Migrants should be forced to work - AN

Guze Xerri

Feb 24th 2009, 13:19

@M. Merceica,

"EU based on two values: Safeguarding Human rights and democracy "

I guess the EU has their own version of democracy, as the majority of the maltese people do not want the illegal invader in their home land.

lgalea

Feb 24th 2009, 09:14

J Martinelli
Real jobs with real pay at the minimum wage?
And you have the gall to denigrate the Dejma and Pijunieri!!!

Brian Fenech

Feb 23rd 2009, 21:59

@ Andrew Gatt, then from whom they will take the jobs from? The Russians?

mark tanti

Feb 23rd 2009, 21:34

JPO you well know that what you are suggesting is not possible. At this point I stand to agree with some points put forward by AN. As regards Dr.Joseph Muscat's comments all I can say is that he is trying to take a political advantage from a human tragedy

Dr. Savior Tortell Pisani

Feb 23rd 2009, 20:29

@ Joseph Sciberras.. The perspective of things is already very grim! It is steadily increasing and accelerating fast. What are you waiting for before acting? Being completely run over? Yes it is an emergency. Someone has got to wake up and do something THAT WORKS!

@ Brian Fenech.. Currently we already pay them (with free food, drink and medical care) for doing absolutely nothing. They need to earn their daily bread by doing some mundane, but useful, work to the community they have so badly disrupted. This has nothing to do with displacing Maltese workers.

@ The Rest. We need to send a clear message that Malta is not some Hotel with free accommodation. If you come over, it has to be Legal and you have to Pay for it. ADVERTIZING A VERY UNATTRACTIVE PACKAGE FOR ILLEGAL ECONOMIC MIGRANTS should be part of the nation's core foreign policy.

We should respond to inaction (or ineffective action) on the behalf of fellow EU states by simply relaying these migrants to them.. This is equivalent to strike action against those who shrug responsibility.

P Debono

Feb 23rd 2009, 19:38

The number of illegal immigrants that came to our shores in the past 4 years is equivalent to two million in Italy - TWO MILLION.

I wonder whether the Italian government would use a laissez faire policy if two million illegal immigrants plagued the country.

Gonzi, Joseph, WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!!

Silvan Cutajar

Feb 23rd 2009, 19:18

This is a very good proposal. First of all they are not given lodging and food for free. of course the work done should not be a 40 hour job as that would be exploitation. However it will also serve deter more arrivals. Migrants will not encourage others to come here and have to work whilst in detention. So possibly they will skip Malta on their way to Europe.

Chris Cini

Feb 23rd 2009, 18:13

Well done AN and JPO for raising these issues. At last there is someone who feels the concerns of the great majority of the Maltese people. Let us now support these people in the forthcoming European Parliament elections... we need people like these to voice the concerns of the Maltese as it seems that up till now nothing has been done a that level.

Carmel Camilleri

Feb 23rd 2009, 18:04

I particularly like AN's suggestion to force illegal immigrants to work while in detention.

At this stage I think it would not be amiss to rename the Safi Detention Centre into "Buchenwald Detention Centre", Ta' Kandja into "Dachau" and Lyster Barracks into "Auschwitz".

Such names would do justice to AN's suggested policies. Don't you think?

M. Mercieca

Feb 23rd 2009, 17:19

The quickest trip from Brussels to Malta.

Quote:
‘Malta, he continued, should not accept any inspections of detention centres by foreigners.’

I am just trying to imagine any of AN politicians goes to Brussels saying the above line, probably he/she will be sent straight away back home within a maximum 24 hours.
How many attended last night’s demonstration? Xi 30 peoples? Why was it SO MISRABLE attendance? Are they same peoples that usually comment as soon as the illegal immigrants erupt?
I guess many peoples preferred to attend the other Carnival instead!
Dear Dr. Muscat,
EU based on two values: Safeguarding Human rights and democracy

Andrew Gatt

Feb 23rd 2009, 16:40

Putting them to work until they can be repatriated does not mean they will be taking jobs from the Maltese. It will not cost the country anything more either. They will be fed and lodged exactly as they are at present. A good suggestion. And perhaps a deterrent too.

Michelle Dali

Feb 23rd 2009, 16:17

I agree wholeheartedly with the proposals of AN. They are the measures that any government in this situation would take, especially the governments of the other EU states if they were experiencing floods of illegal immigrants entering their country in the numbers proportionate to the ones flooding into Malta. There is no question of that.

