Malta sees slight population growth

Raymond Cachia

Jul 11th 2009, 19:37

@ Charlie Xrieha

If you want to see an example of how the 'right wing' fixes things, just take a look at the countries in South America who have been under 'right wing' rule for decades, ever since many top-ranking Nazis escaped there and established their Right wing paradise for themselves and their families.

The populations in these countries is stratified, with the Europeans Whites at the top of the heap and the indos and the mixed race at the bottom scarping for a living in the garbage dumps or escaping to North America to exploited again by the right-wing governments of North America. That is if you were not a socialist or Unionist, in which case the chances are that you would disappear (read exterminated by the Junta). The Right wing love nothing better than a Police State and dictatorship run for the benefit of the industrialists.

So unless you are among these chosen elite, you have no business being happy for the return of the 'right- wing' in Europe. Remember, their real enemies are not the immigrants per se, but all lower classes of whatever colour or creed.

Raymond Cachia

Jul 11th 2009, 18:56

@ Emma Xerri

It is true what you have stated about the pension systems around the world.

But more to the point, the reason that the pension systems are in such a bad state to begin with is because they were mismanaged by governments who are constantly dipping into these funds. In many countries, they were seen as an extension of taxes collected and spent just as frivolously on some of the things you mentioned in your blog.

Now they want to save the system by importing immigrants! These immigrants, for the most part will contribute ‘zero’ to the pension systems, and they will be another added burden on the taxpayers who have to make good for their welfare payments, social housing, health and education and even the increased burden on Law Enforcements and the Courts.

Emma Xerri

Jul 11th 2009, 18:37

M. Mercieca

The solution for the pension system is simple.

Governments around the world should spend less money on military, wars and armaments, less money on their huge salaries and bureaucracies which are feed billions of dollars and Euros both in North America and Europe respectively and stop the huge tax cuts and financial incentives that are being given to Banks and Corporations that go straight to shareholders pockets without any benefit or returns to the tax-payers.

That should leave enough to pay for the pensions for years to come, and leave billions of Dollars/Euros to spare!

Charles Grixti

Jul 11th 2009, 18:10

@ Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

You are bang on!

Industrialist, Churches and Governments all have a vested interests in ensuring that huge human population growth is maintained.

How else to increase their market shares, if not through cheap labour and larger markets? Governments want a larger tax base to siphon money. Churches also profit from the greater church attendance brought on by poverty, whilst at the same time they also serve the establishment in their tradition role of calming down the threat of revolution by the disenfranchised masses by giving them the hope of a better deal in the afterlife!

What a scam!

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jul 11th 2009, 17:01

@ M. Merceica,

Malta and the rest of the world needs less people not more.

A population of 200,000 or less in Malta is plenty fine.
A hundred and forty years ago Malta had such numbers in population and it survived ok.

This constant growth is wanted by the Capitalists for its cheap labour and a market to sell their goods to.

When is it enough, when are we going to stop?

Can the world keep going at infinitude in growth of population and the pollution and mineral depletion and garbage all this brings?

Raymond Cachia

Jul 11th 2009, 16:49

@Albert Spiteri

The majority of immigrants coming to Canada are under the 'refugee system' therefore there are almost no limits as to the numbers that can come in. And they do come in. Most of these immigrants are on the welfare system and not actively employeed. When they are employeed, it is in the most menial jobs that do not pay a living wage. It is not unusual to have a 1,000 applicants for one job, even at minimum wage! What is worse is that everyone is now in the same boat and competing for the meagre jobs, even the Canadian-born children of long established immigrants. Whatsmore, even with the recession and the economic disaster in North America, the doors are still held wide open.

The situation in the US is similar, with thousands of workers coming in from Mexico and South America, where they usually congregate near a Wal-Mart and you can pick them up and hire them for a day's work. They also do most of the backbreaking work such as in slaugherhouse, because they will work for less than their American counterparts.

This is the true reality. Population growth only serves to feed the Capitalist system.

Emma Xerri

Jul 11th 2009, 16:22

@M. Mercieca

I do not buy the usual reasons being put forward by the Establishment that we actually need human population growth.

With a human population of 6.5 billion and growing, I do not think that humans are on the engendered species list.

The only thing that can be said for human overpopulation is that it is the main cause of poverty, unemployment, slave wages, pollution, wars and the destruction of the planet.

The Establishment of course, is all for the continuing this human population disaster, otherwise who is going to be manning those factories in the third world that they all have own or have shares in and buying the goods that they produce?

To keep the Capitalist system going, it is necessary to have an endless supply of drone workers, willing to work for slave wages and a pool of consumers at the other end to buy the goods. That is how the top 1% of the world's population plans to retain their wealth and power.

Pure Capitalist greed disguised as morality.

charlie xrieha

Jul 11th 2009, 09:52

The solution is simple, encourage a white baby boom from the native families. It is the only way. Unfortunately for twenty years, do to the missing children, there will be hardship.

