Consulate not doing its job

 IT IS sad to read about the consul general Paul Nerau and his officers at the PNG consulate in Brisbane asking the Australian authorities  for the welfare of our people living in the flood-affected areas of Queensland (The National, Jan 12).  

I say this because it is the consulate that should alert the Aussie authorities, let alone contact each and every PNG citizen living in the affected areas to  check on their well-being. 

The consulate staff should look at assisting in  every way possible.  

The consulate staff cannot do much because they probably know very little about the PNG people living there.

If that is the reaction of our consul general and his staff, I believe they need to come to terms and think outside the public services circle … innovate and device programs and proceses for people. In very simple terms, start some register of your fellow citizens living there and create a database so you’re not caught out like now.  

It is not hard work, it is office work and you can do that from the consulate office on the 11th floor at 320 Adelaide St.  

Our people are doing it real tough back home and the consul general and consulate staff are just not doing us any good.

Just see how the Australians quickly respond with contact and search of their citizens living and visiting overseas when something goes wrong there, for  example Bali (Indonesia) bombing or any other disaster that has occurred  outside Australia. They are very prompt and efficient because they have  their up-to-date registers/databases within their Foreign and Immigration  services.

Why not us or ours?  

Everyone in the PNG consulate office and  similar offices everywhere (consulates, embassies, high commissions, etc)  must have a database of the citizens living and visiting in the country.   This must be a priority matter.

Guru Sibona

Via email