A group of gas distributors has successfully obtained an injunction to stop the Regulator for Energy and Water Services from withdrawing or suspending any licences of trucks having the colour schemes or stickers of any of the LPG suppliers. 

The distributors are claiming that this constituted abuse of power by the regulator which was taking such action "to favour a third person who has an interest in the sale of LPG".

Malta Gas Distributors Limited and six gas distributors, namely Simon Buhagiar, Rene Grech, Brian Magro, Carmelo Formosa, John Marmara and Emanuel Bugeja, this morning filed an application for an injunction. The application was temporarily upheld by Mr Justice Noel Cuschieri. 

Through their lawyers Robert Abela, Albert Zerafa and Ian Borg, the distributors explained that they were complaining about a letter they had received from chief executive Marjohn Abela. 

By way of this letter, they were informed that the regulator was due to carry out an inspection of their trucks and that "those distributors having trucks with the colour scheme and/or stickers of one of the LPG suppliers will have their licence suspended with immediate effect". 

The distributors said that they had always followed all rules and regulations imposed on them and that the letter sent to them was "abusive". They said that the licence does not include any conditions stopping them from fixing logos of any of the LPG suppliers. 

They further claimed that the authority could not simply decide to suspend any licences when the aim of such a decision was far from genuine and when it was clear that the authority was being "manipulated". 

They said that for abiding with the rules, they were being "punished" by the authority which was meant to be there to protect the free market and was now trying to interfere with something over which it has no jurisdiction.