So that’s it – Norman Hamilton hasn’t yet presented his credentials at the Court of St James, and so isn’t yet considered to be the High Commissioner
See my earlier post about that weird Department of Information press release about Malta Day in London, which has Norman Hamilton down as the high commissioner while somebody they call ‘High Commissioner Zammit Tabona’ presided over the formal ceremony.
I wanted to know why they were both there and why Joe Zammit Tabona presided when Norman Hamilton was described as the high commissioner and it was his photograph they distributed.
Well, I would say the answer lies in Article 13 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations: Norman Hamilton hasn’t yet presented his credentials to the Court of St James – if he had, we would certainly have received a Department of Information photograph showing him and the former Xandir Malta ‘kolden years’ announcer Josette Grech in that ceremonial carriage, with Norman in morning dress and Josette in some copious hat.
So in the eyes of Britain, he is not yet the high commissioner, and Joe Zammit Tabona still is.
FASCINATING.
So Norman Hamilton shouldn’t have been there at all, and the DOI press release should have been factually correct on the formalities instead of being so desperate to promote him that they ended up making him look over-pushy and ridiculous instead. Not that he needs much help with that.
Article 13
1. The head of the mission is considered as having taken up his functions in the receiving state either when he has presented his credentials or when he has notified his arrival and a true copy of his credentials has been presented to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the receiving state, or such other ministry as may be agreed, in accordance with the practice prevailing in the receiving state which shall be applied in a uniform manner.
2. The order of presentation of credentials or of a true copy thereof will be determined by the date and time of the arrival of the head of the mission.
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Labour does not have Article 13 in its copy of the Vienna Convention.
Burgensis, who used to provide the horoscope during Norman Hamilton’s program “Antenna” on Dardir Malta, has advised that the number 13 is unlucky and the relative Article should be deleted or ignored.
Together with his credentials, the new ambassador usually presents what is called a “letter of recall” in which the Head of State of the sending State recalls the former ambassador.
The press release apart (possibly drafted by some junior officer who knows little about protocol), it may be that Mr. Hamilton may have been presented in this function as High Commissioner Designate and there would be no great harm in that.
Does Norman Hamilton have any credentials to begin with?
of course, he’s Maltese and he can speak English, kind of.
[Daphne – He speaks perfect English, because believe it or not, he’s actually a ‘pulit’ who went out of his way to prove otherwise.]
There are others who have been nominated as Ambassadors and have not yet presented their credentials or rather haven’t yet been accepted by the receiving state!!!
[Daphne – That is not the point here. The points under discussion are 1. why Norman Hamilton was there at all when he is not yet the high commissioner; 2. why the DOI press release refers to him as the high commissioner and then goes on to describe how the real high commissioner welcomed the guests.]
Daphne, you are so right on this issue. The Malta Independent reported that Malta’s High Commissioner Mr. Joe Zammit Tabona was present, and the photo they used was the one shown here with this post.
I commented beneath the report that they should correct their ‘mistake’ as otherwise Norman Hamilton would object. No wonder he never objected – because he is still waiting to present his credentials.
Since this has come out, can we know why Hamilton is already in London, and whether he is already being paid as an ambassador despite being unable to serve as one.