SAE boss attacks 'tourists'

By Giorgios Hatzimanolis

THE Vice President of the World Council for Hellenes Abroad (SAE) has sent a scathing attack towards Victoria's SAE representatives for their no-show at the organisations public meeting last week.

In his dual role as SAE's Vice President and Co-Ordinator of the Oceania region, Costa Vertzayias was not shy in showing his disappointment with those representatives who eagerly travel to Thessaloniki but do not attend local meetings.

"It is they that give cause to the media for the criticism levelled at SAE," Mr Vertzayias said, referring to the organisations many critics, who claim its representatives merely sign up to take advantage of the free, return airfare to Greece for the bi-annual SAE Conference in Thessaloniki.

Last week's public meeting was the third in a series of national meetings held to discuss the proposed law for SAE tabled by Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis.

Despite the poor attendance at the Melbourne and Adelaide meetings, Mr Vertzayias said it was important to note, "There was lively and positive contribution."

"The interest displayed in the details of the actual law augur well for the future of SAE," Mr Vertzayias added.

It has been a busy month for SAE Oceania with three public meetings, a youth Conference and a Regional Council Meeting. Amongst the resolutions, SAE Oceania announced it would fund an education conference convened by academics to discuss the crisis in Greek language programmes where the number of students continues to decline at both the secondary and tertiary levels.

"There is no more important issue for our community," Mr Vertzayias said.