The article Detention Policy "Fuels Racism" (April 24) must have surely raised many an eyebrow for those who are concerned with one of the biggest problems facing this country in recent times.
What the ECRI is stating is simply that we should open the floodgates to an unlimited flow of immigrants; illegal, not "irregular", as is becoming the fashion of calling them lately. Entering any territory without necessary documentation is illegal.
But, not to stray further from the original argument, a bunch of bureaucrats sitting cosily in a Brussels office can never advise the Maltese authorities on how to go about solving our own problems. While ECRI correctly stated that illegal immigrants are being exploited in the labour market, which I condemn outright, they offered no concrete solution other than to let them roam the streets. What the report did not state was the abuse the staff who man the detention centres have to put up with frequently, reporting of which incidentally, the media conveniently chooses to ignore. Maybe they should don an AFM uniform for a day or two to see for themselves.
The same report also failed to state that only a very small percentage of those applying for refugee status are granted it, which clearly indicates that the large majority of illegal immigrants are not genuine refugees. If they are, they surely will have every interest to show every bit of documentation showing their country of origin.
Somehow, the report also omits any proposal for aid to Malta to deal with the situation; though this is hardly surprising considering that the Maltese authorities' proposals for burden sharing and stricter patrols have been met, at best, with cold water from Brussels. If the Maltese authorities are serious in their solution to this annual problems, they should resort to drastic measures without any further delay, which is not treading new ground for them, as evidenced in areas as diverse as hunting and shipyards. And not wait for a report from holier than thou bureaucrats to act on their recommendations. Or another boatload of unwelcome visitors to disembark on our shores.