Updated: Migration - Malta proposes defence meetings with Italy

sean grima

Jan 31st 2010, 21:43

i agree that empowerment of women is an essential part of the long term solution.

Charles Grixti

Jan 30th 2010, 13:08

@Sean Grima

2)

That is the only way to stop the mass influx of immigrants/refugees from Africa. The other part is to exert international pressures for African debts to be forgiven, debts that were incurred by non-elected dictators and for which the African people are being made to pay. Just the interest alone on these loans is enough to keep them under forever. These money-lending by the IMF and World Bank (by the way, these are private banking institutions and not Charity organizations!) prop up dictators with high interest money loans, which these dictators then use to buy weapons to use against their own people or other ethnic tribes (you will then notice that these 'loans' are given back to the West in the form of arms purchases which rake in millions to the Western Arms Industry - a very convenient set-up, if I may say so) and to pave the way for giant multi-nationals corporations to access Africa’s rich mineral resources.

Here is a link to one group of activists that are making the news – the Yes Men.

Watch their first documentary; it is both funny and sadly true!

http://theyesmen.org/movies/theyesmen

Charles Grixti

Jan 30th 2010, 13:04

@Sean Grima

1)

What is your point about you knowing educated females receiving their education in Africa? We are not saying that Africans do not have good schools for those that can afford them or that Africans are inferior in any way. What we are saying is that Africans need to re-think what is keeping them poor and down and one of the major obstacles is 'male-centrism' that is the hallmark of most African cultures.

Back the women up, educated them and give them the power, and they will whip-up the males into shape!. African women are strong and hard working, and they need their men to stand along them side them and support them instead of leeching off them. Oprah Winfrey knows the score. This generous American billionaire has started a girls' school in South Africa that is 'free of charge' to train and empower girls who will be the next generation of leaders. She has no problem seeing clearly what needs to be done.

sean grima

Jan 29th 2010, 09:53

i completely agree with the empowerment, including education of women. In fact, I do know some 'educated' african females, who actually received their education in Africa.

Charles Grixti

Jan 29th 2010, 00:06

@ Sean Grima

Yes, I am afraid that Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi is right about empowering women and girls.

This is something that has long been known by the UN and other agencies. Educate a girl and the standard of living goes up, not just for her but for her whole family and community. One by one, these empowered women can and will change the world - for starters, there will not be a child born every 9 months, a child nobody wants and cannot feed.

This is the secret nobody is talking about (I believe since it would upset many big-wigs, from Religious leaders to Capitalist tycoons). So if we want to see real change, this is the place to start.

Join and support this campaign Sean and others like you, if you really, truly care about the poor of Africa!

Here are two web sites to get you started:

http://www.plan-uk.org/becauseiamagirl/

http://www.unfoundation.org/global-issues/women-and-population/

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 28th 2010, 20:40

@ sean grima,

Empowering women works wonders on any culture.
From south america to africa and the middle east and asia, it is universal.
Population control and a better standard of living are some of the fruits of educated females with power over the family life and government.

sean grima

Jan 28th 2010, 18:18

you are lumping all african cultures into one - the status of women is very different, depending on which part of africa one is in, and the religion. please remember that there are 800 different ethnic groups in africa.

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 28th 2010, 15:50

@sean grima,
Empowering their women would do wonders to bring their population under control for starters.

sean grima

Jan 28th 2010, 13:25

i am sure that like all of us they would love to be in the land in which they grew up, IF that land is capable of providing them with a decent life. This is not the case at present. However, it seems that you believe that you can solve their problems back home: J'Alla

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 27th 2010, 20:57

@ sean grima,

One Excellent idea from you at last !
Just to see them all happy in their own homeland and not bothering anyone else, would be all the thanks I would need.

sean grima

Jan 27th 2010, 09:05

fine. i hope your fellow anti-immigrant friends will propose you for the job, in order to help your cause. after all, perhaps you can to somalia the peace which the world has failed to bring. i am sure that all somalians would thank you for that

