Malta has now been within the euro group since the beginning of 2008; three and a half years. One would have thought that there has been ample time for the government to assimilate legislation and other aspects within the new currency.

For example, the Small Claims Tribunals had been limited to Lm1,500, which was translated to €3,494.06. Why maintain this nonsensical fragmentation? Why not round up to €3,500 or, better still, increase the limit in line with inflation; the euro must never be blamed for reasonable increases. Another example is the VAT receipts lottery, still tied to decimal points. Even traffic fines and other penalties are calculated on the basis of the old Maltese lira. Many aspects of legislation are pegged without revision or rounding up.

A complete overhaul is certainly now due. After all, many of these amendments require a simple legal notice. In any case, such a review should be held at least every decade to take into consideration the inflation factor. A fine of Lm10 might have meant something a few years ago – today I doubt if a young boy would accept this meagre sum as pocket money! Can the Minister of Finance and the Minister for Justice issue some form of declaration if, when and how Malta will forget the past and wake up to the reality that the official currency is now the euro?