Cynthia Busuttil
Eleven unions call national protest
Eleven unions will hold a national protest against the water and electricity tariffs that will see families and businesses pay €81 million more than they would have at the previous rates.
The protest - organised by Għaqda Unions Maltin (organisation of Maltese unions) - will call on MPs to think about the extra burdens the new rates will place on families before they cast their vote at the end of the parliamentary debate on the tariffs.
The organisation, which includes the General Workers' Union, the Malta Union of Teachers and the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, is also calling on both parties to give MPs a free vote when Parliament debates the motion presented by the Labour Party, which calls for the tariffs to be revised.
And the protest, to be held in Valletta on February 28 in the afternoon, was only the first step of what could be a series of actions against the tariffs, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said.
Mr Zarb said the next step would be announced at the protest.
"Today people are scared to switch on the light because they might end up with very hefty bills," Paul Pace, president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, said.
A report commissioned by the organisation says that a three-person household will have to fork out an average of €120 more every year than it did as the rates stood last April, even when considering the energy benefits given by the government and the drop in consumption brought about by the higher rates.
The report says six-person households will have to pay almost €300 more while households with seven persons or more will see their water and electricity bills shoot up by over €1,600.
MUT president John Bencini said the report - drafted by unnamed "experts" in the field - showed that residential users would be paying 31 per cent more for electricity than they did on the basis of the April 2009 rates and three per cent more than the record-high rates of October 2008. Non-residential users, which include businesses, would see their electricity cost shoot up by a staggering 52 per cent.
Moreover, people would also be paying more for their water consumption, with rates rising by between five per cent for families and 20 per cent for businesses.
The rates in Malta for the first half of last year had already been found by Eurostat to be the 13th highest among the 27 EU countries. The assessment noted that the new rates would increase the bills by 15.4 per cent over the first half of last year, pushing local rates seven per cent higher than the EU average.
Businesses will be the hardest hit because of the removal of the capping mechanism and will be forking out about €52 million more than they did at the April 2009-based tariffs.
Mr Bencini said the increase came despite oil prices in December being 15 per cent lower than the year before and were still 10 per cent below those of 2008.
Mr Bencini said the 11 unions tried to hold a meeting with the Malta Resources Authority before the new tariffs were published but were turned away and asked to send their proposals in writing. "We do not know where to turn," he said.
Questioned about this, the MRA supplied a copy of the letter sent to the organisation, in which it said that the 11 unions had failed to make their submissions during the public consultation but would still be willing to accept their comments by the end of November.
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Robert Scullion
Feb 14th 2010, 13:28
@lgalea
"As for the source, remain curious ... "
Is that your way of saying "I just made it up and I have no source cause if I tried to actually look for the truth I would realise that I tell fibs all the time"
As for "Curiosity killed the cat" .. this is just for you - quite appropriate I reckon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6nL4NN2Qck
M Mizzi
Feb 13th 2010, 21:28
polititions, world wide, should be aloud no more earnings than the poorest family falling under their responsibilities. That should give things an interisting kick around.
lgalea
Feb 13th 2010, 21:16
Robert Scullion
Gonzi tried to keep it secret scullion, but it got out.
As for the source, remain curious scullion.
Curiosity killed the cat.
As I always say, I am a galea not a scullion.
c. camilleri
Feb 13th 2010, 20:02
What are they protesting against? Against a Govt that saved thousands of jobs while in other countries millions are being laid off. Can these political minded unions pls tell us what they want. Lower utility tariffs and thousands of workers jobless. Pls make up you mind. These unions instead of being pleased that Malta had not followed other countries's disastrous path ( Greece, Spain, Portugal, Latvia and others ) they are castigating the Govt for rising the utility rates something which is beyond Govt's control. Perhaps they would like to have a higher income tax rates. But will they be happy with that. Perhaps John Bencini will give us the answer.
Mario Nicchia
Feb 13th 2010, 19:19
@Robertson
I live in Italia and visit frequently Malta and can assure you that altough the Kwh price is almost the same 14c/kwh here compared to your 16c/kwh in Malta, you have an insane high 'meter rate'! This makes it useless investing in alternative energy as you can reduce the consumption but will never manage to lower the fixed cost of the meter.
I just cannot understand one thing... if you all preach that you have cheaper rates than in EU, why are you working to connect to the European grid? it is somewhat contradictory...
Will you be happy to pay more then?!
Paul Smith
Feb 13th 2010, 16:03
Mark Robertson
really dont know what your talking about and neither do you by the sounds of it. The UK has one of the cheapest electricity rates in the EU which ranges from about 7pence to 13 pence per KWH and one of the cheapest Gas tarriffs in the EU.
adrian aquilina
Feb 13th 2010, 13:39
mr robertson you are wrong..try heating your whole house like you do in the u.k. gas is going down again in u.k. too along with everything else that has gone down in price inc food..we were just there and i lived there too..the governments help unlike ours who are taking more money off us in the middle of this countries economic crisis..its a form of legal theft.we are paying for mistakes by this government in the management of companies..people come first,not parties
Jeremy J Camilleri
Feb 13th 2010, 13:38
F Cassar...You clearly don't have any idea about job creation do you?
You probably think that Labour Economics has got something to do with pregnant women!
If there is something that really risks curtailing the creation of jobs, it is undoubtedely the enormous hike in power tariffs.
Christopher Cutajar
Feb 13th 2010, 13:29
Lawrence Gonzi's contribution to help the industries creating jobs and raising the people's spending ability is to send us hefty water and electricity bills. He doesn't know better!
Robert Scullion
Feb 13th 2010, 12:23
@Igalea
"It's a known secret ..."
Well then it isn't a secret .... still any source for this earth shattering piece of news?
Or did you just invent it, so when it doesn't happen you can then 'peddle' the truth that the Government bottled calling an election - several years before it has too.
Joseph V. Grech
Feb 13th 2010, 11:15
WHY do the Water and Electricity providers persist in considering any number of people residing at a summer place during the summer months as ''0'' resident?
This is a BAREFACED UNTRUTH, AN UNACCFEPTABLE DISCREPANCY AND A SINGULARLY HARD-HEATING MEASURE. It is an INJUSTICE that is unworthy of any administration.
There will be serious repercussions politically if this gross mistake goes unchecked.
Surely a solution needs to be worked out - the P.M. and others in the Cabinet and relevant Ministry know about the problem and they have been informed EXACTLY AND STATESTICALLY about the exorbitant bills that will start being issued to people residing in summer places but to date nothing seems to have been done to remedy matters.
Why this seemingly blind attitude please?
Mark Robertson
Feb 13th 2010, 11:01
I don't know what all the complaining is about. fuel bills in malta are still very cheap compared to most other parts of europe. If you think the fuel bills here are expensive try living overseas, maybe the uk AND SOME OF YOU LEFTIES WILL BE IN FOR A SHOCK!
F Cassar
Feb 13th 2010, 10:29
Tony Zarb's way of contributing towards the creation of new jobs! He doesn't know better !
lgalea
Feb 13th 2010, 10:20
It's a known secret that you are going to call a general election in a few months time following the Pope's visit to take advantage from it Dr Gonzi, so why are you continuing to be vindictive with the people?
Peter Schmidt
Feb 13th 2010, 09:07
This has nothing to do with oil prices etc. These bills are getting out of hand! And keep in mind that people in Malta additionally have to buy gas and drinking water at anextra expense! In other countries one lives comfortably and warm and people pay one third of the prices we pay in Malta! Up to now they havent managed to send out bills on a monthly basis! Something very wrong here!