FOI Director General Edwin Calleja led a delegation of trenching contractors involved in Enemalta trenching contracts, at a meeting with Ing. Ronald Vella, head of Electricity, Ing. Charles Grixti, in charge of electricity distribution, and the Enemalta financial controller, on August 10.

The meeting aimed mainly to discuss the trenching contracts commissioned by Enemalta in the Valletta area. However, the FOI delegation also took the opportunity to discuss the required revision of the current standard Enemalta contract for trenching works.

In this context, the FOI members present brought to the attention of the Enemalta officials the new costs burdening these contractors in the performance of their trenching services. These included the costs arising due to the forthcoming introduction of eco-taxes; building waste dumping fees; price increase in fuels; and the tarmac price increase as a result of the price increase of oil.

The following day, Mr Calleja led another delegation of trenching contractors to a meeting with Ing. Anthony Rizzo, chief executive, Water Services Corporation (WSC), and WSC manager Distribution Works, Ing. Stephen Galea St John.

At the meeting the FOI delegation also discussed the revision of standard rates of excavation works for contracts commissioned by the WSC. Reference was also made to the new costs affecting the trenching contractors.

Following this meeting, which was attended by FOI members Tony Guiga and Arch. Anton Schembri, a working group from among the respective sector group, was appointed to assess the standard contract rates.