Economy Minister Silvio Schembri has played down a proposal by the Nationalist Party for the government to give everyone in Malta vouchers specifically to purchase masks, hand sanitiser and other tools to contain the spread of COVID-19.

“I see the Opposition’s proposals being dictated by what is being discussed on Facebook; they see something gaining traction on Facebook and decide to propose it,” Schembri told Lovin Malta. “I don’t think this is how serious politics is carried out.”

PN leader Bernard Grech recently urged the government to issue a round of vouchers specifically for masks, hand sanitiser and other tools intended to combat COVID-19.

“Not only will this ease the burden on these expenses but it will ensure that no one has a problem following the rules,” Grech argued.

However, Schembri said he couldn’t analyse this proposal much because it wasn’t costed or well-studied, contrasting it with proposals presented by social partners.

“[Social partners] presented costed and well-studied proposals but the Opposition is proposing everything for everyone without studying them,” he said.

Malta issued a round of €100 vouchers this year to encourage people to visit establishments which had been forced to close down during the first COVID-19 wave. Another round of vouchers is set to be launched next year.

What do you make of the PN’s voucher proposal?