'Clear' plans to slash tariffs but details 'at the right time' - Muscat

D Gatt

Nov 7th 2011, 09:20

Very obvious, a Nuclear Power Station instead of a certain property in Delimara is the answer!
Or else get David Copperfield to do a magic trick.

John Scerri

Nov 7th 2011, 07:00

Yes ....The Labour Party Has all the PLans to solve anything going wrong .there are so many items on the list of potential improvement points.

Clear Plans . Down to the nearest detail. ...HOW...? NOT NOW !!!

FOR NOW.... Let MLP concentrate IN finding ways and means to destabilise the goverment first .

ALL super one listeners and super one viewers are on edge waiting for the news of an early election .

1996 Labour had said Water and electricity tariffs would be amended.....MLP won the elections.

The tariffs were amended as promised because they were increased to unaffordable rates.

Is this how Dr.Muscat is playing with words?

Edward Hughes

Nov 6th 2011, 23:30

we all have played games before and that's what politics is...a mind and word game. just because your playing does not mean you put all your cards on the table for others to see. i'm willing to give labor the chance to prove them selves just like we did for the present government who have failed my expectations.

Karl Abela

Nov 6th 2011, 22:50

Before slamming Muscats 'proposal' let us try to understand what the plans are.

1. Subsidize electricity? Thats illegal in the EU.
2. Give out free photo voltaic panels to everyone? Sounds good but that would throw the government into bankruptcy.
3. Change the power station? Fine. But what will it run on? Gas may be a solution but even that is getting expensive.
4. Charge higher rates to high income earners and lower rates to the lower earners ? Sounds noble but that is discrimination and illegal in the EU.

It really seems that Muscat has just shot himself in the foot unless he can come up with a miracle.

R. Gauci

Nov 6th 2011, 22:23

Jekk tinqata l-hela u jitnehhew il-pampaluni li dejjem jirdghu minn fuq l-Enemalta, bizzejjed wiehed jara x'salarji jithallsu hafna minnhom biex isahhnu siggu, hemmekk diga hemm lok ghal tnaqqis. Hu fatt maghruf li f'Malta persentagg kbir tat-taxxi li nhallsu jmorru fil-hela jew f'but xi kuntrattur li l-ewwel jghidlek li progett gej jiswa mod imbaghad dejjem xi skuza ha jiehu t-tripplu. Mbaghad Muscat diga stqarr li taht it-tmexxija tieghu min se jhammeg se jhallas aktar u naqbel 100%. Jien dejjem ridt tmexxija li l-kaxxa mhux il-haddiem bl-gharaq u t-taxxi jimliha izda min hu traskurat u kiesah.

Aaron Vella

Nov 6th 2011, 20:58

My my, how old is he? 6? He will not tell his plans so the government won't copy. Mela laburisti, oqghodu eqirdu u hallsu id-dawl, ghax Joe jaf kif inaqqsu imma jridkom tbatu ha tivvutaw lilu... Hobbuh ghax ihobbkom.

Rodnick Abdilla

Nov 6th 2011, 20:10

Joseph Muscat iccahhad miz-zieda tal- Euro 500 fil-gimgha biex baqa' fuq in-naha tal-poplu.

Mary Ann Borg

Nov 6th 2011, 19:58

I'm eagerly waiting for Joseph's reply to the Budget. We will soon see the Modern u Progressiv in a very sombre mood, surrounded by his party all in a state of shock, giving a press conference to tell us how 'insensitive, disconnected from the everyday lives of people, and how much Cetta ta' Bormla u Joe il-haddied are going to suffer as a result of the budget.
Then he will regale us with his own budget speech a week later. This guy is so intelligent, so well-versed on the international financial scene that he spent all last year's reply speech telling us how well Cyprus is doing and that we are not doing well at all in the EU. Well, as ever, he as been proven horribly wrong again. A quick look at the present-day Cyprus is as follows: Unemployment M: 6.6% - C: 7.8%, Deficit M: -3.6% C: - 5.3% and their rating is BBB (negative) while ours is A (stability). And Smiley Joseph wanted us to be like Cyprus? What a visionary leader Labour has! No wonder he cant and wont tell us what will happen in 10 months time.

