Updated: Video: People asked not to pay utility bills within 45-day window

deb bugeja

Jan 11th 2009, 17:31

Paying the bill within 45 day is not much the unions have done. we want lower tariffs to be satisfied.

Schembri Ray

Jan 11th 2009, 16:20

To pay 45 days later is no hard feeling for the government for action. I always pay my bills a month later. What about the unions decide by how much % reduction we should pay our bills?
That will make more sense.

Godwin Pullicino

Jan 10th 2009, 21:29

How very irresponsible of Trade Unions to behave in this manner! Must be unique in the world. Trade Unions in Italy, France, Spain, Austria,UK and elsewhere have not behaved in this manner. Maybe the Maltese should be made aware that in the UK gas went up twice last year by over 80% in total (and the UK produces some of its own gas needs!) and although the price of oil decreased to the USD45 mark on average in recent months, this morning the UK Gas energy companies have stated that they do not envisage any savings being passed on until the Autumn! So are the Maltese Trade Unions suggesting that their counterparts in the UK, and elsewhere, should instruct energy customers not to pay bills? That would be something totally unheard of in the UK and will not find any support simply because it is highly irresponsible and a threat to democracy. On the contrary, here in the UK such a suggestion will be condemned by all politcial parties and constituted bodies. Finding a solution to the problem is the only way forward.

O.Grixti

Jan 10th 2009, 17:19

Were are the rest of the unions ??? Or some are benefiting something from PN and forgot whom they are representing? The people, and forgot that without the people, they would be nothing special!
Vote for the MEP is near now… this will show peoples reactions soooon.

John Camilleri

Jan 10th 2009, 13:19

First, let me declare myself an outsider. I do not have to pay the extortionate bills, but I left family and friends behind that must, and this saddens me. I have been following this saga since last May. Under the circumstances, a call for civil disobedience is not unreasonable, IMHO, and should even extend to automobile registrations, etc. Here in Canada, we have just witnessed a small miracle: faced with the real possibility of being displaced by a coalition of his opposition, our (right-wing, pig-headed) Prime Minister has just made a spectacular about-face over the Christmas break. Fortunately for us, our constitution is designed to enable that, yours, I'm not so sure. What would happen if PL and AD formed a coalition (which I think would bring popular vote for the coalition to more than 50%) now? Could they, under your constitution, demand the right to govern? If not, then civil disobedience may be your only option.

Claire Gauci

Jan 10th 2009, 11:48

And ironically Mr. Vine Farrugia and his GRTU are nowehere to be seen......He has been offered to contest the MEp election and sold his Union members for 30 pieces of silver hoping that they will vote for him after this outright betrayal!

Mr. farrugia has evidently been on the Government float for years and instead of serving his members in the fight against fiscal persecution and outright abuse of the self-employed has chose to sell them out.

What a country we live in!

joanna farrugia

Jan 10th 2009, 10:52

may i remind you mr.andrew caruana that the opposition already got involved in all this and tried to persuade the gov to be sensible which he didnt cos he is arrogant selfish and always think about the rich ppl to get richer.for him and his mp's its not a problem to pay such bills when they got more than 200 euros extra for living cost while we only got peanuts.when the opposition tried to raise some issues with this gov (2prime ministers) he always got critizised or being like mintoff or dr.alfred sant poodle.so tell me whats the use when these ppl just want to walk over all of us even their party supporters.

Nigel Lawrence

Jan 10th 2009, 05:21

It will not be the fall in the price of oil that will bring down the energy bills. No, the bills will fall in the next election year then all the people with very short memories will shout "hooray" and vote for the dictatorship once again.

Manuel Mifsud

Jan 10th 2009, 00:47

@Mr/Ms/Mrs IGalea

You had a hard time this time round replying to so many people at one go. You've become an expert at it! I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it's your fault after all as you did not understand my comment, as usual. I will pay the bill as soon as I receive because I don't want to accumulate them. No union will pay a fraction of my bills when I am faced with three bills. And you and your idols will pay them too as you did when you were told not to pay them in order to prevent Malta having a new power station, remember? And you paid the bills and Malta had the new power station and all the projects that couldn't have materialised without it, And, by the way, Malta had 3 Nationalist governments since then, That's why I keep telling you: WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!!!

andrew caruana

Jan 10th 2009, 00:02

why are unions playing politics, if there is an issue (which there seems to be one) it should be the opposition party who should be involved not the unions.

