Statistics, damned statistics and incongruities

The current levels of migrants in Malta is lower than it was in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012. I remember no social or cultural; emergencies in the past years, so why are we at risk in 2013?

Jurgen Balzan 27 July 2013, 12:00am

4 min read

As I was sitting at home on Wednesday evening, zapping through the myriad of daily trash available on local TV, I stumbled upon a new programme on TVM, and for once I was pleasantly surprised.

The programme was carrying an interview with, Abdullah, a 28-year-old Somali who has been living in Malta for over five years.

Abdullah recounted, in fluent English, that upon his arrival on a boat which departed from Libya, he had been detained for more then six months, after which he was granted humanitarian protection after fleeing the civil war in his homeland.

Abdullah, the epitome of successful integration, spoke about his experience in Malta. Despite saying that life in detention was far from perfect he was grateful to Malta for receiving him and treating him with dignity, which he did not get in Libya and elsewhere.

Asked to describe his experience in Malta, a smiling Abdullah said that here he found a job, good friends in his neighbours in Valletta, Msida and Birkirkara and pointed out that he was happy in Malta where he pays his taxes, has his friends and where he has settled.

However, Abdullah also spoke about the systematic racism he and his friends face on a daily basis in Paceville where they are discriminately denied entry into the clubs and bars.

He also urged the authorities and migrants to make a bigger effort in ensuring that his fellow asylum seekers learn the Maltese language and understand the Maltese culture and way of life.

However, my pleasure in watching the programme did not last long. As soon as the brief interview was over, the next guest was Maltya's Refugee Commissioner, Mario Friggieri.

In a few minutes, Friggieri managed to change my mood.

Following the scolding Malta received this week over its detention policy by the European Court of Human Rights, Friggieri insisted that Malta's priority in dealing with migration and ensuring that migrants are treated humanly by echoing Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's claim that Malta cannot cope with the current numbers of migrants reaching its shores.

He then went on to do what even Joseph Muscat was careful enough not to do, and put his finger on a number. According to Friggieri, using the EU average of the number of asylum seeker per 1,000 inhabitants, "Malta should not receive more than 220 migrants per year."

Anything above the magical figure, based on the EU average and Malta's current intake, is disproportionate and unsustainable, Friggieri said. Malta's "fair share" stands at 220, he said.

I could not believe my ears. Was this guy seriously saying that Malta cannot absorb more then 220 migrants? He even went on to use the current numbers of migrants reaching Malta as an excuse for the lacking or dare I say inexistent integration policy.

Mr Friggieri, I must remind you that solidarity, international obligations and humanity transcend numbers, statistics and EU averages.

Secondly, why this obsession with space, numbers and capacity? As sociologist and industrial relations expert Godfrey Baldacchino put it very eloquently in a recent article, arguments on the lack of space and ethnic purity are nonsensical.

Thirdly, why this sudden alarmism? The current levels of migrants in Malta is lower than it was in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012. I remember no social or cultural; emergencies in the past years, so why are we at risk in 2013?

Moreover, an integration policy and its effectiveness go beyond numbers. It is down to political will and in the current situation courage. Nothing else. It has happened in other countries and we should stop feeling sorry for ourselves and roll our sleeves up.

As Abdullah showed, most migrants or at least the majority of migrants who want to remain in Malta, are ready and willing to learn the language, work legally, pay their taxes and understand Malta's way of life, which is neither set in stone nor exclusive to any particular race or religion.

Such statements only heighten the people's expectations and fuel additional fear centred on irrationality and foolish assumptions. What Malta needs is a genuine integration policy which demolishes the 'us versus them' mentality and creates a new social fabric which embraces diversity.

Otherwise Malta, and Europe, will not be in a position to overcome the social, cultural and economic challenges staring into our eyes, black, grey, brown, blue and green.

The only positive note in the second part of the programme came when Friggieri very cautiously said that Malta should respect its international obligations and without spelling it clearly, he confirmed that the 45 migrants who were about to be sent back to Libya by Joseph Muscat's government were not granted the right to apply for asylum.

Hopefully, Muscat has smelt the coffee and instead of tracking back on his macho error by claiming that he never intended sending the migrants back to Libya, he should live up to his progressive billing and embark on a integration project and plug the racism and xenophobia he revived through his actions.

Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.

More from Jurgen Balzan

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Jurgen Balzan puts his whole opinion in a few words: "the reality we cannot escape" and actually believe this is an argument! And then he has the cheek to speak about the fear in others! Mr Balzan, going round in circles and zig-zagging will not change the reality that your opinion belongs to about 5% of the population while a newspaper is also there to reflect the sentiments of the population. I guess I now know why you never promote and encourage surveys in your paper about this particular issue. You do not wish to appear isolated.

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Comments betraying pomposity,pretensions, lackyism,lack of coherency etc apart. Jurgen is right in his posing the question; why the panic now, when the arrivals were more numerous in a number of past years? Is it because of the change in administration and the change in the style of governance. People voted for change because the quest for change is innate in man, even though most admit that they want change for change's sake and not necessarily for the better. Masochism is not something unheard of. Since the fall of Boffa, Labour has always been associated with militancy and heavy handidness, except for the short Sant's government.

