Updated: No reason for government to delay tax cuts - PL
Updated - Adds PN reaction
The Labour Party insisted today that savings made by the government through the elimination of various subsidies meant that it had no justification for delaying the tax cuts promised at the general election.
Labour finance spokesman Charles Mangion, referring to an interview given to The Sunday Times by the finance minister, said the governemnt was conducting economic planning according to the electoral cycle in the interests of the PN.
Prior to the last general election, he said, the PN promised to reduce the top rate of income tax to 25%.
Since then the government had taken measures which drastically reduced the people's purchasing power. The government had also saved €80m by removing the subsidy on water and electricity and made further savings by closing the dockyard.
Yet it was continuing to put off the tax cuts.
The argument that no tax cuts could be given because of the international financial crisis did not hold water since the Maltese financial institutions remained strong.
Dr Mangion also asked a series of questions which he hoped the minister would reply to.
He asked on what economic and fiscal criteria had Lawrence Gonzi promised to reduce the top rate of income tax to 25%;
Was the tax reduction compatible and consistent with the medium term objective for Malta established by the EU, which called for a budget surplus in order to reduce the national debt?
Could the minister confirm that the fact that the Stability Programme 2009-2012 did not incorporate a tax cut mean that there would not be any tax cut?
Dr Mangion also observed that Mr Fenech had declared that with the euro changeover, the Central Bank passed on to the government €40m from reserves. Since public record showed that in the years 2007-2008 the government only received €29.8m and €28.7m, could the minister say how this income was classified?
PN REACTION
The Nationalist Party in a reaction said Dr Mangion's statement showed how cut off the Opposition was from reality. The Labour spokesman was ignoring the fact that since the general election the world had seen an explosion in oil prices, a banking crisis and the worst recession in eighty years.
The government had wisely invested in Maltese industry in order to enable Malta to ride the storm. The contrast now between what was happening abroad and in Malta could not be sharper. In Malta, foreign investment was flowing, the government deficit was being narrowed, the economy was picking up, the banks were among the strongest in Europe, and the government was helping the people invest in alternative energy.
Abroad, some countries had unemployment of 20 per cent, salaries and social services were being cut, taxes were rising and governments were begging the IMF for assistance.
The PN also pointed out that when Dr Mangion started his political career, at the time of the Labour government, the top rate of income tax was 65 per cent.
And as for the energy prices, Dr Mangion had been part of the Labour government which imposed extraordinary tariffs when the price of oil was just $12 a barrel, the PN said.
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Luke Scicluna
Jul 30th 2010, 11:25
Cant help but notice the PN ended their statement attacking Dr Mangion.
Hope that helped you all, and will make your life even better than it is now.
C.camilleri
Jul 29th 2010, 17:50
@ E.Gatt
The PN followers never fails to amaze me. When its convenient for them they remember with detail what happened 30 or 35 years ago and when its not in their best interest they tend to forget what's been said just 2 1/2 years ago. Tax cuts in the first budget was the electoral promise. Period. That there will be tax cut on the eve of the next election of that I am sure, and much more I would say, as always. The word recession will be long forgotten in the last six months before the election.
JOHN O SCERRI
Jul 29th 2010, 12:03
MLP spokesman does remember that during the MLP reign Oil prices were rock bottom yet no tax cuts were ever introduced and the highest rate was 65%.
Now .....'Maltese financial institutions remained strong' according to Dr. Mangion. He likes to manipulate numbers in favour of his arguements.
As for the PN reply ...it seems we are living in wonderland all is going well . GET REAL !
It is clear that someone is not telling the whole truth here .
Please do not insult us with any more of these arguments.
Gas prices are up 30% FACT
Water and electricity bills are up FACT
Service prices for - mechanics,panel beating, plumbing, electricians, plastering are up FACT.
Private tuition prices (Privat ) is up FACT
School book prices are up . FACT
Fuel is up - never seems to go down FACT
The disposable income of each indiviual is less. FACT .
