‘Immgration will lead to poverty and insecurity

THE arrival of immigrants which the Balearics have been experiencing in recent years could lead to “social inequality” and “negative effects” on Majorcan society in the near future. This was the stark message spelt out by Maria Antonia Munar, president of the Council of Majorca, in an outline of the speech which she will make tomorrow evening, marking Majorca Day. The negative effects that she mentioned include an increase in poverty and “a lack of security.” It is not the first time that Munar has expressed her concern on this subject.
She said that the arrival of immigrants is causing Majorcan society, which is “very balanced and where everyone has a place to live and spend their holidays” to “lose its status quo” because, she claims, “the people who are arriving do not have these possibilities.” She went on to say that “if we are not capable of finding means of integration in the work place and access to housing, we could find ourselves once again with that Majorca of 100 years ago, with rich and poor.” She added that she was concered about the current arrival of immigrants because “we had achieved a Majorca where there were no poor people and it was a balanced society.” She went on to say “we must tread carefully in order not to create an imbalance, because this leads to a lack of security and fewer investments in Majorca.” Finally she added that “tourists, who, we should not forget, drive the economy, want to be in a quiet place.” In the future, she said, the necessary steps should be taken for immigrants to adapt, and learn the language and culture of Majorca.
These will be the keynotes of her speech tomorrow, at which the Majorcan flag will be flown and the Majorcan anthem, La Balanguera sung. And two foreigners, British poet Robert Graves and French writer George Sand, will be honoured.