It's time to do what the Australians do! tow them back in the opposite direction.

Thanks Mark and Nicky,

I was beginning to think that only I had a view on this matter.

I have to say that I don't have any prejudices regarding other races whatsoever, and would be the first to allow any genuine immigration or asylum seeking but it really is getting pathetically out of hand. Malta is now feeling how we have felt as a nation for a long time. Non of our politicians seem to have an answer and I can see that there will be trouble in the future. I really wish the UK could lead the way with this issue but it seems that we don't even know how many illegals we have here, so what advice could we give to Malta?

Like you I think the Aussies have the right idea as regards Malta's problem!

Trev

Hello Trev, I have lots of things to say on this but some of them I will keep to myself, perhaps Malta will take a look at what it all means by joining the good old E U. First all the prices go up as quick as all the new hotels, all the old busses go,time share touts are told they cannot harass the tourist any more(or did I get that bit wrong) Spitfires fly over Malta again and to top it all Comino win the World Cup at football, well some of this is a bit over the top but like the birds that fly south to Africa people from Africa will always head north for a better life, if Malta cannot cope with an influx of immigrants legal or not they have a small navy they should just take them back before they land.
That is my view.
Dave

Hi Dave,

I agree that Malta should act now, send them back and not leave it too late like here in the UK. If they do get overwhelmed with immigrants, this will change the whole character of this precious little Island.

I also just wonder if they held the EU referendum with the hindsight they now have, whether they would have voted to join? Come to think of it I'm wondering when we'll ever get our referendum here in the UK?

Trev

Hi Trev

vote if held now would probably be slightly against, rather than slightly for, not any real change other than the Labour party are a bit more popular and they were against joining. Most voters seem to find it difficult to look beyond party lines here - few seem to have changed their mind on the EU - so far the perceived +/- of joining and the reality 18 months later are not so different.

As for II, unlike in the UK, the problem of illegal immigrants isn't the number settling, as they don't want to settle in Malta, but the cost of processing. The Maltese have a great word for illegal immigrants (its probably Italian) - clandestini

Holidaymaker

On prices, as with the intro of the euro in "old" Europe, little change in prices - VAT went up, import duties went down, so some things cost more eg butter, others less eg imported wine/beer. Confirmed by little channge in inflation rate. As for Comino winning the World cup, given the state of "allegedly" bribes "alegedly" in Maltese football, even the fact that Comino has less than 10 residents shouldn't be too difficult to overcome.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for that informative report. Yes you're right about the immigrants not wanting to stay because this was mentioned in the TV news article we had here. However, I think somewhere the rules state that asylum seekers have to make their claim in the first 'safe' Country they get to. Mind you as you probably know, the French and others have been off loading their problems on us for ages now!

During August I heard quite a few people moaning about how things had gone up since joining the EU. Perhaps it is a matter of their perception and you know more about Maltese politics than I do so I guess I might have been talking to people who weren't originally in favour of joining anyway.

Is that right what I've recently heard about Comino entering it's own world class Curling, Ice Hockey and Downhill Skiing teams in the next Winter Olympics?

Trev

"Is that right what I've recently heard about Comino entering it's own world class Curling, Ice Hockey and Downhill Skiing teams in the next Winter Olympics?" - that would be George whos got an American big fridge that he practices in

Article in the Malta Independent newspaper -
http://217.145.4.56/ind/news.asp?newsitemid=23319

Well after reading the article I guess Malta will be sending all its illegals to the UK. They might as well since it seems that many other European Countries are doing the same.

Hardly any wonder Brits are leaving our shores in droves according to the latest statistics. After all said and done this is what quite a few of the folks who post on this forum have done anyway and it's what quite a few others aspire to do including ourselves!

