Government says it is consistent in seeking lowest sustainable tariffs
The government said this evening that its consistent position was that the power tariffs should be kept as low as possible in a manner which was sustainable for the country.
On the contrary, what the Opposition was proposing would raise the cost of electricity.
In a statement issued in reaction to comments made by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat, the government said that in line with its commitment, it was investing in the interconnector power cable and planning a gas pipeline from Sicily for power generation.
The benefits of these investments would be enjoyed by consumers - domestic and industrial - through tariffs that were kept at the lowest possible level in a way that was sustainable for the country.
The government said this position had been reiterated by the prime minister - including today - when he criticised the opposition for planning to import gas on ships instead of through a pipeline which qualified for European funds.
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HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Jan 10th, 11:57
Gonzi bil ghaqal, l ewwel jarma kif jista jirrendi u mbaghad irrahas il kontijiet. Muscat le, l ewwel irrahas u mbaghad naraw, sa dan ittant il kaxxa ta Malta tghamel tajjeb. Dik hi differenza bejn iz zewg leaders.
Il power station li tal Lejber qalu ma tahdimx diga qed tiffrankana hafna flus fil fuel. Meta din tibda tahdem bil gas u il pipeline ma Sqallija jkun fil post jorhsu l konitijiet.
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Jan 10th, 11:46
Joseph Muscat qed ipoggi iz ziemel qabel il karettun. Gonzi qed jghid li l ewwel jghamlu il pipeline ma Sqallija u mbghad jirrevedu il kontijiet. Muscat qed jghid li mis sena id diehla jrahhas il kontijiet b' 25% u biex jiggustifika dan isemmi il pipline li baqalu snin biex jitlesta. Allura min fejn sejjer igib il flus tat trahhis.
Is serjeta titlob li l ewwel tarma sew u mbghad trahhas.
Xmun Busuttil
Jan 10th, 11:05
Dan is sur Albert bonello xi kunsulent ta DR.gonzi jaqaw jew qed jaghtijulek shun. Jien nazzjonalist bhalek imma din id darba sakemm Dr.Gonzi jibqa kap ma jarax aktar il vot tieghi imma nahseb int xi qiehed mil-klikka tieghu milli jidher. Jien ser nati l-vot tijaj lill LP ghaliex ghar milli qeghdin mhux ha nkunu. Mela 1. immur nivvota bil-qalb biex joghlew il-kontijiet mbad nigi nghid li se jorhsu
Mr Joe Micallef
Jan 10th, 10:17
The crass stupidity of the argument posted here by PL guys is beyond belief.
So let me understand this, a government who has a very good performance record on many of it's long term policies, decides to shoot a crater in it's foot by charging the highest possible prices.
It’s like a football team winning 10-0 at HT of a final and coach decides to field only 3 players for the 2nd half.
W. Cassar
Jan 10th, 10:37
Its called tax by stealth, money has to come from somewhere, your reasoning is too simplistic or to use your words stupid!
Mr Joe Micallef
Jan 10th, 11:08
Cassar, with due apologies your argument holds no water and if you think about it well, it is completely illogical.
W. Cassar
Jan 10th, 12:40
Joe ... so VAT on Fuel is illogical too ....
Carl Carabott
Jan 10th, 09:56
Pn is in deep trouble....
Joe A. Borg
Jan 10th, 09:56
"sustainable for the country " sustainable in the interest of what?
Can we please stop using the word sustainable for this and for that without justifying what we mean by it when we use it!
Is it sustainable financially or environmentally?
is it sustainable for the Government/producer or the consumer?
With regards to the interconnector, how reliable is a 100km marine cable?
Alfred Vassallo
Jan 10th, 09:54
''The government said this evening that its consistent position was that the power tariffs should be kept as low as possible ''
Yeah! with every month that passes there is an increase in fuel and Gas commodities. Some consistency that is!
Frank Zammit
Jan 10th, 09:42
The PN thinks that by insulting the intelligence of people they are going to gain more ground, sound cute and look well organized. This PN team think they are GODS........what they can't do no one else can. Your time is Up GONZI. Pls let the country move on.
R. Caruana
Jan 10th, 09:41
I believe there are enough people gullible enough to fall for this despite the 'bil-qalb' speech to go ahead for higher bills. shame.
