Editorial

The General Workers’ Union has made a statement that is very valuable for the proper evaluation of migrants‘ contribution. It noted that Malta benefited from migrants because they benefited from the country, in the sense that they did work not being carried out by Malta’s workforce.

It often happens that debates on migration, especially at times when illegal migrants were arriving in boatloads, as was the case until a few months ago, lack relevant information, such as the positive contributions migrants make to societies in their labour market, along with their traditions and habits. Transparency and information help to counteract people’s fears, which often emanate from the unknown, jumping into unfounded conclusions or stereotyping.

It is therefore good to know that the GWU’s experience is that, in spite of the general concern that this group of people would take Maltese jobs, in turn leading to higher unemployment, this has proved not to be the case. “Unemployment, while rising and falling, was affected by the world and local recession but has not been adversely influenced by people seeking asylum from Sub-Saharan Africa,” said the GWU, while also speaking strongly against illegal employment and the abuse of workers, whoever they may be.

It is obviously the task of governments to regulate the migratory flows in full respect of the dignity of the people involved and of their families’ needs, mindful of the possibilities and requirements of the host societies, which also requires effective responsibility sharing. Meanwhile, though, no one should be indifferent to the conditions of refugees and immigrants.

These people are at the mercy of events, often with dramatic situations behind them. Among the most urgent cases are people escaping persecution or life-threatening conflicts and natural disasters. The media often conveys moving and sometimes horrifying images of such human beings. They are children, young people, adults and elderly persons, often with emaciated faces and sad, lonely eyes, in need of timely human understanding and solidarity.

However, there are also people from countries that, sometimes, are not able to guarantee to their own populations, in addition to freedom of expression and movement, the possibility to satisfy basic needs such as food, healthcare, work, housing and education. The frustration of these needs forces many into a position where their only option is to emigrate. Malta’s own history shows that, in the past, many were those nationals who had to seek a new future elsewhere because they were not able to find work to build a proper life in their own homeland. Real-life situations keep repeating themselves.

It is well known that there are countries which would not have reached their present level of economic development without the impetus received from the influx of groups of refugees and immigrants. The realisation that such people bring with them manpower, skills and talents that contributed to the welfare of the land helps develop a sympathetic attitude on the part of receiving countries.

When refugees and immigrants are treated with the proper respect for the dignity of each one – and Malta has just been given high marks by an EU agency for the way it observes the rights of illegal immigrants who claim asylum status, when every possible means is used to promote the culture of acceptance, but without letting forms of indifferentism creep in when values are at stake, openness in solidarity becomes a gift.