From Mr F. Galea

The ink that sanctioned the passage through Parliament of the infamous Public Holidays amendment had barely dried that the government, through Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech, pulled another rabbit out of the hat, metaphorically speaking of course!

This time around it was announced that the government will waive Lm5 million in VAT penalties due by those who collected Lm21 million in tax but failed to pass it on to the government, if only they finally decide to pay their dues. Mind you not by end March or April, but by end June – not to rush them unduly no doubt!

This is a sheer obscenity!

This government is coldly resolute when it comes to collect the last tax lira from employees from their wages and other fringe benefits, even estimated perks, through the Final Settlement Tax. And this before the employee even receives his pay cheque!

And yet, when it comes to individuals or entities who hold VAT takings paid by consumers and fail to pass it on to government, all that the government does is to reverentially plead with them to be so kind as to oblige! What is actually expected by any law-abiding citizen is for the government to do its duty and proceed with legal action and criminal court proceedings for tax evasion!

Shame on the government for failing to take timely measures and allows the situation to reach crisis proportions in the first place!

But then, it is today clear to many, that this government is strong with the weak and weak with the strong. Or to put it in another way, it unashamedly uses the carrot with tax dodgers and the stick with the citizens who, for some reason or other, fail to pay the last tax lira.

This proves, if proof was ever needed, that in this country of ours something is fundamentally wrong. No wonder there is a wide perception that this government has gone down the tubes.

Felix Galea

FGURA