Muscat reiterates promise to reduce water and electricity tariffs
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
Opposition leader Joseph Muscat reiterates his promise that a Labour government will reduce water and electricity rates in an interview that will be carried in The Sunday Times tomorrow.
Dr Muscat says during the interview that whatever happens in the vote on the no confidence motion in the government on Thursday, this government is "unstable and unsustainable".
Labour, he says, is ready for an election and to govern.
Excerpts of the interview will also be carried on timesofmalta.com .
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Salvino Demanuele
Jan 22nd, 23:40
Jien nipreferi jighdli li il hofra fonda u mhux ha jrahas xejn imma ma jonfoq xejn milli ghandna fil kaxxa vojta u nibqaw nizvujtjawa iktar
M Borg
Jan 22nd, 18:20
We all know that no one LP or NP can out water and electriciity rates
This is what an English newspaper reported 3 days ago of what is happening in the UK.
" Two in five people are worried they cannot afford their next energy bill.
Citizens Advice said it helped with 96,000 fuel debt issues last year. And the charity found one in three people don’t know energy firms can help to insulate homes.
It released the findings at the start of its Big Energy Week which aims to help people save money on their bills.
CA chief executive Gillian Guy said: "We know hikes in prices have put extra pressure on people's budgets at a time when money is already tight.
"Day in day out our bureaux help people who can't afford their fuel bills."This in the UK the same is happening in Malta.
Wake up and face the truth ! High energy rates are here to stay, at least for the moment. Finding oil might help us but untill that time we have to pay what others ask.
Evarist Saliba
Jan 23rd, 16:28
I may add that the company which provides me with gas and electricity increased my direct debit payments by 92% as from this month, even though my payments for the last two years have covered adequately the bills.
It is true that after a strong public reaction, major providers of gas and electricity have reduced, or will reduce, their charges, but this reduction will not eliminate, by far, the increaes introduced last year.
All this is happening in spite of strong competition among the service providers.
This is happening in England. Is Malta a special case?
John Azzopoardi
Jan 22nd, 14:44
Don't believe in any promises becuase if you are all smart enough, you know that the monies will have to come from somewhere to cover the gap. And let us face it, Malta will not be getting any additional funds from the EU. So, let us face it. Talk is cheap. If gonzi is voted he will be happy that he does not have to be dealing with future headaches, especially the next 5 years.
Julie Russell
Jan 22nd, 11:48
Can he please explain how he is going to do this. Or is this another empty promise. It's good to have a shuffle, but will they deliver.
Yosef Scerri
Jan 22nd, 10:28
Promise cheaper rates? How much cheaper 50%, 20% or maybe 1%. still cheaper!!
mark borg
Jan 22nd, 08:30
The country is waiting for you Dr Muscat !
All the PN apologists ...get a life and be positive and stop moaning(like lately you love telling other people).
Dr.Muscat within a couple of months will be PM of Malta....he will be delivering and the nation will be getting rid of a Mafia that is eating the country by the day.....
joanna farrugia
Jan 22nd, 08:23
certu nies jiktbu paroli fil vot ghallinqas JM ma ghamilx bhal gonzipn ivvotta bil qalb ghal l gholi tal kontijiet.din hadd minn dawn il blue eyed ta hawn isfel ma qalha.
John Micallef
Jan 22nd, 08:22
Fair enough, it would be just if the W&E bills went down, but the PL must be careful that this battlecry does not turn into a boomerang like their promise in 1996 that they would do away with the VAT, and we all know what heppened.
Wenzu Vella
Jan 22nd, 07:21
Nithassar il Dr Muscat jekk jiehu il gvern fidejnh ghax se jkollu bicca xoghol veru iebsa biex jerga jibda jimla il basket VOJT LI SE JIRET. Lewwel ma ghandu jaghmel li jara il verita fuq id-dejn kbir li ghanda Malta. Pijs li il haddiem Malti wiret min tmexxija hazina NAZZIONALISTA. Intefqu mijiet ta miljuni kbar f’infrastruttura li miex tirrendi qlieh imma biss tlellex minghajr sustanza.
Gvernijiet Nazzjonalisti li qarqu u gidbu kemm felhu biex baqghu fil poter.Arukaza u hnezrijja ta zieda ta 500 ewro fil gimgha li veru ma kienx haqqhom. Din iz-zieda biss ukoll hi hafna aktar mid-dhul ta familja Maltijja fil gimgha. Hadu hsieb il bazuzli u l’ pampaluni ta midhla tahhom, neguzjanti u professjonisti kullhadd jaghmel li jrid bhal mahfra u amnestijja ta VAT flus li gabru fishem il poplu Malti zammewhom ghalijhom. Kullhadd ghandu jifhem li meta partiti politici idumu aktar min certu zmien fil poter jithanzru u jabbuzaw ghax jahsbu li ghandhom xi dritt li jaghmlu li jridu.
Ghalek ghanda is-sir bidla fi tmexijja governattiva Maltijja biex il pajjis u l’poplu jkun jerga jista jirpilja.
Philip Hili
Jan 22nd, 01:49
X'qieghed jistenna Dr. Emails biex jghid lill-poplu Malti u Ghawdix KIF u MINN FEJN ser igib il-flus biex jaghmel tajjeb ghad-differenza bit-trahhis tat-tariff? Jekk jghid, jista' jirbah ftit voti, imma jekk jibqa' halqu mghaluq, mhux kredibbli u allura hafna nies ma jistghux jemmnuh.
Meta jkun hataf il-poter tafu xi tkun l-iskuza? "Issa tistennewx mirakli mill-llum ghal ghada ta!!!!" Dirga' bdew izersquha din. Jew , "ma jistax ikun li nnaqsu l-kontijiet ghax in-Nazzjonalisti hallew hofra kbira"..
Tafdawhomx!!!!!
Chris Mercieca
Jan 21st, 23:55
il bambin jehlisna min dan Jm !
Mr malcolm said
Jan 22nd, 16:12
u alla jehlisna min dan GONZI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Jen Fenech
Jan 23rd, 12:41
għalaqthom it-tmintax?
