'We're full up' - Pullicino Orlando

This debate is closed, no integration, no landings, no immigrants ! The people have spoken, accept it or resign from all your posts.

@ Simon James Schembri

well said my friend! I'm sick and tired of being labeled racist just for pointing out that there is a problem... This is another case of having to be politically correct all the time..

I tend to ignore bloggers who miss no opportunity to criticise government, and spin and twist what others say to suit their agenda.

But when Claire Bonello and Andrew Borg Cardona, two lawyers/journalists who, through their regular contributions seek to enlighten the public, resort to the same tactics, I become really disappointed. For one to suggest that any contributor to this blog has recommended that we house illegal immigrants in cardboard boxes, and the other that we shoot them on arrival or let them drown, is downright false and irresponsible. Such comments make no valid contribution to the debate. On the contrary, they are as negative as contributions from the far right and diehard xenophobes. If the comments were meant to contain some humour, such humour was patently sick. 

Another negative effect is cast on the reputation of these contributors.

JPO is submitting wrong signals.


For decades, the European Union has been criticizing and lecturing Libya for its Human Rights records. Libya Co. Gadafi is simply testing EU values by sending Human that would like to find their rights in EU. JPO suggestion send wrong signals to EU and equally proving to Gaddafi that EU values are mere slogans, this is of course, unless both EU and JPO got a different definition for humans.

It's been a big problem all along!! Someone is finally getting to grips to it!! The Maltese people are fed up now...We are too small to accept any more..We have already shown our generosity by far!! Should we now give them a parliament now or a right to vote or maybe a passport to come and go as they please while we work for them? FULL UP

DEFINATELY " FULL UP" .
With reference to my comment , posted yesterday , where I mentioned CYPRUS , a relatively close EU member state. If we were to take the size and population density of both , it results that :-
' 1) Cyprus (circa 30 times larger) i.e, 9250 sq.km. x 1272 ppl/sq.km = CYPRUS population would be 12,000,000 . Yes TWELVE MILLION ! ! ! Actual population is double Malta's 800,000.
2) MALTA (inverting the above) 316 sq.km. x 86 ppl/sq.km = MALTA's population would be 27,760 . Practically just the population of BIRKIRKARA . Roughly 370,000 are already surplus in comparison ! ! !
I totally AGREE with JPO's "overpopulated" - full up - statement, but not with the rest of his comments .

J Martinelli:The government has the power to say we are full and stop accepting them. Just like if you live in a 2 bedroom apartment making 200 Euros a week the government and any decent adoption agency won't let you adopt ten kids. We have no room. We have a right to say enough is enough. After we stop accepting them, than let the EU argue our position in the EU Parliament and we will win the argument.

@ Michael Cutajar - You're a dreamer my friend. There is nothing wrong with having different opinions in any institution, as long as at the end of the day one takes all the good ideas and use them for the good. What's wrong is when somebody in an institution is pushed aside and even thrown out by the vigilance board just because his opinion varies from the others. Ex. Wenzu Mintoff, Toni Abela, Maria Camilleri, Lino Spiteri, Dom Mintoff, George Abela, need I go on?

What about the UN's and EU's obligations towards Malta Mr. Falzon? Just telling us what's good or bad in the name of the UNHCR is not enough Mr. Falzon. Why not ask your colleagues to come up with a plan for these irregulars. Where's the UNHCR when they attack Maltese citizens looking after them, when they throw things at them. What does the UNHCR think, that they want to be free to roam our street. Let's put this straight, some of these people are dangerous. We need to get rid of the ones we have and make sure we stop any others coming here. Now what is the UNHCR prepared to do to rid us and stop them coming? In the beginning I had sympathy for these people, but now it's getting out of hand and it worries me. We just can't afford to keep them. This morning I was in Valletta and all along Republic street and Merchant's steet was full of them. Reality hit me.

i totally agree with JPO


@S. Calascione

that's out of context, yes this people deserve a better life but definitely not in our tiny country you can also join charity missions and help them make a better life if it matters to you that much after all

Yanica I think you can't count cause jpe comments are still far away from the election.If Libya doesn't want them why they let them travel and stau from there? Why don'they help in this problem.Ok if there are problems in all africa ,are you suggesting we take them all? Perhaps you don't know how much is the population in the african conintent ....

The tide that threatens western civilization is not immigration, but neo-fascism. These are not 'fresh measures' but a throwback to the dark ages. Even more distasteful when one considers that human lives are being sold for political gain. This is a form of slavery.

I'm a Labour supporter but I fully back JPO on this case. Malta has got to stand up to illegal immigrants and send them back to their continent. We're not in the middle of the Mediterranean to solve Africa's problems.

What a sick lot we are.
Why do we have to drag JPO's family into this.
Even the nonbelievers have more respect for their piers.
We should encourage people with initiative and not just sit down and groan
We have a big problem that can only get worse if immediate action is not taken.
Maybe some of the 'cowboy' contributors would like to take a few into their household or maybe even give up their homes to accomodate these poor souls.
It has nothing to do with racism but alot to do with our size and resources.
Well done DR. Pullicino Orlando, at least you tried.
joe the plumber

@ C Busuttil, D Catania et al

There is no question that the immigrant problem is a difficult one. JPO in some people's mind is a hero because he spoke up! As if he is the only one who has concerns whether within the NP or the LP.

JPO can crusade all he wants and it is up to the collective effort of all politicians to treat the matter with a combined strategy which makes sense and which when communicated to the EU, will make them pay attention and take some sort of action. But, let's stop here, what kind of action?

This is where the bloggers including myself and the politicians, cannot come up with a clear answer. Just yelling "Stop !" is not going to cut it, and everyone seems to agree (except some fanatics) that we cannot just turn them to Libya's territorial waters and order them back.

The government has spoken to the EU and the PM raised the issue at the UN, so it is silly to accuse the government of not doing enough. So far, the 'enough' has not worked but efforts to cure the problem are ongoing with or without JPO's intervention.

@ simon james schembri,
Your example of Geert Wilders is somewhat incorrect. If people take certain events (eg. an extremist makes a threat) and one than labels an entire race or religion to be 'the same', one is walking the path of racism. Geert got many examples of such behaviour on tape. The Dutch are pretty liberal in 'freedom of speech'. I can assure you, charges of racism don't end up in court for nothing.

JPO and "We're full up" - What it boils down to was described perfectly by Carmel Camilleri (2 days ago). JPO is desperately trying to salvage his name by appealing to public sentiment.
What he suggests is both illegal (and yes, the law matters!), impractical and immoral (but this last one is a matter of debate - which is interesting considering Malta is 95% 'practicing Christians'). This video shows JPO's ignorance of the relevant laws on the matter - including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (which is part and parcel of our Constitution) and the Geneva convention.

JPO played his role in Mistra - now he adds populism to his sheet... Nice face, nice talk, but how scary he is!

we clearly need a referendum where the citizens are asked whether they want the illegal immigrants here or not!

and by the way, who are the UN and what powers do they have? Where were the UN when USA attacked Iran in breach of UN Scurity Council? Where were the UN when no-one wanted to intervene in the Baltics crisis? Where were the UN when no one wanted to intervene in Rwanda? What stand did the UN take over Australia (a UN Member like Malta) which is still refusing illegal immigrants!

And what does the UN Charter for Human Rights say? Who is this Neil Falzon (by the way, he is paid by the UN )...who is incorrectly quoting the Charter? The charter specifies the country of origing of illegal immigrants......the ones coming here are coming from Libya....which definately is not their country of origin!!!!!!

WAKE UP MALTESE PEOPLE!!!! We need to act in the love of our Nation and our children!!

great stuff jeffrey, you seem to be regaining your old 'momentum' and slowly winning back my (and I guess quite a number of others') admiration!
a couple of weeks ago I put in my comments on the same site, regarding the subject, and I expressed my feeling that Dr Gonzi should declare full up.
I also suggested that Josie and Norman get together and organise a rally to try and rock the government out of its cocoon on this subject- with Joseph Muscat's debate on the subject in the offing, a repeat of the St John,s farce could be in the pipeline (who knows who will be used to throw in the float this time!). I think you should team up with them to get this rally moving
take them on Jeffrey

sorry but people over here are critisizing the goverment..

do you think that this is an easy decision to take? Its easy for us to say.. send them back.. but in reality we are not signing any formal orders.. it is the prime minister in this case who has to take the decision..

I bet that most of you who are saying send them back.. will turn against the prime minister if he had to do it.. cos its inhumane etc etc..

Do you think it would have been easy for joseph muscat to take a decision.. its easy to ctisize once you are in the opposition..it would be different had he been the primeminister..

This is a very nasty and delicate decision that needs to be taken.. At this point i think that the decision has to be taken by the maltese people and not by the prime minister!

I sympathise with the problems Malta is facing and do not agree when illegal immigrants are rude and arrogant to us Maltese, but can we imagine this scenario.....Almighty God telling us that 'heaven is full up and there is no place for us'... Love has no boundaries and no limits. L-imhabba taf tistabar u thenn, l-imhabba ma tintemm qatt!

A. Gauci Cunnigham

Well said ! it is what they are trying to do. Using ' racist' words to put guilt on us.

Malta is officially the 6th most densely populated country in the world only if you count quasi states like Vatican and Gibraltar that are a minute political entity within a much larger country. If you remove those two Malta is the 4th in the world and with no where to go but the sea. at 1,272 per sq km.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density

The UK is the 2nd most densely populated in Europe at a mere 253 and they are complaining

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2967374/England-is-most-crowded-country-in-Europe.html

So while all over Europe people go into the streets to protest about not wanting to work too much, Maltese people cannot get themselves to do something about a choking problem. There are countries that have plenty of space and more resources than we do. It is just not right that they sit back and do nothing about it or to add insult to injury send them off to country of origin ... which ends up being us!

As always people on this Island will just wait for the next person to speak first ... what a country ... the only signal we are sending to the rest of our EU "brothers and sisters" is that Maltese sit and take anything.

simon jame schembri...please simply admit that when you join a club you have to abide by its rules. . the rules are not set by a british labour member or by communism in this case but by the eu isnt it so man. we joined the eu, now we are reaping what we sowed whether we like it or not

Another way of putting pressure on those that matter and causing a much needed stir is to stop taking new immigrants and instead giving them food and fuel and a GPS programmed for Spain, Italy or France!!

We like to Quote International Law a bit too much on this issue. But we all know that the law is written by people who never contemplate the repercussions of their deeds. These are people who talk a lot and think very little. So we should interpret the law in the interim (until it is amended formally)... There needs to be a quota assigned per country relative to its current population.

