Nationalist Party leadership contender Chris Said is all in favour of a master plan to tackle migration issues.

In a statement, Said said that hundreds if not thousands of foreign workers are currently coming to Malta to look for work. This, in itself, is of course not a bad thing; we are, after all, living in a cosmopolitan society. However, it is clear that there is no plan, and worse still, no control on the number of foreign workers in employment.

Illegal migration reduced drastically in recent years. However, a few kilometers away, in Libya, there is a delicate and unstable situation. Once Italy refuses illegal migrants, our country will be at the forefront. How prepared are we? What is being done to preempt this situation? The present government is either dragging its feet or keeping mum about the whole situation, he said.

The integration of migrants in our society is another important issue that deserves attention. “We have always been a charitable and hospitable nation, but we cannot ignore certain realities. In places like Marsa, St Paul’s Bay, Bugibba, Birzebbugia and Gzira, integration has failed, with a resultant rise in crime. What plans does the government have for integration? What measures are being taken to curb the few criminals and stop their illegal activity?” Said said.