Nationalist MP Herman Schiavone has called for the time period when COVID-19 vouchers can be spent to be extended from September until the end of the year in light of the recent surge of active cases.

“We must extend the validity of the vouchers so that the population doesn’t rush to use them and so that social distancing in these establishments is easier to enforce and maintain,” he explained.

Schiavone was the first to propose the idea of vouchers in Malta in late March. The vouchers aim to incentive the public to spend money at businesses badly hit by lockdown measures once they reopened.

While he proposed vouchers of €50, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri later announced a scheme with €100 euros for all residents of Malta and Gozo, €80 of which could be spent at restaurants, bars and hotels and the remaining €20 at retail or service outlets that were forced to close by legal notice.

But as active cases rise to triple figures, extending the time period in which the vouchers can be spent may prevent a rush to spend them in the coming month.

What do you think of his proposal?