New Zealand High Commission should've used 'protocols': PM Ardern on oxygen request row

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that the New Zealand High Commission in India should have used other channels in order to seek medical assistance rather than requesting the Indian Youth Congress on Twitter to help in providing an oxygen cylinder. In an interview with TVNZ, Ardern also acknowledged the New Zealand High Commission’s apology for the tweet as there are other channels where the officials could have gone to for such matters. However, New Zealand PM said that she should recognise that their local staff member has been “very unwell”. She also pointed out that the High Commission had acknowledged it should have been using “normal channels and protocols.”

“Our High Commission has apologised for [the tweet] and that’s for the fact that there are channels that they can and should be going through for such matters,” Ardern told TVNZ’s Breakfast. “But I should recognise that we do have a local staff member who is within the compound who’s been very unwell. The New Zealand High Commission has a compound area that has been essentially in a form of lockdown for the better part of a year.”

“They’ve had strict protocols in place where they’ve had bubble arrangements trying to make sure they are looking after the wellbeing of both seconded and local staff. They employ local people who live within the compound. But of course, a very difficult environment to try and ensure that there’s no infections,” she added.

Entire row explained

As India is battling with the crippling second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a prominent number of foreign diplomats in the national capital has tested positive for the disease. However, the grim situation of the officials emerged on Saturday evening with the Embassy of the Philippines reaching out to the volunteers of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) to seek oxygen cylinders. Further, even the New Zealand embassy replied to a tweet put up by the Philipines Embassy, seeking help for the same.

However, as Congress rushed to extend help, the New Zealand Embassy took to Twitter and issued a clarification that their intentions had been 'misinterpreted.’ Reportedly, it basically started when the Philippines Embassy received a hoax call from Manila related to the supply of oxygen which was followed by them tweeting about the same. On that tweet, New Zeland suo moto replied, seeking help. The Congress embroiled in it and besides extending help, started bashing the government and the Ministry. In the wake of the repercussions of its previous tweet, the New Zealand Embassy issued a notification of an apology.

Image credits: AP/PTI