Updated: AFM locates missing dinghy

E. Azzopardi

Aug 16th 2012, 15:03

Good, I suppose the more the merrier!!

Anthony Scicluna

Aug 16th 2012, 14:53

One question springs to mind amid the two sides of this illegal immigration story (one side being send them back and the other being integrate them):

What of the organised crime syndicates that are making hefty sums of money from finding and transporting wave upon wave of people?

If we assume that it costs (prepaid and in cash) 2000 Euros per person, this trip alone netted the criminals over 300,000 Euros.

D Muscat

Aug 16th 2012, 14:06

The boats should be given provisions, turned back and escorted to just outside Libyan territorial waters. The immigrants should then be advised to contact the Maltese embassy, if they want to claim asylum.96% of all our arrivals are not refugees anyway. Every patrol boat should carry a spare dinghy, to use should the original one not be seaworthy.

If the sea conditions are too rough, they should be transferred to a patrol boat capable of housing them. They should not be brought over to Malta but kept there until sea conditions are suitable to be returned back. Medical facilities should be made available on the patrol boat. Only then will we be able to solve this problem.

Unfortunately there is no political willpower to carry it out. Pity we cannot tempt some Australian politicians to come to Malta . Legally of course.

Anthony Arpa

Aug 16th 2012, 13:43

Carmen Galea inti nahseb taf li anki biex immorru holiday airport sa ic cunturin u iz zarbun innezawk barra li jaraw il passaort ect ect .... u Alla jbierek dawn mhux talli jithallew jidhlu u johorgu illegalment hawn imma talli jigu mhejuna jithlu illegalment u minajr documenti mil AFM .... PROSIT EHHHHHHHHHHH

pat muscat

Aug 16th 2012, 13:03

We have a State that abdicates its duties: under GonziPN we have a failed leadership,

Louise Vella

Aug 16th 2012, 12:51

Malta’s population density is 1300 per square kilometre. All our illegal immigrants should be sent to Sweden and Norway where the density is 20 and 15 inhabitants per square kilometre, respectively. Sweden is the country of origin of Cecilia Malmstrom and Gustav Svensson while Norway is that of UNHCR representative Jon Hoisaeter. The Nordics should not limit themselves to preaching to others and being generous at other countries’ expense. They should practise what they preach.

Victor Vella

Aug 16th 2012, 12:45

Of course these illegal immigrants come to Malta. They read in Libya- a big ally of GonziPN regime- that Gonzi par idejn sodi created 20,000 jobs. They will be disappointing to know while entering the island illegally, that only around 4,000 jobs were created. Poor chaps!!!!!

John Azzopoardi

Aug 16th 2012, 12:28

Has Brussels ordered an IMPACT ASSESSMENT on the impact all these illegal migrants - poor and destitute are having on a small island nation of 400,000. Is there a limit of how much we can take in. Are they thinking the sky is the limit. And where is our prime minister and our home affairs minister. Are they sleeping. And how about our leader of oppostion. I will not say AD leader as they are utterly useless as well. Enough is enough 16,000 in 10 years is not sustainable. What happens to our free social services in say 5/10 years; What about the impact on our little island, culture and security. Is anyone really asking these questions. Enough is enough.

Terry COURTNADGE

Aug 16th 2012, 11:45

Malta is the most densely populated member country in the EU - by far. It appears, to me, an outsider that the Government is guilty of gross inertia (sweeping the problem under the rug). On the political subject, does the Opposition - should it be elected next time have a solution?
Eventually, your services will be unable to cope - that day is approaching and then the policitians will be forced to make a decision, it looks like they are all hoping it won't be 'me' in the hotseat.

Joseph Vassallo, (Bugibba)

Aug 16th 2012, 11:35

Imagine the indignation in the respective countries, if a proportional contingent of immigrants were to arrive in Italy, France or the UK, each of which has a population of roughly 60 million against Malta's 400,000.

Today’s immigrants would proportionately translate into 160 (immigrants): 400,000 what X (immigrants) : 60,000,000 = 24,000 new immigrants arriving in Italy, France or the United Kingdom IN ONE DAY.

