Read this Facebook post by Clyde Caruana, a slightly more explicit version of his Ministry’s earlier statement about the Ċaqnu tax discount story.
Clyde Caruana’s statement shows that he appreciates he’ll find it difficult to convince anyone to pay tax on time if he’s giving sweet deals to spectacular tax dodgers.
If that’s true, “categorical” denials completely shorn of facts don’t cut it.
He should direct the tax department to hand over the papers to the National Audit Office giving an account of what iċ-Ċaqnu owes and how he’s repaying it. And then we can all be satisfied Clyde Caruana is committed to fiscal morality and that no exceptions are being made.
This is about €40 million. And it’s about someone who held back on paying them for decades. There’s no privacy involved here. This guy held back money owed to each and every one of us. Being transparent now is only the beginning of reparation.
And let’s not go down the road of the sophistry that discounts were granted on late payment fees and interest due, rather than on the tax as it was owed when it was due. Late payment fees and interest accrued on taxes are taxes. If they weren’t, even implicitly, we’d all have the option to pay our tax when we felt like it rather than when it is due.
So let’s cut the drama, Minister Caruana, please. Open the files. And let’s see if what you’re saying has any relationship with the truth.
We’d all feel better if it turns out it does.