Petrol prices fuel complaints

The rise in the price of fuel will push up the cost of living for families and the costs for industry, the Labour Party said yesterday.

The MLP noted that the price of diesel had jumped by 33 per cent in the past one-and-a-half years. Diesel now sells for 29c a litre.

The price of unleaded petrol rose on Monday to 36.3c from 35.6c per litre and the price of LPG to 39.3c from 38.6c. Kerosene now sells at 13.4c a litre as against 13.2c.

"These hikes will not help much in the search for new job opportunities. These increases result from the government's stubbornness not to resort to a hedging agreement on fuel prices.

"These increases could lead the government to raise the cost of water and electricity," the MLP said.

Writing in the same vein, the Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, the GRTU, said cargo haulers, owners of passenger coaches, bowsers, quarries and operators in the construction industry would feel the pinch of this additional cost.

It complained that the price of diesel had shot up over the past three years.

It called on the government to take up its suggestion to reduce the tax on fuel and recoup the tax when there was a dip in price.

The Investment Ministry said later the price of fuel was linked to international prices. The subsidy on diesel, it added, was being phased out by the end of this year.