Anthony Borg

Nov 6th 2011, 19:38

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! i think the right time is....wait for it......NEVER!!!!!!!

Ivan Cutajar

Nov 6th 2011, 19:13

When the moment comes PL will not just only shows but creating which is till now on the drawing board, That Is MLP facts. We all know what the Times is sided with so just placing to indicate you, Mr. Herman Grech where is the money comes from it even a simple question. When you reduce the cost for production your product is competitive and an increase in demand which result in a larger turnover......

Ms.D. Galea

Nov 6th 2011, 18:23

Pie in the sky and castles in Spain.
That is what you are trying to sell us Dr Muscat.

Jonathan Caruana

Nov 6th 2011, 18:04

At least Dr Muscat seems to know what he`s doing and he is not promising anything, contrary to Lawrence Gonzi who before the last election promised us everything and gave us nothing. Ask the old bus drivers, the ex shipyards workers and the hunters because it`s impossible to mention everyone.A weak Prime Minister in panic who is not interested to tackle our problems but is more interested to solve the problems within his party. And Austin gatt rules and lives happily ever after!!

Jonathan Caruana

Nov 6th 2011, 17:45

Min qed imexxi Joseph jew Gonzi? Nahseb aktar Austin Gatt li qed izomm lil Gonzi ostagg. Prim Ministru dghajjef mal-ministri tieghu imbaghad sod mac-cittadin ghax baqa` ghaddej minn fuqu qisu bulldozer. Ta paga ta` 500 euro fil-gimgha lilu nnifsu u lil shabu l-ministri li t-track record ta` hafna minnhom titkellem wahedha, specjalment tal-ministru gatt li huma responsabbli ghall-kollass tal-gzejjer Maltin. Kif irid lil Dr muscat jghid kif se jrahhas il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma, meta fil-gvern hemm huwa? Issa meta l-PL jitla` fil-gvern, jurih minn fejn se jgib il-flus. Mill-immanigjar tajjeb ta`flus il-poplu. Konsulenzi tat-trasport pubbliku li spicca kollox down the drain, bridge li ma jaghti ghal imkien fil-port, mill-flus li kien jiffranka biex jibni parlament gdid u bieb il-Belt...hekk trahhashom il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma u c-cittadin jaghmel is-sgrificcju b`zieda ta 1.16euro fil-gimgha u huma l-ministri ma jaghmlux sagrificcji fi zminijiet difficli bhal dawn meta d-dejn nazzjonali sploda u qed niffaccjaw sitwazjoni prekarja aktar mill-Grecja. Lill-Grecja salvawha Franza u l-Germanja ghax ghandhom l-interessi taghhom imma lilna min se jsalvana?? Gonzi? Austin Gatt?? dawk mhux isalvawna imma jkomplu jpappuha u lil poplu kif stmawh? Aghtu titwila madwarkom u taraw.,

Kenneth Ellul

Nov 6th 2011, 17:16

kollox barra mohhi serahtli......bla bla bla

Mary Ann Borg

Nov 6th 2011, 17:13

So our Smiley Joseph said 'In a changing world, considering the eurozone and the fiscal situation, I can't bind myself to certain details today. I can't change my position in 10 months time,"
At the same time he also said he expected the government to announce tax cuts in the coming budget, because this is what he promised 4 years ago. This cleary, very clearly, shows how politically immature the leader of the opposition is because he wont bind himself, not even from now to 10 months time, but expects the PM to remound bound to what he said 4 years ago. This Joseph has been totally oblivious of the current world situation, he never mentions it and instead focusses on relatively small issues in Malta while writing emails to journalists for job placement.
He cant promise simply because we are doing so well that whatever he promises will never be as good as the way Malta is doing just now. Remember, he spent his whole budget speech last year telling us that we failed in the EU and that Cyprus was doing much better than us. Well, Cyprus has a much higher rate of unemployment, has had its financial rating downgraded twice and is close to have its rating futher downgraded to 'junk' and the younger population has no jobs on offer. This is who our Bravu Joe wants us to be like.

raymond scicluna

Nov 6th 2011, 17:07

What kills me is not the water and electricity eventual tariff cuts and abiding himself by how much and for how long but to specify which are the drastic decisions he needs to take to put gozo at par to malta. May be i am blind but i don t see Gozo in such a bad shape!!

