Tax revenue from Gozo declines

Donald Xerri (Malta)

Mar 13th 2010, 15:44

Well the only whingers we know of are the Famous pommies or the British. they are forever whinging about our islands that its not up to their expectations,, but surely we Maltese don't whing, we are all brothers, as a matter of fact Malta and Gozo fly the same flag (Red&White).

Joe Farrugia

Mar 11th 2010, 20:16

Three cheers for Gozo and the Gozitan sorry i can't say the same for the main island and the usual whingers.

John Azzopardi

Mar 11th 2010, 02:26

Well, how the truth always comes out - pure jeolousy for the Gozitans I might say. We all know that Gozitans are not getting their share. Let me ask this question. Where is all the money from the EU going. the bulk of the money is staying in Malta and are not coming to Gozo. I blame this on the Gozitan politicians. Gozo is part of Malta and should be treated in that manner. Also, for everyone's information, Gozitans in a large proportion had to leave their beloved Gozo and Malta and emigrate in their thousands. Many of those have
emigrants have built houses and continue to contribute to Gozo's economy. If Gozitans were smart enought, they will develop tourism to compensate for lack of other development. Tourist of course expect top standard facilities and if Gozo is not able to provide it, then it should get out of the business of catering to tourist. And regardless of whether the tourist is a maltese or a foreigner, the service must be equal.

m.buttigieg

Mar 10th 2010, 20:01

@Anthony Grech. WELCOME TO GOZO Thankyou for your most welcomed custom. please call again, we're are still laughing all the way to the bank.

Lino DeBono

Mar 10th 2010, 15:59

Sir,
On an issue as important as this, serious analysis should be made. Fervorous and banal comments do not solve any issues.
Gozitans who live in Gozo do know that their standard of living is going from bad to worst. One should only go to the main square, It-Tokk, to see it empty of people all week long except for maybe Saturdays when the Maltese cross over.
Statics just published show that an average of 18% of the population in Gozo are on poverty lines. Many more are just above water and going downhill continuously.
Therefore it is the duty of our administration to tackle this serious deterioration of the Gozitan standard of living.
Politicians cross over to tell us how good and better our lives are becoming. In reality nothing is further from the truth.
So the country's administration should deal with the hard facts and come up with viable and prospective solutions.
Lino DeBono
Xewkija.

martin saliba

Mar 10th 2010, 14:08

What do you expect. I read somewhere that there are practically the same number of people working and those who cannot work because of a disability. Is it someting in the gozitan gene pool or is it fraudulent gain by way of social assistance and benifits claimed ?

L. Dimech

Mar 10th 2010, 13:55

And you can be sure that more than half of that tax collected, was not collected from Gozitans living in Gozo.

All Gozitans expect us to hit on them because they all know that we know what they're doing. I have never yet met a Gozitan male or female, who does not own property and lets it out to their real 'foreigners' - us Maltese. Of course they don't declare they're earning some Euro 100 per day for a family staying there for a week.

Last year, a large group booked at a well known restaurant in Marsalforn.

The Bill came to almost Euro 800. We paid up and of course asked for a receipt, which they hadn't offered up to that moment, but which they very quickly brought to us once asked. The next day somebody asked what had we paid for the antipasti we took the night before. We found the bill and to our astonishment this had been billed AT ONLY
EURO 8.00 instead of Euro 800!!!

Can you ever believe the cheek ! Not only do they cheat and moan and groan, but they do it with impunity playing the "msieken se jmutu bil-guh."

joe gatt

Mar 10th 2010, 13:32

I heard this story in a coffee shop recently, this person was saying that he spent a week in an appartment in a block of 6 flats with a lift installed and running, he said that he had noticed that all the Electricity Meters in the block did not move even a speck, at night time, when the occupants were indoors with their lights on, he said that he had not seen any Voltaic Panels on the roof either. Maybe it is not just tax payments that are being avoided.

E. Azzopardi

Mar 10th 2010, 13:06

Not surprised at all. If I am not mistaken, some time ago the media reported that Gozo contributes some 4% of government revenue. I am not an economist but this is a pittance and in my opinion should be much more. Much much more. Somebody prove me wrong, please.
Gozo tourism: let us not mention that. Thank God for the Maltese tourists!!!
Yes, give them their independence. Malta would be much much better off.
Sorry, but Gozitans themselves made a bad name for themselves.

K. Cauchi

Mar 10th 2010, 13:05

@James Dimech - Since for you, the Gozitans are a "liability", I hope you are not one of those who crosses frequently to Gozo to relax and take some fresh air in our beautiful countryside...

M Camilleri

Mar 10th 2010, 12:11

Surely tax declines.. there are no jobs and economy is a disaster in Gozo.. shops empty and people looking for work in Malta.

Gozitain companies are doing extremely bad and the minister needs to take appropriate action to enhance the Gozitain economy.

Anthony Grech

Mar 10th 2010, 11:55

Is anyone surprised here. I cant believe the governemnt actually collected anything. VAT fraud is so rampant in Gozo it would make you sick. When I go over for long weekend or during the summer I never get a reciept, from anyplace. At the local super market they bloke uses a calculator next to the till to add up my bill. The till is used for holding the cash only, no reciepts there. How about at a bar or hardware store or anyplace else for that matter. On top of that, just try and tell the government about it, no place to turn in a cheap if you wanted to. On the VAT department website there is nowhere to report fraud!!! Noone cares so noone inthe government should be surprised.

In addition to that how about trying to collect the pool tax. Like a total idiot I reported my pool when I built it, with all the permissions needed, while all my neighbours laugh at me. Of all the crazy things here this really burns me. Why doesn't the government use the arial photos of Malta and Gozo to find all the pools, then match them with the licences!

Tonio Schembri

Mar 10th 2010, 11:50

I'm sure we'll see a long list of 'smart' comments under this article! Most of them will be; "Gozitans moan", "Gozitans want more", "Gozitans don't pay tax", "Gozitans this and Gozitans that"! That fact is most of us Gozitans feel we live on a forgotten island feeding on breadcrumbs that fall from our big Sister's large dining table. Ask any tourist if they have ever seen an advert about Gozo or at least Malta AND Gozo and you will see what I mean, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. There's so much more but as usual Maltese will grab any opportunity to knock us down.

Jason Attard

Mar 10th 2010, 11:36

20% decline in economic activity? I don't think so. Somebody is not paying his taxes.

P. Camilleri

Mar 10th 2010, 11:35

Instead of blaming Gozitans because they give less, one should point his fingers to the disastrous situation in Gozo.
@James Dimech - We would gladly take the independence. We're not a liability. The greatest minds in the Maltese history were all Gozitans!

John F. Portelli

Mar 10th 2010, 11:23

Of course tax revenues declined in Gozo. Gozo is not doing good economically and we are in a bad economic situation. I don't think that is a big surprise. Tourism is down, new business are non existance. Time for gozitans to come up with a good Tourism Plan - and by that I mean to cater or foreign tourist and try to bring them over. Can be done. Hope taht Gozitans get together and market gozo better internationally.

James Dimech

Mar 10th 2010, 11:10

Here you go. The Gozitants always complain that they want more - and they always give less. Just give them independence. They are a liability

G Frendo

Mar 10th 2010, 10:57

This is really unbelievable and needs to be investigated further. Challenged on Dissett the Minister for Gozo claimed that the large Gozitan companies are registered in Malta hence why they pay less per capita tax than the mainland. It would be great if some investigative journalist investigated this pathetic claim and actually identified these handful of companies and brought out a proper analysis. The Inland revenue Dept is obviously spineless to investigate this! It would be also interesting to compare self employed incomes and asset values.