So say any country can only accept a maximum of 0.1% of its population in terms of illegal immigrants per annum and can only retain half of that as permanent refugees *IFF* they agree, vow and sign to abide by the laws and social customs of the hosting country.

The rest are automatically and immediately passed on to our next nearest neighbour to do the same. This would guarantee a stable, sustainable situation that facilitates social adaptation.

@ Carmel Camilleri
What do you propose then? Waiting for the big northern nations to shoulder their responsibility? That will never materialise!... It doesn't strike them where it hurts, that's why! So I suggest to give up waiting for the manna to fall out of the sky...

Just take the bull by its horns!.. First things first... If needs be we could always withdraw Malta from the UNHCR. We should FIRST DIVERT the problem and ONLY THEN spend our time chatting about it... Not the other way round.

If for nothing else this will cause a good stir on an international level and perhaps (just perhaps) other countries will begin to wake up to the problem!!!

Sitting on our ass pontificating is not going to solve it. EVER! And don't talk about humanitarian issues... We currently offer ONE CRAP OF A SERVICE!

So like JPO rightly said, If we can't offer an acceptable humanitarian service then suspend the service altogether until the issue falls within our capacity. If for nothing else it will save much international indignation on mistreating immigrants on our turf.

Neil Falzon...We owe nothing to no one!

@Charles Sammut (NY) I'll go for that, anyone we catch at sea we'll send them back. Also we seen the coast guard/ Homeland security use boats to push Hatians out to sea unless I'm mistaken and they were Cubans.

NEIL YOU ARE WRONG,These are not refugees,these are all coming from Libja,and we do not have any obbligation not to send them back.This is an organised crime,and in my opinion as soon as they arrive, they have to be send back.They are ruining our economy,health and culture, and in no time,we will be unable to stop them.Im, waiting for the opposition,to take this issue in her hands, because our govt, failed,and in no time this will be far from our reach.

I must say that here you've acted like a proper politician, unlike those that surround you in parliament!

@ Kurt Bailey. So you swallowed the 'multiculturalism' myth hook, line and sinker.

No doubt you also believe in 'moral relativism' too. This is not a matter of sking colour but a matter of common sense - you cannot fit all the people in Africa, be they white, black or in between on a tiny country like Malta. Whatsmore, these people do not share our values or ethics and they have a tendency to demand the imposition of their culture, which they consider superior to anything in the West

Dear Dr. Pullicino Orlando,

To tow these people out to sea is to say that they are less deserving of life than you are. Surely it is our responsibility to wish unto others, the good we wish upon ourselves.

Sincerely,

SMC

@ C Busuttil, D Catania et al

There is no question that the immigrant problem is a difficult one. JPO in some people's mind is a hero because he spoke up! As if he is the only one who has concerns whether within the NP or the LP.

JPO can crusade all he wants and it is up to the collective effort of all politicians to treat the matter with a combined strategy which makes sense and which when communicated to the EU, will make them pay attention and take some sort of action. But, let's stop here, what kind of action?

This is where the bloggers including myself and the politicians, cannot come up with a clear answer. Just yelling "Stop !" is not going to cut it, and everyone seems to agree (except some fanatics) that we cannot just turn them to Libya's territorial waters and order them back.

The government has spoken to the EU and the PM raised the issue at the UN, so it is silly to accuse the government of not doing enough. So far, the 'enough' has not worked but efforts to cure the problem are ongoing with or without JPO's intervention.

I don't sympathise with mr.orlando's party but I am all out with on this issue. Well done mr.orlando at least someone has echoed the people's opinion in the media. And yes we don't need and want illegal immigrants. Nowadays everyone who tries to defend his country from illegal immigrants is branded as racist. If that's the case then I'm one of them.
Greetings Jeffrey and well done again.

@Andrew Borg'Cardona
"And do what, after we declare Malta full up? Shoot them on the beaches? Let them drown?"

Mr Borg'Cardona, it is shameful to even think of such extreme solutions, let alone suggest them on the Times of Malta. Thankfully, we have people like JPO who unlike you, suggested civilized solutions like the ones adopted by the USA, which is considered to be one of the most democratic country in the world.

Jeff's 1000% right. I have nothing against these people but there's got to be a stop somewhere. As far as I can remember this is not what the EU promised before the referendum...far from it. We were promised help and given dodgy anwers. Now we're getting nothing but lambastings and veiled threats from Brussels for not properly helping immigrants. Not to also mention the fact that most probably there are Maltese citizens interested in bringing them in as well!

Waslet l-elezzjoni JPO? Libya don't want these immigrants much more than Malta so sending them back to Libya means they send them back to their own country which leads to torture or something worse!! These are the human rights. I think it's better to do something else to gain votes

@ simon james schembri,

You are so correct on all counts.
Bravo !

@C.Busuttil @Albert Muscat
Really agree with C.Busuttil comments regarding illegal immigration but we do not have any option but to bow to the decision of our Prime Minister.Unfortunately our Prime Minister told us that we have to show solidarity with them although they are creating such trouble to our soldiers. Next June election must clearly show to our dear Prime Minister that we do not agree with him in several issues.

JPO for Prime Minister! He is clearly the only PN MP doing anything concrete about the problem!

Re Mistra: JPO still has not been accused of any wrongdoing in this case... None whatsoever.

If someone does something good we bash them, if someone does something bad we bash them even more. No one can get anything right!

How sure can we be that the latest arrivals departed from LIBYA ? A FISHING BOAT so crowded all the way from LIBYA , who can believe it !!! I used to make the trip on ships ,and staying on deck at night in the biting cold was impossible to endure, As many have already pointed out these migrants are being put on these smaller boats from a mother ship, JUST a few miles away from MALTA . These ships, for all we know, might be even sailing from SOMALIA itself , passing through the SUEZ CANAL. Maybe ,along the way , some could have dropped off at GREECE in the smaller boats ! And what about CYPRUS ! strangly ...I (we)NEVER HEAR ANYTHING about that island (facing this problem ) which is THIRTY TIMES LARGER and a populatin ONLY twice Malta's. THE EU is supposed to be a FAMILY of NATIONS working together. I see a total LACK OF ALL THIS .

@ A. Gauci Cunningham

well said my friend. The "elites" all over Europe are using the label "racist", "xenophobe" and "islamophobe" to silence the masses. A member of the Labour government in England declare that all those who dare opppose mass immigration from the thirld world and opppose further EU enlargement will be labeled RACIST and XENEPHOBE and face criminal charges.

These are, to put it simply, the same tactics used by Communists Dictators. If a person disagrees with party objectives ( ex: multiculturalism at all costs or no referendums on Lisbon Treaty ), he is labelled a "public enemy" and fined, fired, intimidated and imprisoned.

History is repeating itself in front of our eyes... The "elites" dont really care about democracy or free speech. What they care about is power and status. Eg: Geert Wilders prosecuted for racism, Abu Qatada ( who preaches in favour of terrorism) given human rights compensation.

These are the people leading Europe. And 's what more, they do it in full view of eveyone. Clearly, the EU needs a reform and new leaders. Many new leaders...

Thumbs up to JPO. Malta needs people like you who are not afraid to speak out. Well done Jeffrey.

So this is a PN guy. So what?
We can handle our "in house trouble" ourselves. We can fight between ourselves over politics, feasts and other stuff. But I dont wanna fight people from outside, who are not part of our family. You can call me a racist (which I am not). This not politics, not religion and not whatever other excuses you may say it is.
We sent thousands of families from here in the 50's and 60's, and now here we are accepting whatever comes our way. IT IS TIME TO STOP BEFORE ITS TOO LATE

These immigrants original destination is not to arrive in Malta but to European mainland. Therefore I suppose that countries like Spain and Italy are also suffering from this problem. What do they do? They do not give importance to the problem since they are big countries since they are not effected as we are or do they...... send them back?

NO, IT IS NOT TRUE that Nationalist MEP's voted in favour of having these terrorists in Europe. It was the labour MEP's who did that. After all labour knows a lot about terrorism. Remember the 70's and the 80's?

@ Kurt Bailey,

Yes , to your untrained eye, some Maltese do look like Tunisians, but we can spot the difference a mile away.

The problems are not the individuals per se; infact I think that as humans these should be treated with utmost respect. Those who try to tarnish everyone with the same brush of 'racism" and 'xenophobia" are only serving their ulterior motives of trying to keep the people silent exactly as they tried to do on the St.John's "hole" project.......clearly their repeated failure is gargantuan in size!!!!

The problem is one and it is called "government inaction and laissez-faire"!!

If the govt. were serious it would go to the EU and tell them in no uncertain terms that Malta will accept more immigrants ONLY if the EU acts fast on the 'volontary-burden sharing' and shares part of Malta's burden!! If this fails to happen then there is absolutely no hope for our country and we can expect this issue to top our agenda everytime a boat comes in until the years pass and as happened in other cases apathy creeps in and the people will start accepting the rotten state of affairs!!! This would be a victory for those who call us "illiterate mobs" but a huge loss for Malta!!!

Mr. JPO should offer to do this himself. He should get on the patrol boats and escort the immigrants out onto the open sea, with his children by his side watching it all. Of course he will not do this, because he will rely on the army to perform what he will never have the courage to do.

EVERYONE’S COMMENTS IS OFF BEAM
Do you think that our dear prim minister is going to care? No my dear friends it’s all a waste of time and recourses, WHY not start a campaign to remove one’s name from the electoral register instead? Our politicians are worthless to say the very least!

...and the vast majority of the Maltese citizens are "FED UP"!

So, JPO has woken up to smell the coffee, did he by any chance see the points of the campaign of sharon4malta, Sharon Ellul Bonici talked about this issue in the launch of her campaign and on smash TV. JPO must have liked the idea and finally stood up. This is a national problem and it effects us all. And by the way who stood up in the parliament to tell our Prime Minister that we have a problem and to wake up...Joseph Muscat. So what's all the fuss about JPO.

Mr Pullicino Orlando does not have the facts right about the US policy on Cuban illegal aliens. Those that make it to shore are not repatriated; only those caught at sea are. Huge difference. Second what would happen if the boat that he filled with these people sunk? I suppose he would be responsible of murder. He is taking advantage of a very bad situation. Nobody is in favor of having all those people keep coming in illegally. But putting them back on a boat and releasing them in the middle of the ocean is irresponsible rhetoric. A better answer has to be found.

@P.Scembri

Dont want to play ping pong with you (nothing personal), but PN MEP'S voted against the paragraph calling on the 27 member states to ceclare they were willing to take on Guantanamo prisoners (I think it makes a difference from embracing the whole resolution like the PL MEP's did). The PN MEP's showed that they are Europhiles in a positive way, just like the centre-right should be. Neither anti-EU and neither lackey of EU.

