Gozo tax revenue 4.4 per cent of total

Income tax revenue from residents of Gozo totalled 4.41 per cent of total revenue last year, figures given in Parliament yesterday show.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Jason Azzopardi (PN) in reply to a parliamentary question that revenue from Gozo had reached 2.95 per cent in the year 2000; 3.38 per cent in 2001; 3.40 per cent in 2002; 3.36 per cent in 2003 and 4.41 per cent last year up to December 7.

Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela, who read the reply on behalf of Dr Gonzi, added that most Gozitan companies were registered in Malta and therefore their tax was added to that of Malta.

Figures given by Dr Gonzi in reply to another question last month showed that VAT revenue from Gozo in 2002 and 2003 was less than one per cent of total VAT revenue.

The highest ever VAT revenue from Gozo was in 1999 when it reached Lm1.4 million out of a total revenue of Lm73.4 million, or 1.93 per cent.

Revenue from Gozo as a percentage of total VAT revenue reached 0.96 per cent in 2000; 1.02 per cent in 2001; 0.90 per cent in 2002; 0.92 per cent in 2003 and 1.26 per cent between January and August last year.