Joseph E Briffa

Jan 9th 2009, 23:39

Alot of bloggers are simply out of subject and if a chairperson were present they would have been called to attention before they blurted out alot of unrelated stuff. Some are unfortunately 'write-offs' as they cannot keep to the point and, perhaps not unwittingly, are out to alarm the public. These people refuse to admit that the increases are in the region of 15% for the average family bill, which would be some Eur100/150 in absolute terms, less than 50c a day - the price of two cigarettes. Householders who will have to pay an extra Eur200 or Eur500 a year get bills ranging between Eur1 500 and Eur3 000; these families live in large houses or villas and will not go berserk if they fork out an extra euro a day. Besides 30 000 families have been exempt from the surcharge. Postponing payments will get one nowhere as eventually bills have to be paid and it will lead to bunching of bills which, for the low income group, can only aggravate the situation. For Enemalta it would mean less liquidity which might lead to more loans + interest which raise production costs which will be reflected in higher rates.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Jan 9th 2009, 22:40

J martinelli I am sure that you will be the first to obey the directive and not pay your Maltese utility bill within the 45 day window. Prosit!

Pm Psaila...ARe there any instances where Pn has failed to take action on issues which have bothered you? COuld you name some ?

Now whilst all PN clones here can rant on and on about how decisive Dr Dialogue, Gonzi has now become, could we have your comments as to Dr. 'I'M so reasonable' Gatt's promise to review bills when the oil gets to a certain price, the price mentioned of course, being much higher than it is today.

Of course, Enemalta's oil was purchased through a hedging agreement when the price was higher...even though the Pn doesn't believe in hedging agreements......

Martin Galea....Sant's momentary lapse of reason was stopped, and no bills were issued.....of course thanks to the unions.....including the 11 protesting again today.....

What we need now is a freeport strike...Would you agree dear Gejtu Vella?

Joe Vella

Jan 9th 2009, 21:42

@ Jack Skelt

WOW, what a piece of advice.

We all know whom the Maltese trusted when they were handed the voting document in their hands. Don't we?

Also, Mr. Skelt, we Nationalist have nothing to apologise for. All one have to do is just look around.

Joe Vella

Jan 9th 2009, 21:12

@ Albert Fenech

"@ Mr J. Martinelli
To class these unions (representing thousands of members and expressing the sentiments of many thousands of the electorate) as "every Tom, Dick or Harry" is a sure-fire sign of total and absolute arrogance."

Absolute arrogance eh! Coming from someone who defended Joseph Muscat when called the Prime Minister, Lawrence all evening night on a televised debate.

Mr. Fenech, now that I call real and absolute arrogance.

I Abela

Jan 9th 2009, 21:10

@ P M Psaila - How can PL decide if it is not in power? Just to remind you that Joseph Muscat suggested several things which can be done to reduce the energy tariffs. Can you mention just one of them? I bet you can't.

Joe Vella

Jan 9th 2009, 21:06

@ Nyal Xuereb (41 minutes ago)
"
The last time I filled up my car with fuel it totalled 33 Euros. That is 7 Euros less than the previous fill. How come the services bills are double when the same reasoning should be for both? I suggest paying the bill without the extra charges cause this is not our problem."

If you really care to know what is happening you should know why. But let me help you out a bit.

Have you heard about the word subsidy?

mark tanti

Jan 9th 2009, 21:05

It seems that Mr Bencini is on the war path with the govt. If I am not mistaken he is battleing with the govt on three fronts. Mr Bennici I do not mind if you instruct people not to pay their utillities bills (people will not listen to you) but I do mind if you hurt our students. Our students need to have their mind at rest during all their scholastic year and should not suffer because of greedeness.

P M Psaila

Jan 9th 2009, 20:46

IL_GWU u l-Lajbour ghandhom il-'marda' li JIDDECIDU LI MA JIDDECIDUX' jew ahjar li dejjem iparlaw imma azzjoni u sustanza u decizjoni qatt

Dan la jaghmel sens u lanqas jghin lil pajjizna fi zminijiet difficli bhal dawn...

