PL goes to court on the utility tariffs

Anthony Pace Gouder

Dec 22nd 2009, 02:37

@Alfred Cassar
Sure enough the Inflation Adjusted price of Crude plumeted from $124/barrel in JUNE 2008 (highest ever) to $33/barrel in JANUARY 2009 . Then again gradually rose to $60/barrel in JUNE'09 .

To-day BRENTstands at $72/barrel , also don't forget the weak $ rate of exchange to the EURO !

VIDE > http:/inflationdata.com/inflation_Rate/Historical_Oil_Prices_Chart.asp
... and read Inflation Adjusted Crude Oil Prices Chart

Muscat. Pat

Dec 21st 2009, 22:59

@ Alfred Zammit
Its more likely that you mean " ifthu il -portafol (kartiera) please!

Mark Galea

Dec 21st 2009, 22:46

while I agree that tariffs are high, I cannot help not laughing at the way PL treats the issue - Panto Joe

Galea. L

Dec 21st 2009, 22:02

Alfred Cassar
Perhaps you need to stop reading and referring to history and read and listen to some contemporary media Cassar, because you seem to be greatly out of touch.

J Martinelli
The tariffs have absolutely nothing to do with the price of oil but with the incompetence, mismanagement and inefficiences of Gonzi and EneMalta who are charging the people for their incompetence mismanagement and inefficiencies.

Joseph E Briffa Then why did the incompetents in EneMalta and Gonzi's GOvernment nto buy oil when the price was down? This proves their incompetence, mismanagement and inefficiency.

jbusuttil Simply referring to history means that you have no valid arguments to rebut Mizzi and the other arguments being put forward.

alfred agius Agree with you. They are really fat pigs.

R Spiteri The Opposition is not there to make proposals but to criticize the Government.

Anthony Mizzi You are right

Robert Zammit You are perfectly correct. We need to demonstrate like they do in other countries against this totally arrogant Government of incompetents.

O. Gauci EneMalta demanded higher tariffs than they actually wanted so that the MRA would appear to have lowered them.

wally vella-zarb

Dec 21st 2009, 21:47

J Martinelli, Floating Voters will certainly remember the minister saying that the price of crude had little to do with the end cost of what we consumers purchase. He said this, of course, when the cost of crude went down after we had been warned that it was going up to $200 per barrel by the end of the year! Had the real anarchists in 1998, not played for the ‘gallarija’ when Dr Sant had proposed to increase the tariffs with oil at $12 per barrel, Enemalta would not have accumulated a deficit that has now reached enormous proportions... Rational Floating Voters also realise this.

As for your remark about people who ‘have anarchy as their model’ perhaps you do not remember the organised boycott of companies that advertised on PBS, The ‘spontaneous’ demonstrations by Sliema housewives, the filth that was broadcast StudioMaster, the boycott of AirMalta by the then leader of the opposition, etc., etc. That was the real anarchy that Rational Floating Voters will certainly remember. Please do keep up your good work. The PL is certainly indebted to you for your continuing efforts to garner them more floating votes come next election. ;-)

Alfred Cassar

Dec 21st 2009, 20:51

I'm seriously tempted to vote Labour in the next General Election. Why? I will get around €1800 in car registration tax paid in 2008. Then I will have my W&E Bill slashed by around €500 annually. Not bad for a start. Then perhaps I would have to pay some extra income tax, say €1500 annually. U halluna tridu!!! Ifthu mohhkom pls

Alfred Cassar

Dec 21st 2009, 20:47

@ Anthony Pace Gouder: "The price did fall to a RECORD low !"

Do you know what you're saying Mr PAce? When did the oil price fell to a record low? Yes in 1997 ... and we all know what happened then.

J Martinelli

Dec 21st 2009, 20:36

@ David Bezzina "If the PL was "ghall-gallarija",then it could have just criticized the tariffs and then just let it be. When the PN was in a similar situation back in 1997,all it did was to moan about the tariffs without doing anything except to take political mileage". Can your memory be that short? Also, oil was at $12.00 a barrel compared to today's $75.00! The PN government held back all the bills being sent out by the (former) Sant government and reverted the rates back to what they were. Too bad they didn't let the bills go out so that a comparison could have been made by the public, later! The action by the LP proves further that anarchy is their model and that they are not subject to any authority unless it's them who are governing. One only hopes that the Courts will act soon and give a ruling regarding the MRA's authority and methods of calculation.

D Zammit

Dec 21st 2009, 20:06

@ PN apologists It's so clear that you have no strong arguments that you are hinting that PL is saying that electricity should be free or if the PL is in government it will be free. I think the point is whether the rates are just or not. Well I think that Malta has the only sector of people who enjoy higher rates!! Good luck to you. Any volunteer to pay my bill as well since you're not worried?

