(Adds PL statement)

Those who wanted to protest against the increase in water and electricity tariffs were free to do so but it was more productive to discuss problems around a table, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this morning.

Speaking in Xaghra, the Prime Minister referred to the protest against the water and electricity tariffs being held by the Ghaqda Unions Maltin today week and said that his party had fought for the people’s right to protest and no tear gas would be sprayed on protesters.

However, instead of discussing the problem around the table, the General Workers’ Union, which was a member of the GhUM, had walked out of a meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development which had to discuss the tariffs.

Dr Gonzi pointed out that in the last budget, the government had allocated €17 million to mitigate the effect of the increase on the people.

He said it was true that bills were increasing for small shop owners but following consultation with the GRTU, a scheme were drawn up to encourage these businesses to invest in energy saving measures giving them a 40 per cent tax reduction on their investment. Gozitan businesses were getting a 60 per cent tax reduction.

Discussions had also been carried out with the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and others.

Dr Gonzi said that the real interest of workers had to be sought.

“We are ready to listen, to discuss and work with everyone. What we want is to continue making a success of our country.”

The Prime Minister said that his government had read the signs of the times and realised that challenges were ahead from before the last election.

However, it believed in this small island which lacked resources and knew that it could compete with the world and emerge victorious due to the government’s investment in education.

The people, he said, should not take heed of those who could only complain and call them mediocre, who still believed the Maltese were small fry who would be swallowed by whales.

In spite of the recession, he said, the government had worked wisely and still managed to attract investment. The world was still in trouble but Malta was heading in a clear direction that was bearing results.

Dr Gonzi also paid tribute to the late George Bonello Dupuis who died on Friday.

PL STATEMENT

Consultation and dialogue should take place before, and not after, decisions aretaken, the PL said in its reaction to the Prime Minister's address.

It said the Prime Minister was speaking on the need to find solutions around the table when it had already taken the decisions on the water and electricity bills. It had moved the legal notice when the government was supposed to be discussing the tariffs within the MCESD.

Now that the decision was final and the government did not want to reduce the tariffs, the Prime Minister wanted to solve problems around a table.

Dr Gonzi's consultation on the tariffs, the PL said, was similar to that the government was conducting on other issues such as the roofless theatre, about which it had decided against artists' and public opinion.