Red lights flash again in court
A court yesterday provisionally upheld a request for a prohibitory injunction to stop the government's energy-saving bulbs distribution scheme.
Until the court makes its final decision, people will still be able to take advantage of the scheme, through which the government distributed vouchers to every household entitling them to free energy-saving bulbs.
The Resources Ministry has one week to file a counter reply in court.
The request to stop the scheme came from a company that was banned from distributing its bulbs by similar court action set in motion by its competitors.
The company, ESS Ltd, was stopped from distributing its Megaman light bulbs after a court upheld a request filed by the Electrical Importers Association, who complained that the company did not submit samples of its bulbs to the Malta Resources Authority for testing as required but was still included in the scheme.
In his judgment, Mr Justice Tonio Mallia queried the way the authorities went about the setting up of the scheme and wondered whether it was "fair and transparent".
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DUNCAN AGIUS
Oct 2nd 2009, 09:12
" Reference is made to the article entitled “Red lights flash again in court” published in the 30th September edition of The Times.
It is to be noted that the statement that “people will still be able to take advantage of the scheme” is incorrect and this in view of the fact that the First Hall of the Civil Court provisionally upheld the request of Electrical Supplies & Services Limited, which in layman's terms prohibits the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment and the Malta Resources Authority from implementing and / or retaining the scheme at issue and from authorising wholesalers and retailers from distributing and / or exchanging vouchers for energy saving lamps.
Until the issue is finally decided the scheme is at present suspended and therefore "people are not able to take advantage of the scheme".
Pierre Azzopardi
Oct 1st 2009, 10:34
Have all the other companies mentioned on the vouchers submitted their bulbs anyway? What were the bulbs submitted for? The international community seems to be favouring Megaman as the better and most eco-friendly CFLs while in Malta we are banning them. Is this simply because a small enterprise was effecting sales of one with connections? Wake up Malta and stop this business, finally it's a free market and we need to let the people decide what they would prefer. Are we going back to the past where you had to queue up to buy a television set cause those were the only ones allowed to be sold on our shores???
A Cassar
Oct 1st 2009, 10:03
As far as I know the scheme was made for the benefit of the consumers right! So why not let the consumers be free to choose from all brands available when redeeming their vouchers?! Stop trying to eliminate competition and give consumers freedom of choice.
a caruana
Oct 1st 2009, 09:54
sorry to say but when i went they gave me the bulbs i was not given a chose ???
the only thing i was told was what type
re: Megaman and what i have seen they say they should last so many hrs i am yet to see any of this when i conplain they tell me i have to keep an eye on how long i use them ????
another thing for how much they cost and how long they last we the consumer pay more i check with the MRA and they say to keep a log then return them as if i have time to keep writing every time i turn on the light
another point i was told they are not good for bathroom because they need to stay on for so long if not they will go faster
last thing i got 3 at a cost of 12 euros for my kitchen around 2 years ago and they have all gone at the same time giveing me around 5000 hrs when whye say 8000 to 12000 hrs
so where do i save my bath room i will be lucky if i get 12 months
Brian Miller
Sep 30th 2009, 19:01
Vouchers or no vouchers, I would still go for the Megaman bulbs because they are innovative and the best and because I hate people trying to beat the competition the dirty way. People are going for Megaman energy-savings bulbs, so please let them have what they want, let them decide. Is this a free market? If yes, then stop this nonsense.
JC Mifsud
Sep 30th 2009, 15:53
Same here Andy, I'm still waiting for their reply. I've sent them a mail in the beginning of August and I'm still without an answer.
Nicholai Grech
Sep 30th 2009, 14:24
I think that all this originates from jealousy. I am no expert in this field however i know what goes on in the market, the person who filed the court order, or better the head of the association is an importer of electrical supplies himself. I don't know whethere Megaman did all the paper work in order to apply for the scheme, however the consumer magority wnet for Megaman. The scheme was planned for us consumers, and we went and chose which bulbs we wanted, and were not forced to chose anything. Now people are forced to go for an alternative, since Megaman are off the shleves. All this shows that the court order was filed because it was the only way possible to compete with Megaman. So now we should change the saying to....If you can't beat them.....file a court order!!!!! Very good way of doing business!!!!!
Mariella Galea
Sep 30th 2009, 13:31
Ma nafu naghmlu XEJN XEJN sew...
Andy Towler
Sep 30th 2009, 12:35
And I still haven't received any vouchers, despite repeated emails to the relevant government department.
B Agius
Sep 30th 2009, 12:01
What's going on with this? The companies distributing megaman claim that they're the best around (with some clear claims made by the manufactureres hereunder - see Duncan Agius' message/attachments - and on the other hand the Courts have stopped their distribution. And now a Court has stopped the scheme itself. So what's going on?
DUNCAN AGIUS
Sep 30th 2009, 11:05
GENERAL INFORMATION:
http://www.megaman.cc/global/newsroom/pressreleases/details.php?prid=53
http://www.megaman.cc/global/products/esl.php?s=1
http://www.topten.info/index.php?page=classic_e14
Ian Hulland
Sep 30th 2009, 10:54
I never got any vouchers--when I called the hotline the guy told me "Only for the owner, NOT the tenant" on asking the owner they denied all knowledge...no bulbs for my family then...
Albert Borg
Sep 30th 2009, 10:29
Dear Mr Jones, please be informed that MEGAMAN Energy Saving Lamps have lamp models in ball and candle shape that come with a silicone cover. This cover prevents the mercury spill, in case the lamp breaks. These lamps are already available on the market.
Albert Borg
Managing Partner
A & J Importers and Distributors
Authorized Local Distributors of Megaman Energy Saving Lamps
Daniel Jones
Sep 30th 2009, 09:32
The bulbs were not distributed to every household as in fact we never received ours in Zebbug. Despite phoning the 'hotline'.
I gave up waiting and bought led bulbs myself. These use even less energy (approx 1 watt instead of 11) and do not have the associated health risks that the others do. Namely poisonous dust if they break.
Mark Cushcieri
Sep 30th 2009, 09:14
hahah poor gonzi..not even his energy saving bulbs worked.