FACT or fiction?

A foreign-based Trinidadian Foreign Service Officer (FSO) was seen running down his wife in the streets of a far off country, reportedly sharing blows as he went along, with his daughter in close pursuit.

That’s one of the stories making the rounds concerning the behaviour of some of TnT’s FSOs.

“If the story is indeed true, it about sums up the misbehaviour of some members of the public service who work as FSOs, many in senior positions,” one source in a foreign embassy told TnT Mirror.

“And some of those who misbehave like that are the ones especially, who boastfully call themselves career diplomats.

“This is the bahaviour some of them are reportedly practising, despite the training they receive about ethics and about conducting themselves in a proper manner as representatives of the government.”

Sources further revealed: “Many reports were made against that particular senior officer in the far away country causing many visits to be made to the mission to bring peace.

“In the end, some action had to be taken and he is now cooling his heels behind a desk.”

TnT Mirror was also told another unconfirmed story about the wife of one of the FSOs, at one of the foreign missions, who formed a relationship with the gardener at their residence, creating no end of embarrassment for everyone.

“And in England, everyone is doing his or her own thing,” Mirror was also told.

“From the messenger to the top, everyone at the High Commission feels he or she is a boss.

“Some of them are refusing to take orders, almost as if their aim is to sabotage TnT’s image.

“If the High Commissioner Glenda Morean were a disciplinarian, half of them would have been back home by now, but then they may file for Judicial Review and the talk of discrimination may well raise its ugly head.”

Sources also alleged that two partners at another foreign mission have been stirring up hell for the image of TnT, causing many correspondence to be sent back and forth.

A recent report in Canada also alleged that TnT’s High Commissioner to Canada, Arnold Piggot, had been caught impaired while driving.

The alleged incident occurred in March 1995, but was highlighted in the news only recently on the heels of the transfer of a senior FSO, who reportedly made it known that she will cause trouble.

From being suspected of being under the influence on one occasion while driving, (Piggott voluntarily handed over his driver’s licence for a year, even though he was not obligated to do so because of diplomatic immunity) the times he has been caught has now mysteriously multiplied to three occasions and opposition politicians are said to be waiting in the wings to “expose” his indiscretions.

“Some of those public servants are giving High Commissioners like Piggott, Glenda Morean in England, Donna Carter in South Africa and others real hell,” said a source.

“They are refusing to take orders and some of them feel they have more power than the High Commissioners.

“It is all part of the ‘Family Affair’ culture that has developed in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, where ‘outsiders’ like the High Commissioners and the Information Attaches etc. are treated like they don’t belong.

“Can you imagine that one of our public servants, (an FSO) or one of the ‘family members’ as she would be called, set-up a privately-hired photographer at one of the Foreign missions to hand over a picture to the foreign media in order to embarrass a TnT High Commissioner?

“That is how bad it is.”

The photographer later reportedly apologised to the High Commissioner.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Efebo Wilkinson, has been officially contacted concerning the behaviour of a top foreign-based FSO.

In one instance, Wilkinson was told that the top FSO refused to attend a meeting called by the High Commissioner.

The FSO has reportedly confessed to having “a tendency to intolerance and impatience and a dislike for protocol”.

The PS was told that co-workers have complained about the top FSO’s “habit of slamming the office door in apparent anger and the effect of the same on staff morale.

“Indeed, officers at this Mission have been pleading with the Head of Mission to intervene in an effort to reduce their trauma and to restore order, respect and tranquillity to this otherwise peaceful, harmonious and progressive environment.”

Wilkinson was also told that the top FSO had breached procedure by bypassing the Head of Mission and corresponding directly with him, Wilkinson, in his capacity as PS and also copying the letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Knowlson Gift.

The letter of complaint to Wilkinson told the top FSO: “Your overall disrespect and contemptuous behaviour is deemed to be one of gross insubordination to the Head of Mission and cannot be condoned.

“In all, there is a demonstration of behaviour, which seems incompatible with good order, protocol and respect, essential ingredients for peaceful, harmonious and progressive conduct of any office and more so at a High Commission.

“As an FSO, one would expect to see a greater display of congeniality, responsibility diplomacy and protocol in your behaviour.”

In another correspondence, Wilkinson was told about a request for the recall of a foreign-based FSO.

He was also reminded that certain senior FSOs “must set the standard for the quality and nature of the relationship of all staff … in so far as decorum, courtesy, respect etc. are concerned.

“These principles are not being practised by a particular head.

“It now appears that the particular head takes direction only from headquarters in Port of Spain and not from the High Commissioner, a most untenable situation indeed.

“Meanwhile, however, wittingly or unwittingly, the good order of this office and that of an established ‘Institution’ of the Government of the Republic of TnT (GORTT) appear to be on the verge of being severely compromised or are being dismantled.”

The letter to Wilkinson, copied to Gift, added: “As there have been many interventions by various parties from headquarters, I, therefore, now appeal generally for your principled intervention to stem the flow of disunity and discord among stakeholders of this High Commission, a situation about which caution was echoed previously, so that the esteem and accord inherent in the Office of the High Commissioner may be properly maintained.”

Wilkinson was told that the first step to solving the situation is to accede to the request for the recall of the FSO.

“Sir, you will appreciate that urgent action is required to avert any situation inimical to the best interest of the GORTT,” the PS was further informed.