Muscat underlines damage done by utility tariffs issue
Opposition leader Joseph Muscat said this evening that even if a perfect solution was found to the water and electricity tariffs problem, the damage which had already been done to the country would still be enormous.
Speaking in Parliament near the end of the budget debate, Dr Muscat said that the way the government had handled the situation had created uncertainty and eroded confidence, which were both essential elements for the economy.
It was worrying that the government did not even appreciate the damage caused by the fact that it had backdated the tariffs to October 1, meaning that industry and households did not know what they were paying for.
The people had spoken about the tariffs, and now it was incumbent on the Prime Minister to respond.
In his speech Dr Muscat hit out strongly against comments made by Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt on Tuesday. He denied that a man mentioned by Dr Gatt as having access to confidential, unpublished information had passed this information to the opposition.
The MLP, Dr Muscat said, would defend the people’s right of affiliation. “To touch just one citizen, you have to trample over us and you will not trample over us,” he said. The Opposition leader added that he was willing to give evidence in court and also to speak outside the House (not covered by parliamentary privilege).
Dr Muscat said an inquiry into the MITTS (hacking )case was still required because there was no assurance that e-mails, including those belonging to MPs, were not tampered with.
The Opposition leader accused the PN of spying on people who complained to ministries and said that contrary to what was claimed, this was not a customer care issue, but a strategy issue.
He also called on the Prime Minister to consult him urgently on the appointment of a Data Protection Commissioner and said the Opposition would not accept political appointments.
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Mike Magri
Nov 20th 2008, 18:35
@..J. Micallef... Just read your comment, and you know what...??? YOU MAY EASILY APPLY ALL YOU WROTE TO YOUR GOOD SELF AND YOUR `PRIME MINISTER NO:2`, Agostino Gatt, SIR... I guess you must be more carefull of how you want to make your political points....!!
For your information, i am sure that the VAST Majority of the maltese and gozitan heavily taxed Taxpayers, consider Joseph as a clean person/politician who speaks OUR LANGUAGE with great determination and without any strings attached...
If you are one of the `Chosen Few`, good for you and i wish you luck.... BUT don`t fool yourself by trying to join the choir in helping them singing the old song of `Character Assasination`...!!
I CAN ASSURE YOU, THAT YOU WILL NEVER SUCCEED IN DAMAGING ANY OF JOSEPH`S INTEGRITY, REPUTATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, HONESTY, INTELLIGENCE AND NEW POLITICAL VISIONS FOR OUR BELOVED COUNTRY.....
H Dempster
Nov 20th 2008, 08:02
It seems that Dr Muscat has Austin Gatt in a tight corner, becasue it sems that he his inventing all sort of excuses and stories about Dr Muscat.
Ian Bugeja
Nov 20th 2008, 08:00
On the contrary I think that this issue did a lot of good. Many people that I know realized how much they could reduce their bill by using energy saving lamps and solar water heaters and decided to invest in them. This goes for both families and businesses.
On the other hand while the price of oil is on the continuous decrease nobody knows what will happen tomorrow or in a year's time.
Anthony Mizzi
Nov 19th 2008, 21:09
When will Data Protection or lack of it make National Headlines locally?
J Micallef
Nov 19th 2008, 21:04
Is this guy for real? Does he even filter his own words before he opens his mouth? Apart from his big headedness, who does he think he's kidding. He needs to differentiate between his speeches at the coffee mornings and other so called serious events. Does he think we're all morons just because he was an MEP for a couple of years.
ivan scicluna
Nov 19th 2008, 20:35
Really strong words indeed from Joseph Muscat in Parliament tonight. And he is right in condemning what happened in Parliament the day before. I was disgusted reading what Austin Gatt had to say about a Central Bank Manager. And the way this Labour sympathiser was splashed all over in the Nationalist media today along with his photograph taken from an ID card photo is really shameful. You're right Joseph to defend the Maltese citizens of their right for free association. If today even this right is being threatened by GonziPN, our country is really in for trouble. Labour will not tolerate erosion of democratic rights. All citizens should watch. Their personal data is flying from one place to the other with a net of espionage manipulated in the corridors of power.