Trev

Ciao Trev, we do too sooner rather than later aswell please
Mr & Mrs Sliema2

I also have an opinion on this matter.
Firstly, they are NOT illegal immigrants, they are Asylum Seekers.
Secondly. It is not illegal to seek asylum. Illegal immigrants are people who enter a country undetected and live and work without the knowledge or consent of the authorities, or are processed throught the courts and found to have no valid reason for entering the country and are thus sent back to the country they came from.

A lot of these asylum seekers think they are in Sicily when they arrive, but find out they have been conned and are in fact in Malta.
Most don't want to stay here, but are imprisoned in conditions akin to a concentration camp. They have committed no crime, but are treated like prisoners.
The human rights issue in Malta regarding asylum seekers has to be addressed.

I don't blame the Maltese people for being frightened by the consequences of all these asylum seekers landing on these shores, but having lived here for 8 years now I do know that the majority of Maltese are very racist and consider people of African origin to be inferior to themselves.
If these asylum seekers were of European origin there would be less fuss.

I ask you all if you were in a country where your family's life was threatened would you just sit around and wait for someone to arrest you and torture you and your kin or worse?
Or would you try to escape and hope that the people you are asking to help you are willing to be charitable and give you shelter?

Asylum seekers do create problems for governments all over the world, but until these poor unfortunates are proved to be illegal then they should be treated with respect and in a dignified manner.
This is something they will never get in Malta. Pity.

Macca67

I agree with alot of what you wrote. However, some are economic rather than political refugees. (most, a few - don't know, but some)
"I do know that the majority of Maltese are very racist and consider people of African origin to be inferior to themselves" - agree, except with "majority"and "very" - you don't know, but believe it. I believe many are institutionally racist - probably akin to the UK 20 or 30 years ago.
Macca, for someone who writes very well, you do you sometimes express your beliefs as statements of fact, and it brings you down to the same level as the type of people you criticise.

This is an EU issue for 2 reasons
1. the migrants are trying to get to the EU and not Malta in particular and
2. because of freedom of movement within the EU (OK, Malta isn't part of the Schengen area requiring no id to cross borders, but could be one day)

Macca, for someone who writes very well, you do you sometimes express your beliefs as statements of fact, and it brings you down to the same level as the type of people you criticise.

GozoMark.

I am stating thing as fact because it is what I have experienced first hand.
To say I am bringing myself to the same level as the type of people I criticise is very unfair.
I do not discriminate against people because of their race or creed, only their actions.

Maybe you misread some of what I stated, but the fact is most people in Malta would not be so upset about the Asylum seekers were they caucasian.

do you really believe "I do know that the majority of Maltese are very racist " - a majority means 200,000 people - do you really know that atleast 200,000 Maltese are very racist ? - if not, please don't write it. It draws attention away from your very good points - I 100% agree if they were caucasian it wouldn't be so much of an issue

Please keep things friendly. We don't mind a debate but please don't let things become personal.

Sarah

GozoMark:

I have seen the surveys and before you say surveys are rubbish, the Times surveyed a cross section of Maltese society and found the majority to be openly racist. I know quite a few Maltese people and every one of them, including my wife and every member of her family are racist.
Most of this racism is through ignorance, but it exists all the same.
If you want every person on the site to back up everything they say with facts then just dream on.
Most people on here are just stating their opinion and from time to time we have to put up with nitpicking. That is just my personal opinion and please don't misread this as fact.

sorry to harp on, but

"I do know that the majority of Maltese are very racist " - thats stated as fact, not opinion

As it happens, the poll you mention 22% said they were racist - thats not a majority

22% Admitted they were racist.
I can't remember the percentage who said they were not racist but wouldn't want Arabs, Blacks, Chinese, Germans, British or Americans living next door to them.

My wife and her family are racist in the way they refer to Arabs, Blacks,Turks, Jews etc, but they will not admit they are racist.
If you live in Malta then you must be living in a bubble somewhere not to realise that most people you come across on these islands are indeed racist.

All of your family and friends might be racist. None of my friends in Malta are. Take from that what you want.My wife is Asian, and has never been subjected to any racism at all in Malta - quite the opposite.