Peppi Borg

Nov 6th 2011, 16:57

From where did Gonzi PN found millions for a new useless parliament, for a bridge that takes you nowhere, for 500 euros a week increase for the ministers, for a new powerstation which has a seven year lifespan, for a transport system which equals that of Zimbabwe?

C Briffa

Nov 6th 2011, 16:35

Mur ixtri il PV panels u solar heater ghoqod onfoq fix-xejn!!!! Ara is-sistema tal-pl ser tkun fuq il-mudell tal-Italja dawk meta jkun hemm hafna inkwinazzjoni johorgu gurnata min ghandu in-number plate biz-zewg u darba bil-fard, issa l-pjan tal-pl hu dak li dan ghandu jigi estiz ghal numri tal bibien tad--djar . Allura jum iva u wiehed le tkun bla dawl ghalhekk kif qed taraw il-kontijiet jonqsu bin-nofs!!!

Maria Debono

Nov 6th 2011, 16:25

ha ha ha, pull the other leg Dr Joe. Be serious and don't play at politics

K. Vella

Nov 6th 2011, 16:04

This is all bull, when is the right time? Fuel prices are never fixed so how can he pre assume what the price will be?!?!

Come on Joseph, this is not a game. A game with the people livehood....

Mr Darren Galea

Nov 6th 2011, 15:17

Ghalfejn ha jhallina nbatu sentejn ohra? Ilu jghid li qeridna dan il-gvern 3 snin shah, ara vera partit bla sugu sry!!

John J. Borg

Nov 6th 2011, 15:17

Ever since he became party leader Muscat believed that as long as he keeps chipping away at Gonzi while presenting himself as electable, he will cruise to victory at the next election. Somehow I don't think it will be that easy.

A. Tabone

Nov 6th 2011, 15:09

Nothing but empty words and empty promises. We now have it straight from the horse's mouth. Muscat does not want to reveal his precious plan now, not because it's non-existent, but because it's there only for him to win the next election. That's all he's interested in.

So that's Muscat's policy - treat the electorate as if you are a peacock. Open up your tail to distract attention from the very many walking disasters and elephants in the room in the PL, and then just hope you'll win the election.

Just one, final question; I don't know how long it will take for this most special and top secret of super-confidential plans to become reality if the PL wins the next election. But I do not think it will take five years, or five months for all that matters. So, what does the Hon. Dr. Muscat intend to do for the rest of his electoral mandate? Sit tight, and looking pretty while the dinosaurs in his party run amok with the lives of the rest of us? Thanks Joe, but no thanks.

Lawrence Fenech

Nov 6th 2011, 14:56

You are right Joseph, politics are like a poker game, nobody shows his hand before the opponent says "narak" and thats in 17 months time.

Zagroma Savrene

Nov 6th 2011, 14:49

yes, and I have numerous plans to make everyone a billionare...I will reveal my plans as soon as I receive 1 billion euros in donations from the population.

Mr robert micallef

Nov 6th 2011, 14:49

reminds me of Dr Alfred Sand speaking on vat.

Victor Vella

Nov 6th 2011, 14:00

I am not surprised that the leader of the opposition would say that once the party of the leader of the opposition would be in goverment they would lower the tariffs for water and electricity.But may I as a voter who might after all vote for the party of the leader of the opposition ask a question? I do hope that we are democratic enough here in Malta that this is allowed.
Please dear Leader opf th eOpposition once you part is in goverment would I have to make up the shprt fall through my taxes? Or would I as a person who invested in solar energy and energy efficient electrical goods be made to pay for those who waste as long as they are not paying?
Sant had kept his promise to remove VAT and like a true gentleman he did.The result a bloody mess.Have you Dr Muscat checcked and double checked your figures and different scenarios before saying this.Because no matter what you will now have to do it or eat your hat mate.

