Matthew Xuereb
Truckers caught in Sicily blockade
A blockade of ports by Sicilian truck drivers has prevented trailers from loading goods, including those destined for Malta, but the extent of damage this may cause the island will only be determined if the situation drags on.
The last time similar action was taken was in autumn of 2000 when truck drivers brought the Sicilian economy to a standstill with a 10-day strike.
A spokesman for one of the main freight forwarding companies in Malta told The Times yesterday that the strike action caused severe congestion around the ports from where they operate. The company had a number of truck drivers caught in the centre of the strike action.
The spokesman, who spoke on condition that the firm was not named, said his company was making alternative arrangements to have cargo shipped from other ports in Italy such as Genoa and Civitavecchia. The trip from Civitavecchia to Malta takes two days, as opposed to 90 minutes by catamaran from Pozzallo to Malta.
The strike action was ordered by the association representing Sicilian truck drivers (Associazione Imprese Autotrasportatori Siciliani) and the action is expected to last until Thursday, unless a solution to the problem is found before.
The Sicilian truck drivers blocked entrances and exits of the ports in Pozzallo and Catania and roads and motorways in Palermo.
The managing director of Virtu Ferries, Henri Saliba, said the action had not had any effect on its operations so far but if it was prolonged, it would surely hit its commercial vehicle clients.
Virtu Ferries, which operates a daily catamaran link between Malta and Sicily, had to cancel its trips yesterday evening and this morning but this was due to the inclement weather and the rough sea, Mr Saliba said.
Several Maltese businesses, which knew about this planned blockade by Sicilian truck drivers from weeks ahead, managed to make arrangements for their goods to reach Malta from other destinations.
The main gripe of Sicilian truck drivers is the price of fuel which they believe has reached “unsustainable levels”. They are also saying the present system has brought about a reality where the cost to transport goods was greater than the cost of the actual product.
Contacted yesterday, one Sicilian truck driver who owns his own freight company said the rising costs of transportation were having a drastic effect on his profitability.
“We cannot have a situation where a product costs €1 and the price to transport it €1.20. Once the transportation costs surpass the actual cost of the product, the system breaks down. I can’t continue like this. I have a family to feed,” Paolo Caltanivetta said from his truck, which was blocking the exit from the port of Pozzallo.
The truck drivers are also complaining about the rising costs of insuring their vehicles and of wear and tear.
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Ruby Percolla
Jan 17th, 23:21
Interesting there is no mention of this issue on Italian TV? The issue is in fact in Sicily , fuel is more expensive than on mainland Italy. Why, when there are refineries in Sicily shouldi it be more expensive? I travelled from the Uk, where I live , through Italy to Sicily last summer and the fuel was much more per litre in Sicily, but espically in Siracusa? Where in fact the refinery's are????????? I agree with what the Sicilian truck drivers are doing. The Sicilians are like the Scottish here in the Uk, largely ignored and financially imparted , with crazy laws. People should vote with their feet , espically in Italy, where generally people should pay more attention to their home politics and vote ! Rather than complain after the event, because they didn't vote!
Joseph Aquilina
Jan 17th, 10:43
I can't wait to see Joseph in power ... he'll reduce electricity bills ... he'll reduce water bills ... he'll reduce the price of fuel from the pump ... he will give VAT back on cars bought in 2008 ... he will not increase taxes!! All this while the EU is accepting the fact that it should have done what Malta did 3 years ago. Uuuu can't wait to see him PM!!
Christian Sciberras
Jan 17th, 11:07
What Malta did 3 years ago didn't improve the present situation at all...
francois esteva'
Jan 17th, 11:20
Yes true but then again do politicians keep their word if ellected and return all refunds to the *illegal VAT on our imported private vehicles? remains to be seen and there are plentry of us settlers who were a bit naive at the time of making planes to move to Malta including the famous advert. Malta is a tax haven NOT SO SURE NOW!
C Borg
Jan 17th, 11:26
Probably these reductions may still be done if the government just becomes more accountable and controls expenditure like most companies and families do.
If you cosider that a warning from the EU made us save some 40 million euro in a matter of days, then I'm sure many other millions could be saved.
Mark Spiteri
Jan 17th, 10:11
...and we Maltese have the luxury to invent internal conflict.......when we should all be working together to avoid such problems....the opposition should be helping the government out of its crises and not adding problems to it.....an election at this point in time is definitely not needed. We should thank God and the government that at least in Malta the economy is still functioning considerably well.
Mark Mangion
Jan 17th, 10:01
And they are right. The price of diesel in Italy is around Euro 1.60 per litre as it was hiked by as much as 20 cents in one fell swoop as one of the new governments measures to lower Italy's deficit.
Mr Malcolm Agius
Jan 17th, 10:36
..... and this is good news, less importation = more local products on the market !
F Ianni
Jan 17th, 12:15
The price of Diesel in Italy is even worse than your figure shows. Today this ranges from 1.712 at Esso to 1.722 at Q8. The situation is becoming dramatic for many companies and this "Sicilian Revolution" will soon spread over the rest of the Peninsula although the national media are purposely disregarding the news.