Sharon Ghirxi
Jan 21st, 23:04
imma alfejn certu nies ax muscat jajd ha inaqqas xi haga jajdu min fejn ser igib il flus.in nazjonalisti minfejn ser igibu il flus al pastazata li qet jamlu fid dahla tal belt? staqsejtu min fejn kienu ser igibu il flus meta wedu tnaqqis flincometax? le ax muscat issaqsu ax gonzi hek jajd.taf xnaf li gonzi qal li olla id dawl ax ma iridx lin nies juzaw l ac gurnata kolla u ax irid igijel lin nies jixtru il pannelli.u meta iz zejd kien $150 il barmil kem kienu dawl u fuel.ola jew irhas? jek vera irid inaqqas id dawl muscat ma andux alfejn igib flus imma jibat kont tA kem vera nikkonsmaw u jorhsu
Philip Hili
Jan 22nd, 01:44
@ Sharon Ghirxi
Tidher li ma taf xejn!!! jew ghadek rieqda.
Staqsi lil-Ewropa u tghidlek!!
Paul Giordimaina
Jan 22nd, 04:15
Sharon id dahla tal belt il poplu ghazila u mux qedin nistennew lilek biex tmaqdara.
Alfred Cassar
Jan 21st, 22:55
He will reduce the bills, but still it's us that have to pay from somewhere else. It's always the middle class workers that have to pay for these promises. We will have to pay for those who waste
mark borg
Jan 22nd, 08:12
The middle class...what middle class? the one that was in Malta thanks to past Labour governments, when they had introduced a comprehensive welfare state and abolished poverty (left by the 60'sPN) and vanished under the PN? The only waste you and I are paying is for the extensive corruption of this administration !SO GROW UP AND WHEN YOU TRY TO INSULT, MAKE SURE YOU ARE INSULTING THE CORRECT PERSONS !!!!!!!
Emanuel. Vella.
Jan 21st, 22:46
l-aqwa li tkun onest mal-poplu malti u ghawdxi dr.joseph muscat.wara 25 sena il-pajjiz terrapin gabuh,issa qed jistaqsu lil dr.joseph muscat se jaghmel.il pn ikisser u pl jidni.issa inhallu fil-gvern lit-tifel ta austin gatt,lit-tifel ta eddie jew edward,it-tifel ta ugo,jew it-tifel ta gwido.
Paul Giordimaina
Jan 22nd, 04:32
L_ewwel skuza ha
Daniel Camilleri
Jan 21st, 22:43
Just one question, Enemalta has defecits every year, how on earth will it be financed ??? Don't forget that there are the EU state aid regulations. The government cannot continue subsidising Enemalta forever !! Primeminister to be, what solution you have for this !! My feeling is that after next election electricity bills will go up, PN or PL. maybe he will reduce bills for few and increase for the rest.
J. Mifsud
Jan 22nd, 01:03
How about removing the fringe benefits given to the people who are contributing to said deficit by badly managingt the company.
Martin Gatt
Jan 21st, 21:16
That golden chair is so nice!! Let's lick everyone's wounds shall we?
John Azzopoardi
Jan 21st, 20:33
And where is the money going to come from to cover those expenses. Today, we are the mercy of the Brussels beuarucrates. And let's not be fooling and follow the arab spring. We all know that these poor arab countries instead of coming forward democratically, they are going backward, economically and politically.
G G Debono
Jan 21st, 21:35
Re "the mercy of the Brussels beuarucrates."
Che centra ? At the mercy of oil prices ....
Gianfrancesco Buttigieg
Jan 21st, 20:29
Our soon-to-be PM is big on talk but scant on details as usual, not that Gonzi was any better - imma minn got-tagen ghal gon-nar nahseb gejja l-affari...
J. Mifsud
Jan 22nd, 01:05
Anything is better than our present arragant gov.
David Aquilina
Jan 21st, 20:04
what about income tax? will that remain the same or go higher to make up for water and electricity bills?
Carmelo Sammut
Jan 21st, 20:01
Joseph is the ideal leader at the moment for this island
Ex Pn Voter
J Craig
Jan 21st, 19:56
Joseph lives in clouds. In he does what he is promising Malta will be the second Greece i.e. bankrupt thanks to Joseph and his group of old incompetent candidates.
Christopher Bezzina
Jan 21st, 22:11
Amen!
m borg
Jan 22nd, 00:11
Craig seems you are living in clouds and believe you are in some wonderland. Wake up from your blue dreams.
mark borg
Jan 22nd, 09:11
If Malta will become 2nd Greece...it would be thanks to the ransacking of PN govts of the past 2 decades....and not because of Dr.Muscat .If the PN stays there for another term the country will implode that is for sure.
does it even cross your mind that bancrupcy of a whole nation is a result of many years of wrong and corrupt decisions?
Charles Cremona
Jan 21st, 19:46
I give him six months and Malta will join the rest of the med countries begging for a Eurozone bailout.
Mr Edward Vella
Jan 21st, 19:46
JM could perhaps resort to an accounting exercise and re-value Enemalta's capital assets? That way less income would be required to break even - but I wonder how replacements would be financed. Anybody hazard a guess?
Schembri Ray
Jan 21st, 19:40
What about VAT? Does it remain the same rate?
Victor Vella
Jan 21st, 23:09
Insijja Ray 21% if we are lucky.
Darby Allen
Jan 21st, 19:29
What about the unconscionable system that charges 48% above the residential rate for electricity and water to foreigners living in rented accommodation? A Maltese living in the UK would pay the same rates as his British neighbours, so why not here?
Paul Caruana
Jan 21st, 19:19
I hope he knows what he is doing.....
G Mangion
Jan 21st, 19:08
In Maltese we Say Lirhis Jigi Gholi sur jm , tell us jm and Dont forget to tell the Aftercome !
G. Mangion.
Victor Vella
Jan 21st, 19:07
OK We believe you, But where is the catch? your predecessor promised to remove VAT and he did, but he introduced CET and god knows what instead, what will you balance the money with?
Peter Shaw
Jan 21st, 19:04
WOW! With the saving in electricity bills I can invest in a solar water heater !
Angelo Vassallo
Jan 21st, 18:57
Can the Honourable Leader of the Opposition (or the practically Prime Minister in waiting) tells us by how much he will reduce water and electricity tariffs? €4 yearly as per his calculations? Or will he deduce the the present rates by 50%. It will be very interesting to know. Funilly enough no mention at all of this by JM.
