AFICS

AFICS(NY) webpage: <http://www.un.org/other/afics>

"The mission of AFICS(NY) is to support and promote the purposes, principles and pro-grammes of the UN System; to advise and assist former international civil servants and thoseabout to separate from service; to represent the interests of its members within the System;to foster social and personal relationships among members, to promote their well-being andto encourage mutual support of individual members."

BULLETIN

ASSOCIATION OF FORMER INTERNATIONALCIVIL SERVANTS

Vol. 40, No. 3 July 2009

NEW YORK

AT AFICS (NY) ANNUAL ASSEMBLY: UNITED NATIONS GAPRESIDENT, S-G SALUTE UN SYSTEM RETIREES

"I believe that the staff members who haveretired from the UN must continue to bevaluable resources and advocates for itsongoing work. AFICS is key to ensuringtheir continuing involvement."

H. E. Miguel d'Escoto BrockmannPresident of the United Nations

General Assembly

"I continue to rely on the achievements, wis-dom and institutional memory of those whocame before - former civil servants such asyou, whose formal careers with theOrganization may have ended but whoremain vital members of the UN communty."

H.E. Ban Ki-moonSecretary-General

of the United Nations

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ASSOCIATION OF FORMER INTERNATIONALCIVIL SERVANTS (New York)

Martti AhtisaariKofi A. AnnanBan Ki-moonAung San Suu Kyi

Boutros Boutros-GhaliAhmad Tejan KabbahJavier Perez de Cuellar

Margaret K. BruceAndrés Castellanos del

CorralO. Richard Nottidge

Helen Geffen RohtGeorge F. SaddlerPatricia K. TsienJane Weidlund

Honorary Members

GOVERNING BOARD

Honorary Board Members

Officers

PresidentEdward Omotoso

1st Vice PresidentLinda Saputelli

2nd Vice PresidentJ. Fernando Astete

SecretaryChristine Smith-

xxLemarchand

Deputy SecretaryLouise Laheurte

TreasurerVacant

Deputy TreasurerPuran Sharma (ad interim)

Board MembersMiguel Arnabal Denis Beissel

Thomas A. BielerBarbara BurnsLola Costa-EsnardDede EmersonAnthony J. FouracreBéatrice Frankard-LittleRaymond GieriSuzan S. HabachyPhyllis P. MacPhersonMargaret MilesStafford K. MouskyDr. Sudershan NarulaFederico Riesco

Office StaffLydia OntalAngie de HittaJamna Israni

LibrarianDawne Gautier

CONTENTS

NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT 3

UN HIGHLIGHTSUNEP Report: Food Security in Africa 4

AFICS(NY) IN ACTION39th Annual Assembly Report 7

Message from President of G-A 9Message from UN S-G 10Message from President of FAFICS 11

New AFICS Website Up & Running 14Committee Reports 14

Aging - Seminar on Fitness 14Membership - New Members 15Your AFICS (NY) Library 25

MEMBERS' FORUMUN Career of Robert L. Smith 27Active & Former UN Staff Members 29

ADVOCATES’ CORNERUNA-USA: Westchester Chapter 30

UN AT WORK WORLDWIDEGlobal South-South Expo 31Joint Effort to Eradicate Violence

Against Women 32

HEALTHY LIVINGKeep Your Body Active 33

THE LATEST WRINKLENeed a Little Help 36Avoiding Falls: Tips for Seniors 37

OUR AMAZING WORLDNew Stock Market Terms 38Impact of the Stimulus 38

BOOK REVIEWS 39WORLDWIDE REUNIONS 42OBITUARIES 43IN MEMORIAM 47

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Unless otherwise noted,throughout the Bulletin theterm "AFICS" is used to referto AFICS (New York).

The views and opinionsexpressed in the variousreports, articles and illustra-tions in the Bulletin do notnecessarily represent those ofthe Association of FormerInternational Civil Servants(New York) {AFICS (NY)}, itsBureau or Governing Board,nor does the Associationaccept responsibility for theaccuracy of information given.The mention of any product,service, organization or com-pany does not necessarilyimply its endorsement by theAssociation.

AFICS (NEW YORK)BULLETIN

Published quarterly by theAssociation of Former

International Civil Servants (NY)

EditorMary Lynn Hanley

Design & LayoutFidel Keymolen

ColumnistDr. Sudershan Narula

ContributorsGeorge F. Saddler

Andrés CastellanosLola Costa-Esnard

Dawne Gautier

Publishing DirectorEdward Omotoso

Please submit news, views, photos and letters to the Editor

by e-mail:<Mlhanley11@aol.com>

AFICS (NY) AND FAFICS

After a highly successful AFICS (NY) AnnualAssembly at UN Headquarters in New Yorklast May (see Secretary Christine Smith-Lemarchand's report in this issue), the monthof July belongs to FAFICS - our Federation ofAssociations of Former International CivilServants.

FAFICS currently has 42 memberAssociations, the largest being AAFI-AFICSin Geneva, and ourselves in New York. Therewill be three new members, if the Council

approves the applications of our colleagues in Bangladesh, Cameroon andPhilippines to join the Federation. We are pleased to welcome them. FAFICShas its headquarters at the Palais des Nations in Geneva; its President, AndrésCastellanos, is located in our New York office at the UN, whereas SecretaryAnders Tholle functions in Geneva.

As in every session, the Federation has a long and substantive agenda at its up-coming 38th session, in Vienna from 6 to 10 July. Key among the issues, toname just three, are those of pensions and investment of pension funds andassets; advocacy for the policies, principles, objectives, vision and activitiesof the United Nations and its system of organizations; and the overall wel-fare and well-being of former international civil servants, members or non-members.

These issues, as you know, are also among the main areas of concentration ofAFICS (NY), and of our other sister associations around the world. There beingstrength in numbers, we continue to pursue these matters under the umbrella ofFAFICS.

Matters to be considered under pensions will relate, among others, to the meas-ures to protect the purchasing power of our earnings; countries with unstableeconomies or fluctuating currencies; UN operational exchange rates and theireffect on local track pensions; the effective date of the costs and prices index;and collection and use of data for pension adjustments. The Council willreceive an update on the market value of the pension funds, which has dimin-ished somewhat in light of the current global financial situation, but aboutwhich we continue to be advised by the relevant senior officials not to panic -yet.

A long-standing agenda item issue concerns the situation of former participantsin the Pension Fund who were nationals of the former Soviet Union, theUkrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR. When these "countries" evanesced,so did their pensions. The Council will also consider the representation ofFAFICS at conferences and other major gatherings of relevance and signifi-

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cance to the Federation as an NGO in ECOSOC consul-tative status. FAFICS will receive a report - prepared byAFICS (NY) - on the work of all member associationson advocacy for the UN.

It remains for us to wish the FAFICS Council every suc-

cess at its 38th session, in which AFICS (NY) willactively participate. A report on the session will be pub-lished in the next issue of our Bulletin. Enjoy readingthis one.

Edward Omotoso, President

ENVIRONMENT-LED GREEN REVOLUTIONKEY TO FUTURE FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICA

(Adapted from UNEP News Release, 14 May 2009)

Surge in Hunger May Be Avoided through Smart Green Technology,Rainwater Harvesting and Micro-Finance, but Situation is Urgent, Warns UNEP

Delivering food security to an additional one billionpeople in Africa will become ever more challengingover the next four decades unless more intelligent man-agement of natural resources and emerging opportuni-ties are brought to bear. Invasive pests, land degrada-tion, erosion, drought and climate change have alreadycaused agricultural yields to fall, in some cases by up to50 per cent, according to a new report by the UNEnvironment Programme (UNEP). Business as usual,with Africa's population set to rise from 770 million to1.75 billion by 2050, is likely to dwarf the recent foodcrisis, which plunged over 100 million people intopoverty and hunger in just two years.

The report, The Environmental Food Crisis, waslaunched at the 17th session of the UN Commission onSustainable Development in New York on 14 May. Itprovides some new and sobering costs on how environ-mental degradation might impact food production,while highlighting new and promising paths.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General andUNEP Executive Director, said: "The economic modelsand management regimes of the 20th century are unlike-ly to serve humanity well on a planet of six billion, ris-ing to over nine billion by 2050. This is particularly truewith respect to agriculture and especially valid inAfrica."

"Reversing environmental degradation and investing inour ecological infrastructure such as forests, soils and

water bodies is one part of the Green Economy solution- these are the nature-based inputs and infrastructure foragriculture in the first place. The other key is managingthem and the food chain in far more efficient ways," hesaid. "A third element, not touched on in this report butalso relevant, is the enormous opportunity to diversifylivelihoods and incomes via the emerging carbon mar-kets - this includes sectors such as renewable energy, butalso the growing prospect of farmers earning an incomeby conserving forests, soil and vegetation cover tosequester carbon."

Under-Exploited Management OptionsWater scarcity is an increasing risk in Africa. But stud-ies by UNEP and the World Agroforestry Centre haveestimated that there was enough rain falling on Africa tosupply the water needs for 13 billion people - twice thecurrent world population. However, little of this is col-lected or stored sustainably via methods such as small-and large-scale rainwater harvesting. Similarly, much ofoverseas development aid continues to promote thetools, fertilizers and seeds approach.

A recent report by UNEP and the UN Conference onTrade and Development (UNCTAD), which surveyed114 small-scale farms in 24 African countries that hadswitched to organic or near organic production, found:

Yields had more than doubled where organic, ornear-organic practices had been used, with the yield jumping 128 per cent in east Africa;

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Organic practices outperformed traditional methods and chemical-intensive conventional farming, also bringing strong environmental benefits such as improved soil fertility, better retention of water and resistance to drought.

Mr. Steiner also emphasized the importance of micro-credit and micro-insurance schemes, such as ones thathave been piloted by the World Food Programme(WFP) in Ethiopia in collaboration with donor countriesand the insurance industry. Here farmers have been paidwhen weather forecasts indicate that drought is loom-ing, and well before a family is down to its last livestockand facing hunger and starvation.

The UNEP Executive Director also underlined not onlythe threat, but also the opportunity to diversifyeconomies as a result of climate change and via theemerging carbon markets and carbon funds. Clean ener-gy projects, such as wind, off-river hydro and solarpower are beginning to take off in Africa. albeit from alow base. There are now an estimated 100 projects inover 20 countries up and running or in the pipeline.

Mr. Steiner pointed to Kenya, where several hundredmegawatts of geothermal electricity are now beinginstalled in the Rift Valley as representing development,poverty-reduction and alternative employmentprospects for people.

"Kenya has plans to generate 1,300 MW of geothermalelectricity by around 2020. But this is only scratchingthe surface. Kenya is also a windy country - in Turkana,in the north of the country, a private consortium isdeveloping an initial 300 MW of wind energy, follow-ing the Government's introduction of new legislation -equal to around 25 per cent Kenya's current installedenergy capacity," he said. "By some rough estimates, thecountry might have enough windy sites to produce over30 Gigawatts of wind energy for domestic consumptionand export - again alternative livelihoods, new and inno-vative sectors and employment prospects."

On 11 May, UNEP and the Global Environment Facility(GEF) announced they were now working with farmersaround Lake Victoria to begin assessing the preciseamounts of carbon stored by various climate-friendlyland management systems. This may open up theprospect for farmers and agro-foresters to be paid notonly for producing crops, but for "farming" carbon backinto vegetation and soils.

Facts from the reportThe urgent need to evolve Africa's agriculture and econ-omy onto a more sustainable, diversified footing isunderlined in the report:

Invasive pests, weeds, diseases and erosion are cutting yields by up to 50 per cent, leaving onlya small fraction of the potential to be harvested;Africa will need an economic and agricultural revolution greater than the one observed in Asiawithin decades - but without the irrigation watereasily accessible in Asia, with lack of infra-structure, and in the face of greater impacts of climate change and land degradation already happening;The former Green Revolution in Asia was heav-

- ily based upon fertilizer and water from the mighty Himalayas glaciers. These glaciers (which may disappear with climate change) support over half of Asia's cereal production. Such water is not available in Africa.An urgent revolution is needed in green tech-nology to harvest rainwater and to implement much more widespread intercropping systems, which can sustain soils and nutrients, reduce pests and retain water.

The report also shines a light on perhaps one of the leastdiscussed areas: food waste from farms and seas, tourban markets and kitchens. Over half of the global foodproduced today is either lost, wasted or discarded as aresult of inefficiency in the human-managed food chain:

Post-harvest losses of Africa's coastal fisheries and crops range from 25 per cent to as much as50 per cent, leaving only a fraction of the output available for human consumption and marketing;Environmental degradation is jeopardizing the entire platform of food production. Soil erosionalone, accounting for some 1-8 per cent of yield losses globally, ranges from 2-40 per cent(mean >8 per cent) in Africa;By 2050, climate change and water scarcity are likely to cause widespread droughts and unpre-dictable rainfall, accelerate invasive pests like weeds, diseases and locusts, and depress yieldseven further;Droughts have already cost 22-90 per cent loss-es (averaging 40 per cent) of livestock in the past two decades across African countries (where livestock is often very important to rural

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food security), especially on the Horn of Africa,but also in Botswana, Namibia and Niger;Weed infestations and diseases are also cutting yields in some of the poorest and most food insecure regions of sub-Saharan Africa. They have been estimated to reduce already low yields by up to 50 per cent, causing an annual loss of $12.8 billion in yield of eight of Africa'sprincipal crops;Worldwide, 67,000 pest species attack crops: 9,000 insects and mites, 50,000 pathogens and 8,000 weeds. Up to 70 per cent of them are introduced, with major impacts on global food production. For example:

- Across Africa, the Asiatic witchweedis a serious agricultural pest in corn, rice, sorghum and sugar cane, affectingas much as 40 per cent of arable land inthe savannahs. This invasive species stunts maize plant growth by attackingthe roots and sucking out nutrients andwater;- In West Africa the larger grain borer(Prostephanus truncates) is responsiblefor cassava losses of approximately $800 million per year, thereby jeopard-izing food security;- In Tanzania the larger grain borer causes some $91 million in maize loss-es per year;- Crop losses due to introduced insectsin South Africa amount to $ 1.25 billionper year.

In many parts of Africa fertilizer use is only 1-2 kg/ha compared to up to100 kg/ha in other parts of the world, but due to lack of infrastruc-ture and long land transport, fertilizer cost up toseven times more in Africa. A metric tonne of urea costs around $90 in Europe, $120 in the harbour of Mombassa, Kenya, $400 in westernKenya, and over $770 in Malawi. In addition the use of fertilizer can make the farmers extremely vulnerable to volatile oil prices and increase their vulnerability to drought and insect plagues.

Projections of continuing declining yields if no action is

taken will not only depress productivity but also affecturban populations, warns the report. Food prices willincrease by at least 30-50 per cent and perhaps muchmore and will also show greater volatility.

Lack of investment in Africa's agriculture has resultedin a steady setback. In 1992 land productivity in sub-Saharan Africa was 79 per cent that of Asia; by 2006 ithad dropped to only 59 per cent. The only increases ininvestments in the agricultural sector in Africa havebeen the leasing of land by countries such as China, theRepublic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates, SaudiArabia, Japan, Malaysia and India, including for theproduction of bio fuels to support domestic markets athome, outside the African continent.

Africa's share of global exports also remained less thanthree per cent in the last decade. For every $100 of agri-cultural output produced in the developed countries, thepublic spends over $2, compared to only around $.50 indeveloping countries, mainly in Asia. In Africa it is evenless - and declining.

However, the report does point to options, in addition tothe ones mentioned above. One is intercropping, whichhas the potential to build resilience against climatechange, pests and diseases. (This is a cultivation methodwhereby many different plants and even trees are grownalong with crops, allowing farmers to access groundwa-ter, reduce evaporation losses and erosion and improvesoils.) This may indeed not only help to halt land degra-dation and restore degraded lands; it can also provide a"smart" way of increasing food security and generatebusiness opportunities, while reducing farmers' vulnera-bility to expensive input factors and international oilprices.

The report emphasizes that not only are more environ-mentally sustainable production methods essential formaintaining land productivity and food security, theyalso provide a smart opportunity for generating smallbusiness development, jobs and increased predictabilityin supply. This is essential for generating the incentivesfor small-scale investments and supplying urban mar-kets. But it will require targeted systems for micro-finance.

For more information, please contact: Jim Sniffen, UNEP Information Officer, New York, Tel: 1-212-963-8210; e-mail: sniffenj@un.org

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ASSOCIATION OF FORMER INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVANTS (NEW YORK)

Report on 39th Annual AssemblyUnited Nations Headquarters, Thursday 21 May 2009

By Christine Smith-Lemarchand, Secretary, AFICS (NY)

Call to order. In opening this year's Annual Assembly,AFICS (NY) President Edward Omotoso asked allpresent to rise for a minute of silent prayer or meditationin memory of deceased Association members and UNsystem staff worldwide. The minute was observed.

Welcome. Mr. Omotoso welcomed AFICS membersand introduced the speakers for this year's Assembly:Ambassador Norman Miranda, Chef de Cabinet of thePresident of the UN General Assembly; Ms. NettaAvedon, Chief, Human Resources Services,DM/OHRM representing the Secretary-General andFocal Point for AFICS matters representing theDepartment of Management; Mr. Ibrahim Gambari,Special Adviser to the Secretary-General; Mr. AndrésCastellanos del Corral, President of the Federation ofAssociations of Former International Civil Servants(FAFICS); Mr. Bernard Cochemé, Chief ExecutiveOfficer, UNJSPF and Secretary, UNJSPB; Mr. WarrenSach, ASG, Representative of the Secretary-General forInvestments; Ms. Suzanne Bishopric, Director,Investment Management Service, UNJSPF; Ms. VeraRajic, Chief, UN Insurance and Disbursement Service;Mr. Richard Nottidge, President of the AFICS (NY)Charities Foundation; and Mr. Federico Riesco,Chairperson, Nominating Committee, AFICS (NY).

