Asso ciation of Former VTHO - World Health Organization...the first chance to pretend thar life is back to whatever is considered normal. \7ith winter coming, it is time to stock up

l|::

of tbe Asso ciation of Former VTHO StaffWHO, CH-1211 Gmeua 27, Swiaerhnd ( TP:+41 22 791 31 03; I)C +41 22 791 07 46; e-mail: <afsm_aoms@who,ch>

FOUNDIn our days, any alleged dis-

crimination was attributed to rac-ism, or, if the victim \vas a v/oman,to sexism. Much has changed sincethen. On 3l January the ILOTiibunal, in Judgemen t 2004, found§fHOt Administration guilry ofgender bias againsr a male colleaguein \Washington, D.C . Its conclusionwas based largely on the following:

' The §fHO "Cabinet has

decided to secure that 6 out of 10new appointments are women untilpariry is reached," D-G, Marcht999.

' "...there was a gender moun-tain to climb," Executive Director,Mgmt, in assessing the chances thatMark S. Matthews, Chiefl Budgetand Finance, AMRO, graded P-6,become Director, Mgmt, Geneva,gradedD-2

' "Selection of staff membersshall be without regard to race, creedor sex," Staff Rule 4.3.

In the first case ever of reverse

discrimination in'§7HO, and prob-ably in the U.N. sysrem, a 53-year-old male challenged, successfully, a

bias against him for being a man,and was awarded $5,000 in moraldamages and $ 1,000 in cosrs -- saris-

ÿing, though hardly grand amounrs,even in our time, considering theinjury.

"There is nothing wrong inhaving a policy aimed at genderpariry... but this policy cannot be

achieved by setting quotas and byreverse discrimination," the Tlibunaldeclared in a criticism of theAdministration, intimating that themeans did not justiÿ the ends.

The since-then, celebrated"gender mountain" statement byExec. Director, Mgmt, was "highlyirresponsible," the Tiibunal held, forwhich "she was rightly censured bythe HQ. Board of Appeal." She

also recommended appointment of a

woman, identified in the judgementas "Ms. §7" from an outside agency,to correct the "gender inequiÿ' inMgmt. That led the tibunal torule that §7HO " will have to holdanother competition," in which thewoman selected "can, of course, bea candidate."

AII told some 650 applied for

the post; six were short-listed. Sixtook a three-hour written test, butonly five were interyiewed in person.The appellant v/as interviewed byvideo, which, in the Tiibunalt view,was "open to the interpretation ofunequal treatment". In general, theTiibunal said it had "no way ofassessing the fairness of the (selec-

tion) process."

Also, with the sole exceprion ofthe appellant, no parry was named,as \Mas the practice in our day.

Instead they were referred to by titleor, almost coyly, by initial. Hence,"Ms.VP' and, referring to two othercandidates," Mr. A" and "Mr. S ."

'W'e have not heard the last ofthis case.

-P61s1Ozorio, Editor

GUILTY OF GENDER BIAS

3t

x-

o§

"tï/hat, may I ash, do mountains baue to do utith gender?"

Before retirementFearu REs

CoUNTING THE DnySor nearly 23 years now I have been com-

mitted, as a Finance Officer, to unliqui-dated obligations, debits and credits, and

budget over/under spending. It is a great

responsibiliry. Every project budget has tobe vetted and discussed with the appropriate

project officer. And one has to ensure thateverything is in accordance with the Financial

Rules and Regulations.

Now my days in the services of the Inter-national Maritime Organisation, London, are

nearly numbered. The time is not far offwhenI shall call it a day and retire. It will not be

easy. My life will change...at a very awkwardage - I am nolv too old to be a swinger and too young to be a dirry old man. (The politically conect phrase

nou is '\exy senior citizen". -Editor)

en I was young I was full of ideals. Have they come true? Mostly not, I âm afraid. I dreamed, for

example, of becoming one of the idle rich. fuch? Vith the UNJSPF pension, though reasonable as itis going to be, I wont be able to call myself rich. It will keep me in some comfort though, I hope. I

shall be able to splash on an occasional bottle of bubbly and to finance a regular supply of Viagra.

And idle? Certainly not! I shall never have enough time to spere, I have so many plans. First of all, I plan

to live to be a hundred, that's nearly four decades of merry life of garde ning, eating and drinking, dancing, visiting

girl friends, travelling and, in later years, learning how to operate a Zimmer frame.

^

t last, I hope to have enough time to practise my piano playing which I abandoned as a young man

A all those years ago. I have always wished to be able to play a tune without people running away

I lr"d blocking their ears.

Oh, those will be the glorious times of the autumn of my life. '§7ish me well - but not yet! There are still

rrvvo yeers of expenditure reports and budget revisions to go before that golden age arrives.

-Dalbot Sudwell

(Finance ofro, IMO, London)

Excerpted fom the FICSA Quarterly, December 2000

§§§\ci+i

-§

§

È

#,

"Lighten up, honey. You use performance-enhancing drugs!"

