Oink

My uncle worked as a security consultant for the Maltese govt. so I was often shipped off to his place for school holidays. His house keeper taught me some basic Maltese from Ladybird books so I could do my own shopping and get the bus. The local kids who I played with mostly spoke English but the older people tended not to.

Gozit

Ah nice... Wow, there's alot of people on here that somehow have a connection to Malta (which is a good thing! I'm used to "Malta? Whats Malta??" when I talk about it LOL) Did you enjoy those holidays at your uncles?

Oink

Yes, it was great fun. Played a lot of football, used to go and watch the Hibernians play, also did lots of swimming and fishing. My uncle used to take me with him to work so I used to swim with the Prime Minister and some of his cabinet both at the club and in the sea. My uncle also had a cottage up in Gozo so we'd often go up there for weekends. I also used to buy lots of pairs of cheap jeans and sell to school friends back in the UK for a big profit. I have fond memories of the place.

Gozit

Geez you learned the Maltese ways from a young age! Who was the PM at the time may I ask?

Oink

Dominick Mintoff. Late in his second tenure.

I also used to help our next door neighbour go and wash his horses in the sea, not sure if it was a good idea but he did it anyway and it was fun to ride the horses down to the water.

orly

For example?

Also, it works both ways. The EU doesn't only do "good laws".

Almost Canadian

Employment regulations

Consumer regulations

The ability to be able to work and travel freely throughout the EU

I invite you to provide some that you don't believe are "good laws".

rivingtonpike

Did anyone see the Romanians on "Benefits Street"? I felt really sorry for the second lot brought to the UK to work and then exploited. Not sure how sympathetic I was to the first lot though.

I guess until such time as challenged or changed, the law is the law.

Gozit

Ahhh good old Dom Mintoff... Sounds like you had a good time in Malta as a kid Oink

Piff Poff

I havn't commented on any nationality stealing jobs, as I don't believe anyone steals jobs, it's upto an employer to employ the right person whomever that may be. As for the benefit thing, it's not just jobseekers and other cash money benefits etc, it's the health service etc thats under pressure from too many people and not enough paying proper taxes.

Tirytory

Maybe they're just looking to keep themselves and their kids alive while civil war rages on in their own country, but hey "not our problem"...

Gozit

Well maybe if they'd like to move abroad for a better life - and i totally respect that, I would too if i was them - they do it legally by applying for a work permit like everyone else, and not coming over on rickety boats forcing Malta and the European Union to give them asylum and live for free off of Maltese and EU citizens tax money. When that happens and they start getting benefits, they think "ah this is nice, these benefits are 100x my salary from back home, so i can make this work" and then they don't get jobs and contribute back to the system they are taking from! Whether or not they are escaping a life of hardship I don't think its fair that they live off of Maltese citizens hard-earned money... They are free to come to Malta/the EU but they should not get benefits, they should have to find employment.

Tirytory

Wow...your ignorance is breathtaking...

Tirytory

So you think that people like to risk their lives in a "rickety old boat"...please note the many boat accidents with hundreds of men, women and children's lives lost. You don't think that they take that route through absolute desperation?

Moreover they lack the resources and knowledge to oh so easily apply for a work permit? What should they hop on the internet to do that? Please note the extreme sarcasm!!!

These people seek refuge...and I thank my lucky stars that I wasn't born there and don't have to worry about my children being raped or murdered.

Novocastrian

This thread is a bit frothy for me (and Maltese in other parts) but I thought it correct to record that Almost Canadian is right on for once.

Edited to add: This specific frothy business originates with a Telegraph piece announcing that some Romanian recruiting company is trying to exploit their local youth by offering to expedite them an easy passage to a UK apprenticeship scheme. There is no suggestion that any have actually done so, or that the recruitment company isn't the Romanian version of Brazalot.

Sober up everyone.