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Carlos
12-11-2012, 10:15
Does anyone have any more details on what the local media (Spanish) are reporting as the downgrading of the British Consulate in the Canaries? It seems the full-time post of HM Consul is being scrapped immediately and the Canaries will be 'managed' from the Malaga consulate. If true, what a slap in the face for Tenerife and the islands generally.:(:(:(

universal
12-11-2012, 10:23
Hi Carlos
Here is a report from Saturdays Diario del Avisos:
See below auto-translation, not perfect but you will get the gist.


TINERFE FUMERO | Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Gloomy news for British tourism to the British colony numerosísima based in Canary.

Neither consideration of Tenerife as world number one tourist destination for the UK in winter, and the three and a half million tourists annually in the Archipelago appear to be sufficient to prevent serious doubts resurface about maintaining the existing Consulate in Canary which has offices in both cocapitales.

This follows from the content of the statement that communicates an end to its current owner, Mary Leng, who thanked his two years at such functions. The note speaks of a consular network restructuring that, from the perspective Canarian and coinciding with the departure of Leng, can be translated into two options: Either closes consulate and Canary as becomes dependent of Malaga and the Canary Islands and Malaga share consulate as do the two provinces today Islands.

So far, the UK has a consular network consists of nine consulates Spain: Alicante, Barcelona, ​​Bilbao, Ibiza, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife, Las Palmas.

They should añadirles thirteen other honorary consulates: Almería, Andorra, Denia, Girona, Granada, Jerez, Lanzarote, Menorca, Murcia, Seville, Tarragona, Valencia and Vigo.

If the consulate depending Tenerife Malaga finish, remember that it already covers all the autonomous community of Andalusia autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. One option would be that, just as in Seville, Almeria, Granada and Jerez, Malaga contase consulate with some form of representation in the Canary Islands.

Regarding the importance of maintaining a consulate or British Islands, particularly in Tenerife, recall that, according to data of the consulate-Islands resident is calculated that between 80,000 and 90,000 British, 40,000 of which would in Tenerife.

The vast majority do so in the South and in the Puerto de la Cruz, although it should be noted that, because of their particular culture , only 25,000 are registered, they regret when circumstances require some essential service in the Islands.
As for tourism, the numbers are dizzying as the British prefer this archipelago to enjoy your vacation is approximately 3,600,000. Of these, no less than about 1.6 million Tenerife prefer.

Despite the discomfort created by some members of the British community resident in the Canary Islands which could be interpreted as a downgrading of the consulate, diplomatic sources consulted insist that "the service provided to tourists and residents will not suffer any loss due to changes ".

Balcony
12-11-2012, 11:18
I worry less about a 'down-grading' of the consulate, but what the huge no. of tourists and ex-pats living in Tenerife need is an office to which they can attend to discuss a problem, or renew a passport. I know the consul might prefer a posting to a sleepy little office in the Cayman Islands where nothing of any consequence happens, but the numbers of British people fully justify having someone permanently in the island.

One might expect residents to have not quite so much contact (tho renewal of passports is an essential service). But holidaymakers come in sufficient numbers and acceptably (as for any tourist) with little Spanish and no knowledge of the bureaucratic infrastructure. They can encounter problems, not always of their own making, such as being a victim of crime, simple loss of documents/money where they need someone to assist.

Carlos
12-11-2012, 11:40
From what someone has just told me privately in response to this thread, the consul in question will have no sleepy island posting.... Out of a job, full stop, no other posting. And this, despite glowing praise from the Ambassador in Madrid for a 'huge contribution' to consular work while here. Some way to reward good work. I totally agree with Balcony: things have moved very far away from a personal service and towards a very impersonal approach, call centre and limited opening times included. Get your padrón certificates quickly for the flight subsidy in case you need to fly to Malaga cheaply to see the new Consul!

languagefan
12-11-2012, 12:38
everywhere u look these days u see signs of cost cutting and downsizing!

Megaloo
12-11-2012, 14:29
From what someone has just told me privately in response to this thread, the consul in question will have no sleepy island posting.... Out of a job, full stop, no other posting. And this, despite glowing praise from the Ambassador in Madrid for a 'huge contribution' to consular work while here. Some way to reward good work. I totally agree with Balcony: things have moved very far away from a personal service and towards a very impersonal approach, call centre and limited opening times included. Get your padrón certificates quickly for the flight subsidy in case you need to fly to Malaga cheaply to see the new Consul!

