Energy rates problem should be turned into opportunity - Joseph Muscat

Opposition leader Joseph Muscat has called on the government to turn the water and energy tariffs challenge into an opportunity and go back to the drawing board with its proposed rates.

Speaking during an informal meeting with trade unions, Dr Muscat presented figures which showed that whereas the government was increasing the surcharge to 194 per cent, this should be reduced to 61 per cent or at least kept hovering around 95 per cent based on oil prices as at the end of October.

But the government, he said, had ulterior motives behind the excessive increases, which were to hide Enemalta’s inefficiencies and reduce the deficit.

Dr Muscat said that according to the energy index statistics for September and October released by Eurostat in the past days, Malta was the only country in the Eurozone which increased its rates.

The unions complained that this was the worst time for the government to be bringing in such changes because of the global financial crisis. The said there had been a lack of consultation and asked for the new rates to be revised.