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As he drives us back to the hotel, the taxi driver tells me he earns 50 Fijian dollars (Lm10) for a 64-hour week. I cannot imagine how he can make ends meet as a father of four. An earlier visit to a supermarket in Nadi shows how expensive it is to live in Fiji. Two cans of mackerel cost 3.6 Fijian dollars, enough to wipe out half a day’s wage.
Later on that evening in one of the daily papers I read about the country’s vice president’s appeal to fight poverty. He complained that even though a significant portion of Fiji’s population lived in poverty, there was very little prospect of improvement or betterment. He said: “Although the last major study on poverty was conducted nearly a decade ago, indications from both within and outside government suggest it has worsened.”
As part of the 500 parliamentarians attending the 51st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPA) in Fiji I had already heard secretary-general Don McKinnon say that “over one-third of the Commonwealth’s two billion citizens live on less than USD1 per day; that women constitute almost three quarters of all those living in poverty across the Commonwealth; that almost two thirds of HIV cases are in Commonwealth countries; and that half of the world’s 115 million children without access to primary education live in the Commonwealth.”
Living in a comfortable tourist resort during the conference with a generous breakfast in the morning, refreshments at 10.30am, lunch at 1.00pm, refreshments at 3.30pm and a dinner at 7.00pm, I was very worried about coming away overweight from the conference discussing starvation, poverty and misery. I was also impressed with the large number of obese parliamentarians attending the conference, coming from countries where millions still starve and live in abject poverty.
The CPA conference was held a few days before the United Nations General Assembly met to discuss the Millennium Development Goals set five years ago “to free our fellow men, women and children from the dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty to which more than a billion are currently subjected.” The eight goals are to: “eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development.”
Most of the rich countries have broken their promise to increase their aid to 0.7 per cent of their Gross National Product. Worse than that, rich countries like the United States and the European Union member states continue to deny market access to the products of poor countries despite all the nice talk about free trade.
Africa is the worst hit continent and in the years to come millions will continue trying to flee from their misery by doing all they can to reach other countries.
Thousands of these persons have already passed through Malta and Gozo. Quite a number are still here. Others will continue to arrive. The statistics of poverty and starvation might seem remote and far for us, but yet they are so near as we continue to feel the effect of illegal migration.
It is in our interest not only to call for more assistance from richer countries to deal with the problems created by illegal immigration but also to support every effort to change the present trade policies that discriminate against developing countries and hinder poor country participation the global economy. A 1% increase in the developing countries‚ share of world exports would lift 128 million people out of poverty.
Lawrence of Australia
Lawrence Dimech describes himself as “an ageing journalist dedicated to a ‘fair go’ (as they say in Australian) for Maltese migrants in Australia.” He is much more than that. Philip Ruddock, Federal Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (now Attorney General) has described him “as the first person that brought him in touch with the real difficulties migrants and refugees face in their initial settlement.” The Federal Minister called Lawrence “My first tutor in migrant settlement.”
Two years ago Lawrence was awarded the Order of Australia for his long-standing contribution to the Maltese Community in New South Wales since 1956.
Lawrence tells me: “I am proud to have been a conduit for all issues relating to the wave after wave of migrants that have been forced to leave Malta as their birthplace, after the ravages of war they had won, was not able to offer them a decent future.”
I ask him to list his achievements after so many years passionately involved in migrant affairs. “They have been many – the reciprocal social services agreement, health agreement, double taxation agreement, youth visa agreement, dual citizenship for migrants and their children.” He pays tribute to “the enormous contribution of migrants and their children to both Australia and Malta and the numerous success stories in all spheres of society.”
Lawrence has also served as the Malta Government Representative for New South Wales (NSW) for the period 1972-77 and was re-appointed as the first Consul-General for NSW, 1997-2000. Lawrence enjoys the distinct honour of having been appointed by the Australian Federal Government as the Director of the very first Migrant Resource Centre in Australia at Parramatta. He sat on numerous migrant committees and currently holds the post of vice chairman of the Baulkham Hills, Holroyd, and Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre.
Lawrence’s major disappointment: “The lack of understanding from the Maltese authorities of the issues of the Maltese living abroad and the inaccurate perceptions that the residents of Malta have about migrants in general.”
What kind of support do Maltese migrant organisations expect from the Maltese government, and is this support forthcoming? “In truth, Maltese Abroad organisations do not really need support from the Malta government but there where many instances were the Malta Government could have gainfully entered in partnership with them, such as in the promotion of Maltese culture, business and commercial ties.”
According to Lawrence the main issue that still needs to be addressed by the Maltese government is the “acceptance by the Malta government of the Greater Malta concept. The issue of accepting all persons of Maltese descent living abroad having the same access and equity rights in Malta as those granted to the European Union members.” He also demands more resources for the Maltese government’s presence in Australia. “To have a meaningful Malta representation in Australia, not one hampered by stingy and inadequate financial requirements that makes it of little relevance and unable to function properly.”
How does it feel to be a Maltese migrant today in Australia? Lawrence says: “The Maltese in Australia are still very proud of their heritage, their roots, but they have adapted well to the way of life of the country that has accepted them as its citizens. Offered them and their children a future in a multicultural democracy where you are accepted for what you are and what you can contribute and not whom you know.
Does Lawrence still feels at home when he visits Malta or has it become a strange land to him? “For a migrant, visiting Malta is like going to Mecca. You need to recharge your batteries. The longer you are away the more important your roots become. However, after having been away for 30, 40, and 50 years, yes Malta is not the Malta you once knew. In many aspects, you are overwhelmed by the changes. Most of all, your priorities have changed brought about by having lived and worked in a vast continent so young, so vibrant so future looking.”
evaristbartolo@hotmail.com
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