A new police immigrant reception centre in Hal Far was opened yesterday by Home Affairs and Justice Minister Tonio Borg, while work on a new Lm218,000 (e508,246) detention centre at Ta’ Kandja is also underway.

In related news, Dr Borg also said yesterday that Portugal has agreed to resettle 12 immigrants residing in Malta under protected status.

The new reception centre inaugurated yesterday, capable of accommodating up to 120 new migrant arrivals, is housed in a previously run-down and abandoned building. The work was co-funded by the European Refugee Fund II, through which Malta received Lm50,000 (e116,468) for the new centre.

The building, situated next to the Employment and Training Centre in Hal Far, underwent a complete refurbishment including the laying of new floors and ceilings. Apart from sleeping quarters, the centre also holds television and prayer rooms, a recreation area and a kitchen.

Speaking yesterday, Dr Borg observed that this year Malta has received some Lm1 million from the EU toward dealing with the influx of migrants, including funding for local non-governmental organisations, while a further Lm1 million is on the books and awaiting final approval.

Such funding has gone toward the Marsa Open Centre and expenses incurred by the Armed Forces of Malta in areas such as equipment and patrol boat fuel.

Work has also begun on a new Lm218,000 detention centre at Ta’ Kandja that will hold, along the lines of the Hal Far detention centre, some 400 to 500 detained migrants and Police Commissioner John Rizzo, also on site yesterday, explained that work is in hand. The foundations of the completely new building have been laid and construction work, which has already started, is expected to be finished by the end of December.