Modernising Gibraltar’s Labour Force

Mr Bossano placed greater attention on the need for the modernisation of Gibraltar’s labour force. Mr Bossano suggested to the Government the best possible methods of achieving this. The introduction of new technology into Gibraltar was suggested on the belief that such technology would maximise the output of a relatively limited labour force. Crucially, as a champion of equal opportunities, Mr Bossano emphasized the need for Government to “encourage women to take up jobs that have not been traditionally done by women”.

What Mr Bossano was criticising during the 1970’s was Gibraltar’s slow economic growth, the economic dependency Gibraltar had on the UK and the significant lack of any forward economic planning being carried out by the incumbent Government. Gibraltar appeared to be an insular territory with little outward looking economic policies bar those with the UK. Assets such as the Gibraltar Port and the Tourist industry, which today form major pillars of our economy, had yet to be developed due in part to the closure of the Gibraltar-Spain frontier. Despite these issues, Mr Bossano’s forward thinking outlook on the housing situation did much to shape the policies of the coming years and was brought to life in the following decade. His emphasis on the need for housing is something which has carried through to all administrations since.