EVERY ONE KNOWS THE RIPPLR EFFECT OF THIS .
Wait and see.
mario gellel
Jul 29th 2010, 10:38
"In Malta, foreign investment was flowing, the government deficit was being narrowed, the economy was picking up, the banks were among the strongest in Europe, and the government was helping the people invest in alternative energy" said the PN.
ARE THEY LIVING IN TIMBACTU, WHEN THE STRONGEST EXPORT ENTITY (S.T) HAS JUST TAKEN AUSTERITY MEASURES THAT EFFECTED THE WORKERS POCKETS, WHEN THE DEFICIT IS ON TOP OF MOUNT EVEREST,WHEN THE BANKS ARE MAKING BIG PROFITS BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE BORROWING MONEY TO MAKE ENDS MEET???? THEY SHOULD GO OUT FOR SOME FRESH AIR MORE OFTEN AND MEET THE MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES AND THOSE IN POVERTY LINE TO SEE IN WHAT STATE THEY ARE LIVING.
Alison Bezzina
Jul 29th 2010, 08:38
25% Vs 5%
Libya Vs Malta
Words Vs Actions
Same difference......http://www.alisonbezzina.com/same-difference/
J Brincat
Jul 29th 2010, 07:45
@anthony castillo
You keep bringing up the past in the vain hope that the people forget that this goverment is failing on all fronts and will be remembered for itschain of broken promises and exhorbitant utility bills shich have shocked the nation.
J. Borg
Jul 28th 2010, 23:50
Can the Minister of Finance please inform us when will the annual performance Bonus be paid to Asst Directors and Directors in the Civil Service?? Can the Minister please inform us when will the calls for New positions in the Civil Service ( usually made by Mid July) will be published internally?? Or is it true that there is no money in Malta's box!
malcolm seychell
Jul 28th 2010, 23:01
This is the best certificate for Gonzi PN.
The PL is saying we are in a very good financially so we are ready for tax cuts.
k tabone
Jul 28th 2010, 22:07
PL = PARTIT ta LOPPORTUNISTI
Tal Labour il-passat huwa il-prova tal futur....
m farrugia
Jul 28th 2010, 21:29
L-income tax vera ghadha ma naqsitx (ghalkemm il weghda qatt ma kienet tghid li se tonqos fl-ewwel sena tal gvern) imma ghal inqas ghadna ma bdejniex nithallsu siegha siegha ta l-overtime Charlie, it tfal ma marrux reception class u is-surcharge ma tnehhiex biex nissussidjaw lil kullhad mill-income tax.
Ahjar taraw il hmerijiet li weghdtu inthom qabel l-elezzjoni fosthom li jibdew jghaddu id-dhajjes minn taht Bieb il Belt , invenzjoni ta siehbek Charles Buhagiar!
A Cardona
Jul 28th 2010, 20:28
I am not a prophet nor Paul the Octopus but i know 1 thing that will happen :-
This phrase "....since the general election the world had seen an explosion in oil prices, a banking crisis and the worst recession in eighty years."
will change dramatically 6 months before the sheep will go to the polls again.
Andrew B. Gatt
Jul 28th 2010, 20:20
@ Charles Buttigieg and Eric Saliba : ninsisti li XOGHOL GHAL KULLHADD FI ZMIEN TLETT XHUR kienet weghda u ghadta kontinwa tal - MLP. L-unika haga tajba li ghamiltu dan l-ahhar kien l-inizjali l-godda li tajtu lil partit PL flok MLP. Veru PL, ghax meta kontu u jekk tergghu titilghu PASSI LURA ( PL ) biss wiehed jista' jimmagina ! Mohhok hemm !
