Detention system, cause of problems
Maltese music and the sound of water served as the background for messages given by a number of African migrants and Maltese people who form part of NGOs working for the welfare of refugees and asylum seekers. The message was simple and clear: “The detention system is problematic in itself. If it does not change, problems will remain”. Addressing the mixed crowd of migrants and Maltese people, including MPs from the government and opposition benches, MEP Simon Busuttil and Alternattiva Demokratika representative Robert Callus, Ali Konate, from the Migrants Network for Equality, said people in prison are much better than those in detention. Meanwhile, the NGOs believe it is this detention system itself that dehumanises migrants and fuels racism. The march was organised in light of Mamadou Kamara's recent death and called for a system which respects migrants’ human rights. It started shortly before 5.30pm yesterday from the Triton Fountain, in Floriana, to St George´s Square, Valletta. Participants carried posters that read Mamadou Kamara, 32, and others reading, Infeanyi Nwokoye, 29 – a migrant who died in similar circumstances at a detention centre last year, after a failed attempt to escape. A number of other people carried posters with different messages: “Justice”, “Long term detention, the most cruel way of wasting our money”, “Equality not brutality”, “Justice is blind” and “Stop killing black people”. An elderly Maltese woman who participated in the march expressed her belief to The Malta Independent that although Mr Konate escaped, he should never have been killed. She did not know the man personally but nonetheless felt for him. Meanwhile, other people spoke insults, often in undertones and the police warned an individual or two to be quiet or they would be arrested. Addressing the people in St George´s Square, Ali Konate spoke of Mamadou Kamara´s life in Malta since he arrived in 2008.(independent.com.mt) I do not understand why migrants are imprisoned.
PN Executive - JPO publishes list of witnesses
The highly anticipated PN executive meeting is set for 6.30 this afternoon with the party’s current political situation on the agenda. Judging by the Prime Minister’s remarks on Sunday that the executive will be taking important decisions, tonight’s outcome might influence heavily the future of the administration, which has found it difficult to deal with a one-seat majority. Meanwhile, MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has published the list of witnesses he wishes to be heard in his request to have Richard Cachia Caruana expelled from the Nationalist Party. These include Police Commissioner John Rizzo, EU Commissioner John Dalli, Labour Party Parliamentary Group whip Joe Mizzi, Shadow Minister for Finance Karmenu Vella who yesterday evening issued a press release confirming that he would be giving witness in an affidavit; and OPM Head of Communications Gordon Pisani, who also issued a statement to the press, however declaring that he believes Dr Pullicino Orlando’s accusations against Richard Cachia Caruana to be unfounded. Of note, is a statement issued by the PN yesterday evening that declared, that although Dr Pullicino Orlando addressed his letter to PN Executive Committee President Dr Marthese Portelli, he nevertheless did not send the letter to Dr Portelli directly, choosing instead to distribute the said letter to the local media. The executive is to discuss sanctions against three of its MPs, Franco Debono, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Jesmond Mugliett, who were recently condemned by the party following their role in the ousting of former Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and Richard Cachia Caruana who yesterday was scheduled to bid farewell as Malta’s EU Ambassador. Dr Pullicino Orlando wants the party to expel Mr Cachia Caruana on the alleged ground that he colluded with senior Labour officials during the short-lived Labour government between 1996 and 1998. Mr Cachia Caruana has denied the claim. The executive will not be going into the merits of the case today but will decide on the procedure to be adopted. Dr Pullicino Orlando had suggested that witnesses testify by an affidavit rather than in person, but this was turned down by the executive, which has asked for witnesses to testify in person.(independent.com.mt) The height of democracy, the reign of a single political party.
