Let there be light

What is going on in Malta today? How is it that in the 21st century the basic requirements for everyday living are being denied to the inhabitants of these islands?

For as long as most of us can remember, the vagaries of the water and electricity departments have meant deprivations of a more or less serious nature. It seems that, almost on a whim, the electricity is turned off for anything from half an hour to 36 hours at a stretch, with the automatic, slightly delayed, disconnection of the water supply.

This is because, if the electricity supply is disconnected at the reverse osmosis plants, the water supply is obviously automatically cut off as a result.

It seems that most areas of the islands suffer more or less from these frequent removals of the supply of electricity and water. However, some appear to be more vulnerable than others. In Sliema, for instance, the frequency of the disconnections of the water or the electricity or both is almost a fact of life.

In recent weeks, for instance, the electricity supply in the area off Tower Road near Font Ghadir has meant eight hours without electricity one day, eight hours or more without water a couple of days later, and subsequent water disconnection a couple of days later.

To add insult to injury, the adjacent area in Tower Road, between Exiles and just past Perry's, the estate agents, suffered a power cut from 5.30 p.m. on the Friday afternoon until 9.30 p.m. the following day, almost 36 hours!

What is going on? Why exactly is this happening? Surely somebody, maybe the chairman of Enemalta, for example, is the ultimate person responsible for this gross inefficiency? Somebody or some people must be held to account, and the system must surely be reorganised to prevent these breakdowns in service so frequent and so unacceptable.

The constant and seemingly inevitable disruptions in the electricity and water supplies cause huge inconvenience to residents, shops and businesses all over Malta.

In the case of shops, business and factory premises, the abrupt unscheduled disconnections of supplies of water and/or electricity (or scheduled: it really does not make matters any better to be told that morning in the newspaper that your particular area would be without these necessary supplies) are highly detrimental.

It is self-evident that workers in any office or factory are unable to operate in the dark, cold and without that essential tool - the computer.

In consequence, many organisations and small businesses are being obliged to purchase generators to ensure that some sort of basic normality at work is maintained during these power/water supply cuts. It really is a shame that the situation has become so dire that these draconian measures are necessary for businesses to ensure that they do not suffer huge financial losses because the staff are sent home since they are unable to work without electricity.

Another problem with the electricity supply in Malta concerns the fuel surcharge and the consequent increase in the price of electricity. The new prices are going to be so prohibitive that many individuals and organisations are turning to solar energy and installing photovoltaic panels on their rooftops.

It appears the Government is all in favour of these energy-saving solutions and even offers cash incentives to those wishing to install them. Apparently, therefore, one would think that the government is keen to lose customers. In fact, the strategy seems to indicate that this is their objective simply because this would, in turn, reduce the cost of providing electricity as less oil needs to be purchased.

Now that Malta is part of the European Union, is it not the case that funds could become available to assist the poorer nations struggling against the odds to maintain what other EU countries value as the norm? Would it not be possible for Malta to obtain sufficient funds to alter the electricity supply system so that it emulates that, for instance, the UK, where to the best of my knowledge, no maintenance carried out necessitates any power cuts?

Furthermore, contractors cutting cables or any of the other excuses supplied by the Enemalta employees who have to answer hundreds of irate telephone calls about the disruption of service, simply do not feature in countries like England.

So, can Malta become a real member of the EU, in that the most essential commodity of water and electricity is supplied uninterruptedly to all inhabitants of the islands? Please, Enemalta, listen to the cries of the people and act accordingly!