As usual, when a country is bound by treaties, anything it does is in context of those treaties. But Libya, does what it wants and no bigshot from the EU or UNHCR has had the guts to sanction Libya. All they do is keep admonishing Libya but no concrete action.

BUT then, they turn their frustration against Malta.

The UNHCR should sod off. And so should the big mouths from the EU.

Libya is the problem. Remember the Tuna pen incident? Was Libya ever sanctioned for this incident? Malta was.

With regards to Libya having a large coast and impossible to control; Didn’t a minister from Libya once say that in order to protect their waters from Tuna over-fishing, they were prepared to have the Libyan Navy patrol the WHOLE coastline?

So the Libyan Navy can chug along the whole stretch of the Libyan coastline looking for tuna poachers, but at the same time they cannot keep their eyes open for the voyages of illegal immigrants starting from Libyan shores? We are talking of large boats here not kayaks. And we have to take Libya seriously?

@Kurt Bailey :
I hardly doubt our superiority considering that they are coming to us rather then we to them. Perhaps superiority in the sense our standard of life and the way we live.
But bear in mind skin colour is the last on our minds. Your right we do share our skin colour with those from N.Africa but not with those from the south, Which at this stage are the majority of immegrants seeking asylum here ?
Please dont talk rubbish about us ! Potraying us like some hatred holding racist nation. We come from centuries of abuse ourselves. Did we go streaming off to Italy when the Turks invaded ? No we stood our ground and won. We are now full up and fed up.
We should be able to have our say !!

@Kurt Bailey
It is not racism it is a way of surviving Malta and Maltese, BTW if you don’t like our dark color are free to leave too.

I cannot stand vandalism, why they fight, burn and we pay for new things again. Is this fair for a family person, earning wage after a day of work to keep a standard family, pay regular taxes and then you see you taxes thrown away!

Blatant xenophobia. The focus is wrong. Everyone is missing the point. These people are being abused by organised crime. The focus should be on the criminals who have created an illegal market, not on the immigrants.

Dennis Catania: "The government has to tell the EU we are full and refuse to pick them up."

Immigrants in Malta are already in the EU unlike, say, immigrants in the USA.

@AlbertMuscat

So what if church goers decrease by the day, I could be an atheist but your friendly immigrants will want to impose their religion anyway. By the way do you go to church yourself ?
I think all the female population of these islands are excited at the prospect of having their rights thrown away and have those of a camel instead.
So what if the EU is so foolish to neglect GOD, that's one of the reasons that it will never work and eventually disentegrate by itself.
Our out of wedlock born babies are our local problems and NOT FOREIGN ONES
Your beloved European Union which I also voted for, maybe wants immigrants HOWEVER the CITIZENS of the EU ARE TOTALLY against this kind of policy. That's why the extreme right is gaining ground.
Most of our culture is based on our religion and christian heritage, Once our religion will be supressed all that's maltese will vanish with it. Maybe for you what's Maltese is not worth saving.
Although what JPO did at mistra will not change my opinion I must give him credit about this issue. HE HAD THE COURAGE to speak

@C.Sapiano

@P.Schembri

I'm sorry you are wrong. They made a reservation regarding terrorists coming to Malta.

But they still signed the resolution with the offending (!!!) clause.

@C.Sapiano

How is the government "trying to deal with the problem" ? By accepting buren sharing on a voluntary basis and then trying to make us believe that this was a big victory for Mala?!!! Or by giving 5000 Euros to entice them to go back to their country? Does it make sense that for example 7 of them take the 5000 Euros and leave, and the next day another boat arrives with 230 ? How is the government "trying to deal with the problem" ? With Frontex? Which instead of protecting the EU shores is making it even more easy for immigrants to take the risk ? Is it in this way that the government is "trying to deal with the problem" ? There is a big difference between "trying to", "knowing how" and "actually doing it".

@ Jo Micallef - "the majority would one day become ‘black’"
What is this? a kind of a disease or something? The problem in this country is actually racism - you really think you are superior because your skin is probably lighter than theirs. For me some of you Maltese look very similiar to people from Tunisia.

We attack the immigrants for taking our Jobs and I don’t see comments condemning employers.

We argue that immigrants taking tax payers money while we forget the Millions the EU allocates for illegal immigrants. Once at it, Doesn’t the 40% of our new born babies that either of unknown fathers or out of wed-lock babies coupled with single parents (by choice) milk our economy dry?

We argue Illegal immigrants are behind the decreased number of tourists and forgetting the international financial crises.

We argue that immigrants would ‘convert’ Malta, while the church goers are decreasing by day.

I also read that, immigrants are forcing authorities to remove the Crosses from schools and we are forgetting that in EU constitution we have no reference to God.

Immigrants would destabilize Malt’s population by immigrants high birth rate while the EU see the immigrants as a bless for Europe population’s deficit.

Immigrants and our culture.
Culture that has been built through thousands of years and feels threatened by immigrants-Is such culture worth saving? If those immigrants do that they must be super genius and I would love to learn from them.

JPO@ Its easy to talk

@Massimo Borg
Host Mine too !

@laurence schembri
It's not A Nation of Racists. It is a problem that should be solved. We cannot host people that we have to pay for their living and when they feel like they burn and protest and we buy things again !

First we have to survive as Malta and Maltese then we will observe EU regulations. If no one is helping us, we will have to manage our self’s, with new measurements for these immigrants. Now that someone of Gonzipn have woken, now we want to see more facts than talks !

It is imperative that the politicians listen to the people’s voices. Our society is sending
a clear message to both the government and the opposition – “unite and act now before it is
bloody too late in the interest of our nation”. No politician or a clergy has any right to
preach and teach us on how we shall integrate with those illegal immigrants, let alone
dare to impose or try to enforce integration with whom we do not want to share values and
with whom we are not accustomed to their culture or religion.

Proset Sur Orlando kellu bzonn partitarji ohrajn ma jatux kaz il kulur tal partit u jinqadu haga wahda biex nsalvaw pajjizna

"The problem is that this governement is giving them €5,000 to leave the country. So more will come to get these money, go back and get a decent life!"

...and then in the following years we will see them in Malta on board a cruise liner; on holiday!!

No statistics that indicate a decline in the number of illegal immigrants brought ashore
shall put our mind at rest and neither make us believe that this crucial issue is over and
done. It’s far from over. The influx of such illegal immigrants, which is practically
everyday, is of no news value anymore since it has become the order of the day. This
does not mean that our concerns are diminished, let alone forgotten. Far from
reality.

Over time, those immigrants will settle here, and will continue to increase in number, while the Maltese community will decline in number.

The truth is that, being a
small island, Malta would one soon lose its identity and the majority would one day
become ‘black’
Is this legacy that we would want to convey to the next generation?

Sejha ghall-protesta Nazzjonali u petizzjoni....halli naqtghu kull irbit u xkiel ghall-Helsien Nazzjonali.

I really think that until there'll be a real solution to this problem, we as Maltese people should start hosting a number of African people in our homes, if we have room. This is also an opportunity for us as Christians to act like ones. Maybe the minister will appoint someone to be in charge of this programme.

A Nation of Racists.

I just wish that all of you writing down here emphasising the problem of illegal emigration would be coherent in your behavior and put your actions where your mouth (or pen) is.

1-Let me not see you employing an African, to paint your home facade, because he's cheaper.
2-Let me not see you giving your manual task to some Maltese sangisug who employs african workers with cheap labour and consequently providing you with a cheaper bill.
3-Let me see you report your village's waste collection contractor to ETC each time you see a black person collecting your town's waste bins.
4-Let me see you boycott that restaurant (no matter how good it is) that employs non Maltese workers.
5-Let me see you leaving the entertainment place where you would know that there are Eastern European dancers. (jew dawk mhux problema wkoll ?)

Only when I see you being coherent in your action I will believe that you are not the bunch of hypocrites that I you look like- but what would you expect from a buch of people who get exited by his hon. JPO. !!!

@ Edward Fenech
"First Mistra, now this"
Do you want these immigrants to stay in Malta and keep living off US (our taxes)?!!? When they could be invested in something so much more important, example Education!!!
Well don JPO

@Andrew Borg Cardona: Definitely not shoot them or let them drown. Maybe we can bring the next boat to your house? Do you volunteer? Or are you just talk?? Aren't you suppose to be away for a few days? Where you will forget about Malta.

@Stephen Farrugia

The problem is that this governement is giving them €5,000 to leave the country. So more will come to get these money, go back and get a decent life!

It is obvious that the UNHCR representative owes his loyalty to his paymasters.

However I wish to draw his attention to the preamble of the Geneva Convention which refers to the "conciousness" that the Convention puts on small countries. In this respect, the 'small countries' definitely did not include Malta but to others such as Belgium etc. It is also worth noting that the Convention, drawn up 58 years ago, had in mind the persons displaced due to the second World War. It is therefore readily apparent that the UNHCR has remained 'concious' but done nothing, at least in so far as Malta is concerned, to solve the problem.except send delegations.

As I understand that the latest delegation included members from African countries, would it not have been a good idea for them to arrange to host the illegal immigrants in their own countries

while i have disagreed that it had to be JPO who spoke about this serious problem, it is easy to forcast that this problem is going to ESCALATE big time, and OVERWHELM us out of control.

Authorities,, PLEASE GIVE IT MAXIMUM URGENT ATTENTION. ALL the Maltese people is demanding this from you.

@G.Darmanin

Your arguments are biased and based on untruths. The present government is not encouraging immigration. It is trying to deal with a problem. Imagine if a left-wing government was in place - what would it have done? Like Mintoff maybe when he let Libyans do what they like in our country, and making Arabic compulsory...(Dont get me wrong nothing against other religions or races). And what does the future socialist PL intend to do, especially with their friends (and possible allies AD)?

I am not a lawyer so I need related stuff to be honestly and in words I can understand, to be explained to me. And us. It is a duty. Whosoever, however, is bound by duty - whether through election, warranted profession, etc. - to know the maritaime law, sea traffic and its movements. That is their job and it is expected of them. They also have the responsibility to find out whether, in such laws as exist at the moment there are clauses (I think they call them) that would make the expulsion of illegal immigrants from Malta perfectly legitimate. Malta must live, as it has always done, with honour. If the person who should know this is not doing his/her homework/duty. A onerous duty it is. It must be done. Treacherous, traitorous behaviour is not even remotely negotiable. The Maltese people deserve to have their emotional baggage lifted. They deserve this at least. And red, and blue, and the rest of the colours have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with it. The electorate need to take this last part on board. If they do not, they will iindeed deserve what ithey get.