Joseph E Briffa

Dec 21st 2009, 19:51

May i ask from where did Joe Mizzi get the idea that the price of oil has gone down? Is he not aware that the price has doubled since early 2009 - from $40 to $70-80? Doesn't Joe Mizzi watch the news on foreign TV channels and read foreign papers?

Anthony Pace Gouder

Dec 21st 2009, 19:44

It was on the PBS talk show DISSET with Mr. Tranter , that it was revealed and if I remember well ,it was said that the managerial staff together gobble up about a million Euro in salaries p.a. ! Quote > the Government had said it needed to COLLECT Euro 74,200,000 from the bills ! (Biex jibbilancja?) Yesterday , the Hon. Prime Minister blatently stated that the price of Crude Oil was a reality, and the bills had to reflect the price fluctuations ! ? We were led to believe that with the Surcharge elimination , the adjusted rates were fixed to make good for any eventuallity . We were also promised deductions if the price of Crude fell below a certain level . The price did fall to a RECORD low ! u x'gara......? Povru Poplu . To add insult to injury , the current increases are being justified as some Prophets are forcasting the price of OIL will shoot up again in the year 2010 AD ? Iggudikawni fuq dak li naghmel u MHUX dak li neghid ( Dr. L. Gonzi)

jbusuttil

Dec 21st 2009, 18:38

I hope that Joe Mizzi has done his homework well to present in court this is where he will be give his marks. U bilhaqq where were you in the time of Alfred Sant when we needed you most. The PL panto continues.

Charles Zammit

Dec 21st 2009, 18:29

@J. Pace This is incredible. You ask for an alternative solution to a problem the PN rode piggy back on years back when Labour had proposed the increase in water and electricity tariffs. Politika tal-calculator we were told then. What do you call this? Aren't you aware of the deficits that Enemalta accumulated over the years? Why did Enemalta run deficits? Is it not because the government went out of his way to hide the justification of the proposed increase in water and electricity tariffs under Dr. Alfred Sant. The truth is that for years we were living a lie - an unsustainable lie. All our economy is built around that price structure now and change cannot happen overnight. All this people can do is take Dr. Gonzi's and try to swallow the prices and accept to keep swallowing them literally thanks to successive PN governments.

J Azzopardi

Dec 21st 2009, 18:02

Good marketing by PL. They know what they want.... V o t e s ... and probably they will succeed. Good marketing.

alfred agius

Dec 21st 2009, 18:01

The top brass at Enemalta are really fattened pigs at our own expense. I know how much these are getting but there is no space here to tell it all a Ah! There seem to be so many people who are happy forking out cash to keep it all going on and on.. So the maltese are getting the govt they indeed deserve.

Mike Magri

Dec 21st 2009, 17:57

Guys. Ofcourse that nothing is free of charge.. Who is saying so, anyway? But on the other hand, that does not mean that we ALL have to act like Sitting Ducks ALL THE TIME..!! What we are and what GonziPN want us to pay for to Enemalta and the Water Services is MAINLY for the cost of Inefficient Management.. Inefficient System of Collecting Relevant Utility Costs.. Exagerated and Uncontrolable Overhead Costs.. Strange happenings of Double Payments for works already paid for, or even worse for works NOT even done, without any concrete actions, and SO ON and SO FORTH..!!! ... and to top it all, the cost of oil has been going down for a while now, and not up.. MISKIEN IL-KONSUMATUR MALTI W`GHAWDXI....!!!

R Spiteri

Dec 21st 2009, 17:14

Does this judicial letter include any concrete proposal in order to pay lower bills? It's easy to criticise...very easy...it's far more difficult to decide. I don't think that anyone in Government would be happy and clapping that the bills are increased! This is reality everywhere....switch on your TV and check what is happening all over the world. We're part of the world....and we don't have any natural resources. Another year is gone by, and some people have just spent a year criticising others, and not doing anything to improve the standard of living of the Maltese people.

John Debattista

Dec 21st 2009, 17:09

@ ROBERT ZAMMIT, Prosit naqbel mija fil mija mieghek hemm bzonn issir x haga Drastika forsi fl- ahhar il Gvern jisma mill weggha tal Poplu .......

J pace

Dec 21st 2009, 16:47

PL is once again giving the impression that if it was in govt all would become free of charge!! Halluna bi kwietna! Give us the alternative ways how this income can be recouped and you will be much more credible than you actually are! it is easy to play the pantomines but is much more difficult to run a country!

joseph saliba

Dec 21st 2009, 16:46

I know of patients who took their doctor to court because he failed to relieve them of their sickness no matter what he tried. You don't blame the onlooker for failing to save the drowning man. We blame the one risks his own life to save him. Is it a matter of sums or can we take the oil diggers to court? Or do we have to believe everyone but Dr. Gatt?

Andrea Portelli

Dec 21st 2009, 16:37

Although I do admire this action taken up by PL, I'm expecting any life-changing for the better result.... Considering we are talking about Judicial Courts which hand out suspended sentences and slap on the wrists on a daily basis!

