Joseph Muscat’s VAT proposal that never was

Lou Bondì should have realised by now you cannot fool all or even some of the people all the time despite the privilege of having a prime time programme on state television.

In his latest letter (November 9) he quotes Joseph Muscat as having once said that “Now that the EU has given us the chance, the 18 per cent VAT rate should be reduced”, citing it as paltry evidence of a supposedly Labour “proposal” for a decrease in the general VAT rate.

Had Mr Bondì done his own research he might, had he had the inclination, have found out that Dr Muscat was referring to his proposal to reduce VAT on restaurant services. A proposal he made after the EU gave member states a time-window opportunity to reduce VAT on particular services. Further proof that Mr Bondì, or whoever drafted the list, is simply wrong is that member states do not need any EU consent to decrease the general VAT rate to a minimum of 15 per cent.

Thus, it is obvious that Dr Muscat was referring to his proposal on restaurant services. This gaffe alone strikes €52 million off Mr Bondì’s calculations (or whoever drafted them). The fact the Prime Minister endorsed these wrong calculations and even indicated his office might have come up with them leaves little else to be said.

No wonder the government is in such a mess. Shame on the state broadcaster, funded out of all the taxpayers’ money, to allow such a shallow propaganda exercise.