Budget aimed at sustainability - Gonzi
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this evening that the budget was aimed at guiding the economy through a difficult international scenario.
He said this was a budget which took a long term view for the country. It was a budget aimed at sustainability, as well as environmental protection and solidarity.
Dr Gonzi said the budget was drawn up with a great sense of responsibility.
It sought to protect the sectors most likely to face the problems of the current international turmoil, such as tourism.
Dr Gonzi pointed out that this was the third budget in a row in which the government had reduced income tax, leaving more than €150 million in the people’s pockets over the three years.
The cost of living adjustment and other measures were aimed at helping workers without undermining industrial competitiveness, Dr Gonzi said.
He underlined the measures being introduced to encourage training and job creation, as well as the improvement on measures to attract more women to work.
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19 Comments
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Mike Magri
Nov 5th 2008, 09:09
Dr. Gonzi, in your 2008 Budget speech in October of 2007, you ALSO said that, ".. The goal of this (2008), budget is SUSTAINABILITY.." (!!!!!)
AND YOU KNOW...?? YOU ARE SAYING THE SAME THING TODAY, FOR 2009 BUDGET.....!!!!
What happened then...???? This `Sustainability` did not work in 2008....!!??!!?? OR as usual, it is JUST ANOTHER BUZ-WORD for your budget speeches...??!!??!!
Hallina Dr. Gonzi.. I think that you should have named 2009 budget as a `BUDGET TAL-BOZOZ TA GVERN FALLUT `......!!!!!! And THAT`S the truth Mr. Prime Minister....!!!!!!!!!!!
Ghax lill-Malta FALLEJTUHA wahda nobis bi nfiq bl-addocc, insostenibbli u li ma rrifletta QATT il-valur ta flusu........!!!!!!!!!!
GUYS......SEE YOU ALL NEXT SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN VALLETTA.......
R Erichsen
Nov 4th 2008, 10:58
I dont know if the parliament knows that oil went down to $65 a barrel from over $110. But ONLY in Malta the fuel goes up AGAIN. HELLO do you think we have your wages or the EU wages????????
E. Azzopardi
Nov 4th 2008, 10:36
Instead of taxing the normal bulbs, a better idea would have been to make Energy Saving Bulbs much cheaper!!! In others countries these are cheaper than normal bulbs. This is if we want to instill energy saving mentality. One could go on of course!!!!
Simon Joseph Aquilina
Nov 4th 2008, 10:27
(continue) In theory increasing electricity bills should lead people to invest in renewable energy. In practice this energy is still very expensive to buy and the incentives given seems only aimed for a number of families. Therefore the budget is one that gives the ‘bad’ incentives to stop doing what we have been doing so far, rather than given ‘good’ incentives to change our way of living for the better of all. I still am of the opinion that more information should have been given to the public about the budget and from where all the numbers are coming from. Personally more than a week ago I sent an email to Enemalta to query for some information. Needless to say so far I did not even receive a reply. Answering to my email would have been the most basic of customer support. The biggest problem is not just the amount of money we put into our government but rather the feeling that we are not getting 100% for what we are paying!
Simon Joseph Aquilina
Nov 4th 2008, 10:27
The main problem with this budget is not the increase in the electricity bills and fuel or the increase in taxation on cars more than ten years of age, but rather the fact that it failed short in bringing the much needed mentality change required here in Malta, making this budget hard to accept. What do I mean? In theory increasing tax on cars more than 10 years of age should push people to buy new cars which pollute much less. In practice, consider how much cars cost here in Malta, people will prefer to pay more tax on their old cars. Therefore in the eyes of the people this is just a tax increase not a way forward in the fight against pollution. In theory increasing the price of the fuel at the pump should push people to use their cars less and maybe use public transport more. In practice our public transport is a disaster and people will prefer to spend more on their fuel rather than use public transport and arrive always at a different time at work (if arriving at all) in a very uncomfortable way. (continue)
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 4th 2008, 10:06
Yes this is a Budget that takes acoount of the current situation in the world of economics and finance. Malta forms part of this world and can't bury its head in the sand. We all have to pull our socks up and act more prudently and responsiblely. We can't expect to go our own way and expect others to carry us. The world does not owe us a living. The Budget aims to try and conserve what we have and sends a message to us all that we must do our bit. If we don't mind damaging the roads with our heavy vehicles we have to pay for it, if we don't care about our car's emissions we must pay more if we pollute more.; if we are unemployed beacause we can't be bothered to undergo training which will enable us to get a job and prefer to live on national assistance rather than work for a living, then we must give something back. It's only fair that the polluter pays; that the user pays in full for his consumption of energy; that we should all try to use alternative renewable energy, that we should minimise energy losses.