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Qabel lelezzjoni ta marzu ukoll konna nahsbu li hemm il finanzi fis sod imma issa sirna nafu li lanqas il partit mhu fis sod ahseb u ara il finanzi tal pajjiz. Issa fuq il klandestini listess jekk il gvern li kien hemm kien jalaq halqu u ma jghid xejn bilfors li ma jkunx hemm alarm imma il poplu dejjem kien jaf li din hi problema kbira u hadd ma kien qed jati kasa. jurgen qed tipruvaw tiggistifikaw xi haga ingustifikabli. Gergru fuq lewropa li qed titmejjel bina mela fuqna il maltin li qedin nibzaw min eventwalita ta ezodu afrikan lejn lewropa. Umbad tarah s...... Iftah mappa u ara kemm il darba lewropa tidhol go lafrika umbad fehmni fejn dawk in nies ha joqodu kollha.

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Mr Balzan, figures for 2013 cannot become available before end December. 2. Migration poses a huge economical and social problems not only for the present and immediate future, but, worst still, to our future generations. 3. The problem lays in pure realism, not (bigoted)racism and the PM was doing what the electorate, in its thousands, asked him to do, i.e. protect our country's interest. 4. Illegal migration is a world-wide problem, whatever the skin colour of the persons involved. Being of a darker colour or not does not make it easier for the Maltese to accept. 5. Please leave religion and Christianity out of all this - it has nothing to do with it. No matter how you go about it, this is a massive headache to our country and you know it. So much so that, I am sure you know, you form part of the absolute minority who refuses to accept this fatal fact.

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1. The figures of migrants reaching Malta in the past 10 years are available on www.parlament.mt 2. Migration poses a huge cultural, economic and political challenge. However, migration is the story of humanity and the story of Malta. It is a reality we cannot escape. A reality we could either face with irrational fear or with courage and wisdom ie a thorough integration policy among others. 3. The problem lays in the popular bigoted racism which was inflamed by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s failed attempt send back up to 50 migrants without granting them the right to apply for asylum. 4. I have yet to hear irrational arguments on the thousands (circa 13,000) of persons seeking a better fortune in Malta who hail from the Philippines, Serbia, China, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy etc. This is a new European phenomenon, e.g. the number of Greeks and Spaniards migrating to other EU countries has doubled, from 39,000 in 2007 to 72,000 in 2011. Aren’t they also economic migrants? Aren’t they also jobless upon their arrival? However, since their skin colour is not black they have rights which others do not have according to the fear-mongers. The non-black migrants are not taking our jobs but the black migrants are, right? 5. The fear of having others invade our territory is nothing but a throwback to the pre-Christian hostilities between barbarian tribes who thought they were more civilised than one other. The left’s failure to address the lower middle and the working class’s needs has left a vacuum which was filled by the anti-migrant right wing movements which are setting the agenda for the centrist socially liberal mainstream parties. 6. The current situation requires strong action. Race, religion, sexuality and gender have always been used to deny certain groups from their basic rights. Now it’s the turn to make a distinction between citizens and non-citizens and deny the latter from their rights. Persons are now granted varying degrees of rights according to their country of birth. As long as a group of persons believes it is superior to another and as along as one group of persons believes that another group should be denied their rights then I have no option but to borrow and rephrase Desmond Tutu’s words. I do not want to live in an intolerant, bigoted and racist society.

Micheal Bonanno •

Is this the same journalist who tried to dirty Malta's name and at the same time denigrate our PM during the press conference in Rome? PM Letta didn't even bother to answer him!

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Dear Mr Consiglio, I believe that the figures provided puts the whole irregular immigration problem in a factual perspective and it is clear that it is not as acute as our politicians want us to believe. Despite the horror stories, repeatedly refreshed year after year, the situation has been relatively contained. You, on the other hand, are putting your bets on statistical figures and predicting a world ending scenario which may or may not materialize. There are worlds apart from -we have a problem- to -we may be facing a problem - because political situations are volatile and in a couple of years we may be facing this or other problems or even none at all. Meanwhile the threat that the whole African nation shifting imminently to Malta and the transformation of our churches to mosques is a fantasy scenario more befitting a matinee

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Jurgen Balzan, is it not perhaps time that you read several times the professional advice given to you in these comments and, if you don't understand anything - as in the past - and remain excited about missionary zeal & childish sarcasm, PLEASE CALL IT A DAY AND MAKE ROOM FOR SOME ANALYTICAL JOURNALISTS. I am sure you may excel in some other profession. It is time for MT to invite a new breed of journalists who are not too close to the left and romantic ideology. Let's put MT back in competition with other papers. It was winning and making them jealous. But not this, please...

