Malta has finite resources

I refer to the article ‘Malta not institutionally racist, PN politicians say’ (The Sunday Times, July 15).

My view is that our only obligation towards these unfortunate economic refugees who flee Africa for a better life is to save their lives if they can’t make it to the mainland and to offer them shelter until they can be sent to mainland Europe, which was always their destination in the first place.

Malta is a small country with very finite resources which need to be used for the betterment of its indigenous population, not distributed to economic refugees who cross its borders illegally.

Naturally, victims of genuine political persecution are a different kettle of fish; each case needs to be treated on its own merits. In the UK, where I live, unrestricted immigration (both legal and illegal) has created very serious healthcare, schooling and housing problems. This has generated a great deal of indignation among the local population.

Malta, unlike the major European countries, was not a colonial power, quite the opposite. We do not owe these economic refugees anything except to save their lives and to offer them food and basic shelter until they can either be repatriated or sent on to the former colonial powers which once exploited them.

Our country cannot run the risk of becoming overrun by people of a totally alien culture; before long they will start demanding ‘rights’ which would have to be granted at our own cultural and economic expense.  What then? Do we compromise our own Christian and European heritage so as to make these uninvited illegal ‘guests’ feel more at home?

Such a situation would certainly trigger the racism that many people fear, with potentially catastrophic consequences.