No one is saying we don’t have a problem. We are saying that the problem has to be dealt with in a way that does not detract from our and the refugees’ humanity, not to mention our international obligations. It’s not an easy problem, but it has to be solved within the constraints of human decency, democracy, and the rule of law, both local and international. We are simply saying that none of these can be abandoned or suspended. Every single comment on timesofmalta.com suggests doing that, knowingly or not.

We also find it sad, rather than amusing, that these considerations should be ignored in a so-called Christian country, but perhaps the only charity we’re interested in is what we can bum off the foreigner. Take this one for instance:

“louise vella (7 hours, 40 minutes ago)
I know little about medicine but I can do sums.
100 people being treated for HIV, half of them African immigrants = 50
approximate cost €500 per month = €500 x 12 = €6000 per year
These 50 immigrants are costing our medical services €6000 x 50 = €300 000 per year.
We have not costed the other diseases mentioned in the article, eg tubercolosis, skin lesions.”

So what is she suggesting exactly? That we let them drown? Or that we don’t let them drown, but we take them in, and if they’re suffering from some medical condition, HIV or not, we just let them die of it?

Recent statistics show that of the 13,000 that came to Malta in the last seven years, 80% were rescued. In other words, turning them back would have resulted in the murder of 10,000 people. Is that what you are suggesting? Because all those who are suggesting we ‘turn them back’ are suggesting exactly that, whether they want to admit it or not.

I cannot speak for Marsa, but those of my friends who live in Birzebbuga have never said they felt disturbed or unsafe, even when expressly asked. The closest one of them came to a racist remark was to suggest that he almost ran over a refugee when driving home in the dark. As to your suggestion of open an open centre in Sliema – well, to start with you forget there is already one in Balzan, but if you insist on Sliema, I can tell you this: there isn’t the space for one, but there is space in St. Julian’s, where I live. The space I am talking about is Paceville.

We are already plagued by large numbers of tourists and people from all over Malta coming here all the time, making it difficult to park and at times difficult to sleep, not to mention the regular damage to our property. How many drunken immigrants have you caught pissing on your doorstep recently? But I’ve caught Maltese doing it, on doorsteps, on cars, and plain in the middle of the road.

So you want to send the refugees here? The more the merrier. The refugees already come here anyway, a good number of them to work rather than to get drunk. But whilst we’re busy making deals and deciding who gets to go where, in that case, I’d like to do the same. Please never come here yourself.

There’s also Maltese involved in this web. Wonder why no-one in authority set their foot down and started a serious investigation?

La KMB u nofs Malta qed jghixu fil-holm, u l-immigrazzjoni illegali mhix problema, mela zgur ma tiddejqux jekk issa nifthu xi erba’ open centres in-naha taghkom hux hekk? Nghidu ahna tas-Sliema, halli hutna t-turisti Afrikani jgawdu ftit l-arja tal-bahar u s-socjeta’ kosmopolitana dik in-naha wkoll. La m’intomx daqshekk inklinati li tmorru tghixu bil-familja taghkom il-Marsa jew Birzebbuga, din l-esperjenza sabiha mal-proxxmu Afrikan ma titilfuhiex ghax jigu wara biebkom.

Ghandkom cans tad-deheb. Bhalissa bosta kandidati ghall-Parlament Ewropew qed iduru l-familji bieb bieb. Fittxu itolbuhom biex f’isem l-ugwaljanza mill-aktar fis iweghdu li jekk jitilghu igibu l-fondi Ewropej halli jifthulkom centru turistiku Afrikan, maghruf ukoll bhala open centre, fil-villagg taghkom. Ghax mhux gust li nofs Malta qed ticcahhad minn din l-esperjenza unika.

Isa ha narawkom tghaddu mill-paroli ghall-fatti!