Daniel Muscat
Jan 10th, 09:36
I never understood from what they said that the PN will be reducing the prices. They said that it will be the lowest possible, and this does not mean that they will reduce the price. It means that the prices might not increase, or if they will be increased it will be in a responsible manner
Duncan Baldacchino
Jan 10th, 09:21
The government one day says PL is crazy in saying that energy bills will decrease and the other day says that PN will reduce the bills!!!!
Why doesn't PN send on tv an energy expert like PL had done.......since Mario de Marco and Tonio Fenech are no energy experts! Tonio Fenech said is impossible and Gonzi said they will reduce the energy bills!!! Usual promises by PN!!!
Mr J Xerri
Jan 10th, 08:57
Is it a 'gimmick,'? is it 'a deja' vu' ? Is it impossible to reduce tariffs? Is the Nationalist Party promising to reduce tariffs? Is it just seeking lowest sustainable tariffs? Is it....? What is it exactly?
Donna Parnis
Jan 10th, 08:53
Surely if we have the pipeline from Sicily then we are beholden to Sicily for the gas and they can do what they want with the prices. Where as if we get it in from ships we can utilize the option of having different suppliers and the gas will be at competitive prices,
Edward Mallia
Jan 10th, 09:44
We ( the whole lot of us not just ministers) are hardly that naive. Sicily has no gas of its own; it is actually supplied by Algeria and now Libya. So we will pay market prices plus "transmission" costs. It is the same with LNG. We DO NOT HAVE TO BUY SHIPS, as Min. Fenech is asserting, but we will have to pay the supplier (Algeria, Egypt or Abu Dhabi are the most likely) and carriage costs.
Henry Mifsud
Jan 10th, 08:51
How can it be that in one of the smallest countries in the EU the utility rates have risen to be amongst the highest when all government ministers are experts in the field?
Following their comments, hey presto they all have become qualified engineers. Pity they did not give their input to government but rather left the situation to deteriorate to such levels
Change of direction is the only way out
George Cutajar
Jan 10th, 08:48
Over the past two days during the various debates on TV it emerged very clearly that the PL proposals are just pies in the sky. Tonio Fenech and Mario de Marco have showed Labour's utility reduction proposals for what they really are - gimmicks aimed solely at winning votes. Labour speakers are being constantly caught out for they know not what they are saying.
Joseph Sammut
Jan 10th, 09:12
George, the latest PN buzzword is gimmick. And who are you to know more than people who have studied issues. You and I are just listeners: it is for us to be wise enough to sieve what we are being fed and decide what is right and what is wrong.
Eddy Privitera
Jan 10th, 11:04
George Cutajar: Have you any idea about GonziPN's plans to REDUCE electricity tariffs, as Dr. Gonzi said yesterday from Berlin, after realizing that the PL's plans have been welcomed by bot the people , unions and business organizations ? The question: " WHEN, HOW and BY HOW MUCH" will now be asked to Dr. Gonzi , Simon Busuttil and Tonio Fenech !
Ethelbert Schembri
Jan 10th, 08:47
Consistent my shoe!! The PN voted so that the tariffs will be increased, opposed the idea that can be reduced and till yesterday morning with the voice of Tonio Fenech they said it was impossible and in the afternoon with the voice of Simon Busuttil they said it was a Gimmick .. Now they are saying that it can be done and that they have been thinking about it ... Dear PN we're not stupid !!
j brincat
Jan 10th, 08:42
"it was investing in the interconnector power cable and ... from Sicily for power generation"
Can GonziPN or his apologists confirm whether:
i) the government has reached an agreement with Sicily allowing for the laying of cables under territory
ii) is has concluded any deal for the purchase of electricity from Sicily and what is the unit cost and for how long.
jb
j brincat
Jan 10th, 08:36
PN in real Panic Mode!
jb
Albert Bonello
Jan 10th, 08:31
Part 2
3)The investor is to make good for 77 million which is the value of the reduction in electricity between 2014 & 2015.
4)The PL does not want to take up the Gas Pipeline proposal. Cost of gas utilising this supply = 8c6.
5)Who will invest and guarantee the price of gas for 10 years?
No wonder PL does not want to show their workings because the above is only what we can see on the surface.
Donna Parnis
Jan 10th, 09:47
in 1999 the PN promised us the inter connecter with gas from sicily. it was their millennium gift to the people, 13 yrs down the line we still havent got it. Why has it taken so long for them to do it.
