One cannot but agree with what correspondents Mark Pace and Tony Curmi had to say about the scandalous rise in the price of kerosene; but what struck me as even more scandalous was the Prime Minister's weak explanation that the rise was imposed to curb widespread fraud.

To the 100 per cent rise in the price of kerosene must be added the 17 per cent surcharge on electricity consumption. Does the Prime Minister realise that his budget decision will hurt mostly the elderly, the sick and single mothers with young children and the underprivileged who habitually used kerosene for heating because it was economical?

Is the Prime Minister aware that we do have legislation in place to curb fraud and that we do have the police and inspectors who are there to check or remove abuse? And why was this abuse allowed to become widespread in the first place?

In my view the doubling of the price of kerosene was not a brave decision but a hasty and ill-advised one. This budget measure will serve to alienate many Nationalist Party supporters and voters and so the sooner this injustice is remedied the better.