Oh dear, Joseph. You’ve boobed there.
From the current top story on timesofmalta.com:
The European Commission has uncovered the government’s plans to increase electricity rates after the next election, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this evening.
Speaking during a political meeting in Pieta, Dr Muscat said that a European Commission document clearly states: “Energy inflation is forecast to strengthen under the assumption of an increase in electricity prices”.
This document was written under the assumption that this was the government’s policy for next year.
I blinked several times when I read that. Can Joseph Muscat really be that slow (he isn’t), is he being disingenuous to manipulate the credulous, or has he fallen into the trap of thinking of the Nationalist Party as The Government?
The government, next year, is going to be Labour. He will be the prime minister. Just as we have seen all the published polls giving Labour a 12-point lead, so has the European Commission. When it writes its documents and reports about Malta next year, the government it has in mind is a Labour government.
Of course, it would help the European Commission in writing its reports and documents about Malta as from next year if it actually had Labour policies to go on, but failing that, it must use extrapolation and conjecture.
Clearly, the European Commission does not believe that next year’s Labour government will slash electricity rates. It believes Labour will increase them.
There is no Nationalist government in the picture for next year, unless Joseph Muscat has some very secret and odd polls that nobody else has seen the likes of.
But then if he has secret polls telling us that the PN is going to be in government next year, what accounts for his expression of supreme self-satisified pleasure?
40 Comments Comment
The problem with the Gonzi administration is that it is the first post-EU membership administration. It still has to understand how it all works.
Just another example of blinkered, naive (even stupid) thinking from Labour’s boy god. Someone hand him a leash and a muzzle.
On the other hand, maybe not.
Harry Purdie: Have you already forgotten how Gonzi had fooled you on the Brazilian company ? It has only been a few days, you know !
Eddy, Kif, kemm u meta?
Dwar il-kontijiet tad-dawl, Joseph Muscat ihallina fid-dlam.
Fejn irid Joseph Muscat jaghmilha ta’ l-iblah.
Jekk jibqa jipprattika l-blugha, isir iblah fi ftit zmien
Doesn’t the EU Commission (similar to the credit rating agencies, IMF, etc) have closed door meetings with both parties (in particular the one expecting to win the election) before writing such reports?
This is normal practice – such discussions are usually frank and confidential where a lot of assurances are normally given and high level plans outlined).
The press is usually kept away in order for the stakeholders to speak their mind and say what they are actually planning to do.
EU reports are based on information supplied by various governments and verified by Eurostat.
There would be little value ‘talking’ with the Opposition, since crucial decisions are taken by the government, not the Opposition.
As an example, while the EU was discussing the PS extension and had decided to talk with Joseph, would we have ended up with a coal burning ‘plant-on-a-barge’ by SARGAS?
The press is there to report what comes out of discussions/decisions and not help create them.
Maybe Joseph Muscat has been to Nigeria – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2230990/Six-hours-power-trip-bathroom-African-teenage-girls-create-pee-powered-generator.html
‘What accounts for his expression of supreme self-satisified pleasure?’
If the Coconut is anywhere nearby, it may very well be that he has finally taken the plunge and planted a kiss on the part of the Joseph’s anatomy that he reaches up to?
In the current year, due to the increase in international oil prices, Enemalta already faced the need for an increase in the electricity tariffs. However, earlier this year, the government took a decision to subsidise Enemalta out of the government’s budget.
The intention to continue with the subsidy, out of the government’s annual budget, so as to avoid an increase in tariffs, has already been declared by the present government. But this is a political decision, and it has to be funded out of the government’s budget.
If the budget for 2013 does not pass, the government will have no authority to pay a subsidy to Enemalta, and the electricity tariffs would simply need to go up, or else Enemalta’s finances will come under serious pressure. This is elementary.
Therefore, the assumption noted by the EU Commission is one based on market conditions, before the government’s political decision to intervene.
I assume you’re being sarcastic here.
The European Commission does not play around with popularity polls when it makes its projections.
I’m sure it is treating the Gonzi government as a going concern.
[Daphne – No, I am not being sarcastic, but factual. Why would it treat the Gonzi government as a going concern? With or without the current Debono fiasco, there is going to be a general election in the first quarter of 2013.]
If it is already taking it for granted that Muscat will be the Prime Minister next time round, then it wouldn’t even begin to consider Tonio Borg as the Commissioner-in-waiting.
[Daphne – You are mixing apples with pears. Tonio Borg does not represent the government of Malta. Once accepted as EU Commissioner, he will represent nothing but the EU Commission – not Malta, and certainly not the Maltese government. And that is why, unlike an ambassador or chairman or political appointee, he does not have to resign when the government changes, and can’t resign on those grounds even if he wants to.]
The price of electricity has increased in most western nations.
It is like all governments around the world get the same memo to jack up prices for their utility companies.
