Proposed utility bills would increase rates by €5 to €9 per family per week - Joseph Muscat
Dr Muscat meeting people before his address in Balzan this morning. Photo: Joe Camenzuli
The government’s proposed new water and electricity tariffs would increase bills by €5 to €9 per family per week, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said yesterday adding that the party would be presenting its workings of the new tariffs tomorrow.
Speaking in Balzan this morning, Dr Muscat also insisted on an inquiry into the MITTS “scandal” now that the government had now confirmed that someone hacked the MITTS system and stole the personal details of more than 20,000 people.
These people included members of parliament and the judiciary. The scandal was even bigger considering that two weeks had gone before the problem was acknowledged. And there was no guarantee yet that these details were not used to spy of those whose details were stolen.
An inquiry was necessary, Dr Muscat insisted, saying he still did not know why the Maltese police did not want the help of American experts in investigations at the Cairo embassy.
He pointed out that according to experts this attack was carried out by a free downloadable software programme and was the work of an amateur. What would have happened had it been by a professional?
The minister, Dr Muscat said, irresponsibly did not accept the resignation of the members of the MITTS board. For this, he was personally responsible to all that had taken place and could take place.
The opposition was also holding the minister responsible for his declaration that the opposition intended to hinder police investigations.
“We want an inquiry about all that has taken place in MITTS, not just in September but also in the past, especially since the minister could not guarantee that personal details were not hacked and entered into in the past,” Dr Muscat said.
On water and electricity, the Labour leader said that it was ironic that when, according to the government, the economy was doing very well, the government did not want to put an 83 per cent surcharge on bills saying this was something the economy could not take, and, in the name of social conscience, reduced this surcharge by half.
Following the March election, the surcharge was pushed to 95 per cent but the worst was yet to come. For if one were to translate the government’s proposals for new water and electricity tariffs into a surcharge, they would work out to 245 per cent.
Now, Dr Muscat said, was the time to be courageous and stimulate the economy - putting money in people’s rather in the government’s pockets. This was Labour’s vision which separated it from the PN government.
At the beginning of the meeting a minute of silence was observed in remembrance of the late MP Karl Chircop whose funeral was held yesterday.
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l borg
Oct 20th 2008, 06:29
THAT IS NOTHING WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT SMOKE THAT AMOUNT IN A DAY OR GAMBLE MUCH MORE
THERE IS A SOLUTION
DISCONNECT THE ELETRIC SUPPLY AND PAY NOTHING
Luigi Bisazza
Oct 19th 2008, 21:59
Common sense tall us to give everyone a chance...
J Muscat is still new for us and really deserves to be given his chance to prove to us what he is able to do..
On the other hand we gave our government one chance too many, after so many lies and unkept promises what are the chances that the government is not trying to betray us again??
Carl Buhagiar
Oct 19th 2008, 21:50
Joseph Muscat was elected leader on the promise that as a leader of a party he would not stay cool at an injustice or another. He went on with his campaign stating that the Labour party wanted to tackle everyone's problems, even if they affect a small group of people or a single person.
The MLP leader already seems to be the leader of everyone. When taking into consideration the changes in the party, it becomes obvious that Dr. Muscat means what he's preaching.
J Martinelli
Oct 19th 2008, 21:21
How true K Mallia. If only the MLP gave us examples.
How many ministers resigned when mysterious land deals were made? When two banks were devastated and their assets practically given away? Did the Minister of Justice resign when the Law Courts were ransacked?
At least, today, people caught doing wrong are investigated and punished for their deeds. In Labour's days how many were ever found, accused, tried and punished?
Yes, two wrongs never make one right but on the other hand what business is it of the pot calling the kettle black?
@ Rita Spiteri
Checking the Parliamentary website would have revealed, a long time ago, that I was not a Nationalist MP. I would love to be a non-resident MP !
@ Anthony Seracino Inglott
Give us some examples !
K Mallia
Oct 19th 2008, 19:09
On the other hand when faced with numerous allegations where there were wrong doings we should start shouldering political responsibility. Government keeps getting messed up in case after case and no body (except commoners!!) takes the blame. It is ironical that injustice happens everyday on a large scale but we tend to look always back as if trying to divert attention from the real cases at hand. Before the election we were promised by both parties more responsibility with regards to wrong doings. Going to the police is important but not enough. Political responsibilities should be shouldered. However once again this will fall on deaf ears since the one asking for clean governance is the labour leader.