RIP: TOM & AI-EERTTom Strasser, columnist for Q/\/ï "Health

Corner," passed away in Geneva on 8 March 2001.His first column appeared on these pages in QN 2,summer 1990 when he wrote about "Your BloodPressure and You, his last was about "Erectile

Dysfunction," a sign indeed of changing times,written for Q,À/ 42, Autumn 2000.

All of us who work on the QÀ/ grieve at

the loss of this gentle and courageous colleague,

a faithful contributor for over a decade, and at

the loss, too, of his creation, Albert, a friend,with whom he regularly shared chocolate cake andconversation . (A fuller obituary is pknned for the

next issue r/QN - Editor.)

page 2

After retirernent

RECOUNTING FI-oRIDA Wnysetirement is a state all of us

wish to reach and, all too sadly,

any of us do not. If we are

enough to age, we should enjoy

In Florida, the elderly are runningwhole towns. In places, for instance,

like Sanibel Island on the wesr coasr,

they are in charge of supermarkets,

post offices, hotels and banks. Notonly are they enjoying their work, they

do it with pride, and competence. Ifthis works in Florida, it would workelsewhere in the world.

fflhere is something wrong with

I sociew when at 59 years. 1lI rnon,h, and, 29 days one is

considered competent, willing, reliable

and able, whilst less than 24 hours later,

having reached the pinnacle of a career,

often heading a whole department, one is shown the door and considered unemployable! '§7'rongly, it has been

accepted that once people reach the age of 60, they qualiÿ for work stoppage. tü7ith such a negative attitude insociery, no wonder there is negativism towards retirement.

In fact, we, the retired, are winning over those among the young who believe we are good for nothingmuch any more. \X/e broke the sound barrier with manual tripewriters (and that is not a spelling error!),we mastered banda machines, white stencils, carbon copies and hours of tedious shorthand. And we are

catching up with computerisation! in the world of today, it is the computers who do the spell checks. Inour day, we did it.

any of us find a full life in retirement. It is pleasant to be able to start the day without a deadline. Noneed to be anl.rvhere particular 6y 8.45 a.m. Instead we can amble inro town and enjoy a croissant

and coffee with friends, arrange to lunch out of town or pass the day on the boat. Switzerland is ahaven for retirees and medical and social facilities are of the best. Voluntary work is available to those who wishto continue in the business community or in the field of health and care.

Still, retirement is a challenge because it represents a step into the unknown. '§ÿ'e all fear that and need

courage to face it. Some of us face it with a partner, others alone. Either way it can be enjoyable. Finally,

we can enjoy saying to the young: "I've been there. I'm past that bit. Iïe done all that. Just send me an

e-mail, now that I have figured our how to do it!"

-Ioy Pattinson

(formerQ U.N. Geneaa and a fequent contributor ra U.N. Speciaÿ

page 3

KOSOVO IS QUIET, RELATIVELY

he daily United Nations security briefing in Kosovo is often opened with a phrase such as "the situation

remains tense but relatively quiet." Then follows a list of "incidents during the past 24 hours" -murders, abductions, rapes, arson, shootings and mine and grenade explosions. It all sounds depressing,

yet outside the shops are full, people window-gaze, traf,fic snarls itself into endless jams, smugglers tout cigarettes

and counterfeit CDs, and children laugh to and from school.

For staff of the \7HO humanitarian office in Kosovo (most of them are based in Pristina, the capital),

there are other problems then the reports and rumours of distant violence, some big, many small. Desk space is

at a premium, telephones go down, electriciry fails, a project prepared over months is delayed for no good reason,

working trips have to be postponed because of a security incident along the road. Everyone has learnt to expect

something unexpected to intervene in what should be straightforward.

ne threet, however, is receding: the danger from landmines. KFOR üoops and the NGOs involved in

mine clearance now reckon they have cleared almost 50,000 mines - about one-third of the estimated

totâl - and hope to declare large areas of Kosovo mine-free by the end of 2001.

Children \Mere among this summer's mine victims, but a lot of the others seem to be smugglers coming

across from Albania, mainly with cigarettes and liquor. More recendy a different kind of goods was seized,

bomb-making material - detonators, timers, everfhing except the explosives. Typical terrorist material.

A surprisingly high number of people seem to keep small armouries in their houses, according to

security reports. A report in September listed the confiscation of 14 pistols (with several thousand rounds of

ammunition), one ground-to-ground missile, rwo grenade launchers, t\,ÿo âutomatic rifles and a couple of mines.

U.N. police reckon that weapons confiscated by the authorities can be replaced without great effort. Those

arrested are usually released within days, and sometimes hours. But none of this is noticed necessarily by the

§7HO staff It is a passing item at the morning staff meeting.

eanwhile summer has gone: the first anniversary of the end of the war, the first harvest for nvo years,

the first chance to pretend thar life is back to whatever is considered normal. \7ith winter coming,

it is time to stock up on wood and fuel, to buy candles and cooking gas, to shake out the woollies

and unpack the boots. The electricity company said it hoped to provide regular supplies by the end of November,

but things in Kosovo always take a few months longer than expected.

