Hoteliers angered at postponement of Enemalta discussion at MCESD

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association have taken umbrage at the second postponement of its request to discuss the state of national energy corporation Enemalta at the Malta Council for Social and Economic Devlopment, saying the decision was "leading to a degradation" of the council.

MHRA asked the chairman of MCESD for a meeting specifically to discuss 'Enemalta, the situation at present and the way forward' in writing some two months ago, after informally receiving confirmation that such a discussion will be welcomed by parties forming the council of MCESD.

MCESD had scheduled the first meeting for second half of March 2012 which was postponed 48 hours prior to the meeting being held and rescheduled for the Tuesday 24th April. The meeting was again postponed some 72 hours prior to the 24th.

"However MCESD found time to discuss the Caritas report in between these two postponements. MHRA are concerned that MCESD the forum where such important discussions should take place is being denied to them as a forum to discuss this important topic," MHRA president Tony Zahra said in a statement.

The MHRA has for a long time now complained of the high energy costs affecting the tourism industry.

"The MHRA does not feel that these costs reflect correctly the costs in generation and distribution and believes that there are unacceptable inefficiencies which are being passed on to its members and leading to these members becoming uncompetitive which in the end even threatens the sustainability of the industry."

The MHRA also said that there has not been any plan communicated to the industry as to how Enemalta sees its future and where this organisation will be in 10 years' time.

"MHRA believes that this organisation which has an indefinite monopoly of supply of electrical energy to all consumers is therefore imperative as a supplier to the industry. As major stakeholders MHRA does not accept that this matter can be left without discussion as it threatens the very existence of the tourism industry which represents 30 per cent of the country's GDP," Zahra said.

"We do understand that Enemalta is a major problem for our country which is even bigger then Air Malta and has the potential to inflict enormous damage to the economy, however we also believe that through mature and intelligent debate within a recognised and developed MCESD and away from the political rhetoric we can find solutions to the problems and have comfort that this problem is indeed being tackled."