Ryan Dalli, Żabbar
Make fair trade, end illegal migration
Few of us realise that illegal immigration just didn't come out of the blue. Some blame left-wing politics for bringing about this crisis.
However, ironically, it is those who have for long praised capitalism and free trade which have created all this - the right-wing. Few of us realise that when we buy a €1.50 cappuccino, the African farmer won't even get 2c. Someone is making money but it is definitely not the African farmer.
It's unfair trade between rich nations and poor nations that is creating all this. The profits of the transnational corporations in those countries do not benefit the poor country but are generated into the economy of the country where the mother company is situated.
Few realise that the world's poorest women make the world's most expensive clothes. Few realise that if poor countries can increase their share of world exports by one per cent they could lift 128 million people out of poverty. But, until then, what would you do when you can't make a living in your land? You leave.
World trade rules have widened the difference between the rich and poor. It's time for the European Union to change the rules if it really wants to end illegal immigration. This does not mean that we should not safeguard our national interest first; we must and we should.
However, Malta also has a duty to safeguard the world from the usual capitalist exploitation and excessive consumerist propaganda. The good news is that fair trade has been growing at 37 per cent year to year, making people wonder whether fair trade is the biggest growing market after the internet.
Make trade fair, end poverty and illegal immigration.
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Michael grech
Apr 25th 2009, 07:46
Another fantastic letter . Unfortunately, detractors repeating the same daft cliches as to Africans being poor because they beget many children or because of Socialist governments; the second comment being blatantly false (some are socialist only in name, and have to exist within a global economic world-game which is definitely not played according to socialist parameters) and the first ignoring that in Malta birth-rate decreased because of increased prosperity, not the other way round. When you can barely survive on your own and you have no social services that guarantee that you will be looked after when you are no longer able to look after yourself, you need to have many children. As to capitalism giving everyone the opportunity to move up; a close look at its history shows that such statements are blatantly simplistic. For instance, world-empires, which were very much related to european capitalism (providing a market where to spill surplus production as well as a direct access to materials required for capitalist production) were definitely no level-playing fields where everyone stood a chance. Unfortunately, African decolonisation; where the drawing of borders by Europeans in order to ensure permanent destabilisation after their departure; confirms this.
Ryan Dalli
Apr 24th 2009, 18:45
- the last post from -Joseoh Dalli - is mine. I didn't realize I was using another persons' account.
Joseoh Dalli
Apr 24th 2009, 16:56
Joe Tabone-Adami - no, believe me it's realistic - 'The good news is that fair trade has been growing at 37 per cent year to year, making people wonder whether fair trade is the biggest growing market after the internet.'.
It's people like you that does not make this realistic - your apathy.
Unfortunately in Malta there is only one fair trade shop, but I believe that with your potential - this can also change.
If you're interested in making this a reality - in a realistic way this the address :
Il-Ħanut l-Arka
306, L-Arka, St Pauls Street, Valletta, Malta.
Tel: +356 21244865 - Fax: +356 2131 5562
And please, check this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgH3JRn84lk - did any one ever that Cadbury would ever turn to Fair Trade?
I advise to volunteer - and check it out yourself.
Joe Tabone-Adami
Apr 24th 2009, 16:06
Well-meaning? Definitely. Utopian? Certainly. Realistic? Hardly. Realizable? Forget it!
David Muscat
Apr 24th 2009, 15:36
In 30 years, Ethopia doubled its population to 84 million. It is obvious that this is the root problem of most Africa countries. If the land was not sufficient to feed 40 million in 1980 when Live Aid was launched by Geldof, how can it be expected to feed double that amount in 2008?
Their problems are of their own making. Malta would have been in the same position had we doubled our population in 30 years. A change in mentality and family planning are needed in Africa. Giving more money to farmers will change nothing. Africa has received more than 600 billion dollars in 50 years. They are still in trouble. The population has trebled in that time.
In 30 years the population will double again and they will still be hungry and in need of aid. It is impossible to create all those jobs for all those people being born in such a short time. What is needed is a policy like China's of one child per family. Without that, the situation will remain the same.
R. Agius
Apr 24th 2009, 14:54
One of the best letters I have ever read on TOM.
Marvin Mizzi
Apr 24th 2009, 13:39
It is not capitalism that brings poverty -- capitalism and free trade give the possibility to everyone to move up unfortunately these people know only how to fight each other and want to live as uncivilised tribes and this is what is keeping them back. They have to live at peace with their neighbours first and not taking what is not their's
Ryan Dalli
Apr 24th 2009, 13:33
'Globalisation and capitalism have been the best means to elevate people from poverty' Yes tell that to the workers in sweat shops - working all day, and night - no leave, no unions, no rights, no nothing. That's the dark side of Globalization and Capitalism. EU and US companies have gone overseas looking for the cheapest labor they can find and the lowest environmental standards they can get away with. Farmers and workers in the developing world have been in the bad end of that logic. In Globalization the interest of farmers and companies are at odds - companies make more moneys, and farmers less. Fair trade breaks that contradiction and relines the interests of farmers and industries, so that companies do quite well by paying farmers more. Fair Trade is about helping small family farmers in developing countries get organized and develop their business skills in order to tap into the world market directly. Perhaps you have missed the whole point in the end Mr.George Caruana. - This does not mean we should not safeguard our national interest, we should, however, tackle this crises from its horns.
George Caruana
Apr 24th 2009, 12:25
All you are missing the whole point. Globalisation and capitalism have been the best means to elevate people from poverty, in conjunction with other factors like political and civil rights, etc. Africa is besieged with many problems, being political, social, and economical. From the perspective of economy, Africans are suffering from the lack of globalisation and free trade, and not too much of it. Nothing can help them more than a proliferation of agriculture industry and farming. Alas both Europe and USA has excluded them from their own prosperous markets, by means of farm subsidies and profligate regulations like the CAP, for the benefit of few lobbying farmers to the detriment of us consumers and poor African (potential) producers. Shame on us!!
Rebecca Sultana
Apr 24th 2009, 11:48
Very true. Bob Geldof tried to explain this concept to everyone.
GaleaL
Apr 24th 2009, 11:30
Gianninu Saliba
They are not run by socialist governments Gianninu, but by dictators propped up by the capitalist countries including those in the EU and the USA.
Gianninu Saliba
Apr 24th 2009, 10:54
Dear Mr. Dalli did you bother to consider one important fact. These illegal immigrants do not come from countries with a right wing government. These 'poor' (deprived) African people come from countries that are run by Socialist Governments... and that is why they are poor (poverty stricken).