Marlene Hassan Nahon - Budget Speech 2023

This text is adapted from Marlene’s speech in parliament on 14th July 2023, available in video format here: Hon Ms M D Hassan Nahon's Budget Address 2023 - YouTube

Mr Speaker, I rise today to deliver what will be my last budget speech after some eight years of Parliamentary activity. Serving the people of Gibraltar in this House has been a tremendous honour, and being an active participant in the wonder that is parliamentary democracy is a privilege I will always cherish - and one we must remember to NEVER take for granted. I thank you all for having accompanied me in this incredible journey.  

Many things have happened in these eight years. I have learnt the ways of this House and of our politics. I have witnessed the heartbreak of having a piece of our identity ripped away from us by bigotry and ignorance. I navigated a terrifying global pandemic, estranged from the rest of my parliamentary colleagues (in what clearly WASN'T a government of national unity), only for standing up for my principles. I have experienced the impact of war and conflict, and standing hand in hand with my people, I have felt both the pain of loss and the joy of triumph. I would say I have experienced the full gamut of the political experience, at least the opposition part, perhaps in a way that only a Gibraltarian can; shifting from the grand to the parochial.

I swam against powerful currents to find my own voice, and broke into this seemingly impenetrable House with a new, pioneering different political party. I have been enlightened by some of the most learned minds in our community, but also by countless humble constituents, and for this I have grown wiser - or at least I hope so, because judging by what I have seen in these eight years, politics can be a pretty alienating activity… I have grown older, as have all of you by the way… I thought long and hard about this moment and this budget speech, torn between taking the easy path - a discreet bow, a swan song to our democracy - or doing one final service to my community and taking it to the Government one last time. I’m not going to lie, I was really hoping I would be able to do the former.

Like all of you I dreamt of exiting my career smelling of roses, receiving pleasantries from both sides of the House, and bypassing the onslaught of online abuse that invariably ensues… but I’m afraid I simply can’t do it. This budget speech will be a combative and indignant one, only because they simply leave me NO CHOICE. The state of the nation today is so appalling, so infuriatingly dysfunctional, so dismally unfair, that the least I can do is protest - even if it means earning myself one final round of acrimony from the cronies and the sycophants. And this one will be for free Mr. Speaker, because as you all know, I’ll be leaving very soon, so nobody can accuse me of doing this appeal for votes, power or any kind of political agenda - and I have to admit that it’s a wonderful feeling. I stand here today feeling light and carefree.

I stand here today knowing that I do not need to build narratives or deliver any calls to action to prospective voters. I stand here with nothing to gain or lose, with the only mission of speaking my mind, scrutinising the state of our nation and the work of our government. Democracy in its purest form, Mr. Speaker, unfiltered and unadulterated. …and there’s simply no denying it anymore. Gibraltar is fast becoming an unbearable place to live in, particularly for the working classes. In 12 years, this Government has taken a place that was not without flaws, but was undeniably beautiful, pleasant and tranquil, and turned it into a dirty, noisy, stressful and dysfunctional mini-megalopolis. Nothing seems to work anymore. Our town is smelly, run down and in a totally depressing state of disrepair. Unpainted railings, broken benches, roads full of potholes, smell of dog pee wherever you walk and faulty fittings wherever you look.

The entrance to our Main Street from Casemates arches is peeling off and looks utterly shabby Mr. Speaker. It’s embarrassing when friends from abroad come over. They ask me themselves whether Gibraltar has a “heritage budget” Mr. Speaker. How on earth can the members opposite defend that? Our heritage is languishing and becoming more and more obfuscated by the incongruous concrete jungle mushrooming around it. Even the view of our Rock will be soon blocked out from many parts of Gibraltar by the sprawling construction. And all this in 12 years! I seriously marvel at the timescale of this flabbergasting transformation. How have you managed to do this in so little time? How did we let this maniacal economic plan destroy our beloved Gibraltar?

You have no idea how it infuriates me, Mr. Speaker, to speak to people about this on our streets. Locals and visitors alike by the way. It is the talk of the town, and you will realise as soon as you all start walking up and down Main Street in anticipation of the next general election. Although no doubt some quick fixes will be made, in an attempt to fool the electorate temporarily, pre-election campaign in the autumn! Gibraltar has become an unpleasant place to live in, and one that people want to GET OUT OF whenever they can. Those who can spend as much time as possible outside of Gibraltar, well they run to their Sotogrande villas or Costa getaways at every opportunity. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about… Those who can’t, suffer in silence, putting up with the traffic, the noise, the dirt and the degrading natural environment stoically, resigned to the fact that for working class Gibraltarians who cannot afford the international lifestyle, this Rock is their only home.

