Increase in price of gas detrimental to tourism

Alfie Sultana

Aug 7th 2009, 00:12

I say, maybe some of the British living in our country want to turn Malta into a >> little Britian.

Jf.Bartolo

Aug 6th 2009, 12:35

@Mr.Barton yes true English being a world language but you know the proverb >WHEN YOU ARE IN ROME DO THE SAME AS THE ROMANS DO

P.Barton

Aug 6th 2009, 11:24

With due respect Mr.Galea.L __ Maltese is not a world language, i would say my language being the Queen's English is more internationally understood then yours being Maltese, which to me sounds Arabic and very very hard to understand and pronounce, just my humble opinion you understand ofcourse as an Englsih man Peter.JS.Barton (British)

C. Magdi

Aug 5th 2009, 22:39

Whatever governmental party, they always say something and then do another. If it was MLP or if it is now PN. It is detrimental to tourism they say... what about us? Isn't it too much for us as well? Tourists might feel it expensive as well but they come here for a month, WE LIVE HERE!!
Who is going to feel it more? Us Maltese!! Mostly in winter. Electricity is soo expensive so no electrical heaters and now even the gas. What shall we do now? Illuminate us government pls!! I'm running out of ideas.

Galea. L

Aug 5th 2009, 22:20

Alan Kyle
If people are not making ends meet, how on earth do you expect them to spend thousands of euros for solar panels? What about the batteries that have to be changed after a few years, inverters and the rest of the equipment that have to be services, changed or repaired? What about the interests on the capital that you lose and the loss of capital after about 20 years?

Galea. L

Aug 5th 2009, 21:56

Walter lemon
How about learning our language Walter?
Are are you too proud to learn another language besides yours?
We are no longer your colony Walter.
I have had the occasion to comment on foreign newspapers not in the papers language and no one commented that I should not do so.
As for sometimes expressing ourselves in Malta when you express yourself in another language the message will simply not get through or will not be understood by foreigners. This happens in all languages Walter, so start learning our language if you want to understand what we say.

Mario Attard

Aug 5th 2009, 20:12

Just a few days ago we heard the news that Malta is the most expensive country in the Eurozone. It is 75% more expensive. So instead of tackling this dire situation, we get higher prices for an essential thing like gas. Just incredible!

Walter lemon

Aug 5th 2009, 19:45

I thought the Times is suppose to be AN ENGLISH newspaper, yet i cannot read or understand any comments submitted in Maltese, are the Maltese getting wise and copying the Italians who only speak italian and no other language or even the French or the Germans., however i thought the Maltese are suppose to be inteligent and bi-lingual?same as the Dutch and others cannot remember off hand.The English is an international language and with the amount of tourists in this country just cannot understand the lingo, same with advertising on the box, how do they expect us Britains to listen and take note off say ie., a particular restaurant or shops. Just wondered, no need to get shirty as if you don't like it bla. Bla. Bla thats old news.

norbert schembri

Aug 5th 2009, 18:48

Mur gibu il-gvern tal Labour jgholli kollox ,kieku mhux ilu li waqa il gvern!!! Ma naghmlux mod li dawk li qed jghidu li sewwa jghamel il gvern li inehhi is sussidji hargu ixejru il-bnadar kontra il gvern ta Sant u jiktbu kontrieh ghax kien gholla id dawl dak iz zmien u ghamel 50c fuq il- medicini biex inehhi il hela? Mela il- PN jista inehhi is sussidji, imma il-PL ma jistax. U min qed jahseb li il-gvern ser inaqqas it taxxi diretti ghax qed inehhi is sussidji ser jgharralu, tiftakru meta il- gvern tal gurnata hareg bl-ideja tal-vat? Dak iz zmien ukoll qal li issa ser inaqqas it taxxi u minn dak inhar il hawn faqqset mitt taxxa gdida ohra. Kif tippretendu li il-gvern ser inaqqas it taxxi meta l-EU ser tiehu passi ghax id-dejn tal pajjiz huwa gholi wisq u il-kaxxa ta Malta spiccat broke!! Ahna qed noholmu jeww? U min kien jiekol il gallettini tal klieb fl-80s nistaqsieh x'kien jiekol fi zmien il-faqar tas 60s? Jekk tridu issemmu il passat semmuh kollu u mhux dak li jaqblilkom biss. Sewwa qal xi hadd li kullhadd ghandu x ixomm taht idejh!!!

