Their common ground? Respect for Singapore

The Straits Times, April 14, 2007
By Lee Seok Hwai



INTERNATIONAL CAST: Singapore's honorary consuls are all here for a six-day tour to learn about the country's latest developments.




A FORMER deputy prime minister of Kazakhstan, an American banker and a descendant of a Chinese coolie in Papua New Guinea may not seem, at first sight, to have much in common.

But this week all three were in Singapore, sharing notes and swopping experiences.

Mr Grigori Marchenko of Kazakhstan, Houston-based Michael Dee and Papua New Guinea's Sir Henry Chow fly the nation's flag - literally - in their countries as Singapore's honorary consuls.

They, along with 28 others around the world, do the work of career diplomats without pay. It means having to promote ties, process visas and help the occasional Singaporean in trouble while attending to their other work and business commitments.

The consuls arrived in Singapore on Monday for a six-day tour to learn about the country's latest developments. The last such gathering was in 2001.

Despite their varied backgrounds, a constant theme emerges when asked what drives them: respect for the little island they represent.

'It's a well-organised society,' said Mr Marchenko, 51, who served as Kazakhstan's deputy prime minister in 2004.

Disenchanted with local politics, he quit after three months and is now the CEO of Halyk Bank. He became Singapore's honorary consul in March last year.

'We have a great country but it's sometimes chaotic, so if we could infuse Kazakhstan with a little bit of Singaporean common sense and organisation, we would live in a much better country,' he said.

Sir Henry, whose grandfather arrived in Papua New Guinea from China's Guangdong province as a coolie in 1895, shared his sentiments.

Sir Henry told The Straits Times during a group visit on Wednesday to Eunos Community Club: 'Just look at your club here - we don't have it in Papua New Guinea... and your streets are so clean.'

Now 74, he heads an empire of shipping and food manufacturing businesses in Papua New Guinea, and was knighted in 2000 for his contributions to the minority Chinese community in the Pacific nation.

Honorary consuls are appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in countries and cities with no official Singaporean diplomatic mission. They must be accredited by the government in their home country and serve for a renewable three-year term.

Almost half of the current crop of 31 representatives are based in Europe. Seven are in the Americas, four in Asia, three in the Middle East, and one each in Papua New Guinea and Nigeria.

Some, such as Mr Raul Loeb of Argentina, have been on the job for under a year. A few are veterans, like Lebanon's Mr Joseph Habis who has represented Singapore since 1974.

Most are businessmen and professionals chosen for their good social standing and extensive connections. Mr Toshikage Tanida of Nagoya, Japan, for instance, is the founder of popular beverage-maker Pokka Corp.

For Nigeria-based Mr Harkishin Aswani, being the only Singaporean among the consuls is a badge of honour.

'I consider it my national service,' said the businessman who has lived in the African country for the past 19 years.

As for Rome-based consul Luca Birindelli, the energy and competitive attitude of the country he represents proved irresistible.

In 2004, four years after becoming its consul, the 51-year-old lawyer gave up his Italian citizenship to become a Singaporean.