The 11 trade unions which are opposing the new utilities tariff structure said today that they are planning further actions against the tariffs should no progress be made in talks on Friday with the Malta Resources Authority. They are also continuing to request a meeting with the Prime Minister.

Victor Buttigieg, president of the University of Malta Academic Staff Association, speaking at a press conference this morning, said that the Deloitte assessment of the model used by Enemalta was worrying because it found that the model contained many assumptions and data which had not been verified.

The Deloitte report, issued last week, had concluded that the model and methodologies used in the drawing up of the new rates were correct. But the accuracy of the data used to compile the model had still not been verified and tested. It recommended that the Malta Resources Authority (MRA) should now test this data and the resulting tariff structure.

Dr Buttigieg asked how a regulator could issue a report based on figures which still had to be verified, more so when the subject matter involved monopolies which were not subject to market forces.

John Bencini, MUT president, said it was obvious that in this issue, the left hand did not know what the right was doing and there was total chaos. He also pointed out that the analysis did not include the water tariffs.

GWU General Secretary Tony Zarb said the 11 trade unions are due to have a meeting with the Malta Resources Authority on Friday, but they have already drawn up a strategy to go forward and they are not excluding further actions.

The unions have so far directed consumers not to settle their bills in the first 45 days after receipt.