[Daphne – OK, invite me over and let’s talk. Imma m’iniex se noqod nixrob il-kafe tal-landa b’daqxejn halib tal-bott. Mur ixtri xi haga sewwa.]

[Daphne – No, I don’t agree at all. One major difference between the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party is that the Nationalist Party decides to get off its butt and act, it’s got what it takes to do things properly. The Labour Party, on the other hand, does not. So even if it does decide to do something, it can’t. Latest example: chartering Eurojet to take a ballot box and umpteen hangers-on to Cyprus, so that the athletes can vote in the MEP elections. The MEP elections! Maybe they don’t have any idea what chartering a private jet costs or what the fuel bill will be, but I can see that Jason is seeing it as his one chance to live the Monaco life. He’s probably pressed his white jeans already.]

[Daphne – You miss the point of this piece, which is that Joseph Muscat demands action when action has been taken already. The government then announces that action has been taken and he looks like he’s been left out of the loop. You don’t honestly imagine that John Dalli’s ministry sorted out those EU programmes in the few hours since the Labour Party made its demand for employee-training, do you? Or that Austin Gatt pulled that St Elmo board and outline strategy together in the week since the St John’s museum project blew up? Or that Simon Busuttil and the European Parliament wrapped up that law in the 24 hours since Labour intensified its shrieking about illegal immigration? Come on. The government isn’t taking action in response to Muscat’s demands. On the contrary, it is timing announcement of its actions precisely to make him look a fool.]

“Labour leader Joseph Muscat is right in saying that not discussing the immigration issue is creating xenophobic sentiments. For a lack of leadership by mainstream parties creates a vacuum exploited by the far right. But having a discussion which fuels misconceptions to score political points will only aggravate the problem. What I would suggest is a pact signed by both government and opposition (and why not AD) which clearly states;

1. Irrespective of whoever is elected in government, Malta will honour all its international commitments to rescue immigrants who are found in distress in Maltese waters and will repect their human rights.

2. Malta will work energetically within the EU to have a “responsibility sharing” mechanism in place as well as a scheme for the entry of economic migrants to the EU to decrease the illegal traffic.

Labour would only be scoring cheap points if it continues criticising the government for only securing a voluntary burden sharing accord if it does not also say what it is prepared to do to get such an agreement signed. If Labour is hinting at Malta breaking any of its international obligations, it should say so. If it is hinting at stamping it feet in EU institutions by blocking other business until Malta gets it way, it should also say so. I doubt whether this attitude will get us anywhere.

In the meantime both Labour and PN continue to ignore the need for an integration policy aims at ensuring that those migrants who live here start feeling a part of us rather than against us.”