Mr Lawrence Calleja

Nov 6th 2011, 13:59

How can a person be "extremist" and than "weak" at the same time? Joe Muscat can't even cope to be an opposition leader, let alone a Prime Minister. His goal now is to recruit a number of ex PN activists into the PL even though several high ranking PL members are not happy with this manouver. That is his only goal for now. My only advice for Muscat is to watch and learn from the current PM maybe in time he will be almost ready to govern this country without bring it on its knees.

helen debono

Nov 6th 2011, 13:57

Hadd ma jista jghid li Joseph Muscat dahaq bil poplu xi darba. Fatt hu li meta kien M.E.P.dejjem kien lejali ghal Malta u qatt ma prova jhammeg lil gvern tal P.N. mal barranin. Mhux bhal Gonzi kemm weighed affarijit qabel l-elezzjoni u kollha taru mar rieh. Ma tkunx haga kbira li issa jiprova jghaljinana fil budget li gej. Biex tara min dahaq bin nies staqsu lil dawk li ircevew l-ittri qabel l-elezzjoni li mohhom mistrieh fuq xogholhom inbghad spiccaw bla xoghol ,jew lil dawk li cemplulhom u qallulhom li sabulhom ix-xoghol fejn hadmu wara?. Dr.Joseph Muscat iccahhad mil €500 fil gimgha li ha Gonzi u shabu ghax hass li jkun qed jigi jaqa u jqum mill poplu li qed ibghati bil gholi tal hajja. U fl ahhar Dr.Muscat bil fatti juri li hu leader mhux bhal Gonzi li bic car qieghed jitmexxa minn Austin Gatt u bil mohbi minn Eddie Fenech Adami

Angus Black

Nov 6th 2011, 13:56

Joseph, like your predecessor, the more you open your mouth, the more you turn off loyal and floating voters!

You treat the public like they were a herd of sheep, you lead them to the cliff, you jump and expect them to follow. How naive, Joseph, how immature. You insult your own supporters' intelligence, and expect them as the Maltese adage goes: 'jixtru l-hut fil-bahar'. The only promise you ever made since you snatched the Labour Party leadership from George Abela, was to reduce the electricity tariffs. Just on this ONE promise, which will not win you next election, tell us NOW, how you will accomplish this without convincing OPEC to reduce oil prices or raise taxes. Please don't insult us by saying you will convert the power station to gas, because the infrastructure required, gas prices and delivery will even exceed current oil prices. On top of this, you want Dr Gonzi to reduce income taxes because it was a promise made BEFORE all hell broke loose with the financial world and recession. Reducing income taxes, reduces REVENUE which if you have a rudimentary knowledge of economics, would require balancing with higher taxes, or, by increasing the deficit which you criticize the government for, Sunday after Sunday. This is a case of either stupidity or malice.

If Labour supporters just take one minute and be fair to themselves and think of the fortunate position Malta finds itself in under Dr Gonzi's government, then anyone of a sound mind will never follow Joseph.

Wilfred Camilleri

Nov 6th 2011, 13:52

Another in a long list of "clear" plans from Muscat! Is he going to publish an encyclopedia of clear plans before the next election or will he just issues a "clear" plan to clarify all the other "clear" plans he has talked about but never clarified? If all these plans he has are so "clear" why doesn't he just tell everyone what they are? Or is it that these "clear" plans are nothing but empty words?

steve fenech

Nov 6th 2011, 13:47

this guy really takes the biscuit ! he will not reveal his 'plans' regarding the tariffs because things may chanage. what alark is he for real? let me tell muscat that during gonzi's term of office the international financial and economic scenario has been in a constant change. and most of the time for the worse. gonzi has managed to keep afloat, even though the ever churlish muscat is loathe to admit it. will muscat do the same ? apparently not, since he knows of only one scenario (we presume) and no more. and can only manged if like everything else with muscat it is satged managed. tons of waffle and no substance, this is the trade mark of muscat
pity herman grech didn't quiz muscat further whilst on the subject of the planted mole in the independeant press. we would have been interested to find out about muscat ethical stanadards. what has transpired is a leader with no ethical standards who is willing to plant moles in the independent press to be able to control it, anbody said something about modern and progressive ways of doing politics?