First they tell us to use less electricity, so we use less then they accurately monitor your consumption with the newly installed smart meters and charge you different rates per demand at certain specific times in the day and evening .
Since people are using less electricity and there is more surplus electricity because a lot of factories are closed as the work has been sent to China, the utility companies up the rate of electricity per KWh to make up the difference in less profit turnover so they can keep the generating power stations running.
You cannot win for trying.
Th PN cannot allow Muscat get away with this outrageous behaviour.They should NOT allow Muscat define Dr.Gonzi with lies.
In summer the Obama campaign spent millions of dollars on TV advertising portraying Romney as a very wealthy man who was indifferent to the middle class and the poor.
After that onslaught, Romney had a hard time reversing that negative image in the peoples’ mind in time for the November polls. The PN should learn from this.
It will get worse – lying is legitimate in socialist speak.
It’s how they operate internally, remember Boffa, Spiteri and Abela. Lying to the electorate before an election simply follows.
Harry, hand him a long rope. He’ll probably thank you as well.
Labour is coming. We can stop it.
Let’s spare Malta from a labour onslaught again.
We all know how mediocre, insignificant and uninspired they all are.
Malta is part of the First world and deserves a winning team.
There is no meaningful alternative to a Nationalist government.
The Malta Labour Party never change. Doom and gloom is the only thing they know and they can’t even do that properly as the article in The Times clearly shows.
http://www.facebook.com/questions/441551502573157/?ref=notif¬if_t=question_suggest
Clean energy leads to LESS DECEASE…
Do you mean that the mortality rate will go down because there will be fewer dead (deceased) persons?
This guy will rise high, very high in the coming weeks, but he will then fall hard when he can no longer hide his incompetence behind fancy words and negative politics towards the current administration.
Dan il-kumment ktibtu nahseb b’rasek l-isfel ghax qlibt kollox ta’ taht fuq ! ir-rapport tal-UE inkiteb skond l-informazzjoni li bghatilha GonziPN rigward il-budget ghas-sena d-diehla u x’hemm mahsub li jaghmel GonziPN jekk ikun fil-gvern. U l-UE tista biss thaid il-veduti taghha fuq dak li jghidilha l-gvern ezistenti, u mhux fuq x’qed jghidu s-surveys tal-opinjoni pubblika !
B’min trid titmejjel Daphne ? Bil-fidilissimi tieghek forsi, izda b’min jaf juza daqsxejn mohhu, aktar qed tidher bla kredibilita ta’ Xejn- ZERO bhal Gonzi !
Joseph qabdu l-hara issa li l-UE qalet li l-gvern ghaddej fuq it-triq it-tajba, stante xi video ta’ hatnek jghidilna l-kuntrarju.
Sab skuza ghalfejn ma’ jrohhosx il-kontijiet, diga’ beda’ jwahhal fin-Nazzjonalisti li ma’ jistax, ezatt bhal ta’ qablu. Miskin.
Jozef: Tidrax tigdeb bhal Gonzi. Fejn smajt lil Dr. Muscat jghid li ma jistax irahhasil-kont tad-dawl ? Rega rrepeta li se jrahhsu kemm il-bierah u anki dalghodu !
B’min irid jitmellah Joseph ridt tghid sur Eddy
RJC : Tkun tista tghid dak li ghidt int, jekk Dr. Muscat ma jrahhasx it-tariffi tad-dawl . Jien u kull min jaf x’kien wieghed Gonzi dwar is-sussidju fuq l-elettriku , jigifieri li ” Se nibqghu nissussidjaw l.-elettriku ghal-kullhadd “, ghandna ragun nghidu li Gonzi dahaq bill-poplu, inkluz lilek !
Kliem siehbek Joseph – “On the contrary, the PL had a clear strategy that was based on ensuring that the country had a consistent and reliable energy mix using conventional and newer technologies together with renewables.”
U ma jsemmi xejn dwar il-famuzi kontijiet.
Xmun: Biex tkun taf x’qal Dr. Muscat imissek smajtu u mhux toqghod fuq rapport li jghid fil-qosor hafna ftit punti. Rigward li jrahhas il-kontijiet tad-dawl REGA QALHA DALGHODU STESS !
Jien ghadni nistenna risposta minghandek Sur Privitera !
Mid-dehra ghandek habta tibda’ argument u meta tinduna li se titilfu ma twegibx!
Skond Joseph “ Il-familji mhux se ttafilhom it-tbatija bir-rapporti”, issa la hemm xi hjiel ta’ xi haga qed jikkwota paragrafu mil-patafjun rapporti li tah Gonzi f’Xarabank!
Jekk Il-PL veru taharqu qalbu ghal-familji li qed ibatu bil-kontijiet tad-dawl , imissu jghid x’jista’ jsir mhux jibqa’ mutu ghax jista’ jitlef is-siggu tal-poter u ma’ jirbahx l-elezzjoni.
