We are not racist or xenophobic but... (2)

Many people introduce their comments on the topic of immigration by saying "I am not a racist, but..." Well, I do the same here.

To try and boost my credentials to this introduction, I have worked among very poor and destitute people in Malawi, Central Africa and also shared accommodation with a black skinned pastor from Namibia for six months, be it over 20 years ago.

As a resident here who has no intention of leaving this island I take a full interest in all news issues. The Maltese are, on the whole, a very sociable, generous and easy-to-live-with race. However they feel they are being stretched to their limits, perhaps understandably.

If a set number, say 2,000, had been the limit at the outset of this immigration issue, then I am positive the immigrants would have been greeted and accepted with the normal Maltese hospitality and allowed to integrate, within limits. However, the situation has now been allowed to get out of control, resulting in very upsetting circumstances. These seem to be as follows:

1) There is a very real threat that in time these excess immigrants will monopolise certain areas of this small island.

2) The Maltese are rightly concerned about preserving their identity.

3) The living conditions of these immigrants are becoming more and more intolerable as the numbers increase on a weekly basis. Therefore they will rebel, as they are doing at present. I cannot even begin to imagine (nor do I want to) how you and I would react to being taken out of our comfortable family homes and integrated among strangers, whether of our own nationality or not.

4) There is also a very real suspicion that unfortunate people are paying large amounts of money to be transported to Malta.

5) Unfortunately, perhaps certain employers do not speak out because these unfortunate immigrants are being employed doing mundane jobs which are difficult to fill and at mundane wages.

Questions now need to be urgently addressed such as, why is the government allowing this very real threat to persist?

I would respectfully suggest that this delicate issue requires to be addressed immediately as I sense that my Maltese comrades are very, very concerned about it, and we all have our breaking point.

Before closing this letter may I again assure readers that I treat all fellow humans as equals. However, common sense needs to be applied one way or the other.