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@truthBtold I couldn’t agree more. As regards the Samaritan mentality you ascribe to Jurgen Balzan and his ilk, Perhaps it would be pertinent to remember that the Good Samaritan came upon a man who was obviously beaten up through no fault of his own (he did not deliberately enter a thief-infested zone in the knowledge that at the first sign of trouble, all he would have to do was scream - there were no mobile phones in those days - scream for the help which he knew would come). Furthermore, the Samaritan did not take the victim to his own home. He put him up at an inn. Perhaps a more apt description of the “journalists” you refer to would be that of a collection of self-styled experts in every subject under the sun, living in a dream world of their own and completely out of touch with reality. There appears to be a concerted effort on their part to stuff what they call the joys of multiculturism down our gullets, and I wonder who is orchestrating this.

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I think that its about time to start integrating migrants, even if not fully qualified at the university. We can start with the sociology, philosophy and anthropology department. This will help us to understand these people better.

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Perhaps Mr Balzan can direct us to the official statistical source of his statement regarding the number of illegal immigrant entering and leaving Malta over the years.

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Another insulting article on illegal migration by a journalist who is even doubting the word of the person who has his fingers right on this social wound - the Commissioner for Refugees. This is unbelievable Mr Balzan. Who told you that we believe the figures you are quoting, especially the one saying that in 2013 the numbers are less than the previous years. No sir, we do not believe that. Fist of all because we all have eyes to see and brains to think with. Secondly, those figures never include the children of illegal immigrants who are born in Malta. Therefore, the figures are distorted. And please, the famous question that all the Maltese and Gozitans are asking the few remaining puritans like yourself and the born-again-Christians in the PN - how much immigrants can our country afford to take out of the millions waiting in Africa to cross over? we need a mathematically credible figure, before the nation collapses under the financial and social burdens that this problem is having on our country and our social fibre.

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I must admit that MALTA TODAY is my favorite English newspaper in Malta. However allowing for the fact that I am pleased that everyone’s voice should be heard on this media, I get extremely concerned and frustrated when you read what JURGEN BALZAN is trying to promote illegal immigration as a positive for our tiny island to be in a position to overcome the social, cultural and economic challenges. Furthermore to state that the Maltese people’s concern only adds fear of irrationality and foolish assumptions is to put it bluntly irresponsible. Suggesting that what Malta needs is a genuine integration policy which demolishes the 'us versus them' mentality and creates a new social fabric which embraces diversity is unpatriotic. Malta and its people are a distinct society that developed over centuries and are now in danger of becoming extinct. Let me assure Mr. Balzan that his new social fabric and the diversity he promotes will ensure this will occur. My questions to Mr. Balzan and his ilk with the same Samaritan mentality are these. Why should Malta due to its size become the doormat of the EU when it comes to illegal immigration? Why should Malta have to shoulder the ever increasing financial burden these people bring with them and in the not so distant future will have a direct impact on Maltese Society to maintain their social, health and drugs services at a time when the tourism economy might also be affected? Why should Malta shoulder the costs and fines from the EU for establishing holding centers that are in themselves discriminatory but necessary to safeguard the Maltese people from decease and anarchy, when the rest of the EU seems content to sit in their protected environment and issue directives that are detrimental to the Maltese? In conclusion the Maltese people have every reason to be alarmed as they are witnessing their peaceful way of life being eroded, their Christian values being questioned and their generosity being taken for stupidity. Why should Malta become a safe haven for several undemocratic nationalities that are controlled by fanatical religious terrorists, criminal overlords and manipulative organizations that the EU has simply ignored to deal with?

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Not all economists are hardened anti-illegal immigrants. Many of them manage to combine the right Christian approach to this big national problem whilst remaining true and loyal to their profession.But the writer of this blog fails totally in the lateral aspect. Illegal immigration IS a demographic (ergo also statistical) problem, besides being a human one. And so to pooh-pooh the numerical aspect the way Jurgen Balzan is here doing, is, to say the least, totally unprofessional in economists' terms. So let me try to teach him lesson one about sustainability, viz the defnition. It's close to the answer to that question "What is an elastic?", mate. Meaning there's a snapping point somewhere. And, in pure economics terms, you only define that by speaking in terms of numbers....Christianly and economically speaking, my dear chum!!! John A. Consiglio

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Godfrey Baldacchino’s argument is essentially that we shouldn’t worry about being overpopulated because places like Manhattan have a much higher population density than we do, and aren’t such unattractive places to live in. He overlooks two basic facts: 1) the Maltese clearly don’t want the island to be built up to the sky in the manner of Manhattan and 2) places like Manhattan and Hong Kong are liveable because they combine a high pop. density with a high GDP per capita. Malta following mass migration of unskilled individuals from Africa will of necessity have its GDP per capita (i.e. its level of prosperity) averaged down towards that of the newcomers. High pop. density combined with poverty doesn’t give you Manhattan, it gives you slums and social conflict.

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May I add that perhaps Malta Today should change its name to Malta Tomorrow with a subtitle: The Serene Immigrant.

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Another in the series of articles by the pro-immigration lobby. And please Mr Mario Friggieri, Mr Jurgen Balzan told you that you managed to change his mood. Is this nice? Indeed it is very, very naughty. Don't ever do it again! Changing Jugen's mood, x'affarijiet dawn!!

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Where doe Godfrey baldacchino mention ethnic purity in his article?