Europe listened to the feminists and the socialists and abandoned all natural responsibility towards building extended families. The a large white family is the dogma of the far-right. Like everything the far-right says, it makes perfect sense.

The socialist pension system ruined Europe. Before that, people had many kids, so in their old age they would have a large family by then to take of them.

No one wants to make sacrifices. The socialists have are trying to shield the Europeans from the consequences of their materialistic and selfish lifestyles. They are bankrupting Europe and replacing the Indigenous population in the process.

When the far-right finally takes control of Europe, we will fix this. We have turned more desperate situations around. It will cost us many hardships, while the new generations are growing. But we beat the Turks and 2 plagues. We will turn it around.

Europe needs strong leaders now. Not professional politicians who "buy" their seats.

lgalea

Jul 11th 2009, 08:36

Albert Spiteri
You are correct. Can the NSO please elaborate? I wonder whether those who are trying to defend the foreign settlers and illegal immigrants have an agenda of their own and are benefiting from it?

John Borg
We are NOT grateful because we have more than 13,000 MALTESE workers looking a job. Al foreigners whether legal or illegal immigrants are taking jobs from Maltese citizens who have a right to have a job in their own country and not for their job to be taken by foreign settlers. This is apart from lowering the MALTESE workers wages and working conditions through illegal employment on the black (pun intended) economy without paying taxes and NI contributions.

M. Mercieca
What I have said to John Borg also applies to you. WE do not need to import foreigners. We have an excess of people in OUR country. If the eu needs immigrants, why does it not take our ILLEGAL immigrants? No Mercieca, this is simply a sham plot by eu businesses and politicians to import cheap labour and lower the European workers wages and working conditions.

Denis Catania

Jul 11th 2009, 06:42

@Stephen Sultana: WE is for the 97% of the Maltese people who pushed the government to stop them at sea and send them back. It happened a few times in recent months. Since this Maltese American is still working on stopping the illegals from entering Malta, I included myself in WE. Is that OK with you? If not I'll use the word YOU, next time. If you don't want me to include you in the word WE. Go to Marsa's open center and bring home mama an illegal. When that happens, I'll stop including you in WE. By the way the last time I checked my Maltese passport is still valid and my Maltese citizenship is still alive and well. For that I will keep up the fight to save Malta from illegal immigration all the way from the U.S.A with Gzira in mind off course. I need to make up for the dead weight you provide to the Maltese and the Maltese Islands.

M. Mercieca

Jul 11th 2009, 05:22

@ Denis Catania

Did I delegate you to talk on my behalf?
Immigrants Cow boys- solution are only good in American’ movies, but in reality I have joined the 70,000 Maltese who trusted Dr. Simon Busuttil. By the way, according to some that share your views about immigrants you are not an American and can never be one.

claire farrugia

Jul 11th 2009, 03:19

So the maltese authorities recognize divorce obtained abroad but do not offer the service themselves. ......strange and unfair in my opinion. why do maltese have to travel abroad and pay so much money to obtain a divorce when they could get it, and have a right to get it in their own country???
I live abroad but am often in Malta and see that many people going through separation in Malta suffer serious psychological consequences from it because the legal structures are antiquated and the problems they get to get an annulment whilst abroad where I live, friends of mine went through divorce with the minimal problems and consequences and could lead a normal life after that. It is the obligation of the government, irrespective of who it is, to see that this injustice does not go on. After all we are in the European Union and all Europeans should have the same rights.
Whoever does not want divorce, nobody is forcing him to get it and it is false to think that the fact that their is no divorce will encourage couples to stay together inspite huge problems

Albert Spiteri

Jul 10th 2009, 21:59

John Borg, you completely miss the point. Your position is completely unsustainable.
Government and opposition do not agree with you. None of the EU countries agrees with you. Actually, EVERY SANE AND SENSIBLE PERSON disagrees with you.
You only have building contractors and street cleaning contractors to back you up in your defense for this useful source of cheap labour.
Maltese prefer government being more procreative with a long-term nation-wide education program on family values. Maltese prefer our parliament coming out stronger with legislation aimed towards the enhancing of family protection and assistance. Maltese want to see growth through marriage and procreation.
None of this seems good enough for you Mr. Borg. You prefer total population growth through illegal importation of cheap labour - no matter what!

Chris Harris

Jul 10th 2009, 20:01

True Harvey but when jesus said go out and multiply television was not yet invented, now there is no excuse, everyone can afford at least one box, even viagra is chaper then it was a couple of years ago

John Borg

Jul 10th 2009, 19:35

Albert Spiteri: if some immigrants are working illegally, the solution is proper enforcement. Calling them "foreign invaders" and claiming that they are "flooding Malta" and "becoming socially and economically alarmingly larger and larger" (whatever that means) is nothing but unwarranted alarmism and baseless rhetoric.