Message from the President of the 63rd session of theUN General Assembly, H.E. Miguel d'EscotoBrockmann, delivered by Ambassador NormanMiranda, Chef de Cabinet. Ambassador Miranda con-veyed the regrets of the President of the GeneralAssembly who was unable to attend the AnnualAssembly because of previous unavoidable officialcommitments. (See full text of message below.)

Message of the United Nations Secretary-General,H.E. Ban Ki-moon, delivered by Ms. Netta Avedon,Chief, Human Resources Services, OHRM. ThePresident informed the membership that, in the absence

of the Secretary-General who was on his way to SriLanka, and the unavailability of the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Netta Avedon would deliver the Secretary-General's message. (See full text below.)

Expressing the Association's gratitude to the Secretary-General, President Omotoso informed the Assemblythat the Secretary-General had gladly and enthusiasti-cally accepted AFICS (NY)'s offer to become anHonorary Member of the Association. He was alsograteful that the UN Secretariat, under the leadership ofthe Secretary-General and his senior staff, had contin-ued to give strong support to AFICS (NY).

After delivering the Secretary-General's message, Ms.Avedon thanked AFICS members for their excellentcooperation and support as advocates for the UN, quot-ing Winston Churchill's statement that "we make a liv-ing by what we get, we make a life by what we give."She said she looked forward to becoming an AFICSmember in the near future.

Remarks by Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, Special Adviserto the Secretary-General. President Omotoso thenintroduced Mr. Gambari, who reported on the presentsituation of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, Honorary Memberof AFICS (NY) and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize,whom Mr. Gambari had visited a number of times incarrying out his responsibilities as the S-G's SpecialRepresentative on Myanmar issues. As is known, herparty won the elections in 1990 and Aung San Suu Kyishould have become Prime Minister - but the resultswere nullified and she has been under house arrest for15 years. On 14 May 2009, after an uninvited U.S. citi-zen gained access to her home, she was arrested, jailedand put on trial. Mr. Gambari was in touch with theauthorities on this matter and the issue of 1,000 otherdetainees. Until recently Mr. Gambari had been the onlyinternational person able to visit Aung San Suu Kyi.Although she lived under very difficult circumstances,

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she was more concerned about the well-being of herpeople than about herself. She had nothing against themilitary, having herself been born in military barracksas the daughter of a military General. But she believedthe military belonged in the barracks and not in govern-ment. She hoped for peace and reconciliation among herpeople.

President Omotoso expressed the Association's grati-tude to Mr. Gambari for the information he had provid-ed to the Association concerning its esteemed HonoraryMember. On behalf of all members, he wished AungSan Suu Kyi all the best, in the hope that some day inthe not too distant future she might actually physicallyattend one of the Association's events.

Remarks by the President of FAFICS, AndrésCastellanos del Corral. President Omotoso introducedthe new President of FAFICS and AFICS (NY)Honorary Member Andrés Castellanos del Corral andthanked him for his contribution as President of AFICS(NY) from 2003 to 2008. (See text of Mr. Castellanosdel Corral's remarks below.)

President Omotoso recognized the President ofAFICS (Israel) and the Head of the Washington, D.C.chapter of AFICS (NY) who were attending theAssembly.

Annual Report of the Association. President Omotosointroduced members of the Bureau and of the GoverningBoard and reported that, unfortunately, long-timeHonorary Board Member Robert L. Smith had recent-ly passed away, at the age of 97.

Mr. Omotoso was pleased to report that AFICS (NY)now had more than 3,600 members. He drew attentionto the reports on the work of the Board's variousStanding Committees, which had been published in thecurrent issue of the AFICS Bulletin, and took the oppor-tunity to commend Editor Mary Lynn Hanley and othersfor the recent significant improvements in the publica-tion's quality and presentation. He encouraged membersto send contributions for inclusion in future Bulletins.FAFICS had designated AFICS (NY) as a focal point foradvocacy for the UN and the Bulletin will be used forstrong advocacy of the mission, objectives and activitiesof the UN and its system of organizations. A new web-site, under construction over the past several months,and just been launched. As at times the need arose toreach members quickly, he encouraged all to providetheir e-mail addresses for this purpose, noting that some

80 per cent had already done so and stressing that mem-bers' e-mail addresses would be kept confidential.

The President announced that AFICS (NY) was seekinga Treasurer and a Deputy Treasurer and asked for volun-teers with relevant experience. He further announcedthat Ms. Paula Saddler and Mr. Sergei Shishkin hadagreed to serve as auditors for AFICS (NY). TheAssembly approved their nominations.

A member, Mr. Puran Sharma, offered to work in theTreasury.

Pension Matters. Chief Executive Officer, UNJSPBand Secretary, UNJSPB Bernard Cochemé gave anupdate of Fund activities. Mr. Cochemé indicated thatthe long-term performance of the Pension Fund wasvery good. Although the value of the Fund haddecreased substantially in 2008 and during the firstquarter of 2009, the Fund did not have liquidity issuesas income continued to surpass disbursements given theincrease in the number of active staff members and withthat, annual interest and dividend income. He referredmembers to his annual letter and quarterly reports oninvestments and other documents available on thePension Fund website <www.unjspf.org>. Hard copieswere available at UNJSPF offices in New York andGeneva.

Mr. Warren Sach, Representative of the Secretary-General for Investments, indicated that the Fund hadbeen rebalancing assets, focusing on balancing risks andreturns. Management had been strengthened: thePension Fund had joined SWIFT, the number of custo-dian banks had been increased and new software hadbeen introduced to evaluate market risks. He yielded thefloor to the Director of the Pension Fund InvestmentManagement Service, Ms. Suzanne Bishopric whospoke about assets allocations and the trend towards anequity portfolio.

Their presentations were followed up with a number ofquestions from members relating to the current status ofthe investment portfolio.

Insurance Matters. Ms. Vera Rajic, Chief of theInsurance and Disbursement Service, updated themembership on insurance issues. She noted that premi-ums for the Van Breda plan increased by 5 per cent on 1January 2009. Although the UN was trying to containcosts, there would be increases in the premiums formost plans at the time of renewal: 5.6 per cent for

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AETNA, 14.20 per cent for Empire Blue Cross/BlueShield and 12.9 per cent for HIP. There would be noincrease in the premiums for CIGNA, the dental plan.The UN would be switching from PPO (PreferredProvider Organization) to POS (Point of Service) to bemore in line with other programmes. She pointed outthat the change should have very little impact on theability of members to choose their own providers. TheActive Health Program introduced in December 2008 toimprove health management and lower health insurancecosts had proven very successful and she encouragedmembers to look at it. Progress was made toward theimplementation of the Medicare Part B agreementreached in 2005 and it was hoped that it would be imple-mented shortly. Medicare Part B would be available toanyone who had been a legal U.S. resident for fiveyears. A report of funding for ASHI would be submittedto the 64th session of the General Assembly.

Report of the President of the AFICS (NY) CharitiesFoundation, O. Richard Nottidge. The Presidentreferred members to the AFICS (NY) StandingCommittees reports published in the latest issue of theBulletin and indicated that the financial statementswould appear in the next issue. He thanked those whohad contributed to the annual appeal. PresidentOmotoso noted that, as of that date, the annual appealhad generated contributions of over $7,000 from 149members. He thanked them for their donations.

Results of the Election to the AFICS (NY) GoverningBoard, reported by Federico Riesco, Chair,Nominating Committee. On behalf of the NominatingCommittee Mr. Riesco announced the six winning can-didates ranked according to the number of votes eachhad obtained. Elected as members of the Board for theperiod 2009-2012 were:

• Lola Costa-Esnard• Anthony Fouracre• Fernando Astete• Beatrice Frankard-Little• Stafford Mousky • Miguel Arnabal

Other Business. UNA-USA member Marcia Brewstercalled for collaboration between AFICS (NY) and theUNA-USA. President Omotoso confirmed that thiswould be very useful and said avenues for such collab-oration, especially on advocacy for the work of the UN,would be explored with the new President of UNA-USA.

Adjournment. There being no further business, themeeting was adjourned. Members proceeded to theUnited Nations Ex-Press Bar for the Association'sAnnual Reception.

MESSAGE OF H. E. MIGUEL D'ESCOTO BROCKMANN,PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

(Delivered by Ambassador Norman Miranda, Chef de Cabinet)

I am pleased to deliver the following statement on behalf of the President of the General Assembly, FatherMiguel d'Escoto Brockmann, who, due to a previous long-standing engagement, could not join us here today.

AFICS President Omotoso … Ladies and Gentlemen …Dear Friends,

Thank you for inviting me to participate in the 39thAnnual Assembly of the Association of FormerInternational Civil Servants in New York. We know howmuch the strength and vitality of the United Nationsdepends on its staff. I also believe that the staff memberswho have retired from the Organization must continueto be valuable resources and advocates for its ongoingwork. AFICS is key to ensuring their continuinginvolvement.

