Grech blames Labour government for power outages crisis

Bernard Grech attributed the recent spate of power outages to a decision made by the previous Labour government a decade ago. 

Speaking on NET’s Perspettivi, Grech said, the government chose to shelve plans for improving the distribution network once the interconnector project was completed, leading to the current crisis.

The Opposition Leader criticized the government for not taking responsibility for the situation and instead blaming external factors such as the failures of British-era cables and the heatwave. 

He argued that the real issue was the government's failure to invest adequately in the power grid, despite the increasing population putting additional strain on it.

Even though the British-era cables had been sufficient when they were laid and had endured previous heatwaves, Grech stressed that the recent heatwave wasn't the primary cause of the current crisis. 

He pointed out that the PN had been advocating for grid improvements for several years, even during its last electoral campaign.

The Nationalist Party leader expressed frustration over the inefficient use of funds, citing examples where millions were spent on road resurfacing, only to dig up those same roads later to repair faulty cables beneath them. 

Grech questioned why the cables weren't replaced or reinforced during the initial road works, considering the wastage of funds and the adverse impact on the public, including fatalities, postponed operations, and hardships.

He also emphasized the need for immediate action and called for a declaration of a state of emergency to provide prompt assistance to those affected, rather than delayed compensation. He criticized the government's response, dismissing his calls as mere political gimmicks and highlighting their apparent detachment from the people's concerns.

Regarding the government's plan to upgrade the power grid over six years, Grech asserted that urgent action was required, and the people and the economy couldn't afford a repeat of recent disruptions.

The PN leader also criticized Prime Minister Robert Abela's handling of the Jean Paul Sofia case. 

Abela initially resisted calls for a public inquiry, but later agreed, citing a request for an extension by the inquiring magistrate. 

Grech claimed that this statement was false, as the magistrate completed her report just two days later, indicating that a separate inquiry was needed to address administrative issues properly.

Overall, Grech asserted that Abela had lost credibility, decency, and authority, indicating a lack of effective leadership during the power outage crisis and the Jean Paul Sofia case.