@P.Schembri

I'm sorry you are wrong. They made a reservation regarding terrorists coming to Malta.

Grazzi, Grazzi u Grazzi. Int membru parlamentari li kapaci tqum u titkellem mhux f'isem il-kostitwetni tieghek biss (ghajr ghal DAphne Caruana Galizia), imma f'isem il -poplu kollu. Int ghidt dak li l-poplu malti u imbezzgha minnu. Ma qaghdx tibza' ghax mhux il-linja tal -partit jew tal-gvern. Tkellimt f'ismna. Ta' dan nibqa' obligat lejk. Din il-problema qieghda tifninha. Hemm bzonn li xi hadd iqum u jiggieled ghal intereesi taghna l-Maltin. Jien nazzjonalist tal-principju imma fuq din il-problema ghandna bzonn lill-xi hadd bhal perit Mintoff li fejn jidhol il-gid ta'Malta jekk hemm bzonn ghandna niehdu pozizzjoni cara anke jekk hemm bzonn ninjoraw xi ftehim internazzjonali li Malta ffrimat qabel. Hemm wiehed juri lill pajjizi ohra li jew tghinnuna bis-serjeta u mhux bil-paroli.
Nerga intennilek grazzi u forsi b'hekk tqajjem xi naqra lill Prim Ministru Dr. Gonzi u jiehu pozizzjoni aktar favur in-nazzjon Malti. Ghax qabel li ahna ewropej ahna ghandna nazzjon jismu Malta x'niehdu hsieb.

How about hosting the illegal immigrants with Maltese families? This should ease the burden from the government/POLICE/ARMY and at the same time help with the integration of these poor people!!! All their children should be sent to church schools as a charitable gesture by the church and any extra illegals should then be housed in hotels which have a low occupancy. NOW STAND UP ALL OF YOU AND START ACCEPTING THEM IN YOUR HOMES ETC ETC. Then we will know what the people voted for and what they really want. I'm sure all the members of parlament can afford to take a couple each.....

I do agree with JPO, he is right all the way. What about if we collect enough signatures so that we promote the government to make a referendum that would free Malta from the commitments taken on these illegal immigrants

J. Busuttil:

"All Left wing parties are in favour of immigration"

Wrong. The Dutch Liberal or Socialist (i forget which) Party is against immigration, because in their view immigration leads to exploitation and abuse of said migrants. Interesting take on the argument don't you think?

As for JPO, the word 'bandwagon' springs to mind immediately...

JPO, ten points for your stand on this issue . Though supporting the PN, and with conviction, this is one issue where I feel that both the party and the government are being weak,ineffective and chickening out of doing what needs to be done.

For a start, Government should first protest strongly and if necessary, break off diplomatic relations with Libya. If there is this supposedly special relationship with Libya, which we've been told about so often, why doesn't this special friend of the Maltese people do something to stop this exodus from his coasts? Birds of a feather flock together, and I have nothing in common with either Gaddafi or his country, except that I was forced to study arabic as a child,thanks to Mintoff. I am a citizen of europe, though disappointed to see that the EU I voted for, is toothless and totally ineffective in solving this problem.The Frontex patrols are a bad joke if not an embarassment. Maybe giving the next EU elections a miss isn't such a bad idea after all.....

Mistra or no Mistra, well done JPO. I hope that more MP's from the government side stand up to be counted on this issue.

Well done JPO. It seems that you are the only one living in reality and can forsee the problem we maltese will be facing in the not so far future. This is realistic cause wherever you are everbody talks about this crisis. We are behind anyone who deals with this situation, no matter which political party being PN, LP, or AN. This is an NP (National Problem). Its incredible to read certain comments comparing Mistra with illegal immigration. What has it got to do. In a difficult situation like this politics should be placed to one side. Fair enough we do our best to help these people, but we help those who are actually in need and to a certain extent, but you cannot exceed the limit. PM Gonzi should appoint either a Min or a PS for just illegal immigration, may be we try to start doing something in action not by words, and I think JPO would be the proper choice, cause he is out spoken.

Finally a politician with eyes in his face and sense in his chatter.

To Mr. Neil of the UNHCR. If a country as large as Libya did not sign any treaty with the 'Talking Shop' you work for, why should a small island like Malta have signed such an agreement? I personally in the past was denied to come to Malta and work here due to my nationality even though both my parents are Maltese.

If this signing with that organisation distant away from here is the problem - then sign back out again. Why must we try to be different? We must look after our people as others do.

the UNHCR does not take into account the interests of small host nations like us. Its only I repeat only interest is the refugee. If a ship with 25000 people comes all claiming refugee status UNHCR will tell us "You must obey, take them in, I do not care if they wreck havoc to your country, bankrupt you all and force you into emigration, you must obey our International Laws". this organisation does not distinguish between a floating village and a country. We need to renounce its laws get out and fight for recognition as a small state that needs protection. we must stop acting as a large country besides half of africa speaks french the other half english you know what i mean?

" We're full up " & those that are here can pack up and leave.

@J. Martinelli
JPO had the courage to break ranks from the imposed silence from our party not to talk about the most dangerous threat our country has faced. Not even during the war our country faced such a danger. The trojan horse is slowly being pulled within the walls sooner or later we will have to face the danger face to face. This time we have no shelters or bastions to give us protection.
The PN is at lost what to do, thus giving labour a great occasion on a silver plate. It would be foolish from their part not to make any gain from this, since the PN has no solution to give. The PrimeMinister if he's to regain the thrust of the people should stop acting politely and submissively with Brussels and make it clear that we will take no more no matter what. I hate to say it but it this case Dom Mintoff style is needed with the EU.
To all those who believe that the elections in June are a solution you are wasting your time. Abrogation of Dublin II Yes

In my comments, I always call a spade a spade. I don't share the same political views as those of Dr. Pullinico Orlando, but he is right. I fully agree with him. We've had enough now. IMO, we have had enough not now but years ago. But it's never too late. This is a subtle invasion. I'm sorry, our country is not a refugee camp, I'm sorry. Dr. Pullicino Orland, your'e right, please push further! Well done.

David Pisani
Populist way because AN and CNI are exposing the truth and telling our hibernating government what it should do?

simon james schembri
STOP repeating that blatant LIE. Your Gonezipn MEOPs also voted in favour and no, no terrorists will be hosted in Malta.

As for Socialism, it has given women their vote, equal pay, children allowance, etc...etc...
Capitalism was and is treating them as slaves or as we say in Maltese, bħal-lumija magħsura.

First Mistra, now this.

@simon james schembri

If what you say it's true (EU socialists are in favour of immigration from Africa and the Middle East) then I guess that both our Priminister and Minister for Justice and Home Affairs are socialists because both of them are putting into practice what you have described!!!

And do what, after we declare Malta full up? Shoot them on the beaches? Let them drown? For a few minutes there, you were sounding reasonable. Don´t blow it for the sake of populist posturing.

@J Martinelli: JPO doesn't need to go to our shores and send the arriving boats back. The government has to tell the EU we are full and refuse to pick them up. We need to tell the EU enough is enough. The Eu needs to pick them up and bring them to mainland Europe.

Later we will deport the illegals already in Malta. Unless Canada and Mainland Europe want to help and take them. There is millions of open square miles of land in Canada. J Martinelli talk to somebody in Canada maybe you can influence the Canadian government.

Well done JPO on this one 10 out of 10. We need more politicians that have the guts to speak ther minds out and not just puppets on a string. I think if you add all the sick, disabled, pensioners, unemployed, prisoners, unmarried mothers, illegal immigrants and bums depending on our social benefits, they will unbalance the onest taxpayer.

Joe Xuereb
I presume u are living in the UK, so u are accustomed with the phenomena of the illegal immigrants, why see them in Malta disturb you or tourist so much? I know of many English and German friends that used to come to Malta are not gonna make it this summer simply because they don’t have money. It would make many of us a big favour if some peoples save their fuel-adding from far.

@JPO

Stick to dentist please

Dr. Falzon may be correct about Libya’s behaviour concerning refugees. But according to UNHCR itself, “The principle of non-refoulement – the idea that people should not be
forced to return to countries where they face persecution – has become part of customary international law and is binding on all states. Therefore no government should expel a person in those circumstances.” (page 13 – Q&A).

http://www.unhcr.org/basics/BASICS/3c0f495f4.pdf

As far as it is known, Libya is not indulging in persecution, so Malta has every right to send illegal immigrants back to Libya, if they have come from there.

I have no problem living with a few genuine refugees around, but it is doubtful that the majority of illegal immigrants are refugees.

Can Dr. Falzon let us know how many refugees were accepted for resettlement by Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the United States of America, and by Benin, Burkina Faso, Brazil, Chile, and Iceland during the past couple of years? What amount has the UNHCR allocated to Malta for the resettlement of the genuine refugees? Do not these have a right for resettlement in a third country?

http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3bb2eadd6.html

The European Parliament has urged EU member states to help the US shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison camp by accepting some detainees.

A resolution on Guantanamo was passed by a large majority of MEPs - 542 for, 55 against and 51 abstentions.

It called for EU states to accept low-risk prisoners who cannot be sent home for fear they might be mistreated.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7868282.stm for the full story

One word will define what we are. "Racists"

@C.Sapiano. Stop repeating fallacies re Guantanamo. Check with your MEP's if they didn't sign the resolution about the prisoners of Guantanamo. They acted just like the PL MEP's did. They signed the resolution. If you don't get it, it means that they agreed to the resolution too as much as the PL MEP's did. So please, for your credibility's and your party's sake stop spreading lies.

Well done JPO. The people thank you . They were yearning for someone in government to speak LIKE THIS. However, I shall go one step further and say that Malta is "overbooked".
But is he going to be alone in this? It would be a great pity.

well done on this one Jeffrey. no ifs no buts.

OK Jeffrey - we all agree Red, Blue or Green - we are full up.

We are also FED UP with easy talk and I therefore respectfully suggest that at the news that another boatload is about to arrive, you personally attend at the landing spot and order the immigrants back.

When you see the back of these immigrants, returning where they came from, then you can start crowing.

Calmly look at two realities.

1) Last year the 27 EU states signed a voluntary burden sharing agreement about which our government harped so many praises.

2) Earlier this month in the EUparliament, 3 PL members voted with the huge majority for, while the 2 PN members joined the minority of 55 from a parliament of over 700, against the transfer of detainees at Guantamo Bay camp. So what ? Can anyone inform us how many of our Mainland Solidarity Comrades have volunteered to share our burden of the at least 5000 illegal immigrants ? Will our government, on the other hand, opt to accept any of the detainees at the Guantanamo Camp ? I wonder !! So please, stop this biggotry, and stop trying to treat us all like some gullible nincompoops !!!