I heard the same and to reward someone like this for her good work is ( I will not say on an opem Forum)

slodgedad
13-11-2012, 00:20
It's been in the offing for a while.

My passport was obtained in Santa Cruz but for the past couple of years applications have to be sent to Madrid.

timmylish
13-11-2012, 03:26
Slodgie beat me to it regarding the issuing of Passports which is exclusively done now on the Peninsula. I personally use Malaga out of choice.
Now as regards the main aspect of this story I believe its been coming for a couple of years and the latest incumbrent was aware of this distinct possibility when appointed. Whilst anyone and everyone who loses their job (and this may be closer to home unfortunately) I have little or no sympathy for the lady in question in view of her attitude towards permanent ex-pat residents here.
Although the translation may be a bit "out" I loved the comment regarding their being 90,000 UK ex-pats on the Canaries only 25,000 are registered! This is apparently due to our "particular culture"! Anyway, this should drive home to people here to get their affairs sorted out asap. Registration to vote, residencia issues and the plethora of other matters.

Megaloo
13-11-2012, 10:20
Not sure if true but I was told that the Passport renewing was going to be direct from UK and not via Madrid for us in near future? Everything was being re organised.?? could be hearsay.

Carlos
13-11-2012, 12:48
Not sure if true but I was told that the Passport renewing was going to be direct from UK and not via Madrid for us in near future? Everything was being re organised.?? could be hearsay.
Not hearsay at all, common knowledge in fact. The (so-called) Identity and Passport Service openly admits it, in its Strategy Paper:

"Priority 3
Receive passport applications from British nationals overseas into the UK (transfer from FCO).In September 2011 IPS became the single issuing authority for all UK passports by taking over responsibility from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for the printing and secure delivery of passports to our customers worldwide. In 2012/13 we will continue with the final stage of the transfer of responsibility with the process for examining the application and establishing eligibility transferring from the FCO to IPS. This will ensure a consistent approach to passport application processing and counter-fraud policies, providing greater integrity of the UK passport with the aim of achieving this at a reduced overall cost. By 2014/15 IPS expects to handle all 380,000 passport applications a year from customers around the globe, from the completion of their application through to delivery of the passport book, whilst continuing to maintain current overseas service standards."

Still, no reason to chop the post of permanent consul in the Canaries. Coincidentally, Majorca Daily Bulletin reports (8 November) that the UK Consul, Paul Abrey, there is suddenly leaving after 7 years. The letter from the Ambassador is almost word for word what was issued in praise of the Consul here. Fishy or what? Rumour is that the post is being cut also.:ashamed::ashamed:

chifleta
13-11-2012, 22:55
Not sure if true but I was told that the Passport renewing was going to be direct from UK and not via Madrid for us in near future? Everything was being re organised.?? could be hearsay.

If that's the case, it'll probably be cheaper to just fly to London and do it :)

I've sent mine to Madrid the last two times it's been renewed. Luckily i've only recently renewed it - jeez, can you imagine if, like me, you want to get married - the paperwork was expensive and a pain in the butt just getting it from Santa Cruz, can you imagine the added expense of having to go to Malaga!!! :wow:

timmylish
13-11-2012, 23:40
To cut a long story short - what a feckin' **** up insofar as ex-pats are concerned. No consideration given to us just do the usual Civil Servant,s method of reducing costs, but will it?

universal
14-11-2012, 10:28
How about a petition to William Hague?

Carlos
21-11-2012, 00:18
How about a petition to William Hague?

Too late it would seem. Island Connections are running a story tonight that it is all done and dusted, with Malaga taking over Southern Spain and the Canaries as of now. I love the bit in the statement from the Embassy that says more face-to-face staff wil be available at the Tenerife Consulate in exchange for the loss of a full-time figurehead. They must mean face to face on Skype because the opening hours are so limited you will be pushed to get to see anyone any time!":wow:

Goldenmaniac
21-11-2012, 09:20
Yeh received a consulate press release last night see here http://newsinthesun.com/malaga-consul-extends-role-to-cover-canary-islands/