Value of Maltese migrants

Times of Malta
Sunday, 10th January 2010

Maurice Cauchi

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100110/opinion/value-of-maltese-migrants

The number of people with a Maltese background living overseas has reached several hundred thousand, a statistic which is difficult to assess precisely.

From time to time, it has been considered useful to bring together representatives of this diaspora to discuss issues common to them all. The first was organised in 1969, and this was followed by a second in 2000. The Foreign Ministry is now organising the third to be held between March 15 and 18.

If the last conference is anything to go by, the number of issues to be discussed will be wide and disparate, ranging from culture and language maintenance, to youth, the elderly, citizenship and consular issues. From the rather scanty information made available so far, there will be keynote speakers as well as group discussions relating to these issues.

The average person living in Malta might wonder why Maltese living abroad feel the need to meet with others living on the other side of the world. One might think that after half a century of emigration, Maltese would be well-settled if not entirely integrated within the society they chose to live in; in particular, that there should not be a continuing need to lobby the government to provide further facilities. Indeed, many might find it difficult to understand that anyone needs to maintain ties with the old country at all.

The facts are quite different. Quite a few of those who left Malta several decades ago still feel they have strong ties with the country. This is shown by the significant number of people who visit regularly and who wait expectantly for snippets of news from their former homeland, which in some countries like Australia are received on television for just half-an-hour a week. Even the younger generation has shown quite an interest in keeping these ties, as shown by the relatively large number of applications for Maltese passports as soon as citizenship status was granted to them.

One criticism often raised about such conferences is that they might degenerate into a talk-fest, where lots of recommendations are made but few are followed through and acceded to. One example where the government obviously fulfilled its promise was the recommendation made at the last meeting relating to the need to grant citizenship to second and subsequent generations of Maltese origin. However, a number of other recommendations have, unfortunately, fallen by the wayside.

It is therefore important that at the coming conference, the government makes it clear how it proposes to deal with the recommendations arising from the conference and provides a possible timetable for their implementation.

Another important role of such a conference is to build bridges between organisations in Malta and those overseas. Issues relating to language maintenance, for instance, depend heavily on the production of suitable material and use of technologies which are being used by other countries, to promote distance learning. It is just not enough to provide books written for Maltese students living in Malta - these are often not culturally relevant to an overseas student.

There is also a need to strengthen links with bodies in Malta involved in arts and literature and cultural aspects, to encourage exchange of ideas, and strengthen associations and individuals interested in these issues overseas.

A number of suggestions have already been made about the need to have a physical presence of a migration museum in a prominent position in Malta where the history of migration can be highlighted. This could be part of an effort to spread the teaching of history to students in Malta, an effort to be spearheaded by interested departments within the University.

Efforts at having bilateral agreements between the University of Malta and others overseas where Maltese constitute a significant number have in the past been less than successful. It is therefore important that attendance at this conference should not be limited just to overseas participants, but should also involve local experts and organisations who are, or should be, interested in linking up with their opposite numbers overseas.

Malta itself could benefit from closer links with Maltese overseas. In the sporting arena, participation by Maltese athletes from overseas has already made a considerable impact. Visits by family groups, often lasting several weeks at a time, have always provided a significant economic input.

Tapping into the considerable expertise that overseas-trained Maltese-background people have accumulated could also provide considerable benefit.

The government should be congratulated on taking the initiative to organise this long overdue conference. Those who decide to participate are doing so because they believe these issues are worthy of their support, and hope that the outcome is one that will benefit Maltese living abroad.