Calais venture will 'incite immigrants'
I WRITE in response to Martin Gavet's lengthy reply (Guernsey Press, 22 September) to my letter printed the same day concerning the possible impending action of Guernsey Bridge2Calais. On reading his carefully selected comments, taking up virtually a full page of the Guernsey Press, it would appear that all that he had written was and is readily available to the general public, all of whom are no doubt aware of the humanitarian crisis now unfolding.
Had he taken the trouble to digest what I had initially written he would have noticed I mentioned my admiration for what Sarah Griffith had achieved in the past. Her possible latest venture focused on Calais will do nothing more than incite more illegal immigrants to go to Calais to cause even more trouble. Do not take my word for this, but I challenge the above named persons to contact P&O Ferries, Eurostar and the many drivers who have had their livelihoods threatened by these violent people, whom I for one would not wish to see living on our island. If the lady and gentleman previously named would care to view the available news media which definitively confirms what I have written there may be a slight possibility they would accept the truth. Yes, the Syrian people need help from Europeans, both financially and militarily, but a mass exodus from their country by them only encourages people from other countries to do the same. Unfortunately these people did not all choose to make the correct decision which was, of course, to go to either Jordan or Lebanon, the first country they reach from Syria. Nobody, including myself, likes to see or read of any child being either killed or drowned, but what has happened in the past few months is entirely due to parents who knowingly placed their children in danger. An example of this was shown on television not long ago where a mother holding a baby prostrated herself on railway tracks with her baby's head missing striking the track by a fraction of an inch. Had the child died, no doubt everybody else would be to blame but the mother. That is how religious people would view it. Then there are the parents who even now are risking the lives of their children by subjecting them to long and dangerous sea journeys unnecessarily. Religious people may call that caring parents, but I certainly do not. Can I just remind people who are now going almost hysterical at the present humanitarian situation, had they taken more interest some 10 years ago when Italy was being subjected to illegal migrants arriving on their shores on a daily basis, which continued for years, there is just a chance the present day crisis could have been avoided.
Could I also respond to another letter in the paper (24 September) written by Paul Solomons who, by his address, appears to be yet another interfering Englishman. Please, Paul, read the above as in my original letter I actually applauded the work Sarah Grifffith has done in the past. Obviously you need to make an appointment with Specsavers or purchase new spectacles. I would suggest that you endeavour to put the UK's immigration in order as your government has no control over the one million illegal immigrants in England. Guernsey and its people are more than capable of deciding both whether or not we should send financial aid to any country or whether we want or need refugees living on our island.
Finally, I have just noticed a letter (24 September) from a local person, James Hodge, who clearly states his interpretation of what society now is and I quote: (a) ignorant, (b) selfish, (c) egotistical, (d) narcissistic, (e) greedy and (f) apathetic. I assume that the Church of England and Roman Catholic Church come under this interpretation of yours?
E. MAUGER, Address withheld.