Jiseph Muscat jeccella fit-tkaxkir tas-saqajn u f'diskorsi sbieh li m,a jfissru xejn!

C.Zammit

Jan 9th 2009, 20:39

@Igalea

I admire your unconditionaly faith in CMJ and the PL as much as I admire Hamas and their faithful followers.

Joe Vella

Jan 9th 2009, 20:38

@ Ronnie Aguis

"Thank God there are 11 unions which are doing their best to not suffer many people who earn a low income......"

You are quite right in what you have said. Joseph Muscat and the PL are nowhere to be found.

Joe Vella

Jan 9th 2009, 20:28

@ l Galea

"Edwin Formosa
L-EneMalta bdiet tagħmel it-telf taħt il-Gvern Nazzjonalista. Qatt qabel ma għamlet telf."

l. Galea you are a very funny person. Sure indeed, when the price of oil was in the Teens and even lower.

When Governments were not subsidising our wasteful habits.

When MLP/PL Governments didn't give a damp about future demand. Therefore, no capital projects were carried out to improve our infrastructure in regards to Electricity/Water. Therefore, no carry charges to account for.

Oh yes, in the days of NO Water, No Electricity.

Ye sure, Mr./Ms./Mrs. l Galea keep living in a vacuum and in a state of denial.

P.Schembri

Jan 9th 2009, 20:27

@Martin Galea. Do you know what happened to Pinocchio (if you know the story anyway) when he said a lie? Did you look at the mirror after you posted your comment? There were no electricity bills issued in 1997-1998. They were all withdrawn without being sent! So please go and tell it to the marines!

Joe Vella

Jan 9th 2009, 20:14

All the Unions are interested at this stage of the game is the Glory to be seen on the TV and on Newspapers Cover pages.

The Government have met with the Unions on a number of occasions. An Agreement have had been reached.

The Unions now are requesting clarifications of a Technical nature. The Government with open arms accepted thier request for the information and referred the Unions to the Malta Resources Authority which is in the best position and have the expertise to provide the Unions with the requested information.

What is wrong with the Government approach?

Joe Vella

Jan 9th 2009, 20:08

All the Unions are interested at this stage of the game is the Glory to be seen on the TV and on Newspapers Cover pages.

The Government have met with the Unions on a number of occasions. An Agreement have had been reached.

The Unions now are requesting clarifications of a Technical nature. The Government with open arms accepted thier request for the information and referred the Unions to the Malta Resources Authority which is in the best position and have the expertise to provide the Unions with the requested information.

What is wrong with the Government approach?

lgalea

Jan 9th 2009, 19:59

Martin Galea
Pull the other one Martin.

C.Zammit
I believe that Joseph would have reduced the prices to reflect the true price of oil.

Jack Skelt

Jan 9th 2009, 19:56

To Eeveryone,

This Newspaper is a PN newspaper like In Nazzjon, Il Mument and The Independent. Don't expect hard core PN supporters who have gained so much from the poor Maltesze citizen and will keep on exploiting the maltese people as long as there is PN Administartion in Government to say somethinfg against Gonzi PN. Let PN apologists say what they want and we will say what we want at the polling booths the inportant thing is never to forget and not let them throw sand in our eyes. Thank God now the PL have an inspirational leader which the PN are terrified of, and now will make voting the PL a pleasure.

Just let the PN apologists talk, this is their turf anyway. I will talk when i have the voting document in my hands.

Regards

A.Gauci Cunningham

Jan 9th 2009, 19:55

Lest those who came out in full force forget...........
1----Gonzi gave 5 choices of which only 1 was possible--Hobson's choice---arrogance
2---Gonzi failed to draw a social impact assesment to evaluate the burdens--arrogance
3----Gonzi gave power-point presentations and ignored civil society---arrogance
4---Gonzi warned about the effect on Hotels, self-employed, ST and factories---Gonzi ignores--arrogance
5-On Xarabank Gonzi tells us that the bills' retroactivity was removed ---big, fat, lie---arrogance
6---Gonzi lies about the amount of ppl. who would benefit from the eco-reduction---arrogance
7---Gonzi gives himself a 290 euro increase while all this unfolds---arrogance
8----Gonzi to introduce drainage tax without a Social asses. and discussion---arrogance

...........and the worst of all is the way Gonzi is trying to stifle people's worries and complaints by throwing expensive projects at us...........projects which curiously enough he ""forgot"" to mention in last October's budget!!