Albert Bonello
Jan 10th, 10:33
Dear Edward what I said was quoted from what Charles Buhagiar said on TVAM, then it is clear that not even the PL knows what they are saying!!
Edward Mallia
Jan 10th, 11:47
The PL's Charles Buhagiar speaking on these matters - by past experience - cannot be any better than Tonio Fenech for the PN. As I hold no brief for either side, I have no regrets in trying to correct what I think is incorrect information, whatever its origin. I just happen to have heard Fenech but not Buhagiar. Thanks for mentioning the latter.
Albert Bonello
Jan 10th, 08:26
Part 1
After seeing this mornings TVAM it has become clear that cracks are already showing in the PL's energy proposal. It was clear that Charles Buhagiar was caught out when asked certain questions!
1) No estimates were included for the foundation works to house the gas storage tanks.
2)Now we find out that no estimates were made for the ships and who is going to pay.
Joe Pavia
Jan 10th, 08:39
Typical PL. They count their chickens before they hatch. Be realistic PL
Duncan Baldacchino
Jan 10th, 09:24
@ Mr.Bonello Don't mention cracks the PL project is good! The only cracks I see is that one PN minister says its impossible to reduce bills and the Prime Minister says they will reduce bills!!!
And please don't mention estimates since in 25yrs of PN government there wasn't a project that went according to estimates and time!!!!!
Edward Mallia
Jan 10th, 09:28
The "ship" conundrum is another demonstration of the sheer incompetence of Min. Fenech in energy matters. There is signficant transport of LNG in the Med; plenty of ship capacity available. The idea that we have to buy and own LNG ships is a knee-jerk reaction of Min. Fenech. That apart, can he tell us why Min. Pullicino's (not Muscat's) Energy Policy plumps for an LNG terminal for gas supply?
Albert Bonello
Jan 10th, 10:31
Dear Duncan the PL is full of cracks but till now they have been ably plastered to fool the public. Time will tell when the cracks will be so big that no amount of plastering will work! If cracks have surfaced on one proposal like that of the proposed Delimara power station what about the other proposal. Half baked cakes. May JM's next proposal will be to hand out 'Red Bull' to help us FLYYYYYYYY
Eddy Privitera
Jan 10th, 11:07
Albert Bonello: Have you heard of any plans by GonziPN to lower W&E tariffs, once Dr. Gonzi said yesterday that he is committed to REDUCE utility tariffs ? WHEN, HOW & BY HOW MUCH, please ? Do you know ????
Anthony Arpa
Jan 10th, 08:12
Ma naf imkien li inghata lil Privat jew investa il privat u li dan wassal biex rahas il prodott ... Ezempju car naraw x'gara dwar fic cilindri tal gas.
Rennie Mercieca
Jan 10th, 08:06
pn caught with their pants down!
Ryan Agius
Jan 10th, 07:43
Ivutajt bil qalb kontra rohs ta dawl u l ilma sur Gonzi issa gej tajjat li tista trahas dawl u l ilma wara dan zmien kollu tajt li mposibli jorhos ghax biex trahas dawl u l ilma trid tnehi fondi min parti ohra. Min ghadu jemen fik Gonzi ghax jiekol l cake mieghek u fullstop!!!!!!!!!!!
Jean Claude O'Neil
Jan 10th, 09:02
Le habib. P.ez Jien qatt ma kilt cake ma hadd minnhom u m'ghandi l-ebda kuntatti. Studjajt, hdimt u qieghed fejn qieghed bis-sahha tieghi imma fuq kollox ghax hallieli l-opportunitajiet miftuha dan il-gvern. L-izbalji tieghu narafhom, imma on the whole, PN is just more credible (25 years track record, id-decizjonijiet MAGGURI li ghadna ngawduhom s'issa, ma tistax tinsihom kif gieb u lahaq).
*Joseph Brincat
Jan 10th, 07:43
GOOD DAY TO YOU ALL
A pipeline which have to ( to BE or not to be ) qualified for European funds it takes 6 to 7 years to do ,
WHAT Joseph Muscat proposed that in a year we start to benefit !! it's common sense ,
in the meantime we still can try to have a pipeline from the funds from the EU ,
what's wrong if we can have it all ?