I am impressed by your dedication and loyalty to theUnited Nations, as demonstrated by your work inAFICS and your presence here today. As former offi-cials of the Secretariat of the United Nations and its sys-tem of organizations, your commitment to and advoca-cy for the values and principles enshrined in the UnitedNations Charter help to generate confidence in theUnited Nation in societies around the world.

I salute the work of the AFICS Honorary Members ofthe Association, your Governing Board and all membersas a whole. But these are very difficult times and we

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need your solidarity more than ever. I encourage you tostep up your advocacy efforts as valued representativesof the United Nations community here and elsewhere.

We are all aware that the international standing of theUnited Nations has been tarnished in recent years. Arecent Gallup poll indicated that public confidence inthe Organization in the U.S. has fallen to an unprece-dented low of 26 per cent. While this may be partly dueto the relentless campaign to diminish the importance ofmultilateralism over the past decade, I am concernedthat public opinion in the Arab world, for example, isalso at a low ebb.

Clearly we need to do a better job of telling the story ofthe United Nations, advancing its principles and sup-porting its invaluable work everywhere. The best way toraise people's opinion is to strengthen the Organizationand ensure its relevance to all people.

Since I assumed my presidency of the sixty-third ses-sion of the General Assembly, I have pressed for astronger General Assembly in keeping with the authori-ty that was mandated in the Charter, but which has beensteadily eroded over the decades.

This requires both institutional change and a change inattitude of Member States themselves. The revitaliza-tion of the Assembly goes hand-in-hand with thedemocratization of the Security Council and our relatedBretton Woods institutions as well. I believe we havereached a point - compounded by the confluence ofcrises that are threatening our very survival as a species- where a transformation is not only possible but essen-tial.

Clearly those governments that are accustomed to con-trolling the work of the Organization are reluctant torelinquish their power and privilege. For this reason, wemust build an irresistible campaign for change. Just asthe Assembly needs to be more proactive and involved,organizations like AFICS must search out meaningfulpartnerships with Member States, civil society and theprivate sector. You all have an important role to play andby joining forces will be more effective.

We need to streamline our work and enhance system-wide coherence so that we make the best use of ourhuman resources and limited funding. This meansensuring that the independence and integrity of ourinternational civil servants are defended with clarity andcourage. This happens in large ways and small. This ses-sion of the Assembly has adopted measures to stream-line the types of contracts given to international civilservants to bring them in line with the current global sit-uation and demands of work at the United Nations.

It is vital that the experience and knowledge that youhave gained throughout your careers at the UnitedNations is shared with new generations of internationalcivil servants. We are counting on you to step forward todefend the integrity of the Organization and help yourcolleagues defend their rights and shield their dignitydespite the unending campaigns to malign their hardwork.

Your solidarity and mentorship are sources of energyand courage for UN colleagues and UN supporterseverywhere. I understand that your efforts are often notfully appreciated but let me congratulate you on yourachievements thus far. I wish you a fruitful AnnualAssembly and continued success in the years ahead.

MESSAGE OF H.E. BAN KI-MOONUNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL

(Delivered by Ms. Netta Avedon, Chief, Human Resources Services, OHR)

It gives me great pleasure to send greetings to all whohave gathered for the annual meeting of the Associationof Former International Civil Servants.

You gather at a time when the world faces a number ofserious multiple crises. In the blink of an eye, we haveseen a housing crisis in the United States turned into thebiggest global economic crisis in the history of the

United Nations. Our world is warming faster than theworld's top scientists had forecast. We face a possiblecascade of nuclear proliferation, as well as extremismand terrorism. If we fail to deal effectively with thesecrises, there is a real prospect of instability and insecu-rity as governments are weakened, and as people losefaith in their leaders and their own futures.

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Some of these challenges are new, of course. But prac-ticed hands such as you will surely recognize others, orat least aspects of them or the factors that link them.Like my predecessors as Secretary-General, I have beenstressing the need for global solidarity in addressingthese challenges. I have been calling on Member Statesto take multilateralism to the next level. I want to see anew multilateralism take hold - one that is focused ondelivering global goods such as health, education, free-dom from hunger, peace. A multilateralism that com-bines power with pragmatic principle. And one whoseinstruments of service - the United Nations above all -

have the authority and the funding needed to do the jobsasked of them.

UN staff are of course my main allies in carrying outthat vision. But I continue to rely on the achievements,wisdom and institutional memory of those who camebefore - former civil servants such as you, whose formalcareers with the Organization may have ended but whoremain vital members of the UN community. Thank youfor your service, and for staying in touch with theOrganization and with each other. Please accept my bestwishes for a memorable gathering.

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION OF ASSOCIATIONSOF FORMER INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVANTS (FAFICS),

ANDRÉS CASTELLANOS DEL CORRAL

First of all, I wish to thank the President of AFICS(NY), our esteemed colleague Mr. Edward Omotoso,and the members of the Governing Board for your kindinvitation to FAFICS to take part in your programmethrough my remarks as its President.

Indeed, it is a privilege and an honour as well as aresponsibility for me to continue the admirable workcarried out by my seven predecessors. Each left a con-tinuing legacy in the consolidation and strengthening ofthe Federation as a result of their respective presiden-cies, some of shorter duration than others. MargaretBruce, Aamir Ali, George Saddler and Witold Zyss con-tinue to be available and always ready to provide theirknowledge and support to FAFICS, as necessary. Today,two of them are here with us, Margaret Bruce andGeorge Saddler, to whom I pay tribute. FAFICS madespecial recognition of Mrs. Bruce last December on theoccasion of the 60th Anniversary of the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights, requesting all MemberAssociations to commemorate the event, for which themessage by the UN Secretary-General was circulated.Mrs. Bruce is perhaps the only former UN staff memberalive who worked with Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt inpreparing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In retrospect, one can observe that long gone are thedays when the representatives of the retirees were noteven allowed to sit in the conference room of thePension Board. Then came the years when FAFICS rep-resentatives were accepted as observers, which lasteduntil full representation and access were finally granted.

Today, as has now been the case for several years,FAFICS is recognized as the representative voice of theretirees and beneficiaries of the United Nations JointStaff Pension Fund. We participate in that capacity inthe work of the Joint Staff Pension Board and itsStanding Committee and, although not yet a votingmember (as we should be), FAFICS enjoys all the otherrights of members, participating actively in their work,and in all committees and working groups set up by theBoard, for example, the current Audit Committee andthe new Working Group on Plan Design. Similarly, wemaintain a continuing dialogue with the Secretary andCEO of the Pension Fund Secretariat, Mr. BernardCochemé, and its staff in both New York and Geneva.

I wish to thank Mr. Cochemé and his staff for theirreceptivity and disposition to help in resolving all issuesdrawn to their attention by either FAFICS and/or itsMember Associations on matters affecting groups' orindividuals' pensions and benefits of the retiree commu-nity. We know that at times there are valid complaintsconcerning delays in finding solutions, but the opennessand resolute willingness of the fund to resolve mattersis much appreciated.

Moreover, thanks to the courtesy of the Secretariat ofthe Pension Fund, Member Associations of FAFICS andgroups of retirees trying to establish and/or to enhancean association in their countries, are able to secure let-ters of invitation addressed to all beneficiaries of pen-sions in their location through the Fund, which holdsrecipients names and addresses.

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FAFICS presently has 42 Member Associations. Thatnumber is expected to grow, with associations inBangladesh, Cameroon, Mauritius and the Philippinesexpected to be admitted by the FAFICS Council in July,and those in Senegal and Ukraine also pending. FAFICShas likewise been taking steps to encourage the estab-lishment of associations in such countries as Belgium,China, Fiji, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Fiji and therest of the Pacific islands, to cite just a few.

In Vienna, the forthcoming session of the FAFICSCouncil will have on its agenda a wide range of issues,inter alia, the pension adjustment system; the fullrestoration of the pending 0.5 per cent to our pensions,which continues to be one of our paramount priorities;and the question of the discrepancies between the offi-cial data submitted by governments on cost-of-livingincreases and the decline in the purchasing power ofpensions. The Council will also look at the recent dis-crepancies between the indices used in the United Statesfor annual increases in Social Security and those usedfor pensions; the issue of taxation on UN pensions; bankcharges on UN pensions; and the situation of the formerUNJSPF participants from the former USSR, UkrainianSSR and Byelorussian SSR. Other issues to be exam-ined will include reports on the status of After-ServiceHealth Insurance Plans; FAFICS representation atmeetings and activities as an NGO in consultative statuswith ECOSOC; and last, but not least, a review of advo-cacy for the ideals and work of the UN system by

Member Associations, which FAFICS is committed topromote. It should also be noted that this year we will devote afull morning during the Council session to a meetingwith the Secretary/CEO of the Pension Fund and the UNSecretary General's representative for investments.Presentations by these officials on the status and gover-nance of the fund, and on investments, as per theirrespective responsibilities, will be followed by a periodof questions and answers.