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 24th 2010, 15:42

@matthew tanti ,

I have been a history buff for a long time and I am well read on that region of africa including accounts from the Queen of Sheba and her bloodline in Ethiopia to the Italian colonial wars, and to the Somali and mafia connections of today and the 1991- 95 civil war of Somalia and the deeds of warlord Mohamed Farah Aideed. Actually refugee commissioner would be a great job for myself in that region, not one of them would leave their homeland under my watch. The stoppage of war and the betterment of conditions in their homeland is what I would strive and work for no matter how daunting that task might be. Much better than flooding western nations with people that their citizens do not want and be burdened with.

matthew tanti

Jan 23rd 2010, 18:25

perhaps we should appoint you as refugees commissioner, given that you know so much about them! you however seem not to know that the horn of africa (somalia, ethiopia, eritrea etc) has been ravaged by brutal dictators, civil war, famine and drought for most of its recent history. of course that is an insignificant detail and none of those is a valid reason for leaving their country. you should be thanking God that you weren't born there, and have a minimum of pity for such people!!!!!!!!!

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 23rd 2010, 15:56

@matthew tanti,

If you enjoy fooling yourself that is fine, these people were not in dire straits in Libya ,and most held jobs there for many years to pay for their expensive illegal passage. None came emaciated and naked to our island. See them idling the hours away with their mobile phone by Valletta Gate, go talk to them, go get a feel of what they are really all about. My prognosis: They are opportunists who are searching for other EU countries to go to from Malta ,where the pickings, IE: welfare payments, social services and free housing are alot bigger, better and juicier. I spent years in North America, I know how this group from the horn of africa mostly, operate.

matthew tanti

Jan 22nd 2010, 20:18

whom are you kidding, trevor lorenzo mizzi? you must be a brainwashed person to equate people who are considered to need humanitarian protection as opportunists!

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 22nd 2010, 12:32

@ sean grima,
" one can only wonder what kind of person considers people granted HUMANITARIAN protection to be opportunists."

I would call him a realist and a true nationalist who loves his country and its citizens.

sean grima

Jan 21st 2010, 23:04

one can only wonder what kind of person considers people granted HUMANITARIAN protection to be opportunists. well, the kind that conjures end of the world scenarios!!

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 21st 2010, 14:09

@ sean grima, They are ILLEGAL by showing up on our shore uninvited and uncalled for with no documentation. Only around 2 to 3% qualify as refugees, the rest are opportunist that Malta cannot support indefinitely and in huge numbers , all coming here at their whim. Try doing this to China , Japan or Russia to see how far you get. No nation on earth can survive this sort of illegal behavior, it is a sure recipe for destabilization of any nation.There are plenty of destitute human beings around the world, always will be,letting them come in to your home at their will in any number is a sure way for you to be eaten out of house and home. Help them in their own countries where they belong.

sean grima

Jan 21st 2010, 11:38

C Zarb correctly points out that any form of forced detention is a breach of a person's rights, and rightly acknowledges that integrating immigrants into our society is desirable.

C.ZARB

Jan 21st 2010, 09:57

There are currently 2 million illegal immigrants in Libya, a number which is too overwhelming for that nation to give adequate care. Its easy to critise Libya for its lack of commitment to the cause but if any European country had that amount of immigrants it would probably end up doing worse than Libya is currently doing.

While Malta has the DUTY to do its part, we must admit that unfortunately even 1% of that number would jeopardize our society. We are a small country with no natural resources, with limited space and resources. An open border policy is damaging for both locals and immigrants who won't have the neccessary resources to integrate and build a future. Not to forget that forcing immigrants to live here (that is what is suggested by the Dublin treaty) is in my opinion a breach of a person's human right!

Its easy for groups whose existence relies on this problem to portray a situation as if there is no tomorrow. Stating that its not the case. We have the duty to safeguard Malta's future both for the locals and the immigrants who are currently residing on our island.

sean grima

Jan 20th 2010, 23:32

i am NOT a communist - that ideology is tantamount to mediocrity. what TL Mizzi refers to as ILLEGAL immigrants is very often not the case: they may arrive in malta without a visa, but cease being illegal as soon as they apply for asylum. the saying about good fences does not make sense when the neighbour on the other side is a destitute person, at least i would not apply it to my neighbours.

