Malta insists on concrete measures

Denis Catania

Jul 27th 2008, 02:43

@dVella I'd like to correct you, we are not in the top 5 most populated but were in the top 2 most populated.
@Franco Farrugia: If thats what is going to take,yes leave them"bejn sema u ilma" The blood will be on your brothers the oil rich nation of Libya hands, not ours.
@Mary Grech Last time I checked a couple means 2 we are approaching 11 thousand. African Americans find the word coloured when referring to Black people as a racist word. Don't use racist words in your argument. The skin color of these people have nothing to with this argument., It's the numbers that are coming in.
@Sandro Pace if Europe send Europeans to Libya in an alarming number, they will kill them upon arrival.

B Agius

Jul 27th 2008, 02:28

The state of emergency with regards to irregular immigration in Italy has made international news. The arrival of 225 migrants on Lampedusa in the last couple of days has also made international news. This happens from time to time ie there is reporting of this issue vis a vis Italy. Malta never gets mentioned - so the problem the Maltese think they have doesn't exist- as far as the general international community is concerned. If Italy svreams with 225, then Malta has a point to keep the pressure on resolving this issue.

Sandro Pace

Jul 25th 2008, 20:05

We, Maltese, have every right to regulate our population as we deem fit.
50 years ago our grand parents used to have 10 children. 25 years, probably 5. Now it is about one or two children per family, on average. That is one matter. That is how the EU should see it. (if at all).

The increase in population by chaotic, massive and unwanted illegal immigration, is another matter, and though population density comes into it more than you think, there are other matters and concerns.

It's always lose lose with such idiotic argument. If we have pop decrease, we need immigrants, if we have pop increase, throw them with the rest.
We have the right not to be overcrowded by immigrants afterall.

I think the population of Libya is always increasing. But go and tell them to accept a hypotethical increase in population by a couple of european 'boat people'.

Someone said 'things are moving'. Bet on it. Things are not moving. The EU always give us movement impression.

About CMB, I totally agree with Ms L. Vella. He cannot match his predecessor.
There are times to be soft, other times require other measures.

louise vella

Jul 25th 2008, 18:33

It's not colour, it's numbers.The total arrivals of illegal immigrants (10200) is now higher than the population of Hamrun, one half the population of Birkirkara and one third that of Gozo. When will they stop coming? When will Gonzi stop them from coming?

Franco Farrugia

Jul 25th 2008, 18:00

@ Louise Vella - Are you in favour of freedom of information? I doubt it.
Immigrants living in comfort? The public getting angry? I am the public. I am not angry.
Will you give up your comfy life and go and live there instead of them? I doubt it.
Your incessant attacks on immigrants is well-known. What is not as well-known is what you believe should be done. Keep them 'bejn sema w ilma'? Is that what you are after? Let them drown in open sea? Turn a blind eye?
I don't think there is a single person in this country who doesn't wish to see the end of the last immigrant in this country.
But to claim, as others are doing, that an immigrant's life here in Malta is comfortable, means that you are totally blind to what's going on around you. Or totally prejudiced.

F. Camilleri

Jul 25th 2008, 17:38

@ Mary Grech (Part 2)

The issue is ILLEGALITY and not skin colour. You are again confusing the issue.

We Maltese are RIGHTFULLY DEMANDING a fair proportional burden sharing. We are not a dumping station for a situation which we did not bring about.

The sage Maltese proverb you cited: ‘l-ikbar trux dak li ma jridx jisma u l-ikbar ghama dak il ma jridx jara!’ most certainly applies to yourself.

F. Camilleri

Jul 25th 2008, 17:36

@ Mary Grech (Part 1)

You keyed in:
i. ‘This is how EU see (sees - watch your verbs!!) the issue’.
How come you know how the EU ‘sees the issue?’ Your name is not amongst our five MEP's.

You further keyed in:
ii. ‘To be sure, it (refering to the growth in Maltese population) will have happened with the consent and blessing of your two authorities. And nobody is calling a halt to this sort of growth rate.’

‘with the consent of your two authorities’:
Why not ‘our’? Are you a Maltese citizen or not? If not, or are ashamed to openly declare that you are, then please mind your own business.

You continued:
iii. ‘And nobody is calling a halt to this sort of growth rate.’ ... ‘If your country is too densely populated already, .... the Maltese should start doing something about this among themselves first, …’

What do you suggesting? Introduce abortion perhaps? You should be really ashamed of yourself on all counts.
There is no connection between the Maltese increase in population and ILLEGAL immigration. You are confusing the issue.

DVella

Jul 25th 2008, 17:10

Janice cassar . . . have you any idea of the size of Malta as opposed to that of Italy .. . or Greece for that matter?? Are you familiar with the fact that Malta's population density (not counting illegal immigrants) is amongst the top five worldwide?? Arguments about numbers are totally irrelevant, although the mentally deficient bureaucracy in Brussels seems to base everything on them in a pathetic attempt to put everyone into the same basket !
Even Silvio Berlusconi was shocked when he was forced to admit that the average numbers of illegals landing on Malta's shores was comparable to 1.4million of them arriving in Italy!!!