J. Mifsud
Jan 22nd, 01:06
At least he will not be giving himself and his regime 500euro weekly payrise.
Keith D'Amato
Jan 21st, 18:55
Nixtieq nara kif jien...
Carmel Lino Vella Clark
Jan 21st, 19:27
If you read the interview Joseph Muscat gave & published in a free magazine issued with the Sunday Times of Malta in December 2010, you will find the answer to your question.
In this interview, Joseph Muscat had stated that, if elected prime minister, he will launch a 10 years austerity programme. When the interviewer asked him how he will do it, Joseph Muscat declared that he will introduce new taxes!!!!
Lino Vella Clark, Msida
Victor Vella
Jan 21st, 23:08
Mela sewwa ghidt jien li kif jitla il PL jigu is seba snin ta l ghaks, austerity for PL means
a) wage freeze,
b) stopping all invetment by goverment.
c) stipendlu bye d bye.
d) taxxi b laddocc
U jekk dan ma jrendiex dejjem jista jghid li sab hofra.
Christopher Bezzina
Jan 21st, 18:52
On one side PN is facing problems interiorly (which confidently will result in a healthy phenomenon), and on the other hand we have PL which lacks skills and capabilities to lead this country. What’s going to happen to this country? A change is needed but PL? Give me a break… This is not a playground! All the future objectives of Malta becoming a country of excellence and innovation will go down the drain.
Jo Camm
Jan 21st, 21:03
What one can do in the next election is to totally ignore PL as they are not trustworthy and choose 40 candidates from the PN. Surely one can find these people in the PN, both from the present MP's and from the new candidates. QED
Ms Rudi Mcbeal
Jan 21st, 18:48
Right. Now will you be so kind and tell us HOW you have in mind to do that, please? Thank you, but no thank you Joseph, dear, rajtha qalbek - I would rather keep paying the water and elctricity bills at the rates they are now than having to pay a much higher price in some other form. You know, you may have fooled me had I been born with only half a brain - but since that did not happen, you didn't.
CHARLES VELLA
Jan 21st, 18:48
What has happened to fuel gas cylinders every mouth increase . That is one thing that show Gonzi was taking us for a ride . Once l passed a comment on this site. Give the minimum wage to Gonzi wife or Ministers wife, only for a month and they can see for themselves the way we are taxed.
James Dimech
Jan 21st, 18:45
For once it would be interesting to know how he will be going about doing this. Ha naraw x'gej....do not hold on to your seats though
Thomas Mifsud
Jan 21st, 18:45
Ghax gvern Laburista jkun il-gvern li jahdem ghalina l-haddiema, ghalina n-nies tal-klassi tan-nofs. Din il-weghda tista ssir realta u nergghu niehdu ftit tan-nifs, ghax Joseph Muscat l-ewwel jahseb fin-nies imbaghad fil-progetti tar-roundabouts, ta bieb il-Belt u ta miljun kapricc iehor!!
Charlie Mifsud
Jan 21st, 19:15
ghandek garanzzija habib ? jew int xi iehor living in fantasy island?
J. Debono
Jan 21st, 19:33
Ohlom, qabel jitla l-PL u jkollok tqum mir-raqda, u tiffacja r-realta ta bniedem bla ebda esperjenza u idejat.
John Schembri
Jan 21st, 18:43
There is no need for Joseph to give answers , he will be Prime Minister by default even if the bills are reduced by a Euro per month.
Debono will surely vote in favour of the No Confidence Bill next Thursday.
Debono should cross the floor and form a coalition government with PL, they have both the same rival: Dr Lawrence Gonzi.
Aldo darmanin
Jan 21st, 18:42
Sorry but cannot believe him and the PL!! I wonder why!!
Guzi Abela
Jan 21st, 18:56
Strange comment made by someone who believed Gonzi has a par idejn sodi.
Alexander Brincat
Jan 21st, 19:14
Sur Darmanin,
Jien nahseb li int kont wiehed minn dawk ic-cwiec Maltin (definizzjoni Fenekjana) li emmint li Gonzi se jnaqqas ir-rata ta' taxxa personali massima ghal 25%. Ara vera blajtuha fl-2008? Tghid terga temmnu lil Gonzi?
Mario Camilleri
Jan 21st, 19:18
I can't believe GonziPN either sorry. I m still waiting for a job at smart city, and for a reduction in the tax bands, for a state of the art public transport,and most of all i am still waiting for an accountable government. We need change in this country because nobody is accountable. One last question for you aldo...will you still believe the empty promises made by Gonzi come next election?? no need to answer me....I know it already!!!!!!!!
Paul Cassar
Jan 21st, 18:38
THEY ALL WANT to know how much,when, why,etc etc etc.................THEN ASK THEM ABOUT SMART? CITY...
and all go numb..................tail between legs................. and run........POOR THEY.
Charlie Mifsud
Jan 21st, 19:19
wait until mission imposible goes on the chair and you probably be numb for good mr cassar. malta ma fadaliex wisa ghal communizmu.
Lawrence Camilleri
Jan 21st, 18:37
A pair of scales work by lifting one of the scales up by putting more weight on the other. They can't go up both of them. So for something to lift up, something else will have to be found to put weight on the other scale.
VINCENT WILLIAMS
Jan 21st, 18:36
My view is that the most important factor that our country is urgently in needs is a change in government for various reasons. Malta needs new, fresh and modern ideas to move forward in a very harsh and competitive world. I am sure that even the staunchest and the most fanatic PN's supporter will admit that if Labour will be in power for 25 years a change in government will be needed!!!
Manuel Camilleri
Jan 21st, 18:03
Let us hope that tomorrow he WILL GIVE ANSWERS
Joseph N. Attard
Jan 21st, 17:51
Dr. Alfred Sant had also promised to remove VAT. Many towed their fiscal cash registers behind their cars in 1986, only to have to fork out for a costlier one, when they found out that they still had to submit returns for the infamous CET. Maybe we will see a spate of water and electruicity meters being towed by jubiliant cars after the next election. :-)
mark borg
Jan 21st, 18:05
int bis serjeta????...u xi tghidilna ghal mijiet ta promises ta EFA u Gonzi,li taru mar rih ????? Anyway il famuza VAT il Famus JOHN DALLI dahhala fil pajjiz (dak ta 10 million lhawn u 10 miljon l-hemm qalilna li xorta) u Alfred Sant iprova inehijja....ma kienx jaf il Biljuni misruqin mil kaxxa ta Malt taht ilPN ta dak iz zmien kemm kienu !!!!! Jigifieri tipruvax minalik idahhaq !!!!!!!!