We in FAFICS are following with keen interest and con-cern the status of our Pension Fund. The defined bene-fits character of the Fund's plan has proved to be aneffective Noah's Ark in the middle of the financial crisisdeluge. We must continue protecting it as such.Regarding After-Service Health Insurance (ASHI), weare also very concerned. Last November, we made rep-resentations regarding the safeguarding of the rights ofretirees for a protected ASHI in a letter to the UNSecretary-General, in his capacity as head of the UNsystem's Chief Executive Board for Coordination(CEB). We look forward to the active and constructiveparticipation of AFICS (NY) at the coming Council ses-sion in July in Vienna.

Today, FAFICS wishes you a very successful AnnualAssembly and congratulates you on arranging thisevent. Again, my thanks for the opportunity to addressyou.

39th Annual Assemblyof AFICS (NY) meetsat UN Headquarters.

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Scenes from reception at Ex-Press Bar followingAFICS (NY) 39th Annual Assembly.

- 14 -

NEW AFICS (NY) WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING

The new AFICS (NY) website is now up and running! Itcan be accessed at <http://www.un.org/other/afics/>.Totally revamped through the concentrated efforts andguidance of our 1st Vice President, Linda Saputelli andour President, Edward Omotoso, the website is designednot only to give members up-to-date and useful infor-mation about AFICS concerns and activities but to safe-guard the privacy of any individuals whose names arementioned therein.

As you will see, in addition to information about ourAssociation and its Governing Board, StandingCommittees, Charities Foundation and Membership, itincludes copies of our By-Laws and other documents,recent AFICS (NY) Bulletins, a Photo Gallery and con-tact information for UN offices and services that may be

of interest to retirees. There is also a link to a little book-let that contains specific information about the taxationof UN pensions in the USA, including partial taxexemption, which we understand is of interest to many.There are also links to the UN Journal and other UNsources of information that may be useful for advocacywork.

We plan to continue improving and updating the site, forexample adding additional useful contact points for var-ious UN organizations and services. To help in thiseffort, we are seeking volunteers with knowledge ofHTML. If you are interested please contact the AFICS(NY) Office by phone (212 963-2943) or E-mail (< afics@un.org>).

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee on Aging

A SEMINAR ON FITNESS

is pleased to invite you to

A SEMINAR ON FITNESS

entitled

""LLeett''ss GGeett aa MMoovvee OOnn""

Thursday, 30 April 2009 at 2.30 p.m.

Labouisse Hall of UNICEF House

in

East 44th Street near First AvenueNew York

"Let's Get a Move On" was the subject of a seminar onfitness organized by the Committee on Aging under theleadership of its able Chairwoman, Helen Geffen Roht,who also served as moderator.

Introducing the subject to an enthusiastic audience seatedat tables arranged café-style around the edges ofLabouisse Hall, UNICEF House, Ms. Roht stressed theimportance of staying physically active no matter whatyour age, noting that many different kinds of exercise arepossible.

To set the scene, Ms. Roht introduced "The ExerciseFreak" (played by Mary Lynn Hanley), who elicited sym-pathetic laughter as she recounted some success in herefforts to stay fit in old age by adopting a diet based onred wine and calorie restriction - but then lamented hertotal failure to find a suitable exercise regime, having metwith only a leg injury, sprained thumb and broken toe inher stabs at aerobics, treadmill exercise and weight train-ing.

Proving that exercise need not be strenuous to be benefi-cial was Mr. Patrick Rawlins, an instructor at New York-Presbyterian - The University Hospital of Columbia andCornell, who has been teaching and motivating older

- 15 -

adults for the past 16 years. Urging the audience tomove along with him, he aptly demonstrated the ele-ments of a non-punitive workout, including warm-up,alignment, low impact aerobics to get the heart rate upand burn calories, stretch and balance work to strength-en your bones and muscles, chair yoga and finally, cool-down and relaxation.

Next, members of the UNSRC Ballroom Dance Club,led by instructor Marc Labelle, were cheered on by theaudience as they showed off their impressive Foxtrot

and Tango steps, obviously enjoying themselves verymuch. Eager to join in the fun, some audience membersaccepted the invitation to join in a whirl around thedance floor.

Finally, Ms. Carolyn Perkins, who has taught Tai ChiChih for 14 years, including a class at the UN, led ademonstration of several moves that are a part of thisancient Chinese technique to promote the flow of posi-tive energy throughout the body, bringing many to theirfeet to try out the routines along with her.

* * *

Exercise Classes with Patrick Rawlins are held onMondays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.at HealthOutreach, 420 East 76th Street (between Firstand York Avenues). Medical clearance is required inorder to participate. For more information, includingcost, call 212-746-4351.

The UNSRC Ballroom Dance Club welcomes retireesto its Dancersize, Foxtrot/Cha Cha Cha, Salsa,Argentine Tango and Rumba/Swing Classes heldTuesday - Friday at the UN Secretariat, 40th Floor; or atthe DC-1 Building, Third Floor Lounge, during lunch

hours or in the evening. Costs for retirees are only $25for a 6-week session or $5 for a single-class drop-in. Forschedule and/or further information contact Tamara Lee(Tel: 963-2831; e-mail: <leet@un.org>) or MarcLabelle (Tel: 963-0890; e-mail: <labelle@un.org>).

Tai Chi Chih classes are held at noon on Tuesdays.Contact the AFICS (NY) Secretariat for further infor-mation (Room DC I-580; Tel: 212 963-2943; E-mail:afics@un.org).

MLH

Membership Committee

NEW MEMBERS

As noted in our April Bulletin, our membership hasgreatly increased since our last list of new members waspublished in our October 2008 issue. Below is a listthose who joined our Association between October2008 and May 2009. We extend a warm welcome to allof these new members!

At the same time, we invite all members to join one or

more of the Committees of the AFICS (NY) GoverningBoard - Aging… Legal… Membership… NGORelations and Information… Outreach… Pension…Social. All offer opportunities to strengthen the work ofour Association on behalf of UN system retirees, as wellas for interaction with fellow members. If interestedplease contact the AFICS (NY) office: Tel: (212) 963-2943; E-mail: afics@un.org.

Ms Eileen Faith AARONSUNHQ Admin Asst.

Ms. Sahir ABDUL-HADIUNFPA Sr. Tech. Advisor

Ms. Samsiah ABDUL-MAJIDUN/OHRM Sr. H.R. Officer

Mr. Kamal ABOU-HAMDAUNHSO Senior Consultant

Mrs. Zewdei ABRAHAMUNDP Africa Bureau

Mr. George ABRAHAMUNHQ Secretary

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Mrs. Julia ABULARACHWHO/PAHO Secretary

Mr. Joseph ACAKPO-SATCHIVIUNGA, Secretary, Fifth Committee

Mrs. Freda Y.A. AGBODOWidow of Hobli C. Agbodo

* Mr. Rashid AHMADILO CTA, Agricultural Coop Project, Botswana

Mr. Salahuddin AHMEDWFP/ASG Deputy Executive Director

* Mr. Manzoor AHMEDUNICEF Director, Japan

Ms. Elvira C. AJEROUNFPA

Mr. Joe AKAKPO-MARTINUNHQ Conference Services Publishing

* Ms. Susan ALBERIUNICEF Chief of Operations

Mr. Frank ALBERTUN Office of Drug & Crime Control Representative

Mr. Iftikhar ALIUNMIK Regional Information Officer

Mr. Naji AL-JEZRAWIESCWA

Mr. Ronald ALLENDORFERICAO/TCB Chief Technical Advisor

Dr. Antoinette AL-MULLAUNODC Criminologist

Dr. Dessalegn AMANUDPKO Missions Chief Finance Officer

Mr. Pedro B. AMOLATWFP Programme Officer

Mr. Mohammad Aslam ANSARIITU Head, Asia and Pacific Div.

* Mr. Kennedy APOEUNMIK Civil Affairs Officer

Ms. Rose ARELLANOUNHQ Personal assistant

Mrs. M. Carmen ARNABALUNHQ Spanish Editor

Mrs. Luz ARNAOUN/DPI

* Ms. Mahnoush H ARSANJANIUN/COD/OLA Director

Mr. Kefelegn T. ASRATUNHCR

Ms. Tsegereda ASSEBEUNHCR R.H. Officer

Mrs. Tin Tin AYEUNDP Legal Secretary

Mr. Tilahun AYELEECA Building Management Chief

Mr. Revathi BALAKRISHNANFAO Senior Officer

Ms. Lourdes BELENUNDP Compensation Specialist

Mr. Abdelkrim BEN HABIBUN Reviser

Ms. Nancy BERINSTEINWHO/PAHO Chief, Fellowships Office

Mr. Guido BERTUCCIUN/DPADM/DESA Director

Mrs. Jeanette BESOSAUNICEF Budget Assistant

Mr. Keith BLYTHEICAO Chief Tech. Advisor

Mr. Manuel BOBENRIETHWHO/PAHO Medical Director

- 17 -

* Dr. Victor H. BOLADOICAO Project Manager

Dr. Lydia Simone BONDWHO/PAHO Reg. Adv., Prevention AIDS/STD/HIV

Mr. Clemente BORJAInventory Clerk

Mr. Edwin BOWENUN Compressor Room Operator

* Mrs. Nancy BRIGHTSpouse of WHO Admin. Officer

Mrs. Paula BROWNUNRWA Director

* Ms. Lois BYRNE-JONESUNFPA Admin Assoc.