Joe Tabone-Adami

Jul 25th 2008, 15:33

Talk, empty talk, and more empty talk. When will we see the end of it all? Solidarity, Agreement, Text Re-wording, Burden Sharing; where will these take us? Nowhere, as far as we can see. Like General Custer's Indians, the poor souls will "keep coming and coming".

Mary Grech

Jul 25th 2008, 13:53

This is how EU see the issue:

Within the last 10 years, the population of Malta has increased from 360,000 to over 400,000 last year, an increase of 40,000 people, which nobody has ever complained much about or objected to. To be sure, it will have happened with the consent and blessing of your two authorities. And nobody is calling a halt to this sort of growth rate.

Why should a country with a population-politics like this not be able to take a couple of thousand coloured and black people along with all these Maltese? If your country is too densely populated already, as your politicians claim, the Maltese should start doing something about this among themselves first, before they childishly start complaining about this, that or the other in Brussels.

As the Maltese saying goes, l-ikbar trux dak li ma jridx jisma u l-ikbar ghama dak il ma jridx jara!

Janne Micallef

Jul 25th 2008, 13:07

The Maltese already knew about the quality of life all illegal immigrants enjoy here in Malta, the way I see it, the fact that the media went in and reported the good conditions they enjoy helped us as a nation but most importantly the authorities concerned to rebut the accusations put forward by the very biased ECRI report.

So come October, even if this tentative fails I hope that our Goverment will hear our pleas and decide to finally start taking concrete measures to try as stop this invasion.

Janice Cassar

Jul 25th 2008, 12:07

@ Louise Vella

Your theory, particularly about the larger number of immigrants coming to Malta does not hold water statistically.

Neighbouring Mediterranean countries have seen far larger increases than those being experienced by Malta. Landings in Lampedusa this year tripled over last year while those in Greece doubled.

Opening up the detention centres for the press was merely an exercise aimed calling the bluff of NGOs which depicted the detention centres in Malta as Gulags without ever stepping inside one of them..

F. Camilleri

Jul 25th 2008, 12:04

@ Louise Vella
Louise, we are all human beings and all are liable to mistakes irrespective of our position/office we hold.

The worst thing is when one either does not admit to his/her mistakes (females commit mistakes too - I am only joking!) or does not at least endeavour to correct them.

In some of the comments I posted, I used very strong language re this issue against officials/persons, when they were either not doing enough/anything, or worse, when they were consciously/unconsciously betraying our country.

I am NOT SORRY for posting those comments. I am NOT keying this out of pride but because it is the THRUTH.

I am sure that all of us (including you) who regularly reacted strongly when our country was being scorned at, had the love of our country and of our children at heart.

Now things SEEM to be moving. Admittedly, I am keying this with fingers crossed. Malta, through our Government, is trying to do something concrete re this top priority issue.

Let us give a chance to these recent positive moves through our Government and the minister concerned, and then react accordingly.

DVella

Jul 25th 2008, 11:09

Illegal immigrants rescued from another counrty's waters . . . be it Libya, Tunisia or any other should be returned to THAT country . . . particularly if the government in question is being uncooperative and failing to shoulder its responsibilities to curb the illegal human traffiking which blatantly goes unchallenged throughout its territory.

Moreover, illegals coming from Libyan territory into Maltese waters should also be returned there!! After all, when the Italian Authorities rescue illegal (NOT irregular please!) immigrants from Maltese waters they are invariably brought here to be added to the rising population at Hal-Far-stan or Ta' Kandja-bad!

Mario Gauci

Jul 25th 2008, 10:49

This is a very hot potato. It needs to be handled with very soft gloves. The government is going about it the right way especially Dr. Mifsud Bonnici. We are in Europe and it is a european problem and we have to do it within the law.Dr. Mifsud Bonnici is most certainly doing this. All that he has done so far is ample proof. It was not done before because we were not ready. We all know it is going to take time but I am confident the present administration style of negotiation will get there in the end, just look at our players, Gonzi, Borg, Mifsud Bonnici, Busuttil.

M. Tabone

Jul 25th 2008, 10:02

Discussions and Decisions at EU level take ages if ever materialise. Malta needs to take drastic actions alone and now to stem this flagrant abuse on our system. Has anyone conducted a study to assess the impact of illegal immigrants on our tourism industry, on the real estate market, on our Army? May be we are the only country in the world who have an Army almost dedicated to illegal immigrants!

apgrech

Jul 25th 2008, 09:31

Very valid points, Louise. Prosit

louise vella

Jul 25th 2008, 08:58

Despite having the best of intentions, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici has already made two political gaffes as regards illegal immigrants. He allowed the media into the detention centre to please journalists. By so doing he raised the level of anger of Maltese taxpayers who realised that detained illegal immigrants (who should not be in Malta) were enjoying comfortable conditions at the taxpayers' expense. The second gaffe: he told an interviewer (MaltaToday, June 15) that the government is prepared for 1700 to 2000 arrivals this year and " there is also a contingency plan if more arrive." That was a call for more to come and they have been coming in greater numbers. With Ministers like Mifsud Bonnici, Malta does not need any enemies.