George Cremona
Jul 28th 2010, 19:59
@J. Mifsud
You seem to prefer the times when income tax was as high as 65% and very high percentages much and much more than 18% in Excise Duty on all imported objects including food than today's 35% income tax (which in due time be assured will be cut to 25%) and the 18% Vat which excludes essential things such as food.
Eric Gahn
Jul 28th 2010, 19:52
How can some people keep talking about the theatre roof. It's not there. It was done so to save us, the citizens of this once beautiful country, money. They are doing us a favour.
Mario Camilleri
Jul 28th 2010, 19:38
Ha infakkar ftit lin-nies x'kien hawn fi zmien tat-trahhis tat-tonn taz-zejt ukoll. l-ST li tant sirna niftahru biha fethet dak iz-zmien, l-airmalta jew ghasafar tac-comb kif kienet tissemma dak iz-zmien, l-enemalta, it-telemalta li saret GO, il-BOV, il-MIDMED, is-seamalta, tugmalta u ghad ta kumpaniji stabbiliti ohra li ghadhom joperaw sal gurnata tallum. dawn kollha bdew f'dak iz-zmien li kulhadd jghid li hlief ghaks ma kienx hawn!!!! dawn l-affarijiet semmu.bdiet timpjega nies smart city??? sport village fantazma...mater dei b'nuqqas ta nurses u il-lista tkompli. saqsu lil tal-industrija tal-bini kemm hawn gid bhalissa.kulma ghadna bhalissa hu 4 biljun ewro dejn, xoghol imdendel ghal hafna fabbriki u saqsu lil tal ST li sooner or later titlaq min malta ikollha, gholi fil-prezzijiet ta kull servizz u hawnhekk nixtieq insaqsi lil UHM x'sar minnhom it-tahdidiet madwar il-mejda biex inaqqsu l-impatt tal-kontijiet.
J. Mifsud
Jul 28th 2010, 19:25
@ To all those who see only one side of a story
Some are quoting 'his master's voice' that the tax rate was 65%, but they are omitting the fact that, then, there was no 18% VAT on whatever we consume.
The price of gas cylinders, water & electricity bills were next to nothing to what we are paying now.
In the seventies, an employee had a wage rise for some years of approx. 10 Euro per week.
I used to have around 200 Euro every quarter for children's allowance.
Many married Nationalists and Labourites who used to live with their parents were given free land or houses with subsidised rents, and then had the chance to buy them off the government. At one point, pensioners could even help financially their sons and daughters to start a family.
I am not saying that the Labour Party did not make silly mistakes, but the worker and pensioner were not living the hell we are living today.
There were not as many living under the poverty line. There were not as many broken families as there is now.
Joseph Cauchi
Jul 28th 2010, 21:37
@ J. Mifusd,
The VAT is in replace of Customs Duty, which in those days was 47%+ on most imported items and in some instances it was also 110% on certain items.
JC.
E Gatt
Jul 28th 2010, 22:17
@ J. Mifsud
True we now pay 18%VAT on many goods and services we consume (we also pay reduced rates of 5% and 0% on many other items such as medicines and food).
You forgot to mention the exaggerated customs duty we used to pay on the limited goods the Almighty Great Socialist Leader allowed us to consume.
Today, people are treated like mature grown ups who are responsible to a greater extent for planning their own lives and futures. Today we are all free but some people evidently feel nostalgic for the days when freedom, like many other goods and services under a MLP government, was limited and controlled.
Freedom is priceless my friend.
P Refalo
Jul 29th 2010, 00:36
Vat is the most justice TAX. We pay according to consumption. So if we do consume so much we have to pay for that amount.
While, Income Tax is one of the most injustice tax cause governments impose tax on our ABILITY
C.camilleri
Jul 28th 2010, 19:09
The PN pre-electoral promise was Tax Cuts in the FIRST budget. That since then we had a recession holds no water, because how can anyone explain that in a recession the government spend millions on a roofless theater and a new parliament? How can anyone explain the fact that the government gave 50 million to bus owners to buy industrial peace after another broken electoral promise?