Joseph N. Attard
Jan 21st, 18:14
Should be 1996, sorry.
clint camilleri
Jan 21st, 18:55
@mark borg
Skuzani mark Borg ima tider li ijed titkelem bnuccali politku wisq ...ax bi vat il gvern id dahhal hafna flus(jek ma jdahalx il pajjiz ma jonfoqx u jek ma jonfoqx il pajjiz jimxix ) u CET li dahhal Dr.Alfred Sant kinet faliment totali , hawdet limhuh ta hafna...Jek ma tametux din ma nafx jin...
Kulhadd ijed jahseb li ja jitilaw labour ha jrahas taxxi u dawl u ilma , jek irahas it taxxi jista jejdilna min fejn se jifinanzja infiq ta pajjiz Joe jew nifqaw dejn nergaw (li ma nistawx) ,,,risposta al mistoqsijiet joseph kif tejd inti stess ...
Joseph N. Attard
Jan 21st, 19:02
@ Mark Borg. Ma tarax, mela nies bhalek jafu jidhqu. :-) Hemm bilhaqq, ta' dawk il-Biljuni misruqin mill kaxxa ta' Malta, kemm nies baghat il-habs il-gvern laburista fl-ghoxrin xaghar li dam jiggverna? :-)
Joseph N. Attard
Jan 21st, 20:55
U bilhaqq, erga skuzani taf, sur Mark Borg, imma jien naqra slow. Allura dak li ghidt int ifisser li meta jitla Dr Joseph Muscat ser jghidilna li ma jistghax irahhas id-dawl u l-ilma ghax rega sab hafn serq to Biljuni? Ehh, issa qed nifhem.
Mr Joseph Apap
Jan 21st, 17:45
By how much will Jos. Muscat lower the electricity rates ,
we expect by at least five cents per unit
and Not to introduce the door tax as was coming in 1997/98
Alan Attard
Jan 21st, 17:40
Water and electricity tariffs will ONLY go down if
1 We strike oil and the latter's price is above $100 a barrel or
2 Invest in alternative energy resources and efficient apparatus
Otherwise forget all these promises or expect revenue from other sources.
I can promise you the world before an election - win it by a three seat majority - and govern for a guaranteed five years in this country - even with Franco and Dom on my side!
Politics is an easy game when you're in opposition - the proof is when one has to govern - chance or no chance - we're not playing Monopoly here!
mark borg
Jan 21st, 18:22
Water and electricity tariffs will ONLY go down if
GonziPN corrupted Regime would go down and not the BLA BLA you wasted your time in writing and ours in reading.
M Borg
Jan 21st, 18:56
mark borg
If you are living in the same world we are living in , you must know that no one LP or NP can out water and electriciity rates
This is what an English newspaper reported 3 days ago of what is happening in the UK. Maybe you can give then some hints ? ::-
" Two in five people are worried they cannot afford their next energy bill.
Citizens Advice said it helped with 96,000 fuel debt issues last year. And the charity found one in three people don’t know energy firms can help to insulate homes.
It released the findings at the start of its Big Energy Week which aims to help people save money on their bills.
CA chief executive Gillian Guy said: "We know hikes in prices have put extra pressure on people's budgets at a time when money is already tight.
"Day in day out our bureaux help people who can't afford their fuel bills."
Wake up and face the truth !
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2012/01/16/two-in-five-fear-they-can-t-pay-energy-bills-115875-23701399/#ixzz1k7GtzexYectricity rates down.
Maria Mangion
Jan 21st, 17:38
Niskanta kif tal PN jinsew li in nies li jirraprezentawhom bhalissa qedin jitajru , jiggieldu u jikxfu l korruzzjoni ta' xulxin minn gurnata ghal ohra. Pero taqra kummenti li jipruvaw inaqsu l kredibilta ta' Joseph Muscat bniedem li vera ghad irid jipprova lilu nnifsu zda zgur ma tista' tghid xejn dwaru. Ahjar jippruvaw jevalwaw il hazen li hawn madwarna u jekk konvinti jivvotaw PN mhux problema. Nemmen li ghad isir minn kollox biex ihamgu lil Joseph imma llum il poplu kiber u tghallem harsu lejn Franco.
Charlie grech
Jan 21st, 17:27
Why are the comments of some ppl are so past tense??? the past is past and we have to give a young leader to prove himself. As we are, we are so bad we can be worst.....so give LABOUR a chance.....
Joseph John Camilleri
Jan 21st, 18:32
God forbid.....
Joe Scerri
Jan 21st, 17:22
How?
victor caruana
Jan 21st, 17:52
billi jnaqqas il korruzzjoni...staqsi lil pulicino orlando...u come back
A Fenech
Jan 21st, 17:21
The comment of Mr.A Bezzina shows a distinction in one's mentality. He still believes that there are the Elite and the so called "ignorants" like the Minister of Finance comments a few days ago, "ic-cuc Malti".
You are right Mr Bezzina, no one's ignorant. In fact no one is ignorant to believe your words that design Mintoff as a dictator. If it wasn't for him, we would have never had our country as it is today. Just at the beginning of the list: the social welfare and benefits. He proposed them before the UK did.
Another answer for a lot of comments down here: if we only cut down the abuses like tax evation, illegal social benefits and carelessly spent statal money we can recover much more money for sure.
The PN sold all our assets like Mid-Med, SeaMalta, Lottu, MIA, and so on, just to recover short-term money while Mintoff's forecast went way longer than that..in fact all these assets were introduced by him while demolished from unhealthy and unwisely decisions made by PN throughout the years
Mr Stefan von Brockdorff
Jan 21st, 17:20
bhal tal farfett qed jitkellem Muscat!!! Inaqas hekk u inaqas hekk u nghatikom hekk ... paroli tat tfal biex jiprova jimpresjona lil dawk li ma jifmux kazz!! U min qed jahseb li vera ha joqod iqasam il flus specjalment fi zminijiet hekk vera andu bzonn daqtejn tajba fuq wiccu biex iqum mir raqda li rieqed
mark borg
Jan 21st, 18:28
Taf xinhu bhal tal farfett stiefnu????il biljun li ghosfru min kumpaniji bhal AirMalta fost whud...dawk zgur taru bhal FARFETT
Jason Buttigieg
Jan 22nd, 07:40
LEEEEEEE... int tifhem kazzz ..... tqassam il flus biex tghin lin - nies mhux jehduhom tal- qalba jew il kuntratturi ta'. lil tal- farfett armalhom warda jekk trid biex idakkru minnha.
