For some time now, it has been politically fashionable for clever politicians to use the buzzword ‘smart’ to go with almost anything. The word is used not to describe an elegant and clever person, but to denote a place or an object that is technologically highly advanced, and, therefore, ‘intelligent’ and, in particular, extraordinarily efficient. So, for example, a particularly smart minister (aided by his trigger-happy sidekick) kept shooting his mouth off about things like ‘smart cities’ and ‘smart meters’, among other smarties. However, judging by the current state of affairs, the word smart must either have acquired a very different meaning from the one normally associated with it, or, perhaps, it was simply never meant to mean what it is meant to mean as used by the honourable Mr Smart.

I do not have much to say about deserted smart cities and land speculation because I have not invested in them, but I do want to comment about smart meters, because I have invested in two of them. These meters are supposed to render meter readers, who usually came to read the ‘unsmart’ meter at home, jobless. Having smart meters also means that you do not have to do somebody else’s job and phone in your meter readings if the human meter reader happens not to have found you at home. Smart meters can be read centrally and remotely, and so allow bills to be issued regularly (wasn’t it meant to be every two months?) and accurately. That was the miracle we were promised by the smarties, with ARMS Ltd being the chosen miracle maker.

Being environmentally aware and forward thinking citizens, and hoping to cut our energy expenses in the long run, about 18 months ago we decided to take up a government scheme to help households invest in solar and photovoltaic panels. And, of course, this entailed the installation of smart meters. To cut a long story short, thanks to miracle maker ARMS Ltd, the last bill we received dates back to August 2011 (repeat 2011 – not a typo), covering the period 26 April to 30 June 2011; moreover, wonder of wonders, it wasn’t a real bill but only an estimate. This means that, since we’ve installed the panels, we have not had a single bill that shows whether, and to what extent, we are fulfilling our environmental obligations, and whether we are cutting down on our energy consumption and expenses. And, of course, at any moment, out of the blue, we might be the victims of a monstrous bill covering the whole period, and be tortured into honouring it within a stipulated ridiculously short period of time.

I must also say that I have, in the meantime, communicated with people from ARMS Ltd a number of times. On request, by phone, I have given ARMS Ltd my readings (in spite of the two shiny smart meters) on at least two occasions, and, moreover, the human meter reader was here at least twice. (I have receipts and emails as proof.)

In other words, the miracle is just not happening, and at my expense. What has happened to the smart dream, honourable Mr Smart? Why haven’t I got a proper bill yet, ARMS-very- limited? Can both of you please publicly admit that, not only do the smart meters not work properly, the way they were meant to (and so loudly bragged about), but that you do not work properly, either? The inefficiency of people from ARMS Ltd cuts both ways, as it negatively affects both the individual’s domestic financial planning and also the finances of the two highly debt-ridden, obviously very smart, corporations whose income ARMS is meant to administer and whose cash flow it is meant to guarantee.

I find this state of affairs utterly deplorable. When are those concerned going to take responsibility for this sham, resign and be replaced by genuine, non-bragging, really efficient managers?

Ray Fabri

ZEBBUG