skeleton Consulate ...

[panda]

I was told by an officer at the DOS Friday as a result of the increase of sars cases in China , there is now what she called a " Skeleton Consulate" in Guangzhou , China. There will still be processing there , but the progress will be slower ; many of the non-essential case workers have gone back to the U.S . .

Is there anymore info. on this .....! ?????

[tonado]

I thought Guangzhou's SAR is under control. Free trip to USA. Why not. Sorry for the people who are still waiting for visas.

[Myles]

Aloha from Hawaii,

I hope the nonessential workers are the ones who are the dead wood

in the office. If so then the real workers might become a little more

effective in getting the work done.

Myles aka Annakuen'GG

[randxuej]

I really wonder if the process could get any slower.

[Mick]

I am sorry to hear that you got this news. However, when this whole SARS thing became such an issue, I knew it would only be a matter of time before some of the staff left.

 

Good luck to those that are still waiting and I hope this will not result in significant delays. GZ is notoriously slow as it is.

[danswayne]

I agree GZ is slow about many things, but when we were there yesterday things went fine. I have been told noone has gone home yet, it is not mandatory that they leave it is voluntary. And noone thinks it is serious enough to go I guess. By the way we got our visa yesterday also. Got there at 7:30 and she went straight in, got the visa same day at 4:00 pm. If you think that is too slow then all I can say is too bad.

[whoever]

This is something I especially hate about the Chinese government. They often wait to take actions, until things are out of control.

 

I wonder, when the government starts to learn, that they can't fool their own citizens around anymore.

 

If they started dealing with this issue as soon as it broke out, there will be no, or minimal impact to all of us. Now, it's really hard to fix the problem.

[Myles]

Aloha from Hawaii,

The same lack of action can be attributed to our US Congress Critters.

This is where a strong President makes a difference. Great Presidents

such as Theodore Roosevelt who completed the Panama Canal without

the support of public opinion.

Myles aka Annakuen'GG

[Mick]

I agree GZ is slow about many things, but when we were there yesterday things went fine.  I have been told noone has gone home yet, it is not mandatory that they leave it is voluntary.  And noone thinks it is serious enough to go I guess.  By the way we got our visa yesterday also.  Got there at 7:30 and she went straight in, got the visa same day at 4:00 pm.  If you think that is too slow then all I can say is too bad.  

You are right in one sense Daniel. The day we picked up our visa things moved fairly swiftly, just as yours did. However, it took 18 months for that day to arrive. That, my friend, is too slow by any standard of measure.