Enemalta abusing its monopoly

I read Lino Spiteri's excellent article entitled End Enemalta's Monopoly, Fast (April 8) regarding electricity supply in Malta and the comments made therein by Mgr Victor Grech and Fr Hilary Tagliaferro addressing the situation of poverty gripping many people in Malta. I would like to add some comments.

The European Union Directive 2003/54/ec. has been transposed in the Subsidiary Legislation SL 423.22 of the Laws of Malta. The corporations seem not to be aware of this as they continue to cite the 1948 Subsidiary Legislation when threatening us with suspension of service.

The said European Union Directive covers, among other things:

• Electricity consumers should be able to choose their supplier freely... ensuring that adequate measures and systems are in place to protect the interests of customers;

• Transparency and certainty in the implementation of this directive;

• The right of the consumer to be supplied with electricity of a specified quality at clearly comparable transparent and reasonable prices.

This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Article 3, (3) states that consumers have the right to be supplied with electricity of a specified quality within their territory at reasonable and clearly comparable prices.

In article 3; (5)... member states are to take appropriate measures and shall in particular ensure that there are adequate safeguards to protect vulnerable customers including measures to help them avoid disconnection. These shall include the measures set out in Annex A of the Directive. Annex A deals with measures on consumer protection and states, among other things:

Service providers shall notify their subscribers directly of any increase in charges, at an appropriate time no later than one normal billing period after the increase comes into effect;

Consumers are to receive transparent information on applicable prices and tariffs and on standard terms and conditions, in respect of access to and use of electricity services;

Consumers are offered a wide choice of payment methods;

Consumers shall benefit from transparent, simple and inexpensive procedures for dealing with their complaints.

On the morning of April 8 I had to contend with employees of the Enemalta Corporation who came to suspend my electricity supply showing me a crossed-out amount and another one hand-written next to it on an unsigned letterhead of the Automated Revenue Management Services. They argued that supply was being suspended due to my not having paid that amount without any explanation or statement as to how this amount was allegedly due.

On April 9, after having to go to Luqa for the third time and waiting behind never-ending queues, I was amazed at the number of people who were complaining that their electricity supply was "clandestinely" suspended. I asked for an update statement of my bill since my previous bill had errors and the present one was only an estimate and not the final bill. The person attending me reluctantly gave me a statement till the end of 2009. I asked for an updated statement to date but this was refused.

Household consumers and businesses, particularly micro-businesses, are being subjected to this degrading treatment of having their electricity supply suspended when faced with both their businesses and household electricity bills which have to be paid from the meagre profits being made.

Enemalta has gobbled up millions and millions of Maltese peoples' money - and is still doing so - while sending illegal and irregular bills to the consumer, falling short in efficiency and service and imposing unjustified tariffs. If we are EU citizens, why are the EU directives being ignored by the corporations? This is just an abuse of the monopoly they are enjoying.

I am bewildered at the insensitivity of the government in the face of all this hardship.