The Gozo Business Chamber sees the Budget as a positive one continuing in the right direction of creating incentives for people to work.

In a statement it said that the further reduction in top tax rates, as planned last year, the incentives for first time property buyers, apprenticeship schemes, incentives for more women and the unemployed to seek employment, free child care centres and extension of the tax bands for part-timers were all steps in the right direction.

It was also positive to note that the pension’s problem was to start being tackled with the introduction of third pillar pensions which will have tax incentives attached.

More funds were allocated to the Gozo Ministry and there were going to be special incentives by Malta Enterprise for Gozo. The continuation of the studies on the airstrip and the permanent link between the two islands were also welcomed by the GBC.

The need to get the country out of the Excessive Deficit Procedure was a top priority and hopefully Government’s target of a deficit of 2.1 per cent by the end of next year is welcomed, the chamber said.