Mr Ernest Vella
Jan 21st, 17:12
viva l-lejber, viva l-lejber...ejja ha nrahsu l-kontijiet tad-dawl billi nibdew nuzaw ix-xemgha...tac-cajt.com
mark borg
Jan 21st, 18:20
ithaq nestu .....l-iblah taqlaghlu ghajn u jifrah.....u ix xemgha nhar il -hamis ixghela biex jergha jibdiel fhemtu (minghalik) Franco.......
Jason Buttigieg
Jan 22nd, 07:32
Hahaha, mela kull ma naraw nisimghu jew !!!!! (bdw @Mark Borg : proset...)
Joe Spiteri
Jan 21st, 17:09
Li ghandu jghidilna JM huwa b'KEMM ser jonqsu u MIN META wara li jitla (dejjem jekk jitla) fil-gvern.
Jonathan Micallef
Jan 21st, 17:05
MQ QALX LI MHUX SER IRAHHASHOM, When the time is right qal.
VIVA IL-MANIPULAZZJONI TAL-MEDIA, HA NIBDEW JEKK ALLA JRID!!!
Joseph M. Grech.
Jan 21st, 16:59
I can already smell Malta becoming another Greece or Spain economically!
liza Elizabeth
Jan 21st, 16:59
' Im going to have the best team regarding economy' is jm talking really, or is just someone talking in the street. How can he say things like this.
Joseph John Camilleri
Jan 21st, 18:34
He was joking, Didn't you see the smirk on his face.
Jo Camm
Jan 21st, 16:57
Will he mention from where he is bringing the money to pay for the fuels??
Otherwise it is only 'duhhan' as usual.
mark borg
Jan 21st, 18:25
Hopefully billi jnaqqas il korrizzjoni u jinvestiga erba min tar regime tieghek.....
Rachel Borg
Jan 21st, 16:38
Of course, but he will increase taxes and take Edward's Scicluna advise and remove stipends. That will balance his books
mark borg
Jan 21st, 17:10
bla bla bla bla .........NAHSEB PROFS SCICLUNA WILL ASK SOME PROFESSOR OF YOUR KIND TO BALANCE THE BOOKS..........insomma plenty to balance wara is serq spjetat taht your PN.
Mr Joe Micallef
Jan 21st, 18:44
Borg Mark I would have thought you knew!
Joey already hired Adrian Gray to balance his books!
Mr Mark Cutajar
Jan 21st, 16:38
Do not really inderstand the comment of Mr Azzopardi that all those who clap for Dr Muscat are ignorant. he is still of the idea that those who beleive in PN are superior. He mentioned also Mintoff. With all due repsect Mr Azzopardi, Mintoff was the one to give free education to us (my father is a mechanic) all to study and to achieve. Is there anything wrong in that. So far Dr Muscat showed a Labour party open for everyone and to everyone. On the contrary Dr Gonzi showed that you are either with or else you are a failure. This can be confirmed by all the backbenchers who now have the courage to speak out. The fiasco of this year's presented budget and arriva, not to go further away in months and years speak clearly about who is right or wrong. We do beleive in Dr Muscat's promises and like us many others and many more to come.
Lawrence Fenech
Jan 21st, 17:26
@Ma
Mintoff was quoted by foreign politician as a "Luxury for Malta". The only politician to give the whole of Malta back to the maltese.
M. Bezzina
Jan 21st, 16:35
When the time is right qal....ma qalx le mhumiex ser inrahhsuwhom u nemmen li jekk irid ikun kredibbli JM ekk iris jamel il bqija ser jerga jihu daqqa ohra bhall GonziPN
Joe Grech
Jan 21st, 16:25
Dear Dr. Muscat, your promise to reduce the Utilities bills is appreciated since quite a lot of people are suffering as a result of this administration's unsocial attitude.
However please declare the P.L.'s situation concerning other equally important issues. I will hear remind you of just one: will the P.L. knock down all the illegally built ''boathouses'' at Armier, Mellieha and elsewhere or will it issue permits for these illegalities. In other words will the P.L., like the P.N. put vote catching before truly national interests? Many will be watching to see what both the P.N. and the P.L, will be promising in their electoral manifestos on this point.
A. Borg
Jan 21st, 16:24
Mhux li tnaqqas id-dawl u l-ilma l-importanti Dot imma li ssir gustizzja ghal min sofrija taht din l-amministrazzjoni. Ibni sofra ingustizzja taht dal-gvern li il-familja kollha mhu se tahfirilu qatt. Daqshekk ivvutajna PN u nistennew li la titla fil-Gvern dak li t-tifel bil-haqq kellu jiehu taht dal-gvern,ghalkemm b'lura jiehdu f'tieghek.
A. Tabone
Jan 21st, 16:33
Personal interest 1 - "National interest" 0.
A. Borg
Jan 21st, 16:51
A. Tabone
Xemx li ma ssahanx ahjar il-bard ta Jannar minnha! Int tivvota ghal interess nazzjonali l-ewwel?Probabli titkellem hekk ghax ghadek qatt ma ghaddejt int jew xi hadd tal-familja minn ingustizzja u tmur ghand Ministru ,dak li Franco qal li ghamel il-legislatura kollha jsahhan is-siggu,jghidlek li ghandek ragun u tibqa bih habib!
A Fenech
Jan 21st, 17:10
Sur Tabone, il-Prim Ministru li ghandna jitkellem fuq l-interessi personali qabel dawk nazzjonali...qal l-ewwel obbligu li ghandi lejn il-Partit u mhux lejn il-Pajjiz...allura kif tridu l-poplu ma jaghmilx l-istess???