I was a little uneasy about the recommendation that the illegal immigrants be made to work, though, until I realised that the UK government has recently made the same proposals with regard to long-term unemployed workers. If it is alright to expect people on the dole to work for their social benefits, surely it is alright to expect immigrants who entered the country illegally and have not contributed a penny to Malta's welfare system to work for their benefits. It must be a better option that letting them do nothing all day. They may even be glad to have something to do with their time while their applications for aylum are processed.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Feb 23rd 2009, 16:15

It seems that JPO is doing his best to sway public opinion in his favour.

Pity he wasn't so open to expressing his opinion publicly as to the real scenario regarding the Mistra saga!!

Of course, on this point I agree with JPO....but so do most of us....Wonder why?

J Martinelli

Feb 23rd 2009, 15:20

To the suggestion that immigrants should be put to work in return for food and lodging, may I ask why a good number of the 6000 unemployed Maltese should not be given the same opportunity and paid at least minimum wages which by far exceed basic food and lodging expenses?

Refusal to do basic work should be enough reason to strike them out of the unemployed register.

Then see the 6% unemployed drop to 3% or less and we will have a true picture of who is really unable to find a job. I am not suggesting the establishment of another Dejma or Pijunieri but real jobs with real pay.

P.Formosa

Feb 23rd 2009, 14:52

It is a good idea..however from a safety perspective i believe that the migrants would seize the opportunity to escape again...and this time it would be harder to catch them...may be better if the work is 'taken' to them ...

H Gatt

Feb 23rd 2009, 14:32

AN’s proposal that ‘Anyone caught employing illegal immigrants without permission, he said, should automatically lose their business licence while those convicted of human trafficking should receive a life sentence’ is ridiculous. In a small country such as ours most people will know of one business or other that employs illegal immigrants without permission as well as which businesses thrive on every form of human trafficking. So why bother putting the ball in government’s court when we all know that government’s (and opposition’s) hands are sadly tied up?! If AN is truly serious it should compile a list of all businesses that indulge in this form of trade thereby naming and shaming them and hitting them where it hurts them the most through the only weapon left in the people’s hands – boycotting all those business on the list, whether they are contractors or brothel owners! Until that happens I will only see AN as nothing but hot air.

Brian Fenech

Feb 23rd 2009, 14:20

Yes AN, that's a brilliant suggestion, let's give them all work, meanwhile, let the Maltese struggle more to find a job as 2000 over jobs has been taken by the 'illegal immigrants' ... Come on AN? Where's your roots in all of your suggestions?

J.Spiteri

Feb 23rd 2009, 13:30

Dr Muscat is the only person with authority and seems to know what he is talking, alot of people agree with him but most people didn't vote for him because you still hold allegiance to your so called loyal parties (NP & LP),

Martin Gauci

Feb 23rd 2009, 13:03

Just a reminder

Malta has been invaded by illegal immigrants, not only originating from Africa but also from Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and other eastern countries. And note, these people are being employed instead of us Maltese in all sectors. The excuse that Maltese demand high wages is but a lame excuse. We Maltese have to pay our taxes and social security contributions. What do these illegal immigrants pay. The Government is being too eak on this issue and needs to WAKE UP. There is no more room for weak or inexistent policies on this issue..

C.Busuttil

Feb 23rd 2009, 12:26

A referendum to abrogate Dublin II, that what is needed and whatever our political parties say, the voice of the people is supreme and they have to accept it no matter what. Come AN show us that you mean business not just words, collect the signatures and force a referendum.

Sandro Pace

Feb 23rd 2009, 12:24

Immigrants who do not want to be forced to work will remain in detention and miss the opportunity of some freedom outside.

Forced work does not mean lashes or hard labour. Just to give their part to the society which they forced to make keep them, and to exercise themselves.

Also, this forbids their direct entry into the labour market, which is having an overall lowering of wages effect and unfair competition with Maltese workers. And could not continue going at this rate. (yet it is).

They have all the liberty to ask to return back from where they came from. Most of the time it is not the dangerous place one is made to believe. They've returned OK. And with 5000 Eur in pockets.

Joseph Sciberras

Feb 23rd 2009, 12:13

Forced labour, unlimited detention, no citizenship rights, renoucing our obligations under international treaties, state of emergency, refusing rescue and forcing boats out of territorial waters - are these solutions that modern, democratic state should adopt! They remind me of of other types of states in other times. I think paranoia and hysteria are taking over the minds of some people. Let's keep things in perspective and not lose our heads.

