MP demands tough action on employment of migrants

Nationalist MP Franco Galea yesterday urged the government to amend legislation so as to impose tough penalties on those who illegally employ migrants.

Mr Galea said during an adjournment speech in Parliament that Malta should no longer tolerate the illegal employment of migrants to the detriment of Maltese workers. Nor should Malta tolerate the employment of migrants who were paid "peanuts" and treated badly.

Mr Galea said those found to have employed migrants illegally should be made liable to a six-month jail term for each illegal employment and a fine of up to Lm25,000. A court should also be able to close down establishments where such workers were found working and revoke licences.

Mr Galea said contractors working for the government and local councils should be bound to engage only Maltese or EU workers. Workers should be made to carry an ID card all the time.

The Nationalist MP insisted that Malta should not continue to be made to shoulder the burden of so many illegal immigrants. Former colonial powers, in particular, should assume their responsibilities after having exploited the countries from where the migrants came.

Mr Galea referred to the trafficking of Chinese who came here to study English and asked whether the schools they were registered with had reported them missing. Was it realistic that a person was jailed for just two and a half years for human trafficking?

He also insisted that non-governmental organisations which received government financial aid should produce audited accounts explaining what they had done with the money.

Mr Galea said the Maltese people had evolved from a mixture of people from several nations and this process would continue in the future. Diversity was good. But one had to admit that the integration of the people who came here as illegal immigrants was a serious problem. Integration should not be forced and he could understand the concerns of some Maltese who wondered who the migrants really were and how they managed to pay for their trip here when their countries were so poor.

The migrants came from cultures which were very different from those of the Maltese. Those who came to Malta had to respect local values, customs and traditions. The Maltese could not sell their country or their religion in the interests of tolerance.