Stephen Sultana

Jul 10th 2009, 19:26

Denis Catania: who are the "we" that you mention? Do you speak on behalf of all Maltese or Maltese-Americans?

Harvey Agius

Jul 10th 2009, 19:06

Jesus said go out and multiply but gee not this fast. we are over populated now as it is without adding to our nation by accepting more foreigners to stay.

Albert Spiteri

Jul 10th 2009, 18:27

Mr. Merceica, what you say here is very true. European countries are suffering from a depletion of their national populations. The solution does exist, but it is up to social scientists to work at it. Such a discussion is beyond the extreme limits of these exchanges. The USA had a similar situation years ago. I suggest you do some reading on what measures and policies were adopted to reverse the situation. Now the USA has a healthy population growth of about 4.5% per year. Malta's growth has been, since the last 20 years or so, around 0.2% per year (and going down). Australia, Canada and the USA decades ago had serious need of an explosion in their labour population. They saw to that need, not by allowing illegal immigration. They adopted policies for the introduction of massive controlled and legal immigration. The USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other big economies today spend billions on shore and land border patrols. None, never ever, has accepted illegal immigration. This is not the case with Europe. Europe, because of its past colonial obligations, has been subjected to a tsunami of illegal immigration and the extensive black labour market effects on its economy.

Denis Catania

Jul 10th 2009, 18:20

This is alarming news but it may be good news as the Maltese should start smelling the coffee. We need to keep stoping them at sea and send them back.

Albert Spiteri

Jul 10th 2009, 17:43

@John Borg. To begin with, the argument in my post concerns mostly proper presentation of statistical information in report form. The report in today's Times is misleading to say the least. Secondly, please realize John that extremely few foreigners work legally in Malta. Most do not pay taxes and N.I. contributions. These people have created an enormous black economy. They drive down the cost of labour because, since they do not hold any work permit, they are in no position to negotiate a just pay. That is why many, if not most, of those who come out loud in defence of these foreign invaders and their imaginary rights are either themselves employers, or have relatives who are employers. They thrive on the exploitation of cheap black market labour provided by the foreign element in our population. Are you capable of understanding the implications of this current situation Mr. Borg? If not I suggest it is high time for you to improve your general standard of education and knowledge of how society functions as an economic and political reality.

M. Mercieca

Jul 10th 2009, 17:29

The average birth rate within the EU is down to about 1.5 children per woman. This is raising fears among EU governments they will not be able to finance pensions systems for aging European population. Therefore, manpower must be imported to collect taxes for future pensioners. Can Mr. Lowell and Dr. Muscat (AN) and for this matter all anti-immigrants parties provide a solution for this irreversible population deficit of aging Europe ? Is there a statistic of how many babies born with unknown father or of single parents among this immigrant’s babies? If the answer is (probably heading to zilch) this mean such increase of population is very much welcomed as they will not burden our government and milk out economic resources and sucks tax payers money dry.

louise vella

Jul 10th 2009, 17:23

"Nearly 75 percent of the population increase was due to migration." That's how Malta's identity is changing and will continue to change if we do not stem the problem at its source.

John Borg

Jul 10th 2009, 14:56

Mr. Spiteri: if your interpretation is correct, you should be grateful for those who wish to come and live and work in Malta from abroad. Their social security contributions and taxes will help pay for your pension and social benefits when you are no longer a productive member of society.

Joe Borg

Jul 10th 2009, 14:35

Mr A Spiteri;
You have voiced my same concern. Is this 1% growth calculated on Maltese births vs Maltese deaths or is the ratio encompassing illegal migrants; refugees; EU settlers and all the rest?
Maybe the National Statistics Office can specify a bit more on this matter.

Albert Spiteri

Jul 10th 2009, 12:42

A closer examination of this report shows clearly that foreigners are flooding Malta.
The balance between total births and total deaths and total out-going and total in-coming residents (Maltese born nationals and foreign Maltese nationals taken together) is 3202. Simple arithmetic. Work it out. That is the 1% total population growth.
As far as I know NSO publishes no statistic that indicates the net migration balance amongst Maltese-born nationals. Nevertheless it is common knowledge that since 2004 thousands of Maltese-born nationals (especially amongst the young and qualified) taking up permanent residence in mainland EU and elsewhere.
Equally well known is the other worrying fact that Malta attracts east Europeans, Arabs and Africans by the thousands.
This piece of misleading report says that during 2008 our Maltese population has gone up by 1%. It says nothing that this percentage includes a hefty foreign element growth within the resident population during 2008 and nothing also is said about net migration amongst Maltese born nationals.
Had this information been given we would have seen that our Maltese resident population has practically stopped growing and that the foreign element is becoming socially and economically alarmingly larger and larger.