No selective arguments of what happened 30 years ago can change the fact that the government took the electorate for a ride.
E Gatt
Jul 28th 2010, 22:03
@ C Camilleri
Sorry, you're mistaken.
The government is committed to reduce tax in this legislature but not in the first budget – still 2 ½ years to go. In the meantime you may have noticed that the world has suffered a major recession.
See the full PN programme at:
http://www.pn.org.mt/content/docs/programm%20elettorali%20-%20text.pdf
http://www.pn.org.mt/content/docs/Iva%20Flimkien%20Kollox%20Possibbli%20%20-%20English%20Summary.pdf
P Refalo
Jul 29th 2010, 08:40
2. Income tax will be reduced through the widening of tax bands. The thresholds of
when tax is paid at 15% and 25% will be raised. As a result the number of persons
who do not pay income tax will increase as will those who will pay 15% instead of
25%.
3. The maximum tax rate will be reduced from 35% to 25% for those earning up to
€60,000 (Lm 25,758).
these were the proposals in the PN electoral programme, but one must be fair that nowhere is mentioned that its in the FIRST budget.
eric saliba
Jul 28th 2010, 19:07
@ j busuttil. tajba din tal-partit tal-le. forsi tahseb li insejna min kien kontra l-vot lil kulhadd; kontra l-vot lin-nisa; kontra l-edukazzjoni obbligatorja ghal kulhadd; kontra l-vot mat-18- il sena?? kien il-partit tieghek ...il-partit nazzjonalista!!
u tahseb li s-sinjuri biss ihallsu t-taxxa bil-35 fil-mija?? qatt smajt bil-klassi tan-nofs li hi s-sinsla tal-ekonomija???
P Borg
Jul 28th 2010, 22:41
Sur Saliba... parir zghir...meta ma 'ssibx xi tghid l-ahjar hu li ma tghid xejn!
Steve farrugia
Jul 28th 2010, 19:06
@Jesmond Abela
I think that you stand to be corrected. 'Decent' is not written as you wrote it 'descent'.
Literacy classes in basic English are soon to be opened if you are interested.
Anthony Castelllo
Jul 28th 2010, 18:59
Well done to those who remind us about those DARK YEARS of MLP GOVERMENTS mainly George Cremona. Its good for the people out there to remeber and also to let the young ones know what we went through realy in the DARK YEARS of the 70's and 80's and for sure that if we ever elect them we go through again because from what Joe Muscat talke about he realy got completly nothing to offer.
A. Grech
Jul 28th 2010, 20:48
@ Anthony Castillo/ Dark ages the 70's and 60's Mr. Castillo? And what do you call the 60's?
IL-MEJU EVU.
J Brincat
Jul 28th 2010, 18:38
I bet one cent that this solemn electoral promise by Dr Gonzi (when 'il-finanzi kienu fis-sod') and which had to come into effect in the FIRST budget following the election will now materialise in the next pre-election buget.
The strategy is really simple and it works beccause many swollow the bait line, hook and sinker!
And really this ploy can work again.
Charles Massa
Jul 28th 2010, 18:32
Il partit nazzjonalista iwieghed dejjem imma qatt ma jaghmel xejn u dejjem isib xi skuza bhal recession, 9/11, sars etc. Ma jghidx li mhux kapaci izommu il kelma taghhom. Issa qabel l elezzjoni li gejja jaghmlu partita weghdi ohra. Hasbu l poplu bahnan
Christopher Ripard
Jul 28th 2010, 22:47
Ix-'xejn' tal-PN = miljuni ta' investiment, sistema tat-telecommunications kompletament gdida, sptar gdid, ajruport gdid, triqat godda, power station gdid, vapuri godda (flok braken) ghal Gozo Channel, impjanti ta' reverse osmosis, skejjel godda, MCAST gdid u mill-gdid, sports complexes kullimkien. . . Ghandek il-memorja daqsxejn selettiva, sur Massa!