Ms. Maria E. CAICEDO NUZZIUN Assistant Supervisor

Mrs. Sandra CAMPBELLUNDP Admin. Asst.

Ms. Hazel CARASCOUN Legal Assistant

Ms. Norma CARISUNFICYP Asst. Personnel Officer

Mr. Thomas R. CARTERFAO

Mr. Kenrick CATOUN Secretariat Security Sgt.

Mr. Debidas CHAKRABORTYFAO Project Manager

Mrs. Julie CHANUNHQ Statistician

* Mrs. Yong-Hee CHANGWHO, spouse of Mr. Chang

Mr. Wen-Yi CHANGUN Senior Translator/Secretariat Conf.

Mr. Kwen CHENUN Deputy Director, Legal Office

Ms. Florence CHENOWETHFAO Director, NY Liaison Office

Mrs. Mary CHERIFUN/DPI/DHL, Chief, Electronic Resources Dev.

Ms. Jennifer CHOY-KEEUNDP Human Resources Specialist

Mr. Richard CHURCHUNDP Dep. Res. Rep.

Mr. Kesler CLERMONTUNESCO Director

Dr. Sorie CONTEHUNHQ/DPKO/PAO

Mrs. Luce Micheline CONWAY-HICKSUN Conference Room Officer

* Mr. Jules CORWINUN/ACABQ, Exec. Secretary

Ms. Aline COUSINEAUUN Centre for Human Rights

Ms. Cecile CUFFLEYUNFPA Chief, Office of Ex. Director

Mr. Michael CUSTYWHO Personnel Officer

Mr. Bamidele DADAFAO/ADG

Mr. Victor D'AMATOUN/FMDPES Supervisor, Maintenance

Mr. Lucio D'ANDREAECE Deputy Director

Mrs. Nasim DARUGERUNICEF

Mr. Hamilton DAVIDUN/ECA Statistical Officer

- 18 -

Mrs. Mary DAYWHO/PAHO

Ms. Beatrice DE MARCOSpouse of Jori De Marco

Mr. Alberto B. DE LA ROSAUNDSS Security Advisor

Ms. Srimali DE MELUN

Mr. Allan-Patrick DE MONTAGNACUNHQ

* Mr. Roger De WEEVERUNHQ/FPD/DFS Communication Officer

Mrs. Remedios DeLEONUNHQ Accounting

* Mrs. Dorothy DICKERUN Secretary

* Mrs. Huong DOUN Interpreter

Ms. Patricia DOELGERUNHQ Graphic Artist

Ms. Susan E. DORFMANWHO/PAHO Accounting

Mrs. Mariame DRABO-FOFANAUNDP Communications Associate, Burkina Faso

* Mr. Elmi DUALEHWHO Rep.

* Mrs. Surachanee DUELTGENUN First Officer (Accountant)

Dr. Jack EBLENWHO/OMS Scientist/Epidemiologist

Mr. Jay ERSTLINGWIPO Director

Ms. Angelina A. ESPINAL DE RUSSOWHO/PAHO

Ms. Flora EUGENEUN/DSS, Pass & ID Unit

Mr. Manuel FAJARDO, JR.UN/OLA/OLC

Mrs. Mercedes FAJARDO, JR.UN/OLA

Mrs. Ellen FASANOUN/MECD/OIOS, Chief, Monitoring & Inspsection

* Mr. Oscar R. FERNANDEZUNICEF Systems Analyst

* Ms. Maria FERRADASUN Secretariat Translator

Mr. Richard FIGUEROAUNDP Comm. Supervisor

Mr. Andrei FILOTTIUN/DTCD Technical Advisor

Ms. Mary FISKUN/OHCHR Senior Advisor

Ms. Marlene FLECHNERUN/ORES

Mrs. Ann FRANCISSpouse of William Francis, UNDP/UNCDF Dir.

Mr. Andrew FRANKLINUNICEF Senior Policy Advisor

* Ms. Vivian GARCIAUN Benefit Asst. Supervisor

Mr. Jacob GEORGEUNHQ Editorial

Ms. Nicky GEORGEOUUNICEF Admin.

Dr. Myriam GERSENOVICWHO/PAHO Regional Advisor

Mr. James A. GILLCRISTIAEA Chief, Computer Service

- 19 -

* Dr. Stella GOINGSUNICEF Sr. Project Officer

Mr. Jose GOLFARINIUNHQ/MSA

Mr. Walter GOREUNDP Director, Finance & Administration

* Christina GORHAMUN/DPA Social Sciences

Dr. Foster B. HAMBLINFAO Project Manager

Mrs. Alia HAMDANUN Language Reference

* Ms. Gennet B. HAMPOUNDP Admin.

Mr. Anthony Bruce HARLANDUNDP Acting Asst. Admin. & Director

Mr. Frank HARTVELTUNDP Dir., Water, Waste Mgmt. & Aquatic Env.

Ms. Fumie HASHIMOTOUN Website

* Mrs. Jacqueline HASPILUNHQ Editorial

Mrs. Maria HAUGAARDFAO (Rome), Spouse of Retiree

Dr. Ruth HAYWARDUNICEF Sr. Advisor/End Gender Violence

* Mr. Warren Soewarno HEROWANTOUNHQ Programmer

Mr. Julio HERRERAUNICEF Programme Officer

* Mr. Carlyse HESSICUNDP DRR, Indonesia

Ms. Marcia HILLUNHQ Interpreter

* Mr. Lars HJELMQUISTUN Security Officer

Mr. Norman HOLDERUNHQ Archival

Mrs. Lilly HOLLANDER

Ms. Patricia HONGUNICEF Sr. Admin. Asst.

Ms. Noreen HORANUN/ETPU

Mr. James HUANGUNDP Technician

Mr. Fook-Fai HUENUN Senior Reviser

Mrs. Maria Rebeca HUERTAWidow of Dr. Ruperto Huerta

Mr. Syed Munir HUSSAINUNDP Accounts

* Ms Mary HUSSEINUN Administrative

Mr. Paul HUYGELENUN Economic Affairs Officer

* Ms. Norma IBRAHIMUN Editorial

Ms. Sheela S. IYERUN Clerk/Receptionist

Mr. Henning Holst JENSENUNHQ Chief, Graphic Arts Dept.

Mr. Garland W. JOHNSONUNHQ Supervisor, Local Transport

* Ms. Carol JOSEPHUNMIL Personnel

Mrs. Leah JOSIAHUNDP Snr. Programme Assistant

- 20 -

Mrs. Diane JUMETUNHQ Special Advisor, Asian-African LegalConsultative Org., Perm. Observer Mission

* Ms. Vasantha KANDIAHUN/DESA Chief, Population Branch

Mr. Paul KAZAROVUN/DGACM

* Mr. Adhiratha KEEFEUNFPA Records & Archive Management Specialist

Ms. Matilde KELLYWHO/PAHO

Ms. Mary-Allison KENNEDYUN

Mrs. Vijaya L. KESAVALUWHO Senior Malaria Advisor

Mr. Muhammed Hanif KHANUNESCWA Regional Advisor

Mr. Abdur Razzaque KHAN

Dr. Uner KIRDARUNDP Senior Advisor to the Administrator

Mr. Julio KLASTORNICK

Mr. David J. KLEINUN Editor

Ms. June KNESLIAEA Liaison Officer

Ms. Sheila KOLODNY

Ms Aena Louise KONDEWHO Regional Advisor

Mr. Pichumani KRISHNAMOORTHYUNDP Programme Assistant

Mr. Yiu Chiu William KWANUNDP/MPU Deputy Chief

Mr. Roy LAISHLEYUN/DPI Deputy Director

* Mrs. Sandra LANDWHO Regional Advisor, Local Health Services

Ms. Nicole LANNEGRACEUNHQ/AED/DPA Deputy Director

Mrs. Sophie LANOIXSpouse of Retiree

Mrs. Elizabeth LARAUNHQ Editor

Dr. Roberto LAVALLEGuatemalan Mission to the UN

Mrs. Yoh-ok LEEUNFPA Chief, Administrative Branch

Mr. Hung Jung LEEUN Senior Translator

Ms. Sau Sze Florence LEEUN/ODA Sr. Pol. Affairs Officer

Mr. Yaw-Tsong LEEUN Secretariat

* Dr. Kyung-Sik (Yang) LEEWHO

Dr. Judith LEWISWFP Director, USA Relations

Mr. Wuu LIN

Dr. Rexford LORDWHO/PAHO

Mrs. Lilliam C. LOWESpouse of UN Retiree

Mr. Ruben MADUROUN/MOPS Senior Supervisor

Mr. Rafat MAHDIUNDP Senior Advisor

* Ms. Elene MAKONNENUNECA Principal Advisor, Addis Ababa

Mr. Chandra MALIKUNDP Senior Prog. Mgr./Dep. Chief, RBA

- 21 -

Ms. Anna MALONEUN Spouse of Mr. Albert Malone, Maintenance

Ms. Marilyn MANUELUNHQ Personal Assistant

Mrs Haydee MARAMARAUNDP Travel Associate

Mr. Shurland MARKUN Security Inspector

Mr. Morris MARTINWidower of UN retiree

Ms. Iluminada G. MARTINEZUNHQ

Mrs. Sabina MASCARENHASUNDP Personnel Specialist

Mr. Lloyd MATHESONUN

Mr. Mark MATTHEWSWHO Director of Aministration

Mrs. Ann J.J. MAZZOLINIUNOG Admin.

