Petrol station owners were threatening to go on strike this weekend after the government announced a substantial drop in the price of the fuel they sell. Their argument was that they had replenished their stocks for the Christmas season and would have sold the petrol and diesel at a loss, considering that they bought it from Enemalta Corporation at a cost and would have had to sell it according to the decreased price.

The government has since declared that the corporation will be refunding the petrol station owners for the extra costs they incurred when they bought petrol and diesel at a higher price than the one they started selling it last Monday.

Well and good.

What has not been mentioned, conveniently by the petrol station owners, is that when the government raised the price of petrol from one day to another, they did not complain and they did not threaten to call a strike. And this because they were making extra profit on each and every sale.

They were buying petrol and diesel at a lower cost than when they were selling it once the government announced the raise in the price. But, of course, they did not say anything then.

How’s that for consistency?

Matthew Cassar

Hamrun