The controversy regarding the illegal immigrants has now taken a wrong turn. Instead of calmly seeing what one should do, and what can be done, this issue has mostly been reduced to a slanging match, serving as a racist topic by those who are all out in favour of keeping these unfortunates here, and those others who no matter what, want to see them off our island.

This kind of extremes is both wrong. One must first take everything in consideration. You just cannot simply draw a straight line and say ‘ok, everybody is welcome’, and neither can you say ‘everybody out’.

When one considers our size and means, one will surely conclude that no matter how much one may wish to help and sympathise with these unfortunates, we have our limitations. We are on an island of eight by 17 miles with a population of 400,000 and a crippling burgeoning national debt of Lm1,400,000,000.

Simply said, we just will not be able to help so many immigrants. I strongly believe that unless democracy and stability is installed in the African continent this refugee dilemma will continue to be a festering wound with no hope of healing.

Everyone has by now heard of the conflicts in Sudan, Chad, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia and other African countries. In such countries where warlords and autocrats rule, where democracy is dead, only anarchy rules. Such countries ravaged by continuous conflicts are the main contributors to this tragic immigrant dilemma.

I strongly believe that unless the international community intervenes in these African countries (even militarily-wise if need be) then this refugee problem will continue to grow out of hand with disastrous consequences for all.

Emm. Spagnol

ZEJTUN