John Zammit

Nov 6th 2011, 13:46

Since elected leader of the PL Dr.Muscat have kept all his promises.He also refused the €500 increase when offered by Government It should be noted that many promises by GonziPN did not materialized If any one in doubt all he had to do is to ask some one of those that received a letter assuring them of their post on the place of work

a borg

Nov 6th 2011, 13:35

where is the clarity? it's only a plan...and he won't reveal it, so that later on he can shift the goal-post according to the situation. issa drajnihom il-weghdi ta' qabel l-elezzjoni!

Schembri Ray

Nov 6th 2011, 13:30

Neuton's Law of motion: For every action ther's an equal and opposite reaction.

Wilfred Camilleri

Nov 6th 2011, 13:27

His party will eventually say how it intends making up for the shortfall in revenue. Right! There will be a big shortfall because oil prices will keep going up. How will he make up the shortfall, by printing money in his garage? Perhaps by borrowing money and increasing the debt; another Greece in the making. Or perhaps by raising taxes! His economic knowledge is at par with that of a four-year old kid!

Joseph Chetcuti

Nov 6th 2011, 13:24

Yes, sure. Now how about treating us like intelligent people and letting us know what your plans are? Stop dangling the carrot in front of our nose and be honest with citizen Joe!!

Mr Tommy Vella

Nov 6th 2011, 13:18

If Dr. Muscat has some magic formula to cut down on the bills and if what he has at heart is reducing the burden for us poor taxpayers (and not winning the election) he should reveal it to the government so that we can start having relief as from NOW.

Claire Busuttil

Nov 6th 2011, 12:59

not enough convincing.......sorry

Simon Oosterman

Nov 6th 2011, 12:29

The government is doing so many things wrong that the PL can improve the performance in many areas. But all they come up with is the populist idea of starting to subsidize water and electricity again, which is disastrous economic policy. Malta is in dire need of a third party.

B. Cachia

Nov 6th 2011, 12:27

The only way any government would be able to pay for an increase in subsidies on water and electricity is by raising taxes, cutting other spending or increasing the deficit.

Labour rightly criticise the Government for not having kept its main electoral promise, to cut the income tax. They must now show that their own promise is more credible by explaining how they will fund it and, above all, they must explain exactly how distorting energy prices and increasing energy consumption is going to give us a better economy and a better quality of life.

Michael Borg

Nov 6th 2011, 12:14

Looks like another " we will remove the vat !!!!!! " and another tax will pop up !!!! maybe we will see cars trailing electricty meters this time not cash registers !!!

Karl Abela

Nov 6th 2011, 12:08

I assume that these details will be revealed during the election campaign. This will be very similar to the fiasco that Alfred Sant did on the topic of education and ultimately lost the election. My advice for labour is to stay with their mouth shut and if possible miss out on an electoral campaign altogether in order to win the election.

Mr Ernest Vella

Nov 6th 2011, 12:05

Joseph Muscat iridna nibqghu inbatu b'vendikazzjoni lejn il-poplu li b'maggoranza minima l-PL tilef l-ahhar elezzjoni. Jekk vera jahdem ghal gid tal-poplu malti, jghid kif ser jaghmel biex jitrahhas il-kont issa, ghax ahna issa qeghdin inbatu u mhux sentejn ohra.

