“The government’s attitude of seeming in control by tearing children from their families, is nothing short of scandalous.” Mario Mallia, vice-chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika was commenting on the issue of Serbian children risking deportation on the grounds that their parents’ wages are less than an arbitrary sum concocted by the government.
Mallia insists that there are numerous Maltese families with income which is below this arbitrary amount imposed on these Serbian families. “The logical conclusion to this reasoning is that the government should contemplate the removal of these Maltese children from their families. If not, the government would be discriminating against the Serbian children.” Mallia expressed dismay with the government’s argument that tearing children from their families is being contemplated for the well-being of the children themselves, who would otherwise live below the poverty line. “This is a line of reasoning of a government which has lost its social soul” argued Mallia.
Alternattiva Demokratika’s chairperson Carmel Cacopardo likewise appealed to the authorities responsible to go for a common sense solution to this impasse as soon as possible. It is unacceptable that the government chooses to hide behind dubious legalese in an attempt to justify its unethical position. “The rights of children are not for sale. Rules are meant to serve people not the other way round” he argued.
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Ir-regoli għan-nies mhux in-nies għar-regoli
“Huwa skandaluż kif il-gvern qed jipprova jidher li għandu l-kontroll billi jhedded il-futur ta’ tfal minn familji li qed jaħdmu Malta”. Dan qalu Mario Mallia, Viċi Chairperson tal-AD fir-rigward ta’ tfal minn familji Serbi mhedda li jiġu deportati mill-Gvern fuq l-iskuża li l-ġenituri tagħhom jaqilgħu inqas minn figura arbitrarja li adotta l-gvern.
Mallia sostna li hemm ħafna Maltin li jaqilgħu inqas milli jaqilgħu dawn il-familji. “B’din il-loġika, il-Gvern għandu jikkontempla li lil dawn il-familji maltin joħdilhom it-tfal. Jekk mhux hekk, il-Gvern ikun qed jimxi b’mod diskriminatorju fil-konfront tat-tfal minn familji Serbi sempliċiment għax mhumiex Maltin.” Mallia sostna li huwa ta’ tħassib serju tisma’ esponenti tal-Gvern jirraġunaw li d-deportazzjoni tat-tfal tkun ta’ ġid għat-tfal stess għax inkella jkunu qed jgħixu fil-faqar. “Dan huwa r-raġunament ta’ Gvern li tilef ir-ruħ soċjali tiegħu”, temm jgħid Mallia.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika ħeġġeġ lil min huwa responsabbli biex is-sitwazzjoni tiġi rimedjata mill-iktar fis u b’hekk jirbaħ is-sens komun. Mhuwiex aċċettabbli li l-Gvern jinħeba wara legalżmi dubjużi biex jipprova jiġġustifika l-pożizzjoni etikament skorretta tiegħu. “Id-drittijiet tat-tfal m’humiex għal bejgħ. Ir-regoli għandhom ikunu magħmula biex jaqdu n-nies u mhux in-nies jiġu sfurzati biex jaqdu r-regoli” temm jgħid il-Perit Cacopardo.
