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6 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2013 Labour planning new taxes to finance utility bill cuts – Fenech SHADOW finance minister Tonio Fenech has poured cold water over Labour plans to further reduce the deficit to below 3% in 2014 through measures aimed at creating economic growth. Fenech, who was speaking at a joint press conference yesterday alongside PN leader Simon Busutill and PN economy spokesperson Mario de Marco criticised the government for going against its electoral promise of countering the national deficit with economic growth. "We're seeing the opposite of what they've promised seven months since their election. They are saying one thing and doing another," Fenech said. "Instead of economic growth, [Finance Minister] Edward Scicluna is proposing new taxes and government fees of office that will amount to some €50 million. It's a phenomenal Uturn in Labour's economic and financial policy," Fenech said. "The government's credibility is questionable, to say the least. We need more transparency in such matters. After all, we expect that if promises were made, they must be kept," he said. A document submitted by the government to the European Commission suggests that Budget 2014 may include an increase in direct taxation. While income tax cuts will see €40 million less generated in revenues for the exchequer over three years, the government will announce €31.5 million in a series of new indirect taxes, and €15 million in new government fees where services will be offered against a fee. "It was Joseph Muscat who chose to push the country into an excessive deficit procedure," Fenech said of Malta's entry into the European Commission's corrective procedure for high deficits. In April 2013, finance minister Edward Scicluna corrected Fenech's own forecast in November 2012, adjusting a 1.7% deficit forecast to 2.7% due to "fiscal slippage". Scicluna says Tonio Fenech has poured cold water over Labour plans to further reduce the deficit to below 3% in 2014 he will manage to keep the deficit at 2.7% for 2013, although EC forecasts believe it will rise to 3.6%. "The government was forced to take completely different decisions... but no previous policy had sought to collect over €50 million," Fenech said. "This government promised in its electoral programme that it was going to balance out the country's deficit with economic growth. Clearly, it is saying one thing but doing something completely different." The Nationalist MP said the measures included an increase in duty on fuels, and a series of indirect taxes to be announced in the upcoming Budget. "The consolation prize is not that VAT will not Woman discharged for smashing emergency lights CHRIS MANGION RUTH Mazzitelli, 26, of Zurrieq was given a conditional discharge for one year after she was found guilty of having been an accomplice in damaging emergency street lighting four years ago. In the summer of 2009, in the early hours of 19 August, the accused, together with Alex Zahra, smashed 27 emergency lights in Triq Sant Antnin, Zabbar, and 19 lights in Triq Villabate. Mazzitelli and Zahra also stole PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUDREY LIENARD MIRIAM DALLI emergency lights from roadworks and vehicles at Cirkewwa, Rahal Gdid and Fgura. The lights were the property of Bonnici Bros Ltd. The accused was 22 years old when the incident took place. The court heard that the young woman had managed to pay for all the emergency lights by April of this year. In a previous court sitting on 9 July 2013, after hearing the evidence of prosecuting inspector Fabian Fleri and others, the accused pleaded guilty to all the charges against her. Magistrate Gabriella Vella not- YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt ed that the prosecution itself had testified that on a number of occasions, Mazzitelli had tried to stop Zahra from causing further damage. "While in the beginning the accused behaved in a silly way, eventually she realised the seriousness of her action and stopped," the court said. Magistrate Vella discharged Mazzitelli conditionally for a year. On 22 April 2013, Alex Zahra also pleaded guilty to damaging and stealing the emergency lights. Magistrate Vella stated that Zahra's actions, although serious, were more the folly of youth than criminal behaviour. Zahra, who at the time of the incident was 17 years old, was conditionally discharged for two years. be increased, but whether there will be a reduction of the tax burden. We ask what these taxes are, and who will be hit by these taxes." Fenech asked which government fees of office will be increased to bring in €15 million, when in 2013 these totaled around €19 million on their own. "Government's first decision was to reduce MEPA fees, so from where will they get this money: transport, health, education, MEPA? "Why does the government need all these taxes? Because of a financial problem – not according to the EC report. Is it to uphold the promise of reducing utility bills? If so, it's a brazen-faced joke." Collaboration with police pays off CHRIS MANGION ANTHONY Abela's collaboration with investigating officers and his admission to charges of drug possession paid off when the court only gave him a two-year suspended sentence. On 1 March 2009, Abela was apprehended by police officers in Marsascala, where he was found in possession of cannabis resin and a firearm. The 26-year-old from Tarxien was subsequently arrested and arraigned in court, where he was charged with drug possession, manufacturing a firearm and keeping and carrying the weapon without the necessary police license. On the advice of his defence counsel, Abela filed a guilty plea and, although the police had asked the court to include the charge of relapsing, the court turned down the request. The court held that the prosecution had failed to exhibit the police statement and the court judgment to confirm Abela's relapse. Magistrate Edwina Grima held that the court couldn't simply rely on police conduct in criminal cases, as it was a known fact that this is not always infallible. The court also threw out the request by the prosecuting officer that it seize the weapon found in Abela's possession. Magistrate Grima stated that the weapon was not exhibited in court, and the court had not seen any evidence in the case other than the accused's guilty plea. Despite Maltese courts being notoriously heavy-handed in drug cases, the court found Abela guilty as charged – but handed him a two-year suspended jail term. The court also ordered that the accused's licence to keep firearms be suspended for six months. Inspector Chris Pullicino prosecuted, while lawyers Michael Sciriha and Lucio Sciriha appeared for the accused.

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