Kieku vera jahseb ghal pajjiz iwarrab hu mit-tmexxija, mhux necessarjament tissejjah elezzjoni
Mr Joseph Apap
Jan 21st, 17:49
Tista tghidlina x'sofra it tifel tieghek mighajr me semmi ismu
A. Tabone
Jan 21st, 18:14
If you suffer injustice, there are other options to take proper recourse. If you're still stuck in the era of beggaring at a Minister's door, if you still believe in pleading, than you definitely have a place with the other PL supporters.
Roll on the queues at the new Labour ministers' doors. Roll on pjaciri. Onwards the new style of Labour politics. Imma ghandna bzonn bidla hux...
Joseph John Camilleri
Jan 21st, 18:37
Ried xi television tal-kulur?
A. Borg
Jan 21st, 19:53
A.Tabone
Kieku fittixt gustizzja kont naghmel hsara kbira lil partit li darba tant kont inhobb u ma rridtx. Illum forsi nahsieba mod iehor.
Joseph John Camilleri
Ridt dak li bi dritt kien t'ibni u xejn izjed. Imma kif qal tajjeb Franco inzerta li ibni missieru ma kienx ras kbira. Charity begins at home habib.
Joseph Azzopardi
Jan 21st, 16:23
Tista tghidilna kif issa ezattement (tinsiex li izjed ma ddum ma tghidilna izjed se jkun hawn faqar f'Malta) ? Hekk jew hekk jumejn ilu Dr George Vella qal li inti l-Prim Ministru ta' Malta diga !
vella m
Jan 21st, 16:22
Some good news at last :)
A Bezzina
Jan 21st, 16:29
Ohlom ...
Matthew Micallef
Jan 21st, 16:57
I am :)
Mr Stefan von Brockdorff
Jan 21st, 17:21
haha isma x jajdulek :D some good news!! U ejja ma ndahqux
Lawrence Fenech
Jan 21st, 17:28
@Bezzina.
Vera nohlom forsi xi darba nerghu nibdew niehdu banju flok showers.
vella m
Jan 21st, 20:54
@Lawrence Fenech,Prosit I couldn't have said it better LOL.
A Vella
Jan 21st, 16:21
If you think you will attract votes by this promise dear Joseph you just lost mine. By decreasing the bills you are justifying wastage through my hard earned taxes! It is simple. We should pay for what we consume and anyone with a slight amount of brain matter between their ears should think so as well. As regards families in need they are already receiving heavily subsidised bills. Where is Profs Scicluna in all this?
mark borg
Jan 21st, 17:06
E iva sur Vella....mela il biljuni fi djun u kumpaniji tal gvern spluduti li sfaxxa il-PN ...dawk mhux waste of your TAXES ?????? jew forsi wiehed li qed tpapija min dawn il-kumpaniji ?????????????????????
A Vella
Jan 21st, 19:10
Sur borg, two wrongs do not make a right. Politics all over the world is nasty, that is a given. Whoever is governing will need to satisfy the needs of who funded the success to govern. I repeat that is a given and that is the price we pay for 'democracy.' If the PN is doing what you say I believe the LP will have to do the same to govern.
Decisions such as subsidising bills, however, is a pure gimmick and people such a Joseph who spend so much time in Brussels, supposedly representing us, should know that. The more Joseph will tax and subsidise, the more people like me who are taxed to the last cent earned will be punished.
A Bezzina
Jan 21st, 16:18
HOW IRRESPONSIBLE!!! Stop treating people as ignorant ... Tell them how you intend to make up for any decreases in water and electricity tariffs!! Keeping people in the dark, while the ignorant crowd claps at your words ... Mintoff all over again!!!!
Edward Mallia Milanes
Jan 21st, 16:51
This is another Alfred Sant fiasco remember!! He promised that if elected he will remove VAT, and when elected he DID remove VAT as promised but within weeks he introduced the SISA !!! He just changed the name of the same tax - I do hope people will remember this cause the same thing will happen if (God forbid) PL are elected, he might reduce the w&e bills but taxes have to come from somewhere - he will introduce more taxes. Some people never learn and believe everything.
Charles Vella
Jan 21st, 16:15
If you are elected, well and good... it's nice to pay less money in my utility bills, however, I recon that those with a good income, becuase they work hard for it, will have to do good for those who don't work officially, and live on social benefits!
If not so, then, really... well and good, it's nice to be paying less money for my water and electricity bills... however, sorry Joseph, I do not believe you will reduce them, at least, not without a catch!
One has to be dumb, and stupid to believe so. Sorry.
Mr Clayton Mangion
Jan 21st, 16:13
Jekk vera il PL huwa vera partit li jghid li il poplu maltin andu jkollu kunfidenza fih lewwel il wedi irid jamilhom sewwa , Jekk ha trahas id dawl u ilma Dr.Muscat ha dahal taxxa jew tolli il VAT ? U jekk jogbok Dr.Muscat ejdilna fuq il fuel jekk hux behsibek trahsu ?
A Spiteri
Jan 21st, 16:07
water and electricity tariffs are indeed another form of taxation. any government can promise to reduce such tariffs but he's of course obliged to cut spending, and i'm not seeing any promises from JM.
another option is to get that income from another revenue, which is then even more worrying!!!
Lino Busuttil
Jan 21st, 16:29
No Labour sympathizer but if one needs to do spending cuts they are palpably visible.
Sandro Pace
Jan 21st, 16:01
With the right priorities and sensitivities, which this government has apparently lost sight of, yes Dr. Muscat can fulfill this promise.
Aaron Fenech
Jan 21st, 15:48
Everyone is criticising the PL Leader while no one is taking care of the promises that this actual PM did. Did he keep them? How much money did he uselessly spent? Let's begin from Smart City which had to employ almost 3,000 people...when? in 2040 maybe with this rate? Arriva project...millions of money spent for "analysing the new routes" when we reverted back to the old ones. The Power Station extension...first we issue a gas tender and then (for no reason???) a few weeks before the decision we revert back to heavy fuel oil. The €500 per week bonus to the Ministers for almost 4 years...taken without even having any responsability on their ministerial work if we consider the Arriva project, the MEPA task force, the National Lottery fraud scandal, and so on and so forth....but then we hear Dr.Francis Zammit Dimech on Bondi+ saying that a person like Franco should take his political responsability. As Christ said, those who have no sins throw the first stone...Thus let us wait till Mr.Muscat, if he will, take up the PM role and then we can (and constructively we should) begin to criticise.
