Meeting the needs of refugees

The complexity of the refugees' situation has long been with us. Support structures to meet the needs of these people have been in operation all along. Still there remains the dire need for continuous improvement and wider coverage. There is no easy solution.

It is unfortunate that parallel to this living phenomenon, there is evidence of groups of people who exert pressures to the contrary. The perils of the far-rightists cannot be ignored. Immediate action needs to be taken to nip the bud of all this before the situation deteriorates further.

At the other end, and contrary to the above, there is witness of the over-zealousness of some others who may often, as a result, fail to analyse the situation within the framework of other harsh day-to-day realities. Unwittingly, this isolation confines them to hit even at the wrong targets.

All this has prompted the Emigrants' Commission to come to the fore and highlight in short the many tasks it seeks to accomplish in this direction.

It needs to be clearly stated that the Emigrants' Commission works entirely on behalf of our Catholic Church in Malta. Its Mission Statement is to "cater, on behalf of the Catholic Church in Malta, for all peoples on the move, irrespective of race, gender and sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, disability, education". Diversity is respected in all its potential forms. It is fully committed to translate Christ's teaching: "What you do to the least of mankind, you do it to Me".

At the same time, it must not be forgotten that other entities and organisations like, for example, the Jesuits Refugees' Service and the Peace Laboratory also stretch themselves, beyond all means, to give their sterling best toward this cause and work under the umbrella of our Catholic Church in Malta. The opportunity is taken to invite others to inform the general public of their work.

The numbers are growing; these last years, figures have soared from 500 boat people at the very beginning to 2,500 people last year. The complex factors leading to this situation demand constant attention.

The services offered by the Church in Malta consist of 14 homes in seven different localities, namely Floriana, Msida, Valletta, Marsa, Balzan, Guardamangia and Santa Venera. These units provide shelter to an average of 400 people. Involved in the day-to-day management of this activity, the Emigrants' Commission has a complement of 19 service providers including volunteer and full-time personnel. At the office, we get daily visits by an average of 100 of our brethren. The following highlights some typical examples of the work we get involved in:

We nurture contacts with personnel who have the potential to offer work opportunities while we do our utmost to engage our brethren in full-time jobs;

We have a small complement of medical practitioners who see to our clients' needs on a regular basis, both at our headquarters in Valletta as well as at the Balzan residential complex;

We provide free milk and nappies to all babies at a cost of more than €250 every month and, simultaneously, we keep watch of the children's needs in schools. Towards the beginning of every scholastic year, we spent around €1,250 to provide the children with their initial school needs. We care that the children's needs are not only education oriented but go far beyond, be they psychological, medical, support assistance, etc.;

We offer assistance to trace documents and other relevant information that shed light on the true identity or kinship of our brethren;

We provide legal assistance when we are involved in cases that are not directly related to the asylum process of documentation;

We process applications and help in the provision of the necessary documents for travelling purposes. Every year, we offer assistance to an average total of 850 people whose requirements vary from the processing of fresh applications to renewals and re-issues;

We seek to foster and maintain a healthy rapport with all vested stakeholders to be able to nurture a political, social climate that aims to safeguard the best interests of our brethren in all circumstances, at all times.

The Emigrants' Commission is strictly regarded as the first utility point of reference; we are the very first people the asylum seekers would seek to consult immediately they step out of the detention centre. Somehow or other, they manage to get to our office and from there on, they are helped and guided to meet their various needs ranging from applying for their identity card and enrolling their children to school, to reaching a polyclinic for the relevant medical certificate that verifies that they are free from any infectious disease.

In a nutshell, we are at their beck and call to meet their range of needs as long as they stay in our country. Further to this, it is worth noting that every effort is made to help them feel accepted, appreciated and integrated. To mention but a few, His Grace the Archbishop has had, until recently, one of our brethren engaged in his staff.

Although it is very much aware that, on behalf of our Church in Malta, and with whom it nurtures constant contacts, it is stretching its limits, the Emigrants Commission remains trustful and determined to keep moving forward steadfastly to achieve more and more for the spiritual and material benefits of our dear brethren.

Fr Vella is the Archbishop's Delegate for Emigration and Tourism and chairman of the Emigrant's Commission.