Education: MA Education and Internal Development, University of London; Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, University of London; BA English (La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA); Certificate in Curriculum Development in the Language Arts – ESL, Michigan State University, USA.
Languages spoken: English (mother tongue), Belizean Creole (mother tongue), Spanish (fluent)
Employment:
November 2008 – Present, High Commissioner of Belize, London
2003 – 2008, Independent consultant – strategic planning for Government of Belize
2004, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Belize, Guatemala
2003 – 2008, Chairperson of National Council on Ageing, Belize
2001 – 2003, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Human Development, Belize
2000 – 2001, Director, Regional Language Centre, University of Belize
2000, Researcher, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, London
1997, Research Assistant, University of Surrey, Guildford
1995 – 1996, Volunteer Researcher for Grants, Princess Royal Trust for Carers, London
1989 – 1995, Lecturer/Course Writer at Farnborough College of Technology, Aldershot, Hampshire
1986 – 1989, Training/Communications Consultant, Causeway Management Consultants Ltd, West Harrow, Middlesex
1985 – 1986, Spanish Teacher at Hong Kong International School

Text of Speech:

Belize’s Foreign Relations and More Specifically, the Belize/Guatemala Territorial Dispute

Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council, February 8th, 2010
Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to have been asked by the Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council to give a talk on the Foreign Relations of Belize with particular emphasis on the border dispute with Guatemala.
Before I start, allow me first of all to convey the greetings of the Government of Belize and to express our gratitude for this opportunity to apprise you of Belize’s Foreign Relations and more specifically, for me to talk about the present state of relations between Belize and the Republic of Guatemala.

Monday 18th January 2010
Talk by: HE Homayoun Tandar, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Ambassador Tandar spoke of the future of Afghanistan as a free and democratic society where the freedom of press gives people equal voice to all citizens. Freedom of press in Afghanitan is an important achievement and will help in national reconciliation.

The Government of Afghanistan prioritises improvements in education, equal rights for men and women and liberty for all citizens.

Ambassador Tandar would like to see the UK to continue helping and supporting democracy in Afghanistan. He emphasised supporting the Afghan youth as they constitute the majority of Afghanistan. They are a dynamic force that will help build a new future in Afghanistan.

Ambassador Tandar spoke of the sacrifices made by young soldiers which should help progress towards a better future in Afghanistan. The success of this will also depend on NATO winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. Ambassador did not feel it would be so difficult to win the war in Afghanistan.

Chairman: Sir Ronald Halstead CBE
Deputy Chairman: Mrs Jacqui Lait MP
Vice Chairman: Peter Friedmann : Ian Raitt : Dr Charles Goodson-Wickes DL
Hon Secretary: Mrs Melissa Crawshay-Williams
Hon Treasurer: Dennis R Waters (020 7351 2842)

Patrons: The Rt Hon William Hague MP : The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG, CH : The Rt Hon The Lord Howe of Aberavon QC : The Rt Hon The Baroness Chalker of Wallasey : The Hon The Lord Hurd of Westwell CH, CBE
President : The Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind KCMG QC MP
Vice President : Sir Colin Turner CBE DFC: Mrs Beryl Pendley

JUNE - Summer Diplomatic Party

MONDAY 8 MARCH - Carl Thomson "Ukraine before and after the Orange Revolution"

MONDAY 8 FEBRUARY - High Commissioner for Belize

MONDAY 18 JANUARY - Ambassador of Afghanistan

“Albania’s Foreign and Security Policy, NATO and the EU”

Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council
House of Commons, London, 7 December 2009

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to have been asked by the Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council to make a presentation on Albania’s foreign and security perceptions and policy, NATO membership and relations with the EU.

Let me start by saying that I have been delighted and honoured to have been appointed Ambassador of Albania to the United Kingdom, and to have been given this chance to thank again the United Kingdom for the multifaceted support it has continuously given to Albania, the growth of democracy there and the solution of the Albanian question in the Balkans. A lot indeed can be attributed to the contribution of this Parliament, whose members are very familiar and have real knowledge and expertise in central-south European affairs. A case in point would be, e.g. Deputy Chair of the APPG, M.Pritchard.

