On 17 September, Ms Nikita Zammit Alamango, Senior Manager Operations at ARMS, was Tonio Bonello's guest on his PBS 90-minute phone-in programme "Il-Polz tac-Cittadin".
The topic was dedicated exclusively to the utility bills issued by ARMS.
At one point in the programme, a listener rang and ruffled some feathers.
He reminded Ms Zammit Alamango that some two years ago, she was a guest, again as Senior Manager Operations at ARMS Ltd on an RTK phone-in programme where the topic was, also again, the utility bills issued by her company; seated next to her in RTK's studio was the company's Financial Controller.
He went on to say that two years ago when he had phoned the programme, he had broached the subject of the 25% Eco-reduction. Ms Zammit Alamango promptly interrupted him saying there is no such thing as a 25% Eco-reduction and strongly rebutted having said such a thing two years ago.
The listener then went on to say that the question he would be putting to Ms Zammit Alamango this time round would be identical to the one he had put to her two years ago on RTK.
Halfway through his question, Ms Zammit Alamango objected, saying the question was liable to misinterpretation by other listeners.
The programme presenter sustained Ms Zammit Alamango's objection and ended the call immediately.
Then Ms Zammit Alamango replied to the half-formulated question put by the listener.
She began by saying: “The 25% was no Eco-reduction. It was the reduction in utility bills which this government promised, and fulfilled, during 2014 and 2015"
[I have put in quotes to show that this statement is verbatim, taken from PBS's On Demand, a link which I have sent to the editor of TMIS with this letter].
What is Ms Zammit Alamango saying here?
Exactly what she said two years ago on RTK, and which last week she denied saying when the matter was brought up by the listener whose question she objected to.
For confusion to really set in, contrast Ms Zammit Alamango's statement here with what the utility bill every consumer receives has to say on the page headed "YOUR CONSUMPTION IN MORE DETAIL".
Under the sub-heading "New Tariffs" there is this:
"Less Eco-reduction
@ 25% on first ........units".
Any bright sparks among you able to get your heads around this?
Joe Genovese