At least \ilater seems to be available regularly, although not constântly, and we know that many of the health

facilities will this year for the first time have standby generators. Life is definitely improving.

-Edward J. Poultney(Informatio n Off cer II{/H O, Kosouo)

Excerpted fion FICSA Quarterly, December 2000

Pensions

CUeER oN Apnll FooL's DeyFor those who may not have noticed, pensions

increased, as a resulr r:f rises in the cost of living,effective from 1 April 2001. In Switzerland, for thefirst time in about five years, it increased by 4.2 percent and in France by 2.9 per cenr. The range howeverwas from a low 2.4 per cent in Denmark to a high18 per cent in Türkey of 35 countries listed by theU.N. Joint Staff Pension Fund. Figures for some othercountries follow:

Australia (5.7 pe, cent); Austria (4.7); Belgium(2.5); Canada(3.3); Chile (4.6);CWrus (3.2); Finland(6.4); G"rmarlry (3.9); Greece (6.8); Ireland (5.9); Italy(2.8); Holland (3.0); Norway (6.0); Poland (8.6);Portugal (4.8); Republic of South Korea; I 4.5);

MaY DAY, MeyoeyAlthough momenrum is picking irp for a fairer

deal for §fHO temporary staff, the resolution ofthe problems linked to their status is still far fromimminent. Defined as "remps" by this Administrationand many others before it, their length of service, whichranges from 5 to 12 years, belies such a characterisation.If they are indeed "remps," then they are mosr assuredly"long-term temps" doing full-rime work in essentiallyfull-time positions.

According to projections by serving staff, by 2002their number will make up a half of staff world wide.Already, they comprise 40 per cenr in Geneva, and 57per cent in EURO. Staff representarives say discussionswithADM since 1998 have resulted in "only rwo minorconcessions, promised but not yet applicable, for healthinsurance and maternity leave."

To point up the condition of the "temps," staffof \MHO and other Geneva-based agencies observedLabour Day, I May 2001, under the theme "Justice for

News & Vrews

Or MEMBERS & Dues

Spain (7.0); Sri Lanka (10.8); Sweden (2.5); Thailand(2.0); Urrited States (6.1); United Kingdom (2.9.)

Actuarially Quotable. "'§?'e fully realise thatthe present USA-led economic boom (and the U.N.Joint Staff Pension Fundt consequenr large actuarialsurplus) may go inro reverse at any time. 'W'e

approvekeeping a portion ready to cushion the next downturn.

"That said, we give the highest prioriry to usingpart of the surplus to repeal the various economymeasures that have been listed (in its report), speciallythose affecting beneficiaries."

Exgerpt fom report of Informal Meeting AAFI/AFICS Geneua, 26 October 2000, (i.e. before tbe-economicdou.,nturn)

FOR WHO "TEMPS"Long-Têrm Têmporaries" with a mass picnic on §[HOtgreen grounds, which was a good use of premises.

Earlier, representatives of AFICS/AAII meetinginformally last October in Geneva, also gave temporar-ies cause for cheer in declaring rhat: "Current pensionconditions for short-term staff are unsarisfactory."Iÿhether or not put into effect, proposals to make itIess so include the following:

That they be allowed to "buy years of servicefor pension calculation purposes," that the qualiÿingperiod for pensions.be "reduced to three years' serviceinstead of five," and that there be "more flexibilirywhen contracts are drawn up."

Noting in its report that the currenr trend awayfrom careers "towards short-term contracts are at vari-ance with the raison d'êne of the Pension Fund," therepresentatives warned that it "will inevitably give riseto problems, i.e. to more costs."

Our membership totals 1,556, of whom 466 paydues annually, and 455 are Life Members, a recenrcheck of the computer shows. This means that 927contribute financially to A-FSM but that 635 do not.

In large part because of the drop in annualfees, the Association reported an operating loss for thefirst time ever in 1999. That led to a plea aimedat those in arrears to bring themselves up to date.

Among the recommendations made then by out-goingTieasurer, Joe Chang'§7'ailing, was rhar the CHF 20 fee,

unchanged for over a decade, be raised, and that therebe a drive to attract new members.

A long unresolved problem, however, is just howto âcilitate payment by members abroad, who are

without Swiss francs. There is an arrangement with theadministration in SEARO ro collect dues in rupees forcredit to Geneva. There is nothing like that in AMRO,for instance, where colleagues have been known to wantto pây but cannot do so, nor in other regional offices.Thus, a challenge to AFSMT newly-elected officers.

page 5

TAXES CSG AND CRDS:In rvro decisions taken on 15 February 2000,

the European Communiryt Court of Justice censured

France for applying the CSG (Contibution sociale

généralisc) and CRDS (Contribution ?oar le rembourse'

ment de la dexe sociale) to the full-time and part-timeearnings of salaried or independent workers residing inFrance but working in another state of the European

Union. The decisions, as rendered, referred solely

to French frontaliers employed in a country of the

European economic area and thus excluded the 80,000

frontaliers who work in Swizerland.

