Under oath in court in the BVI on July 28th, 2009, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit testified that David Hsiu was no longer Dominica’s Ambassador to China and that the Chinese authorities had been advised accordingly.
Earlier this year, we learned from Foreign Minister Vince Henderson that David Hsiu’s ambassadorial appointment came to an end in March, 2009.
Indeed, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Steve Ferrol and Barbara Daley from Dominica’s diplomatic mission in New York travelled to China allegedly to process the exit of Mr. Hsiu and to receive the keys and diplomatic passports he held as ambassador.
To date there has not been a single word to the public from either public official as to whether they succeeded or failed with their public interest assignment.
Since the end of March 2009, there has been more than ample opportunity to make a formal announcement of Mr. Hsiu’s resignation or dismissal in the Official Gazette. But this information is conspicuously absent from the 17 weekly editions of the Official Gazette dated April 02 to July 23 published as at August 06, 2009:
- April 02, 2009
- April 09, 2009
- April 16, 2009
- April 23, 2009
- April 30, 2009
- May 07, 2009
- May 14, 2009
- May 21, 2009
- May 28, 2009
- June 04, 2009
- June 11, 2009
- June 18, 2009
- June 25, 2009
- July 02, 2009
- July 09, 2009
- July 16, 2009
- July 23, 2009
More than four months later, no one is quite sure whether Mr. Hsiu is in fact no longer responsible for our diplomatic affairs in China.
There are reports from Beijing that he continues to drive around in vehicles bearing the same diplomatic license plates used during his Dominica engagement.
Of greater interest perhaps is the length of time it is taking the Chinese Foreign Ministry and one of China’s main travel websites to update their relevant web pages with information provided by the Government of Dominica that David Hsiu has officially left the post of Ambassador:1. Embassy of the Commonwealth of Dominica in Beijing
1. Ambassador: H.E. Mr. David King Hsiu
Chancery: LA06, Liang Ma Qiao Diplomatic Residence Compound, No. 22 Dong Fang Dong Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Postal Code: 100600
Tel: (+86)10 6532 0838
Fax: (+86)10 6532 0848
Email: dominica@dominicaembassy.com
Source: www.TravelChinaGuide.com/
Date: August 06, 2009
So, at the time of Skerrit’s sworn statements in the BVI (July 28, 2009) important Chinese websites including that of the Chinese Foreign Ministry still listed Hsiu as ambassador and his alleged termination as ambassador was not confirmed by way of publication in Dominica’s Official Gazette.
It should not be necessary to remind Messrs Skerrit, Henderson and Ferrol, that the public has a right to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but, regarding the diplomatic status of Grace Tung’s companero in the sordid Layou River Saga, David Hsiu.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
The case in the BVI right now is an example of the best hedge betting that one will ever see. The team of Skerrit and his brother David Huis are represented on the both sides of the case. I feel sorry for Mr. Chen. Whatever the outcome Huis and Skerrit will eventually consolidate their forces.
It is Huis who pays the piper, therefore Huis will continue to call the tunes, and PM Skerrit must dance.
David Huis has never resigned and will not resign until he and Skerrit have completed their mission of stealing. Never forget the invisible hand of Amazing Grace, and the most magnificient Kirion Pinard Byrnes. Ha ha ha ha !!!!!!!
just a little thought on the matter who paid for the trips to London and to the Belagio in the USA, and why was the American secret service sent packing, Skerrit and Hsiu must have not wanted to be overheard there is no other reason, and that particular act is in itself worrying as it leaves the doors open for much speculation, and only serves to create a further fueling of the already deep misstrust being experienced by the Skerrit administration by the very folk they are suposed to serve.
It apears to me that they are digging a deep hole for themselves and it looks like it is getting deeper all the time. As to the diplomatic situation over David King Hsiu he is the Ambassador still as is boune out by the fact that he is remains listed in China as the Ambassador, the Chinese are renowned for correctness they do not like to be caught napping they are political to a fault, and if Hsiu had been removed from office he most assuredly would not still be listed as the Ambassador his name would have been removed faster than ones eye could blink and that is fact.
So Jeremy, what you are actually stating is that the PM Skerrit lied again……and under oath? Gee..the Chinese are not easy, his name would have been off the official site. wow.
Hi Terry an interesting conclusion, having some experience in court matters it is these seemingly little points that do tend to stand out in a legal mind, it is true that the Chinese are exceedingly political and very correct. I am given also to believe that Hsui is still driving on his diplomatic plates, this again is a no-no in diplomatic circles, these plates are much treasured, for when you drive that vehicle with diplomatic plates you are in effect driving ( Dominica ) just the same as the Embassy is Dominican soil.
When an Abassador is requested to vacate his diplomatic appointment for what ever reason, the Government of The Peoples Republic Of China would have to be informed prior to the actual request for resignation is given those are the diplomatic rules, not just specifically for Dominica but rather globally, those rules are not new they have been tested through aeons of time and are well practiced.
Those who reign in power over us will know this, it is also a requirement to publicise such annulments in the official gazette, even another pointer that something does not really ring quite true, One however has to accept that in politics some things never come out, we experienced the power of the Dominican diplomatic passport in the case of Ambrose in the Puerto Rican affair when the FBI did their sting operation they had to let him go, but all his accomplices who were not in benefit of such a doccument all served time in prison in the USA.
this is the main reason that Governments are required to guard well those passports, and to notify governments of cancellation etc , Terry I hope this may enlighten Jeremy
just to make it clear, a diplomatic passport is NOT granting immunity.
The reason why Ambrose was able to leave was because the DFA made an intervention
at the highest level…
yes you are correct however whilst it is common knowledge that there was a high level intervention the issue is that had he not have had this diplomatic passpòprt there would have been no high level intervention at all.
The diplomatic passport does give give protections to the holder of that there is no question, if you may consider that it is not immunity I do think that the protection it affords is tantamount to the very same, so if Ambrose had not had that passport he would have spent time in jail no doubt about it,
when an arresting officer is faced with that passport there are procedures in place that he must follow, one is validation second is what diplomatic issues would ensue if an arrest was made, and the officer would privately be considering his posistion, as he had the main group under arrest and after due enquirey the officer was obliged to release him,
those are the facts so in fine the passport is a form of immunity and governments are obliged to guard them well which is not the case under the Skerrit administration, if you have the money any tom dick or harry can have one as has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt