AD slams Debono over Delimara ‘sudden change of heart’

Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Michael Briguglio yesterday took Nationalist MP Franco Debono to task over his flip-flop on the Delimara power station extension.

Debono, who filed a motion calling on his government to renounced Heavy Fuel Oil which is currently being used to fire the Delimara turbines, had first voted in favour of the Delimara extension, Briguglio said.

"The motion tabled in parliament by Franco Debono recently against BSWC's 'dirty fuel' project in Delimara was nothing but a 'theatrical' tactic: at Debono had first voted in favour of the project, and now suddenly tables a motion against it."

Debono's motion, which strikes right at the heart of the energy policy championed by his party nemesis Austin Gatt, also demands that Enemalta's petroleum operation in Birzebbugia, the 31 March 1979 depot, is closed down.

Briguglio, who held a press conference in Parliament square in Valletta, also attacked Labour's over fuelling 'false' hopes that it will reduce water and electricity tariffs if elected, while to explain how it will go about it.

"AD has always stuck to its guns over the dire need of implementing a serious energy policy... unfortunately, parliamentary gimmicks and energy populism are dictating energy policy matters in parliament," Briguglio said.

"Labour cannot keep fantasising and giving false hopes - like promising a reduction in water and electricity tariffs and the proposal of a power station built on water - all signs of populism.

"With countries like China expanding their economy, the price of oil will only increase by time, leading to a unavoidable rise in energy fuel costs."

Briguglio also said Malta retained rock-bottom status in the EU in terms of implementing renewable energy policies. "The government is only implementing renewable energy 'token' initiatives and isn't serious enough over its role over implementing serious enough energy policies.

"Even a country like Germany, that hardly sees any sunshine, is doing better than ours in terms of implementing 'green' initiatives."

AD's energy spokesman Ralph Cassar accused successive Nationalist administrations of neglecting the energy sector. "After two decades in government, Malta's energy policy remains just a simple draft. The concept of planning seems to be alien to this government while Labour continues to fuel hopes of cheap electricity tariffs.

"The government's proposal of a power station converting to gas is just a long-term plan, with no time-frames in hand," Cassar said.

Cassar said it was crucial for government to invest in large energy infrastructural projects like wind-turbine technology, and vital to invest in micro-projects which could provide "a sizeable chunk of renewable energy to meet our country's needs".