New Gibraltar Democracy - Ethos

Ethos

NGD argues that in a small place like Gibraltar town planning and quality of life issues are particularly important. It says that the government allows the construction of ugly, 1960's style high rise buildings which are making the town unattractive and impersonal. It attributes increasing crime and social problems on the government's neglect of the physical and social fabric of Gibraltar.

The party considers that the new constitution agreed between the British and Gibraltar governments in June 2006 and passed in early 2007 undermines the principle of judicial independence. It advocates a process of constitutional improvement to ensure that there are sufficient checks and balances on the local government which it says now has wider powers vis a vis the public than any other similar administration in Europe (including most autonomous governments in other Member States).

Although at a referendum held on 30 November 2006 only 36% of the electorate approved the new constitution the Gibraltar government insists that it has a mandate to change Gibraltar's fundamental law. NGD accuses the local government of having failed to meet basic requirements of fairness and democracy in the organisation of the referendum, which lacked any formal regulation. It also charges the government with having interfered in the coverage of the campaign by the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation and of having used taxpyers' money to partially fund the campaign for the approval of the new constitution.

In the General Election held on 11 October 2007 the NGD candidate Charles Gomez obtained votes from 7.8% of the electorate. Although this did not allow for a seat in Parliament the result is deemed a good one for a first attempt to break into Gibraltar's traditional two party system. Gomez had campaigned on issues ranging from economic and planning mismanagement to pollution and lack of transparency in the administration as well as neglect of the vulnerable sectors of Gibraltarian society.