The Malta Resources Authority is auditing the mechanism which Enemalta used to arrive at the new power tariffs, Resources Minister George Pullicino told Parliament this morning.

Speaking during the budget debate, Mr Pullicino reiterated the government's commitment to alternative energy.

He said that an application would shortly be submitted to MEPA for an outline development permit for the building of a windfarm on Is-Sikka l-Bajda (Opposite Ghadira) by the private sector. Studies were continuing and it was estimated that this windfarm could generate the equivalent of 80 percent of energy used by Gozo, or 4% of total electricity demand.

He said the granting of energy saving bulbs by the government would neutralise much of the increase in electricity tariffs.

He announced that households of up to two persons would receive five energy saving bulbs; those of up to four persons would be given eight bulbs and households of more than five persons would be given 10 bulbs.

The government in the budget was also taking other measures, such as subsidies on insulation works and investment in solar heaters and phtovoltaics.

He said the government had to raise the eco-tax on all plastic carrier bags because it was very difficult to differentiate between degradable and non-degradable bags.

He said the separation of waste was continuing to gain momentum. This year, 10,000 tonnes of recyclable waste would be collected, three times more than in 2007.

Referring to a comment by opposition leader Joseph Muscat last Monday – when he criticised the government for dumping this water in the sea - Mr Pullicino said much of the waste water that was being produced by the treatment plant at Mellieha was not good for the watering of trees because of high salinity.

When he spoke on public works, Mr Pullicino said contractors would be classified so that tenders were issued according to classifications.

He said work on the rehabilitation of Xatt Is-Sajjieda in Marsaxlokk would be taken in hand early in the New Year. Next year would see another extension of the parks at Ta’Qali and Salina and a new park would be developed at Delimara.

A countryside rehabilitation programme would be taken in hand and he was determined to ensure that countryside boundary walls were not so high as to block out the view for those who drove by.

Mr Pullicino said there would also be works on the bastions and historic buildings, particularly the facade of the Auberge de Castille, St John's Co-Cathedral and the Presidential Palace.

Mr Pullicino said work had started on an after-care centre for animals at Ta'Qali.

In the agriculture sector a herd improvement programme had been launched and would see a gradual replacement of all cows.