Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1080741
SUNDAY • 10 FEBRUARY 2019 • ISSUE 1005 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY YOUR FIRST READ AND CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT SUNDAY • 10 FEBRUARY 2019 • ISSUE 1005 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday Sell or let your property online for FREE €1.95 Cannabis How many Maltese have smoked cannabis? MaltaToday's survey reveals the real culture of permissiveness ahead of cannabis reform PGS 10-11 mt survey Gozo tunnel toll income will not cover investment PENSION POT Foreign workers paying over €100 million in social security JAMES DEBONO FOREIGNERS working in Malta accounted for one-sixth of social security contributions paid by workers and the self-employed in 2017. This emerges from official data of actual monies collected by the Commissioner of Inland Rev- enue which was provided to Mal- taToday by the Ministry for the Family and Social Policy. The data shows that the amount of social security contributions paid by foreigners increased by a whopping €23 million from €79 million in 2016 to €102 million in 2017. This represents a 29% increase in revenue from social security contributions in a single year. While the number of Maltese contributors only increased by 2,926 between 2016 and 2017, the number of foreign contributors has shot up by 10,382 in the same timeframe – three times as much. timeframe – three PAGE 6 SAVIOUR BALZAN THE Maltese government is considering stepping in and contributing millions in tax- payers' cash to make up for the projected shortfall in toll fare revenues for the Gozo tunnel. MaltaToday has been told that the private investment for the tunnel – a project which the Labour administration in- tends steaming ahead with de- spite the irreversible environ- mental toll it will bring – could hit the €300 million mark. But financial experts have told the government that the volumes necessary to finance the toll income for the tunnel would not be substantial to recoup the investment. Instead, the private investor can be expected to rake in in- significant revenues from toll charges that commuters will have to pay to cross from Mal- ta to Gozo. Financial projections pre- sented to ministers have shown that the toll charge will never come near to cover ini- tial costs, the constant main- tenance and operating costs necessary, or leave any profit to the massive investment. Based on preliminary fi- nancials, the government has considered stepping in to sub- sidise the toll revenues – a contribution that would run into the millions – effectively showing the tunnel to be im- possible without government assistance. Final plans for the proposed underground and underwater tunnel to Gozo will be un- veiled soon to coincide with the European parliamentary elections, precisely to entice Gozitan voters to embrace Jo- seph Muscat's campaign. Surveys published last Sun- day in MaltaToday already indicate that the PN is suffer- ing from lack of leadership in Gozo and the PL enjoys wide- spread support in what was traditionally a PN stronghold. In a recent interview on TimesTalk, the former Labour MP Franco Mercieca – who is chairing a steering committee on the tunnel project – stated that he believed that the de- bate on whether Gozo and Malta should be connected by a tunnel was no longer neces- sary, and that the government is now at implementation stage. The former MP said the con- ceptual design of the tunnel and plans for the approach roads will be published soon. "I can't understand why the debate on the tunnel is hap- pening now because this reached a climax 10 years ago and the decision has now been taken. We are at implementa- tion stage." Mercieca said those oppos- ing the project have suddenly realised that it is being imple- mented, insisting that sup- port for the project was wide- spread. A MaltaToday survey last November found there was overwhelming support for the tunnel project across Malta and Gozo. The tunnel project is a com- mitment included in the La- bour Party's electoral mani- festo of 2017. The project also enjoys the backing of the Na- tionalist Party. Government to step in with millions to entice private investors for tunnel mega project PAGE 7 OUT WITH MALTATODAY