Issue 780 16 November - 23 November 2012 - FREE
Carry on Consulate? Huge cost-cutting exercise in the Canaries short-changes millions THE Canary Islands’ British Consulate, which acts as a trouble-shooter for thousands of residents and millions of visitors each year, is dumbing down! Already, the Consular office in Santa Cruz, once open every weekday morning, is now available on Tuesdays and Fridays only, between 8.30am-1.30pm. And now, Maria Leng, the British Consul for nearly two years, has been cast aside. “She is to leave her role as part of a continuing modernisation of the consular network in Spain, says a press release issued from the British Embassy Madrid this week.” Yet Giles Paxman, HM Ambassador to Spain at the Embassy, tells us: “The Canaries are among the most popular destinations worldwide for British nationals, with some 85,000 residents on the islands and 3.5 million visitors every year.” It seems plain, although the Embassy won’t say so, that this is a major cost-cutting exercise, to the detriment of millions, who sometimes need immediate support from the Consul - and not just on Tuesdays and Fridays! Ms Leng absolutely loves her job. Her ambition since childhood was to work for Britain’s Foreign Office in some capacity, and she took great pride in telling us back in July: “In 2011, Consular staff in the Canaries dealt with 1,345 assistance cases. “We have seen a significant rise in cases involving deaths (20%) mental health (67%), missing persons (11%) and hospitalisation (39%). “Every day, residents and tourists find themselves
in truly distressing circumstances, such as suffering a serious accident, bereaving the death of a loved one, or becoming a victim of rape or another violent crime. “Our primary role is to offer support and assistance to those British nationals in need and their families.” Not so readily now, it seems, and plans to cut our Consular services back drastically appear to have been underway even then when we were told a few months ago: “From 1st July 2012, both British Consulates in Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) and Santa Cruz will be introducing important, operational changes. “We seek to improve the way in which we serve both British residents and tourists, and we recognise the need to
adapt to meet the challenges of the current economic and social climate. “The focus of Consular work in the future will be on providing additional support to victims, and preventing the consular cases of the future. “We need to allow Consular staff to dedicate more time to victim support, emergency assistance cases, and outreach work. “To this end, we will be moving all non-emergency and non-time-sensitive work to our Consulates in Las Palmas and Santa Cruz, and delivering these services to the public on specific days only.” In other words: “Sorry mate, we’re cutting right back to save bundles of money.” Ms Leng was certainly taken in then because she added: “Together with safeguarding
Britain’s security and building prosperity, the Government has placed the protection of our citizens abroad right at the top of our foreign policy agenda. “In order to do this, we need to adapt our opening hours for non-emergency enquiries to allow our staff the time to dedicate to those most in need. “With a more efficient delivery model in place, and greater use of the media, stakeholders and partners to deliver regular and targeted preventative messaging, projects and campaigns, we hope to drive down avoidable, non-essential assistance work.” Unfortunately for her, it seems as though her role has been declared “avoidable, non-essential assistance work”. There is no suggestion that
Ms Leng will play a future role in British Embassy affairs because Mr Paxman talks of her successor carrying on Maria’s good work. But it is rumoured that her replacement will be based in Madrid or even Malaga, which is a far cry from Tenerife or any of the Islands. According to Mr Paxman: “Ms Leng is to leave her role as part of a continuing modernisation of the consular network in Spain.” Yet he praised her up to the hilt, saying: “I would like to thank Maria Leng for the huge contribution she has made as Consul in the Canaries, as well as to our wider Spanish and Southern European consular networks. “She has been one of the key drivers in improving our services, in a country that has the busiest British Consulates in the world.”
Bewilderingly, he added: “Our offices in Tenerife and Gran Canaria do an impressive job providing a wide range of assistance to British visitors and residents on the islands. “They are staffed by highlytrained and dedicated staff and are committed to working closely with the Spanish authorities and British community organisations, all of which are vital partners. This work will, of course continue under Maria’s successor.” And Maria Leng would only say: “I am very proud to have led two great teams, who provide a first-class service to British nationals in sometimes difficult and distressing circumstances. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Consul in the Canaries, and previously in Ibiza, where I was ViceConsul.” It’s all a big Embassy mystery because Mr Paxman, who obviously rates her highly, said: “Maria’s departure coincides with a wider restructuring of the British consular network in Spain, about which we are in touch with the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y Cooperación. “Maria’s successor will continue to develop and support the solid relationship we have with the Canarian authorities.” So why can’t this impeccable member of staff carry on performing the Consular duties she does so well? In plain-speaking English, this latest information means that Tenerife Expats, plus the millions of annual visitors, will now be supported by a local team of just three people should they get into difficulties and need consular support.