Labour distances itself from Rachel Tua’s incendiary comments on asylum seekers
The Labour Party distances itself from its Equal Opportunities Officer, Rachel Tua, who reiterated her hawkish stance on migration.
7 October 2013, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
1 min read
Rachel Tua
The Labour Party's Equal Opportunities Officer, Rachel Tua, yesterday reiterated her hawkish stance on migration by insisting, "I share the belief that our citizens should come first and foremost".
Tua's comments over reports of an assault by two foreigners on a young Maltese man caused a stir, and the Labour councillor rebuffed the criticism by stressing that Malta cannot cope with the "invasion".
"We are far too small a size [sic] to be in a position to entertain accommodation for illegal immigrants and furthermore if they have no respect for the citizens of Malta, who [sic] on earth should we respect them... Our people come first and foremost. Such acts are zero tolerance," [sic] Tua said.
But yesterday, the Labour Party tactfully distanced itself from Tua's stance, with Labour President Daniel Micallef telling MaltaToday "Rachel Tua's comments do not reflect the position of the Labour Party".
Yet, Micallef failed to answer questions regarding whether the party would be taking any disciplinary action against Tua and whether her position as equality officer was tenable.
On Friday, Tua launched into a Facebook tirade against migrants in her outrage over an incident which ended with a young Maltese man being hospitalised after being assaulted by two foreigners.
The Labour candidate and Mosta local councillor's credentials as Labour's equal opportunities officer suffered a blow after she persistently described asylum seekers as "illegal immigrants" and said that Malta "ought to adopt the same course of action" as Australia - which practises pushbacks of migrants to other territories in the Pacific.
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
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Ms Tua is only speaking with the mind of the majority of the maltese people.
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@ not amused: Have you ever given the thought that the Maltese people are the victims? These people are invading our country uninvited and arrive here without any papers of any kind. This is our home and the illegal immigrants want to take it away from us. They are taking away our livelihood and maybe our freedom and you of course approve of that. You must have a personal agenda otherwise you would not sign under a fictitious name.
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@L Sammut. Ms Tua brave u say? Bravery and fortitude is when one stands for the rights and well being of the victim. Whereas for us, Maltese, this problem is an inconvenience, albeit a substantial one in some parts of Malta, we keep overlooking whose life(not just lifestyle)is at stake. Their origins and black skin does not make their wellbeing any less worthy of consideration than our own personal discomforts. So far, I have not experienced any timid reactions or scared reluctance to speak out against irregular immigration and Mrs Tua is certainly not the only 'brave' spokesperson to do so but must still play second fiddle to the soul leader of this crusade, our own Prime Minister.
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Defending your country, while enjoying the approval of the majority of the people, has become the gravest offence punishable by expulsions,ostracism and names. What a pity!
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Rachel Tua's stand may not reflect the position of the Labour Party but it certainly reflects the position of the greatest majority of the Maltese people who are overburdened by the massive influx and by Europe's intransigence to act as one Europe and not abandon its southern shores to this invasion.
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Mr Micallef maybe "Rachel Tua's comments do not reflect the position of the Labour Party", but that statement reflects the voice of the majority of the Maltese people, and if you cannot understand that, it is your misfortune. Up to the last few years the Maltese people have been very subdued and afraid to express how they feel, but not anymore. These days Maltese people are more traveled, better educated and not afraid to speak their mind when they have too. Ms Tua said it like it is. She said what most Maltese citizens want to say but afraid to say it. Thank you Ms Tua for speaking your mind. Again Ms Tua was brave enough to speak for the Maltese and not for the party.
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PL naturally distances itself from Rachel's comments. But Rachel's comments reflect what most people believe. She simply expressed the people's view about the matter. Those who do not agree are either traffickers of humanity, employers who want illegal immigrants for underpaid precarious work, EU agents and crooks who make pigs of themselves on EU funds, the hypocrite dishonest lying moralists, and the imbecilic set.
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An equal opportunities office discriminating against minorities? You couldn't make it up... only in Malta.
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So the Labour Party distanced itself from Tua's stance. It said that her comments do not reflect the position of the Labour Party. The Labour Party must be very careful on this issue because the majority of the Maltese people are not of his opinion. In fact the great majority of the Maltese people( more then 90% ) are against illegal immigration and wants no integration or multiculturalism.
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Now that her own Labour Party has practically disowned her, there is no other way for Tua except to resign.
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I agree with Rachel Tua completely.
Luke Camilleri •
Kullhadd jibza ghal tieghu u dik opinjoni u espressjoni komuni fil berah u fil maghluq!
Dawn l'immigranti irregolari / jew illegali anki f'pajjizhom jibzghu u jieggieldu ghal taghhom u NATURALI GHAL KULL GENS!
Fil fatt nisimghu dejjem fuq glied bejn tribujiet u Nazzjonijiet fl'Africa biex gens jahtaf ta' had iehor JEW IZOMM DAK LI GHANDHU ghalih u ghal uliedu!
Mhux invazjoni qedha jkollha Malta minn kull naha U MHUX MILL Africa biss imma minn kull pajjiz li mdoawwrin bih u anki minn aktar il boghod!
RUMENI, RUSSI , ALBANIZI, TALJANI , .... tmur tiekol f'restaurant illum tahseb li qieghed imsiefer ghax ma ssibx waiter Malti !
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Welcome news. Wise decision.
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IF RACHEL'S WORDS DO NOT REFLECT THE POSITION OF THE LABOUR PARTY THAN WHY HAS SHE NOT BEEN KICKED OUT OF HER POSITION? IS SHE A RACIST? OF COURSE SHE IS A RACIST! THESE ARE WORDS THAT WILL MAKE LABOUR LOOSE VOTES IN THE NEXT ELECTIONS.
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She is RIGHT Daniel Micallef and she reflects the opinion of the vast majority of Maltese citizens. If the PL top brass have sold their soul to the EU, UNHCR and the JRS the vast majority of Maltese citizens haven't. Why not hold a referendum on whether the Maltese citizens still want EU membership? Why not hold a referendum on whether the Maltese citizens still want to be bound by the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights which are causing so much problems for Malta and the Maltese people or whether they want them denounced? Why not hold a referendum on whether all the illegal immigrants in Malta and who arrive in Malta in future should be sent back whatever status they are given? These referenda can be held at the same time as the EP elections to save money. Are you afraid of the result like the PN and AD? Have you got the cajones to do it? Yes or no?
