Old Macdonald has a double

Date: 22/05/1997

All credit to the New Zealand foreign ministry for appointing Jennifer Macdonald to the nation's EU delegation office, dealing with a number of trade issues. It would have been so much easier to have overlooked her qualifications for the job and avoided headaches all round.

Why? Because Jennifer Macdonald will be working alongside Jennifer McDonald, already in the New Zealand delegation dealing with a number of other trade issues.

The newly arrived Jennifer Macdonald has the rank of second secretary, but so does the first Jennifer McDonald.

It is no good asking to speak to the Jennifer who went to school in Auckland either - they both did, and to the same school.

What the Belgian authorities will make of it when Jenny I leaves later this year or when Jenny II registers, only time will tell.

The foreign ministry back in New Zealand has a third Jennifer McDonald on its books, based in Wellington: it must be tempting to send her to Brussels too.

Just for the record, in case you do need to speak to one or other Jennifer, McDonald deals with matters relating to cattle and the beef trade, while Macdonald deals with sheepmeat policy.