10 years ago - The Times
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Surcharge set at 95%
Air conditioners now seem a luxury of the past as the surcharge on water and electricity bills was practically doubled to 95 per cent yesterday.
Fans are set to become all the rage as 82 per cent of households start paying higher bills, a predicament that will see families coughing up between €16 and €250 more each time they pay their bill.
Many people may have wiped their brow in relief at the news that, contrary to expectations, the surcharge did not climb to 115 per cent – the government is absorbing 20 per cent of the cost– but the increase will have a huge impact on family budgets.
The Infrastructure Ministry said yesterday that, conscious of the huge pressures the higher surcharge would have on consumers, the government raised its subsidy by 20 per cent from last October to September this year.
The government also wanted to protect vulnerable families, so that those with an energy benefit – about 30,000 households – will not be affected by the surcharge or will pay only a nominal amount.
The capping will remain unchanged for industry and hotels in order to lighten the impact and safeguard those sectors that generated jobs.
25 years ago - The Times
Friday, July 2, 1993
Government accused of crippling tourist industry
The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) yesterday took a swipe at the local government which, it says, is crippling the tourist industry.
Albert Muscat Inglott, chairman of MHRA, said: “Things have been brewing for quite some time. The hotels have not signed any agreements with tour operators for the next year which,” he added, “was a worrying prospect.”
Concern for the industry from within the industry, which employs 8,000 people directly and thousands more due to the business it creates, seemed to be genuine and disturbing.
EC Commission invites Malta for talks
The European Community has invited the government to “quickly join it for talks on Malta’s EC membership bid”, Gunter Weiss, head of the EC delegation to Malta said.
The invitation, which came only one day after the commission issued its avis on Malta’s application, was made by the vice-president of the commission, Sir Leon Brittan, to the Foreign Minister, Guido de Marco.
50 years ago - Times of Malta
Tuesday, July 2, 1968
Last AOC leaves Malta
The last Air Officer Commanding Malta, Air Vice-Marshal R. Deacon-Elliott left early yesterday morning for the UK.
Air Vice Marshal Deacon-Elliott, who took over as AOC in 1966, left in an RAF ‘Valetta’ aircraft, accompanied by Mrs Deacon-Elliott and their daughter Jean.
At RAF Luqa, the Air Vice-Marshal inspected a Guard of Honour under the Fl. Lt. G Stewart; the RAF Band was in attendance.
Eight Canberra aircraft flew in two formations of four aircraft each as the AOC took a final salute. The aircraft were from 13 and 39 Squadrons.
Prince Charles’s second visit
The arrival today, on a purely private visit, of the Prince of Wales will forge yet another of those warm links that have bound the Royal Family to Malta.
It was as Princess Elizabeth and heir apparent that Her Majesty first visited Malta, also on a private visit as a naval wife married to a young officer, Lieut Philip Mountbatten, then First Lieutenant of the destroyer Chequers.