R Cassar

Aug 5th 2009, 18:00

Farrugia: Bir-rispett kollu, izda l-fatt li 22 sena ilu inti kont tiekol il gallettini tal-klieb huwa irrelevanti ghalija – jinterressani x’qieghed jigri illum. L'gholi bla razan ta prodotti essenzjali huwa verment ta nkwiet ghall hafna nies li huma haddiema, b-familja. M’hawnx kilikkek blu jitpaxxew illum tahseb? Hawn xi nies li ghax komdi huma komdu kullhadd...

S. Farrugia

Aug 5th 2009, 17:11

@ J. Farrugia Ma tafx x'inti tghid ta. Ghax illum hawn skarsezzi ... ta' flus. U BTW qed issemmi zmien li ilu li ghadda. Sewwa jghidu li bqajtu marbutin biss mal-passat. Din biss nghidlek ... li kull min jgholli jdejh ghandu xi jxomm

P.Cassar

Aug 5th 2009, 16:45

@Mark Galea
I'M asking but for little. Just read what I wrote and try to answer the argument presented.

J Farrugia

Aug 5th 2009, 16:00

Ghax fi zmien il-labour ma kienx hawn zidiet fil-prezzijiet tal-oggetti! Mhux hekk biss, kienu jippubblikaw ktejjeb tal-prezzijeit u sa meta jigi ppubblikat il-prezz ikun gia rdoppja u xi nghidu ghall-iskarsezzi li kien ikun hawn. Mur ghidha llum lin-nies li hawn xi skarsezza. Jidhku bik. Insejna malajr meta l-prezzijiet tal-affarijiet essenzjali kienu jirduppjaw ghax bil-bulk buying u x'naf jien. U ma kienx ikun hawn prodotti ta' kwalita' gallettini tal-klieb konna nieklu ghax dak biss kien ikun hawn. U tal-klikka hamra paxxuti bit-TV tal-kulur , bil-video recorders, u xinxilli li llum l-inqs biss issemmihom. Dan kien taht il-Labour li jiftahru bih dawn il-bloggers.

Mark Galea

Aug 5th 2009, 15:23

@P.Cassar
What are you asking for? To return to the socialist years pre 1987? Seems you were on the gravy train in those years.

Alan Kyle

Aug 5th 2009, 13:49

@ Edward Bartolo. Solar energy. With new technology being developed daily, it is becoming cheaper than ever before to install stand-alone or back up, solar power systems. They are also getting smaller, more unobtrusive, making them more attractive to homeowners.

There’s virtually no maintenance required to a solar energy system once installed, and photovoltaic cells have an estimated life span in the region of thirty years, so equipment costs, when equated to running costs (almost nil) mean that solar power systems pay for themselves over time.

It is also clean. Unlike nuclear or coal driven power stations, which produce waste, pollute the air, and risk contamination of the environment with very hazardous materials, a typical residential solar power system generates virtually no by products, and does not harm the environment.

So, it’s cheap, clean, has an infinite supply, almost completely maintenance free, and does not rely on humans or governments for supply, and there is no danger of power cuts.

Worth considering.

P.Cassar

Aug 5th 2009, 13:28

@Mark Galea
Haven't you realised yet that your capitalist methodology just got buried a few months ago when diehard capitalists in the USA begged for subsidies from govt in order to survive.
PLEASE come of age even if you are on the gravy train.

Pierre André Aquilina

Aug 5th 2009, 13:23

The removal of subsidies should not occur indescriminately in a blanket manner, whether in one fell swoop or in stages. If we cannot do otherwise, I would argue that, at the very least, the financially vulnerable portion of the population ought to continue to be subsidised through the means testing principle.

My impresssion is that, unfortunately, the Government is not engaging in a policy of subsidy-removal in order to eventually relay such savings to the taxpayer in the form of tax reductions, but is seeking to eliminate such subsidies to finance the inefficiencies that characterise the production of the related services (and not only).

Also, are we sure Malta is actually in a recession? In a recession, government's major concern is to prevent prices from swaying unduly, especially up. Howcome our Government is contributing to inflation through its state-controlled monopolies, which it fully controls? The principle of "you pay for what you consume" is admirable, but surely its application ought to be considered in the light of wider economic implications. Would it not have been preferably to introduce such principles when the going was (supposedly) less tough? In the present circumstances, it just becomes an exercise in confiscatory taxation.

t.camilleri

Aug 5th 2009, 13:17

Jien kont taht l-impressjoni li la darba il-gvern nehha min idejh il monopolju tad-distrubzzjoni tal gas u ghaddih lil privat dan kellu jorhos u mhux jirdoppja.

