Budget 2022: Caruana promises 'substantial increase' in electric vehicle grants

There will be a “substantial increase” in government grants for the purchasing of electric vehicles in the Budget 2022, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said on Friday.

“We need to change the formula, we have to change the way we think,” he said.

Minister Caruana was speaking during a pre-budget consultation meeting themed ‘X’Pajjiż Tixtieq Tħalli lil uliedek?’ in Gozo.

“Now that quality of life has increased, people are noticing that open spaces and the environment around them are threatened,” he said. “The solution is to invest in people.”

He said government will be prioritizing education, allowing people to have more opportunities in their lives.

“The more people are educated, the more opportunities they have and the more income they receive. If we increase people’s potential, the country will change,” he said.

Caruana said the way the economy is structured in the country must evolve.

“Back in the day we used to base our economy on manufacturing, nowadays we are more focused on services,” he said. “If we improve people’s skills, Malta’s economic activity will follow suit.”

He said the Labour government’s credentials in the job’s sector are recognized by the majority of people, and so it must now strive to improve its credibility on the environment.

“The environment is how we commute, how we dispose of waste and how we live our day-to-day lives,” Caruana said.

He said the government is committed in investing in people.

“Gozo and Malta are not the landscape they have, but the people who live there,” he said.

He insisted that ensuring the country’s finances remain resilient is crucial for change to be carried out.

The three Gozitan ministers - Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, Education Minister Justyne Caruana and Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo – were also present during the event