Meta fl-1981 kellna nuqqas tal-ilma u konna qed inbatu, Eddie Fenech Adami semma ghal-ewwel darba is-soluzzjoni tal-ilma tal PN li kienet ir-Riverse Osmosis u li kien ikkopja il-gvern illeggittmu tal-Labour li int tant tiddefendi.
Meta il-PN tkellem fuq il-holqien tax-xoghol kien mill-oppozizzjoni li kienu semmew is-settur terzjarju li hafna mil-Labour l-anqas biss kienu jafu x’kien u x’inhu, bhal ma kienux jafu x’kien ir-Riverse Osmosis.
Hekk tkun taf kif jahdem min veru jrid il-gid lil-poplu Malti. Xi haga li l-anqas jaf x’jigifieri il-Labour ghax ghadu qed ikejjel b’xibru.
Joseph qisu dak ir-ragel li qed jara in-nies jerqu fil-maltemp, jghid li jaf kif jista’ jsalvahom, imma jsalvahom meta ilahhquh il-kap tal-“life guards”.
Bqajtu l-istess intom tal-Labour, Privitera u ma tinbidlux !
Gahan: L-unika risposta li jixraqlek ghal-hmerijiet li ktibt hi din: PROSIT TAL-ISEM LI SIBT GHALIK STESS – GAHAN !
Eddy ghadni qatt ma rajtek tuza mohhok.
Li naf fuqhekk hi li int Mintoffjan sfegatat u dejjem tkun consistenti fic-cucati li tghid.
Wara kollox x’tistenna min socjalist imdejjaq bhalek.
vILLAGE: kIF NISTA NKUN IMDEJJAQ META F’DAN IL-BLOG GHANDI XALATA TA’ DAHQ KULLJUM, NARAKHOM TIPPRUVAW TINSEW U TNISSU D-DWEJJAQ LI GHAMDKHOM TARAW LIL GONZIPN MAQSUM F’ELF BICCA ????
The only ZERO in Malta, sur Privitera, kien u jibqa Karmenu,siehbek.
U lil dak iz-“Zero” biex irbahtulu b’ 5,000 vot BISS fin- 1987, kellhom tivvintaw li storja tal- ” Barrani” !!!!!! Issa naraw b’kemm jitlef Gonzi fi ftit xhur ohra ! jekk jitlef b’aktar minn 5,000 vot ikun DOUBLE ZERO !
Jekk Gonzi huwa ZERO mela int u shabek x’intom daqskemm ilkom tghidu hmerijiet u tbassru vittorja elettorali wara l-ohra biex dejjem spiccajtu tiehdu telfa wara l-ohra?
Kemm hija qasira u fjakka l-memorja tieghek, Eddy?
Il-PN rebah lil Mintoff, lil KMB u lil Sant tlett darbiet infila. Lil Joseph niltaqghu mieghu jekk Alla jrid dalwaqt u fuq dak nitkellmu aktar tard.
George, Mela diga insejt li kull darba li Gonzi iltaqa ma Joseoph f’tigrija elettorali jew ta’ referendum, GONZI DEJJEM TILEF !
L-elezzjoni tal-MEPs, kull elezzjoni tal-Kunsilli Lokali. U r-referendum dwar id-divorzju, fejn GonziPN kien KONTRA u l-PL FAVUR !
Well, the PL has a history of promising bullshit. Remember Sant’s “one month no tax”?
What a fiasco that was.
And let’s not forget what happens when the PL actually gets elected on the grounds of their empty promises, like when Sant got elected and had to do away with VAT only to introduce something not even he understood.
Same story over and over again. Each time they think they’ve got some great trump card, it all comes crashing down on them.
Edward: What certainly came crashing down, was Lawrence Gonzi’s story about the Brazilian company having removed its HQ from Brazil and brought it over to Malta !!!!!!!
I thought PN was going to setup next year’s budget- pricing and all-? Under which -if the budget passed – the labour would have to govern for the rest of the year if the election is won by labour. Am I missing something here?
He’s backing off. The questions and observations put across this week pinpointing a couple of blatant mistakes, if it exists. Linear discounts anything but the method of a fair society.
His speech yesterday acknowledged domestic alternative energy generation as a plausible method for the first time.
Too little too late he said, problem is until two weeks ago, whoever invested money faced possible cancellation of the effort.
The idea of communal solar farms irked him no end, how dare the PM respond with that, disrupting his middle class.
I think he’s actually putting down the basics to the proposal as we speak.
Following last Monday’s lecture on TV Hemm, I recommend Michael Briguglio do his homework and familiarise himself with the potential disaster Insultant Mizzi may get us into when he’ll leave our energy supply in the hands of a bunch of speculators.
Ghax hu kien l-Inghilterra qal, arem hej, faqqa’ subghajk, x’hasibna?
I’m in no doubt who’ll broker the agreement.