Rita Spiteri
Oct 19th 2008, 19:00
I don't follow Politics very much But when I started reading Mr J Martinelli's (had to call him Mr as I never ate tripe with him) comments I thought he was a nationalist MP
anthony muscat inglott
Oct 19th 2008, 18:36
Accusing joseph about his poor skills is not a solution .
Understanding and adopting good points from his speech could be better
Working hand in hand in the interest of the country is the best solution
it looks like dr gonzi is not doing that , but he is trying to blame someone and these proposals are not the real solution to the problem
Paul Micallef
Oct 19th 2008, 18:27
This is for J Martinelli,
Ha Ha Ha Ha, you are not a P.N supporter??? come on, you can come out of the CLOSET,
now where in the Year 2008, pull the other one wont you, the way you defend this Government in your writings and make us believe that we are stupid and what ever you say is SAGROSANT,
OH sorry for Sant on the end, I did not want to offend.
K Mallia
Oct 19th 2008, 18:21
In a situation like the current one faced by our country, reducing pressures on the economy and injecting confidence through giving people the possibility to have more money in hand is the best way forward. This solution is not only one from which the people will benefit but one that will leave more money in the pockets of the trade and thus government through taxes. A simple solution which however is shot down because... oh yes being put forward by the labour party (ironically not on its own because it is backed by most of the people and the trade as well!!). So much for talks by some stating that they want to be the government for all and that they want opposition to work with them. However it goes seems some are happy this way or their agenda asks them to state so.
J Martinelli
Oct 19th 2008, 17:53
@ I Galea
I follow what you write but I have yet to decide whether to laugh or cry.
In your mind responsible decisions are bad decisions.
I am no apostle of the Nationalist Party. I am not even a member and I will give you permission to check it out. I do not vote because I am unable to do so.
I have been interested in politics of my country of birth for over fifty years. I need no lessons or enlightenment from you.
I look at events objectively. I do not attend political meetings, but I read papers, listen and view programmes on Maltese radio and television stations of any colour. I can distinguish between outright fantasy, outright negativity and wishful Utopia and often find that truth lies somewhere in between.
But what stares at me is the stark difference in policies of the Nationalists as opposed to lack of any coming from the MLP. Since Labour has been in Opposition for twenty years, they do not remember how to govern, take bold decisions and maintain a balance.
Anyone can criticize and appear cocky but as Dr. Gonzi put it, politics is a serious business.
john borg
Oct 19th 2008, 17:21
martinelli tant int qed tghix komdu li qieghed il kanada
J Martinelli
Oct 19th 2008, 17:05
@ Marco De Carlo
Where did you get that quote from? Tariff or surcharge have the same goal - to make up for the cost of oil. Using, or better, utilizing either is no fooling the public.
To you and others, it is not Lawrence or Wenzu, it is Dr. Gonzi or Prime Minister. As far as I know Dr. Gonzi never shared a plate of tripe (kirxa) with you or Joseph.
@ Joe Bongailas
Dr. Gonzi does not need demonize Joseph. Joseph is doing a first class job by himself, why spoil his fun?
All these alleged cases of corruption, which by the way have nothing to do with the government, will be disproved and amount nothing more than a smear campaign which have failed four times in a row.
@ Joe Buttigieg
At least the President did not run into the church like Dom used to run up the stairs of Castille fearing someone would take a shot at him!
With all due respect to Karl Chircop, the President, Speaker, PM, NP General Secretary and others paid their respects. in-Nazzjon featured articles about the sad event. Do you expect a weekly paper to continue coverage forever?
l Galea
Oct 19th 2008, 16:39
J Martinelli
Its a pity that you are so far away that you do not feel the bad effects of the bad decisions that have been and are being taken by the Nationalist Government of which you are such a faithful apostle.
If you did, then perhaps you would have changed your mind.
Marco De Carlo
Oct 19th 2008, 16:13
Well said joe he might still remembered when he asked "fejnhom il laburisti?"
joe bongailas
Oct 19th 2008, 16:07
martinelli
can you ask your leader to speak sense instead of going round and trying to demonise joseph . Joseph is already doing enough from the opposition . Always keep in mind that your party when was on the other side of the parliament the only thing they did was going abroad to tell foreigners not to deal with malta .
nowadays thanks to alfred sant these things do not happen and with joseph it looks that he is doing new style of politics .
can gonzi take a stand about the mittsgate ? bridgegate ? mistragate ?
these corruption cases are all well paid from our taxes . who is going to be accountable for them? Twenty years is a lifetime and now we are eating from their own plate .
