Maltese community to draw up study on citizenship rights

The Maltese in Australia want the same citizenship rights as EU citizens and the Labour Party believed this idea should be considered sympathetically, party leader Alfred Sant said yesterday on his arrival from a visit down under.

Dr Sant said he asked the Maltese community there to draw up a detailed study about how such a proposal could be implemented.

The Labour leader said his party was committed to renewing and strengthening contacts between the Maltese in Malta and Australia.

Addressing the media, he said the main aim of the visit, which he undertook together with deputy leader Michael Falzon, was to renew contacts with the Maltese community in view of the big changes both countries were going through.

The Labour Party, sees the Maltese in Australia as an integral part of the Maltese community and he and Dr Falzon referred to them not as Maltese emigrants but as Maltese living in Australia.

A new generation of leaders was being nurtured among the Maltese there and Malta had to understand how circumstances were changing.

Dr Sant said the need for more contacts and exchanges between young Maltese and Australians was highlighted.

He said that the Maltese Australian Chamber of Commerce was due to visit Malta in October, though Maltese businessmen based there were not receiving enough encouragement from their homeland when it came to investing here.

Dr Sant's visit was followed by a private stay in New Zealand.