New names in, old names out in PN election list
The PN this evening published a provisional list of candidates for the general election. Among them are new candidates Dr Mario Rizzo Naudi a family doctor, cardiac surgeon Prof Albert Fenech, former MITA chairman Claudio Grech, Emanuel Delia, head of Austin Gatt's secretariat and Therese Comodini Cachia, a human rights lawyer, trade unionist Gejtu Vella as well Siggiewi deputy mayor, engineer Ryan Callus. A number of veterans are missing from the list, including former Health Minister Louis Deguara and former works minister Ninu Zammit, current Speaker Michael Frendo as well as Louis Galea, now serving in the European Court of Auditors and Commissioner John Dalli. Austin Gatt had already said he would not be a candidate. Helen D'Amato, the Commissioner for Children, who was not elected at the last election after serving as parliamentary secretary for the elderly, is also not on the list. The list of candidates is not final, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said. Alexei Dingli, Beppe Fenech Adami, Albert Fenech, Antoine Borg, Carm Mifsud Bonnici, Claudio Grech, Caroline Galea, Gejtu Vella, Censu Galea, Ian Spiteri, Charles Selvaggi, Manuel Delia, Charlo Bonnici, Mario Rizzo Naudi, Chris Said, Mark Anthony Sammut, Clyde Puli, Ryan Callus, David Agius, Therese Comodini Cachia, David Vassallo, Dolores Christina, Edward Torpiano, Edwin Vassallo, Francis Zammit Dimech, Franco Galea, Frans Agius, Frederick Azzopardi, George Pullicino Giorgio Schembri, Giovanna Debono, Ian Castaldi Paris, Janice Chetcuti, Jason Azzopardi, Jean-Pierre Farrugia, Joe Falzon, John Zammit Montebello, Josianne Cardona Gatt, Joseph Cassar, Karl Gouder, Lawrence Bonavia, Lawrence Gonzi, Malcolm Mifsud, Mario de Marco, Mario Galea, Michael Asciak, Michael Gonzi, Noel Galea, Noel Muscat, Paula Mifsud Bonnici, Peter Micallef, Philip Mifsud, Robert Arrigo, Robert Cutajar.(timesomalta.com) This list if elected, she will take the right path for Malta?
Maltese music and the sound of water served as the background for messages given by a number of African migrants and Maltese people who form part of NGOs working for the welfare of refugees and asylum seekers. The message was simple and clear: “The detention system is problematic in itself. If it does not change, problems will remain”. Addressing the mixed crowd of migrants and Maltese people, including MPs from the government and opposition benches, MEP Simon Busuttil and Alternattiva Demokratika representative Robert Callus, Ali Konate, from the Migrants Network for Equality, said people in prison are much better than those in detention. Meanwhile, the NGOs believe it is this detention system itself that dehumanises migrants and fuels racism. The march was organised in light of Mamadou Kamara's recent death and called for a system which respects migrants’ human rights. It started shortly before 5.30pm yesterday from the Triton Fountain, in Floriana, to St George´s Square, Valletta. Participants carried posters that read Mamadou Kamara, 32, and others reading, Infeanyi Nwokoye, 29 – a migrant who died in similar circumstances at a detention centre last year, after a failed attempt to escape. A number of other people carried posters with different messages: “Justice”, “Long term detention, the most cruel way of wasting our money”, “Equality not brutality”, “Justice is blind” and “Stop killing black people”. An elderly Maltese woman who participated in the march expressed her belief to The Malta Independent that although Mr Konate escaped, he should never have been killed. She did not know the man personally but nonetheless felt for him. Meanwhile, other people spoke insults, often in undertones and the police warned an individual or two to be quiet or they would be arrested. Addressing the people in St George´s Square, Ali Konate spoke of Mamadou Kamara´s life in Malta since he arrived in 2008.(independent.com.mt) I do not understand why migrants are imprisoned.