Mr C Galea
Jan 21st, 15:58
this is not about being critised, this is about making sense for the future of malta and the maltese ,and this promise does not make sense,do you get it now?????????
A Fenech
Jan 21st, 16:08
First give him a chance to show how he can do so...u can't say it's wrong if you don't even let him try. Just to remind you, if you look in the human history all great inventors were considered as fools, yet without them we would not have had all the inventions and knowledge we know today. Don't count the eggs before they hatch. Just wait and we'll see...time can tell as always my friend
Noel Mifsud
Jan 21st, 16:10
Mr Galea I agree imma jekk making sense for the future of Malta for sure then we have to get rid of GonziON, ghax no sense is made for making a Ghost city, promising 5000 jobs and losing abt 15 million wuros in land rent amd not even a single job was offered.
Alfred Dimech
Jan 21st, 16:17
And yet, assuming that you were right and that all this money was wasted, it would still not be enough to decrease electricity tariffs significantly for all households for more than a few years.
This is the point. Yes the PN is inefficient and wastes a lot of money (PL are no angels either in that respect) however what Joseph Muscat is promising is staggeringly expensive. If he had to significantly reduce (u mhux xi 1c ta', a proper decent reduction) for 5 years the cost would be enormous.
If he manages to find a sustainable way of buying fuel then he might manage to do good on his promise, but this is very unlikely. More likely what we would do is stop stipends and use that money to subsidise, or perhaps he would increase income tax (hopefully not back to 65% as in the golden years).
Mr C Galea
Jan 21st, 16:22
Re Noel Mifsud comment,
Yes I agree with you ,Gonzi MUST GO , I just feel saddened, unhappy and disappointed about the way the P L is going about business to win votes.
Mr Joe Micallef
Jan 21st, 15:44
A statement "Labour government will reduce water and electricity rates" is pretty insignificant.
I look forward to,amongst other know by how much, that independently of future rise in oil prices rates will remain as established once reduced and that no other tax in introduced (such as polluter pay or wealth tax on households).
Victor Pulis
Jan 21st, 15:42
Isn't it strange that politicians, ALL politicians are very quick to say they will reduce this and that burden but when asked if they will introduce any new taxes they run away from the question by saying that know one can predict the future.
Mario Vella Laurenti
Jan 21st, 15:42
Sorry Dr. Muscat but I don't believe you.
M. Bezzina
Jan 21st, 16:36
Qas il GonziPN ma nemmen jien ghax gvern ipokritu daqsu qatt ma rajt!!
mark borg
Jan 21st, 17:12
Who asked for your petty opinion ???
Mr C Galea
Jan 21st, 15:35
Quite honestly with promises like this is the P L really ready to govern Malta???????
Justin Spiteri
Jan 21st, 15:35
Hmm... i smell a deal with Iran for cheap Nuclear Energy once their reactor is done ... or maybe North Korea, theyre soon done too!!!... other than that, how can energy get cheap?.
I'm assuming of course this is not a cheap political trick.
Aaron Fenech
Jan 21st, 15:52
No one believed Mintoff would to so neither, however he succeeded in agreeing terms with Libya, and we all know that all the trouble with these tariffs began when that agreement seized to function. Let's hope we'll have another Mintoff style agreement
Steve M. Engerer
Jan 21st, 15:33
in 1996 Dr Alfred Sant promised that he would remove VAT.... When he got to power he kept his word!!!
Surprise surprise.. Alfred Sant introduced CET!! a tax that no one understood, from 15% to 21% & in some cases beyond 21%... that is a fact!!
Joseph Muscat will do the same with the utility rates...
Ohh I forgot!! now he should be giving us answers how he is supposed to reduce the rates... time has come!!
j. mangion
Jan 21st, 15:27
l-istess retorika ta' elfred sant.......................innehhu l-VAT
ftakar poplu !
ftakar xi gralek fl-1996 !
M. Bezzina
Jan 21st, 16:37
jin issa niftakar mela fin 1996 ...dak adda u qatt ma jerga jigi !!!Issa kif GonziPN qijed imexxi dak niftakar!!!
N. Montanaro
Jan 21st, 17:41
Kif qieghed jimxi Sur Bezzina? Hares lejn l-istampa in generali u ghidli fejn falla il gvern Nazzjonalista... Ghidli fejn qieghed il-qaghad, fejn qedghin immorru ahna kull filghodu? Xoghol jew fit-toroq nipprotestaw? Ghidli kemm hawn minnha li kellhom jinqaflu gewwa ghax ma kienx baqalhom flus biex johorgu imqar darba f sena? Kemm hawn familji li ssagrifikaw is-safra li jiehdu darba fis-sena? Kull min jimxi bil-ghaqal taht il-gvern Nazzjonalista prezenti, ghandu biex jghix hajja komda. FATT. Hares madwarna x'inhu jigri u tibqax maqful fuq is-super One (jew issa qas super bilhaqq m'ghadkom hux?) Forsi falla f'xi cucati l'hemm u l'hawn, imma wara kollox, f 25 sena ta tmexxija tipretendi li kollox jkun kif nixtiquh ahna? Imma hares lejn l istampa in generali u ghidli min qed jghix f pajjiz li il-beneficcji ghalih komplew jizdiedu filwaqt li pajjizi ohra kellu jqaccat bladdocc...
Pat Hobson
Jan 21st, 15:23
@all grumbling below! Did any of you ask the PM on how he's going to pay for the Euro 100 million for City Gate, and the roofless theatre? Or for that matter the new Parliament? Did you ask your PM from where he's going to get the money to pay off the guarantee for the Greek Bailout to the tune of Euro 700 million? Did you ask your PM from where he's going to get the money to give himself and his cronies Euro 500 weekly? When you ask these questions to your PM then you can turn to the Opposition Leader and ask him from where he's going to get the money to lower the W&E tariffs!!!
Alfred Dimech
Jan 21st, 16:04
"Did you ask your (??) PM from where he's going to get the money to give himself and his cronies Euro 500 weekly?"
