A positive and feasible budget former finance ministers say

Lino Spiteri dismisses that the 2014 budget is ‘too good to be true’ and emphasises that all measures are doable.

Former Finance ministers Lino Spiteri and John Dalli
Former Finance ministers Lino Spiteri and John Dalli

Former finance minister Lino Spiteri, who served under various Labour administrations led by Mintoff, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici and Alfred Sant described the 2014 Budget as positive.

"I consider this to be a positive budget containing a large number or micro measures, which taken together will offer a substantial positive impact. In other words, they should stimulate employment and growth."

Asked by Sunday newspaper Illum whether this budget was too good to be true, Spiteri said "this is not true, since all the measures are feasible. These are 'can do, will do' measures."

Lino Spiteri said that he was pleasantly surprised by the measure to remove stamp duty on property inherited by disabled persons. However, he went further and said that "I hope that the next budget will give priority to the construction of homes for the disabled."

John Dalli, a former PN leadership contender and long time finance minister said that this was a wide ranging budget. "It comprises several concrete measures as regards to incentives that will entice individuals who want to enter employment and even start a new job."

"Naturally, the social measures in this budget are very positive. The reduction in energy tariffs is also very positive. This is not merely a reduction in the electricity bills, but it will generate a multiplier effect. The fact that people will have more money in their pockets, will encouraged them to consume and invest. This will generate growth," Dalli said.

Read the full article in today's edition of Illum.

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when you have the endorsment of two giants in the maltese financial political history from all sides of the political spectrum....what can one really say....great job profs scicluna ....great stuff mr prime minister
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Guzep, I would like to put a question to you. Can you explain the difference between €650,000 and a promise of investment? Aren't they both a price to pay? You may say that the amount is low, but then we'd just be haggling over the price. That would be like a prostitute refusing to provide her services at one price, but accepting to do so if paid more. Principles do not have a price.
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I would like to put the question to Mr Lino Spiteri and exMep John Dalli how they feel personally and outside the party line about the sale of our passport, our nationality, our livelihood for thirty pieces of silver to anybody who can afford the price? You are Proud Maltese Citizens as we all are but I want you to answer honestly as proud Maltese Born Citizens. How do you feel about somebody stealing your identity and selling it for 650,000 to any rogue across the globe that can afford to come up with 650,000 thousand euros, one third of which will go to Henley and Pardners? To me and I think to most Maltese Born citizens it is like a drug addict who commits a crime so he can feed his drug habit. What say you? (Lino sorry I do not comment to your opinion on the TOM anymore, but I have been silenced by the Management or by the incompetent webmaster).