Edward Scicluna’s fellow Cabinet members followed his Budget speech. But they may have been more interested in the estimates to know how the money was allocated.

A Christmas event in Vatican City will cost taxpayers €300,000 next year… and this is not a mistake.

The Budget estimates released online – because the printed version was not yet available – included a line item under the Justice and Culture Ministry for this unspecified event at the Holy See. It is one of several other new initiatives for which provisions were made in the estimates.

But trawling through the maze of numbers throws up a mixed bag of contrasts. At the same time that €300,000 will be spent for the Christmas event, the Finance Minister has allocated €1,000 to a new fund to compensate victims of crime.

The geophysical feasibility study on the Malta-Gozo tunnel is expected to cost €1.1 million, while €500,000 will be spent to upgrade the Argotti gardens in Floriana.

Roadworks related to the Commonwealth summit next month will tot up to €2.8 million, but these will be financed from next year’s Budget.

Transport Malta also received a boost of €3 million on top of a €10 million budget for road construction and upgrading.

Tourism seems to have pulled enough strings to ensure an increase of€12m for funding MTA

And while Prof. Scicluna would have had to balance the competing demands of the other 14 ministers, tourism seems to have pulled enough strings to ensure an increase of €12 million for funding the Malta Tourism Authority. The MTA will have a budget of €40.5 million next year.

Local councils were not as successful in attracting more cash for their coffers. The 69 councils will have to share €33 million between them, an increase of €1 million over this year’s Budget.

The Ta’ Qali pitkali centre, often the seat of controversy over lost vegetable crates, will see its budget increase by a whopping €1.5 million over this year’s allocation of €100,000. The main driver here will be the introduction of crates with tracking chips so as not to lose sight of them.

It will be greener pastures for the management of protected areas, with the Budget allocation increasing by €225,000 to €325,000.

Malta will also be more generous next year with other countries. Its commitment to overseas development aid will increase by €300,000 and reach €800,000.

But the Budget gave mixed messages on the government’s intention to encourage young entrepreneurs to make the leap into the competitive world of business. A seed capital fund administered by the University of Malta will see its funding cut by a third to €100,000, but a new crowd funding platform will receive €25,000.

The Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, which expressed disappointment at the lack of measures to combat tax evasion – the union had proposed the creation of a special tax police unit – will likely be unhappy because funding for an anti-tax evasion campaign remained static at €100,000.

And while the bus company is still in discussions with the General Workers’ Union over worker conditions linked to planned routes and frequencies, the operator will expect to receive a subsidy of €29 million next year, an increase of €6 million.

A general overview of the Budget shows that most of the individual allocations in 2016 will remain unchanged as the Finance Minister targets an ambitious deficit of 1.1 per cent.

Up
• Management of protected areas: €325,000 (+€225,000)
• Solid waste management strategy: €15.5 million (+€3m)
• Climate change: €150,000 (+€100,000)
• Ta’ Qali pitkali centre: €1.6 million (+€1.5m)
• Public transport subsidy: €29 million (+€6 million)
• Malta-Gozo transportation subsidy: €1 million (+€600,000)
• Road construction/upgrade: €13 million (+€3 million)
• Road works linked to EU funds: €4 million (+€2.2 million)
• Malta Tourism Authority: €40.5 million (+€12 million)
• Allocation to local councils: €33 million (+€1 million)
• Overseas development aid: €800,000 (+€300,000)

Down
• Maritime transport subsidy: €400,000 (-€600,000)
• Seed capital fund: €100,000 (-€50,000)
• Gozo airstrip feasibility study: €35,000 (-€65,000)

Same
• Anti-tax evasion awareness campaign: €100,000
• Grant to Red Cross Society: €40,000
• Gozitan workers subsidy: €210,000

New
• Waste separation organic bag: €500,000
• Farm waste strategy: €400,000
• Road works related to CHOGM: €2.8 million
• Malta-Gozo tunnel feasibility study: €1.1 million
• Deep water quay: €4.8 million
• Upgrade Argotti gardens: €500,000
• Christmas event in Vatican City: €300,000
• Compensation to victims of crime: €1,000
• Academy for disciplined forces: €487,000
• Crowd funding platform: €25,000

kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com