Inside story | Dilapidated buildings, poor sanitary conditions at Marsa Open Centre

Upon entering, a foul smell engulfs the Marsa Open Centre, accompanied with a sinking feeling.

A group of bored-looking migrants are seen chatting away in a corner.

One can see for himself the evident dilapidated conditions migrant residents are having to live in. I had no idea of how bad the conditions at the centre were until my visit this morning.

I have entered dog sanctuaries many a time and can conclude that the conditions are far much better than the Marsa Open Centre's.

There is a strong palpable sense of frustration among the migrants. Some seemed scared to open up with me over the conditions but others were less fearful and posed for photos while they complained over the poor sanitary conditions.

The migrants all shared the same views when asked how they felt about the centre's conditions. It's as if they all spoke at once. "You can see for yourself... look... are these good conditions. They are very bad. Go take a look at the rooms... there are rooms with over 10 bunk-beds.

Residents living at the centre would have been released from detention only to find refuge at the centre. The use of open centres is a cheaper alternative to hosting asylum seekers.

A migrant insisted I take a look inside the rooms. I made my way though the centre only to find a room with its door wide open where a few migrants were having a nap. The room had no fans. I stepped outside to gasp for some quality air but the odours that covered the centre didn't help.

A few odd migrants shied away from the camera on my entering back into the room.

"No photos no photos," one migrant, who asked who I was, said.

"I'm from the papers, I replied." OK, OK, come in, see for yourself but don't take pictures of us."

Some rooms host up to 12 bunk-beds where 'privacy' is obtained by draping sheets over the beds.

The only cooking facilities is a room hosting a long kitchen top, infested with flies coupled with a smell of garbage that fills the air.

There is a mosque on location, which is the biggest of rooms and turned out to be in the best condition of all. The state of the toilets also leaves much to be desired.

This is how the migrants at the Marsa Open Centre are currently living in.

In all fairness, a building that was about to collapse is currently under construction.

A Maltese man who was doing some odd jobs at the centre questioned what I was doing there and said that most migrants don't like pictures because they fear for their lives. "These people would have fleed their country."

It wasn't long before the man in question walked to the security gate and notified the security guards. The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by two security personnel who politely asked me to leave at once.

This week, the Labour Party issued a statement expressing its "concern" over the latest arrival of migrants, adding that "illegal immigration remains a worrying reality".

"While understanding the country's international legal obligations, the challenge and burden illegal migration places on the country cannot be denied," Falzaon said in the statement.

Falzon quoted recent unnamed studies which show that "not only does Malta have the highest rate of migrants per capita, but the Maltese are the most worried people about migration in the EU", adding that "Malta had one of the highest levels of protection to illegal migrants".

A recent MaltaToday survey revealed that concern on immigration had increased by four points but remained much lower than in 2009, when 27% mentioned illegal immigration as one of their two main problems.