COMMON SENSE IS NOT SO COMMON for GONZI PN
Edward Mallia
Jan 10th, 09:35
Italy's SNAM Progetti took 18 months to lay Greenstream (Tripoli-Gela) pipeline + plus another 6 months to commission it fully. And its much longer than Gela-Malta would be. That apart, pipeline AND LNG terminal is a crazy suggestion; it is not even clear that Sicily cable AND pipeline/LNG terminal do not constitute overkill.
twanny borg
Jan 10th, 07:35
Il-pl dam xhur jghid li ghandu pjanijiet sigrieti kif irahhas il-kontijiet pero ma riedx jghid qabel biex il-pn ma jatwax dawn is-suppost pjanijiet. Mhemmx raguni ohra darba kien cert mill-ewwel gurnata li l-kontijiet jistu jorhsu. Minn dan ir-ragunar johrog kemm il-pl ma jinteressahx mill-gid tal-pajjiz li jressaq proposti. Inkella cert li l-pjanijiet tieghu huma banali u ahjar jissemmew fl-ahhar
Wenzu Cole
Jan 10th, 09:16
simply and certainly.... a lame argument
M Saliba
Jan 10th, 06:59
It would be more appropriate if we said that this is a PN proposal .At the moment we have electoral proposals from PN , LP and AD. Parliament has been dissolved and the goverment is just a caretaker government.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Jan 10th, 06:35
No Prime Minister would dream to keep the cost of essential utilities high for one minute longer than is absolutely necessary. The problem is how to do it honestly without fooling the people by hidden compensatory mark-ups in other directions.
James McIntosh
Jan 10th, 08:24
On the contrary Dr Saliba, Governments have a vested interest in keeping prices high to rake in increased VAT without directly raising taxes. This is one of the reasons VAT was invented. Politicians believe that they can fool all of the people all of the time but the people are catching on to their scams. A new day is coming and the deeply entrenched "old guard" will be sacked come election time.
M Grima
Jan 10th, 09:24
That's exactly what your PM did because keeping the cost of utilities on the high side rakes in more indirect taxes for the country's coffers, which regrettably are in dire straits. This machiavellian style of doing politics has also given Dr. Gonzi the option of not increasing taxes on more vote loosing issues. And now Dr. Gonzi has stated from Berlin that the tariffs can be lowered. U-TURN
Francis Saliba M.D.
Jan 10th, 19:37
@J McIntosh.
How silly can you be? No elected politician has a vested interest in being unpopular by keeping prices high. When your new day dawns and when your deeply entrenched "old guard" is sacked, they will be replaced by another government, formed by individuals some of whom would be rotten apples but most would make a useful contribution to society, more so than any cynical armchair critic.
Eve Axiaq
Jan 10th, 06:34
Ghax ma applikajtux ghal fondi qabel fi 8 snin li ghaddew? Fejn kontu? Ghax gaghlukhom iddahhlu BWSC bl-izvantaggi kollha taghha. U fl 1999 fuq faccata tan nazzjon ukoll weghdtu bl interconnector. Kollhu paroli fil vojt Gonzi hi u bil fatti.
A Mercieca
Jan 10th, 07:15
If it were for JM and PL we would never have qualified for EU funds. So sorry, PL does not have the right to ask that question.
twanny borg
Jan 10th, 07:24
L-eu issa accettat qabel ma kienx possibbli. Il-pn il-pjanijiet jaghmilhom sewwa mhux bhal pl li lanqas cert li l-privat se jidhol ghal pjanijiet li qal li ghandu. Jekk ma jidholx il-privat x'jigri?. Scicluna diga' u naqbel mieghu li jekk jinhargu bonds ma jinxtrawx mill-pubbliku. Sintendi jammetti li bi gvern tal-pl in-nies mhux se tavdah.
Leonard Brincat
Jan 10th, 08:43
Sur Mercieca
Ma tahsibx li int xi ftit arroganti. Allura bl istes argument in nazjonalisti ma ghandhomx dritt ghal penzjoni ghax kienu ivutaw kontra, bhal vot lil mara allura ma jivvotawx in nisa. Argument bazwi ghandek. Biex nimxu il quddiem irridu inzommu dak kollu tajjeb li isir jaghmlu min jaghmlu.
Il gurnata it tajba.
Eve Axiaq
Jan 10th, 09:09
@twanny
L EU ghadha m'accettat xejn fil verita. Ghax ma tghidux li hallejtuha tkarkar din il kwistjoni. Ara biex bdiltu l ligi u dahhaltu lil BWSC kemm ghaggiltu. Sahansitra hallastuha kwazi kollha minn qabel ma bdiet tiffunzjona.
