Andrew Sciberras

As Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi boasts Malta's new pilot project, a "tailor-made programme to help fight illegal immigration" from Brussels, his Christian-Democrat government is throwing immigrants in the street. As a result these people, many of them single mothers, have no roof over their heads and hardly any food to eat. I never would have thought that the soft-spoken CMB would have the heart to take such horrific and inhumane action. I demand his immediate resignation but unfortunately in Malta no such thing ever happens. Politicians have lost all sense of shame and humanity.

And what about Muscat who should stand for social justice and equality? Is this going to be yet another case where votes come before human dignity? Does the so-called coalition of progressives and moderates demand his silence on this issue?

AD is, unfortunately, too damaged at the moment to speak out in public.

The Church, save one very rare outcry from arch-conservative Bishop Grech, is too busy fighting things like abortion and IVF than to bother with immigrants because the rights of cells come before the rights of human beings from Africa.

Such action by government and silence from the mainstream in civil society is going to create even more xenophobia and racism. Maltese people aren't so used to seeing people living in the streets. Not so long ago one person was even jailed for begging. This might prove to be another major culture shock which ignorant Malta might not handle so well. And I suspect that as people become weary they would turn to politicians and we would have another "Ghoxrin Punt" coming from Parliament because people come first so long as they are Maltese and disgruntled. The authorities are also openly inviting a rise in crime because absolute poverty tends to bring about crime.

But more importantly no man or woman should ever be subjected to a life on the streets. What sad times we live in.