Letters to the editor - November 21, 2024

Double standards

I refer to the letter ‘PN’s hypocrisy’ (November 19) by Eddie Privitera.

It is truly impressive how he can criticise the Nationalist Party for “propaganda” while conveniently overlooking the blatant hypocrisy of the Labour government’s actions. Let us not forget who is actually in power now: it is the Labour Party, hijacking the national broadcaster to push its own agenda, presenting the budget as a shining example of government benevolence while suppressing any critical voices or alternative viewpoints.

He has a selective memory with the transparency he claims to champion. How many times did the PN request vital information from the Labour government, only to be met with resistance or outright refusal? Is he suddenly concerned about fairness now that the government is using State resources to push only its version of the budget?

It seems the correspondent is more interested in controlling the narrative than in real transparency.

Let us be clear: when the government uses TVM to broadcast measures that suit their agenda, it is not about providing information, it is about manipulating the message. And, yet, Privitera calls this transparency, while conveniently forgetting how his own party’s actions have suppressed the truth at every turn.

How does he reconcile this? It is a textbook example of double standards, and it is hard to take his complaints seriously when he is so quick to defend his own party’s misuse of power.

Emmanuel Galea – Victoria

PO boxes fee

Maltapost has considerably increased the fee price of post boxes. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

I received a notice from Maltapost to pay the fee for the renewal of my small post office box. I thought there was some mistake since the requested fee was €100. This represented an increase of just over 113% on last year’s fee.

When I asked at the counter, the clerk confirmed that “they had revised the fees for PO boxes”. She also advised me that, in addition, there was also to be a payment of an “outstanding key holder fee” of €30, of which only €15 would be refunded when the use of the PO box is terminated and the key/s returned.

I understand that the price of services may need to increase from time to time to cover inflation and other costs but, in my view, an increase of over 113% for a service that requires no additional resources on the part of Maltapost can only be described as extortionist.

I wonder whether Maltapost use the same criteria when calculating any increase in salary to its employees.

Joseph Galea – Sliema