If our year’s tally so far is really 1,500 the comparative proportional influx for that size population is 225,000 clandestine arrivals.

In terms of land area, the same three countries average 366666 km² per territory against Malta’s 316 km². This translates into 160 (immigrants) : 316 km² what X (immigrants) : 366666 km². Thus the equivalent product is 185,654 immigrants landing in either of those countries IN ONE DAY.

Surely the rest of the EU is aware of all this and has decided to make Malta a staging post or holding-pit at the behest of the other European nations. Malta needs drastic action in the form of returning (whence they came) whoever defies our laws and our sovereignty.

Someone here said that complaints without suggested alternatives are useless, so I have a suggestion. Mightier nations than ours have a standby-supply of large sea craft such as hospital ships that are mostly idle except when emergencies arise; if one or two such craft were to be stationed in the southern Mediterranean, wannabe immigrants could be intercepted and taken on board for humanitarian assistance and once recuperated, sent back to their point of departure without ever reaching land. This is what Frontex ought to be doing. Constant patrols would be necessary for smaller craft trying to sneak through but by and large, most would be intercepted.

Someone out there has made and is making a lot of money out of this misery. They could even be sending these immigrants to their death if one considers two recent reports by UNHCR that scores of immigrants were missing at sea. Being, as ever, sceptical, I questioned those reports by writing to this comment-board (but my comments were not shown) and by writing to the UNHCR reporter responsible for the initial feed. Neither she nor the UNHCR representative in Tunisia (whom I copied into my email to the reporter) replied.

Joseph Cauchi Senior

Aug 16th 2012, 11:34

Could this problem of illegal immigrants landing on our shores uncontrollably be the Achilles’ heel for the present government, in the forthcoming elections?

JC

Joseph Cauchi Senior

Aug 16th 2012, 11:29

Why are we now calling them Migrants and no longer asylum seekers or refugees?

Is it perhaps that now we have accepted the fact that these are really Economic Migrants and nothing else?

Joseph Cauchi Senior

Aug 16th 2012, 11:28

Lampedusa and Italy are no longer their destinations!

Why Malta, then?

JC.

Louise Vella

Aug 16th 2012, 11:17

The facts of the case as reported in the press call for a police investigation of the captain and crew of MV Victoria 6. The police should not rely on mere hearsay but should establish the true facts.

Carmen Galea

Aug 16th 2012, 11:17

I am in a situation where my partner is an Australian citizen and would come to live with me in Malta, I am a maltese citizen, problem is that even though he has very good qualifications for employment, he cannot reside in Malta, unless we get married, which we are both not ready for just yet. So how come these unfortunate people who are still running from he homes are so easily accepted here? whats the deal? some yes they do end up going back home, but I am sure most of them stay here, find work and soforth, please explain, as I don't think this is fair, my relationship is in stake here, I have tried everything.

Louise Vella

Aug 16th 2012, 11:16

Dr Gonzi said his policy is twofold. First he gives all illegal immigrants in a dinghy a guarantee that they will be brought to Malta. Second he would like the EU to take them off our back as a sign of burden sharing. The EU does not want to share the burden. So we are left with the first part of the policy. Dr Gonzi is guaranteeing all illegal immigrants that if they leave Libya by boat they will be brought to Malta. No questions asked. No limits to the numbers. So Dr Gonzi is inviting an unlimited number of illegal immigrants to come to Mlata and if necessary they will have the first claim to our hospital services. Thank you Dr Gonzi.

B. Storace

Aug 16th 2012, 11:15

So, they keep coming and what are we doing about it, not too much. I am sure that a minority, especially the children, can be given a proper education from the moment they are landed. I believe this will benefit them irrespective which country they eventually end up in. I am also sure that a minority of the adults which arrive clandestinely, especially those in their teens and early twenties, have a modicum of athletic prowess. This could be harnessed and channelled in the right direction so that Malta can eventually reap the benefit in the International sports arena. We have just witnessed the Olympics and we have seen how Somalis, Ethiopians, Kenyans etc have excelled in athletics so why can't they?
Whichever the case I do believe that keeping people locked up with nothing or not too much to do is the wrong approach. These people have to be kept busy in a positive way even if it's for a few hours a day.