This did not escape the notice of Charles Mil-lon, Depury for l'Ain, who, on 28 February 2000

just days after the judgements were given -drew the attention of the Minister of Employment to

the situation. After summarising the significance ofthe judgements, the Minister responded, announcing

that "the bodies responsible for repayments (URSSAF)

have been given precise instructions to reimbursing the

amount wrongfully paid by the taxpayers for CSG."She added that nthese arrangements are applicable to allthose concerned, namely fontalier workers domiciledin France and working in Switzerland." (Of,.cial Gazette

of the French Republic, Assemblée National, ref 42514,

2i October 2000).

This broader interpretation seems to extend the

benefits of this tax relief to all those who are resident

in France and (t) have full-time or part-time earnings

coming from abroad, and (2) do not benefit from a

French system of social securiry. This would seem to be

the case of many retired '§ÿHO staff.

So now, would it not be useful to have thisdeclared offïcially, by asking an association representing

retired people (such as AFFI/AFICS) to approach the

French authorities and ask for retirees to be recognised

as frontalierc? Or may one hope that those authorities

AAFI / AFICS ON THE WEB

The fusociation of Former International Civil Servants, Geneva, now has

its own web site. To access it, first open the Home Page of the U.N. Officein Geneva <htto:/iwww.unos.ch>. Click on "AFICS/AAFI Geneva branch" ro

find introductory text plus photos.

lJnfortunately, only the English version has been developed so far. TheFrench version will follow in due course.

page 6

Excerpted fom the AAFI/AFICS Bulletin, December 2000

GETTING THERE

HunRaH, LE FIsc Peys BRcx§(hether others have been reimbursed is not

known, but one surprised and satisfied colleague has

reported the receipt of a cheque from French fiscalauthorities at Bourg-en-Bresse returning monies thathe had been required to pay to the governmentas his Contribution Sociale Generalisée (CSG) overthe years.

Just how many years, he could not say ofÊhand, but the amount repaid was about 7,500 FF.

A covering letter admitted that it was "wrong" tohave subjected him to the CSG (nau remboursement

des somrnes ?ercues par tort ?dr notre organisation.r).On 15 February 2000, the European Community'sCourt of Justice had ruled that those living in Francebut working outside must not be subject to the CSG(une deuaient pas êne assujettis à k CSG."). On 24November he received the cheque.

Frontaliers, particularly those who worked inGermany, have long contested not only the CSGbut also the CRDS assessments, the latter being theContribution pour le remboursement de h dette sociale.

The court ruled that the rwo contribationr were nottaxes, as the government had claimed, but ratherassessments for social goals, in effect up-holding theargument of thefontaliers.There has been no wordof reimbursement of the CRDS as yet.

might tacitly admit it by ceasing to collect the twocontributions and, better still, by reimbursing the over-

payment, as they ât present seem to be doing? (Ser

related story, ekeuthere on this page.-- Editor)

Claims on the CSG should be addressed to the

URSSAF (14 rue Pavé d'Amour, 01016, Bourge-en-Bresse, Cedex), and on the CRDS to the tax c€ntre

appropriate to the taxpayer, before 1 January 2003.

-J"* Leclercq

\formerly TM)

UNwaNTED PUgTICITVIn early 1993, \fHO found itself exposed to

much unsolicited and unwanted publicity as a result ofmultiple murders in France's Jura region on a Saturday

in January.

Jean-Claude Roman, who lived in the village ofPrévessin, bludgeoned his wife to death with a rollingpin, shot his rwo children, ages 5 and 7, then after

lunching with his parents some 10 miles away, killedthem too. He was ashamed of them learning of his

double life. The murderer, much respected in his

communiry passed himself off as a medical doctorwith \MHO in Geneva. The media, unknorvinglyand in the haste of deadlines, reported the inaccuracy

throughout the length and breadth of the Hexagon,at least initially.

Since then the crimes have been re-visited by

Emmanuel Carrere in a best-selling book, LAduersaire.

Now its English version, The Aduersaryt A True Story ofMurder and Deceptioz, translated by Linda Coverdale, is

out. The review in February by the International Herald

Tiibune, naturally, didnt fail to mention\7HO, notingthat the imposter claimed to have "worked for nearly

18 years as an eminent physician with \MHO. Except

that he didn't." At first, he "went to 'W'HO every

day, later on less regularly," the author says, "...where

he swept up anything printed and free: his house and

car over-flowed with papers bearing the letterhead orstamp of \WHO."

In another aspect of the book, the author gives

this impression of the international civil servant inneighbouring France:

"The Gex region is...in French territory @ut)is essentially a residential suburb of Geneva, an

aggregate of well-to-do villages that have becomehome to a colony of international officials who workin Switzerland... All enjoy more or less the same

way of life.... The husband drives to office in a

Mercedes. The wife does her shopping and carriesout her charity work in a Volvo.. .."

AonaINISTRATION BECINS TO ..TICKET,, FOR PRRXIruC

After posting warnings on the intra-net inNovember and February, \trHOt General SupportServices cracked down in March on what it considered

as parking "infractions." GSS staff began placing "tick-

ets" on the windscreens of offending vehicles, advisingowners that they would be reported to the police, ("Une

plainte sera donc déposée auprès du Chef de la Police),

who could then fine them.

Former staff, who do not have access to the intra-net, which is the in-house system, were among the

first victims of "ticketing." Yet, according to e-maii cor-respondence, AFSM was asked by the Administration"to transmit §fHO current parking regulations to yourmembers," only on 20 March well after the start of the

new get-tough parking poliry. And two days later, the

Chairman, Staff fusociation, pointed out that there had

been no consultation berween Staff Representatives and

the Adm. on parking.

\flhile cancelled in some cases, in at least one

other, the "ticket" had already been sent to the police,leading the unfortunate colleague to question, withsome asperiry, "if the Geneva police are accustomed todeliver fines around the perimeter of an internationalorganisation."

In a reference to parking for diplomatic missions,

another colleague, more fortunate in that his "ticket"

was cancelled, asked: "Is it logical for ten spaces to be

reserved from sun-up to sundown for diplomats whonormally work in the mornings?" His suggestion: thatthe CD spaces be open to all after lunch.

Former staff learnt retroactively of the "new

rules" on parking, being advised through a circularletter from the Chairman, David Cohen, dated 5 April2001, which also carried assurances that the Adm. "isstudying...measures to make parking within \7HOeasier."

page 7

LrpesrYLEs

AI-I TOGETHER NOWThese colleagues, former and serving, have con-

tributed chapters to the blockbuster book "Politics ofEmerging and Resurgent Infectious Diseases."

Yves Beigbeder, "Challenge to \l/HO"; ManualCarballo, "Pouerty, Deuelopment, Population Mouement,

and Heabh'i D.A. Henderson, "Knowledge, Informationand Inter-Gouernment Cooperationi Daüd Heymann,"Non-Medical Aspects of Emerging and Re-Emerging

Diseases; Maximum Protection utith Minimum Disrup-tion"

Aimed at showing the relationships betweenresurgent diseases and politics, the collected workis edited by Jim Whitman, Journal of HumanitarianAssistance, and published by Macmillan Press Ltd,U.K., and St. Martin Press, U.S. 223 pp. Price:s69.9s.

All Ar-oNrNter 17 years of service with PUB, as editor,

Simone Herbulot Simonov retired in 1980. Now,some two decades later, she has published her memoirs.

It is aptly entitled Les Fleurs de Nuremberg, Utamour...en instanc,r, because rwo events impelled her towrite: her husbandt death and the 1995 commemora-tion of the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminalsin Caen, France, to which she was invited. "\Tritingdidn't take much time," she told QÀ/, "e'rrerything was

already in my heart and my head."

Heret the way the publishers summarise thebook:

"...in the extraordinary microcosm created bythe Nuremberg trials, certain individuals from verydifferent backgrounds suddenly meet again, and a

passionate affair develops between a French woman and

a Soviet officer. This story follows them throughoutthe century with an emotion that is often tinged withirony, as the circumstances that reunited them separate

them again, only to bring them together once more in

a final twist of fate."

Allowing that she is "a poet, but not a novelist,"the authoress said: "There is not an ounce of fictionin my work; everything is rigorously authentic and

nobody has been able to change even a commâ in mytext, since it was self-edited - and I've become maniacal

about that, thanks to my time at '§?'HO," when she

\Mas responsible for translating or sumarizing articles

for '§ÿHOt Bulletin. Among Anglophone colleagues

of the time, she said, were John Fraser and RichardHarrison.

Prior to joining \7HO in 1963, Mme Herbulot,a lawyer by training, was administrator for a theatre

in Paris, and also played a part in establishing the

International Business School in Lausanne (IMEDE).

She lives in Geneva, where her book is on sale

at FNAC, Librairie Descombes, and Ramedu d'Or. Itis published by Les Bois Flottes, 74270 Clermont-en-Genevois, France. Price: 13 EURO.

ANvTHING BUT RETIRED

' Formerly admin. assistant, CVD, and chair-person of the Staff fusociation, Mary Jane

'§ÿ'atson

who left §fHO voluntarily, before the appointed hour,was asked to return and serve as Ombudsman for sixmonths beginning from 2000 to 2001.

o Formerly director, MNH, Norman Sartorius\Mâs an invited speaker on'W.orld Health Day, 2001,the theme of which was "Mental Health: Stop Exclu-sion" Dare to Care." He is now President, European

Psychiatric Association.

Armando Pares: Leaving hisbeloved Cuba in the lare 1950s because

of political changes, he arrived in theUnited States with his wife, Lidia, and

$100 secreted in the sole of a shoe.

As a banker and accountant, qualified

In Memoqtam

and experienced, he was recruited by

AMRO,'Washington, in the budget and

finance unit. He assumed responsibili-ties as Chiel PAY, Geneva in 1968

-a position he held until retirement inNovember 1989.

A man of compassion and highprinciples with a strong desire to help,Armando did not "suffer fools" gladly. Achampion of justice and an advocate ofcorrect behaviour among staff at all lev-

els he challenged, fearlessly, the Admin-

page I

istration on issues that adversely aîfect-ed our conditions of employment.

Quintessentially our "resident

priest," he assisted us in personal prob-lems, advised newcomers how best tosetde in the Geneva environment, andhelped us secure loans from SBS, withwhose officers he enjoyed splendid rela-

tions. He counselled us to spend wiselybut also to take advantage, while wecould, of the banks credit facilities.A vacation with the kids was not an

extravagânce, he would say, but aninvestment in their up-bringing.

As a member of the Hq BoardofAppeals, he spent hundreds ofhoursreviewing cases, frequently upholdingappellants' claims even though it was

considered "ill-advised" to do so.

(One notable exam?le: the ILOTiibunal accepted tbe minoriry report

of tbe \X4JO Àppeals Board, of whicbbe uas a membet as proper remedy for

Herbert Loeb Friedman'A clinical and research psychologist,he joined \fHO in 1976 as a parr-time consultant, becoming later chief oIthe adolescent health and developmentprogramme, strong in the belief thatthe goal of family planning should be toimprove health and well-being, ratherthan just to reach economic targets orto reduce morraliry rates.

This profoundly human view was

reflected in the phrase he coined, "repro-

ductive health," and popularised in hiswork during the 1990s and which was

accepted by the international confer-ence on population and developmentin 1994. He also persisted in speaking

of "sexualiÿ' in reference to adolescent

Daüd Barmes: It was withsadness that I learned ofhis recent pass-

ing, for we had known each other foraround 33 years. We joined the staff at

§7HO headquarters in Geneva roughlyat the same time, in late \967, he, Ithink, from Papua New Guinea, whileI was on reassignment from SEARO,New Delhi.

I rememberwere being briefedliving in Geneva

day clearly; wethose aspects ofdirectly related

the

onnot

to \MHO, e.g. bu a câr, gettl

Page 9

the appellant, who had been improperly

transfenedfom Kuak Lumpur to Fiji. hwas unprecedznted.

- Editor)

He opened the door for us to theU.N. credit union (M.E.C.) thus mak-

ing possible low-interest loans, with a

minimum of paperwork. He played a

role in the U.N. Joint Staff Pension

Board's decision to fix a U.S. dollarrate ât a time when the dollar was

low, thus preventing financial losses tocolleagues retirins then. fu Treasurer ofrhe 33"rd Staff Co"mmittee, he organised

behaviour, arousing some conttoversyas this obliges us to consider the humanrelationships of teenagers.

He drew international aûentionto the health and development of ado-lescents, and to the importance of meet-

accommodation and obtaining all those

household and other personal items

a memorable gala for us at the HotelIntercontinental, twenty four years aftera similar event was held, believing itwas time for us to get together to showour pride in \ÿHO.

None of us who had the honourof knowing and working with Armandowill forget the UNHCR poster on thedoor of his office that said: 'A refugee

would like to have your problems."Even while helping us, it was his wayof asking us to keep our perspective as

international civil servants.

He passed awây on 7 January2001 at the Hôpital de la Tour. §7e

miss his warm smile, his engaging per-sonality and his tender heart. Our con-dolences go to Lidia, his life-long com-panion, and son, Constantine. Voycon Dios' amigo'

-Ron Anderson

(formerly Act. Cbief, CIX/O)

Bainbridge Is land, Vas h ingto n State,

U.S,A,

ing their needs for better public healthand social services. As adolescence is

a crucial period of life, his interestin adolescents reflected a deep under-standing o[ and commitment to, theways in which human developmentrelates to health. The world is nowstriving to give meaning to his vision ofharnessing the force of adolescents toiinprove themselves and their societies.

He passed âway on 20 December2000. His colleagues and friends are

unanimous in remembering him as

a gende, respectful, intense, conscien-tious and humorous oî;i"

Ferguson

(Child and Adolescent Heebh, \X/HO)

that newly-arrived sta{f and their fami-lies needed. Those were probably theso-called "good old days" in Geneva.

In those early years, I used tomeet him socially, along with others

from our country to "shoot the breeze"

and to speak true Australian, which we

all understood btrt which others couldnot. Like most expatriates from theantipodes, we put everything to rights,irrespective of the subject and whetheror not anybody had the facts right.

things I'll not be forgetting.