Because that’s another result of 12 years of GSLP governance, a Gibraltar in which the experience of the haves and the have nots is simply light years apart. The two Gibraltars we spoke about in this House a couple of years ago, Mr Speaker, are as estranged now as they have ever been. I stand before you today, Mr. Speaker, fuelled by enormous indignation and galvanised by the courage of our collective spirit, to cast a harsh spotlight on a crisis that has consumed our beloved Gibraltar over the last 12 years, and say, enough is enough. This is a crisis of an absolutely existential nature, a crisis that threatens to destroy Gibraltar as we know and love it. It’s not just a cost of living crisis, Mr. Speaker, though we will address this issue in due time. It is a QUALITY OF LIFE CRISIS.

Because Mr. Speaker, there is an element of the lives of human beings that isn’t covered by the numbers in this budget book; a fundamental indicator that is oblivious to the macroeconomic figures presented by the Chief Minister, that so often obfuscates the real picture of our Governance. Life is not only about having money in your pocket - which, let’s be clear, most people find they have less and less of - but also about living in a place that provides a comfortable, pleasant, healthy and happy environment to live in. And believe me Mr. Speaker, if those indicators had been registered over the last 12 years, they would reflect an absolutely tragic downturn. In respect of the quality of life of its citizens, this Government has transformed Gibraltar for the worse, perhaps irreparably. It has traded our peace for uncaring development, our heritage for vacuous modernity, and our happiness for selfish materialism.

The ceaseless, relentless construction we have seen over this decade-and-a-bit has rampaged across our little piece of paradise, leaving it completely disfigured and, in many ways, broken. Because to service this massive boom, we still have the same, crumbling infrastructure; the same gridlocked roads, the same Victorian sewers, the same grubby rubbish bins, the same failing electricity grid, the same raw sewage being pumped into our seas, while the numbers of apartments, cars and houses grow every day. Our upper town, which would be the gem of any historic location like Gibraltar, is in a state of shameful disrepair, sometimes plain old abandonment. Mr Speaker, in its zeal for economic progress and development, this Government has failed to account for the most important thing human beings need to live a happy and fulfilled existence: QUALITY OF LIFE.

In its hunger for modernity it has failed to realise that the most modern advance the world needs is a return to more tranquillity and community life, a pleasant and healthy environment, and a culture of kindness and solidarity. This isn't just about abstract things like lost serenity or nostalgia for the past. It is about tangible, measurable impacts on our lives. Our health has been cornered, compromised by the dirt and noise pollution. Our lungs fight against particles that they were never meant to battle, our ears assaulted day and night by the relentless cacophony of drills and cranes. We’re confronted with an increase in respiratory diseases, in sleep deprivation, in stress-related conditions. We have become witnesses to our own mental erosion. Anxiety and stress have invaded our homes, transported by old and smoky diesel trucks.

And what of our happiness, the one thing that truly makes life worth living? How can we find joy amidst the ruins of our once tranquil and beautiful Gibraltar? Our children can no longer play out in the open, unless it’s in one of our plastic-clad, boutique urban parks. Our elderly no longer have quiet corners for their leisurely walks. Is this the Gibraltar we want to pass onto our children? Yes, in the process there have been benefits for the people; we have new schools, new subsidised homes - calling them affordable is simply unrealistic at this stage - we have new sporting infrastructure, we have some new parks… but is this the price we have to pay? Do we have to trade our wider quality of life to enjoy what should be basic rights for our citizens? Is this the price we are expected to pay for decent public services and reasonable access to opportunity?

Is this the only economic plan that was available to us? This simply cannot be the case. And what about future generations of Gibraltarians? What will happen when we run out of space to build? How will we grow our economy when our seven square kilometres become so overwhelmed and overcrowded that nobody wants to live here anymore? Mr. Speaker I haven’t heard any concern whatsoever in this budget for this very real and worrying prognosis for our home. Mr Speaker, progress is important, necessary even. So is housing for our people. But progress and housing at the cost of health, peace, and happiness is not progress, it is destruction. The values we hold dear, and the community spirit that has defined us for generations cannot be measured in economic terms, or traded in pursuit of material wealth.

It is high time we remind our leaders that they govern for us, not for the property developers or those who see in the destruction of our natural resources and heritage just another cog in the Gibraltar money-making machine. There has to be a better way. We demand a halt, a reconsideration, a more sustainable path forward, and if these politicians cannot provide one, I hope that, if they truly love Gibraltar, they will make way for somebody who can. And I ask, Mr. Speaker, what are the results of this economic plan? What benefits have we reaped for the almost complete dilapidation of our natural resources?

