Integration is the key

The creation of migrant ghettos and a booming underground economy are the unfortunate results of the absence of a well-organised integration policy. Other European countries have chosen that path – we are still in time not to.

Many migrants are skilled workers who have a lot to contribute if given the chance- Frank Psaila

This calls for a serious, focused and mature discussion but one thing is sure – we cannot postpone it anymore. Migration is a phenomenon which is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. As long as we continue to view migration as a problem, things can only get more complicated. Integration – well planned with all the necessary rules and regulations in place – is the key.

A cursory look at what is happening in Malta shows that whites, from Europeans to Russians but also many Arabs, seem to have found it relatively easy to integrate in Malta even without any government integration programme.

But the same cannot be said of blacks, who are often left out of society because they ‘look different’. It is precisely with regards to sub-Saharan migrants that we urgently need an effective integration programme.

No wonder our reception and detention centres are constantly full to capacity – refugees and asylum-seekers are facing difficulties to integrate into Maltese society.

Racist and xenophobic comments posted on blogs and news websites do not help. The media would do well to educate instead of fomenting unfounded and unjust fear of the ‘other’. Populist and xenophobic language and discourse will only serve to complicate matters.

Fortunately, the Maltese government, especially Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, are anything but populist when dealing with migration and its challenges. On several occasions, Gonzi has insisted that his government will continue helping men, women and children in distress – who having fled from war torn and famine ravaged countries seeking shelter in Europe.

Integration – well planned with all the necessary rules and regulations in place – is the key. Society benefits if there is a well-organised integration policy in place.

Employment is a key part of the integration process. Many of the sub-Saharan migrants who seek shelter in Europe are skilled workers and professionals who have a lot to contribute if given the chance to do so.

Once migrants leave open centres, they should be encouraged to live independently. If we give immigrants the chance to contribute, legally, to the country’s economy, we can only benefit from new skills and talent.

The recruitment of migrants and migrant entrepreneurship should be encouraged. Education is important.

Diversity should be reflected in the school curriculum while providing immigrants with basic knowledge of the host society’s history, language, customs and knowledge of its institutions.The St Paul’s Bay Primary School is an excellent example of multiculturalism.

Certainly, the EU and the African Union need to work and cooperate more closely with each other to help North African countries build sustainable democracies.

Effective and genuine cooperation between both sides will most certainly lessen the need for young sub-Saharan Africans to cross over to Europe in search of a better life.

Unfortunately, the African continent is suffering from a huge brain drain as thousands of young men and women seek their fortunes in Europe and the US.

Of course, tiny Malta cannot open cope with mass migration – it is a huge challenge which needs to be shouldered by all EU states.

Many EU and other countries, not least the US, are helping Malta to deal with this challenge, mainly through repatriation programmes.

But, while limiting the migration flow is important, time and energy would be better employed in trying to deal with the issue in a more organised manner.

An effective integration policy is of the essence. Malta too will benefit from better migration.

Dr Psaila is information director of the Nationalist Party.