Kompli qarraq bil-poplu malti u tmejjel bih...facli twieghed qabel...meta tkun hemm u tinduna li ma tistax dawn il-weghdi tieghek mhu8x tilhaq tinsihom!!!

john vella

Nov 6th 2011, 12:05

As I said before Dr. Muscat is not my cup of tea.
I heard Joseph on the radio tell us how strong is Joseph's party because when it came to Divorce all his parliamentarians were free to vote.
Are you certain you are talking about the last vote in parliament because 'Joseph's New Labour' boys all went along with Joseph. Or is it no one dare not to?
Joseph come down to earth, stop promising, the country is in deep trouble and no one can offer anything to anyone from our taxes because there is nothing left.
If you want to give some from your's you are welcome!

simon ellul sullivan

Nov 6th 2011, 11:50

if ONLY he would shut up till the elections he would be elected in a heart beat ... keep yapping chap and you'll be in opposition for the duration of your political career.

there are tens of thousands of disgruntled voters but the majority have learnt from their mistake in re-electing these bunch of amateurs and troglodytes in protest (vide tragic last and past Labour governments)

Jo Azzopardi

Nov 6th 2011, 11:46

A clear statement from Mr Muscat would surely win him the election, but since he is not giving any details about his plans this would bring great doubts amongst the voters.
A clear vision in politics is needed now that we are living in an era of great economical doubt. I believe that the maltese goverment has to be careful how to spend our money, Hopefully as Mr Muscat said this will be a first step in a significant cut in the water & electricity tariff.

James Dimech

Nov 6th 2011, 11:45

So Muscat expects us to vote for him without knowing his proposals. Tajba din ! What he thinks we should vote for him just because we are fed up of GonziPN or because we find him cute ?

PN is embroiled in its own mess and is expired and Muscat is total a waste of space. Honestly I do not know what to do with my vote

Carmel Farrugia

Nov 6th 2011, 11:37

Why can't we have one just one decent party to vote for here in Malta. On one side a tired party who after 25 years in government has nothing else to give, whose ministers and party apparatus is dead tired with no new ideas and only intent on keeping power. On the other hand the PL whose only intent it seems is to grab power by promising everything to everybody. It seems that money is no problem and the only solution to everyting is throwing money at all problems. Why can't we have politicians who tell us the truth? Who tell us that money does not grow on trees, who tell us how we can lower our ever rising national debt without transforming us into another Greece, Italy or Spain.

R. Gauci

Nov 6th 2011, 11:30

Kurjuz inkun naf f'percentage kemm mid-dhul tal-kontijiet ta` l-ARMS imorru ghall-inkompetenzi u ghall-hela. Jien dejjem niskanta kif dawn dejjem joghlew anke meta z-zejt jorhos, xi haga hazina hemm.

j brincat

Nov 6th 2011, 11:24

@C Falzon

"It is difficult only if you care about what happens after that, something which is clearly of no concern to him. He will just let enemalta"

Hasn't Enemalta already crashed? Do you know the extent of its debt? If not it, then you are making useless comments!

(jb)

Joseph Cauchi Senior

Nov 6th 2011, 11:21

When are the PL supporters going to put it into their heads that when their chance of choosing a “winning” leader, they just BLEW it away?

When confronted with a choice of potential “winning” leaders, the PL delegates made the obvious wrong choice of electing an UN- ELECTABLE leader!

The choice was there; but the delegates chose otherwise.

Well, the saying is that one gets what the people deserve; cannot be better said.

Or that if one lets incompetents decide, then don’t expect anything better!

Perhaps, the persistent fear that the PL supporters have nowadays, i.e. that their party has become UN-ELECTABLE, and is sub-consciously and constantly haunting them, may be true after all!

JC.

E Gatt

Nov 6th 2011, 11:19

PL: Pjannijiet, Le.

C Falzon

Nov 6th 2011, 10:47

I don't think there's anything miraculous in his plans. Slashing tariffs is easy and can be done at the stroke of a pen.
It is difficult only if you care about what happens after that, something which is clearly of no concern to him. He will just let enemalta and the water corporation crash, probably his government will crash as well after a couple of years and then he'll let the next nationalist government pick up the pieces and try to put them together.

Ross Lock

Nov 6th 2011, 10:35

Once again all talk and no action from Mr. Muscat, Talk is cheap Mr. Muscat

fred newsome

Nov 6th 2011, 10:29

Anybody else see the pigs flying over Malta