Fuq wahda naqbel mieghek: il-poplu zgur mhux bahnan, ghax warrab lil lejber 6 darbiet fl-ahhar 7 elezzjonijiet.
Anthony Borg
Jul 29th 2010, 06:54
@ Sur Massa - naqbel mieghek. Il-poplu mhux bahnan. Tant ma huwiex bahnan, li b'dawn il-weghdi kollha li qiehed tghid int mhux imwettqa ilu jtella lil PN sa' mill- 1981 ( iva mil-1981, tahsibnix hadt zball ). Meta bhal ma jaghmlu l-popli kollha tad-dinja, fl-1996 ha cans u tella lil- MLP, il-poplu induna x'inhi l-alternattiva u b'sahha rega tella lil PN wara biss ftit xhur. Veru li certu weghdi ghadhom ma twettqux, izda f'dan il-pajjiz saret rivoluzzjoni ta' livell ta' hajja u llum nistghu niftahru li bis-sahha tal-mentalita' u vizjoni tal- PN, jiena u inti qeghdin nghixu f'pajjiz progressiv u mimli b'opportunitajiet. Issa affarik jekk inti tippreferix mod iehor. Il-poplu mhux bahnan !
J Busuttil
Jul 28th 2010, 18:29
L-argumenti ta Dr Mangion hu zbaljati mill-bidu sa l-ahhar. L-ewwel punt hu li kien il-Gvern tal-PN li naqqas l-ghola rata ta taxxa min 65% ghal 35% u wessgha il-bands ta isfel. Sa issa wkoll ilu 3 snin inaqqas it-taxxi. It-tieni punt hu li l-ewwel prijorita hu l-holqien tax-xoghol u l-progetti l-kbar bhal Teatru,Corporate Village White rocks,restawr tas-swar u toroq hu biex jinholoq ix-xoghol wkoll. L-ewwel inkomplu nissudaw l-ekonomija u wara nnaqsu it-taxxi sinjuri tal-PL - Partit tal-LE.
Jesmond Abela
Jul 28th 2010, 18:22
PL - Partit Lablab....... paroli paroli paroli BISS. Meta il poplu tah ic cans biex jjiggverna wara 9 snin fuq il bankijiet ta l-oppozzjoni kulhadd jaf fiex sarraf!!!! Suppost kien partit mimli energja biex jibda jahdem ghal gid ta Malta...... u x'gara ???? Wara 22 xahar il poplu cahdu u warbu ghal 15 il-sena ohra." It's easy said then done" mhux hekk.!!!! Ahna fatti ridu u mhux paroli. Mill gallarija nistaw nghidu li ridu, pero minn jipprova iqarraq bin nies u ma jkunx honest u juri l-fatti kif vera huma,mhuwiex denju biex imexxi pajjiez. Iz zmien itina parir.
G.Portelli
Jul 28th 2010, 21:35
Nice one Jesmond. 5 star.
Joe Azzopardi
Jul 28th 2010, 18:13
The electoral promise of the PN was nothing but a pre-election strategic move to retain votes from the undecided voter. The economic rationale behind the income rate tax was very logical and holds even in times of economic resssion. Cut the tax rate, increase consumer spending, increase proceeds from VAT, improve economic growth and as a result of all of this increase government revenues. The debate was such that when AD argued that the tax cut should have been 30% and not 25% the Finance Minister objected by saying that a marginal tax cut would not have driven the intended results. Quite frankly I find it hideous that the PN now recall that the rate of tax is now 30% less than it was under a PL past government. The issue here is that the PN is not honouring an electoral promise which was one of the main reasons it won the last general election. This gives all other parties the right to promise and not deliver the next time round. In the name of coherence may the Finance Minister Stand Up and provide more details on when he intends to implement this electoral promise.
