PL demands review of energy equipment subsidy scheme

The Labour Party has urged the government to revise its scheme to assist those who buy solar heaters or photo voltaic equipment, saying that those who rushed to buy immediately after the budget announcement might end up without a full subsidy,.

Opposition environment spokesman Leo Brincat said the PL agreed with the scheme in principle, but not in the way it was being applied.

Many people had bought such clean energy equipment immediately after the scheme was announced in the budget, more so since they were told that it would operate on a first come, first served basis. But they were not told that the scheme would apply only when regulations were issued.

He also insisted that the parameters of the scheme should be extended so that more people would be eligible for assistance. Some individual suppliers of photovoltaic panels already had more customers than the total number of families who could benefit from the assistance, Mr Brincat said.