Visit to the extraordinary reception centre run by the “Arc en Ciel” cooperative in Acate

February 8th took us to the extraordinary reception centre (CAS) situated in Acate (Ragusa), managed by the cooperative “Arc en Ciel”, which already manages other CAS in Giarratana, Ragusa and Modica. Our visit was authorised by the Prefecture and through a spoken agreement with the employees of the managing body.

High specialized reception Centre for minors in Mazara del Vallo: can it really be qualified like this?

The reception center for minors, started in the ex-hotel Conte Ruggero II, has been managed since last June by the cooperative “Fiori di pesco” and is authorized to the initial reception of minors by acting as high-specialized center, with the Regional Degree of May 25th and positive reference from the municipality of Mazara del Vallo.

The “Fiori di pesco” is one of the many cooperative which is formed ad hoc for the reconversion of tourist or hotel establishments in reception centers, like the four-star hotel Conte Ruggero II. According to many citizens and the local press, in the administration of this cooperative would directly or indirectly participate different people who manage other reception centers in the Province.

On 24th August, the delegation of LasciateCIEntrare visited the CARA* of Mineo

Along the access road to the centre are many dilapidated houses in the fields. For some time, it has been witnessed that there are often women from Nigeria living in the centre prostituting themselves.

We meet young people on bicycles or walking; they are going to the surrounding villages, which are far from the centre. The reception centre of Mineo is visible from afar. From the outside it looks like an urban suburb district with its multi-coloured two-storied single-family homes; the same as those in the Sigonella military base for American officers. Everything is fenced, but, already visible from the outside, we discover some "Villette-Bazaars". Within the centre, a few migrants run real shops with clothes and food. (It would have been desirable to check how the distribution of rooms and houses is handled, because all the houses are used apparently as minimarkets, but we didn’t get the permission). This actuates an underground economy: for some it means debt, for others enrichment.