Friday, 3rd October 2008
Marsa open centre to get makeover
Photo: Matthew Mirabelli.
By the end of the year, the Marsa Open Centre will have received a complete makeover with the façade being embellished, new medical services being introduced and a library opened, among other improvements, all aimed at speeding up the integration of the migrants hosted there.
The project is a first for Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem, which obtained funds from the European Refugee Fund II to be able to embark on the large-scale revamp of the place, an unused, run-down school before hosting illegal immigrants.
The money will be spent on the upgrade of the education centre, which will now have a library and 10 computers, and on the refurbishment of one of the kitchens, which was in a bad state. The tables and chairs were hardly usable and the electrical supply was considered unsafe. The kitchen has now been stripped, extended and given a new, open plan layout.
More significantly, a clinic has been built in order to provide residents with medical care three times a week.
The project will also help the open centre's residents to find affordable accommodation and integrate refugees and asylum seekers into Maltese society.
This is the first phase of a full-scale plan of improvement for the Marsa open centre. Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem intends to continue to upgrade the infrastructure and services at the centre in the coming years.
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Comments
If you read the article well you would have realised that the money is coming from the EU.
And these restructuring are just basic humane things - medical services, library, refurbished kitchen - basics in health and education.
Also, if you are so concerned about money why don't you talk about ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS who pay migrants a pittance cause they know they have no other choice. If all working migrants work legally and pay taxes they would be better off and we would be better off
You simply surprise me, with your arguments. Your main concern is the well-being of these illegals/clandestines, rather than that of our Maltese citizens.
I believe your views are very short-sighted and you are only seeing this problem up to your noses and unfortunately you are all reasoning with your hearts, instead of your minds!
Where have the Maltese PATRIOTS gone? Those who defend the interests of their country are the REAL PATRIOTS and not those who try to please those foreigners who enter into our territory illegaly.
The Maltese were always proud of their nation and always risked their lives to defend it.
I wonder what our fore-fathers would say if they were alive today, they really loved their nation, and that is why they were called "Nationalists" (not in today's political sense ! ).
Let's all be "Nationalists" in the strict sense of the word.
We all love our Malta and let us preserve this jewel for our future generations.
God Help Us.
.
THE IMMIGRANTS RESIDING AT THE OPEN CENTRE PAY FOR THE ELECTRICITY, WATER AND FOR FOOD. They also A FEE FOR THEIR BED SO PEOPLE THEY DO NOT GET EVERYTHING FOR FREE.
I have never posted a comment on this or any other newspaper website before the past few weeks but because I have become increasingly aware of this tragedy for Malta unfolding before my very eyes, I find it impossible not to voice my concerns. Do not try to insult your fellow countrymen and women. In a democtatic country people have the right to voice their opinion and be heard.
Regarding the article, I do believe that the refugees should be housed humanely, but I also feel that Malta cannot accept anymore of them and that the ones already here should be repatriated without further delay.
Well said mate. The Brits and the USA are the major culprits that stole wealth of Africa, India and many other places worldwide!
You ought to be ashamed of yourself for defending the ILLEGAL immigrants and criticizing your fellow countrymen.
Shame on you.
www.gopetition.com/online/21497.html
Lawrence Gonzi and Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici are doing the job of the NGOs instead of defending Malta's national interests.
These guys are breaking the law and getting rewarded for it FROM OUR OWN POCKETS. What a disgrace.
You are conspicuous by your absence
Have Corrine Vella and M Mercica kidnapped you and holding you for ransom?
Beauticians.hairdressers,manicurists,chiropidists,therapists,masseuses,etc lets pamper to their every whim,
Not forgetting lesiure centre with full size olympic pool,gymnasium plus cafe and bar facilities
I wonder how many of Maltas population working two, three jobs a week are financially able to afford a computer
What a farce///////////
,
So at least now they will have something new to break!!
I'm obliged to pay taxes and that is what I do, but still I pay for bills for electricity, tv, internet and everything and these people are in Malta imsieken, without paying taxes and other bills.