Hekk kont nismaghhom jghidu li is-suq isuq. Forsi kont smajt hazin?

U z-zghir ikompli jinghasar.

Jesmond Farrugia

Aug 5th 2009, 13:13

1. Subsidising everyone - no way; subsidising social cases yes.
2. @ Edward Bartolo; you are very misinformed about the feasibility of solar water heaters and PV. Solar water heaters are being assisted with a €460 grant from the MRA and PV was given a €3000 grant at the beginning of the year.
3. Why should my tax money be subsiding tourism, industry and other commercial institutions that use my money to turn a profit?
4. If subsidies are to be given they should be given to ease dependence on fuel and instead be directed towards renewables.

Charles Micallef

Aug 5th 2009, 13:02

This is what started the decline of some Hotels operations in Malta, someone cannot seem to understand that the hike in electricity prices assisted in no small way towards the demise of some hotel operations, the running cost where going up and the room rates achieved started to go down, and the increase in LPG will have exactly the same effect on some hotels. History is repeating itself.. We should have by now learned the lesson by now, but it doesn’t look like it!!!!!.

The government has ample proof that if more hotel beds are lost, and that bed stock is not replaced because hotels investment are no longer lucrative............... the local economy will suffer for a long time to come.....just have a good look around Bugibba.

Why it is that manufacturing industry is subsidized and hotels are allowed to close down? Why the distinction between factory and hotel workers?, Do they not both contribute towards the Economy?

N.Farrugia

Aug 5th 2009, 12:59

It seems that the PL propaganda machine is working 24 hrs a day seven days a week. Each shadow MP MUST issue a press realease on every opportunistic occasion. Obviously they critice the government for anything it does. The same goes to the GWU, the oppostion's mouthpiece. So l-Orrizont and Super One have ample material for every edition. When asked for their solutions, they turn deaf or blind. But all those who experienced their 16 years in power know very well that they did much worse than the present government-e.g. nobody would dare criticise the government because he would surely suffer the consequences

Shawn Grech

Aug 5th 2009, 12:59

This website has been featured on bbc website today. It claims ''A Zero point magnetic power generator is basically a Free Energy Generator. It uses magnets, and magnetic force to induce perpetual motion. It runs by itself, indefinitely without stopping, thus creating completely free electrical energy, which can fully power your home for free. A Perpetual motion device refers to a machine that runs perpetually i.e. indefinitely, and produces a larger amount of energy than it consumes. Thus, it produces free energy indefinitely, runs by itself, without having to need a third-party device or resource to power it.'' - http://www.magniwork.com
True? who knows? if anyone tries to build one let us know if it really works :O)

http://www.magniwork.com/default.php?hop=cscarpero

F J Brincat

Aug 5th 2009, 12:45

No government be it Nationalist or MLP ever gives with one hand without taking with the other (in bigger amounts to boot) so, if you are expecting any reduction in taxes just because the government is removing subsidies you are either naïve or downright stupid!

Decrease in government expenditure? Get real please, government expenditure is on the rise and will rise even more within the next 2-3 years. And then what? Maybe we will get the tar whaled out of us…

S.Farrugia

Aug 5th 2009, 12:36

Alla jbierek hawnhekk kulhadd komdu. Jien ma nafx x'taghmlu kieku tghixu b'xi paga wahda, u ghandkom il-loan u kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma gejjin. U ejja ddahkux. Ghax ma tghidux li ghandkom ghamad quddiem ghajnejkom li taraw kollox tajjeb, basta jkun gej taht il-kappa blu.

Possibbli tiehdu gost meta joghlew l-affarijiet!! Hekk sew I'm alright .... you Jack.

David Mallia

Aug 5th 2009, 12:00

Subsidies have to be removed, so where are they now going? Last but not least subsidies are necessary because they redistribute wealth. They are only wrong inso far they subsidise waste and inefficiences. So as usual politicians use words like social conscience when they want? Capitalism on its own does not work..... the credit crunch is a demonstration of this. I do not want to be Governed with a mentality of 'profit and loss'. The reality of this, I will be paying more for my gas and the same taxes. My contribution to subsidy has not been refunded.

Julian Borg

Aug 5th 2009, 11:52

This is not an ongoing cost to the hotels, if they have the customers, they cook for the customers, thus using gas. If the amount of guests are down, it's not like they are using the gas to cook food for the sake of cooking food.

