Labour presents parliamentary motion to revoke recent MEPA tariffs

The motion was presented early this afternoon to Clerk of the House Pauline Abela by Labour’s main spokesperson for Planning and Housing Roderick Galdes accompanied by Labour Parliamentary Group whip Joe Mizzi.

“The Government has found it easy to forgive thousands of euros to developers who have dirtied the environment and violated conditions during the past year but at the same time, it did not find it difficult to put this tax burden on Maltese and Gozitan families,” the Galdes motion insisted.

“Hence in view of this, the Parliament should revoke, delete and annul Legal Notice 356 of 2010,” the PL motion insisted.

At the same time, the Galdes motion called on the Government “to consult all stakeholders, prepare the necessary studies about the impact of these tariffs and introduce tariffs that are economically, environmentally and socially just”.

The Galdes motion explained how while there was an agreement on protection from overdevelopment, the new MEPA tariffs were “simply a new and disproportionate tax aimed only for the Government to collect more tax, for which families, young couples, workers and the middle class”.

The PL motion insisted that the argument that these tariffs would only hit developers was “not credible, and the expenses finally are going to be passed on and affect families”.

It noted that while before the March 2008 general election, the Government was speaking about social conscience and the need for subsidies, “now it has completely changed its tack”.

Moreover, the Galdes motion highlighted the fact that this was “not the right time to continue slapping more burdens on families, enterprises and the economy”.

The motion also insisted that the Government had introduced these tariffs “without any consultation with the major stakeholders while the excessive rates had never been mentioned in the MEPA reform”.

“The new tariffs are in their majority excessive, and mostly socially unjust and are going to put new burdens on Maltese and Gozitan families, including those who are going to buy or alter their first residence,” the Galdes motion added.

The PL motion also highlighted that the new MEPA tariffs would affect “families with medium and low income who need to make alterations in their residences”.

The motion also charged that the new tariffs “are not going really to compensate for the protection of the environment but for the protection of the environment but is being imposed like any other tax”.

Finally, the Galdes motion highlighted the fact that the MEPA management “has for financial deficit every year as a result of inefficiencies, excessive bureaucracy and lack of planning”.