Unless he has a rainbow and a leprechaun handy then I suspect he's getting them from the same place all their wages come from. Public funds. The total of their raises costs every person in Malta about 5 euros a year. Do they deserve it? Not really, but that's another story.
I think you're missing the point here. There are two ways JM can lower the tariffs.
1) Either he finds some clever way of making the power-station more efficient, or the fuel cheaper,
2) He subsidises the tariffs from some other source of income, and believe me, it would have to be an enormous source amount of money to make a tangible difference. Much more than the 100 million for the Renzo Piano project, and certainly more than the ministerial raise.
Clearly, JM wants us to think his solution is (1). But it's far far more likely that its (2), meaning that we'll be paying those subsidies from something else, thus not saving anything. Winning an election on such deviousness would be outright dishonest. And yet, Sant promised to abolish VAT and then immediately introduced CET after the election (and yes, the same way the Smart City failed to materialise and various other vacuous PN promises).
I also sincerely hope that JM does find a good solution to the energy tariff problem, but please understand why we're being so sceptical.
Mr C Galea
Jan 21st, 15:23
Please don't rob Paul to pay Peter, P L move on and make more "decent" promises that will benefit Malta and the Maltese, let's face it prices do go up in this real world of ours.Language like this only wins insignificant minor votes,or at least that is what one should hope for here??????
Joanne Micallef
Jan 21st, 15:21
I dont think the PL are in any position to say from now what they will or will not do if and when in goverment, one has to have a clear picture of our TRUE economic situation to be able to evaluate and decide on how to proceed.
Joseph Portelli
Jan 21st, 15:12
se jkun gvern safe - qalilna Dr Muscat!!! u zgur li se jkun safe - anke jekk jirbah b'vot wiehed biss se jkollu 34 siggu (minn tal-anqas) kontra l-31 siggu tal-PN. Hekk gara fl-ahhar elezzjoni meta rebah il-PN u kellu jizdidulu 4 siggijiet biex seta jiggverna. Allura anke jekk jirbah b'vot wiehed biss, Joseph Muscat se jkollu 3 siggijiet vantagg!!! U zgur li jkun safe!!!! Nippreferi Gvern tal-PN b'siggu wiehed u jaqbillu joqghod attent milli Gvern tal-PL bi 3 siggijiet vantagg!!
Stefan Sciberras
Jan 21st, 15:28
Biddel ic cd ghax se tahraqha
DAVID D. PACE
Jan 21st, 15:45
did-diska taz-zmien il-hagar siehbi. Think harder dude:)
Joseph Portelli
Jan 21st, 15:49
@ Stefan and David
ma toghgobkomx ghax dik hi l-verita!!!
Mariano Camilleri
Jan 21st, 15:10
reduce water and electricity tariffs but he will raise vat income tax and more other stuff to get the moneyback...if its not one of them it will be definately something else the maltese will suffer...like when they promised to take thevat off which they did as promised but introduced another tax which was worse
S. Zammit
Jan 21st, 15:08
Ha jibda jekk Alla jrid.U ghadu mhux fil gvern, ahseb u ara li kieku kien!
Karl Consiglio
Jan 21st, 15:00
Alfred Sant used to speak like this then look what happened.
Ms Muscat
Jan 21st, 16:26
what if you take a look at what Gonzipn is doing and what had happened recently
Karl Consiglio
Jan 21st, 19:03
@Ms Muscat,
Any fault is hardly as serious as Sant's, filfatt ma tantx kien dam Sant. And Sant by comparison had everything on a silver plate, u xorta jnexxielu jhawwad kollox. Esepwara dan Muscat vis a vis il-problemi globali tal-llum.
Karl Abela
Jan 21st, 14:59
We will hold you to your word!!!!!!
pat muscat
Jan 21st, 15:34
Fl-ahhar accetajt li GonziPN hu skadut? Its a good omen for Malta and the Maltese.
Joe Abela
Jan 21st, 16:19
lil pat muscat dan il-gvern ghandek ragun tghid li skadut ghax ilu 25 sena imexxi ghax kien hemm oppozzizjoni skaduta iktar minnu issa naraw jekk issir il bidla kemm idum il pl fil-gvern j`alla jkun kapaci jwettaq jew jikkuntenta dak li qieghes jghid
Leonard Cole
Jan 21st, 14:59
Well would be a good thing to reduce wtare and electricity ..... Though it is not being mentioned if the fuel woul dbe increased or not.... Cause if you reduse the untility bills and increase fuel does notmake much sense does it..... Guarantees would be more ideal than words
Clifford Grech
Jan 21st, 14:57
Will you ever say how .. ?
Neil Dent
Jan 21st, 14:55
I look forward to reading the interview, especially Dr. Muscat's explanation, finally, as to HOW he is going to reduce the water and electricity bills.
Emanuel Farrugia
Jan 21st, 14:48
And my family believes that you will keep your word to reduce the water & Electricity rates even if you find a gaping big hole in the Malta money box.
Mr Mario Farrugia
Jan 21st, 14:47
Joseph should be honest enough to tell us if the deal he made from the opposition bench to buy gas and oil at a discounted price after he becomes Prim is with the Qataris or the Saudis!!! Unless he has inside information from seismological data that Malta will be oil rich in a few months.
Joseph Grima
Jan 21st, 15:47
None of your business mister. Hope he has. It's the end result that counts . If it's as easy to buy discounted products as you think it is, why doesn't your Government do it?
Brian Stagno navarra
Jan 21st, 14:45
Yeah right, reduce the w&e bills and balance off by increasing taxes elsewhere. U hallina Dr Muscat, people are not as gullible as you think!
David Aquilina
Jan 21st, 20:05
diga qed nara l-income tax bands telghin qishom murtali jien!
M Mamo
Jan 21st, 14:44
By how much? even 1 cent is a reduction but irrelevant!
SO Muscat says he cannot reduce debt and acknowledges that economy is crumbling all over ... promises to keep stipends, health care, refund people for their cars, reduce water and electricity ... where are we getting all this money?!
P Caruana
Jan 21st, 14:42
Looking forward to having you as our prime minister, today before tomorrow.
You are a born leader, a true spokesman, a gentleman and many other positive criteria needed to cover such an important role especially at such a difficult time.
Unlike what some are saying that you are still young and inexperienced, I am sure you will be showing them who you really are and what capabilities you have.
God bless you and your family.