Because it sure doesn’t look like the workers in Gibraltar have benefitted Mr. Speaker, at least not in the eyes of unite the union, erstwhile supportive of this Government, now one of its most poignant critics. In its recent study about the cost of living crisis, Unite shines a light on the challenges faced by both public and private sector employees, and suggests meaningful changes are made in our economic system to provide a fairer taxation system and adequately protect our very vulnerable working class, in a way that is commensurate to inflation and the outrageously high costs of living in Gibraltar. Let us first focus on the public sector, which is far from being the land of milk and honey that is often alluded to when members on BOTH sides of this House talk about the “culture of entitlement”.

Many public sector workers find themselves on low salaries that are being hit extremely hard by the current cost of living crisis. As per the union’s study, shockingly, over 60% of public sector workers start on a pay scale that is less than £30,000. Even more alarming is the fact that 28% of them cannot earn more than £30,000, regardless of their qualifications and dedication. While the minimum wage increase has been touted by this Government as a solution, it fails to address the struggles faced by many public sector workers. Only a meagre four individuals out of a total of 5,497 in the public sector will benefit from this increase. It is disheartening to witness how, as explained by unite, average public sector pay in Gibraltar has actually declined in real terms over the years.

Furthermore, claims that public sector salaries in Gibraltar are significantly higher than those in the UK are misleading. In reality, the premium is much lower, ranging between 11% and 15%. It is important to note that public sector pay in the UK has also fallen behind in real terms. However, even as the UK government takes steps to implement a pay rise for public sector workers, our own government remains inactive - barring a pre-election handout clearly designed to continue with the GSLP’s clientelist policy of bribing different sectors of our society in the lead up to every general election. Now, considering that our GDP per capita has increased by over 5% annually during the tenure of the current administration, workers ask themselves, Mr. Speaker, where has the money gone?

Now let us turn our attention to the private sector, which is even more disheartening. Private sector workers in Gibraltar have experienced a massive decline in real wages, with an average increase of just 0.3% per year since 2011. For workers in sectors such as Hotels and Restaurants, the situation is dire, with earnings falling by over 21% in real terms in 2021 alone. Over the past decade, these hardworking individuals have seen a 15% decrease in average full-time earnings. While some sectors, such as Financial Intermediation, enjoy a positive "Gibraltar premium" relative to the UK, others, including construction, retail, and hospitality, face a negative premium. In fact, the negative premium in the Hotels and Restaurants sector stands at a staggering -29%. As suggested by Unite the Union, it is crucial to establish the cost of living increase in the public sector as a benchmark for private sector pay bargaining.

The current state of affairs is simply unacceptable. It is evident that the government's focus on running a symbolic surplus - which as has been explained extensively in the course of this debate, is a completely artificial one - and thus create a pre[1]electoral narrative of success, has taken precedence over addressing real and urgent spending needs. This has led to some regressive tax changes that burden working people. We must demand change -a change that provides a fairer taxation system and dignified conditions for our hardworking citizens. It is an undeniable reality that, while the Government has sold off our natural resources and quality of life, both public and private sector wages have failed to keep up with the cost of living, and that is simply unacceptable. Our government has turned a blind eye to the needs of our hardworking citizens, perpetuating a system that favours the few over the many.

It is our moral duty and our economic responsibility to demand a fairer system that ensures dignified conditions and equitable opportunities for all workers. Therefore Mr. Speaker, it is my belief that a pay rise of 4.9%, as suggested by UNITE, for public sector workers is not only affordable but necessary. This increase can be financed through various means, such as an increase in income tax rates for higher earners and/or an increase in the corporation tax supplement. Additionally, we should explore the possibility of a windfall tax on the most profitable employers, as other European jurisdictions have implemented, further redistributing the burden of our economic system.

But somehow, this year, for some bizarre reason, priorities lie in parents sending their children to private schools getting tax breaks Mr. Speaker. Priorities, priorities Mr. Speaker… This policy clearly reflects that there is not enough money to spend on public schools, and wanting to alleviate the pressure of that BUT Mr. Speaker, socialists, REAL SOCIALISTS, believe in public schools and socialists should want everybody to go to public schools, and it seems that people are sending their kids more and more to private schools because they perceive these schools are of better quality than our state schools, despite the recent mammoth investment into these state schools, so what would be a socialist policy would be to invest more money in the public school system, and not giving rebates to people for putting their kids in private schools. THAT would have been a real socialist policy Mr. Speaker.