Forget the bill, forget the Unions, forget the plummeting oil price and one of you acolytes tell me how the principle behind this particular issue is correct!!

R. Cassar

Jan 9th 2009, 19:41

to whom it may concern.

May i kindly invite you to stop seeing blue or red for a while.

If you listen to the full speech by the unions, one can clearly hear that the unions are just asking that the figures/workings provided to tally.

Just as was said re another politician...maths is maths...and not maths from outer space.
This is not an opinion, the workings seem not to tally.

This has nothing to do with politics; blue, red, green etc, it is simply maths(statistics).

I wonder if most of us are told by say a moble phone provider that the tariff is going to be X when in fact it is Y.

C.Zammit

Jan 9th 2009, 19:34

@Igalea
I wonder what CMJ (Call Me Joseph) would have done. I am sure he would've reduced the energy bills, the water bills, taxes, introduced no new taxes.

Wash that red tint off your eyes and you will notice that Red/Green or Blue would do you. So what's your point really ?

Am I supporting GonziPN by saying that hhahaha wait for the polls to come and you can join me in the polling boot and then I'll sit in front of my telly smiling at GonziPN saying, ehe, il-poplu tana messagg biex nisimawh izjjed, u ahna hekk ser naghmlu. Then the PL primadonna, saying rebha lejburista...when I would've voted to absolutely none of them...

Jeff Inguanez

Jan 9th 2009, 19:26

So the unions have told me to pay the bill within the 45 day period allowed before interest payments kick in.
That's exactly what I'm going to do as my bill has increased by just 25% and not the double or triple the unions (and Labour) were exaggerating it would be.
I'm happy to obey this union directive.

J Martinelli

Jan 9th 2009, 19:18

@ Eric Saliba

Don't spin what I said. I asked where were the unions NOT whether what the government did then, was good or bad.

@ M Grima

If the Unions have the info, why do they need to meet the PM for? The rates have been discussed over and over again, so what is yet another discussion supposed to achieve? The Unions secured some concessions weeks ago and they want more. Where does this supposed to lead us to? Back to the old rates when the inefficiencies of Enemalta were made good with the taxpayers' own money?

The new rates are supposed to cover the COST of generation and someone has to drill it into the heads which refuse to understand this. The rates are supposed to be reviewed every six months. Come March, a review will be made and if the price of REFINED oil went down, the rates will be adjusted accordingly. If the price of refined oil goes up next September, then the rates will go up.

The Prime Minister of Britain will do well to visit factories, but Britain's problems cannot possibly be compared to Malta's.

Ronnie Agius

Jan 9th 2009, 19:13

I assure you that the Prime minister is not going to reduse any euro from the utility bills. Before the election GonziP.N. spend many millions of euros to win the general election and now for his extravacant manners we are going to pay for his partisan tactics.Thank God there are 11 unions which are doing their best to not suffer many people who earn a low income.The only way is to walk the directives and stop this kind of politics when a general election the party in goverment use the power of incumbency.

Mario Bonnici

Jan 9th 2009, 19:12

Why are you PN bloggers being so aggressive towards the unions??!!
If you want to pay your bills, just pay them.
If you're happy with this present situation i'm happy for you.
If you 'adore' this government so much it's your problem.

A.Gauci Cunningham

Jan 9th 2009, 19:06

I am so utterly pertrubed and dumbfounded by some of the unbelievable, blinkered comments here from some Nationalist commentators who seem to be suggesting in not to subtle a way that the Unions should shut up because if they don't and they'd dare to issue directives they would be harming the economy and betray the interests of this country!!

In reality the only person betraying this country is the one who faced with a looming recession runs roughshod not just on families but even worse on those who employ hundreds of people like Hotels, restauranteurs and self-employed who faced with such bills will eventually turn on their workers in time of financial strains!!

