Letters | Sunday, 18 April 2010

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Valuation of property

Recently local newspapers carried the news that government architects will be given checklists as a guide to establish the valuation of property that had been sold, donated or changed hands through other transfers of ownership.
It has also been said that this is being done because the Auditor General had been moaning and complaining about the valuation these architects are giving to the department. This is what was reported, but I am not sure that it was the Auditor General, or the Minister who is hiding behind him. It is in fashion nowadays.
Whoever it was, I fully agree that the abuses should be eradicated. But I ask, do the government and Auditor General think that by introducing this method they will stop abuses? It will succeed with the small fish, but the big ones will remain swimming in the big ocean.
Besides this measure will commit the department to go back to the time of ‘Tax Officio’. They, too, had a list in the drawers at the Inland Revenue Department: where, after checking the list, he/she would tell you how much you should have declared. Do we have to go back to that time?
If the Minister wants to re-introduce again this ‘Tax Officio’, sorry, this is 2010. The progressive word ‘Checklists’ is all right in my opinion; but he should make the lists public, so whoever wants to buy or sell any property, will know how much the government share will be.

Joseph Muscat,
Mosta

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