We have read with interest the grand plans Owen Glenn had for the relationship with Monaco - trade promotion function in the Monaco Yacht Club, rugby, netball and beach volleyball. And the implication is what? Now that the Honorary Consulship isn't going to happen these events aren't going to happen?
This just typifies the way that Owen Glenn works. Everything has a price. You do what he wants and he is generous in return. Sorry, this just makes us more suspicious about what went on in the meetings Glenn has had with Party Presidents and Party Leaders.
It also makes us wonder at Glenn's motivation in wanting to become an Honorary Consul. What exactly do these people do? What will he get out of the job?
There are good and bad Honorary Consuls, some do a lot for New Zealand, others not much.
The roles of a Consul are set out in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963. Artilce 5 sets out Consular functions. New Zealand Honorary Consuls tend to be restricted in their functions to those lists in Article 5 (a)-(e) with the exception of (d) - New Zealand Honorary Consuls do not issue visas, passports etc. Essentially Honorary Consuls are appointed not to arrange beach volley ball events, but to help out with distressed New Zealanders, provide a bit of info on New Zealand to those who might enquire, to arrange itineraries for visiting New Zealand diplomatic staff, to be available to give a heads up to the responsible NZ mission on what is going on in the territory of the Honorary Consul - should anything interesting actually happen there, and to generally fly the flag on behalf of New Zealand. There is of course, nothing stopping an Honorary Consul arranging a rugby game or other sporting event. The very fine New Zealand Honorary Consul in Boston has a famous game every year followed by a New Zealand style meal at his house.
Unfortunately there is not much in it for the Honorary Consuls. Chapter III of the Convention sets out the rules that apply. There are in reality few privileges and immunities. Consular premises are protected and exempt from taxation - that move prove helpful to someone like Owen. Also potentially helpful would be the inviolability of consular archives and documents. They are exempt from residence permits, which again might prove useful to Owen. Goods required to run an office, flags, furniture, stationary etc is exempt taxation. They are literally allowed to fly the flag .
Are these baubles enough to tempt Owen? Probably not enough in themselves (unless he was facing some steep office tax bills or having difficulty getting a residence permit). No, he probably wanted the title because it would make him feel more important - like for many New Zealanders going out to buy a Pajero, or for the lucky few a Porche, it would be another PED. He would get invited to cocktail parties at the Yacht Club, from which he was previously being excluded, and he might even get an invite to the Palace from time to time. The title might help him break into Monaco's social elite.
Graham Greene wrote a novel entitled The Honorary Consul. We seem to recall it being made into a movie - sometime in the 1980s. It wasn't set in the Monaco, of course, just a small town in northern Argentina, but there was something about Cactus Kate's profile of friend Owen on Saturday 16 February that brought back memory of this novel's subject.....
One more question for the media to follow up on - would Monaco want Glenn appointed to this job? Would they regard him as suitable?