The traitor is the one who didn't discuss these bills and came to us with a fait accompli and to rub salt in the wound is expecting us to applaud him!!!! The same one who failed to even try to reduce the waste Enemalta has before throwing all the debts on the taxpayers, the one who apart from all this will introduce the drainage tax again without consultation!!

Considering how PN supporters describe the "Mintoff regime" this is not very different, not violent ,true, but abundantly arrogant!!

P M Psaila

Jan 9th 2009, 19:04

GENN.....QEGHDIN FI ZMIEN TA' KRIZI FIL-FINANZI TAD-DINJA U DAN LI KAPACI TOHROG BIH IL-GWU

MBAD NGHIDUHA KIF INHI: X'TISTENNA LI TAGHMEL L-UNJON PRIVILEGGJATA TAL-LABOUR?!

rene joseph

Jan 9th 2009, 18:52

Martinelli has explained it very well: 'In essence the Nationalist government is victim of its own successes.' Basically, they are so efficient and so good that things have bad because of that.

Nyal Xuereb

Jan 9th 2009, 18:49

The last time I filled up my car with fuel it totalled 33 Euros. That is 7 Euros less than the previous fill. How come the services bills are double when the same reasoning should be for both? I suggest paying the bill without the extra charges cause this is not our problem.

Martin Galea

Jan 9th 2009, 18:45

I have received my bills and they are not that much! 150eur for a family of 4 (for 2 months) is not expensive! I remember 10/11 years ago, I received a bill account of LM300 for 2 months.. and that says it all!

D Ellul

Jan 9th 2009, 18:44

hope the PN get soundly beaten at the polls next June so that they realise that they cannot do whatever they want!

ALBERT FENECH

Jan 9th 2009, 18:43

@ Mr J. Martinelli
To class these unions (representing thousands of members and expressing the sentiments of many thousands of the electorate) as "every Tom, Dick or Harry" is a sure-fire sign of total and absolute arrogance. It is also significant of totalitarian governments of the extreme right and extreme left when the opinions of people are classed as being "not important", the only importance being that dictators impose their will on the population because only they know what's best. It is the epitome of total arrogance and a shameful reflection of the state of things in Malta and Gozo in 2009.

E Gatt

Jan 9th 2009, 18:41

@ John Hughes.

Exactly.

The directive is even more bizarre when one realises that the employees at Enemalta are represented by the GWU!

J Busuttil

Jan 9th 2009, 18:35

I am told that members of unions representing Govt employees apart from the cost of living increase will be receiving from 1 st January a GOOD pay rise in respect of the GOVT - UNIONS collective agreement.

lgalea

Jan 9th 2009, 18:35

J. Mifsud
Martinelli is comfortably living in Canada and is not affected by the ever-increasing cost of living and taxes upon taxes, tariffs and contributions???? being imposed upon us by his Gonzipn.

John Mangion
What do you expect from little elves whose strings are being pulled by their masters in Castille?

Edwin Formosa
L-EneMalta bdiet tagħmel it-telf taħt il-Gvern Nazzjonalista. Qatt qabel ma għamlet telf.

Joseph E Briffa
Refined oil was never referred to before. Only the price of crude oil was mentioned, so stop referring to refined oil. Re who read the statement it does not matter. The 11 unions are all united together against the arrogance and injustice of Gonzipn.

Manuel Mifsud
That shows the inefficiency because why should two bills be sent at the same time? If you want to pay it no one is stopping you. But I sure will not pay it now.

P Debono
If you and your family are so well off as to afford to pay Gonzipn's impositions others aren't.

J Martinelli
Why don't you come here and enjoy life under Gonzipn's arrogance instead of simply comfortably commenting from Canada?

Chris Azzopardi

Jan 9th 2009, 18:34

That's it.....? Wow some drastic actions all right...... Geeeezzzz.

J Busuttil

Jan 9th 2009, 18:25

The unions ' directive will bring hardship to the people. If the people will not pay now they will pay later when the money earmarked for today's tariffs are spent. Then they will have two or three bills to pay.Then they will surely be burdened. Mr Bencini is wrong in stating that if the price of oil goes down by 15 per cent it will be revised. It is in March that the oil will be revised and if the price of oil keeps the present price. After all this is not the issue the unions wrote about to the PM but they wrote because they said they wanted " clarifications". The unions are bring up NOW another issue. What is your agenda?

