I was watching TVAM while hurriedly gulping down the contents of a good cup of coffee. The feature about water and electricity bills prepared by Peter Carbonaro – if I got the correct name – was very good. It put forward the plight of many who are receiving a bunch of bills dated eons of years (a bit of exaggeration) back.

The recipient phones ARMS and is greeted by a machine that speaks to him politely and then even plays music to soothe her. Finally the person gets through and complaints while explaining her predicament. "It is your fault that the bills are being sent now and in bulk. You are asking me to pay within four months and I am not in a position to do so." The answer from a human person is as repetitive as the answer by the machine. "Go to our offices at Blata l-Bajda." The complainant retorts: "Can we phone them?" I swallowed my coffee when I heard the answer. "They do not have a phone at the office." Holy and unholy smoke! Are ARMS for real? They do not have a phone number in this particular office!

The executive chairman of ARMS was in the studio to answer questions. He gave us a barrage of figures to prove that the situation is today better than it was last year. I expected the presenters to tell him where he should stuff those figures but they didn't.

Mr. Executive Chairman I do not care.

ARMS should have been up and running effectively and efficiently from day one. We consumers are disgusted that ARMS was a disaster; and we feel insulted that someone now tells us that eventually ARMS will get it right. We wanted it right from day one, Mr. Executive Chairman. (In fairness sake let me point out that the present Executive Chairman was not responsible for the mess. He was employed to clear the mess.)

Has anyone shouldered responsibility for the mess? We have just been informed that MEPA dismissed (his resignation is nothing but a dismissal) a director for allegedly misusing his right for a company car. What happened to whoever is responsible for the mess called ARMS?

But the present Executive Chairman is responsible now. How come the Blata l-Bajda office has no phone?

Then the mother of all cop-outs is presented in defence of ARMS.

"We have an email address and you can email us." Mr. Executive Chairman of ARMS there are many people who do not have an email address. This means that ARMS messes things up and people become its victims. Then ARMS tells its victims: "If you want us to clear the mess, then take half a day from your leave entitlement and come over to our office. You will only wait for 40 minutes before we attend to your request."

This is not on Mr. Executive Chairman. Why should someone waste so much time and dint his leave entitlement because ARMS is a disgrace?

Mr. Executive Chairman, if your house is in a mess do not expect us to suffer the consequences of your mess.

It is a pity that this disgraceful attitude of ARMS towards consumers runs all across the board. I recently phoned Melita. They offered to send someone over to attend to the problem and offered me an appointment. It was not for a specific time. They gave me a four hour slot and told me that they would come sometime within that time zone. This attitude is disgraceful to the extreme.