SPD Meets African Journalist in Bremen

The convener of the “Meet the African Press, Mr Elombo Bolayela, the first Black African to be elected into a German Parliament was highly impressed about the outcome.

The meeting which took place on Friday, 8th March 2013 in Bremen was also attended by African community leaders. The principal speaker on the occasion was Mr. Carsten Sieling (SPD) Member of Parliament representing the party in Berlin.

Yes there are several migrants in the party however; Bremen has made history with Aof the SPD “Manifesto” for the coming general election schedule to take place in Sept 2013 was the made. The MP, an advocate of Africa Community in Bremen, used the opportunity to request the African Community to support the (SPD). He stressed not only wanting to appeal to African voters every four years but want them and other migrants to be actively involved in shaping their communities politically.

We in the SPD want people of all races in Germany to enjoy a higher standard of living. The colour, composition and demographical development indicates our beloved country Germany is for all, been a native German or not. The CDU & FDP led government must come to terms with this.

Our country needs to be more diverse, the skin colour should not matter anymore. I strive for it, and that goes for the SPD parliamentary group. We need a welcoming culture; we must change our attitude to visitors, the veteran politician continued.

Foreign Certificates:
We need to put the necessary mechanism in place in recognizing foreign qualifications, especially from developing countries, be it vocational or university degrees. We want to employ immigrants on their qualifications and not just as taxi drivers or cleaners. It is not only a waste to these people but for Germany as a nation.

We need a law for the recognition of diplomas and it should be now. This is the position of the SPD party today. “Migration is part of humanity” people would continue to move to other destinations in search for greener pastures. Germany cannot afford loosing the best brains to other developed countries.

The Engineer or Teacher turn cleaner, dish washer or taxi driver is the less motivated in our society, this applies to all migrants, we must ensure migrants contribute their skills useful to the labour market, not only as labourers.

 

Dual Citizenship:

The SPD party if voted into power shall ensure foreigners have the right to dual citizenship. Anyone who lives here and is 18years old should no longer have to choose - either holding German passport or the passport of his home country.

Education:
The third important area is education. We need equal opportunities for children from migrant homes. Learning the German language must be strongly encouraged. More teachers should be provided to aid these kids to master the language than sending them to the so called “Sonderschule” has anything good come out of these children?

Political Asylum:
The “Kann Regelung” should be used in the interest of foreigners and Asylum seekers in general. Since state and local governments have room to manoeuvre. We shall rule on humanitarian grounds for foreigners to stay and make Germany their homes. The earlier people are accepted and fully integrated into the German society, the more patriotic they become. In Bremen, the interior minister Mr. Ulrich Mäurer has granted children born to refugees a right of residency.

Fiscal Policy:
It is unacceptable and unjustified that a manager earns hundreds of thousands a month, whereas a normal worker is denied 8.50€ an hour. Workers deserve some dignity, working all day and yet unable to pay monthly rents in Germany is a joke.

The SPD intends to ask the few richer to contribute meaningfully to the socio- economic well being of the majority poor. Besides introducing property tax, the SPD want those on higher incomes to pay 49% income tax.

Accommodation Challenges:
We are committed to providing quality and affordable housing units. 25 percent of all newly built houses are reserved for the vulnerable in the community. With subsidies from taxpayers, Gewoba a real estate developers in Bremen are putting up the needed low cost apartments.

In Hamburg, the issue of accommodation is a major concern. Ghettos are quite on the increase. A research TopAfric conducted made this worrying revelations, Blacks are prefer to ask Whites to make calls on their behalf, which is the only way some of them could have appointments with estate developers. Those ending below 1000 € dare not try private developers.

Students:
According to Elombo Bolayela, the trend of African graduates after studies migrating to the UK or the USA must come to an end, these highly educated frankly see no future in Germany. Fact is, the country spends millions of Euros to educate these people only to let them go. What a pity! One must also argue that this is rendering the African communities quantitative. We want to have a very qualitative and educated community.

In Bremen, we have changed the law of residence, after graduation students have a minimum of 18 months to find a job. Besides they only have to earn 33,000 Euros a year instead of earning 66,000 Euros previously. This made it almost impossible for employers as African graduates and other immigrants were considered very expensive.

Anti Discrimination law:
Though we in the Bremen SPD are not successful, we are doing all we can to introduce a system (anonymous application process), into public and private sector. The practices where people’s application forms lands in the dust bin only because of their colour or country of origin must be condemn.

Discrimination on Africans, at work places, by landlords at night clubs and where ever can only be minimized only if it is punishable by law. Discrimination in schools and kindergartens must also cease.

Yes we need more role models in Bremen; we want to be relevant, this we can only attain by having our brothers and sisters as teachers, engineers and more importantly as civil servants and politicians.

At the meeting were Kenneth Gbandi (African Heritage), Irene Appiah (SPD), Raf Awolola (BremBox), Emmanuel Asare (Agna), Chief Tala Awolola, Panafrikanischer Kulturverein Bremen, Afrika Netzwerk Bremen, Virginie Kamche, Abas Diop and a group of Senegal students.

Determine to succeed as a people, inspiring to leave a legacy for the unborn, Education and access to legimate Information should be the primary concern.

God Bless Germany! God Bless Africa!

TopAfric