Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/573382
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2015 News 9 OVER 900 have signed a peti- tion posted on Change.org by the Malta Automobile Club to reduce vehicle taxation. "This number of people is much larger than any pre-budget consul- tation meeting promoted by the authorities, and this request may not be ignored by the finance and transport ministers," Alfred Farru- gia, the survey's promoter, said. Vehicle taxation in Malta as a percentage of total taxation is the highest in the European Union, as documented by the European Commission and Eurostat. "Both vehicle registration tax and the annual circulation tax are exorbitantly high in some cases. The policy on the annual circula- tion tax is flawed. There are cars that pay an annual circulation tax of €680 – which keeps increasing every year – or more based on the CO2 emissions," Farrugia said of the annual licence tax that is based on car size, its age and carbon emissions. "What this policy does not take into account is the number of miles such a car is driven during the year. Smaller cars with lower emissions might be driven much more than the larger car, so the latter produces less pollution than the smaller car. Incidentally, the annual circulation tax of a larger car in Malta, which increases eve- ry year, is 12 times as much as the same car used to pay in the United States. The annual circulation tax in the US was $128 every two years, not €680 every year and ris- ing," Farrugia said. Farrugia also complained that only a small proportion of vehi- cle taxation was being invested in road construction and improve- ments. "This year, the government has estimated a revenue of €104.2 million from vehicle taxation, but it has allocated only €11.8 mil- lion for road construction and improvements, apart from other EU funds. So what has the govern- ment done with the other €92 mil- lion collected?" Kalanka should be restored to natural state – Din l-Art Helwa JAMES DEBONO A proposal to rebuild and extend an existing derelict structure in the Kalanka bay in Delimara has been given the thumbs-down by envi- ronmental NGO Din l-Art Helwa, which dismissed the claim that by rebuilding the "eyesore" the envi- ronment would be embellished. Din l-Art Helwa executive presi- dent Maria Grazia Cassar insisted that it would be better to com- pletely remove the ruins of the structure, which is now being ear- marked for the construction of a small hotel. "This is not a historical building, and the need to allow development on the foreshore for the benefit of tourism is long past," she said. Cassar accepts that the Kalanka area, as well as Peter's Pool nearby, could be made more accessible, and a minimum of services can be provided in an unobtrusive way. "But this certainly does not justify the construction of a new, larger hotel with swimming pool and other amenities as well." She described the area as one of high ecological importance, and a popular swimming spot where the natural beauty of the landscape can be enjoyed. "This should not be marred by any intrusion, especially of a permanent nature, and one that would require the installation of additional services and the es- tablishment of new access roads." Popular TV host John Bundy has expressed a completely different opinion on the proposed develop- ment. Writing on his Facebook page, Bundy congratulated developer Kenneth Abela for coming up to "take responsibility" to give the site the appearance it deserves. He described the derelict building as a "rubbish dump", adding that be- cause he loved the environment he is in favour of rebuilding the hotel. The 17-room hotel is being pro- posed by Kenneth Abela, the sole shareholder of Delimara Bay Hotel Ltd, who filed the application. The company was registered under an- other name in May 2013 and had its name changed in February 2015. The application foresees an in- crease in the height and mass of the derelict structure as well as land- scaping an area around the hotel. The 17-room hotel will be built over a basement, ground and first floor, using rubble masonry for a rustic look. A landscaping plan foresees the use of wooden decking around a pool, grass blocks and an afforested area around the hotel. The developer said the proposal includes "environmentally friendly measures". Although the site remained abandoned, an application for the "reinstatement" of the existing res- taurant was approved in 1994 on condition that public access to the adjacent pathways was not blocked, and no structures whatsoever are allowed higher than the existing building. The application was sub- sequently renewed a number of times despite the area being sched- uled in 1996. The proposed extension is over and above the small extension foreseen in the 2001 outline permit to its former owner, Oliver Cachia, which was renewed in 2010. Abela told MaltaToday that the project is "environmentally friend- ly" and that it will simply involve the re-opening of a hotel, using the same footprint of the existing building. He said the hotel would be energy efficient and would have a "near zero carbon footprint". A survey of endemic plants, which will be re- tained, is also being carried out. He also insists that an outline permit already exists to raise the height of part of the hotel. "What we will be doing is increasing the height of the existing building, to that established in the permit is- sued in 2001." Kenneth Abela, who claims sole ownership of the land in ques- tion, is also a director in Aiken Ltd, whose billboards stayed put on Maltese roads after being used by the Malta Labour Party in the 2013 general election and which were subsequently used for other political, information and charity campaigns. Over 900 sign petition demanding lower car tax THE Malta Police Association has urged the government to boost its investment in the police force, as a recent stabbing attack in Paceville has raised questions over the short- age of police presence in Malta's nightlife district. In a statement, the MPA ex- pressed their solidarity with the victims of Saturday's attack and with a policeman who was run over in a chase in Marsa earlier this week. "Such incidents prove the ur- gency for strong investment in the police force, to ensure that it has all means at its disposal to fulfill its functions and defend citizens of good will." The MPA also urged Malta's ju- diciary to come down more harshly on people found guilty of injuring police officers while on duty. "Some court sentences don't re- flect the gravity of crimes against police officers," the association claimed. "The judiciary should consistently dish out harsh sen- tences in this regard so as to more adequately protect police officers." Environmental taxes as a % of total taxation % of Total Tax Revenue 2012 (millions) Malta 3.8 €87m Ireland 3.1 €1,474m Denmark 3 €3,527m Netherlands 2.8 €6,638m Norway 2.7 €436m Croatia 2.2 €349m Cyprus 2.2 €139m Finland 2.1 €1,780m Greece 2 €1,317m Austria 1.8 €2,408m Police: We need more cops in Paceville The derelict Delimara Hotel is being earmarked for redevelopment. Should it be removed altogether? Paceville, nightclubbing hub