Yves Calì, Sliema
Environment friendly
Government is investing €30 million in alternative energy projects and €112 million in environmental projects. Wind farms are finally in the pipeline. Energy saving measures in the pipeline are: free energy-saving bulbs for all families; refunds of 15.25 per cent on the purchase of bicycles; refunds of two-thirds of the cost of buying a solar water heater, up to a maximum of €460; refunds of half the cost of installing photovoltaic panels, up to €3,000; refunds of a third of the cost of roof insulation and double glazing in homes, up to €300, as well as funding for part of the cost of expert advice on energy use and of energy audits for industry.
Measures proposed in Budget 2009 continue to build upon the polluter pays principle, hence the introduction of taxes on the fluorescent "traditional" bulbs, plastic "carrier" bags as well as more expensive licences for older, larger and more powerful cars, and yachts, swimming pools, etc.
Even the utilities tariffs follow the same principle: the more one consumes and, therefore, pollutes the more one pays.
There is a lesson to be learnt from Budget 2009 - it is in everyone's interest to reduce harmful emissions.
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George Debono
Nov 8th 2008, 19:16
Mr Cali
Sounds fine (but is it spin bling?) and I am all for this kind of thing
- but as of now it is all wrong and unfair to the less well-off. And it continues to encourage big gas guzzlers on our roads...
Registration tax should have been greatly reduced on small (less polluting) cars, and progressively increased on anything above 1500cc and increased to astronomical on anything over 3000cc.
Ditto annual road tax. And old small cars belonging to the humble small earner should be exempt from rise in road tax with passage of time.
If you can afford a big heavy high-powered car then you can afford to pay for the pollution too.
Only his would have been socially fair.
As it now stands the whole thing is skewed in favour of better-off people (like me - but I ride a bike & don't have a car! (had an old teeny-weeny itsy-bitsy Fiat UNO = 50 mpg - not bad)
If ypou want a (digital) copy of my report - write in at gdmc@kemmunet.net.mt
G .
Robert Caruana
Nov 8th 2008, 18:50
Some lesson indeed!
The annual licence to use a zero emission 12 foot rowing boat has gone up from 7 euros to 90 euros.
Yes, really environmentally friendly!
lGalea
Nov 8th 2008, 17:47
Another one of the few Gonzipn elves who keeps smiling notwithstanding the nail in the lower back. Keep smiling Yves. You'll soon be told that you are on candid camera.
Erin Ciantar
Nov 8th 2008, 14:06
@Mrs. Cali.
What an unbiased and balanced piece. Well done. ;)
Muscat.P
Nov 8th 2008, 10:58
Oh my, oh my! Its spinning and weaving at full speed. Yes thank you we have learned "your" lesson.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 8th 2008, 10:36
@ Ms Cali - Indeed, 'it is in everyone's interest to reduce harmful emissions'. But not at the expense of the tax-prayer who have to face so much hardship.
Be practical! And neutral!