And talking about priorities and keeping in line with socialist policies, Mr. Speaker, let’s not forget the disability community. I have been personally so moved by the work of civil society groups in this field, and have felt closely and upfront the plight of these individuals and their families, those most vulnerable in our community. Their needs are still far from being met, and they deserve to be listened to as a collective in its entirety, with sectarian interests put to one side. And tagging on from this point on the needs of the vulnerable, and social justice Mr. Speaker, I must turn my gaze to the other side of this House. Before I explained my reasons to not stand at the next election, many people were urging me to support the GSD and present a united front to change this Government. I agree that change is necessary, but as I explained in my departure speech, I am not attracted by the GSD’s brand of politics.

Mr Azopardi himself has often said that he doesn’t quite understand the substance of these ideological differences, however, this budget week has cemented some these differences very clearly in my mind. Because Mr. Speaker, we cannot refer to tax increases in the wake of increased public spending as “bailing out Mr Picardo”. This mentality demonises taxation, the most important tool a government has to make a better society for its citizens, and creates a REAL culture of entitlement, one that we don’t talk about enough in Gibraltar. The culture of entitlement of NOT PAYING TAXES. It also equates higher taxes with the electoral rival, a strategy that again creates a pernicious culture around the concept of taxation. Taxes aren’t for Mr. Picardo, Mr Speaker. Taxes are, apart from - let’s be honest - not particularly significant overspends on vanity projects, used to pay for things like public sector wages, schools, doctors and housing. It is absolutely fair to say that the Government has spent too much and not been prudent enough.

But Mr. Speaker, referring to taxation as an ill, effectively is the kind of rhetoric of economically right-wing parties, Mr. Speaker, and he must be aware of that. We have to be honest here, because it is our responsibility to create a culture of solidarity and responsibility around taxation, something none of the parties in this chamber has ever done. Gibraltar has lower taxes than most other comparable nations. We have a very advantageous corporate tax regime, and an almost toothless tax authority, and we have very expensive needs, driven by our broken housing system and our inability, as a small community, to implement economies of scale in public services. For me and for Together Gibraltar, taxes have always been more than just paying for the basic expenses of this community. They are a tool to create greater social justice and social cohesion. To prop up the disadvantaged against the privileged, and crucially for Gibraltar, to create a society that is capable of standing united in the face of adversity. And we need to address our inequality issues, which are, as with most other developed nations, extremely problematic.

On the other hand Mr. Speaker, The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Azopardi presented a very extensive and enlightening breakdown of the figures in this budget, and if anybody hasn’t and is interested in the granular detail, I suggest they see his address to this House from a couple of days ago. There they will witness not only the explanation of what the Government have put forward in this budget, but they will also see the pointlessness of focusing on the figures presented in this debate. The numbers in this estimates book, Mr. Speaker, are not worth the paper they are printed on. Everybody knows this. They know it. The audience watching at home know it. This is fiction, but not of the quality of William Shakespeare.

Rather, it is the work of another barristocrat, perhaps the prince of said illustrious demographic, spinning and weaving a narrative of success as if advocating for a client that he knows is guilty, but depends on his skills to survive the guillotine. I know, because I have seen a few in my time. I AM, Dick the Butcher, Mr. Speaker, and I am proud of it! By the way, the Chief Minister should know that the words of Dick the Butcher have been interpreted in different ways: as implicit praise of how lawyers stand in the way of violent mobs, but also as criticism of how lawyers maintain the privilege of the wealthy and the powerful.

I found the Chief Minster’s reference to Sir Peter Caruana, when he walked into Parliament saying “it’s raining!” particularly enlightening. Because there are things about this budget that silly little Marlene, the little woman, the feminist MP simple doesn’t understand. So I echo the Hon Roy Clinton’s words from his address yesterday, -why on earth are you touting you have replenished the kitty of the rainy day fund when you’re telling me it’s been pouring down outside for three years? If it hasn’t been raining or HAILING after Brexit and a global pandemic, then when is it going to rain? Do they think the people of Gibraltar are stupid, Mr. Speaker? I would also like to comment on the issue of the Brexit negotiations, which are at serious risk of being derailed if a likely PP-VOX coalition take over the Government in Spain in under 10 days.

Instead of engaging with the people of Gibraltar on the realistic implications and requirements of a treaty with the European Union, we have been kept in the dark, telling us we’d be giving away too much to our enemy. People should know that this position was fundamentally flawed. Neither Spain nor the EU needed us remind them that our position was one of weakness. They knew this full well. This does not mean I believe we need to accept whatever is available to us Mr. Speaker, - as you know I am one of the few who believes that some things are more important than economic growth and material wealth - but we were deprived of the chance to have an open and mature debate about what we can realistically discuss in our attempt to have a closer relationship with the EU, and maybe banish problems at the border forever.

