Complaints lodged with the Malta Communications Authority during the first six months of the year fell by 40 per cent compared to the previous period, reflecting improved handling of consumer issues. A total of 33 complaints were filed, of which 32 related to telecoms services including internet, mobile, fixed line and TV, and one concerned postal services. Billing remained the most frequent issue, accounting for nearly half of all cases, though several were found to be unjustified. In other cases, providers were instructed to resolve the charges. Additional complaints included quality of service, contractual matters and switching providers. The MCA also received 288 enquiries, while mystery shopper checks found Melita to be the most efficient in answering customer calls. (Times of Malta)
BNF Bank hit by two major resignations
BNF Bank has announced the upcoming departures of two senior executives, stressing that the resignations are “unrelated”. Chief Financial Officer Mark Micallef will step down in late October, followed by Chief Commercial Officer George Debono at the end of the year. The announcement comes weeks after CEO David Power said the bank had overcome the fallout of a failed system upgrade that cost over €1 million to fix. When asked, the bank declined to confirm whether the resignations were linked to the upgrade. Power noted that with the most difficult phase of transformation completed, both executives felt it was the right time to move on, adding that leadership changes also bring opportunities for renewal and fresh perspectives. (Times of Malta)
Speaker calls for strengthening of public petitions process
The Speaker of the House has issued a ruling to strengthen the handling of public petitions following persistent complaints that ministries were ignoring requests for information. The ruling noted that while the Standing Orders gave the Petitions Committee flexibility to regulate its work, no provisions existed to address cases of non-response. Drawing inspiration from practices in the UK, the Speaker proposed thresholds for Malta: petitions attracting around 75 to 80 signatures should trigger a formal government reply, while those reaching 800 signatures ought to be considered for parliamentary debate. The ruling urged the committee to revise its guidelines to introduce a mechanism ensuring petitions are treated in a structured and effective manner. (The Malta Independent)