As you would imagine, it is not particularly easy for an ambassador to speak about his own country at a time when the country is free and open, there is a free media, a whole network of active NGOs, when communication and information are no more the monopoly of the state and when there are numerous channels to gauge both development, truth, transparency and honesty. British long tradition of democracy and whoever follows parliamentary debates here would confirm this is the best way to go. It is with all this in mind that I intend to be as candid and objective as possible.

Having said that let me try to sort of set the scene for my topic: I would start by a simple double question: Is democracy a success in Albania? The answer is definitely – Yes. Is there need for improvement? The answer is again definitely – Yes, and in a number of aspects. If I may continue with one more question: is there any country in the world where improvements are not needed? I suppose “No”! The great truth and commitment is that the Albanian people and all Albanian structures – political, legislative, executive – across the board, are determined in their unity on and happily pursuing Albania’s path towards the EU. As the Guardian wrote only 10 days ago, “where on earth would 88% of a nation’s citizenry want to join us (and Herman Van Rompuy) in the world’s least welcoming club?” Our people, as has been demonstrated, are committed and willing to sacrifice for that goal.

The scale of poverty around the world is an affront to our common humanity, and a direct threat to Britain's national interest.

See here where the Green Paper can be accessed as well as further information – even a few videos – on Andrew and the team’s work.

From One World Conservatism: A Conservative agenda for International Development

Summary of the Argument

Our vision for international development, as in other areas of policy, is to achieve progressive aims through Conservative means. We believe we can bring to the fight against global poverty weapons and techniques that will make more of a difference to more people: a focus on aid effectiveness and value for money; an understanding of the importance of wealth creation and the means to foster it; a recognition that security is the precondition for sustainable development and hard-headed proposals to improve conflict resolution.

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great thrill and an honour to be here. Thank you kindly for the invitation.

I have been asked to speak about NZ Foreign and Trade Policy. I want to address that through the telescope of the London High Commission. There are four main elements of my job here, and these nicely summarise New Zealand’s foreign and trade policies and our priorities in Britain and in Europe.

These elements are:

1. Looking after New Zealanders in Britain
2. Maintaining a vibrant Bilateral Relationship with the UK
3. Working closely with the United Kingdom across the foreign policy, defence, security agenda
4. Pursuing New Zealand’s trade and economic interests in Britain and Europe

New Zealanders in Britain

New Zealanders, like the British, are great travellers. Everywhere you go you will find New Zealanders, so inevitably everywhere you go you find some New Zealanders in trouble.

With around 200,000 New Zealanders living in the UK we get only about 20 difficult and significant consular cases a year, mostly involving sad cases of New Zealanders who have died or are very ill here in the United Kingdom.

Consular work is not part of our core diplomatic business here, but it is certainly an important part of our overall business. But for the most part, we can trust the British system as your systems and standards are very much like ours.

There are of course many parts of the world where the consular task is much trickier. New Zealand still relies on Britain to help us out in the myriad countries where we are not represented. We help in our small way in assisting British travellers in the Pacific.

Maintaining a vibrant Bilateral Relationship with the UK
The second of our objectives here in London, is maintaining a vibrant link with the United Kingdom.

In the case of Britain, and also with Ireland, the objective of a vibrant relationship is an objective of the New Zealand public. It is an objective with palpable political force. Governments cannot ignore it. Where this vibrant relationship most obviously finds its expression, is in the everyday connections between Britain and New Zealand.

At a time when we should be forging new alliances with the powers that will affect our destiny, when we should be vigorously promoting new and more flexible structures for the EU, when we should be building up the Commonwealth as the ideal soft power network of the future, at a time when we should be massively modernising our security forces to meet asymmetric threats, when we should be reconstructing and upgrading our whole diplomatic system, we are doing none of those things.

We need to rethink our foreign policy
As a dynamic and threatening new world order evolves, the country is drifting, says David Howell. Lord Howell of Guildford is a Conservative spokesman on foreign affairs, and former head of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee

A country is defined by its foreign policy. And given the almost universal uncertainty about the state of the economy, and the reputation of our political and parliamentary institutions, the need for clarity in our national role and purposes becomes more necessary than ever.

