Comments on: 'Labour's electric fantasies' – I just love the title

By: Pat

Pat — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:24:54 +0000

…or corollary, they haven’t invested in alternative energy to keep the costs low.

By: Pat

Pat — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:24:06 +0000

Robert Zammit:
You did in a way answer your first question. Perhaps our rates are so low due to the fact that the Maltese government haven’t invested in alternative energy.

By: Robert Zammit

Robert Zammit — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:31:59 +0000

Austin has some nerve talking to us about energy tariffs. In any case, instead of announcing grand schemes allowing people to check their utility bills online, and attempting to make us feel so lucky to be Maltese by stating that Maltese utility rates are lower than the UK (takes a ‘seasoned politician’ to know that), Austin should put his money where his mouth is and explain why Malta is one of the least alternative-energy friendly countries in the world; why Enemalta makes millions of ‘avoidable’ losses per year, and why half of WSC water is unaccounted for.

He should have quite a blast defending himself. He’s been hedging his options all his life (multiple puns intended).

Lest you call me a labour elf, I’d be making fun of labour too, if only they’d been in government a tenth of what the PN have racked up.

Back to reading up on what our ‘seasoned politicians’ will be up to next.

By: Grace

Grace — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:51:38 +0000

@ Antimony Students studying abroad do get a stipend, although they don’t get an allowance like Gozitan Students do. As you well know Gozitan students get an allowance for living away from home – and rightly so. I would have expected students studying abroad should be treated likewise. Students who are reading for a Degree or following a diploma course in a private collage in Malta are not entiled to a stipend and have to pay for everything from their own (or their parents’) pocket, although some get their part of money back, if and when they successfully finish their studies, through My Potential.

@ Pat I am not complaining because I pay taxes to support education and health, I am merely stating that not all students are equal, and I should get a tax rebate for supporting two young men through their studies – Since my sons are not getting any stipend from the government like other students. I wouldn’t mind getting a tax rebate for the money I pay for my health insurance, since this is saving the government quite a lot of money, when I attend private clinics/hospitals instead of Public ones.

[Daphne – I don’t know any Maltese students studying somewhere other than Malta who get a stipend from the Maltese government, unless they are on a temporary exchange but are registered at a Maltese educational institute.]

By: Pat

Pat — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:09:04 +0000

Grace:
I’m not sure if I’m overly socialistic about it, but I do feel that a country need to support it’s citizens with several basic things and two of the top items is a good basic education and good basic healthcare. Should there be the need of some citizens to aim for higher/bette education and healthcare that’s a choice they can make, but they are still responsible to ensure the country’s basic standards are met. Same goes for other services such as fire department, police department, courthouse etc. You may never in your life need a fire put out, but that doesn’t mean your taxes won’t be used for it.

By: Grace

Grace — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:47:09 +0000

You see I am paying for other people’s stipends and supporting two sons who are following a private course. What really irks me is I get no tax rebate for paying fully for my sons’ education. Neither do I get a tax rebate for paying a health insurance, so as to use Mater Dei as little as possible.

By: Antimony

Antimony — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 11:03:01 +0000

@Grace and DCG

You are wrong. ALL Maltese students are entitled to a stipend, even those studying abroad.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080822/opinion/are-maltese-students-resident-in-malta-who-opt-to-study-at-other-eu-universities-entitled-to-a-stipe

By: NGT

NGT — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:23:57 +0000

@ Daphne… hang on! why should I(we) have to pay for other people’s children’s stipends even if they DO take courses available at uni or MCAST? This is yet something else that is being taken so much for granted – its become a right not a benefit.

@ Grace.. well if the only reason for owning a car is to visit friends after 8pm, you really must be struggling to make ends meet.

By: cikki

cikki — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:40:13 +0000

@ Christian – my daughter is paying a student loan back
and she earns somewhere between £20,000 and £25000, that
I’m sure of.

Re council tax, obviously one pays according to the value
of one’s property be it owned or rented. Usually one
owns or rents what one can afford so the amount paid in
council tax is relevant. Also as far as I know students
are exempt from council tax so its not added to their
rent.

As for plumbers, no one is talking about “professors” its
aknown fact that plumberd, gardeners, cleaners, etc.
cost a hell of alot more in the U.K. even taking the
difference in wages into account.

I’ll stop here – its getting rather tedious.

By: Pat

Pat — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:30:30 +0000

“At NGT, – taxis aren’t used here… guess why? Two out of every three people drive cars. Public busses are (or should be) used by locals – Do you know why many people (including myself) own a car in Malta? It’s because Public transport finishes at 9.00pm in certain villages.”

This is what I can’t understand. When I studied I never had a car. There was no way I could afford it. Public transport in Sweden definitely holds a higher standard, but it is not even near as frequent as it is here, unless you live in a larger city. How come Swedes can get around fine without cars when they study and Maltese can’t?

Admittedly, my largest complaint to the government in this regard is the complete lack of bicycle lanes. I got around to everywhere using my bicycle, trains and what we in Sweden call my apostle horses (legs). Since moving here I have been constantly tempted to invest in a bicycle, but I honestly don’t feel safe. There are certain roads you could get around on, but most areas are a nightmare. A proper network of bicycle lanes would solve a lot of problems.