Mr Adrian Zahra
Jan 10th, 06:02
“Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago.”
Now today the government is no longer ignorant cause for once it has been shown the way forward with hard undeniable facts.
B Vella
Jan 10th, 05:45
"The government said this evening that its consistent position was that the power tariffs should be kept as low as possible in a manner " CHANGE OF TONE..another U TURN by Gonzi PN .Now they are admitting that what labour is proposing makes sense !
Lawrence Fenech
Jan 10th, 04:50
Sirtu tal-biki Gonz biex tigbru ftit voti. Sirt famus ghal l'akbar U turns fil politika biex taqdi lil partit u mhux il poplu.
Renato Balzan
Jan 10th, 01:12
KIF? META? KEMM?
Joseph Micallef
Jan 10th, 01:07
Jiddispjaċini Gonzi... sinċerament u onestament, minn qiħ qalbi, peró ma nistax nafdak. Kontra qalbi, imma tant inti gdibt, dħaqt bina, sawwatna, għamilt kontra dak li wegħdt u naqqastli l-kwalitá tal-ħajja, li ma nista nafdak qatt aktar. Anzi, iktar kemm twarrab malajr, aktar tagħti ċans lill-Partit Nazzjonalista jkollu kap responsabbli u li jista jerġa jerbaħ il-fiduċja tiegħi.
Jean Karl De Bono
Jan 10th, 01:04
This is unbelievable. How come now the government or better gonzipn is giving the impression to reduce the utility tariffs when we have been repeatedly told for the past five years that this is IMPOSSIBLE. This is absolutely a record breaking U-TURN
Joseph Micallef
Jan 10th, 00:47
Where is the consistency? My foot! Ħallina Gonzi, b'min trid tidħaq? After you couldn't find anything to criticize in PL's proposals (they got you with your p**** down on this), you decided to make a u-turn on it. But we all remember YOU saying that it's impossible for electricity tariffs to go down! It's on record! Mela issa jistaw jorħsu? Għala ma raħħastomx qabel? Minix se nafdak Gonz!
Brian Gatt
Jan 10th, 00:25
GonziPn - GAME OVER......even your Lackeys havent the heart to try and defend your position. This was U Turn ( no this is worst lets call it a Roundabout) another HUGE nail in your coffin.
N. Montanaro
Jan 10th, 00:11
It's a shame that we have either a bad government or a worse option! Too much wrong-doings in the past 4 years but still a difficult decision to take ...
Mark Demicoli
Jan 9th, 23:34
Haha qas jafu fej ha jaqbdu jingarnfaw tal on....ghadhom qas jafu x laqathom!
Mr Joe Cardona
Jan 9th, 23:19
Mela ghalfejn l-UE il-Gvern qalilha li wara l-elezzjoni se jgholli it-tariffi!!!! Jaf x'inhu jghid, jew il-PL bil-proposti hawdu aktar milli kien u ma jafx fejn se jaghti rasu u jaf li sew jiehu taxkira kif imiss.
*Joseph Brincat
Jan 9th, 23:08
Nationalist Party IS IN panicking NOW >>> HA HA HI
pat muscat
Jan 9th, 22:51
The question is, if power stations in Europe produce energy at 5, 6, 7, 9 cents a unit, why did GonziPN decide to go for a heavy fuel oil power station that produces energy at 14 cents a unit.? As the Italians say; 'qualcosa non quadra'. GonziPN should come clean on this and Tonio Fenech, who eagerly asks PL for workings and documents, should publish his own; otherwise he would not be credible!
Alfred Falzon
Jan 9th, 22:49
Thanks to PL energy initiative.
M. Grech
Jan 9th, 22:35
Until this morning I had some doubts about the PL's proposals of reducing W&E tariffs due to what the PN have been saying for years. Now, that the PN publicly changed their views by saying that it is actually possible, they convinced me to truly believe PL's first and major electoral proposal. It is funny, for a change, how PN seem to be helping PL! We floaters await for what issue comes next :)
W. Cassar
Jan 10th, 10:30
I am looking for consistency as a floater, the PN has been harping on that it can't be done... now it can. Do they know what they doing or saying. Yes at least for once it seems the PL have got their act together, but its early days yet and the table can turn fast.
Doreen Rizzo
Jan 9th, 22:30
X'jitqanzhu ! ! !
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