* Ms. Janet McCORMACKUN Telecom

Mr. Gary McGILLICUDDYUNDP Managing Partner/Global Counsulting Service

* Mr. John A McGREEVYUNHQ Security Captain

* Mr. Alastair McLURGUNESCO

Mrs. Rose McQUADESpouse of UN Retiree

Mr. David Edward MECHESKIIAEA Nuclear Safeguards Inspector

* Mr. Alberto L. MEDEROSUNICEF/DFM/Accounts

* Mrs. Hanifa MEZOUIUN/DESA, Chief, NGO Section

* Ms. Barbara Masciangelo MILLERUN Chief of Unit

Ms. Joan Ellen MILLERUN Secretary of Panel/Documentation

Mr. Robert MILLETTUNHQ Conf. Service Supervisor

Mrs. Inga-Britta MILLSUN

Ms. C. Ofelia MIRANDAUN Admin.

Ms. Barbara MIRANDAUNHQ Senior General Assembly Officer

* Mr. Barry MIRKINUNFPA Chief, Populatioin Policy Sec.

* Ms. Arlene MITCHELLWFP Division Director

* Mr. James MOHAN, Jr.UNICEF Representative

Mrs. Claudette K. MONTESUN Technical Specialist

Mr. Felipe De Jesus MONTESUNHQ Chief, Spanish Verbatim Section

Mrs. Phyllis A. MOORE-JOHNSON

Mrs. Consejo R. MORELOSUNDP Consultant

Mrs. Rosa MORRISUN Records

Mr. Lalan MUBIALAUNFPA Senior Advisor

* Mr. Brian MULLADYUNMOVIC Director, Tech. Support

Mr. Badar MUNIRFAO Chief Tech. Advisor

- 22 -

* Mr. Tun MYATUN/WFP/ASG

* Mrs. Hannah NAKHSHAB

Ms. Zarine NANDANUN Editor, UN Chronicle

Mrs. Noemi NAZARIOUNOPS Manager, Loan Administration Unit

Ms. Linda NEHFUNDP Purchase

Mr. James C. NGOBIUNHQ Director, DPA

* Mr. Hien T. NGUYENUNICEF

Ms. Naomi NHIWATIWAWHO Director

Dr. Humberto NOVAESWHO Medical Officer

Mr. Lev OBOLENSKYUNCDF Director

Ms. Thelma OCON-SOLORZANOUN Director, UNIC Tokyo

Mr. Manfred ORDELTUN/ICSC Chief, Salaries Allowances

Mr. Guntis OZOLINSWHO Director

Ms. Maria PACCHIONIUN Statistics

Mrs. Susan K. PASQUARIELLAUNFPA Sr. Knowledge Sharing Advisor

Mrs. Edna R. PATENIAUN Accounting

* Mrs. Wing-Yee PAVLOSKYUN/FMSS/DFS Finance Officer

Mr. Macaire PEDANOUUNHQ Director, Political Affairs

Ms. Martha PELAEZWHO/PAHO Regional Advisor

Ms. Linda PERKINUN/SCAAD/DPA Director

Mr. Carl PIKE, Esq.Associate Legal Officer

Mrs. Marie-Lucie PINCHINATUNSO Administration

Mr. David E. PITTUNICEF Chief Writer

Ms. Zoila POIREUN Personal Assistant

Ms. Petra J. POUTSMAUNDP/UNCDF Prog. Specialist

* Ms. Agatha PRATTUNICEF Chief, Child Survival Development

* Mrs. Claire-Lise PRESELUNESCO Editor

Ms. Jennifer PRINCEUNDP Editorial Associate

Mr. Sangobpai PROMAKULUNICEF Assistant Prog. Officer

Mrs. Atchara PROMAKULUNICEF Senior Secretary

Mr. Tran-Le QUANGUNDP/Amman Project Manager

Mr. Robert QUINNUN Chief Finance Officer, Peace Keeping Mission

Mr. Ajmal QURESHIUN/FAO Representative

* Ms. Linda C. RAMDEENUNFPA/APRO Programme Associate

Ms. Marie RAMOSUNHQ

- 23 -

Dr. M.K. RAOUNDP/ITU Senior Expert

Mrs. Mirdula RATHORUNHQ/MINURSO Police Commissioner

Mr. Gillman REBELLOUNDP/UNOPS Portfolio Manager

Mr. Krish Vemi REDDYFAO Senior CPO

Ms. Nirwala REDDYUN/DPKO Political Affairs Officer

Ms. Cecilia RICAFRENTEUNDP Executive Associate

Ms. Ingrid ROBBINSUN Personal Assistant

Mr. Gary O. ROBINSONWHO Management Specialist

Mr. Jacques ROCHELUN

Mr. Rudy RODRIGUESUNICEF Country Representative

* Ms. Anne ROGERSUN/DESA Senior Economist

* Ms. Patarachit RUYAPHORNUNDP/OHR

Mrs. Rita SABBARESEUN

Dr. George SADOWSKY

Mr. Rodolfo F. SAENZWHO/PAHO Environment Reg. Advisor

Ms. Julia SALAZARUN Procurement Asst.

Mrs. Marie SALDIVARUNFPA

Dr. Mohammad SALEEMUN/DESD, Project Planning Advisor

Mrs. Madeleine SALEMIFAD Africa Div.

* Ms. Marie-Pilar SANTOCCHIAUN Chief, French Interpretation

* Mr. Michael SARSARUNHQ Documents Control Officer

* Mrs. Junko SATOUN/DPI Section Chief

Mrs. Mary SAUNDERSUN Adm.

Ms. Flora SCOTTUNFPA Kowledge Sharing

* Mr. Stirling SCRUGGSUNFPA Director for External Relations

Mr. Norman SELTZERUN/PES/BMS Glazier

Mr. Walter SHEARERUN Secretariat Deputy Chief/Senior Economic AffairsOfficer

* Mr. Sergei SHISHKINUN Section Chief

* Mr. Angel SILVAUNFIP Chief, Admin.

Mr. José SILVIOUNESCO Programme Coordinator

Ms. Kowkab SIMAANUNDP/RBEC Executive Asst.

Mr. José SOBRINO DIEGUEZUNIC Director, Panama

Mr. Gaudencio R. SOLIVENWMO Instrument Expert

Ms. Mary SOWINSKIUNHQ Section Chief

* Ms. Ellen SPEARSUNHQ Language Reference

- 24 -

* Ms. Kerstin SPEER-BOCKELMANNUNICEF Senior-Finance Officer

Ms. Betty SPENCEUN/DGACM/ETS Reviser

Dr. David STILLMANUN/DESA Sr. Officer

Mr. John G. STOESSINGERUN/DPA Acting Director

Ms. Raquel G. STRAUSSUNHQ Recruiting

Mrs. Altamira SYLVESTERUN/DCS/EORD

Mrs. Francine TACOPINAUNDP

Mr. Mahmoud TAHERFAO Representative in Syria

Mr. Ahmad TAHER GHOMICommunity Services

Mrs. Ying-Ying TANGUNHQ

Mr. Ricardo TAYAOUNO Procurement

* Ms. Rashida TENNYUNDP Programme Associate

Dr. José TERUELWHO/PAHO Division Director

* Mrs. Maria THOMPSONUN/ECOSOC Meeting Services

Ms. Charlotte THORPUN Editor

Mrs. Revathi TIRUMALAI K.T.

Ms. Zerfinesh TSADIKUNICEF

Ms. Adera TSEGAYEUNHCR Senior Resources Manager

* Ms. Pietronella VAN DEN OEVERWORLD BANK Senior Social Scientist

Mr. Abraham VARGHESEUNHQ Political Affairs Officer

Ms. Celinda VERANOWHO Information Officer

Dr. Yvonne VillanuevaUNICEF Programme Planning Officer

Mrs. Gisela VON ROSEN-BACICUNICEF Spouse of Retiree.

* Mr. Viet VUUN/UNSD Chief of Section

Ms. Cynthia WALKERUN Chief Procurement Officer, UN Peacekeeping

* Ms Marcia WARDUN radio producer

Ms. Edith WARNERUN Tech. Coop.

