'Utter disbelief' at bus owners' compensation package

The Malta Chamber of Commerce today express its 'utter disbelief' over the compensation offered by the government to bus owners once a new operator takes over.

"In view of the compensation figures mentioned in the media over the past days, the Malta Chamber is demanding that the government fulfills its responsibility to the taxpayer and ensures judicious use of public funds. Taxpayers’ money must be channelled into areas that are priorities for the country at this present moment in time,” said Chamber President Helga Ellul.

The Chamber said funds needed to be invested in those areas where the country and its people were most likely to derive economic benefit.

“Job guarantees are unheard of in this day and age, let alone a 10 year guarantee, and they should certainly not be offered on top of pay-out compensation figures. This is not how the real world operates. Every day, operators in the business community are continually looking for ways and means to maintain their competitiveness in the face of an increasingly difficult environment. The only guarantees we have for 2010 are high energy tariffs and a high cost of living adjustment (COLA). This is the Drydocks all over again,” added Ms Ellul.

The Chamber explained that the €50 million that the government had offered the bus owners must be put into perspective, particularly the fact that the government had so far agreed to compensate the ordinary citizen and business to the tune of €10m and €2.5m respectively in terms of support for the higher utility tariffs – an issue of current fundamental importance for the country. .

"In terms of its principles, in favour of safeguarding national competitiveness and environmental sustainability, the Malta Chamber certainly recognizes the importance of the public transport reform especially if this shall finally translate into an efficient service. It is however inconceivable that the current transport operators who have enjoyed monopoly conditions for so long are now to be compensated at the expense of the tax payer. "