Joe Buttigieg
Oct 19th 2008, 16:00
@Joseph Agius,
Joseph, you must be joking, What respect to opposition, This morning every news paper gave its headlines to honour Carl. But no, not Il-Mument. And what respect was shown
When you see the President of the Republic entering a church service last Saturday,surrounded by a bunch of bodyguards (they looked more like a bunch of hooligans)makes you think if we are in a south American Dictatorship country. What the hell is he afraid of. His past ?
Marco De Carlo
Oct 19th 2008, 15:46
@ Martinelli . Joseph is a dreamer ????? you know something ? who said in the last speech of last budget, "if i put tariff instead of surcharge, i would be fooling the Maltese people"
Who said that ? Dr. Wenzu Gonzi.
So why today he changed up his mind ? or just he needs to be fooling us all ?
J Martinelli
Oct 19th 2008, 14:55
It is useless to present good points without backing them.
It is OK to preach reduction of taxes and reduction in proposed water and electricity rates at the same time, but then you would be proposing mammoth deficits.
It is OK to say your piece but not OK to constantly interrupt a response to it.
It is OK to dream a pie in the sky, but when you wake up the pie is gone.
Joseph is a dreamer but it's OK if he keeps on dreaming. Dr. Gonzi is a realist and today we face the reality of collapsing banks and economies, high oil prices, shrinking jobs and all kinds of problems.
One can choose to sleep them off and dream in technicolour or wake up and face the problems.
Dream on Joseph.
albert roberts
Oct 19th 2008, 14:03
Dr muscat looks that he has good points . Much better than Dr Gonzi and i think that he is inputting lots of issues for discussion .
Dr Gonzi is always tracking behind and it is supposed to be viceversa .
This is the mentality of the modern generation but it needs to be consistent . in few months of leadership i am impressed with this input .
This guy needs to be taken seriously and not threat him like Dr Sant .
in few years time he would enhance his political background and he will be ready to govern
V.Micallef
Oct 19th 2008, 13:35
@Joseph Agius
What are you talking about?
E. Anastasi
Oct 19th 2008, 13:29
Mr. Agius: With all due respect, what do you expect Joseph Muscat to say exactly?
- That it is perfectly acceptable for the Government to take our money to subsidize its failures, incompetence and mismanagement in public corporations?
- That it is perfectly acceptable for a certain maverick/cowboy Minister to take certain decisions without ample studies and the necessary social dialogue (according to another newspaper it is unlikely that Cabinet was informed of such decisions)?
- That it is perfectly acceptable to battle a global economic crises with shock treatment; by making the government richer and the people poorer?
- That it is perfectly acceptable that despite the fact that 20,000 usernames and passwords were extracted so readily by an amateur no one takes responsibility for such grave shortcomings? That this scandal merits no inquiry at all?
Chris Borg
Oct 19th 2008, 13:21
@ Joseph Agius....new kinds of politics? Such as Govt. MPs, with the exception of 2 who attended for a few minutes, not attending Parliament when JM gave his first speech in the House? Such as persisting on calling JM "Joe" in an attempt to ridicule him? U halluna....
p.s. You call it an Alfred Sant's kind of response because it sounds technical and not charlatan?
Albert Farrugia
Oct 19th 2008, 13:17
@Joseph Agius
Well, what I would wish for would be speeches MUCH HARDER than Alfred Sant's used to be. What do you expect? That Joseph Muscat becomes gonzipn's cheerleader or what? If you are so happy paying such exorbitant tariffs, why not pay mine as well? So you can be doubly satisfied. If Sant's much-maligned reforms had been implemented 10 years ago the situation now would have been much better. Remember that in those days the tariffs were to be increased not so much because of the price of oil, but precisely to address gross inefficiencies at Enemalta. Now, in 2008, we have to pay BOTH for the inefficiencies which were left to fester for yet another 10 years, so that the PN could win the EU referendum, AS WELL AS high oil prices.
This is the result of the extreme partisan and divisive politics the PN has been nurturing for the past 10 years.
Paul Micallef
Oct 19th 2008, 13:10
For Joseph Sammut.
What ever the opposition says is wrong in the eyes of people like you and what ever the P.N says is Manna!!!!!!! What do you expect them to do, when they are talking about a member of Parliament and even one of there friends?????come on..... We can never have a decent discussion on a blog if people keep attacking.
Joseph Agius
Oct 19th 2008, 12:47
exactly what an Alfred Sant would have said. Is there anyone seeing a new kind of politics??
yes ok, I was just watching PN General Council and watched minister speaking highly of Karl Chircop and followed by a standing ovation. Yes that is a new kind of politics....still needs to be seen in MLP.