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Inġusti, imma ma jridux jirranġawhom




F’Mejju li għadda, meta bdiet tiżdied il-pressjoni fuq is-sistema ġdida ta’ kif qed jinħarġu l-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma u kif din qed twassal biex ħafna nies jinsterqu, il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat kien qal li għaddej proċess biex jirrevedu x’qed jiġri.

Issa, proprju ġimgħa ilu, Il-Ministru tal-Enerġija Joe Mizzi ħabbar li minkejja din ir-“reviżjoni”, mhu ser jinbidel xejn mis-sistema ta’ kontijiet pro-rata ta’ kull xahrejn, is-sistema li qed twassal biex ħafna nies iħallsu żżejjed minħabba li l-kontijiet ikunu aktar frekwenti u ma jkollhomx ċans biex l-allokazzjoni ta’ xahar ipatti għaliha xahar ieħor.



L-iskuża li ġab Joe Mizzi għala ser tinżamm din is-sistema hija li jrid jiżkuraġġixxi n-nies milli jaħlu. Irid jinċentiva n-nies biex joqogħdu iżjed attenti minn kemm jikkunsmaw. Anzi, qal Mizzi, b’dan il-mod qed iħaddmu l-prinċipju tal-“polluters pay principle”, jiġifieri min iħammeġ l-aktar iħallas l-aktar.

Din l-asserzjoni ta’ Mizzi hija xejn altru milli redikola. Is-sistema li qed tħaddem l-ARMS bil-kontijiet frekwenti ma tippenalizzax lil min jaħli, imma lil min juża’ d-dawl u l-ilma b’mod irregolari u mhux bl-istess ammont kull xahar. L-allokazzjoni tat-tariffi minnha nnifisha diġa’ timplimenta l-“polluters pay principle” (PPP), għax ir-rata tat-tariffi togħla iżjed ma tuża’ (jibdew bit-10ċ5 kull unit u jekk tuża’ ħafna tista’ titlagħlek sa’ 64ċ kull unit). Meta l-kwota ta’ kemm għandna b’kull tariffa tinqasmilna kull xahrejn din ma ssaħħaħx il-prinċipju tal-PPP, imma tippenalizzak jekk il-kwota tiegħek dan ix-xahar ma tużahiex u tużaha xahar ieħor.

Din mhi xejn ħlief inġustizzja. Għalfejn jekk jien u int it-tnejn f’sena nikkonsmaw l-istess ammont ta’ enerġija, imma għax jien ma nużax l-istess ammont kull xahar għandi nħallas ħafna iżjed minnek? It-tnejn qed niswew lil Enemalta l-istess ammont ta’ flus, it-tnejn qed naħlulha l-istess ammont ta’ fuel, it-tnejn qed nużaw l-infrastruttura tagħha bl-istess mod. Iktar minn hekk, l-avviż legali li jirregola t-tariffi jitkellem ċar, dawn għandhom ikunu ibbażati fuq “il-konsum kumulattiv annwali”. U allura ħalli jiġi l-kont kull xahrejn biex jgħin il-cash-flow tal-Enemalta, imma fl-aħħar tas-sena għandu jkun hemm mekkaniżmu li bih jikkoreġi ħlas żejjed li jkun sar, bħalma jsir fit-taxxa tad-dħul. Hekk issir ġustizzja.

Sfortunatament, għalkemm dwar dan inġibdet l-attenzjoni kemm tar-Regolatur għall-Enerġija u s-Servizzi tal-Ilma u kemm tal-Awtorità Maltija għall-Kompetizzjoni u l-Affarijiet tal-Konsumatur, dawn l-istituzzjonijiet qegħdin jonqsu milli jiddefendu lill-konsumatur Malti f’din il-kwistjoni. Kwistjoni fejn jiddependi għal kollox minnhom minħabba l-fatt li kemm l-Enemalta u kemm l-ARMS huma monopolju li ċ-ċittadin Malti ma jistax jgħaddi mingħajrhom. Ma jistax għax qed jingħata servizz ħażin idur fuq alternattiva. Għalhekk dawn huma regolati minn dawn l-istituzzjonijiet li suppost iservu ta’ tarka għaċ-ċittadin mill-abbuż. Iżda dan mhux jiġri.

Għaldaqstant il-Partit Nazzjonalista qed ikun hu li qed ikompli jsegwi din il-kwistjoni. Ser inkomplu l-ġlieda tagħna biex in-nies jinħarġulhom kontijiet ġusti li jsegwu dak li jitlob l-avviż legali. Mhux biss, imma qed nikkommettu ruħna minn issa li dawk kollha li insterqu minn din is-sistema jingħataw flushom lura. Inutli tagħmel reviżjonijiet, imma mbagħad tiddeċiedi li ma tibdel xejn. Fejn hemm il-ħażin irridu nirranġawh, u fejn iċ-ċittadin ġie misruq għandu jieħu lura dak li hu tiegħu.

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