A. zahra
Jul 28th 2010, 18:32
The finance minister will implement his promise once the effects of the international banking crises and the resultant recession which has almost broken the back of our largest employer and exporter are no longer felt.
G. Mangion
Jul 28th 2010, 17:54
How mileading can you be dottor mangion shame on you hallina !! tell the people the truth
not making everything a political ball, people learned a lot nowadays dottore, thanks to the P.N in Gove't ( wont fall for iluusions no more ) tax are not to be cut are only tempoarly no ?
and that means, We all are to get these cuts when the time comes and you will have your part too as all !! government is is to delay tax cuts for the Best Interest Of Malta. have the mlp/ pl nerver delayed nothing in the 16 years of his Regime ?? ..................
anthony camilleri
Jul 28th 2010, 17:43
@I fenech and A Zahra
I agree with both of you. We need BOTH tax cuts and an open air theatre. So my suggestion is this. The Government must imediately take diplomatic actions to demand those who have ruined our theatre to pay for it.
It is then that we believe that we are really part of the European Union; otherwise everything is empty talk and just an illusion.
Jesmond Abela
Jul 28th 2010, 18:27
Stand to be corrected……. We received the money from those who damaged the theatre(not recently but years ago). What you have to ask is where the money gone!!!!!
I am sure that ex labour party leader can give us a descent reply.
N.Grima
Jul 28th 2010, 19:18
FYI, not only did we receive compensation as already pointed out, but the German Government offered to REBUILD the theatre, providing both MATERIAL and LABOUR!! Yet, Mintoff decided to turn down the offer because, he said, that would, somehow, in some sort of distorted fantasy, damage the Maltese worker! Why comment without knowing the facts?!
George Cremona
Jul 28th 2010, 17:40
Dr. Mangion should be reminded that his party in Government boasted of giving people a cent reduction in the price of 'tonn taz-zejt', 'kunserva', lunceon meat and so on but never a tax reduction.
The PN has been giving people throughout the years it has been in office not only tax reductions to the tune of 30% (from 65 to 35%) but also invested millions of euros to upgrade the country's infrastracture and modernise every public sector including health, energy, transport, water telecommunications and as well bringing over to Malta millions and millions of foreign investments which are leaving millions in the people's pockets through new jobs.
In short the country has been through a very big transition: from the times of TONN TAZ-ZEJT Labour's biggest feats to the present times of SMART CITY, LUFTHANSA, SPORTS VILLAGE, MATER DEI, CRUISE LINERS, and many others being in action and others in the pipe line.
This is the difference between having the Labour and the PN in government .
C Taliana
Jul 28th 2010, 19:06
I voted for something which is still not being given. If the Govt has found funds for 80M+ to build a theatre and a parliament I deserve what I was promised.
Manwel Debattista
Jul 28th 2010, 21:39
" the times of TONN TAZ-ZEJT Labour's biggest feats".
I have to quote this insulting joke by George Cremona to show how low people like him go in order to justify their warped knowledge of political history.
Go on George, give us another one of your silly jokes. We can all do with a laugh at your expense.
J.Kawash @ George Cremona
Jul 28th 2010, 22:16
With all due respect, if you don`t like reductions in food prices, no wonder you`re defending the said party. Regarding infrastructure, yeah right, pot holed roads, overlaoded and anitquated power stations and after a couple of minutes of raining, B`Kara and Misda residents have the shock of their lives thanks to overlaoded and clogged rain water pipes . Regarding investments, You suddenly forgot the dozens of factories and companies that opened up in Malta in the `70s, you seem to forget the " Ghasafar tac-comb" and the party which voted against evrything the Labour proposed.You are right about the transition though, we`ve come from an era where the Govt. would give you free land and housing and which gave wage increases and modern factories to a Country with 4 billion euros in National Debt, some 7,000 unemployed vs. 8,000 foreigners employed here, all assest sold for peanuts and huge apartment blocks that nobody is buying, Public Transport that has gone down the hill, well I think you rest ...