Mike Magri

Jan 9th 2009, 18:14

@.. J. Martinelli... The GWU, MUMN, MUT and others Really Loyal to the the well being of the livelihood of their members and the maltese worker in general, NEVER `Demanded` anything, they simply asked for a meeting with the PM, the person, Himself & PM No:2, Directly reponsible for such a `Kawlata Qarsa Kawlatorum` of utility tariffs and a horrible 95% surcharge on electricity consumption...

If GonziPN and GattPM wants to govern in an ARRogant, IMposing and UNdemocratic way, then they should try Russia or China....!!!! Malta is `Supposed` to be a Democratic Country...

@.. Mr. Jimmy Magro.. Very Well Said.... Agree with you 100%....

Muscat.Pat

Jan 9th 2009, 18:10

Ever since the tragic-comedy of the energy bills, all the Maltese have gone on frugal mode. A waters department manager said on PBS that the Maltese use the lowest volume of water in the EU, and I suppose, this goes for electrcity too. Morever, many bought energy saving lamps and many more solar heaters since May 2007! So, how come Dr Gonzi-tal-par idejn sodi-obstinately, wants to bill me with an estimate, if I became more efficient with energy use? Why were,nt the meter readers told to do the readings instead? The budget was announced in November and by then the meters would have been read. What is the catch -22 with the estimate? Perhaps Gejtu Vella, who saw the light and converted to Dr Gonzi.s logic, can extrapolate to us, or to Dr Edward Scicluna, why his calculations are good and our are bad. I would not mind paying if I know what I am paying for. But given that unlike private commercial entities, EneMalta does not publish its accounts, and given that the Government has NOT reduced the electricity bills in January as promised , and given that the Regolatur has hibernated, why should we pay these exagerated bills?

G. Mangion

Jan 9th 2009, 18:07

Mr bencini,

You are failing your union and its members. STOP being used to bring some sort of panic to the Public, are you and your so called partners to: not to pay utility bills within 45-day ? Or are you following the late ex prime KMB ! he also urged the ppl not to pay the Electricty bills, the result for the one's that did so, had to pay biz - Zalza !!
do correct me If I'me wrong, Dr Charles Mangion & many other members of the mlp, Did Ignore, KMB and paid the Bills on time, is this Your aim sur ' 11 unions ?

Byron Camilleri

Jan 9th 2009, 18:06

JMartinelli... your party is perfect... anyone who does not agree with you is wrong. Amen.

c.camilleri

Jan 9th 2009, 18:00

@eric saliba. You are mixing things up. This Govt has always had dialogue with the unions to the extent that they now want to have the last say. Mis-saba' hadulhu l-id kollha. On the contrary a labour Govt was always intent on smashing all opposition including the unions with the exception of its bedfellow the GWU. Do you ever cross your mind that a labour Govt will allow all this nonsense from the unions? never.

L Attard Bezzina

Jan 9th 2009, 17:46

I just received my bills and have had a heart attack !

c.camilleri

Jan 9th 2009, 17:45

To those who will be heeding this directive may i remind them hat such things happened in the past and we had to pay the accumulated amount not the union/s. To these small unions i tell them that you cannot ride the tiger as it will swallow you. The GWU is leading you by the nose. Any short fall by Enemalta will have to be paid either by the present utility bills or by other taxes. Why don't suggest instead a rise in the ceiling of income tax. Perhaps this is more acceptable to your members.????????????

John Hughes

Jan 9th 2009, 17:41

Can the unions please shed some light where the money will come from to keep Ene Malta running the power stations??
When a company is running at a loss it normally closes its doors and sends its employees home, how can we expect Ene Malta to keep powering our homes when its income does not even cover its cost.
Sorry to all the unions I WILL BE PAYING MY BILL ON TIME.

Marvin Mizzi

Jan 9th 2009, 17:40

Typical arrogance of the Gonzi Government---- time to show this goverment that we are liveing in a democratic society and that ther is no place for tyrrany and arrogance. Lets hopt they step up the actions and let this government know he cannot just walk over the Maltese people

J. Mifsud

Jan 9th 2009, 17:40

@ J. Martinelli

May I remind you where were the Unions 10 years. Then, if my memory is not failing me, one particular Union (no prize if you guess which one), claimed a pay rise for employees of approximately 20 Euro.
Dear Mr Martinelli, what should be the pay rise for all workers now? Please illuminate us.

