Satellite dish fee refunds amount to Lm300,000

People who have paid their satellite dish licences are to receive refunds from the Competitiveness and Communications Ministry totalling about Lm300,000.

The decision to lift the Lm25 annual licence fee on satellite dishes was taken during a Cabinet meeting on September 5, to come in line with other EU countries.

The first batch of refunds is expected to be mailed next week to people who paid the annual licence after May 1. These will be full refunds of Lm25, amounting to a total of Lm125,000.

The Cabinet had decided that people who paid a licence which had expired before last May 1 should be granted a pro rata refund, a ministry spokesman said. These refunds will amount to Lm180,000.

The spokesman said that the money to be refunded was currently being calculated and the refunds would be issued soon.

Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea said the refunds demonstrated "the government's commitment to ensure that through its decisions the interests of the consumers are safeguarded".