Steve Rogers
Nov 4th 2008, 09:14
@Robert Cassar
Why? Incompetence, mishandling of resources, misdirection and pandering to the few. Those 30,000 Gonzi always quotes, well that number is going up and not down! This government did its calculations well. It gave us a bit supposedly to make us happy but will take alot out of us as we go into 2009. IVA flimkien kollox possibli (biex nidhku bil poplu!)
t farrugia
Nov 4th 2008, 09:10
"Budget aimed at sustainability" joke of the year but no one is laughing. instead we are crying!!!!
P.Schembri
Nov 4th 2008, 09:02
Sustainable budget my foot! The government is going to get from us 117 million euros taxes. And the tariffs not inlcuded!
John Debattista
Nov 4th 2008, 08:46
KULL HADD GHALL PROTEST NHAR IL HADD 9/11/02 ATTENDU TKUNUX PASSIVI. insew il Kulur ma nibqux BOLOH, mohhkom Hemm.
Mario Genovese
Nov 4th 2008, 08:32
After 5 years I will still have 5 years to go to repay my car loan.............. Who in this country is able to change car every 5 years????????????? Please Dr Gonzi reply.
l Galea
Nov 4th 2008, 08:12
Robert Cassar
That's because we have a topsy-turvy Gonzipn Government
A Mangion
Nov 4th 2008, 08:11
A Realistic and Balanced budget. A budget that address the difficulties around us (UK, Germany, France, US) to mitigate their negative impact but investing in our product. Not a popularist budget but a needed budget. Good and objective reasoning behind major initiatives. Expected more on subsidies on pv systems. But all in all, a good one.
E, Psaila
Nov 4th 2008, 08:05
But bikes went cheaper!!!!!!
LOL....banana republic....
I hope they replay their nice comfy cars with bikes now....doubt it....it's your fault....those who voted for him anyway...enjoy now.
P Debono
Nov 4th 2008, 07:57
@ RObert Cassar
It's simple really. The "experts" who advise our government (who incidentally get fat pay cheques from out own pockets) were hell-bent on buying oil for a whole year's requirements at hedged prices. Now I challenge anyone to find me one country in the world who has committed such a reckless action. In fact, I challenge anyone to find a country in the world where the price of fuel and water and electricity have shot up while oil is half the value of what it used to be!
So given these fatal errors by the government's economists, are they going to be made redundant or to work for a four day week?
PAJJIZ TAL-MICKEY MOUSE B'ESPERTI TAL-MICKEY MOUSE!!!
J cassar castaldi
Nov 4th 2008, 07:52
At this rate Malta is destned to become the poorest country in Europe> the biggest advantage of the EU membership is that we can emigrate to better pastures in Europe. Some call the 70s and 80s the dark days. well it was better to live in the dark than die in the light. Shamefull on Gonzi to bring us to such a poor state of affairs.
Robert Cassar
Nov 4th 2008, 02:51
What about our day to day life! It’s unbelievable how the price of crude went down and yet here in this Island that Fuel will go up.. this means that all commodities will have the price rise, Can Dr Gonzi issue a formal explanation on WHY here everything seems to go opposite!
Mark Piscopo
Nov 4th 2008, 00:58
The New Taxes from our dear Minister Tonio Fenech
1) If you have a car more then five years old you have to pay an additional tax apart from the licence.
2)For Commercial vehicles an increase in the license from Eur63 to Eur158
3)An Increase in the price of Petrol and Diesel.
4)An increase in tobacco.
5)An increase in the license for boats etc
6)Apart from the 95% surcharge we have to pay other drastic tariffs tat is approximately 200%Surcharge.
joseph buhagiar
Nov 4th 2008, 00:09
Illum zammejt il fuljett ta 360 weghda f'idi u biex sibt xi haga li kont wedtni fdak il fuljett kelli naghmel siegha nfittex u mnalla li dak il fuljett ircevejtu qabel il budget ghax probabbli kont nehel xi taxxa ghax 360 weghda jieznu aktar min 80 grms .
dejjem tieghek
par idejn sodi hahahahahaha