Evidence is mounting that racism in Malta is becoming more rife.

For several years, after the first influx of irregular immigrants from mainly Sub-Saharan Africa in 2002, we were able to shelter behind the excuse – genuine at the time – that, unlike other countries in Europe with decades-long experience of black immigration, Malta was new to this phenomenon. What we were seeing in this country about the treatment of Africans was no more, we liked to think, than a natural reaction to the new experience of having people of a different skin colour in our midst. In time, we argued, we would get used to their presence and become colour-blind.

That pretext is now wearing thin, even if it were ever acceptable as a reason for discrimination. There is increasing anecdotal evidence to support the contention that we suffer from both latent and explicit racism in our treatment of the 4,000 or so black Africans who have been given asylum or protected status in Malta.

An NGO, the European Network Against Racism, has just published a report that bears out the contention, based essentially on anecdotal evidence, that racism and racial discrimination in Malta remain prevalent.

While the report cites progress being made in asylum seekers’ ability to gain access to education and health, it highlights employment as being one main area of concern with a clear difference of treatment identified between non-Maltese EU citizens and black migrants. The latter are paid much less and “very often up to half of what their Maltese counterparts get for the same work”. Similarly, access to rented accommodation is often the subject of racial discrimination.

The area of criminal justice was also highlighted as “problematic”. Here, the anecdotal evidence is stark and current. A number of cases stand out.

A Somali national, Osman Omar, has just spent five years at the Corradino Correctional Facility without trial. He would still be there had two Englishmen not stepped forward and pledged to honour his bail conditions.

His long incarceration has been unconscionable and the bail conditions imposed quite draconian, almost cruel.

One wonders whether the colour of his skin played a part in it.

Then there was the case of the bouncer at a Paceville nightclub acquitted of causing the death by beating of Suleiman Ismail Abubakar, who was constantly referred to in the trial as L-Iswed (the black one), as if he did not have a name.

This was followed a few days ago by the death, also in Paceville, of a Sudanese migrant, Osama Al Shzliaoy. A Romanian has since appeared in court in connection with his death.

While Maltese people do not appear to hold a monopoly on racism, it is perhaps indicative of another aspect that this death occurred in Paceville where it has long been suspected that racist attitudes are the norm in many places of entertainment.

The need for a stronger police presence in Paceville and genuine zero tolerance by them of any behaviour that might hint at racism would be a major step forward in preventing such crimes in the first place.

The increasing presence of black people in our society is now a fact of life. If the government, all political parties, the Church and opinion-formers fail to take steps now to ensure by their attitudes and behaviour – and through a sustained campaign of public education – that racism is stamped upon wherever it rears its ugly head, we shall simply be storing up problems for society in the years ahead.