But apparently… they are still the only viable custodians of Brexit into the next election Mr. Speaker. Reminds me of something I once heard a wise man -who truly cared about Gibraltar- say: “all the indispensable people are in North Front Cemetery” and they really should remember this Mr. Speaker. In conclusion, the Brexit negotiation has largely been marked by personal ambition and political grandstanding. We, the people of Gibraltar, deserve leadership that speaks with humility and pragmatism, respects our workforce, and fosters mature dialogue about the challenges we face.

The road ahead is not about personal egos or political gain, but about creating a mature society and a healthy national narrative that isn’t driven by nationalism and bluster, and it's high time we demand that from our leaders. Right now, and this week being a particular case in point, you only have to look at the Chief Minister’s carefully crafted manipulation of parliament timings and proceedings so that opposition would be seen and heard as least as possible. The first couple of days of this budget session where government MPs had the lion’s share of the airtime, the House would go through from around 10 in the morning and finish before 5.30pm but as soon as the Opposition Mps were set to flood the mics, the Chief Minister has been meticulously ensuring that we would be speaking into the late evening and giving us four hour breaks during the day in order to resume at the typical time of the afternoon where we were usually ending.

This issue is plain and simple. A grossly uneven playing field. And that’s when our democracy begins to wilt. This is a disgraceful disrespect to Mps and the work we do and to our democracy in general, and I find it utterly insulting. It also shows how poorly this House works, where the Leader of the House has all the power to play his dirty petty games with all of us Mr. Speaker, not to mention that it also flies in the face of all the buzzwords heard from members opposite about family friendly hours and wanting more women to get involved. It’s just like all those commissions and committees we set up in this place that never meet or resolve anything, but sound good on press communications. And PLEASE, don’t reply saying the GSD did it that way!!! Didn’t we CHANGE government Mr. Speaker? It makes me laugh as well as infuriate me when government play this card Mr. Speaker!! What’s the point?? Mr. Speaker, as a single mother and in all my time in this House, we have usually commenced post 3pm over the years.

I can assure you that for a mother, this start time is anything but family friendly. I have often over the years had no choice to from this very seat, to have to coach my children through homework challenges and order them their dinner through my phone, often juggling all of these tasks during questions and answers sessions, bills and motions. I haven’t seen a care in the world from the other side about this reality for me as a woman. And I am one of the lucky ones Mr. Speaker, with a good support system around me. Wonder how a woman with kids who wants to get involved in politics would manage these ‘family friendly’ hours Mr. Speaker… I mean maybe this is friendly to the overwhelming number of dads in the chamber, perhaps for them getting home late works for them, but not for us women Mr. Speaker who often take on the entire mental and physical load of our family responsibilities.

And further, if they REALLY GENUINELY want to incentivise more women to get into parliament and politics, how about they invite the ones that are actually here to women’s events organised by government Mr. Speaker! Talk about platitudes indeed Mr. Speaker… So I do hope that one day an unapologetically progressive, feminist woman will stand up to this wall of grey machismo and smash it to smithereens, and inspire more women to make this House their place of work, and I hope to be there to cheer as she does. I also hope that Together Gibraltar can regroup, rethink its mission, and appeal to a new generation of young, progressive leaders that can take this community forward.

If you’re listening to me and you share my values, make a stand and take on this beautiful mission. I have done it for a good decade of my life, and I can assure you it has been worth it. Politics is worth it, and in order to achieve a more democratic and better future for our people, we need people from outside of this echo chamber to step up to the challenge. You can count on me to support you, every step of the way. Mr. Speaker I take this final opportunity to thank you and your wonderful staff, Kevin, Danny, Malka and our Clerk Simon. Over the last eight years, and being here on my own, the staff in this House has treated me like family, advising me and guiding me with anything I needed and I shall be forever grateful to you all. I would also like to thank retired Speaker Canepa and retired Clerk Paul Martinez for their warmth and guidance, since I joined this House in 2015.

And leaving the ‘politics politics’ aside for just one moment, I would like to warmly bid farewell to my Parliamentary colleagues, from my vecino de parliament, the Hon Danny Feetham who first pushed me to take an active role in politics… despite our later tribulations, :0) to the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Elliot Phillips, and rest of my Opposition colleagues, as well as of course those on the government side; From the Chief Minister himself to the rest of his cabinet. At one point or another during my time as an MP, I have had the pleasure and privilege of considering each one of you a friend and enjoyed your kindness and your attention, often working constructively for our fellow constituents. I thank you all for this. … and see you all later!