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 20th 2010, 19:25

@sean grima,
Good fences make good neighbours is an excellent old saying and with good reason.
We can build good bridges and find common ground with all proper diplomacy when they, the ILLEGAL immigrants, are back home across the sea and not sitting unwanted and uncalled for on my doorstep and in large numbers.

T.gauci

Jan 20th 2010, 18:55

@sean grima

"i do not see any need for confrontation or defence of anyone's interests. that need arises when you create an "us" and "them" siege mentality, instead of seeking to build bridges and find common ground."

communism mentality brings devastation to civilization.

D Phillips

Jan 20th 2010, 18:42

IGalea. yet again you keep us all amused with your admirable theories on foreign national based conspiracies. Please explain on what factual basis do you conclude that 10,000 is a conservative theory? Perhaps instead of unflinchingly blaming "other nationalities" for taking Maltese jobs maybe you could direct some of your ire at those who are doing the employing, some of whom i'm pretty sure would be Maltese, and should therefore also be a target for your diatribes . And judging by the comments from Sean Grima, I am sure he would be more than happy to defend, any of his fellow countrymen who don't portray themselves as being xenophobic, or bigoted, or racist and who can put forward a slightly less predjudiced opinion on any matter concerning these nasty foreigners.

sean grima

Jan 20th 2010, 18:39

i do not see any need for confrontation or defence of anyone's interests. that need arises when you create an "us" and "them" siege mentality, instead of seeking to build bridges and find common ground.

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Jan 20th 2010, 18:32

@ sean grima,
take care of the interests of the maltese for a change.

sean grima

Jan 20th 2010, 18:24

@lgalea: SHAME and DISGRACE on you for suggesting that distinction amongst human beings should be based on skin colour! you seem to be living decades ago when protectionism of mediocrity was acceptable - as if it should matter whether the work is performed by a maltese or a migrant: what counts is the quality delivered!

lgalea

Jan 20th 2010, 16:19

sean grima
Shame on you for always defending the illegal immigrants and not your country and fellow citizens. I hope that you do not have a personal interest in the illegal immigrant invasion continuing. As for the 10,000 figure which is an extremely conservative figure you seem to be living in another galaxy. Indeed people know that there are many more than this because many have slipped in without being detected. This is apart from other nationalities who have overstayed their visa and can be seen working everywhere instead of Maltese workers.

Joseph Grech Totally agree with you. All those measures will attract illegal immigrants as flower nectar attracts bees.

sean grima

Jan 20th 2010, 16:04

i do not know from where the 10,000 figure was obtained. security threats are not limited by nationality - even maltese people can be a security threat. of coruse, if any foreigner, of whatever nationality, is a security threat, s/he should be processed in accordance with the law. as usual people like louise vella and lgalea do not want malta to participate with the rest of the world in tackling global issues.

louise vella

Jan 20th 2010, 14:51

So now we are admitting that illegal immigration involves also a security risk, in addition to risks to stability at home, public order, accommodation etc. Can anyone be sure that of the 10 000 illegal immigrants landing in Malta in recent years (most of whom are still roaming our streets) not a single one of them was a threat to Malta’s security and perhaps to the security of other countries too?

Joseph Grech

Jan 20th 2010, 13:53

I agree with this article - except for one point: it was not in Malta's interest to host the offices of the EU refugee 's agency in Malta. That was a BIG mistake as that centre will surely encourage more illegals to try to come here! Giving illegal arrivals money in a bid to make them agree to return home is another BIG mistake which will certainly backfire.
Yes indeed Malta and Italy need to cooperate together in defence. Illegal immigration - from wherever - is unacceptable no matter how you look at it.
Help developing countries in Africa and elsewhere by all means - but ensure you do not allow your own country to be taken over by outsiders one day. As is happeneing in parts of the U.K., France, Italy etc.

lgalea

Jan 20th 2010, 12:16

They sure need to show the rest of the eu about the illegal immigrants invasion problems and that they must all be sent back. Those who want to claim asylum should be able to do so in Libya or other countries and not come to Malta and Europe. Let's hope that an agreement is reached with Italy so that all illegal immigrants will be returned back to Libya and to their own countries.