I have been following the car registration tax issue with keen interest but I am convinced that the present situation will remain unchanged, at least for the time being. The government generates a certain level of income from the importation of motor vehicles which would be difficult to substitute and there is therefore no intention of doing so, at least not in the short term.

Why are the Maltese so attracted to second hand cars in the first place? Is it because they consider themselves second class citizens or because they would rather buy cars that somebody else has already taken the best out of? I do not think so. The only reason we even consider buying imported second hand vehicles is because new ones in Malta are simply exorbitantly expensive.

Malta has been requested by the EU to amend its car registration tax rules which discriminate against second-hand cars bought from other member states. In its defence, the ministry of finance issued a statement explaining that the "government uses the registration tax of both new and second-hand vehicles in order to reduce the traffic congestion levels in Malta by encouraging more people to consider or invest in alternative modes of transport other than passenger cars".

Does anybody seriously believe that, if taxation on new vehicle importation were reduced and new cars were made more affordable, I, for example, would buy three or four cars and drive these simultaneously on the road, causing more congestion and pollution?

Higher taxes have not and will not stop people from buying cars, what they do is force them to buy inferior quality cars which are less safe and pollute more.

The number of newly registered cars will probably increase however, these will be safer and cleaner cars as people might buy a second car which they will keep in their garage, paying the road licence, insurance and other costs to use the vehicle occasionally. This will not necessarily add to congestion on the roads as people can only drive one car at a time. Another effect would be that people would change their cars more frequently creating a healthy indigenous second-hand market.

In my view, the strategy being adopted by the government is not improving the environmental situation but actually causing serious long-term repercussions.

During the opening of the Motor Fair this week, Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett assured us that the government had "no intention to turn Malta into the EU's used-vehicle scrap yard" but isn't Malta a used-car scrap yard already? Is the fact that 39 per cent of all passenger vehicles imported into our country are second hand a statistic to be proud of? And what about commercial vehicles, where the situation is even more precarious and virtually every vehicle registered in Malta is second hand? Are 40 per cent of the cars registered each year in England, Italy, France and Spain second hand? We are happily accumulating vehicles that are already four or five years old by the time they reach our shores, but what will happen when we are required to shift to a taxation system related to emissions?

The government needs to change its strategy and look long term. New vehicles need to be made more affordable. Registration tax on the smaller, more economical and cleaner vehicles must be brought in line with the likes of Italy and the UK with rates increasing on vehicles that consume and pollute more. The commercial vehicle scenario needs to be completely reviewed in an effort to assist owners to upgrade to new vehicles without suffering undue hardship, even if this means waiving registration tax in an effort to renew and rejuvenate our motor fleet.

In the interest of future generations, let us change our mentality. Let us look long term and shift to a situation where we can enjoy safer and cleaner vehicles on our roads for the benefit of one and all.

• Mr Darmanin produces and presents the weekly motoring programme Paqpaq broadcast on TVM on Sundays at 7.05 p.m. with a repeat today at noon.

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