A supplier of photovoltaic panels has been struck off an approved list drawn up by the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU because it refused a request to supply the names of all its clients. Di Natura managing director Godfrey Formosa complained that the GRTU was expecting him to provide a list of all his clients, including those who did not avail themselves of the subsidy scheme for which the list was needed.
The EU-funded scheme provides a rebate on part of the capital cost incurred by people to install PV panels on their roofs. Clients of GRTU-approved retailers can take out a loan through Bank of Valletta to pay the rest of the capital cost over a three-year period, with the retailers paying all interest and charges.
Mr Formosa told Times of Malta that handing out customers’ information was against the Data Protection Act so he adamantly refused to supply it.
Noel Gauci, the president of the GRTU’s renewable energy section, said certification is only granted to retailers who abide by terms that lead to higher quality, safety and customer care.
An agreement to this effect was signed
These include the facility to check quotations, invoices,receipts and other documentation provided by the retailer to randomly selected customers.
“To ensure customers and the EU funds are protected, companies in the scheme must submit a weekly report with a full list of clients so that their systems may be inspected to ensure fair quoting, invoicing and installation practices. An agreement to this effect was signed,” said Mr Gauci.
But Mr Formosa and his lawyer, Michael Grech, insist that information about clients who did not avail themselves of the GRTU scheme did not fall under the information Di Natura was obliged to supply.
“This is our bone of contention,” Dr Grech said, adding there were other considerations such as whether the company could pass on this information without the clients’ consent.
Dr Grech said the chamber never replied officially to its objections on the basis of the Data Protection Act.
But Mr Gauci said inspections were “naturally” carried out subject to the consent of customers, who would benefit from a “complimentary and independent verification of the quality and performance of the PV installation in their household”.
Mr Formosa is currently facing criminal charges over the forgery of documents and giving false declarations to a public authority.