Brian Farrugia
Jul 28th 2010, 17:25
Topless theater from a headless Government...
...ought to be censored!
Andrew B. Gatt
Jul 28th 2010, 17:22
@ I waited for a long time ( 16 years ) for your famous electoral promise in 1971 - XOGHOL GHAL KULLHADD FI ZMIEN TLETT XHUR. Not even after inventing Korp after Korp after Korp you succeeded in 16 years. Not even after employing thousands before the 1987 election. What about that Sur Eric ?
Charles J. Buttigieg
Jul 28th 2010, 17:41
XOGHOL GHAL KULLHADD FI ZMIEN TLETT XHUR, was not a part of the MLP's 1971 electoral manifesto. Check your facts right.
a.attard
Jul 28th 2010, 18:19
@Charles Buttigieg.........
............ u veru sur Buttigieg ghax taht l-mlp bqajna bla xoghol, anzi jekk l-Università kont nistudja medicina, imponewlna nifthu t-trinek mhux pazjenti halli jkollna l-esperjenza!
N.Calleja
Jul 28th 2010, 16:45
These Labour spokesmen are simply incredible if not farsical. As if we do not still remember the days when they were in power! What did labour do to alievate the standard of living? We still remember the wage freeze they imposed. We still remember budget after another where the Finance minister never put one single coin in the people's pocket! Why doesn't Charles Mangion thank his stars that despite all the world's financial woes, here in Malta we survived a record recession where people are still enjoying their luxuries.During your days we only had 'l-issikkar ta cinturin'. Remember?
Charles J. Buttigieg
Jul 28th 2010, 17:28
How old are you? Or were you thinking about something else?
Kevin Borg
Jul 28th 2010, 18:25
Sur Buttigieg we were thinknig about the famous budget tal-Qawsalla !!! Do you remember those budgets were the minister for finance used to tell us in all solemnity that the price of a can of tuna will be reduced by 1c?
Hallina Sur Buttigieg. Every time someone mentions those days you crop up and try to doubt what we say. Do you remember the times when we used to buy a mars bar from under the counter as if you were buying something illegal? Do you remember when we couldnt buy a colour TV set?
Hallina Sur Buttigieg. To be fair we are not living in heaven but its far more better than that socialist regime we were under at the time. And please I am old enough to remember well !!!!!!.
Go on Sur Buttigieg and continue reading some socialist publication from the glorious times and leave us discussing todays politics.
Keith Goodlip
Jul 29th 2010, 09:18
Nice Paradox Mr. Borg
J Mallia
Jul 29th 2010, 09:49
@ Kevin Borg...........Yes I remember 1c reduction " fit tonn taz zejt" u ic "cikulata Mars min taht il bank"..........But I remeber the 120 ft x 23 ft plot of land which I bought for Lm 2500 and the 0.75 % interest loan from Lohombus bank...........And thanks to Mintoff ,today I live in my own house.....Halluna nejxu, dejjem thambqu fuq ic cucati u ic cikulata u it television tal kulur. !!!!
eric saliba
Jul 28th 2010, 15:23
@ a zahra. the tax cut is not something the PL wants but something that GonziPn promised the electorate. ....among other things!!!
A. Zahra
Jul 28th 2010, 15:15
"The argument that no tax cuts could be given because of the international financial crisis did not hold water since the Maltese financial institutions remained strong". A statement worthy of a financial genius. What have "the Maltese financial institutions" that is the privately owned banks, the privately owned insurance companies etc got to do with the government's finances? If he were in government would he tax the Maltese financial institutions to make good for the 50million euro represented by the tax cut the MLP now wants?
l fenech
Jul 28th 2010, 15:03
le, l-ewwel it-teatru, mbghad il-parlament, mbghad........ jekk jibqa li jibqa ghal-poplu li tellghu.