Second group of migrants arrives

Raymond Sammut

Jun 3rd 2008, 00:20

That is quite big, Mr Troisi. You have taken to liberty and labelled our views “narrow minded”, “ridiculous” and “stupid”. You have expressed an insolent tendency of accusing some of us Maltese men of availing ourselves of Bulgarian prostitution. You have acted like a self-appointed statistician by enumerating Pakistanis, Arabs and Bulgarians who, according to you, have now “rooted” themselves in Malta, and accusing us of not liking them. The greatest insult coming from you is, however, your racist insinuation that we are objecting only because the men and women we are seeing here in this pictured are, according to you, “mostly coloured”. You are also obviously annoyed because I.M. Dingli is asking you, very simply and in a good mannered way, to propose some form of a potential solution. You also want to teach us about human rights when we have a clear right to ask you to stop being insolent. That was quite a mouthful coming from you, Mr Troisi, and yet I can find nothing whatsoever constructive in what you are saying that can be put forward to Dr Gonzi.

Sandro Pace

Jun 2nd 2008, 20:22

Real intake can only be calculated per capita and per square km, and that puts Malta in the first place. A 1000 in Malta is not the same as a 1000 in Italy.

Nothing mentioned here goes against their rights.
Stupidity is waiting for solutions that never come, which should be unacceptable to any government.

The problem with these kind of immigrants is that they are an infinite source, coming into a little crowded place. Doing nothing will not remain an option. It will go against the rights of those living here, and their children.

Christopher Troisi

Jun 2nd 2008, 16:55

Well if I had i would have said it wouldn't I ? Although time will actually say, since this problem isn't just local to Malta but all of Europe. Human rights have to be respected that pretty much narrows it down to waiting for the EU to come up with an action plan to solve this problem. Its taking a lot of time but there isn't actually anything to do apart from that. Grumbling wont solve anything, neither will stupid solutions which go against human rights.

I. M. Dingli

Jun 2nd 2008, 16:24

Any suggestions as to how we could solve the matter Mr. Troisi?

Christopher Troisi

Jun 2nd 2008, 10:41

Its interesting to read the narrow minded view of some people commenting on these articles. Many say that the immigration problem in the past years has been too much. we've had thousands of immigrants and yet its only now that they're mostly coloured that were really getting annoyed with them. Although we never liked the couple of thousands Arabs which live in Malta, or the almost thousand Bulgarians which work illegally in Malta ( and i'm not referring to the women Maltese men like to entertain themselves with), the 500pakistani or the other nationalities which have rooted themselves in Malta we have to complain about the new ones... why? Well there will always be something to complain about and that's reasonable, what's not reasonable are the stupid ideas about why we should not let them in. Comments like "we're going to lose Malta to immigrants" are ridiculous.

"Italy, Spain, Ireland and Cyprus registered higher migration intakes than Malta." - We believe we have it worst but actually we don't yet like always were the ones to cause the biggest rukus, to grumble the most and to come up with stupid ideas to solve a very complex issue.

Raymond Sammut

Jun 2nd 2008, 09:51

No need to complain about Frontex. If Frontex is saving lives, then Frontex is to be commended. Only Mr Aquilina seems to be hitting the nail on the head. The rest of you, I am afraid to say, are failing to identify what the core issue here is. Do not worry about the men and women you see here wearing live jackets. They have nothing to do with the core issue. They are merely a symptom of a much larger problem of which both them and us are a victim. Questions we have to ask are: "What is motivating traffickers?", "Why Dr Gonzi keeps playing into their hands through the so called 'asylum seeking process', thus creating a magnet and a conduit to this trafficking?", "Why none of these people are ever returned to their homeland, which is the size of France and Spain put together and very rich in resources?" These are the questions we have to find an answer to and take it up with the Maltese government which continues to sink deep into this trap.

Adrian Tabone

Jun 2nd 2008, 09:42

Never forget that 91% of the population voted for parties who DID NOT EVEN MENTION the illegal immigration issue.

So I guess really few people view this problem as an upcoming crisis. Why bother anymore?

Sandro Pace

Jun 2nd 2008, 09:41

Practically, boats which are not in distress can be turned back, pointing South. But they don't want to do it. Obstinacy to follow outdated obligations is going to suffocate this island.

If Frontex is making this all easier, it is imperative for government to abandon it. Simply.
People who tried to raise this to the political level were and are still being ridiculed to this very day. (vid. the AN article)

One thing is clear, given that no one wants this burden. There are no solutions that are not going or risk to hurt anybody. Either an eternal wait for burden sharing, which is never going to come (except for some from the US), and inevitably jeopardise the stability of the Maltese society. Or a tough diversion policy at sea, like the Greeks do. There is no middle way.

Those saved from distress should be helped to continue their journey up, by all means short of issuing a Maltese passport.

All of you have much expectations from Frontex, partly due to the false success attributed to it last year, where the influx abated only due to high winds.

n camilleri

Jun 2nd 2008, 06:48

HELLO FRONTEX!!!!!!! is anybody there?? what's happening here?

Paul Barrett

Jun 1st 2008, 23:54

There are some unrealistic expectations of the effectiveness of Frontex. Frontex will save lives at sea - Maritime Law. It will not slow down or stop the arrival of boat people UNLESS Frontex can actually catch the "Mother Ships/traffickers" before or as they launch the small boats and the chances of them doing this are very slim indeed. If anything, Frontex makes it easier and safer for the boat people (who are the people being exploited) to make it to Europe.
We are between a rock and a hard place - as hard as it may seem, we realistically cannot and must not abandon them to the sea. We do need and really must have help from other countries in sharing this burden. What we do not need is outside criticism, without a solution/offer of assistance to sort out the problem.

Mario Mizzi

Jun 1st 2008, 23:42

Malta has become over populated, and there is an overall saturation in all aspects. Political parties please wake up because it is already too late.

Salvatore Aquilina

Jun 1st 2008, 23:34

The more they send them to America the more they come to Malta

Salvatote Aquilina

Jun 1st 2008, 22:10

Remember America when the immigrants arriving in America the red Indians lost the country to immigrants Remember Australian aborigines lost the Country to immigrants Remember South American Indians lost the Country to immigrants. Next we going to lose Malta to migrants

L Galea

Jun 1st 2008, 22:07

With Frontex we will get more illegal immigrants because:

1. The ILLEGAL immigrants know that they are safer since they have a better chance of being found;

2. When found they will be taken safely to Malta or Italy;

3. Their traffickers will get more customers since it will be safer for them

4. No one believes that they are travelling on small boats from Libya but that they are being carried in big ships and dropped a few miles off Malta and Lampedusa.

victor pulis

Jun 1st 2008, 21:38

Frontex is a joke intended to take us for a ride. we are alone in this problem and should act in the interest of the country. everyone and his uncle knows that these boats are starting their journey in Libya. that's where the solution lies. if they are not stopped before they start out then we must resign ourselves to more arrivals. and why are they arriving in groups of 27?

John Azzopardi

Jun 1st 2008, 21:04

Where is Frontex. More illegal immigrants have landed than ever. Is Frontex really effective. When are the maltese going to stop being taken for a ride.