PN Executive - JPO publishes list of witnesses
The highly anticipated PN executive meeting is set for 6.30 this afternoon with the party’s current political situation on the agenda. Judging by the Prime Minister’s remarks on Sunday that the executive will be taking important decisions, tonight’s outcome might influence heavily the future of the administration, which has found it difficult to deal with a one-seat majority. Meanwhile, MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has published the list of witnesses he wishes to be heard in his request to have Richard Cachia Caruana expelled from the Nationalist Party. These include Police Commissioner John Rizzo, EU Commissioner John Dalli, Labour Party Parliamentary Group whip Joe Mizzi, Shadow Minister for Finance Karmenu Vella who yesterday evening issued a press release confirming that he would be giving witness in an affidavit; and OPM Head of Communications Gordon Pisani, who also issued a statement to the press, however declaring that he believes Dr Pullicino Orlando’s accusations against Richard Cachia Caruana to be unfounded. Of note, is a statement issued by the PN yesterday evening that declared, that although Dr Pullicino Orlando addressed his letter to PN Executive Committee President Dr Marthese Portelli, he nevertheless did not send the letter to Dr Portelli directly, choosing instead to distribute the said letter to the local media. The executive is to discuss sanctions against three of its MPs, Franco Debono, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Jesmond Mugliett, who were recently condemned by the party following their role in the ousting of former Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and Richard Cachia Caruana who yesterday was scheduled to bid farewell as Malta’s EU Ambassador. Dr Pullicino Orlando wants the party to expel Mr Cachia Caruana on the alleged ground that he colluded with senior Labour officials during the short-lived Labour government between 1996 and 1998. Mr Cachia Caruana has denied the claim. The executive will not be going into the merits of the case today but will decide on the procedure to be adopted. Dr Pullicino Orlando had suggested that witnesses testify by an affidavit rather than in person, but this was turned down by the executive, which has asked for witnesses to testify in person.(independent.com.mt) The height of democracy, the reign of a single political party.
New names in, old names out in PN election list
The PN this evening published a provisional list of candidates for the general election. Among them are new candidates Dr Mario Rizzo Naudi a family doctor, cardiac surgeon Prof Albert Fenech, former MITA chairman Claudio Grech, Emanuel Delia, head of Austin Gatt's secretariat and Therese Comodini Cachia, a human rights lawyer, trade unionist Gejtu Vella as well Siggiewi deputy mayor, engineer Ryan Callus. A number of veterans are missing from the list, including former Health Minister Louis Deguara and former works minister Ninu Zammit, current Speaker Michael Frendo as well as Louis Galea, now serving in the European Court of Auditors and Commissioner John Dalli. Austin Gatt had already said he would not be a candidate. Helen D'Amato, the Commissioner for Children, who was not elected at the last election after serving as parliamentary secretary for the elderly, is also not on the list. The list of candidates is not final, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said. Alexei Dingli, Beppe Fenech Adami, Albert Fenech, Antoine Borg, Carm Mifsud Bonnici, Claudio Grech, Caroline Galea, Gejtu Vella, Censu Galea, Ian Spiteri, Charles Selvaggi, Manuel Delia, Charlo Bonnici, Mario Rizzo Naudi, Chris Said, Mark Anthony Sammut, Clyde Puli, Ryan Callus, David Agius, Therese Comodini Cachia, David Vassallo, Dolores Christina, Edward Torpiano, Edwin Vassallo, Francis Zammit Dimech, Franco Galea, Frans Agius, Frederick Azzopardi, George Pullicino Giorgio Schembri, Giovanna Debono, Ian Castaldi Paris, Janice Chetcuti, Jason Azzopardi, Jean-Pierre Farrugia, Joe Falzon, John Zammit Montebello, Josianne Cardona Gatt, Joseph Cassar, Karl Gouder, Lawrence Bonavia, Lawrence Gonzi, Malcolm Mifsud, Mario de Marco, Mario Galea, Michael Asciak, Michael Gonzi, Noel Galea, Noel Muscat, Paula Mifsud Bonnici, Peter Micallef, Philip Mifsud, Robert Arrigo, Robert Cutajar.(timesomalta.com) This list if elected, she will take the right path for Malta?