Claim of S’pore consulate refuted

By HELEN TARAWA
Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato, pictured, says PNG has a formal high commission office established and functioning in Singapore.
He was responding to claims of a PNG consulate there being run by a Singaporean.
According to reports reaching The National, a PNG consulate was being operated by a Singaporean citizen (named).
The report said there was false information that claimed that there was a PNG consulate in Singapore at 39 Ubi Cresent.
Pato said that Singaporean law and policy did not permit appointment of a consul-general.
“No-one (has been) appointed,” he said.
“Singapore law and policy does not permit appointment of a consul-general in Singapore.
“PNG has a formal high commission office established and functioning in Singapore.”
A consul-general in Singapore can only be a native of the sending state.
Based on a search in Singapore’s ministry of foreign affairs (MFA), there is no such person or consulate office. Singapore MFA and Singapore police did not know the person who was claiming to be the consul-general for PNG in Singapore.
Information provided by Singapore MFA confirmed that PNG high commission diplomatic relations were established on May 14, 1976.
The high commission in Singapore is located on 1 Marine Parade Central.
It is managed by an acting high commissioner and second secretary Basil Justus Gerari and two other officers.