Letters | Sunday, 07 December 2008

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Musings on illegal immigration

Your article “Think-tank lays foundation for holistic asylum policy” (MaltaToday, 30 November) is misleadingly titled. The published study is so remote from being policy that it does not bother to cost its recommendations, or to say how they would be financed and by whom. The so-called Today Public Policy Institute is a private initiative by individuals who publish their musings. You write that its head is “government adviser on migration, Martin Scicluna”, thus giving the impression that the document is official, but do not say that the authors wrote in their private capacity.
You add that the authors conducted interviews with NGO workers, without naming either the NGOs or the workers. One thing is certain: they did not interview any common people. So their views are far from reflecting public opinion. Indeed, the study’s recommendations do not include the obvious, namely, that a public consultation process should be held to listen to the average Maltese man and woman.
The think-tank’s study sounds like a continuation of the campaign of self-styled intellectuals and do-gooders who think the public is wrong and should be ‘educated’. The study says that Malta has been subjected to “international criticism” over the detention centres without hinting at the likelihood that Maltese persons were at the origin of much of the criticism. It proposes opening up another centre for illegal immigrants, but does not come down to earth by making suggestions as to the locality. It adds that “there is a need to encourage the migrants to live in the community” but the authors have obviously not interviewed any mayors or local authorities to identify the communities willing to take illegal immigrants.
The authors regret that “the Catholic Church has been practically silent on the immigration issue”. Perhaps the Church is more aware of the feelings of the Maltese people than a few thinkers remote from the daily lives of Mr and Mrs Average. Indeed, the few prelates and church-inspired organisations who started by promoting the interests of illegal immigrants have recently kept their peace for reasons which are unknown to me.

Louise Vella
Mosta

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