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2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matthew Vella mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 OCTOBER 2021 An economy built on modern-day slavery Editorial THIS week's tragic and criminal act – in which a contractor allegedly dumped a migrant worker in the middle of a road, after he was injured in a workplace accident – was a reminder that racism is a collective disease which desensitizes us from basic human compassion. How else can one explain the act of leaving an- other human being stranded on a road, under those circumstances, instead of taking him to a hospital? It is the same mentality which, taken to an ex- treme, resulted in the 2019 murder of Cisse Lassa- na, by an army officer who was allegedly roaming the night in search of 'easy pickings'. It is also the same mentality which resulted in the recent, much-publicised incident in Mgarr, Gozo: where a mob beat up a Somali migrant, and threw him in to the sea. Above all, however, it is also a stark remind- er that racism does not exist in a vacuum, but is deeply rooted in Malta's political economy. Let us not forget how the South of the United States was first built on the backs of slaves; and then (after the abolition of slavery in 1868) on black people, jailed for any excuse, who had to do hard labour for no money. Let's not also forget that the "marvels" of capital- ism, throughout the Western world, have likewise been built on the blood of colonised, enslaved, and indentured labour. Immigrant labour is also the key to economic growth in countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates: where there is a sharp distinction between rich natives, and millions of imported and exploited workers from the Indian subcontinent. Even closer to home, it was migrants from poor- er European nations like Turkey, Portugal and southern Italy which fuelled economic growth in countries like Germany. What characterizes these examples is one common trait: cheap labour with no rights whatsoever. In this sense, racism is not just an issue of hatred, but also emerges from greed. Racial theories are often a cover for the creation of an exploited un- derclass, and a cheap, precarious source of labour. In short, it is easier to exploit those whose humani- ty is denied and constantly questioned. That is why it is no surprise that racists often participate in the same economy which relies on migrant labour. We live in a society where a racist division of labour has set down firm roots. In this hierarchy, migrants (mostly from Africa) are at the bottom rung: and as this latest incident so graphically illus- trates, they are a cheap – and therefore, disposable – source of labour, to fuel a greed-based economy. Moreover, one cannot but note the contradic- tory messages being sent out by politicians to the populace. On one hand, foreigners are depicted as a 'threat' or an 'invading force': a discourse which makes their existence here precarious, as the basic assumption is that they should not be here at all, and should 'go back to their country'. On the other hand, foreigners are also openly depicted as a resource: they are here to collect our rubbish and perform other dirty jobs, sustain our pensions, fill gaps and shortages in the labour market… but they are never considered eligible for full inclusion in our community. The underlying assumption is clearly that they are useful, only in so far that they contribute to make us richer. Thus, we have a category which is useful but unwanted at the same time. It is therefore no real surprise that we end up in situations where migrants are literally dumped on the road: after being used, and discarded when no longer useful. This is the dark side of the promise to turn the Maltese into a nation of 'little rich men'. For what we have been seeing in the past years is a creeping mentality which views foreigners as noth- ing more than instruments for gain. At the same time, there is also a competing narrative based on equality and solidarity: which in this case was personified by the decency of the citizen who stopped to assist an injured man, and accompanied him to hospital. It was also manifest in the numerous expressions of shock and solidar- ity; as well as a public collection to raise funds for the victim. However, this basic sense of decency is evidently more of an exception than the norm: and this is in itself one of the most worrying aspects of the situa- tion. It also underlines the importance of a national anti-racist movement: which addresses not only the moral aspect, but also the economic roots of the problem. From this perspective, the construction industry certainly has a lot to answer for. It is clear that the 'make hay while the sun shines' mentality is an integral part of the problem. Part of the solution is to ensure that all contractors are registered: which would enable the authorities to strike off any con- tractor guilty of exploitation, racism and discrimi- nation. But it is our country's entire economic model which needs questioning. For in its rush to become rich quickly, and at all costs… Malta has clearly lost its way. 2 October 2011 No enforcement against power station chimneys – MEPA THE Malta Environment and Planning Author- ity has not yet determined the height of the new power station's chimneys, but Enemalta has already built them. So are the chimneys illegal, as claimed by the Marsaxlokk council? MaltaToday asked this simple question to MEPA… and the reply was mind-boggling. MEPA is effectively absolving Enemalta of com- mitting any illegality, by building the 65-metre chimneys while admitting that it still has to determine their final height. According to MEPA, when the MEPA Board approved the full development application for the development of a 144MW extension to the Delimara Power Station in May 2009, "it had approved the construction of the chimneys." But the same spokesperson declares that "the final height of the chimneys remained a reserved matter" and that "the final height of the chimneys will be determined through the Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) permit." In MEPA's newspeak, the chimneys could be built legally even if it technically still possible for the authority to oblige Enemalta to change the height of the chimneys. When asked directly by MaltaToday whether MEPA intends to issue an enforcement order since the chimneys were built before their height was determined in the IPPC permit, the MEPA spokesperson replied that MEPA has no such intention because "Enemalta was not violating the permit conditions by constructing the chimneys." The Marsaxlokk council has recently filed a judicial protest against Enemalta, claiming that two chimneys at the power station extension in Delimara were built without a permit. The council noted that when MEPA granted the permit for the extension, it was pointed out by both the corporation and by MEPA that the height of the chimneys was "a reserved matter." Therefore, the council said, the chimneys had been built and completed even though they were not covered by a MEPA permit. ... Quote of the Week "If we do not take care of the natural environment, soon our children and their children will be the ones suffering the consequences of our actions." President George Vella speaking at the Buonamico Award 2021 ceremony organised by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) MaltaToday 10 years ago