According to the report in The Malta Independent (4 September) Tancred Tabone, president of the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, believes that a submarine cable link to the European energy grid through Sicily should be pursued with urgency “to secure not only cheaper power, but also to achieve higher levels of energy security and diversification”.

How did Mr Tabone get it into his head that power from Europe through the grid would be cheaper? Does he have information which the rest of Malta is denied, or does this fanciful statement show the level of business acumen in the country?

And why does he think energy through the grid would be more secure? Does he really believe that the Europeans would spare us energy to get by if, say, Russia stopped its energy supplies to Europe and Europe started feeling the pinch?

Diversification is the only result obtainable through the grid. If energy were to be cheaper and more secure through that channel, then I would say the Nationalist government has been criminally negligent of the country's interests, not having done anything to link to the grid over its 20 years in power.

C. Galea,

Rabat