The Hal Far migrant centre is not living up to its name - that of an open centre - since family and friends of the centre's residents are not being allowed in to interact with each other as a community, The Malta Independent has learnt.
A security guard has also been placed at the gate.
But the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS) explained that the facilities are accommodation centres not community centres and are only open to registered residents, staff and accredited visitors.
The government agency highlighted however that no new measures have been implemented and everything is done in accordance with a Legal Notice, binding the agency to service their residents in the best possible ways.
It said that a security guard has been placed to protect residents from thefts and to prevent non-residents from entering the premises.
Sources who spoke to this newsroom explained that in the past, non-residents were allowed inside the centre since the 'only recreation they have is when they meet as a community to exchange a few words.
'They haven't the cash to go out and dine or attend activities which have an entrance free', sources continued. 'They only receive some €120 a month, most of which they spend on transport, except for the ones who have a job. Most migrants have been living at the centre for more than a year and it is like home to them', they added. The centre is equipped with some 165 mobile homes which are fully insulated.
AWAS CEO Mario Schembri told The Malta Independent that for starters, "no new measures for the governance of our open centres have been implemented", when asked whether this was some new measure.
"We are bound by LN 205/2009 and perform accordingly. In other words we service our residents to the best possible. We provide them with lodging, food, tutoring, education and even assist them in job searching.
"We held a job information fair which was a huge success with them recently. We undertook, through a project partly financed by EU, the task of publishing a very detailed information booklet that was distributed to all residents.
"We are presently undertaking a data building exercise, in tandem with the Employment Training Corporation, to establish which sector of the job market each one of them may be suitable for.
"Open centres (and not only the one in question) are open to registered residents, staff, and accredited visitors. They are accommodation centres, not community centres. We maintain that for privacy and security reasons this policy works best.
"Furthermore, for practical purposes, residents who return to the centre after a day's work, may wish to rest in the relative quiet of the centre. Also, as everyone knows, it is not really the case that open centre residents do not go out," he said.
Most have day jobs and enough money to go out
"Most have day jobs and hence enough money to go out. Others are assisted financially with a daily allowance, besides supplying three free meals a day. We also provide various types of recreation for them such as going (free of charge) to watch our national football team's matches at Ta' Qali and participating in football tournaments," Mr Schembri highlighted.
As for the security guard at the entrance, he said that this helps prevent non-residents from entering the facilities and causing disturbances, thefts, among other issues these outsiders bring with them.
Meanwhile, Aditus Foundation director Neil Falzon said that while understanding that AWAS seeks to protect residents of open centres, he suggested that a community space be created allowing residents to receive guests and engage in social activities, especially when some residents cannot leave the premises due to illnesses or disabilities.
"It is understandable that AWAS seeks to protect the privacy of the persons living at the open centres, since these centres are homes and not just gathering spaces.
"Yet it is also important to remember that social interaction and community living are what also make a place become a home. The opportunity to meet family and friends cannot be limited to external spaces, as AWAS would wish, since such spaces might lack privacy, comfort and safety.
"We're also keen to remind AWAS that some residents might be unable to leave the centre due to issues such as illness, disability, depression or other obstacles. In such cases, the need to receive visits is key to preventing loneliness and abandonment.
"It could be an idea to designate a specific section within the centres as a community space, allowing residents to receive guests and engage in social activities," Mr Falzon said.