At the same time, however, an amazing new world has evolved around us. The US remains a great and powerful nation, but its unipolar moment has passed. It no longer leads the world, because there is no single "top dog" in the old sense. Pax Americana is no more; and Western hegemony is in severe decline.

This is why it is surely time for a clean break, and a new strategic direction – or, at the very least, to answer some immediate and important questions for British foreign policy. Do we have the right stances and tones, as well as the right distribution of diplomatic resources, in our relations with Brussels, with the new rising powers of Asia and the Middle East, and especially with Washington? Or does President Obama's brush-off of Gordon Brown in New York this week now tell us a different story?

High Commissioner, Sir Ron and Melissa

Speech given by HE Mr Joseph Zammit Tabona, High Commissioner of Malta

Ladies and Gentlemen

Thank you for inviting me for this event and for giving me the opportunity to exchange my thoughts with you in respect to the relations between our two countries.

The bilateral relations between Malta and the United Kingdom emanating from the joint effort in early 1800 to free the island from French occupation; the conclusion of the Treaty of Paris of 1814 under which Malta became a British colony and the role played by Malta during various wars in particular the Second World War seen as being a key strategic significance, lying between Gibraltar and the Suez Canal, reached their peak on 21 September 1964 when through a civilised and peaceful process Malta attained its independence. In addition to this, the people to people relationship has always and still is very strong.

I believe that Malta’s relationship with the United Kingdom can be described as one of true and genuine friendship.

Ambassadors arriving

Melissa and Ambassador

Guests in the garden

Photographs with thanks to Elizabeth Hallett

Barry Dorrans and Nick Mathison - Melissa and friend

CFCC Member and Ambassador

Richard Halstead and son

Rosamond Rose ad friends

Sir Ron's garden

The Case for Affordable Housing in Africa

Housing production in Africa has not kept pace with population and job growth in either quantity or location. With demand for housing greatly outpacing supply, prices have skyrocketed.

In fact, many state capitals are home to several of the country's most expensive housing markets.

The British military is overstretched, undermanned and suffering from a decade of neglect by the current Labour Government. We have a Treasury which is heavily influencing how the campaign is conducted in Helmand and we have a procurement programme that for all intents and purposes has failed. The top 19 major procurement projects have gone over budget by a total of £2.95bn and are cumulatively 429 months delayed.

Defence spending for science and technology has been recently cut by 19%. This is tantamount to strategic suicide, and is testament to Labour’s short sighted approach to defence policy—especially during the current economic crisis since science and technology companies employ thousands of people throughout the UK.

We all see the shortcomings in defence; the list of indictments runs long: family accommodation, lack of helicopters, cuts in the Royal Navy, and lack of kit for frontline forces. Yet, with all these shortcomings, the MoD was able to find over £2 billion to pay external consultants and £2.3 billion for the refurbishment of the MoD headquarters. As things stand, our Armed Forces is not equipped, manned, or resourced to carry out its current operational tempo. Our brave men and women in uniform, and their families, are suffering the consequences.

The current Government is unable to match resources with our overseas military commitments because there hasn’t been a Strategic Defence review since 1998. The 1998 Strategic Defence Review which stated that ‘we must match the commitments we undertake to our planned resources’ is an anachronism in the post 9-11 world. Without a new Strategic Defence Review this will never happen.

This is why the Conservative Party has pledged to launch a Strategic Defence Review after returning to Government. In addition, we will introduce a US-style system of quadrennial defence reviews and put this requirement into legislation. This is the only sensible course of action. The fact that the last SDR was in 1998 is completely unacceptable.

Our troops and their families deserve better.

Proud to be a Conservative and her work abroad for ‘UK plc’ she is personally very concerned about how the Government spends our aid – about £7 billion in the current budget.

She explained that there are 2.5 million British citizens living overseas who are eligible to vote in the UK and many do not vote in European and UK Parliamentary Elections. To register their vote they should go to: http://www.dontleaveyourvoteathome.com/