Theodore Sammut, Luqa
Energy allowance not received by many
I am one of hundreds (if not thousands!) of people who unjustly has not yet received the energy allowance yet. The figure of 97 per cent of families receiving the energy allowance – like the 30,000 families receiving the energy voucher – is not credible.
I certainly do not consume more than 10,000 units, being just a low income pensioner in a family of three; and I am not entitled to the energy voucher on account of the fact that my total income was a couple of euros above the ceiling. Why was my family excluded from receiving the energy allowance?
I called 188 for information as instructed in the advert of the Ministry of Finance and it seems that they are not prepared to solve any such problems. In fact, the person answering after quite some time only took my particulars and told me that I may receive an explanation in a week’s time. A week passed and I am still waiting!
My last water and electricity bill was for nine months from July 2009 to April 2010. It was quite costly and we had to do without certain needs to pay it.
I wrote letters to both the Ministry of Finance and the Director of the Social Security.
I hope that someone responsible for this unjustifiable hassle will respond and explain why so many people should suffer on account of this disservice.
And while airing this complaint through this paper, I must ask why one has to wait for an unreasonable time and nobody answers while the answering machine monotonously repeats what you must do. This procedure is generally applied in most government departments and surely gets on one’s nerves.
To conclude, should not the telephone directory be updated as the last one is dated 2004 with numerous obsolete numbers?
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John Attard
Aug 12th 2010, 19:25
Mr Sammut .You could not put the prevailing situation viz- a- viz the energy vouchers any better. Well and truly said .And that goes also for the remaining comments in your letter.And how about this as an example of injustice; a family who used to receive enery vouchers for an old aged pensioner member of their family; when this person was part of their household four years ago, were told that due to this, the remaing three members who still live in the same address have lost their right for the recently awarded subject energy voucher. And in the meantime the long suffering people complaining of the hefty Enery bills received recently ,can be seen queing at the Luqa offices ,day in day out,.after having to go to the Luqa office during the day's summer heat. And whoever thought of trasferring the Offices from Valletta to Luqa should have his/her name mentioned in DISPATCHES; for creating such hardships; especially on the elders..
PAUL MALLIA
Aug 12th 2010, 12:33
My aunt in law also was denied receiving the cheque. She is an eighty year old pensioner and lives in her sister's place while her sister is now in a rest home. She does not receive any energy vouchers as her income is also over the established zones, and still she did not receive the cheque. I phoned on her behalf the 188 number and I was given to understand (the same as the writer) that I should be contacted shortly, but I am afraid that she will be following suit just as I did with the free energy bulbs - just sit and wait and nothing else happens! I hope this will not be the case for her sake, as although I made do without just five bulbs, she cannot make do with her pityful pension!
Why on earth do these things happen ONLY IN MALTA?
gcForte
Aug 12th 2010, 11:04
When I have checked why I did not received the one time energy voucher, I was told that because I am eligible for the W / E. voucher all year round,I am not entitled for this one. This is stupid. My point is this. I am a pensioner, the government gives me so much money to live a decent life. Now, if my income from MY pension ( which I have worked for 45 years for it ), goes up to a certain amount, the supplement allowance goes down accordingly, so I remain with the same amount of money in my pocket. So, far I will accept this fact. BUT if the government is not going to compensate me for the extra cost of living, the raises of gas, ect..ect.. it will be a problem to me and the thousand like me, because our income will be dropped . The government lied and is playing with the citizens mind when announced that 97 % of the Maltese population are going to benefit from this allowance. If the cost of living goes up, it goes up for everybody, and the most effected persons are those in need.
t. borg
Aug 12th 2010, 10:41
cempilt 188 peress li ma ircevejtx l-allowence u hlief muzika ma smajtx. izda fl-ahhar wegbuni u qaluli li peress li hija qieghed jirregistra u jghix mieghi ma jiehux dawn il-flus. kultant hija jircievi voucher xi kultant redikolu. qaluli wkoll li aktarx lanqas jien m'ghandi dritt u se jcempluli lura bir-risposta. l-ARMS ghandha tinforma l-pubbliku min mhux intitolat minnufih.