Comments on: Get things into perspective, will you?

By: A Camilleri

A Camilleri — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:36:45 +0000

Ian, I’d rather be labeled a close-minded racist than be advocating cheap labour because, they ‘are in no position to strike’, or because they do our dirty work. I think that as a sovereign country if we wanted to allow a number of migrants it should be done by policy rather than having to deal with whatever numbers arrive. Like the US Green. As things stand illegal immigrants are only accepted because there is nowhere to repatriate them to. Had they arrived on a plane they would be bundled back. Normally there are established immigrations policies and procedures which allow a lot of discretion to the Principal Immigration Officer on allowing a person in a country requiring identification, term of stay, having sufficient funds to sustain their stay etc. While the situation may have to be tolerated because there is no easy solution, it doesn’t mean they anyone voicing concerns is a racist and anti-Arab, and yes, the comments would be equally applicable if the boat-loads were made up of ILLEGAL immigrants from any other country or continent.

By: Ian

Ian — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:54:56 +0000

Yeah we definitely have too many close-minded racists in this country who cant even sit down near a black man or an “arab” (who may well be anything from a Pakistani to a Kurd or a Turk)on the bus. Sadly, We have our fair share of Rednecks in this pretty little Island of ours. All you have to do is hear the man talking on the street, or the famous “no-i-cant-walk-home-alone, an-arab-will-rape-me” kind of thing, often heard amongst the circles Daphne mentioned previously.
What people fail to see is that Malta should utilise these human beings to fill gaps in our economy. Just take a look at whose picking up your rubbish in the morning. Someone’s got to do it, and why not the immigrant who will work for anything? These type of people are what the country actually need- motivated people, constrained to actually get off their arses and make a living! Not lazy slobs cushioned by the ever-benevolent nanny state immortally set up by His Socialistness the Mintoff. These migrants are in no position to go on strike demanding any ridiculous wages, but due to their lives’ cruel circumstances they must get out there and sweat to actually keep alive. The trend amongst maltese is white-collar industry (due to its obvious attractions, no complaints there). Yet who is going to do our dirty work later? In comes the migrant, who is willing to be paid less since he has nothing. The employer always prefers a cheaper wage. Supply meets demand. There we are, economic bliss!

By: A Camilleri

A Camilleri — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:45:32 +0000

Lino, Ever heard of Immigration rules? Try going to the USA and many other countries without a VISA. You’re nearly interrogated even if you have a visa let alone…

By: Lino Cert

Lino Cert — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:11:50 +0000

@ Matthew:

“Only an insignificant number of the immigrants are refugees. They are just ILLEGAL immigrants.”

Illegal for whom? For all you know these same immigrants may be considering yourselves as the illegal residents. Its yourself and your own law that is calling them illegal. These immigrants may have their own opinion about what is legal or not.

You remind me of those Germans who lay down their towels on deckchairs late at night and then expect that they have some right to the deckchair the next day, if someone else comes over first thing in the morning and occupies it.

I say finders keepers and if these immigrants had the motivation, determination and courage to reach these shores then welcome to them.

By: A Camilleri

A Camilleri — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:00:37 +0000

Malcolm, Not having any identity documentation should indicate that they are not bona fide refugees. Which brings us back to the argument that there is no easy solution to repatriating them.

[Daphne – That’s not quite right. While it’s true that many dispose of their documents, many others never had any to start with. If you have to flee your country within hours, you’re not going to apply for a passport first, or go down to the registry office for a birth certificate.]

By: Matthew

Matthew — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:32:59 +0000

A Camilleri:

When people arrive at a country’s borders, and whichever way they choose to arrive, they normally have three choices: to enter ‘the normal way’ using a visa or other travel document; to declare their status as an asylum seeker; to say, ‘Whoops, sorry – wrong country’, and leave.

Unfortunately asylum seekers do not wear little badges that say ‘I am a refugee’ or ‘I am not a refugee’. They undergo a process to determine whether they are in fact refugees, and to make sure that they are not war criminals or people guilty of non-political crimes like murder or terrorism. It is government policy to interest asylum seekers in returning to their home country voluntarily. I happen to think that this is immoral, but anyway, it’s allowed by the UN Convention.

By: A Camilleri

A Camilleri — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:12:44 +0000

Matthew:
Only an insignificant number of the immigrants are refugees. They are just ILLEGAL immigrants.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:12:48 +0000

A Camilleri:

The UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees does not differentiate between modes of transportation. There is a large community of Kosovar refugees in New York, and they did not sail across the Atlantic.

By: A Camilleri

A Camilleri — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:51:41 +0000

I see your point that for an issue to be labelled a crises it needs to have reached sufficiently alarming levels. However that should not stop the government doing what its elected to do and establish policies and legislation to avoid issues snowballing into crises. I get the impression that you’re against any debate which goes against illegal immigrants settling here. If the immigrants reaching our shores by boat had arrived here on a plane, immigration officials would have applied the rules to send them back. It’s only because there is no easy solution to repatriating boat people with no identity or proof of citizenship that these individuals are accepted in our country. There are crises which you cannot avoid, particularly those emanating from mother nature. Others, can be pro-actively avoided or mitigated before they get out of hand.

By: Darren Azzopardi

Darren Azzopardi — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:24:19 +0000

Dear Daphne, I don’t want to sound small minded and “a local yokel” (in the memorable words of Catherine Tate :) but pls , pls , pls don’t compare Malta with really big players. If countries like Austria and Portugal are treated like small countries in the EU, let alone globally, what does that make us? Micro states.

What exactly do you mean that we must be nonchalant about the petty issues, and talk about the big problems? I think you’re equatting our Maltese sense of being the centre of the world with our capabilities. We individually may have a good career (most probably abroad), but to ever equate the state of MAlta as ever amounting to anything in an International context is totally ridiculous. Let’s get down to Earth, please. And don’t bring up the excuse that were in the EU now, and thus have equal rights as France and Germany. WHen they broke EMU rules, they changed those rules to accomodate themselves and their economies. I don’t think they would be so lenient to us, or to other small states.