-John Morgan

(fo rm e rly, C h i ef, Ac c o u nts)

Préuessin, Moens, France

(Excerpted from notices in tbe Aus-tralian press)

David Edward Barmes, formerChiefi Oral Health, §ÿHO, aged 69years, passed away peacefullyJanuary 13,2001 at Manyana, New South '§ÿ'ales.

A resident of Duillier, Switzerland, for-merly of Maryborough, Queenslandand Papua New Guinea. Much lovedhusband of Rosemary Margaret; fatherof Catherine, Jane, Mark, David andElizabeth. Grandâther of Peta-Eve,Eliza, Kathleen, Ashling, Zoe, Lauraand David.

breach left by the abolition of the postof editor Vorld Heabh, becoming also

responsible for VHOt only illustratedpublication. The best of the rwo maga-

zines later were amalgamated into theBulletin, which relied on his advice forits new look.

Among his other achievements:

he was a member of 'WHO's publica-tions committee from its inception in1987; as well as of the editorial boardfor the annual lVorld Heahh Report,

Cricket was his passion, and Iguess he invited every staff memberfrom cricket-playing countries to joinhim to "make up the side" whenevera match was scheduled. He even had

me playing for a local Australian side

on one or fwo occasions, but not, Iemphasise, to test cricket standards. Heserved as president of Genevas CricketClub for some 30 years.

Our careers continued in theirrespective directions and, eventuallyand inevitably, retirement caught upwith each of us. I shall miss David; hisready smile, cheerfulness and welcome- "Gday mate, 'owyer goin?" ("Goodday mate, how are you going?")- are

Eilif Liisberg: After workingin the field with Save the Children,with UNR\ÿA and as a U.N. casque

bleu,he began a career with WHO thatended22 years later, on 30 June 1992.His early assignments included that of.\VR in the Republic of Korea, and ofmedical officer, Family Health, Geneva,where he was a forceful advocate of the"risk" approach to health care, contrib-uting also to the concept of 'health bythe people," the forerunner to'WHO'sgoal of "Health for All. By the Year

2000."

He made his mark however, inhealth communications and informa-tion. In 1985, he became Editor ofWorld Heahh Forum, and quickly intro-duced, in hitherto rather formal pages,

a display of postage sramps depictinghealth, and a study on health in srripcartoons. He was an advocate ofY/HOmessages on shopping bags and sun-hats. In 1991 he stepped into the

Contributions to the David E.Barmes Global Health Fund would beappreciated, made payable to the:

Friends of the National Instituteof Dental and Craniofacial Research,1555 Connecticut Avenue, N§tr, 'W'ash-

ington, DC 20036.

The fund will promote healththrough oral health, a concept which heespoused during his career with'§ÿHOand with us.

-Lois IC Cohen, Ph.D.

(National Institute of Denrul andCran i ofaiia I Res earc h ),

Bethesda, MD 20892-640 I

from 1990. He was a coordinator forthe observance of \MHO's 40th anni-versary and assistant to the President,'§(orld Health Assembly, from 1989.

On the lighter side, he was

renowned for the glogg and grauadlax(dry-cured salmon) parry he gave annu-ally at Headquarters, and an invitationto it was much prized. (Tbese recipes are

a legacy to us; auaikble on request).

AÊer retirement, through writ-ing, interviews, and workshops, he con-tinued to promote the health causes so

dear to his heart. Just four days afterturning 70, he passed away peacefullyat home in Bergen, Norway, on 13

March 2001. His wit, energy, friendlymanner, and effervescent kindness willbe sadly missed; everyone who knewEilif has lost a good friend.

-Barbara Campanini

(formerly Vorld Heahb Forurn)

Lerrens(Unless stated to the contrary by conespondents, htters receiaed are routinel! considered

and edited, for publication to encoururge an excltange of aieus aTnong colleagues.- Editor)

A CENERoUS GIFTAs I am still fine at age 97, and I assume also

still a Life Membeç it seems ro me that I should send

a contribution to AFSM. I'm enclosing therefore a

cheque for {100 sterling, which I hope will be in order.

If not, please let me know another way of remitting.

-Kattrleen Ducl«nrorth- Barker

rY/inchestex Hants, UK

page 10

SEnvIce AppnEcIATED( Re: New Exec. Group Nout In, QN42, Autumn,

2000)

\7e wish to express our appreciation of the very

good job done by Rajindar Pal during his chairmanshipof the AISM, and our satisfaction that he is carryingon in the Executive Group, which we wish well in itswork for former colleagues.

We enjoyed the October reunion, meeting friendsand colleagues. Our sole regret is that we did not have

time to speak to many more.

-June Hargreaves Beer 8g Fred Beer

Hampshire, England

THe GNoue AT UBSI needed to transfer funds from one account to

another, then change a sum into French francs. Thesole teller at the UBS guichet refused to make the

transfer and sent me to the gnomic machine at the

entrance. The Gnome seemed to make it but returnedmy card without confirming the transaction.