About JPO: JPO was not accused of any wrongdoing. He is an MP. So he has every right to bring forth peoples concerns. And to all those who never done something wrong please come foward otherwise STOP your allegations. On the illegal immigration issue. ALL left wing parties are in favour of migrants and multiculruralism. If if the PL in Malta speak about being preoccupied by illegal immigration it is sanctioned by THE PARTY OF EUROPEAN SOCIALISTS (PSE) as has happened in the GUANTANAMO AFFAIR . Labour is not really transperent.

So according to Mr. falzon gaddafi cannot be trusted to deal with the migrants in a fair manner (if they are returned to libya) because he did not sign the UN convention. Does that mean that he is exempt from acting civilized? Does it mean that a nation who refuses to sign the UN convention against torture has a right to torture people? If libya is not acting according to basic human laws then the UNHCR should go to gaddafi and tell him to his face that unless he abides by the rules he will be penalized. But of course the UNHCR will do no such thing. Gaddai is untouchable because unlike tiny Malta he is sitting on millions of barrels of black gold. All we are sitting on is rock and I don't know for how long.

@ C.Sapiano and M.Cutajar
why don't you both stop it??? BOTH your parties have failed the Maltese ppl....
PN -- Afraid of their EU Masters
MLP - Trying to capitalize from any situation
Both AFRAID to commit themselves...it is already too late
I just hope the Malti realizes this and votes elsewhere in June.. Only AN has proposed anything...as hard as the proposals may seem, they still are not enough to solve this DISASTER we are in.....

I don't agree when someone talks in a populist way. I am referring to AN and CNI.

We have to see what proposals PL and Pullicino Orlando have on this. Lets wait and see.

With regards to MEPS, please check facts first. From both sides you have MEPS who vote in favour. We have to press the Goverment to hold a referendum on EU Treaty.

If Treaty passes in Ireland we will lose the right for veto. But here political parties are only concerned of sixth seat.

With regards to Guantanamo only 50 MEPS voted against. One could argue that these 50MEPS are against human rights, cos Amnesty and Human rights Watch are in favour of Guantanamo closure. No country in Europe is obliged to host prisoners. Everyone country is free to decide. Here we are talking of 60 prisoners.

@ m.cutajar
EU socialists are in favour of immigration from Africa and the Middle East. The socialist government of many EU nations, actually have an open door immigration policy. Even the Green and the Liberal Parties. And top it all, they even give votes to the immigrants so they stay in power. Case in point Sweden, Holland, and the UK, where non- Europeans are entering at the rate of over 100,000 per year. They don't really need them, since now Europe is in a bad recession, but they still let them in. EU socialist don't care what people want, they have hell bent on diversity and multiculturalism at all costs. NO ONE CAN DENY THIS !

Thats why they voted for bringing Guantanamo inmates into Europe. No sane person could possibly want terrorists inside Europe! But evidently socialist parties have other ideas, irrispective of whether they make sense. The fact that PL agreed on this, makes them equally dangerous.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, one would hope that Socialism would be dead and buried. But it is still out there doing damage...

@ Corrinne Vella,

Denis Catania has never stopped being Maltese, no matter where he lives, just like thousands of other Maltese who are living abroad.
He can come and settle in Malta at any time and vote for who he wants to, just like thousands upon thousands of other Maltese and their children, who are not on Malta at the moment.
They have that right.

Malta needs to opt out of any treaty that is not in its national interest.
The large democratic nations do this all the time.

@michael cutajar

Theres no bunker Mr.Cutajar - stop the paranoia (So I can write the same on your red bunker, but I won't). I answered your questions indirectly. But I'l be simplistic with you and I will answer you directly:

Question 1 -Answer - Its not dissent but democratic discussion and maturity. This is what the middle-classes want. (In PL it doesnt exist?)

Question 2 - Answer - The PM is deciding in the interests of the nation not backtracking on projects. (Mr U-Turn is your leader, EU, Ellul Bonici ETC...) In fact in the case of St.John, even the Archbishop stood side by side with him.

Question 3 - Answer - Illegal Immigration IS on the agenda of PN - MEP's like Simon Busuttil are doing their best and many PN MP's are voicing their concern on the immigration problem. What are PL members doing. Attard Montalto is still sleeping?. What about the fact that your socialist brothers in Europe are in favour of more immigration ? What about the voting record regarding immigration of the PSE in comparison to the PPE? What about Guantanamo? Are you emulating the Spanish socialists? Now YOU answer me Mr.Cutajar

@ Dennis Catania. According to one a Corinne Vella (just a name in print, nothing much else) - how dare you have political affiliations when you do not even live in Malta. I have never voted in Malta and am not likely to ever. According to this woman, I should lie in a shallow grave and disappear. I was a frequent visitor to my country at one time but not for a long time.
I can understand partisanship, just, in times of peace but now? Many, too many have had ther swipe at Jeffery (to me just a name. Mistra? Is this a place? A new name for mortal sin?). This is a time to bury hatchets (if ever there was one) and come together to look at a dangerous situation collectively. The Pullicino detractors just show invective but no suggestion of a solution. Shallow or what? I wonder what their agenda is.
I, like many tourists, am deciding about visits to Malta with my feet, going in the opposite direction. Sad or what?! Meeting the mealy-mouthed will have to wait.

The Government’s latest attempt of voluntary burden sharing by other EU countries is also proving to be a failure. In fact the latest offer by France, one of the strongest European countries to consider taking 70 refugees, is an insult to our intelligence. Boasting about this poor offer by the Government, rubs even more salt to open wounds. Now that our small country is reeling under this heavy burden of illegal immigration with no respite in sight, it is also natural that the great majority of the Maltese expect their leaders to changes course. To persevere in following policies which lead to nowhere is self delusion at best, and can only delay the inevitable. To act in self-defence in order to survive, or to ward off extinction, is the most natural of all laws and no self imposed restrictions or dictates from other countries should impede us from taking all the necessary steps to save ourselves first and foremost.

At least the PN has one man who speaks out blunt and this is what the maltese people want to hear. Well done JPO

This is not a matter of racial hatred, but the issue itself is posing a big threat to both our
security and identity, and ultimately our economy. The armed forces and the police are
dedicating much of their resources and energy on this problematic issue. They must focus
on our nation’s security, drug trafficking, safety, illegal fireworks and on law enforcement in
general.

The International Community is not addressing this issue seriously and is not adhering to the ‘share bearing agreement’. In order to break up this tremendous wave of influx of illegal immigrants and break up this racket of human traffickers that are exploiting and using illegal immigrants as a source of illegal enrichment, we should send them back. The Agency Frontex has failed miserably in its mission and the talks with Libya proved to be a waste of time . However, this critical issue should be managed competently, capably, and ethically both locally and within the EU fora.

Sp let us unite in a common front, organise a silent march through the streets, stand up and say enough is enough. Let us defend our nation ourselves and let the politicians (not all)continue sleeping on this critical issue.

I agree 100% with JPO!

Hope there will be more MPs, from both sides of the House, who take a similar stand. As the situation has long since become unsustainable and uncontrollable!

Thank you JPO for voicing our concerns. At least someone have the guts to break the "omerta" agreed on by the two big parties.

@Mario Bonnici
Try to look beyond your nose Mr Bonnici. There is currently half a billion Africans elegible to come live in Malta. The more we take in, the more will come. If the EU were to agree to share the burden, they would start coming-in in an ever increasing numbers. "The only solution is" to keep them out. But I guess, you're only intesrested in promoting LP MEPs.

Well said JPO, finally somebody saw the light!!

Come, now, Mr. Galea, I represent no-one. I am just a Maltese citizen - like you - expressing my own opinion, as permitted by this column. Which means that pointing out that nobody voted for me (and if so, in which capacity?) is perfectly redundant, because it was never claimed or suggested in the first place. You may note, for example, that I try to avoid using 'we'.
Time to get back (more or less) on topic.
Dr. Neil Falzon, representing UNHCR, is perfectly correct in stating UNHCR policy. He is not claiming to represent the Maltese people, and is in fact not the Maltese representative to the United Nations unless I am completely misinformed.

@C.Sapiano. Why not ask your PN MEP's if they haven't signed the same resolution about the prisoners of Guantanamo as the PL MEP'S did? You'll find that they signed it also. So please stop trying to fool us about this terrorist phobia you're trying to raise!!!!

The only solution to the problem is a ‘strong political will’ and those illegal immigrants
should be sent back into international waters in the direction they came from. Those that
are detained should be gradually sent back to either their country where they can re-
establish themselves or to other countries which are willing to accept them. Malta together
with EU countries could help them shape their future in their own native country. Only
then Malta would be relieved.

I solemnly urge the Parliament to appoint a Parliamentary Committee from both sides of
the House, so as to outline a strategic plan and report to the Parliament within a reasonable
period of time. The Committee must be fully committed to deliver. Then the government
starts implementing those measures to ensure that those illegal immigrants are taken back
to their own country and halt the wave of influx of illegal immigrants before the summer
recess.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando is acting as a voice for the people who are concerned for Malta's future. Thank you for having the guts to state the facts as they really are. I can't commend you enough for your courage. If only we had more like-minded politicians with the will to protect Malta and its citizens.

Neil Falzon, you have no idea what unimaginable horrors you are inviting on this country with your insistence that Malta is unable to stem the tidal wave of illegal immigrants that's threatening to engulf us all!

@ C Sapiano

there you go. spot on. Nationalist Party apologists like you have to delve in the past to rebut my arguments. You are no longer credible. You might spin the dead tree media but not this.

No wonder the many are realising that the nationalist party is the party representing the past whereas the Partit Laburista is the future. The nationalist party was the future once. Not anymore. Cant you understand that this government is an analog party in the digital age? Cant you read the comments being posted here by nationalist party members and supporters? The writing is on the wall!

by the way....you failed the test. no questions answered. What happened to the generals at the Bunker?

JPO, do you sincerely think that by trying to become populist and make some sound, we are going to forget your Mistra fiasco? Don’t even try to take your voters for a ride.

Why do some commentators in this column have to grab the first opportunity to turn their comments into partisan politics?

Let us all realize in what situation our country is in and see what actions can be taken to solve this huge problem and please stop being immature and naïve.

We need to convince our government that Malta is in a dire situation and unless solutions are found, Malta is going to lose what is has today and that our future and our children’s future is in real jeopardy!

I am convinced that our government is really concerned about this situation, but probably it has its hands tied-up and cannot find a quick solution to this crisis!

Yes, we are “Full-Up”!