John Mangion

Jan 9th 2009, 17:34

To all those who want to pay their bills...go ahead and pay them! I for one will be following the directive given by the 11 Trade Unions. I wonder what some people here in Malta would have said if a general strike was called just like they do in a normal democratic country, like Italy or France?! Here in Malta as soon as a free trade union issues a directive a barrage of orchestrated critisisim is directed against it and public opinion is turned against that particular union. However this time its not just one trade union but eleven unions who are together in this and i am sure that the majority or the people out there will give them their support.

M Grima

Jan 9th 2009, 17:31

I think those 11 unions have all the information they need Mr Martinelli,all they want to do is sit round a table and discuss how these charges can be a reduced to a fair level for all including single people living alone who are being hit the hardest. If the Prime Minister of England can go to factories to speak to workers(and no it's not during election time) then surely the Prime minister of Malta can speak to 11 representatives of the major trade unions who between them can count the major part of the workforce(and therefore families) of these Islands.

Promises have been broken ,they must not be, and Government should be seen to keep it's word when definite statements or promises are made.

Edwin Formosa

Jan 9th 2009, 17:25

inefficiencies of enemalta. I remember when enemalta was very efficient.!! 1980 I went to settle a bill at the telephone exchange at Spencer Hill during an election campaign. Il-post kien mimli minn barra u minn gewwa bil- bnadar tal-MLP u posters ta Lorry Sant u8 xi erba' fattigi ghassa ghal min ma jitghaxxaqx b'dik il-bravura ta efficcjenza.

Joseph E Briffa

Jan 9th 2009, 17:21

(contd) The oil price of ca $40 relates to deliveries in January and February. So it is only when Enemalta get the REFINED oli delivered - which would be sometime after March - that the new price is factored in the cost of production. It follows therefore that there will not be any revisions before then. Don't the Unions understand this accounting procedure? Another point which baffles me is that the Unions seem to have forgotten about the new tariff structure which they so vociferously condemned and are now limiting themselves to the application of the 16% and 25% eco- reduction. Is this because they found out from the ENEMalta and the WSC websites that the increases are in fact much less than the impression the Unions gave a month ago? Is this perhaps why the UHM has left the band wagon? I appreciate that the 11 Unions have to come out with something to save their face but there are limits to what they have to resort, and surely one expected something more than just hot air.

D Ellul

Jan 9th 2009, 17:15

The PN government has lost all credibility.

Duncan Sant

Jan 9th 2009, 17:07

Graham, the new tariffs came into force as from 1st OCTOBER....that means, backdated.....we are paying the new tariffs from a priod of time where we did not even know how they would be structured...

Joseph E Briffa

Jan 9th 2009, 17:04

Strangely enough it was not the GWU rep who read the statement; is this perhaps to give the impression that the GWU are not being active in this charade? Mr Bencini represents a much smaller union than the GWU so it looks very odd that he read out the statement. Mr Bencini is mixing things up..the bills sent for the period after October are as far as I know ESTIMATED bills: if this is the case, it is obvious that the bill would say that it could be the case that families that have been considered beneficiaries of the eco-reduction based on ESTIMATED consumption might be found to be otherwise when the ACTUAL consumption is read. As for the warning to Enemalta and WSC that if they take drastic measures against consumers if the estimated bills are not settled within the 45 day period, don't the Unions know that this never happens? Action is taken only if bills of ACTUAL consumption are consisently ignored. The reference to the failure of the administration to revise the tariffs if there is a change of 15% or more in the oil price again shows that the Unions are out of touch with reality.

Graham Crocker

Jan 9th 2009, 17:03

@rene joseph
I agree, I'm very dissapointed. I'm not sure if this is true, but I heard that the new tariffs will be applied to the coming bills. I'm not sure, but that means they're making us pay, before we've had a chance to lower our water and electricity usage and thats not fair.

eric saliba

Jan 9th 2009, 16:49

@ j martinelli. so if a labour government ignores the unions it's called arrogance and dictatorship but if gonzipn does it it's called good governance?? give us a break !!

