Juffa calls for review of overseas missions

Caption: Oro Governor Gary Juffa.

 

 

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, April 10, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

ORO Governor and former Customs Commissioner, Garry Juffa has called for a total review of the country’s foreign missions.

His comments came amidst commending the work of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato in the achievements of his ministry on the global front representing the interests of the country since 2012.

“I would like to commend the minister. It is very good to have a learned active foreign affairs minister who I sat with him and have witnessed him doing a lot of the work himself,” Governor Juffa said.

Governor Juffa, however, raised concerns over the loss in performance, foreign diplomats outside the country; have in terms of intelligence gathering to support vital domestic agreements with the outside world.

“Their role is not to just to attend cocktail functions, not just out there to be diplomats. Their role also out there is to collect information, collect, collate, analyze that information, and give us that information so that we may make our decision in relations to any agreements that we may whether they may be bilateral or multilateral,” Juffa explained.

“In times gone by the national Intelligence organization always had a person posted in foreign missions, and some absurd reason this function was removed.”

“So in many instances overseas missions cannot inform us of potential threats posed by transnational criminals, organizations, or individuals. It was like removing the eyes and ears that would have warned us of impending threats, or on the other side, that could have also informed us of opportunities.”

He said the function was not being played in overseas missions adequately- calling for a total review of the overseas missions on what do they do out there.

“So that in this globalized world we are able to scan and determine what is a risks and opportunities- have informed information that can help us make informed decisions.”

“These (diplomats) are the faces of Papua New Guinea that we post out there. These are the officers intended to sell Papua New Guinea, but also to perform a vital role of monitoring whatever it is that requires PNG’s attention.”