Schindler’s list in the Med

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More interesting is the silence and decision to ignore media probes by the Office of the Prime Minister. The public relations office there is spearheaded by Gordon Pisani, the affable character who is only preferable to Alan Camilleri, because at least his smile is not artificial. Indeed he never smiles.

In another country the whole media would be on the Prime Minister. Here it is slightly different.

As we face all the major issues which really concern this country, honourable men from the private company Where’s Everybody entertain us with topics which a national broadcaster would rather not transmit.

Therefore it was no surprise Mr Lou Bondi decided to focus on Aliens, yes aliens when all the country was really and truly looking for some wisdom from the man who takes up prime time and gets handsomely rewarded.

I think it would have been more apt if the programme was titled - about alienation, the art of alienation is something the Where’s Everybody clan are very good at. And just in case some Labourites are reading this piece and getting all excited and angry about WE, they should know that their feelings are misplaced.

Why?

Because they should know that since some weeks ago, thanks to the good offices of Jason Micallef the One TV chairman, WE today have a foothold in One TV through the good services of one of their business partners Silvio Scerri tan-Nexos, one of the Nationalists most unforgettable and vociferous supporter.

Such is life.

But back to the migrants. We are told that if you are black and do not have a passport and are Somali, then your investment in the sea crossing is no investment at all. If you do meet an AFM officer, smile and please do not give him the impression that you do not like him. Because you see you are now at the mercy of a Maltese man who strongly believes that you are a burden on our country’s finances, even more than the EneMalta debt and Opera house to be. This leaves our brave officers with little choice but to apply the same techniques exercised by the Kapos in the camps and goose step you back to Libya and of course – eternal damnation.

Yes, all that talk about solidariety and Christian love and other relevant feelings or emotions are not applicable here. So please move on.

And one final thought. Does HE have an opinion about the fate of these desperate human beings. I am sure he has seen them before from his palatial home in M’Scala alongside the shore.

I wonder, does he have an opinion? The last time, I noticed that he did have a so called opinion which he decided to literally share with the US ambassador, it was in the Sunday Times. I guess it would be the norm for the President of a country to do such a thing. I am still waiting to see Obama writing opinions and have them co-signed with ambassadors of other countries

Well maybe that is what perhaps makes George Abela such a unique President!

Founder and co-owner of MaltaToday, Saviour Balzan has reported on Maltese politics and...

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Alfred Galea •

I might not understand irony but I understand reality, and the reality is that two Somali illegal immigrants have more reason to lie than Maltese "soldiers" who risked their life to go and save them. Especially seeing that they speak broken english, meaning they probably hear broken english too. As for the "confederates", they 're the forerunners of the domocratic party, the POTUS' party. AND they were LEGAL migrants. When are you bleeding hearts gonna get it in your heads?? This is nothing but organised human trafficking, there are MILLIONS of legal African migrants in Europe, these ones just want to jump the queue. As for me starting to look at illegal immigrants as humans, THAT is the reason I say, get the EU and UN to open up immigration offices in African countries....that way NOBODY puts his life in danger and the human traffickers will be out of business. And you guys can sponsor a few hundred to come to Malta.

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first of all i wish you could read this article: http://fortresseurope.blogspot.com/2010/07/respinti-con-linganno-in-libia-27.html secondly i do believe that we have to rescue all the immigrants passing through our sea. Believing a maltese national or a somali national is not an issue and it's a very stupid arguement. I do believe these immigrants that are searching for e better future, and they deserve it. The only thing that the maltese want is money and power, capitalism has entered our minds but unfortunately even our HEARTS. In this egoistic society i still believe in justice and i will forever defend the rights of those who are fighting for them, and i'm pretty sure that i'm not alone!!

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I guess Joe South does not quite understand irony, when it is penned that is. Yes, that is the whole point, Obama does not write ops, neither does he share space with ambassadors. Our President who is expected to represent does not have a clue about protocol. Re the other matters, well, I have nothing against the South, but the politics and ideology Joe South embraces reminds me of the Confederates, from the South. Hence his pen name is appropriate. The American former migrants from the South fought to retain slavery. Start looking at migrants as human beings Mr South. Then by time you may slowly move North where people view not according to colour or religion or political beliefs.

Alfred Galea •

I'd believe an AFM soldier before I believe a Somali national. And I hope you don't want the POTR to "behave" as the POTUS, that is not enforce Federal Laws when it comes to immigration and when a state enacts its own laws, which are less stringent than the Federal Laws, you ask the Attorney General to try and have them overturned. By the way, Obama doesn't write op-eds, he goes on Leno, Letterman and other late night talk shows to persuade the voters.

Schindler’s list in the Med

The unbelievable silence surrounding the fate of (black) migrants who cross the seas from Libya and are selected to stay on or return by Maltese Armed Forces personnel is reminiscent of a scene from Schindler’s list.