Dilemma: repeating the manæuvre might move

the amount rwice. I appealed to the lady at the

guichet, who had now replaced the reluctant man,who kindly came out to guide me. At first my card

returned without a confirmation, but eventually we

succeeded. I then headed for the queue for French cash.

But a desperate colleague in the line hailed the lady,

who returned graciously to the Gnome and spent tenminutes with him. I waited till they were through.

Net result; a job that could have taken fourminutes took me 25; the guichet was unattended foreven longer and the queues lengthened. Death toGnomes!

-Alastair Anderson

(Formerly'§ÿ'orld Health magazin e)

FnerucoPHoNE WIZARDWRNreo

(Re: Soon a Website for Us, QN 42 Autumn 2000)

My congratulations to colleagues who established

the AFSM website. May I take this opportuniryto emphasise that it should be, as soon as possible,

bilingual, while calling on French-speaking computerwizards to participate in this effôrt.

-Michel Fèvre

(formerly Chief, CRC, WHO, Geneua)

IN TxE PREsS

BIaUELESS BatvKERSIn December 1998, a Swiss furnishing company

mailed a cheque for 13,987 French francs drawn on the

Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (BCV) to a French sup-

plier. Two months later, however, the French suppliercomplained that its bill remained unpaid. On enquirythe Swiss company then learnt that the cheque had

not only been paid but paid in Stuiss fancs. Receiving

a photocopy of the cheque the Swiss company was

appalled to see it no longer specified the currency ofpayment, named a different payee and was not crossed.

A forger had falsified the cheque and cashed it at a

Lausanne branch of the B.C.V

The Swiss Code des Obligations provides thatlosses resulting from a falsified cheque are the bank's

responsibiliry only if fault can be attributed to the

teller cashing the cheque. However, in common withmost banks, BCV has built in a clause limiting its

responsibiliry under the Code.

"Our terms state that undetected errors are robe paid by the client except in the case of a serious

error by the bank. In this particular case, on the basis

of the facts known at present, our employee did notcommit such an error," according to the legal adviser

of the BCV.

He said the bank would not compensate its

client to avoid setting a legal precedent and added:"\7e generally dissuade our clients from using cheques,

which are not a very secure payment method. It is

better to send bank transfers."

-Virginia Monnet

(Excerpted fom "C'est notre problème," Tiibune deGenèue, 10 October 2000)

(Shades of Alberto Besa, the 'WPRO colleague,

wltose life-long sauings of CHF 154,000 was transferred

from Geneaa to Banghoh, unbehnoun to him, underquestionable circumstAnces, then cashed and lost to him.Tlte banb, then SBS, senled roitb the uictim for balfbut admitted no faub. -Editor)

page 11

WHO,s CoRREcTIoN\fHO has retracted a statement backing the

South African government in a court battle withpharmaceutical companies. "'§ÿ''hat we meant to say

was that we had provided technical assistance to SouthAfrica on issues that were being addressed in this courtcase," it said in a correction issued 7 March 2001.'§fHOt general policy (is) not to take a position onlitigation in Member States."

A group representing 39 of the world's leadingpharmaceutical companies had filed a lawsuit seeking

to overturn a law that would allow the South Africangovernment to import cheap generic medications inan emergency.

They argued that the Medicines Control Act -signed into law in 1997 but never pur inro force because

of the court challenge - undermines their patents onmedications. The law could affect any pharmaceutical,but it is primarily aimed at providing cheaper sources

ofAIDS drugs.(Excerptedfom AP, 7 Marcb 01)

(Tbe lnutsuit utas dropped in ApüL -Editor)

Readership SurveyThe Quarterly News has now been put out for over a decade.

The pilot issue, QN No. 1, was dated '1989/1990.

You are looking at QN43, Winter 2000-2001.It is time, therefore, for a little, unscientific, survey of readers.

Please cuVcopy, and circle your response to the questions below.Put your answer in an envelope, mark it "QN Readership Survey," and return to:

l'he Editorial Board, QN, room 4141, WHO."

l.lread the QN: Fully Most of it Not at all

So so

Mediocre

2. The contents are: Very good Good

3. The layout is: Very well done Well done

4. I prefer QN: 4 times yearly 3 times yearly 2 times yearly

5. For AFSM, QN is: Essential Necessary Marginal

6. I would like to add (bouquets/brickbats/suggestions):.......

(Separate sheef may be added, but signature is optional.)

Achnowledgements: The Executiue Group thanhs those who haue made possible this issue, especially Peter Ozorio (Editor); Yues

Beigbeder NeddWilkrd and Rajindar Pal (Editorial Board); Dauid Cohen (Chairman); Michel Fèure, Jean Leclercq (French

translations); John Bland (English); also Marianne King (Editorial Assistant). Layut by Humphrey Maxbey, Glasgout.

The opinions of the QN are those of the authors, not necessarib of AFSM.

page 12