Abal slams Governor General's treatment in New Zealand
Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:00pm
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sam Abal has described the recent
protocol blunder involving Papua New Guinea's Vice Regal as shameful
and demeaning.
Governor General Grand Chief Sir Paulias Matane and his party were
transiting through New Zealand, on their way to the coronation of the
Tongan King when the debacle occurred.
Sir Paulias and his party were forced to wait in line for customs
clearance and were left stranded at the airport for some time before
travelling to their place of accommodation via a hotel bus.
Protocol for a Head of State dictates none of this should have
happened.
Mr Abal on behalf of the department, expressed regret over the
incident but he leveled the blame solely on PNG's Foreign Mission in
New Zealand.
"I'm sorry that it happened, department and our protocol services
have done their best to alert the New Zealand protocols and we have an
officer who has travelled two days ahead of the Governor General,
already to facilitate those things," Mr Abal said.
"It's unfortunate that the High Commissioner there was not present,
he was attending another meeting. And also they were not able to
organize those facilities and the transport," he said.
Mr Abal slammed High Commissioner Bernard Narakobi's protests that
the trip was a joy ride.
He said it was sanctioned by the Government and was an important
ceremony in a Forum Island country, of which PNG is a member. |
