GRTU threatens protests over fuel surcharge

The Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU has threatened to launch a series of public protests unless the government reduces the water and electricity rates.

It said owners of small and medium enterprises were all reporting they could not keep up with their water and electricity bills.

The GRTU appealed to the government to stop being insensitive to problems encountered by businesses.

The government said that instead of recognising that the rising price of oil was affecting every country, the GRTU was claiming that the increases were caused by the government's bureaucratic stand.

It added that Enemalta Corporation was consistently buying oil to generate electricity at a lower price than the average on the Mediterranean market.

The increase in the price of oil on the world market has forced the government to impose a surcharge on water and electricity tariffs.

The surcharge was first imposed at a rate of 17 per cent, then increased to 55 per cent, then cut to 45 per cant and, as from March, it has been increased to 67 per cent.