The Bishop's views on detention

I refer to the recent comments made by Gozo Bishop Mario Grech regarding detention of illegal immigrants. He could not be more self-contradictory in his statements.

Many a time he stressed that Malta should do its best to keep its values, which gave it the Christian identity it has today. By allowing an uncontrolled number of immigrants, most of which profess a different faith, is counter to this statement. With a degree of short-sightedness, he failed to look further ahead or try to foresee the adverse social, cultural and political impact of a sizeable community of persons belonging to other faiths, especially one which is outright hostile to ours - the one which is his duty to safeguard.

Rather than criticising the authorities for doing what they can within legal means to contain the problem, Mgr Grech should have directed his criticism towards unscrupulous human traffickers, states that are accomplices to them by virtue of inaction and employers who employ them with poor working conditions and little pay.

Last but not least, he should spare a thought and offer prayers for our brave soldiers and police officers who are constantly at risk rescuing migrants out at sea and then have to endure all sorts of abuse while under their custody.