So, let us all work together to find a solution to this problem and let us welcome aboard all people of goodwill.

So, yes, Jeffery Pullicino Orlando, Robert Arrigo, Joseph Muscat, Azzjoni Nazzjonali, etc…, you are more than welcomed to unite together to fight this common cause.

"VIVA L-PATRIOTIZMU MALTI"

../..

Agree completely with JPO!

Glad to see that you are back doing what you know best.

i believe that most if not all agree the immigration issue is a serious problem.

IT IS CLEAR that the EU will not act in the interest of Malta!!!

so let us ALL unite about this issue. we need to take care of ourselves.

to JPO: we appreciate your effort but you can clearly see that you are still in the minds of many people about the Mistra issue.

other persons in authority who should really be tackling it and talking about this serious problem.

The Maltese people have human rights too, especially in their own small country.
The Maltese people have no international obligation to take an indefinite (repeat indefinte, that is, endless) number of Africans or whatever on the spurious argument that they need protection. Malta needs protection from the tsunami of illegal immigrants that will engulf us if if do not put a stop to it.
Malta has no internaional obligation to make up for Libya's failures. Neither Neil Falzon nor anybody has put a NUMBER on Malta's so-called international obligation to take on illegal immigrants. Is Malta ready to accept 10 000, 100 000 or 1 000 000 of them? If not, how many? That's the question.

@ Neil Falzon. You are paid to do your job but please do not interfere with the wish of the majority of the Maltese. This is a democratic country and you should respect the will of the majority to get these people out as soon as possible. We have enough problems of our own. These are added burdens which we cannot afford. These foreign youngsters should be repatriated as soon as possible and make some contribution to their own countries and not escape to live on our backs.

Its people like Michael Cutajar that make me laugh. He doesn't know that unlike left-wingers, I right because I am a free person. U know what freedom is Mr.Cutajar? Having your own socialist station is freedom unlike the PN which could not have one in the 1980's. And for your information immigration is on the PN'S agenda unlike the PL which only wants to bring terrorists to increase the problem.

Dennis Catania: Malta first political parties second, eh? Very clever - except that you first identify yourself as 'a Nationlist' and 'PN supporter' and you live in the USA.

God bless Dennis Catania. You're a never ending source of wild entertainment.

@Michael Cutajar

I recieved no instructions from a bunker for your information !. Why is it what you socialists do?? I write when I feel I should write.
The PL has even more dissent (Jason Micallef vs. James Piscopo for example), but the difference is that the PN is democratic and when need come it unites. The PN will govern the full five years unlike the PL. Its the PL that is panicking because it has been in opposition and can only mobilise the gullibe Super 1 working class supporters.

@Michael Cutajar

Bil-mod, bil-mod, tohodhomx bi kbar!!

Le ma naf xejn minn dan. Naf li l-elezzjoni li jmiss fi 2013!!!!

Irrespective of other issues some of you might have against JPO....

I applaud him for being the only person from our Govt's cabinet side for standing up, showing he's got guts, and being one of the few who has spoke out full sense regarding this issue...

...and yes, I love his proposal.

I cannot understand some of the people's comments here !!!
We should be applauding Mr. JPO for voicing his opinion not insulting him, we should all link arms together (don't bring other issues or Politics in this situation) and resolve this problem we have with these migrants.
MALTA is for Maltese and people that enters our shores legally not by an other circumstances, we are looming for trouble (I seen this happening in UK).
ACTION NOT JUST WORDS OR COMMENTS.

@MichaelCutajar

Illegal immigration is a national emergency. Are you incapable of treating as such and of resisting indulging in cheap poltical propaganda? What is absolutely necessary at this stage is to present a united front against the unreasonable demands of the EU and the UNHCR.

@Niel Falzon

Somalia has a population of nine and a half million plus.

How many ILLEGAL migrants, according to you can Malta host? ..............................................
(Fill the space with a number not words.)

@Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando the facebook Group Save Malta From Illegal Immigration 1and 2 with it's 5,000 members and still growing supports you. A high percentage of PN supporters I talked to, support you. Keep up the pressure. Malta and the Maltese needs you. You are a leader, we are behind you.

Malta first, a political party any political party should always be far second.

It's true what he says about the great United States. I've seen our great Coast Guard using boats to push away Haitian boat people to prevent them from entering the United States. This was seen on local TV on numerous time.

God bless America and Malta.

The fist constitutional obligation for any government is to serve and protect the county and our citizens. This is a national issue let’s not politicise it like we always tend to do.

We have a huge problem that must be taken care of immediately. Our European “friends” are giving us the cold shoulder about burden sharing. The only country that really gave us a helping hand was the USA with the work of the previous ambassador Ms. Bordonaro.

I must ask Mr Falzon, does he or the UNHCR have any suggestions how we must tackle this escalating problem? If not I must agree with JPO.
Our primary obligation is towards the country and the citizens and must be prior to any other international obligation.

I am sure this MP has gained a lot of points with the public. Is he going to be the only one?

JPO is to be commended for the stance he is taking, whilst our Prime Minister Dr Lawence Gonzi is hibernating in Castille. How can a Prime Minister remain aloof from a major problem being faced by the greater majority of the people in these islands. We feel threatened and un-safe in our own home. We want Gonzi to stop sleeping and start doing his duty in foreign countries and tell them that we are full-up! Defending our territory is a natural right, that is why there are passports visas and documents.Enough is enough and the UN and NGO's should stop bullying us to continue to accept ILLEGAL immigrants.

Let's unite as one front. This is Malta's future we're talking about and let's rid of politics over this issue!!

Yeah. We're full up with you as well. Why don't you go back to journalism?

lanca gejjjaaa u ohrraa gejjjaaa ...doesn't really rhyme.. soo please make it apply for the traditional song... lanca gejjja u ohhra sejrraaa ! before we become out numbered!

@M Callus
@M Catania
@C Sapiano

Very well. The nationalist apologists have received instructions from the bunker to shoot down my comment. Very well coordinated indeed.

Now here is a test for you. Go back at the bunker and tell them to answer the following questions:
1) do they deny that there is increasing dissent amongst the nationalist members of parliament
2) is it not true that Lawrence Gonzi is facing the music and is back tracking on several projects he himself proposed?
3) Is it not true that the Nationalist Party has and still is refusing to put illegal immigration on the national agenda?
you look credible when you answer to these questions. Now lets see who will be first to come back with an answer. play time is over and the generals at the bunker know it.

John Betts
I at least represent my families John. The Maltese citizens are representing themselves on The Times and other media and through the PL and other parties and the parliamentary representatives of both political who have the guts to stand up and be counted.

Neither YOU not Neil Falzon were elected to represent us.

Furthermore, the surveys both by The Times and the EU show that the VAST MAJORITY do not want the illegal immigrats in Malta.

M Callus, M. Catania, C.Sapiano
Don't bet on it.

Kenneth spiteri
They were not Kenneth, for they have been living for years in Libya.

@ at JPO

The only way you can redeem yourself is by bringing this governemt down and joining LP or AD.

@Joseph Calleja

Rest assured that politicians have already more then enough power to do what it takes regarding illegal immigration policies, yes even in the norms of our constitution, no need for marshall laws or emergency powers. All they need more is goodwill toward their own people, their own nation, besides that I definitely agree with you.

The UNHCR representatives and local NGOs who are supporting the illegal immigrants, you must be ashamed of your selves thus you are not patriotic to your beloved country. In my opinion your duty is to self guide the interest of our country and of our people and the future of generations to come.

The illegal immigrates that are ending on our shores are not refugees at all, but are seeking better future in Europe thus if they are running from prosecution or war in their respected country then they should apply for refuges status in their neighboring countries and not cross Africa to end in Europe Mr. Neil Falzon.

GonziPN, do not put your head in the sand like the ostrich, it is your duty to self guide the interest of our beloved country, take the bull by the horn and act in the interest of MALTA and in the interest of generations to come and stop being a puppet on a string.
Otherwise you and your party will go down in history that you ruined our country, I 'm sure you do not want to see in years to come Malta ending like England, Holland, French etc.

JPO is right....we should copy what Berlusconi followed re Lampedusa and any/all empty plane seats heading down ought to be filled to capacity with said illegal emigrants and return them...
only then will any effective action be taken....

till then most we could expect is more ineffective meetings.....

I must congratulate JPO for being straight rather than beat around the bush, other politicians should follow suit and have the courage to express their true opinion on this issue.

As for Neil Falzon, he is merely doing his job, its up to our Goverment to do his now and that is to protect our National interest regardless of what Neil Falzon states.

jeffrey pullicino orlando is saying things as they are. in reality they are even worse. i still cannot understand why policemen do not stop people who clearly do not have permission to stay in malta and ask for their ID / passports etc. as in done in Milan.just go to the gzira and msida front amongst other places, just go the 5 star hotels with people working as chambermaids, cleaners and dishwashers and c the amount of foreigners who clearly should not be there. what about the man emptying your bins into the scamel? and do not tell me they have a work permit from ETC, because most of them ETC never gets to know about! and do not tell me that the maltese people do not want to do these type of jobs because i have seen chambermaids crying because their hotel wont turn them into full-timers despite promises, because of the cheap labour of these people, whose standards do not even compare with that of our maltese workers!

@Kenneth spiteri

Creating and keeping instability forms parts of both USA and EU strategic policies (to sell weapons as well as to keep hold on natural resources); this can be clearly seen in both Africa and Middle East.

Libya’s which is the key player in the immigrants issue understand that very well and they are answering back and putting the fate of all European governments in the hands of both regular and irregular.
Immigrants can get politicians in power and could also oust many off power!

On Friday,14th December 2007 MEP Dr. John Attard Montalto wrote a factual article that may interest those who seriously wish to be aware of the core problem of Africa. Here I quote a paragraph - (The scramble for Africa has started all over again. In the colonial period, European nation-states competed between themselves. After World War II, the US permitted Europe to continue to dominate the continent, on the reckoning that the boost to the European economies would boost trade with the US itself.)

Please read the full article to note that, what Europe is facing today is actually European design and we are victims in between.

I think that every one has got something to see and hide as the saying goes " Nahseb Kullhadd B`Subajh Dritt ", but at least J.P.O. has got the guts to say what is right and what is wrong,not like the other MP ,just like a tortoise,hide inside their shell, WELL DONE J.P.O.

I wonder if Neil Falzon has got any children.
If so does he care for thir future?
I totally agree with Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.

