Diplomatic protocol flew out of the window long before Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi even stepped onto the plane, as security guards at Perth International Airport subjected the Maltese PM to the indignity of being frisked, despite protests by the accompanying delegation.
Ignored by the Maltese press on tow for the occasion – which so far has focused only on the fanfare surrounding Gonzi’s Australian tour – the diplomatic faux pas was reported last Saturday by the West Australia Newspaper, which described the security guards as “over zealous” in the way they gave Gonzi a regular security check normally waived for high-profile guests.
The upsetting gaffe was unforeseen by Australian Federal Police and diplomatic staff accompanying the Prime Minister on a tour in which he paid tribute to Maltese emigrants in Australia.
According to the report, Gonzi was frisked by the guards even despite protests from the Australian Federal Police.
In a letter sent to the West Australian Newspaper, correspondent Paul Calleja said the security guards showed “scant respect” for the Maltese prime minister.
“One wonders if the incident would have occurred had the head of government in question been President Bush, President Putin or Prime Minister Brown,” Calleja said, irked by the determination of Perth security guards.
“They made Perth look ‘third world’, embarrassed the Australian government, and angered the Maltese around the world.
“Perhaps, rather than search the Prime Minister for dangerous objects, it might have been more appropriate for the Federal Police to have taken our ‘over zealous’ security guards to a private room and searched them for common sense and discretion which, I would think, are requisites for their position.”