Manuel Mifsud

Jan 9th 2009, 16:45

Some people already have a problem to pay the 2 bills which they are receiving rather late because of the never ending discussions between the unions and the government. If they wait for another 45 days they will be faced with 3 unpaid bills! Will they find it easier then?!
Even if eventually they get another small discount, it would still be hard to pay 3 bills at one go! How will the unions help ease the problem then?

E. Abela

Jan 9th 2009, 16:43

I don't let unions use me.

P Debono

Jan 9th 2009, 16:40

Mr. Bencini,

Why don't you start doing your job and negotiate that collective agreement at the university so that us students aren't put through the same torment that you have put us through on two consecutive occasions?

Jimmy Magro

Jan 9th 2009, 16:31

@JTA and DB
You both seem to fail to understand that these directives are voluntory. History is full of such directives and they have been described as civil disobedience. These directives are the monopoly of no one and can be issued by political parties, trade unions, civil socities, media and any other institution that accepts to engage in the democratic process.

Democracy does not mean electing a government by voting every five years. It means that the citizens must have an active role in directing the future of their country, community, famly and self.

It is only when the citizens abandons these rights that we will have a sick society. We should not deprive ourselves of our inalienable rights to manage our own destiny through the democratic process.

After all the bills that have been issued are estimates and it is not the first time that WSC has not credited the payments made when the actual bill is issued.

I want to know where are the consumers' unions, associations and councils are in this country? A page in The Sunday Times of Malta is not enough.

rene joseph

Jan 9th 2009, 16:31

has a PN government been in such a mess before?

I'm serious. I do not recall a time, when a PN government was in such a mess.

carmen cacciottolo

Jan 9th 2009, 16:30

I would like to make these points:

- I will not be paying my bill until the last of the 45 days in my bill. I would rather keep the money in my pocket/bank earning interest than let government make more money off me.

- I question whether we are obliged to pay an estimate when we do not know the exact amount our bill will be.

- How can we pay our bill if a meter reader did not come on the 1st of October when the new tariffs came into force?

- Everyone knows Enemalta is inefficient. Why have they not published their annual accounts yet? Can someone audit their accounts for the last few years to see how efficiently they are running? Are we paying for their inefficiencies through our electricity bills?

- Why doesn’t government start an energy conservation campaign for its own electricity consumption. Road lights as mentioned by Patrick below is certainly a good place to start!

A Fabri

Jan 9th 2009, 16:23

some wiseman told me that ;
Debts are made to be paid by the public, while profits are always shared privately within the few. This is politics afterall.

J Martinelli

Jan 9th 2009, 16:22

Where were these unions ten years ago?

This bit about 'demanding meetings with the Prime Minister' has to stop. Heaven forbid the PM has to meet with every Tom, Dick and Harry every time there is a dispute about a new tax or 'tariff'! There is a government agency capable of providing the unions with the information which they require - they should go there.

This situation only came about as a result of a Nationalist government doing away with how things were done in the 70s and 80s when the government dictated no matter what and unions (and individuals) kept silent for fear of reprisal. In essence the Nationalist government is victim of its own successes.

emmanuel zammit

Jan 9th 2009, 16:11

the unions have to do more than this!!!!!!!!!

Patrick Ellul

Jan 9th 2009, 16:03

Unions are right in questioning this situation and taking action. Apart from discrepancies mentioned by the unions, Government through enemalta administration has failed to state the real state of affairs within this company and never mentioned any action that will be taken to ensure that the inefficiencies that have been effecting the operation of the company are tackled. A case in point, christmas festivities are over by more then a week and certain roads and roundabouts, such as those in the road from Zebbug leading to Rabat are still being lit during the night, even during the day at times. What a shame!!!

Joe Tabone-Adami

Jan 9th 2009, 16:02

What do the Unions mean by "directing the public" to do, or not to do, this or that? Doing so is certainly not within their brief or mission as employees' representatives. Our people have enough sense in this matter to do what they see as correct without being "directed" one way or another by relative outsiders.

Dennis Debono

Jan 9th 2009, 15:57

Will the unions pay for the interest incurred if I do not pay the bills?