Skuzi, imma lill-Maltin min ha joffrilhom kenn mit-taxxi bla tmiem, eluf ta' klandestini li qed jigu hawn kull sena, hruq u tkissir kwazi ta' kuljum, serq u drogi bla razan, prezzijiet tal-propjeta' mitt darba tal-pagi annwali, pagi tal-qamel u standard ta' l-ghejxien baxx u li qed jaqa' jigri? L-UE? Hlief kliem ta' "solidarjeta' estrema", "voluntarja" u "obbligatorja" u ftit flus biex issoddulna halqna f'wicc din l-invazjoni ma tawniex. Jigri x'jigri, Malta ma nistghux naghmluha ikbar u iktar sinjura. Il-5000€ li qed naghtuhom hu serq fuq ic-cittadini mill-gvern.

JPO, you should have spoken out ages ago. This is just a spin of yours.

Tidher li l-elezzjoni tal-MEPs qieghda wara l-bieb. X'gost qed taghtuni.

kind attention Ms Lara Cauchi

I always used to hold Mr Pullicino orlando in high esteem. with that mistra case, he has lost th trust of Many if not MOST people, because we trust POLITICIANS to take care of our heritage and countryside and not be the ones who undermine it!!

so yes,,, we have a right to say ' please keep your mouth shut'.

and please,,,, a person who 'misuses' his power for his own gain at the expense of the people is slightly,,,,,,,, different that a person changing his opinion about something. id this so hard to grasp??

r ferriggi

Rafel Sammut, what about track records or parliamentary voting records or his history of alliances or his speeches?
Here is one :
"Talk of suspending human rights considerations to tackle the issue should be dismissed as a brazen attempt at gaining cheap political points by riding on the wave of popular concern.” (2007, JPO).

Dr. Neil Falzon is quoting how the 1951 Dublin Convention is interpreted and not what it really states. I invite all readers to look up the Dublin Convention and read carefully that when it comes to humanitarian protection eligibility, it blatantly states ' country of origin'. This is where the current administration should stick to its guns and together with a group of technocrats (Lawyers and Criminologist in this case) should claim that the government decides to take unilateral action due to two main reasons.

1. Malta is in a state of emergency where demographically, illegal immigrants are a direct threat to the Maltese nation. The security forces are extremely outnumbered thus, the stability of the nation is in direct jeopardy.

2. All the immigrants with the exception of Libyan and Tunisian nationals are not entitled for asylum application since the 1951 convention clearly states (country of origin). This is simple geography.

If Libya is not a signatory that is not our moral or legal responsibility.

Keith Caruana B.A Crim (Hons).


Reference :

http://www.unhcr.org/publ/PUBL/419c778d4.pdf

See page 189 of Aritcle 31of the 1951 Convention.

Why are people critisizing JPO for speaking out what all the Maltese are thinking ??
I don't care who, but if Someone (even if he is Gahan, the village idiot, cikku il-poplu, peppi etc..) speaks out against this DISGRACE and offers a solution to this DISASTER, he will have my support...
Keep it up JPO...
WE NEED TO GET RID OF ALL ILLEGALS.......
Maltin look towards AZZJONI NAZZJONALI

This stand by JPO is interesting indeed. However words are easy.

Let us see what happens if a vote is taken in Parliament........

The Government's 'blind bat' approach to illegal immigration is definitely an Achilles heel.

Thanks goes to JPO for standing up to his own party to address an issue which has the vast majority of the population worried over. Malta needs to make a stand now as we can t allow for a situation where 10,000 new migrants a year becomes the norm! Please for the sake of the coutnry would Dr Gonzi step down and make room for someone else from his own party to take us on the right track.

Please stop the politics, if Pullicino Orlando or any other elected official can in some way take care of the illegal immigration problem, more power to them. I would like to see more politicians develop a backbone, come out and talk freely about the illegal immigration problem, whether it be PN,PL, AN or any other party. This problem can only be solved by Maltese and nobody else. No outside agency is willing to dirty their hands to help Malta.
A very wise person once told me.
NOBODY IS GOING TO WASH YOUR FACE SO YOU WILL LOOK BETTER THAN HIM!
So why should any other EU state help Malta? Words to think about.

As the saying goes "in the face of defeat ,the best strategy is defiance".
Sorry JPO but you disappointed every one who voted for you.

Mr. I Galea told the UNHCR representative (some posts back) "You do not represent a single Maltese citizens [sic] except YOURSELF."
Neither do you, Mr. Galea, in spite of your repeated assertive use of the first-person, plural personal pronoun.

I can't understand why all the vitriol against JPO. perhaps he erred in the mistra affair but that doesn't mean he should be ostracized out of existance. I know a certain someone (actually I know several someones!) who five years ago were leading a holy war against the EU and today they are championing the union like it was their own creation.
As for Mr. Falzon's comment. May I know if the UNHCR has a representative in Libya? I have been asking this question for months but so far the silence was deafening. mr. Falzon it's easy to quote laws but laws ae effective when everyone obeys them and when those who don't get punished. The way things are the punished are the real victims of this tragedy, namely us.

Thanks to the circumstances, the truth about illegal immigration is coming out! Yes, JPO might be trying to regain popularity, but if he defends our territory and resources from illegal immigration, this is more than welcome. JPO continue with your aims, if you succeed, this will redeem you of all your past mistakes.

Proset JPO for calling a spade a spade, we need to send them back at once and by the way Mr Neal Falzon need I remind you that when Malta was on the verge of a civil war, no foreign country raised a finger to our aid and it was the maltase alone that dwelt with the problem, accordingly WHY is it that we have to be the salvation of Africa? STOP playing holier then thou please! You will agree that morality is subject to interpretation.

Mario Bonnici
The ONLY solution is to expel ALL illegal immigrats whatever anyone says. No compromise.

C Calleja
Whatever JPO is trying to do we are full up and shall never accept ONE single illegal immigrant to remain here and integrate within Maltese society.

Shooting the messenger never made any sense.

Regardless of what JPO did or did not do on other occasions, in this case his stand is correct. I would even suspect that anyone who does not agree that we are in a dire situation either has never visited Marsa, Birzebbugia and most construction sites, or else - as has been already suggested - really has a hidden agenda,

To Neil Falzon.
You do not represent a single Maltese citizens except YOURSELF.
WE ARE BEING INVADED by your ILLEGAL immigrants.
We want ALL of them OUT of OUR country.

Kick the rock over and look what crawls out.JPO is absolutely correct to state that we are not only "FULL UP" but moreover, "FED UP"-however,it is with corrupt and economical with the truth politicians that this statement applies most germanely.

@Michael Cutajar

Lanqas intom ghattxanin ghall-poter ukoll!!!! Tidher li tara super 1 biss ghax kull ma jgib is-super 1 titfghu hawn.

@Michael Cutajar

You wish!!!! There still remains 4 years to go!!!!!!

I Agree completely with JPO. This is not a case of inhuman rights or else .who I am to help this people, I need to help my self first.

Second, where is the EU high level, where is the rest of the world, why normal people has to get this burden, in a democratically world we elect people to safeguard us, not find the easy way to solve problems by using these people tragedies so to get pity of them,

we all agree that these people are living in terror, so to really help these people we do not need to accept them here, imagine all Somalia in Europe c mon ….if there is a need of war, then let it be, to then finally get peace. Isn’t that we always did.

Last time we had the chance to get rid of Mugabe for example, what EU and the rest of the world did...nothing, Mugabe is still there, and then you come to me for help. Sorry no way.


We’re full up....

@Michael Cutajar

Dream on Mr.Cutajar. The PL is there to stay in opposition for the coming years.It is only the centre and the centre-right which can solve Malta's problems by balancing humanity with the national interest, definitely not the left-wing 'do gooders' socialists and greens. Things are slowly improving. 'Seal a Deal' with the party who wants to get terrorists in Malta - What a joke !

@ClaireBonello

It is unreasonable to insinuate that I am advocating cardboard boxes as residences for illegal immigrants. I was only drawing attention to a state of affairs where our UNHCR representatives collude with the bigger members of the EU to castigate our government when our bigger neighbours house the illegal immigrants under much worse conditions than we are providing.

JPO is completely right and i congratulate him for having the courage to speak up .

What JPO has said is a reflextion of what all Maltese are feeling because of this invasion of illegal immigrants .

It is about time somebody spoke up (From the PN side)

As for Neil Falzon ... As a Maltese citizen , and i am sure that i am speaking for a good 95% of all Maltese here , we care first and foremost about the Maltese Governments and PN's obligations to US and to Malta and not the international and european obligations .

Come on seriously , what is more important ? International/European obligations ? Or obligations towards Malta & its citizens ?

I hope that the number of immigrants coming to Malta are not counted with the number of tourist arrivals because then we wouldn't have a problem about tourism figures!

Prosit Jefferey

But go and tell this to your leader. He told you that you do not need to panic . This is not a problem - our primeminister said .

If i remember well once upon a time our beloved primeminister told us that other countries are going to take this people in their country .

MAY I ASK HOW MANY PEOPLE WHERE TAKEN BY OTHER COUNTRIES ?

Some of the comments are unbelievable!!!!
Mela l-ewwel everyone is complaining about the immigrants and the government not taking any action !!!
And now because JPO is trying to help out we assume he's doing it for personal interest !!!!
The government can never get anything right !!! Especially in the eyes of YOU CRITICS!!!

The PAST has PAST !! Live for the FUTURE !!
PROSIT JPO !!!

AN have been magnanimous enough to give the government a 10 point plan on how to solve this problem once on a silver platter... If it insists on inaction, the government will be committing political suicide as it will only be a matter of time before a government MP with some backbone will cross sides to take down this apathetic excuse of an administration. Should Gonzi not have the nerve to tackle this problem he should step down and let those who are competent do the job.

In the meantime expect more and more government MPs (read Robert Arrigo's letter to the editor) to distance themselves from the official party line as they refuse to be party to the betrayal of their country.

Hon Pullicino Orlando, if you think that by jumping on the anti-immigration bandwagon you are redeeming yourself, you seriously mistaken. Adding to the paranoia and hysteria that is being spinnedby some will not do your credibility any favours.

I agree with JPO's views that the USA uses this policy against countries such as Cuba and Haiti, which itself incidentally is one of the poorest countries in the world like Somalia.

So for those of you who are criticising him, at least there is someone in Parliament who has the guts to come out and express what the man in the street is so worried about!

So let's stop the bickering and call a spade a spade for a change. We need a voice in Parliament that rattles the majority of the cabinet out of its sleep.

Ara fl-ahhar ! Qam xi hadd ?? Its about flippin time that you realize we're full up.

JPOs credibility can only be tested when he is confronted with a vote in Parliament in favour of a motion which he is manifestly and vociferously against . Otherwise he and ALL other parliamentarians will be considered paper tigers or dead howling wolves!!!. May I ask, how many Mintoffs are there in the political field ?. What this class has aplenty is personal interests. Credibility, my foot !!.

