MLP leader calls on government to back off on new higher utility rates

Labour leader Joseph Muscat yesterday told the government to "back off" on the new water and electricity tariffs, which, he said, were a "big shock" to society and were breaking the country, the economy and families.

Otherwise, he continued, the MLP was ready to heed the call of the constituted bodies and the Maltese to lead them in the fight against these tariffs.

The government last Wednesday proposed hefty tariffs to replace the surcharge, a move Dr Muscat said was showing up its two political faces.

Dr Muscat, who was speaking at the Għaxaq party club in his first address since he was sworn in as Leader of the Opposition on Wednesday, said an unprecedented situation had developed whereby all the constituted bodies were opposed to the new tariffs and a new "social coalition" was being created.

He said the MLP would not just criticise but would also show the way forward.

Dr Muscat recalled that, a year ago, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said in the 2007 Budget Speech that if the tariffs were increased, as had been done (by a Labour government) in the budget 10 years before, the surcharge could be removed but that would be taking the Maltese for a ride. Dr Gonzi had also said, Dr Muscat added, that a strong leadership required the adoption of another approach.

The Opposition Leader said the irony was that other governments facing the same situation were digging into their pockets while, in Malta, the government was causing a crisis itself.

With regard to claims that Enemalta workers' wages could not be met if the tariffs were not increased, Dr Muscat questioned who had been responsible for the corporation over the past 20 years.

He accused the government of being a "thief, taking more from the people to subsidise its failure".

Dr Muscat also referred to the case of "political and commercial espionage" that had unfolded in the country, whereby computer systems at Mitts were hacked. Initially, the minister responsible had not wanted to comment because of investigations and then had prejudiced them by passing the accusations off as lies in an attempt to get those implicated off the hook.

Dr Muscat was still waiting for the government's reactions on allegations that former Labour leader Alfred Sant, Labour MP George Vella and MLP deputy leader Anġlu Farrugia had been "spied" on, stressing on the need to clear a situation that could undermine the country's parliamentary democracy.

He said that the MPs who had been spied on had to be informed instantly and told exactly when their e-mail was hacked and what type of information was taken.

Addressing the same meeting, the MLP spokesman for home affairs and security, Michael Falzon, focused on the burden of illegal immigration on the country.

If Malta's situation were applied to France, the latter would be receiving about 500,000 illegal immigrants a year, he said. "If that were the case, would France fight the situation? So what is holding Dr Gonzi back from fighting for his country?"

Dr Falzon stressed that the MLP was not racist or xenophobic, but that it was aware of the difficulties the phenomenon brought about, that these circumstances had to be addressed and that this was the time to defend the country's interests.

Pledging total support to the government on the issue, he denied that the MLP was against burden sharing but insisted that it would not be confined to paper.