John Azzopoardi

Aug 16th 2012, 10:50

Has anyone read about the new Australian commission report about illegal migrant crossing. They are in the process, if they haven't done so already, to pass a law to take illegal migrants coming to Australia by boat to some island and place them in a detention centre until their asylum request is processed or be sent back to where they originally came form. Now Australia is a huge continent with a lot of space. And here in Malta we are inuended day in and day out, for the past 10 years with 16000 unwanted migrants on our small little island of just 122 Sq miles. This is insane. We have no space. Someone commented about he vacant properties. These properties belong to maltese people and they worked for them or inherited them. also, how about the social cost involved - medical services, schooling, social services, welfare, food, housing, etc etc, etec, With these kind of migrants, we sure are not going to fill our purse. As most of the funding is government funding or they will need to send the little money they earn back to their families, unless another law is passed where they can bring their relatives over for more handouts.

Kenneth Galea

Aug 16th 2012, 10:16

Malta is full up!!! Malta is not a safe port any more according to the various NGO's and also the UNHCR. They are complaining that our detentions services are full up, circa 100 illegal immigrants per one detention service employee. That is exactly why problems crop up, then our soldiers, police, AFM, you name it are labelled racists and bear the brunt of it all because we have a useless Government with no backbone. Send them back now, today to Libya and I am sure that GonziPN will win the general election with flying colours if he were to deport them to Libya.

John Azzopoardi

Aug 16th 2012, 09:37

160 people in one day and it's only middle of summer. We are almost up to 1500 this year. I as a citizen am really anxious for myself, my children and the country. Will Gonzi and Muscat say what they are going to do with this situation. Or are they going to sit there and say nothing as usual.

N. Agius

Aug 16th 2012, 09:29

I lost hope that the EU will ever help us with this matter. So let's help ourselves .... are we working undercover in Libya to see who is organizing these trips? Helplessness at its best.

R. Borg

Aug 16th 2012, 09:06

Are these still coming from Libja?

j brincat

Aug 16th 2012, 09:01

And we helplessly look on in bewilderment!



(jb)

Mary Pace

Aug 16th 2012, 08:58

Libya is getting rid of them and dumping them on us, return to sender please.

Gustav Svensson

Aug 16th 2012, 08:52

What malta needs to do is to start integrate immigrants and stop racism to avoid problems ahead. Luckily there are 70 000 empty new apartments in Malta so there is a roof available for all new maltese. The Church got an important role to play here.

A Camilleri

Aug 16th 2012, 08:38

Even AUstralia, such a huge continent with a population much bigger thn Malta's is legislating to start refusing accepting illegal immigrants and will not have ny detention centres on land but in neighbouring islands. And this when they get a mere 15,000 immigrants with such a massive land area.

Paul Pulis

Aug 16th 2012, 08:04

When people lose faith in their religion, their judiciary system, their politicians and the police force; that is a recipe for anarchy. The recent events reported in this paper alone are clear pointers of where we are heading or maybe already arrived.

Frederick Frendo

Aug 16th 2012, 07:59

the assistance and humanitarian aid we have given during the libyan conflict have not been much appreciated. furthermore our authorities seem to be taking it rather lightly whilst knowing that we cannot take much more of all this.

Rita D'Amato

Aug 16th 2012, 07:35

Honestly speaking, can we take more of this??? Can this small, tiny, little island, whatever, take more of these illegal immigrants??? Isn't it time that we also take action like other bigger & stronger countries did?? Why is it called 'illegal immigration'?? If that's the case than it's ILLEGAL, fullstop.

Louise Vella

Aug 16th 2012, 07:33

So over 150 illegal immigrants in one day. The British minister who was recently in Malta told us bluntly not to expect any burden sharing because that would amount to a call factor to other potential illegal immigrants. That was bad news for Malta. But at least it showed that the minister was protecting British national interests. Is Dr Gonzi defending Malta’s national interests?

