Player's arrest lands club officials in hot water

Carima Achokwu

Feb 9th 2009, 21:33

Obviously but not unless you don't have the passport and you would have asked over and over again about your visa whilst they tell you that they are taken care of it, although it's the other way round. It is pretty difficult to take the handle of these things when you are a young foreigner which maybe left his country for the first time and ended up in these people's hands. These footballers become just a product of the club.
It is weird to enter in a comment room and find some really hatred comments about Africans. Race doesn't make any person less important than yourself. We are all humann beings and we should all help one another whatever colour, race or religion. We all live under the same blue sky and we will all die one day or another. Only God can judge us. Nobody will stay on this world forever, nobody belongs here.

sgrima

Feb 9th 2009, 19:10

whilst an employer is responsible for the employee's work permit, it is the individual who is responsible to see that his visa application is submitted in sufficient time before it expires. it would be interesting to know the outcome of this case.

Carima Achokwu

Feb 9th 2009, 18:16

Someone has to take responsibility for this footballer's injustice. Why does he have to pay for something that wasn't his fault? This player was invited by a club but they signed 3 Brazilians so he was sent to Gozo to play for a club. Visa expired on the 6th Sept while he played at the Independence Q/F for Ghajnsielem FC against Victoria Hotspurs. Then between the 15th-20th Sept he was being forwarded to Gharb. They were playing him as their player without even applying for his Visa. It doesn't take much to apply for a visa and inform Etc for a work permit. This shows neglection towards workers. Foreign workers have rights. One of the rights of this player as an employed person was for the employer to take care of his papers. Too much of this happens in Maltese/Gozo Football Clubs towards Nigerians. Most of you are just commenting harsh cause the numbers of African's has raised. Plain racism. "Good for you to have scored but this isn't about you. About taken your women, no woman belongs to any man cause she was born in the same country he did. We Choose!! @David Apap Camilleri"

sgrima

Feb 9th 2009, 08:54

it is not 'free' to break the law if one has to pay a fine! of course, this should not be the practice across the board, but only in the case of relatively minor offences. in any case, the guy has 'only' been charged, and has not yet been found guilty.

nobody is saying that people should be allowed to overstay their visa or work illegally - but that the law on illegal employment should be enforced against all, whether they are maltese or nigerian or whatever nationality.

in this particular case, i see no reason why the visa should not have been extended and a work permit granted - a foreign footballer employed by a club. of course, if no application was made for visa extension and/or work permit, that was wrong.

Carmel Saliba

Feb 8th 2009, 23:11

As ex Secretary of Zebbug Rovers FC I sympathise with the officials of Gharb Rangers FC - Joseph Cauchi, Louis Apap and Mario Saliba who were also accused of failing to notify the Employment and Training Corporation of a player's employment.

Two years ago, in order to be issued a working permit needed etween 3 to 4 months after application was sent.



If the Gharb Rangers FC officials done a great offense, then most clubs in Malta and Gozo are in the same basket.

lgalea

Feb 8th 2009, 16:45

Robert Callus
Kenneth Galea answered you and I make his answer mine.

Kenneth Galea

Feb 8th 2009, 14:27

All involved should be punished. The Nigerian illegal immigrant accepted the job knowingly that his visa expried. When an immigrant overstays his visa normally this is punished by immediate deportation. I hope that those who employed the Nigerian incur a hefty fine as we need to send a clear message to employers that there is no room for illegal employment!!!!!!

Robert Callus

Feb 8th 2009, 13:01

This is a farce. Many people are working illegally in Malta, and authorities know who the employers are. They never do anything about it (maybe because these employers can 'afford' more money than a football team.
And maybe because this was too beautiful to lose showing the bravado of catching a person with a relatively minor offence in the middle of a football game.
Many Maltese complain about people not finding jobs because foreigners are employed without work permit and could be paid a pittance. I never heard football players complain about this though

lgalea

Feb 8th 2009, 12:34

sgrima
Sorry.
No job extension.
He should be deported back to his own country and his employers prosecuted.
How about a number where the public can inform the authorities about foreigners and illegal immigrants working illegally?

Charles Sammut

Feb 8th 2009, 11:19

@ sgrima

What you are suggesting is morally wrong. That makes anyone who can afford to pay, free to break the law.

What I would like to know is on what grounds was the original work permit issued. There might be more to this case than simply an expired visa. One must distinguish between a valid visa and a valid work permit. Having a visa does not necessarily entitle one to work in Malta.

So let the investigations finish before we jump to conclusions.

@ David Apap Camilleri

Thank you for informing us that your priorities in life are football (in Gozo) and women (in Paceville).

sgrima

Feb 8th 2009, 11:03

was there a need to arrest some who overstayed a visa during half time? it's not as if we are dealing with a major offence. no doubt it is an offence and he should thus be prosecuted, but, since he has a job, his visa should be extended against payment of a fine.

Charles Sammut

Feb 8th 2009, 10:49

"I only see the hatred,jelousy and envy of one ot the rival teams to report our best player"

Thank God for 'hatred, jelousy and envy' because that is how many crimes are uncovered. Very often, the police depend on the public to uncover such illegalities.

lgalea

Feb 8th 2009, 10:42

Good job by the police. Keep it up and accelerate fast on getting rid of illegal immigrants because he became an illegal immigrant once his visa expired.

David Apap Camilleri

Feb 8th 2009, 10:29

I only see the hatred,jelousy and envy of one ot the rival teams to report our best player so that it stops our good performance in the championship.I am sure the person(s) reporting had no intent of reporting him due to illegal permit but only to harm Gharb Rangers football club personally.However justice was done as though we played the 2nd half with 10 players in the second half and me unfit after coming back from an injury managed to level the score.
I know our Nigerian personally who was a very good and quiet person not ike all those dancing in pv trying to take our women.