I NO LONGER want to pay for commercial enterprises to use gas by subsidising them through my taxes.

I use LPG, and am glad to pay for it's use, not like my parents who use all electric, and have to pay for restaurants use of gas through their taxes.

E Gatt and Mark Galea are correct. This is a good move.

edward bartolo

Aug 5th 2009, 11:51

@ Alan Kyle
Could you please, be more specific as to how one can save through these so called "alternative energy sources"?!

a) Solar Panels i.e. semiconductor solar panels are way too costly
b) Solar Water Heaters are also out of question i.e. maintenance costs do not economically justify their use

What else?! Maybe, living like Homo Neanderthalis?

r ferriggi

Aug 5th 2009, 11:41

fine.

the gas price has been increased and the subsidy removed.

if hte subsidy has been removed,,,,,, the government will be left with that subsidy in hand.

we ,,,,, the tax-payer have been footing that subsidy.

therefore,,,,, we are supposed,,,,,, to gain from the removal of this subsidy removal,,,in some way or other.

am i right?? if not,,,,, then someone please explain the real scope of the subsidy removal.

Harry Elliot

Aug 5th 2009, 11:32

I am a British Pensioner residing in Malta and as we all know our exchange rate at this moment in time is not a favourable one against the euro, however we do feel for the Local Pensioners as they are really bad off then most and the ofcourse the lower paid bracket will no doubt feel the pinch, unless something is done drastically to lift the burden of Malta's which has one of the highest inflation rate in the whole of the EEC in comparisim with wages, we on our part will be better off to return back home thus saving us the hasstle of losing out on our sterling for the time being at least. I am sure this as the columm says above will effect the tourists industry as now a days most are looking for bargains and sorry to say Malta is not on the list, one only has to pick up our UK Observer and check it out for themselves. Good luck any road. Harry Elliot.

Galea. L

Aug 5th 2009, 11:30

Mark Galea
Nice capitalist social conscience Mark.
You can thank God that you do not need subsidies because you would have reasoned otherwise Mark.

Colin Camilleri
You are perfectly correct.

Gordon Farrugia

Aug 5th 2009, 11:27

'SO IT IS BETTER THAT THOSE WHO USE GAS PAY FOR IT, INSTEAD OF USING TAX PAYER MONEY TO SUBSIDISE THEM. '

jeeeezzz what a callous and indifferent way to view things. Is this being socially considerate!!? Say that to a family of 4 trying to stay afloat on the minimum wage and finding it impossible to make ends meet. This government has no social fabric whatsoever. It has embarked on a ruthless capitalistic drive which will surely end up in tears as people end up in debt trying to remain alive.

Alan Kyle

Aug 5th 2009, 11:21

Time to realize that energy is the biggest industry in the world which is run by the state; hence, it can be used, as a revenue generator, by any government. Every person that wants to free themselves from this control should find alternative energy supplies, which are out there. They may seem expensive now, however, going forward, the savings will be inestimable.

Emm. Farrugia

Aug 5th 2009, 11:16

@ Mark Galea,
Do you want to make a bet that Mr. Vince Farrugia of the GRTU does not agree with you ?

Colin Camilleri

Aug 5th 2009, 11:14

this government proved time over time its incompetence to run this country. one has to look around and see the state of neglect, poor standard of living, stone age infrustructures that fail constantly and so on.
those who are day dreaming that money saved from removing subsidise will be returned to the maltese citizen, should wake up and face reality.
this government is so much in dire straights that it can't even pay back the VAT it illegally taxed the maltese people over the imported vehicles. It prefers to go to court, adding to the costs, in order to differ what rightly and justly belongs to the people.
Now the people are reeping the benefits of joining the EU and joining the Euro.

D Vella

Aug 5th 2009, 11:07

Mark Galea, lack of social conscience for those less well off?...I say!

E Gatt

Aug 5th 2009, 11:04

Removing subsidies is a necessary step in allowing the government to continue reducing income tax, encouraging competition and reducing government expenditure.

Thumbs up for this brave move.

Mark Galea

Aug 5th 2009, 10:56

At the end of the day, we will be paying the full price of gas, wheter it is subsidised or not. SO IT IS BETTER THAT THOSE WHO USE GAS PAY FOR IT, INSTEAD OF USING TAX PAYER MONEY TO SUBSIDISE THEM.
For the benefit of the country, those who ALWAYS need subsidies to work, should stop working.