Anthony Mizzi

Dec 21st 2009, 16:15

The MRA , like other Government Authorities , are just glove puppets making a show like in any Punch and Judy show and all know who the Chief Pupeteer is and who is getting the blows and will be getting more blows in 2010.

There are no National elctions in 2010 either.

Robert Zammit

Dec 21st 2009, 16:05

It's about time that the population on this Island reacts by organising protests in the streets !! If this were some other country people would have been out in the streets complaing a long while ago ! Look at the Italians, they even organised and 'NOBERLUSCONI day' , maybe it's time we organise a 'NO GONZIPN day' !

Andrew Cachia

Dec 21st 2009, 16:05

Mr Mark Galea. how right you are. however you forgot to mention to mention that the chief protagonistthat is Austin Gatt

maria falzon

Dec 21st 2009, 16:00

If it was for some people, we would just part our rights, and give our paycheck to the government. This one commercial entity is dictating the economics of our country. This same one commercial entity is run by the government.

David Bezzina

Dec 21st 2009, 15:48

At least there is a political party that cares what the people are feeling.
The new electricity and water tariffs are nothing short of daylight robbery.

If the PL was "ghall-gallarija",then it could have just criticized the tariffs and then just let it be.
When the PN was in a similar situation back in 1997,all it did was to moan about the tariffs without doing anything except to take political mileage.

At least the PL is doing something else other then talk and moan.

Marco Cremona

Dec 21st 2009, 15:44

I am not sure that taking MRA to court is the right way to 1) empower MRA to stand up to Enemalta and to 2) make sure MRA is held accountable for its duties as the energy, water and minerals regulator of this country.

Few people seem to realise that MRA's duties go far beyond sanctioning Enemalta's tariffs. Apart from ensuring that the citizens of Malta's get good-value-for-money from the Enemalta/WSC monopolies, MRA is also duty-bound to be pro-active in protecting Malta's water resources, and proposing and implementing policies regulating the generation of energy in Malta (including renewable energy) as well as ensuring that we use our limited mineral resource (stone) in the most efficient manner.

In all of the above, the MRA has failed miserably. We are losing our groundwater resource by the minute and MRA has still not prepared a national water policy. MRA was ineffective in forcing WSC to build sewage treatment plants that would have recovered water for re-use. And what about MRA's U-turns when it comes to renewable energy policy and it's incompetence when administering refunds for solar water heaters and PVs?

An MRA reform is certainly required - perhaps more than the MEPA reform.

john williams

Dec 21st 2009, 15:44

Mark Galea & R. Caruana, please be informed that not all families have the resources to pay these HIGH AND HIGHER bills.

It is not a question, the more electricity one uses the more you will have to pay. It is just that one cannot pay these bills which now are going to be higher, and for which reason may I ask??

J Pace

Dec 21st 2009, 15:36

How come this happens Only in Malta –
When oil price goes Down, we have already bought a stock of oil for 6 months beforehand so people will still have to pay for the high W&E Bill.
When oil price goes UP – We immediately have to pay for that increase. Didn’t the government bought oil for 6 months when it was cheap???
Is there something wrong with this government??? Are people still learning the ABC…? Or they are finally realizing that there is something tricky. Also Vince Farrugia, the person that shouted for 5 Blue MEP, is finally opening his eys.

D zammit

Dec 21st 2009, 15:35

@ R Caruana

If this is a show have fun and enjoy paying for the huge salaries of the top people at Enemalta my friend. Do you know how much they get? Any idea?

Noel Cutajar

Dec 21st 2009, 15:35

For those who always comment on what the PL does...so comment here as well...

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091221/local/new-tariffs-are-unacceptable-grtu

O. Gauci

Dec 21st 2009, 15:31

Am I seeing some contradiction here? Mr. Mizzi is saying that the MRA is acting only as a rubber stamp to the price increases but Joseph Muscat is saying that the MRA actually reduced the price increases by €5 million. Boq? guess its the first joke in the panto labour, x' tahseb Mr. Mark Galea!

R. Caruana

Dec 21st 2009, 15:27

What a waste of time... just to put up a show.

As if any court is going to regulate tariffs of a commercial entity!!

Ghall-Gallarija, bhas-soltu PL!!

D Vella

Dec 21st 2009, 15:20

At last someone who cares!

Mark Galea

Dec 21st 2009, 15:19

seems a new PANTO is starting - PL - Panto Labour

paul mallia

Dec 21st 2009, 15:09

Finally! We need to shake up and do something! We cannot sit like lame ducks and say thank you to whatever the Government keeps stuffing down our throats. We should do something. It looks like it's all grumble and nothing else, but PL seems to finally wake up and for pete's sake DO SOMETHING for us! All the Malta population should do the same, and then the Government will know!!!