Computation of new utility rates is daylight robbery - MLP leader

Households and businesses will be charged for water and electricity they never consumed because the new rates will be computed without meters-having been read, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

He called this "daylight robbery" and said introducing the rates retroactively from October 1 would set a dangerous precedent of backward taxation that would bring about economic uncertainty, especially for businesses.

Speaking at a political meeting in Marsascala, Dr Muscat said he hoped the government and the unions would reach an agreement on the matter shortly. He would not comment on the talks in progress for the time being in order not to disrupt them.

He criticised the government for raising the price of eco-friendly hybrid cars, which emit less CO2 since they are partly battery powered. The rest of the world was encouraging such cars through incentives but the government was making them more expensive.

"We cannot even trust the government to come up with a decent car registration tax after a whole year of study. How can we trust them with something as complex as the water and electricity tariffs," he asked.

Referring to the Labour Party's extraordinary general meeting, which will start today, he said Labour delegates will have to ask themselves whether they are ready for the radical changes that will take place.

Dr Muscat said the changes would be much more than cosmetic, contrary to what his critics have suggested. The delegates would have to be courageous so that Labour could become "the party of tomorrow".

"The time for blue and red politics is over. These are new times and we are facing new choices. The choice is between yesterday and tomorrow," he told the crowd, mostly composed of elderly supporters.

He emphasised the need for the party to bring in new blood and double the number of young people involved in its structures. This is just the first wave of many major changes, he promised.

On the education reform proposed by the government last week, he said it should not be restricted to government schools. The consultation process should not be limited to experts but should involve parents, teachers and schoolchildren.

Dr Muscat also slammed Nationalist Party general secretary Paul Borg Olivier for asking ministers to send him confidential information about people who had made complaints to government departments. This was done with the approval of the highest PN authorities and went against the Data Protection Act that the Nationalist government itself had enacted.

He compared this to the Mitts scandal, where thousands of government passwords were stolen, saying that the government was not serious about protecting people's privacy.

IT Minister Austin Gatt and Dr Borg Olivier should both resign, as this would be expected of them in any European democracy where personal information is considered sacrosanct, Dr Muscat said.

Despite having called the Prime Minister to consult him on who to appoint as the new Data Protection Commissioner, Dr Muscat said he had received no word about the matter.

The former Data Protection Commissioner died three months ago and has not yet been replaced. Dr Muscat insisted that the new commissioner should not be a political appointee.