It was appalling of the government to talk of non-Maltese nationals without acknowledging their humanity and – in many cases – their vulnerability, a group of 14 non-governmental organisations said on Wednesday.
The NGOs were reacting to comments by Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, who told a parliamentary debate on Tuesday that “charity begins at home” and that the government’s primary focus was Maltese and Gozitan workers.
“The moment foreign workers lose their job they will have to go back to their country,” he said.
He has since apologised for his statements.
Referring to the minister's statements in Parliament, the NGOs were that what the minister said was, at best, extremely naive and, at worst, revealed a sheer lack of compassion and humanity.
“Thousands of non-Maltese men, women and children cannot be abandoned to a situation of absolute precarity. Their health and livelihood must be safeguarded in order to respect their dignity and also to prevent any threats to public health.
“When the nation is facing such challenging times, words of support and encouragement are far more productive than careless talk of unemployment and deportations. Under all circumstances, our humanity and decency must prevail.”
The reality for many migrants, the NGOs said, was that the moment they lost their jobs they would become "prohibited persons" under local law, despite having until a few days ago worked, paid taxes and social security contributions, rented homes, attended classes and making Malta home.
“As bluntly highlighted by the economy minister, this will mean one thing: returns to home countries and, possibly, detention and deportation.”
“They are our colleagues, they are our neighbours, and they are our friends. Through their work and contributions, they have contributed to making Malta a vibrant, exciting and dynamic country that promises to thrive on and respect all forms of diversity. Their hard work has joined our own to fuel an unprecedented economic growth that is intended to benefit all members of Malta’s several communities,” the NGOs said.
They urged the government to consider the following measures as part of its short- and long-term planning:
1. Respect humanity. Refrain from public discourse that is alarming or threatening;
2. Protect jobs. Extend effective support to all businesses so as to mitigate the financial impact of the coronavirus epidemic, such as wage subsidies, quarantine leave/grants;
3. Secure legal residence. Automatically extend residence permits of all migrants, irrespective of their employment status;
4. Maintain information flow. Seek NGO support to translate and disseminate important information updates;
5. Prevent homelessness. Seek measures to secure housing to migrants rendered homeless, particularly those at higher risk of contracting COVID-19;
6. Guarantee food security. Explore measures of food distribution to persons who are unable to provide for themselves.
7. Guarantee access to healthcare for migrants testing positive for COVID-19 irrespective of their immigration status;
8. Refrain from imposing entry bans on migrants made redundant during these months;
9. Protect those that cannot protect themselves.
The statement was signed by aditus foundation, African Diaspora Platform under CCIF, African Media Association Malta, the Critical Institute, Cross Culture International Foundation, Integra Foundation, Jesuit Refugee Service (Malta), KOPIN, Malta Emigrants’ Commission, Malta Microfinance, People for Change Foundation, SOS Malta, Spark15, and Upbeat Music House Malta.