GRTU directs members to only partially pay utility bills

The GRTU said today that it will take legal action over the utility bills, and it directed its members to only partially pay the bills they received.

GRTU president Paul Abela told the chamber’s annual meeting this morning that members were being instructed to check the number of units they consumed, as listed on their bill, and multiply that number by 13 euro cents. The result was what they should pay. Any amount requested over and above that total would be contested in court and businesses were therefore not obliged to pay it.

In his speech Mr Abela echoed a call made last week by the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and called on the government to come up with a plan for strong intervention in the economy to counter the impact of international recession on Malta.

“What has been proposed by the authorities so far is not enough. The many proposals made so far make sense only in normal times. But what is heading for Malta is not normal,” Mr Abela insisted.

He also stressed that public attention should not be distracted by less important issues.

He said that the government should not continue to impose more burdens and should allow more time for the settlement of bills He pointed out that many European governments were extending payment times for the settlement of VAT, income tax, social security contributions and other payments to public enterprises so as to help them in their cash flow. The same should happen in Malta, Mr Abela said.