Stubborn beggar jailed
A Romanian was yesterday jailed for a week after being found guilty of begging outside churches in Valletta.
Alexandru Luca, 31, would wait in Republic Street for people leaving church after Mass and beg for money, annoying people so much that they filed a report with the police, Police Sergeant Raymond Vella testified yesterday.
The man had "even begged from a priest", he added.
After a week of receiving reports about the Romanian, PS Vella asked him to stop begging as the practice was illegal. Mr Luca disregarded several police orders and carried on asking for alms. He was arraigned looking somewhat the worse for wear and admitted to disobeying police orders and begging.
In handing down judgment, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli took into consideration the fact that the man had been regularly warned to leave church-goers alone for a whole week. Police Inspector James Grech prosecuted.
Legal aid lawyer Martin Fenech appeared for Mr Luca.
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nevil debattista
Mar 2nd 2009, 12:15
If Inspector James Grech would have the time to take a stroll around and in the vicinity of Towers Supermarket Sliema he would surely bump into a fair man with long hair wearing jeanswear who is found to be begging for money to buy food for the cats he says. Apart from pestering passersby to give him money he has been also offending those people who keep walking by and refuse to hand out money. Can somebody please rid us of this eyesore.
Mario Tabone
Mar 2nd 2009, 10:45
Unfortunately this is one drawback with being members of the EU and having freedom of movement. In the UK we have the same problems. Eastern Europeans mainly from the Balkans are using freedom of movement to travel to EU countries like UK and Malta. They make good use of the social security system . On top of that and I bet this is happening in Malta as well you get instances where these Eastern Europeans go around in groups in places like Valletta for example and law and behold the crime rate soars. I bet pick pockets are rife in crowded areas. A lot of people think they have lost their wallets but trust me they are victims of pick pockets. These people are professionals. They target cash machines and clone cash cards, they work in groups .Shoplifting is big business. These are all new problems that we are encountering in Malta. This must be controlled...NOW !! Anybody who is a guest in OUR country MUST obey the law and if they dont get rid of them before anarchy takes over . Please take heed.
M.Jennings
Mar 1st 2009, 15:36
Hello Anthea Preston, yes quite right, but it very much sounds as if the Maltese government don't really want us Britons to retire or move to Malta as in the past they don't seem to care all that much, its a take it or leave attitude with these people. All that has gone out the window and things are changing fast in a country that is run by small minded individuals who themselves don't even know what they are doing, especially in our case wanted to sell our property to return back home and also having difficulties trying to claim back vat on our family car that we ourselves brought in when we moved here some 3 years ago.We just had enough its short and sweet. There is no place like home and ours in back in Britain.
Margaret Jennings.(Mrs).
ANTHEA PRESTON
Mar 1st 2009, 09:58
If I wantd to move to Malta I would have to provide proof of a minimum income and if I wished to purchase a property there is a minimum by law price that I must pay for that property. Please tell me how a Romanian ends up on your streets begging? How come he was even allowed into Malta, let alone allowed to stay once he reached there? If a foreign national, including a European Union nataional has to meet certain criteria to enter your country, why on earth are you allowing illegals (presumably he must be an illegal otherwise he would not be begging on the street) to enter and stay? It really does seem one rule for some and another for others. The rules and laws seem to be there for the law abiding but not for the law breakers.
Trevor Mallia
Mar 1st 2009, 09:34
@ any comments below.
It is very easy for us to complain or critisise while being seated infront of our computers. The reality is that we have a country that we want to protext, and we cannot do so until our laws and our reations are always biased by our religion.
The reality is that the two countries that are suffering most by immigration are Italy and.... yes Malta. Germany in 2008 alone deported over 3000 immigrants out of the country for various reasons, and some of them did not even commit any crime, but were deported for not being able to sustain themselves. But their laws are strong and the EU would never dare to comment about them.
Insomma ha nghida bil Malti, Da pajjizna u idejna miftuhin ghal kulhadd. Basta pero, li jighixu kif suppost u mhux igelu lilna ninbidlu ghalihom. Imbaghad jigi xi barrani u irid jikkumenta fuq pajizi.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Mar 1st 2009, 09:15
I wonder if Christ would have had him arrested...
lgalea
Mar 1st 2009, 00:31
Dr. David Pollina, Mark-Anthony Fenech
This is not be over-reactionary but this must be nipped at the bud.
Begging was outlawed years ago because social services were introduced, so no foreigner should expect to come here and break our laws and not pay the consequences.
After all, he had already been warned by the police several times, so he had no excuse that he did not know that he was doing something illegal.
As someone else said, this is a way of life which should not be allowed in Malta, since it also reflects badly on the country to have beggars especially if they start begging from tourists.
The police did a good job and deserve our support.
Thank you.
Edward Caruana Galizia
While agreeing that there is abuse of the social system which should be curbed, that does not mean that we should allow begging, neither by Maltese persons nor and especially by foreigners.
Aidan Zammit Lupi
Feb 28th 2009, 22:07
So much for Catholic Malta.... Shouldn't the priest and the church-goers have been helping the man instead of reporting him?
Dr. David Pollina
Feb 28th 2009, 21:29
@ Dr. Damai, if your understood the Hebraicism behind that expression, "cast not pearls before swine", you might not have thought it relevant in defence.
On second thought though, perhaps it is... it refers not to giving money, but to imparting words of wisdom to those of closed mind.
