Govt. working to improve Miami Consulate - Greenidge

Govt. working to improve Miami Consulate – Greenidge

Dec 25, 2017 News

Government is making moves to boost the services offered to some Guyanese living in Florida.
Several Guyanese residing overseas, particularly in Miami, Florida, have been complaining about the poor services being offered at the consulate in that district.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge has said that an investigation was done.
He said that the Chief of Protocol was also asked to liaise with Honorary Consul, Ramzan Roshanali, to make him adequately aware of the concerns that have been raised.
Greenidge said that Roshanali will work to better the services in ways he can and “we will work with him on bettering other areas where he needs our help.” Greenidge cited the concern raised by some who sought consular services is that the phone is seldom answered. He said that that may be no fault of Roshanali’s. “He is a private businessman; he is supposed to provide a service but only to the extent that it is possible. He may have been at the airport to meet me or another official.”
Greenidge continued, “The wife may or may not be able to answer the phone. What I have asked them to do is to see whether he uses internet. He is not keen on text but he has a daughter. We do not pay her, but she can assist him.”
Greenidge said that improvement will be made in little or no time.
Persons have long been complaining about the issues with the Miami Consulate. Guyanese living in Florida, specifically all of Southeast and Southwest, must travel to Miami to conduct business with the Consulate in relation to passport renewals, affidavits and life certificates, he said. “But it seems that the Government of Guyana has not seen it fit to set up a formal Consulate and maintain an Honorary Consul who is disinterested in the job.”
Smith said that his brother recently sought the services of the consulate. He called, got no response; left messages and his number, but was never contacted.
Smith said that after hours of driving he arrived “in the bowels of the ghetto” where the consulate is located to be greeted by a closed office. He said that there was no sign indicating whether the closing was temporary as in “out to lunch”.
Smith said that because it is such a long drive from where his brother resides, the citizen decided to wait. “After a long while, a car pulled up and a female exited and walked over to the door. He inquired and she told him that she ran the office which he noted was a part of a furniture store…
“The address was disingenuously displayed on the façade of a furniture store, protected by iron gates, and void of any symbol/ flag designating the location as a consulate representing a country, and in this case, Guyana.
“The entry door read Guyana Consulate; no Golden Arrowhead. On the inside, there was no Guyana flag; yet an American flag was proudly displayed.”

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