The evaluation shows that the reception is going “very well” and that the atmosphere on the ship is calm and friendly. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which visited the ship twice, also rates the location as ‘above standard’. The only point of attention on the cruise ship is that education has still not been arranged for all 109 children on the ship. Furthermore, there have been no serious violent incidents in the past four months.
Due to the positive evaluation and the continuing pressure on the asylum chain, the alderman is considering increasing the number of reception places on the ship in phases from 1,000 to 1,500 in addition to an extension of six months. The proposals will first be discussed at the city council next Wednesday.
Sober care has been arranged on the MS Galaxy since October last year. The residents receive guidance, daily activities and a meal in the dining room three times a day. There is also a doctor on board. The area around the ship, an industrial area, has been made safe for the temporary residents. For example, bicycle and pedestrian paths have been constructed and a shuttle bus runs.
More asylum seekers are expected to come to the Netherlands in the coming months, while the asylum centers are already overcrowded. That is why Secretary of State for Asylum Affairs Eric van der Burg is looking for more shelter. He recently announced that he still needed 19,000 reception places before 1 July.