominantly based on construction and the depletion of our natural resources, which is completely unsustainable. The excessive focus on these industries has led to a distorted economy, with an overreliance on them for growth and employment. As Gibraltar's landscape becomes increasingly congested with pollution and new developments and the quality of life for its residents suffers, what will happen with our economy? Where will we build more developments when we run out of space, and crucially, who will want to live in that place once we get there? We will destroy both our economy and our well-being in one fell swoop if we destroy Gibraltar’s capacity to offer its citizens decent levels of quality of life, and we are more than half of the way there already.

As the window for political change opens wider, the winds of change are blowing stronger, and it is only a matter of time before what has to happen, happens. That is the beauty of democracy. The citizens of Gibraltar stand at the precipice of a new era, with the opportunity to shape their future and usher in a new chapter for our beloved nation, one that I hope will revert the trends that threaten our very way of life. Now that the wave of political change is almost unstoppable, we need to make sure we ride it towards a brighter tomorrow.