Muscat non-committal on tariff reductions
'I don't think he meant to say that'
Labour leader Joseph Muscat Muscat has said he cannot commit the party to future price reductions on utility rates should it be elected to government, contrary to claims made by the PL's general secretary.
In an interview with The Sunday Times today, Dr Muscat dismissed a guarantee given by Jason Micallef on TV discussion programme Bondiplus last Monday that the Labour Party would reduce the unpopular utility tariffs the minute it got into government.
When asked whether Mr Micallef was speaking on behalf of the party, Dr Muscat said: "I'm not going to make a commitment for the next election before I have the matters in hand."
Dr Muscat attempted to defend his general secretary, saying: "I don't think he meant to say that... He wanted to make the argument that the reduction in the electricity and water rates last April wasn't enough."
The Labour leader said the guarantee he would give was that consumers would not pay for the inefficiencies of the government and Enemalta and that they should not foot the bill for agreements which did not make sense.
The electricity rates issue is considered to be one of the main contributors to the Nationalist Party's heavy loss in the June 6 European Parliament elections.
Dr Muscat skirted questions over whether he is happy with all four candidates elected on the PL ticket - particularly John Attard Montalto - and said he was happy that his party was eradicating the siege mentality.