Unions tight-lipped on utility rates proposals

The unions yesterday remain tight-lipped on the details of the nine proposals submitted to the government on the controversial water and electricity rates.

The unions met Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi on Tuesday to discuss revisions to the new rates, which they insist would lead to further hardships for families ahead of the upcoming festive season.

Dr Gonzi also met the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU, which presented its calculations on how to reduce the figure Enemalta needed to collect to balance its books.

The government is now analysing the proposals made at both meetings. It was insisting that waste had to be discouraged and people had to pay for what they consumed.

The trade unions, which joined forces to protest in Valletta last Friday, would not divulge the contents of the proposals, hoping for a positive reply from the government.

While the General Workers' Union's general secretary Tony Zarb said the unions were after a revision or compensation, his counterpart at the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, Gejtu Vella was hoping for a revision. He felt compensation was just a one-time payment, which would not really ease the burden on families and employers in the long term.

Previous article • 'Science is boring and unappealing'
Next article • Christmas comes early for Phase

Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Tuesday, January 6, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Karl Abela (on 20/11/08)

One of the ideal suggestions that can be applied within the spirit of the 'polluter pays' principle is to further increase the electricity tariffs for consumers using more than 1300 units per person per year but then reduce by equal measure the tariffs for consumers using less that 1300 units per per year.

In our family we conduct a study whereby we read the digital meter on a daily basis. We can safely report that the threshold is very reasonable and can be achieved with very little effort especially when used in conjunction with the governments incentive schemes for alternative domestic energy schemes.

It is sad to see that other people with votes on their mind to claim that the threshold is impossible to reach. That is a policy to encourage waste.

Nigel Lawrence (on 20/11/08)

Of course they are tight lipped- they didn't achieve anything.