Since the beginning of the year, almost 6,900 people in total have reached these lucky islands, more than all the people to arrive in 2005. This growing wave reflects an ongoing human drama. On the other hand, it stirs restlessness within the Canary Islands’ native population.

 

But what makes us really restless is the government’s attitude to solving the problem is based on an Africa Plan that will increase the taxpayer money given to help sub-Saharan countries and to open new embassies in the region. These actions are unrelated to solving the problem. The only cooperation that will help solve the problem over the long term is the commercial cooperation between African and Spanish people, something that would benefit both parties and help to bring economic prosperity to thousands of people in Africa. State aid only steals money from those who are relatively poor in Spain and gives it to the rich people in the poor countries. In addition, it will feed the many petty corruptions in the middle and create the false illusion that it is possible to prosper without changing a country’s institutions, attitudes and aptitudes because the resources will just fall from the sky.

 

Our country is also showing an obvious contradiction that will make the problem worse in the medium and long term. It is impossible to reinforce the welfare state while supporting an open borders policy because there will be a major social conflict between Spaniards and immigrants. In a free and dynamic market many of the problems caused by illegal immigration would disappear. But in countries like Spain where our income is reduced by the taxes we pay to finance public services, the taxpayers see illegal immigrants as the reason for those taxes and the cause of the poor quality of the public services provided. That might be why a recent USA Today poll showed 60 percent of Americans are against illegal immigrants gaining access to free public services such as hospitals and schools.

 

A relatively open border policy requires the privatization of many public services. Any other alternative would result in social confrontations that are both harmful and unnecessary. Privatize or close the borders tightly, that is the question our government insists on ignoring.