The president of a migrant support NGO has come up with a number of interesting proposals that, at the very least, merit a serious discussion.

Dr Ahmed Bugre, the president of the Foundation for Shelter and Support to Migrants, was interviewed on the latest edition of Indepth. He was asked, among other things, why hate speech is on the rise, and why integration is not working.

Replying to the latter question, Bugre did not mince his words. He said that many Maltese have never actually given African refugees the chance to integrate, and that the country’s economic model is one that uses people, rather than integrates them.

Malta, he said, often argues that it is full up when squabbling with other EU member states over migrant rescues but then says it needs tens of thousands of foreign workers every year to keep its economy going. He certainly has a point there. Which one is it? Are we full up or not?

Bugre explained that some 2,000 migrants are currently languishing in our open and detention centres, sitting around all day doing nothing. These asylum seekers and refugees, he said, could be trained to join the workforce – something that would help the country’s various economic sectors find the workers they need while also helping these people find purpose and integrate better in our communities.

He warned, however, that those lucky few who have managed to find jobs are often exploited and underpaid, and despite their temporary situation feel that they have no future in this country. They work and pay their taxes, as they should, but have no other way to participate in society, Bugre said, suggesting that refugees should be given a vote in the local council elections.

While this suggestion has proved to be a controversial one, even judging by the online comments the programme received, we believe that the country should at least have a mature discussion on the above. For how can we expect these people to feel as they are part of society when they are not allowed to vote for the people representing them at community level?

Ahmed Bugre’s suggestion about training refugees and providing them with employment is also very sound one, given the situation of overcrowding that exists in Malta. We already have a few thousand people who are being sheltered, clothed and fed (even if, according to reports the conditions inside the detention centres are far from ideal). Why not train them and give them a job, and in the process help them to make a decent living for themselves?

Unfortunately, many will not agree with these arguments, saying that these refugees are unwelcome strangers who should be someone else’s problem. But, as Bugre has pointed out, this ‘problem’ could be turned into a solution that benefits all parties.

Malta will, in the decades to come keep bearing the brunt of Mediterranean migration and European solidarity is not likely to improve. Migration is here to stay.

If we plan ahead and use the human resource to our advantage, we will be hitting not one, not two, but multiple birds with one stone. Furthermore, we will be giving integration a much better chance.