Great! Next time some illegals feel let down by the pampering menus provided to them free-of-charge, they have a lot more stuff at their disposal to damage and destroy. It didn´t cost them a cent.
I very much like the idea of taking a boat out to several hundred miles away from Malta, just outside Libyan waters, and call Frontex, via a state-of-the-art satellite phone, to rescue me as a way of protesting against this monumental waste of money and against the stripping away of whatever rights are left to law-abiding tax-paying citizens, while everything is dished out on a silver plate for free to the illegals.
The funds thrown down the drain on this centre should have been used to charter flights to repatriate these illegals, until the very last one is gone.
Several hundred illegal immigrants will be released from detention in the next few months. Where will they be accomodated? Which town or village is next on the list for the multi-cultural experience?
Will mayors interested in gaining "Strength through Diversity" for their locality please keep an orderly queue!!
There will enough for every locality, guaranteed.
So why do a makeover of the place, when these will have to leave very soon.
'Mhux hekk Dr Mifsud Bonnici'
Illegal immigrants are becoming too pampered by this administration at the expense of the average Maltese worker that has recently seen a substantial decrease of his purchasing power due to the increase of fuel, alimentary increases, water and electricity bills..........in the near future also more expensive gas cylinders. But it seems that illegal immigrants are immune from all these problems. Is this situation sustainable?
they really don't know what they are getting into , HUH i thought moving back to my country was escaping the refugee that took my job , it seems like from the pan into the fire .
How about a make over to the Detention Officers guardrooms and watch areas before they are all carried away with flies, mosquitoes, fleas and other insects at Hal Far and Safi??
Some guardposts are situated next to where the drainage overflows and some officers have to endure excrement smells during their watches.... apart from direct excrement smells that come from immigrants who do not use the toilets!
Please will someone listen to my never ending complaints! Or do I have to be an immigrant!? I can always take a boat and float out - maybe the AFM picks me up and maybe someone will listen to me!
How long before Malta follows Britains lead and starts buying the illegals cars(it works out cheaper than paying for taxis)
Cant have them walking or catching the bus to pick up their social security benefits.
Meanwhile the hard working tax payer patiently waits at the bus stop to catch the bus to their place of employment.
They already have some 28 or 30 ADSL connections for which WE are paying and with which they communicate and coordinate their friends journey to pampering Malta, apart from the telephone cards which they are given regularly, again at OUR expense.
Who knows, more of their family and friends may risk their lives at sea and join the party next year.
Also if they are living the good life in Malta (relative to their alleged miserable conditions in Africa), then we will have less ‘voluntary’ offers to offload them to other countries.
So, these people are given all necessary facilities free, at our expense, and then blatantly flout labour laws by getting day work illegally at the Marsa roundabout. This puts the Maltese worker at a double disadvantage.
Maltese workers do not get free accomodation with free water, electricity, internet, mobile phones & top-up cards and free meals. Maltese workers have to pay tax and N.I.
Is it surprising that there is so much antagonism against these illegal immigrants. Malta is presently like a pressure cooker without a safety valve.
Politicians, you are only exacerbating the ILLEGAL immigrants problem and burdening the Maltese population ever more.
You shall get our answer at every election until you listen.
Thank you peoples in charge
Few months ago, I have communicated with the minister suggestion to provide a computer and internet connection, so at least, we ‘public’ could communicate with the immigrants and make them part of our on line debates. Don’t peoples think that a democratic debate should have all parties concerned?
*Over 1400 Maltese workers laid off.
*Utility costs getting higher
*Curia proposing fees for medical care, to name but a few.............................but at least the ILLEGAL immigrants have a pretty place to live and medical staff at their beck and call. And the authorities and do-gooders wonder why most of the Maltese population is so disgruntled. Hasn't Malta heard of looking after your own and charity begins at home? We have a pathetic system and pathetic society. Maltese people have turned into second class citizens in their own country!!