More migrants return home under DAR programme

Michelle Dali

Mar 4th 2009, 16:58

@ Ryan Bugeja

It may be that Ghana is a poor country, however that does not justify what these people are doing. There is poverty in many parts of the world, not just African countries, either.

I can't speak for you, Ryan but I can assure you that I would never pay criminals to get me into another country just to escape poverty. There are other ways of bettering one's lot including, working at an extra job or even migrating LEGALLY to another country which needs one's skills.

You should not try to justify the illegally that is making alot of criminals very rich indeed. At the end of the day, allowing this human trafficking to continue isn't helping these immigrants because whilst in Malta they have no future except to live like parasites off the state. They cannot work legally and contribute to society. As well as that, financially rewarding their illegal entry into the country is completely wrong. It sends out all the wrong messages and encourages other people to risk theirs and their children's lives for financial gain.

VDelia

Mar 4th 2009, 07:49

I was wondering, is there some extra change left for me please??

Joe Fenech

Mar 3rd 2009, 23:25

Now WHO is discriminating and being racist? And against who? Why aren't the Maltese being all given 5000E too? Why, just because they're not black? At least, the Maltese haven't broken any laws - they're not illegal.

So let's get this straight: is the government awarding crime? Or illegal immigration is not a crime according to our illustrious gov?

Oh if 5000E is equivalent to 10 years salary in Africa, can the Maltese get 10 years salry tax-free - just as a matter of equality and fairness.

Denis Catania

Mar 3rd 2009, 20:39

And Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici says it's not out of control. We have top play them to leave. I thought volunteers don't get paid?? This is not voluntary repatriation. It's paid repatriation. I'm starting to think the Minister doesn't know the definition of out of control. He doesn't know the meaning of voluntary.

Ryan Bugeja

Mar 3rd 2009, 19:18

@Michelle Dalli
I was in Ghana last August on voluntary work and I can assure you that although there isn't political trouble and Ghana is a very stable country (quite exemplary compared to other African states) it is a VERY poor country which although improving, it has still a long long way to go. So I guess Ghanians can be considered as economic asylum seekers. Justifiable-a-reason enough? I doubt it... but I can assure you that both you and I will do exactly the same thing if we had to be living there.
My concern is more about whether there is a monitoring system in place for these repatriated people. Are we just giving them €5000 and send them back? €5000 is A LOT of money for these countries... and without any monitoring whatsoever... word will spread that Malta is an easy-money country... and such news, does spread!
I know the Salesians of Don Bosco in West Africa, particularly Maltese Fr Richard Ebejer sdb (currently in the missions in Ondo, Nigeria) is in touch with at least one of those repatriated earlier this year... but I think one person is not enough to handle the job alone.

v.pulis

Mar 3rd 2009, 18:49

Why not make it easier for all? They can apply to the EU for funds without leaving their country. That way they will save going to libya, avoid the risk of drowning and being an inconvenience to us. That way everybody will be happy except the human trafficking scum.

P Debono

Mar 3rd 2009, 18:09

What a sad state of affairs we are currently living in...

Chris Mifsud

Mar 3rd 2009, 18:03

So the councils/roads dept don't have enough funds to fix our roads completely . This was quoted on The Times a few weeks ago .

But we do have money to give to illegal immigrants .

What is this ?

Our standard of living is lowered so that we can accomodate illegal immigrants who had no right being here in the first place ?

Water/Electricity goes up , eco taxes go up . And these illegal immigrants not only get off scott free and use our hospitals etc.. but they also get 5000 euro each and a FREE flight home .

Thanks a lot Dr Gonzi & Co

Joseph calleja

Mar 3rd 2009, 18:02

Not a bad deal! You are brought to Malta from the open seas, while in Malta you are given shelter, fed, taken care of your medical needs, provided with clothing and a few other things. After all that, they book you on a flight to ???? with a free ticket ( couch class of course) provide you with more new clothes and some more gifts and a couple of new suitcases to put the stuff in and to top it all off, and after educating you a bit, the EU makes a donation of 5000 EUR to reward you for illegally entering Malta. What a deal, and you started out with nothing, when you got here? Now that's what I call a smart entrepreneur!

Michelle Dali

Mar 3rd 2009, 17:27

A group of nine migrants have returned to their homes in Ghana, Mali and Sudan under the DAR programme of voluntary repatriation.

Is this news item indicating that another nine have returned today, or is it just repeating details of nine that returned in the last few months?

No photos, and no real details of when they left.

How about deporting the rest of the illegal immigrants from Ghana, Mali and Sudan who are living off the taxpayer in the Open Centres? If this lot were happy to go back, it is obvious there's no trouble in those countries.

c.camilleri

Mar 3rd 2009, 15:24

So there is no problem for those who want to return home voluntarily. So why does the Govt find it so difficult to repatriate the rest to these countries. Govt has to show determination and courage to face this problem which is getting bigger every day. Soft gloves policy is getting nowhere.

Graham Holme

Mar 3rd 2009, 14:54

Im going back to the U.K in May,i left to escape war torn Bradford.(Bradford riots)
Seems to be safe now.
Can I have 5000euros please? if not can i play the racist card?
Surely it works both ways,whats good for our colonial friends must also apply to us.

jesmond bonello

Mar 3rd 2009, 13:36

L-ghan ta’ kull ghaqda huwa certament dak li jindirizza d-diffikultajiet jew jikseb l-asperazzjonijiet tal-membri tal-istess ghaqda.



