The ‘slave labour’ claims at a Chinese factory, involving the alleged denial of human rights, raises other factors that seem to have been missed by many.

Apparently, the factory was leased to the Chinese on favourable terms to enable one part to manufacture a product profitably and, in return, provide employment for the Maltese workers.

No Maltese government would accept what has taken place. If the conditions attaching to the original agreement have been broken, this government has every right to forfeit the lease or otherwise withdraw from its obligations by cancelling the agreement forthwith.

If the allegations prove true, the foreign government involved should immediately apologise to the Maltese for not only breaking its promises but also for leaving the Maltese government open to the accusation that it had knowledge and was complicit in denying human rights to those who were no more than slave workers.

The Maltese government apparently was quite happy with what it thought was a direct foreign investment but, with no machinery for monitoring the terms of the agreement and for enforcement for breaches, the Maltese may have been taken for a ride. I hope those that make all decisions on our behalf have learnt their lesson.

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