Is it too much to expect the illegal immigration problem to be discussed on its own merits?
These comments are degenerating into venomous attacks directed against the person of a member of parliament doing his duty and raising an alarm that is shared by most of the nation.

I think it time that Malta stand up say We are full up . Malta is already observing its international obligations, Are other States observing their obligations? so why should we do
so thats why I agree what Dr.Pullicino Orland MP said may be The other states will wake up and will starts also observs its obligations Too!

@J Cilia

What we do not need are arm chair commentators like yourself. People like you have nothing to complain about if you do not live in Marsaskala, Birzebuggia or Marsa and the vicinities.

I do not care who starts the ball rolling as long as something is done about it instead of just talking. The situation is already beyond break point with Maltese let alone poor, uneducated and unskilled immigrants. Are we going mad now?

Were full up eh! still cant understand why Gonzi cannot understand! were full up Gonzi its simple! DO SOMETHING!

Yes Malta is full up and everyone knows it. The UNCHR representative should know better. Where are we going to put all these people and who is going to take them. Let's get real. JPO is doing what should have been done by the PN and the PL a long time ago. He is recognizing a problem as an elected official that needs to be seriously addressed once and for all. Yes, we do have international obligations but not at our expense. Mr. Falzon needs to go back and get some real education in how much a limit a country can take. As everyting else in life, there is a limit to everything.

Libya is the problem and soluton. All other talk by any MP on any side of the house which does not address this simple yet complicated fact is useless political rhetoric.

Political minded people should shut up. They are doing irreparable harm to their country. This is a matter of NATIONAL INTEREST and should be treated as such. What AN and JPO are saying makes a lot of sense and I am sure that the majority of politicians on both sides of the house have the same feelings but do not have the guts to break the silence.
To day we have another MP - ROBERT ARRIGO - to vent out his feelings on the TOM, and everybody is convinced that Mr.Arrigo besides being the perfect gentleman, is far from being a racist. He is only a person who can feel the pulse of the people and who loves his country. Let's have more of these politicians who dare speak freely in a democratic party, which policy,
the PN has always enhanced.
The LP should absolutely refrain from creating political mileage out of this issue and also I am sure that Dr.J.Muscat will prove himself mature enough to understand this.
On the other hand Neil Falzon, as a Maltese, should turn to his UNHCR and explain fully Malta's position. We have done enough and we feel proud. It's the others turn.

Dear Mr Pullicino Orlando

if i were you , i would REFRAIN from involving myself in ANY issues national issues.

if it were me, i would : resign from parliament, make a public statement denouncing the past ( mistra) go into local councils again, THEN run again for general elections. THEN i can talk again about any issue.

We need someone who can better unite the country than JPO to take up this idea and make it work.

@Carmel Camilleri

What if we keep on working withing the parameters of the law just as you suggest, and in the meantime these immigrants keep on coming in their thousands. What would happen then?

Interesting interview. One is right to conclude that Lawrence Gonzi is still in trouble, that dissent amongst Nationalist backbenchers is on the increase and that the many are understanding that Government is not willing to put illegal immigration on the country`s agenda.

OMERTA Assoluta.

Lawrence Gonzi has lost the control of the Nationalist Party`s one seat majority in Parliament.
It is now up to the Partit Laburista to seal a deal with the country.

Mr UNHCR representative Neil Falzon,

Everyone knows the strong response and initiative Australia took to rid themselves of illegal immigrants.
Correct me if I am wrong,but isn't Australia a member of the UN? Can you please tell me why Australia has different "obligations" than Malta?

If former US president George W. Bush can go against the UN security council and go to war for no reason,can't Malta stop this really emergency and go against the UN?
The UN is just a political gimmick. Mr.Falzon I truly believe that Malta has done much more than we should have,so don't come saying we have obligations!! If we have these so called obligations towards the UN, why doesn't any UN member step up and help Malta out. We have never recieved 1 cent from the UN,so where does the obligation come in? Malta is ALWAYS the giver and never the reciever. All the UN has done for Malta is send a few inspectors from time to time to complain that these illegal immigrants are living in bad conditions and that Malta has to do more.

Carmel Camilleri is right. JPO is trying to alienate the Maltese from the Mistra scandal.

JPO is always there to make his views public and sticks to his principles.well done.These are the people we need to have in power.

Tajjeb mela l-Libja taghmel li trid u ahna nkunu pupazzi ta pajjizi ohra!! Garanzija li min ghamel dawn il-ligijiet ta UNHCR qieghed paxxut go xi villa go xi pajjiz il-boghod min dawn il-problemi!! Ahna qed nbatu u mhux l UNHCR u qas int sur falzon!!
I want my HUMAN Rights Back!! Freedom to Live!!!

Well done JPO!!

@Dr. Francis Saliba- Are you suggesting that we house people in cardboard boxes, so that we can emulate other countries? Murderers, rapists and thieves get a better deal than that...being housed in proper accomodation instead of tents or your preferred cardboard box solution.

Neil Falzon has no right to 'insist' on anything. If he does'nt care what happens to our country it's his problem. We cannot just sit and wait for our country to be taken over by these immigrants. Huge problems need drastic measures. At least JPO had the courage to voice his concern like the rest of us. I hope there will be more on the govt side who will do the same so maybe Gonzi will realize that his methods are not giving any results.

May i suggest a few things..
1. A better control on money being sent outside EU countries wheremost of them are being used to help other imigrants to pay for their trips. Visit any stationary offering money transfers andd see who the money senders are and then ask from where they got the money cause suposed they do not have a permit to work here.
2. Patrols by the AFM and boarding vessels in Maltese waters. The captain is responable for having all the persons onboard to be documented. Harsher penalties for such irregularities might deter captains for taking part in this crime.
3. Eligibilty for a refugee status should not be given on basis of "Economical refugees"
4. ALL imigrants shall carry ID cards with them and random checks from police be perfomed so as to reduce the abuse of having undocumented illegal imigrants in our country
5. Libya should be penalised for allowing these depatrures from their shores. Diplomatic efforts have to done more seriously

The only solution is that other EU countries help us in this issue. That is by taking some of the immigrants. We need more pressure from our government and our MEPs

Clap Hands to JPO ........ What a new novel argument to think and chew upon!!! .

Ma tahsbux li n-nies jistghu jinbidlu ? jekk li JPO qieghed jghid jirrifletti dak li jhossu l- maggoranza taghna l- Maltin...mhux ahjar thalluh bi kwietu. Almenu tkellem favurina. L- ohrajn kollha hlief ta' AZZJONI NAZZJONALI, b' subghajhom f' halqhom qedghin.

Tkomplux issemuha l- Mistra. Mhux se jibni detention centre il- mistra, u lanqas kemmuna jew filfla jew fejn qed tghidu. Qiskom tfal zghar. Jiena ghalija talli tkellem favur Malta u kontra din l- invazjoni u mar kontra l- PN, nahfirhielu tal- Mistra ! Jista' jerga jibda jibni l- kredibilita'.

Jekk mhux se tkunu parti mis- soluzzjoni almenu Aghalqu Halqkom! Il- kurrent qieghed bil- mod idur favurina u qieghed jissahhah. Aghalqu halqkom ghax tibilaw l- ilma...

well done JPO....
Solutions are possible...look at what AZZJONI NAZZJONALI is proposing.....
Dear Ministers, look at the AN proposals and implement them immediately...
THIS IS AN EMERGENCY....
give us some hope........
with the cry of Obligations Obligations Obligations the authorities mean SUFFER IN SILENCE and DON'T SAY A WORD ja CITTADIN

Well done JPO hope more MPS talk freely no roundabouts
m. calleja

It is pretty evident that after being utterly humiliated in the Mistra scandal, JPO is jumping on every bandwagon available to try and build a bit of credibility by appealing to public sentiment.

Alas, what he is suggesting is both illegal according to our international obligations and impractical. His comments in this video expose his evident ignorance of the relevant laws on the matter - including the Universal Decleration of Human Rights (which is part and parcel of our Constitution) and the Geneva convention.

Like it or not, our laws are what they are and they cannot be repealed. The solutions to illegal immigration must be found and worked out within the parameters of those laws and through a greater effort on diplomacy with Europe and Africa.

This mass hysteria is only making us lose sight of the solutions that can be reached.

The UNHCR representatives and some local NGOs are the only people making a profit from an immigration problem that is being imposed on us simply to accomodate mainland Europe. Gain credibility, if that is at all possible, by disclosing the contributions being paid by the UN and by Europe and who are the local beneficiaries. Any allocations intended to divert the illegal immigrants away from mainland Europe and towards our small nation do not count.

To-day's news is that illegal immigrants in Italy are being accomodated in cardboard boxes in disused factories. And the UNHCR representatives pick on us for the simple reason that we are small and weak.

JPO should now make his proposals in Parliament, as its easy to be popular and say we're "full-up", but now we need concrete proposals from the PN and PL. At least, we know where AN stand on this issue.

Sena ilu ma konniex full up??

To Mr Falzon, I would point out that international obligations and treaties are ocassionally broken, and in the case of a national crisis, the political parties have an obligation to safeguard the citizens of the respective country.

Such talk about 'Our Obligations' is not conductive to solving the problen but is effectively burying you head in the sand and hoping that everything will, in the end, work out. Thus, actions to safeguard the present and future generations of this country (and any country for that matter), are not only necissary, but a duty of all governments towards their citizens, and anything less is a grave and negligant disservice to the population.

It is obvious to the population that we cannot, and should not, become a gathering station and eventually home for all these illegal immigrants while at the same time hoping for promises from our 'supposed' friends in the EU that never materialise.

@ C Calleja.

what do you want?? are you saying that we can take more illegal immigrants?? Yes, we are FULL UP

Hope we will have more politicians like JPO, who can even go against their party, in the interest of the citizens!

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando is playing for the gallery.


The sooner PN shoves him out of the party the better. Even if this means risking an early election !

I might not agree with Gonzi and his men, but to have Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando as the people's voice in Parliament is even worse.

U hallina Sur Falzon

Say 'Full Up' then what? Malta has been full up with our own people already. What then??

So what are they suggesting? Aren't we going back to square 1? The only 'legal' way out would be to give the immigrants our islands and we go somewhere else... thus becoming migrants (whether illegal or not) ourselves! Is that what is being suggested?

Full up!!!!???..... nonsense , its just the begining ! over 600 this month. wait for the summer!!

To the UNHCR Representative Mr Falzon :
What are your obligations towards Malta and the Maltese people ?

JPO trying to gain some popularity again.

Hallina Jeffrey.