Colin Stanley

Aug 16th 2012, 01:44

the Santa Maria convoy came in again to day, but this time with illegal immigrants. viva il convoy.

John Azzopoardi

Aug 16th 2012, 01:03

why doesn't our political leaders talk ab out this issue. We must help save these people if they are in distress, but we should not then be made their guardian for a lifetiime. This whole situation is really getting out of hand. Do the politicans on both sides know what they are getting us into.

Joe Xuereb

Aug 16th 2012, 00:27

I have a few questions to ask the Authority concerned with the migrants' issue, plus a few observations of my own.

The dinghies used for these ventures always seem to be of the same make and brand new; and look mighty expensive. Suggesting that there is a stock of them somewhere. Let us say that the State of Libya is organising all this (but surely, this is most unlikely now). Which only leaves another option - the involvement of human traffickers. In which case they are making a hell of a lot of money out of human misery, judging by the boats as I described. Or maybe they are not so miserable after all even when they die before they set foot on Malta or join their extended family in 'Rome'. I think it is often a case of people taking a risk for whatever reason and it does not come off. Happens! My observations, which I have expressed on at least one other occasion. Now the questions. Straightforward, not trick ones. I so don't do underhand!

Am I right in thinking that the minute these boat-people are 'home-and-dry' with a cup of hospitality Maltese chai secure in their hands, they are interrogated and asked rudimentary questions a five-year-old would ask, e.g.

where are you from? who set you up on this journey? did you have to pay any money? how much? Stuff like this. And once the Authorities have the answers - it matters not whether true or not, they can still be analysed -

could we please be told the outcome. And no, we are not asking the full question and answer history of all those who have come before. We want the answers from this lot, a fresh clean slate sort of thing. Specific without too many convoluted and waffled responses - if they are forthcoming, i.e. - that tell us nothing. I am waiting. And I am still waiting. And then we are surprised that the stress is rising among a people known for their laidback attitude to life? These shenanigans would try a saint and the average brawler is not saint, this I do concede. But if his aggression has its roots in the helpless invasion of his land, then he has all my sympathy.

'Short-and-sweet?!' Sorry, no can do (and sod the sorry, or YOU will be!)

Joseph Cauchi Senior

Aug 16th 2012, 00:13

It is not that we shouldn’t help these people in distress; but this on-going saga is becoming very suspicious!

Are we really dealing with asylum seekers or refugees or are we dealing with human trafficking posing as economic migrants?

The authorities should delve into this matter and examine very thoroughly the core problem of this situation; as things stand, this situation has all the ingredients of something very suspicious.

We shouldn’t take everything at face value!

JC.

John Cole Smith

Aug 15th 2012, 20:48

'M/V Victoria 6' that a dinghy had approached the ship while she was conducting maintenance some 70NM south of Malta.', wow what a coincidence, I want to believe it, the other side of me says , they were aboard this ship!

Its about time, all ships travelling from Libyan ports to Malta are double checked for illegal immigrants. By the way what happened to that ghost called FRONTEX?

joe abdilla

Aug 15th 2012, 19:41

Surprisingly enough, MV Victoria VI's last port of call was Khoms in Libya.. TM and all relevant authorities should investigate.. Were they really picked up at sea?

Anthony Arpa

Aug 15th 2012, 19:30

We must keep them till they recover well, but then they must be sent back from were they came ... This will help them to learn not to never try again to take this Dangerouse Chance ...

Johan zammit

Aug 15th 2012, 18:51

I do believe that these persons need help and it should be given.But for God sake we need help from the EU. We are a tiny Island and with the numbers that are coming we can't cope

carlos ellul

Aug 15th 2012, 18:36

To think that the usual dime a dozen bloggers got hot under the collar because karmenu vella has suggested that we should renegotiate our EU deal on this particular issue. Maybe they are happy to see Malta being converted into a big detention camp were immigrants are trapped here even if its against their will.