Anthony Cardona

Feb 23rd 2009, 11:57

Well-said, AN.

I am unemployed, and having lived just over 2 years abroad, I am not entitled to any benefits. I always paid my taxes and N.I. contributions during the many years I lived and worked in Malta. Why should these people who have come here illegally and contributed nothing but trouble, headaches, and unnecessary burden on Maltese taxpayers get everything for free, only to burden down and destroy what's offered to them in return?

Should they refuse to work, they should be sent back forcibly and without any carrots or €5000, on the first plane out. Period.

Doris Soler

Feb 23rd 2009, 11:33

I think there is absolutely nothing wrong or even unchristian with being expected to do some work in return for food and shelter - its not as if you were ASKED into the country in the first place ! And, of course, I am not envisaging slavery ! Lets keep matters in perspective .... I'm not one to usually agree with AN but I do on this one.

Joe Grima

Feb 23rd 2009, 11:01

Now that the LP has prompted a parliamentary debate on the urgency that immigration problems have created, Government needs to shed its laissez faire attutude and get to grips with the seriousness of the sitiuation. I agree with the suggestion that illegals be made to work for the money the country spends on their upkeep. This is not forced labour as some Ministers are describing it. This would be taking a page from Roosevelts's New Deal during the geat depression when, for providing a social wage to the unemployed, the US President gave them jobs reparing the infarstructure in their own State. God knows we need a hand with our coollapsing infrastructure all over Malta. Then , I need someone to explain to me what a state of emergency is. When will this come upon us? When illegals start murdering their guards out of boredom or when, God forbid, some serious disease that illegals will bring in will spread throughout the community? Most Maltese are against multiculturalism and European-style integration with immigants. Most of us are not ready to stand idly by while our society is slowly undermined by a growing numbers of immigrants and by an acquiescent Governement. .

E. Inglott

Feb 23rd 2009, 10:26

"...had been dismissed by the former Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, who had said that the government could not force immigrants to work without paying them."

Well, it's not as if they wouldn't get anything in return for the work as they will be provided with shelter and food. At the moment, I think a big problem is the fact that there are no obligations during a day and that makes people apathic, and can be cause for unrest. It is always better to keep people busy and give them something to do. And if the activity can be a useful one: so much the better.

The problem with "helping" is many times that nothing is expected in return, which does not teach the person who is being helped anything, other than that everything is taken care of (same applies to social assistance). When someone is hungry, instead of giving him bread and let him be, teach him how to grow crops and bake bread so he learns to take care of himself.

One must also not forget that the cases of those who come here to seek refugee/humanitarian status on valid grounds, would still have to be looked into.

m.muscat

Feb 23rd 2009, 10:07

At long last an MP from the government side had the guts and audacity to give a true genuine account of what is going on and what had been all the time expressed by the thousands of comments shown on this blog. These are the true facts and as JPO said "the consequences are too terrible to contemplate". In part JPO is agreeing with some of AN,s proposals which proposals, in my opinion need further elaboration and polishing. Also the PL is now expressing concern, though belatedly, but this all shows that at least our leaders are at last coming to terms with reality and the sooner they do so the better. As JPO said "it's not too late but it soon will be".
We expect further big heads to come out with fair, reasonable, balanced proposals and articles as expressed in yesterday,s TOM "We are not racists TA'" should be condemned as they are spiralling more anger and frustration and inciting xenophobic sentiments. Articles without conclusions are worth nothing except to accomodate the author in his quests. Come out more with proposals like JPO, AN and now PL but try to be equitable and fair in what you say.

Bernard Mamo

Feb 23rd 2009, 09:56

Rightly put Dr. Muscat! I will vote for you in the upcoming elections.

John Spiteri, AN Information Secretary

Feb 23rd 2009, 09:21

When questioned yesterday, his successor Carm Mifsud Bonnici would not even comment on what his spokesman called "supposed proposals".

I presume this attitude really reassures the public and gives us all renewed confidence that he has matters under control

The Minister should resign - it is obvious that he is out of his depth. Problem is that he is going to drown us all with him...

d. borg

Feb 23rd 2009, 08:56

I agree with most of AN's suggestions. At this point our first obligations should be towards our country so let us opt out immediately from the Dublin II and Geneva conventions. Thanks JPO for having the courage to stand up and be counted. Beware PN because this illegal immigration issue will lead to your downfall.