L-istess jista` jinghad ghall-Parlament Ewropew fejn dak li jahdmu ghalih il-Parlamentari Ewropej ta’ spiss ikun differenti sahansitra oppost minn dak li jkun qieghed jaspira c-cittadin Ewropew.

M`hemmx dubju li l-Membri Parlamentari Ewropej ikunu qeghdin jaghmlu l-agenda taghhom bil-ghan ewlieni u genwien fl-ahjar interess tal-Ewropej.

Madanakollu l-agenda maghzula mill-Parlamentari Ewropej mhux qed thalli spazju ghall-ugigh u pre-okkupazzjonijiet ta’ min qeghdin jirraprezentaw.

Illum aktar minn qabel f`sitwazzjoni li qed tghix l-Unjoni Ewropea flimkien ma’ pajjizi ohra jehtieg li kulhadd jinghata widen.

Ix-xoghol, l-ambjent, il-livell tal-ghixien huma mhux biss ta’ nteress tal-Parlamentari, izda zgur mhux forsi ser jaffettwa lic-cittadini wkoll.

L-edukazzjoni u s-sahha hija ta’ mportanza kbira ghall-futur ta’ pajjizna u l-idejali jkun li minn jirraprezenta l-Maltin fl-Unjoni Ewropeja ikun il-boghod minn kull agenda partiggjana u rejalment jirraprezenta lill-Maltin.

Il-UHM fil-jiem li ghaddew nediet il-progett o9o5o9 li ghandu l-ghan ewlieni li jaghti l-opportunita` lil kullhadd sabiex jikkotribwixxi fl-agenda li l-Parlamentari Ewropej eletti ghandhom jimxu fuqha.


Nistiednek tidhol fis-sit eletroniku www.090509.org u aghti l-intervent tieghek.

J.Pace

Mar 3rd 2009, 13:31

Keep it up !

Giving these funds, 5000 euro.

Prepare to start welcoming ships full of immigrants, not just boats of 200+ !

What about the rest of immigrants that do not leave Malta? How much are we payying for each of their living ? for food , living , buying new things after they protest and burn them ??

Lee Micallef

Mar 3rd 2009, 13:23

It says something when the reporting of 9 (yes 9 ) immigrants returning home makes the news !

What about the other few thousand going home ?? now that would be something worth reporting about !

P.Cassar

Mar 3rd 2009, 13:22

WHAT A NICE AND EASY WAY TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK. YOU COME GET 5000 EUROS PLUS SEVERAL DONATIONS AND GO BACK HOME, WHEN THE MONEY FINISHES, YOU COME AGAIN FOR MORE BECAUSE REMENBER THEY COME WITH NO IDENTIFICATION NO NAME NO NATIONALITY NO NOTHING AND THEN ASSUME NAMES THEY INVENT

Bernard Mallia

Mar 3rd 2009, 13:12

This is outright preposterous! If I were given €5,000 to go back home I'd invest them in €500 increments by financing the migration of other family members to Malta so that they too could be given €5,000.

Menawhile, because I happen to be less fortunate to be Maltese I have to pay €8,500 a year to an incompetent government who does not want to solve the immigration problem and seems to want to make it worse by working and contributing towards the welfare of this country ! Then there are also the taxes I pay in the form of VAT, ecotax, road taxes, customs taxes and a plethora of others too! Isn't this ridiculous?

Shame on the people in government!

lgalea

Mar 3rd 2009, 12:53

€5000 x 100 = €500,000 out of our pockets to compensate those who come here ILLEGALLY, without any right whatsoever, break our laws, and get paid to return to their country!

No wonder we are under an invasion.

Get them out of here without any compensation Gonezipn and CMB and stop SQUANDERING OUR MONEY because we are sending €153,000 daily to the eu apart from all customs duties, levies, part of VAT etc etc.

d. borg

Mar 3rd 2009, 12:43

If these immigrants can return to their own country with 5000 euros in their pocket just for breaking the law and invading another country, well no wonder they keep on coming. They could have been repatriated immediately as its obvious that their countries are safe. Minn jaf x'passata jghadduna meta jmorru lura!

Gerard Cassar

Mar 3rd 2009, 12:41

They arrive by the hundreds and leave by less than a dozen. Nothing will be solved in this way. There are a number of boats waiting to be used at Safi. Call for volunteers who want to try their luck and let the group take the boat for free and bid them farwell. Nothing compulsary not to be accused of inhuman treatment..

wally vella-zarb

Mar 3rd 2009, 12:26

"Funding is provided by the EU."

No doubt, this money will also figure as part of the funds that we are receiving as part of the EU 'generosity' towards us.

D.Galea

Mar 3rd 2009, 12:06

They arrive home with 5000euros just to comfortably catch a plane back to europe and enough money to sustain them until they get an income, such is a wise plan to lauder there people

P Borg

Mar 3rd 2009, 11:26

The more we give prominence to such news, the more will they come!

Aaron Bugeja

Mar 3rd 2009, 11:25

Jigu mijiet u jitilqu ghaxriet, proset ee ibqaw sejrin hekk

Charles Sammut

Mar 3rd 2009, 11:20

"Funding is provided by the EU."

And who funds the EU? Manna from heaven?