Mark-Anthony Fenech
Feb 28th 2009, 20:05
this might seem as a little over-reactionary... I didn't know it is illegal to beg.. Then that would render political parties and the Church guilty in some ways..
Dr. John Damai
Feb 28th 2009, 18:14
Just becasue one begs does not mean they are are poor. Christ also said not throw your pearls before swine
Dr. David Pollina
Feb 28th 2009, 17:44
Oy Vey. Deport an EU citizen to another EU country because he has no means to support himself??? What world are some people living in?
For that matter, where was the priest's "christian love"? As I recall, did not 'Jesus' say "the poor you will always have with you" and chastise his disciples for sending them away?
Begging is something seen in every city to our north, and most of it is quiet - i.e. not aggressive panhandling. Often it reflects a real need, sometimes a mental imbalance, and sometimes just a scam form of 'employment'. The challenge is in making the distinction and helping the ones who truly need the help. Did anynone bother to try that here - especially the priest?
Why do we think that Malta should be imune from this or any other social problem?
Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi
Feb 28th 2009, 17:15
Begging is a way of life for a lot of the Roma people from eastern europe.
Not every culture buys into the eight to four job for 40 years and paying a ton of income tax.
Opting out is good sometimes.
Look at it as an alternative life style.
Edward Caruana Galizia
Feb 28th 2009, 17:13
We have to treat everyone with respect, no matter where they are from. I dont understand why he came to Malta in the first place though. If he had nothing back home, why move country, where getting government help will be harder?
But before we all jump onto our high hourses lets not forget that, if i m not mistaken, about 60% of the maltese population are on some sort of benefit, and i dont think that all of them actually deserve the money. I dont know for certain, but there are people out there who claim benefits but have jobs and income from some unknown place. At least this guy had the decency to ask for the money, unlike some people who lie and, in my opinion, steal from the government.
This is something new to our country. Lets not do anything rash. Lets find a solution rather than throw around xenophobic ideas. Don't forget, there are many maltese living in other EU states. Some of which may not be the best ambassadors either.
lgalea
Feb 28th 2009, 17:03
Joe Cassar, john bates
Citizens of eu countries have a right to go to other eu countries but they must not be a burden or break their laws.
We have a right to deport him and let's hope that the authorities do deport him to nip this practice in the bud.
The only thing is that we cannot ban him for life, but I guess 99 years would be enough.
Arthur Ellul
Feb 28th 2009, 16:04
@ Joe Cassar
quote "Citizens of the EU have the right to reside in whichever EU country they choose. That is one of the main planks of the EU treaty" Unquote
Unless a crime is committed, then he may be deported and refused entry on grounds on criminal record.
@ Dr John Damai,
Yes he may be deported as soon as he is released from jail and escorted to the airport,irrespective of EU treaty on freedom of movement. A crime is a crime and a country may refuse entry to any EU citizen in terms of law and order.
Joe Cassar
Feb 28th 2009, 14:57
No, Dr John Damai, I'm afraid you are wrong.
Citizens of the EU have the right to reside in whichever EU country they choose. That is one of the main planks of the EU treaty.
Dr. John Damai
Feb 28th 2009, 13:11
John Bates, the person in question is not Maltese just like your self so we have a right to deport him. Thats the law.
David Degiorgio
Feb 28th 2009, 13:05
hmm...i think that it is right to control this type of "social" deprivation but comeon MALTA.....this shows how much more we need to grow up....first of all the priest should be the first person to help these people i thought tht when you go to church god tells us to feed our brothers first and then ourselves...secondly i think there are other more relevant issues to tackle rather than these things because i tell u what....today we are saying tht its right to prosecute these people....in some years we will have our neighbours,cousins,friends and other knocking on our doors asking for food!!! this is the reality of the whole world out there and we cant run away from it!!!!
john bates
Feb 28th 2009, 12:02
what is wrong with this country we are in the EU now we are free to live in any EU member country you cannot deport someone back to Rommania they are part of the EU and free to live here
a.attard
Feb 28th 2009, 11:58
Guilty since he carried on asking for alms! Aren't stubborn "beggars" for and during village festas illegal practices? Oooops... the latter simply "collect" money door to door!
ALFRED ZAMMIT
Feb 28th 2009, 11:47
Ghamlulu pjacir - gimgha full board b'xejn!
apgrech
Feb 28th 2009, 11:35
If the guy is broke, he should have been deported to Romania for not being able to support himself but put him him in jail????
P Debono
Feb 28th 2009, 11:23
I agree with the decision by the Court, but why use such a comment like "he had even begged from a priest"?
Is the Church some kind of higher authority on us all? I thought they were all for Christian solidarity and giving to people less fortunate than ourselves.
Yet more hypocrisy from the Church.
Victor Fiorini
Feb 28th 2009, 11:05
Talk about getting our priorties right! What a joke!
And so what if "the man had even begged from a priest"... ? How does that make it worse.
Joanne Micallef
Feb 28th 2009, 10:50
The authorities did well to nip this in the bud, although Romania is in the EU, from Italy's experience we must make sure that anyone who does not have the means to support oneself should be sent back to his country of orgin.
Anthony Briffa
Feb 28th 2009, 10:45
Well done for the police and the court. Next step is to deport him back to Romania since he hasn't got a sustainable income. We don't need the same situation which is prevalent in Italy, especially in Rome, where these people spend all there time begging on the streets on behalf of Romanian gangsters.