'PN deceptive over utility tariffs'

Labour yesterday accused the Nationalist Party of deception by releasing statements as a party urging the government to strengthen competitiveness among small- and medium-sized businesses but then imposing prohibitive utility tariffs as a government.

Gavin Gulia, Labour spokesman for the economy, accused the government of trying to ride roughshod over everyone with its proposed tariffs structure, which would fuel a drop in consumption in Malta and hit the self-employed particularly hard.

He said the government's proposal to replace the surcharge with a tariff regime for electricity and water services would have a negative impact on the country's production sector but also on retail and wholesale businesses.

Labour said it was expecting prices on products and services provided by the self-employed to increase in order to meet the rising costs of production and services. At the same time, consumers would find themselves with less spending money, as utility bills increased.