* Mrs. Lucy L. WEBSTERUN Political Affairs Officer

Mr. Don H. WEERATUNGAUN Peacekeeping Financing Div.

Mrs. Ines C. WEISTWHO/PAHO

Mrs. Clairanne W. WENGRAFUNDP Spouse of UNDP Retiree

Mr. David WILCOCKFAO Senior Economist

* Ms. Diana WILLARD

Mrs. Helena Victoria WILLIAMSUNHQ

Ms. Margaret WILLIAMSUNICEF Sr. Budget/Admin.

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Mr. John WILLIAMSChief, Accounts Payable

* Ms. Ana Maria WILLUMSENUN Chief of Service

Ms. Enid WITTERUNDP Sr. Staff Dev. Officer

Mr. Johannes WORTELUN/OHRM Director

Mrs. Le Le Win WRIGLEYWHO Administrative

* Ms Lena YACOUMOPOULOUUN Senior Radio Producer

* Ms. Tsig-Roman YOSEPHUN

Mrs. Aurora ZAFRAUNDP Personal Assistant

Ms. Angela ZUBRZYCKIUN News Producer

* Life Members

PLEASE PAY YOUR AFICS(NY) ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES

Members who pay their dues annually are reminded thatthe dues are payable on or before 31 January of eachyear. Therefore, those who have not paid for 2009 arehereby reminded to please do so. The Annual member-ship due is $30 (or $15 for an Associate Member).Unless you have Life Membership, if you do not hold a

membership card for any particular year, it means youhave not paid for that year. Thus, any member who hasnot yet paid for this or previous years should kindlyremit his/her payment, using the form below, in order toretain membership.

Enclosed is a check for my Annual Dues made payable to: "Treasurer, (AFICS NY)" for 2006 / 2007/ 2008 / 2009 (please indicate year/years), in the amount of

$__________.

Name: _____________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________

Telephone: _________________________ E-mail: _________________________Please send your check to AFICS(NY)

Room DC1/580United NationsNew York, NY 10017

YOUR AFICS (NY) LIBRARYBy Dawne Gautier, Librarian

In 2005, AFICS (NY) established a library of books byUN Authors for the benefit of its members. Most of thebooks are devoted to memoirs or analyses of worldproblems viewed from the perspectives of long-timeinternational civil servants. There are also several nov-els.Since its inception, the library's collection has doubledin size due to donations received from our members. Wethank them all. To donate works that you have created

or copies of books authored by others in the UN system,please contact the Librarian, Dawne Gautier at 212-963-2943 or E-mail her at <afics2@un.org>.

The Library, located in the AFICS office, DC1-580 isopen the first Wednesday of the month from 10am-4pm.Items may be borrowed and returned only at that timeand kept for a period of one month. Members arerequired to make a deposit of $10.00 each time a book

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is borrowed, to be reimbursed upon that book's return orrolled over to cover the borrowing of another book.

To inform readers about the contents of our collection,we are disseminating in four parts, the list of titles itcontains. Part I, covering authors A - C, appeared in theJanuary 2009 Bulletin. Part II, containing titles byauthors D - L, appeared in the April 2009 issue. Part IIIappears below, containing titles by authors M - R. PartIV will appear in the Quarterly Bulletin for October2009.

107. Malan, Mark R. Swiss Family Saga. New York:Vantage Press, 2001.

108. Mark-Alan, Roy. Whitecoats Under Fire: With the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia - 1941. New York: Helios Book Publishing Co. Inc., 1972.

109. Marks, Edward B. Still Counting: Achievements and Follies of a Nonagenarian. Maryland: Hamilton Books, 2005.

110. Martinez-Solanas, Gerardo E. Gobierno Del Pueblo: Opción Para Un Nuevo Siglo. Florida:Ediciones Universal, 1997.

111. Marulli, Luciana. Documentation of the UnitedNations System: Co-Ordination in Its Bibliographic Control. Metuchen, N.J: Scarecrow Press Inc., 1979.

112. Mathiason, John. Invisible Governance: International Secretariats in Global Politics. USA: Kumarian Press, Inc., 2007.

113. Meneses, Georgina. Tradicion Oral En El Imperio De Los Incas Historia, Religion, Teatro. Costa Rica: 1992.

114. Miller, Morris. Coping Is Not Enough! The International Debt Crisis and the Roles of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Illinois: Dow Jones-Irwin, 1986.

115. ________. !No Basta Enfrentarse a La Deuda!:La Crisis De La Deuda Internacional y Los Papeles Del Banco Mundial y El Fondo Monetario Internacional. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1989.

116. Miollis Group. UNESCO Faces the 21st Century: an Invitation to Dialogue. Paris: Association of Former Unesco Staff Members, 1995.

117. Momah, Chike. Friends and Dreams. Princeton:Sungai Books, 1997.

118. ________. Shining Ones: The Umuahia SchoolDays of Obinna Okoye. Ibadan: University Press PLC, 2003.

119. _________. Snake Under a Thatch. USA: Xlibris,2008.

120. ________. Stream Never Dries Up. USA: Xlibris,2008.

121. ________. Titi: Biafran Maid in Geneva. Princeton: Sungai Books, 1999.

122. Muller, Robert. Decide to: 18 Exhortations to Inspire Us and to Awaken Us. Anacortes, WA. USA.

123. _________. Most of All, They Taught Me Happiness. Ardsley-on-Hudson: World Happiness Cooperation, 1990.

124. _________. Most of All, They Taught Me Happiness. Los Angeles: Amare Media LLC, 2005.

125. Murat, Odette. Cheat Sheet for the Working World: Insights and Experiences of an Operation Manager. . USA: Xlibris Corp., 2007.

126. Murphy, Craig N. United Nations Development Programme: a Better Way. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

127. Nagayama, Sadanori. Commodity Prices and Family Planning. Hitutsubusha, Co. Ltd, 1963.Japanese

128. ________. Prices and Family Planning. 1963. Japanese.

129. Najman, Dragoljub. Oú Va Le Systéme Des Nations Unies: Future of the United Nations System. Paris: Association des anciens foctionnaires de l'Unesco, 1999.

130. Narasimhan, C. V. United Nations at 50: Recollections. India: Konark Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1996.

131. Nieminen, Raija and trans. Raili Ojala. Voyageto the Island. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press, 1990.

132. Nordic Association of Former International Civil Servants. In the Service of Peace and Humanity: Experiences of Scandinavians as UN International Civil Servants, 1945-1995. Copenhagen: Nordic Association of Former International Civil Servants, 1995.

133. Oglesby, Sam. Postcards From the Past: Portraits of People and Places. Xlibris, 2003.

134. Omotoso, Edward. A Life Around the World: Surprise International Career Leads to Global Odyssey. Baltimore: Publish America, 2008.

135. Palmer, Phillip. God Has a Message for Humanity: Revisiting the Spiritual Law. Arizona, USA: One World Press, 2004.

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136. Parada, Jorge Guzman. Eternidad Fugaz De LosFaraones y Otros Ensayos. Chile: 1993.

137. Patrick, Douglas and Mary Patrick. Postage Stamps and Postal History of the United Nations. Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1955.

138. Phillips, Ralph W. World Was My Barnyard. West Virginia: McClain Printing Co., 1984.

139. Pietila, Hilkka and Jeanne Vickers. Making Women Matter. London: Zed Books, 1990.

140. Pimentel, A. Fonseca. Can a Third World War (Nuclear) Be Avoided? Brazil: Escopo Editora,1983.

141. ________. Democratic World Government andthe United Nations. Brazil: Escopo Editora, 1979.

142. Prasad, Govind. From Cane Fields to Battlefields. Raleigh: Ivy House Publishing Group, 2003.

143. Redman, Cecil T. J. From the Caribbean to the United Nations: International Security Is My Business. Life Profiles.

144. Richardot, Jean. Journeys for a Better World: APersonal Adventure in War and Peace. New York: University Press of America, 1994.

145. Rivlin, Benjamin., ed. Ralph Bunche: the Man and His Times. New York: Holmes and Meier, 1990

AFICS was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Robert L. Smith, our premier tax expert, on 17March, 2009. (See page 44.) A few years ago, Bob Smith, as he was fondly called by everyone, himselfsubmitted this account of his UN career for the Bulletin, giving us an inside glimpse of early UN history.

UN CAREER OF ROBERT L. SMITH

Origins and Developments of the UN Salary and Wage Determination System

Robert L. Smith had a unique career in the UnitedNations Secretariat. He came to the UN in April 1946 -on 60-day loan from the U.S. War Department, OfficeSecretary of War to serve as head of the Policy Sectionof the newly established Salary Administration Division- and served his full 31½- year career in salary andallowance policy positions at Headquarters.

His initial responsibility with the UN, during its HunterCollege days, was to develop job classification stan-dards for UN Secretariat positions. He, along with asupport staff of three other American professionals, pre-pared job standards consistent with those used in theU.S. Civil Service. However, this approach to salaryadministration was not very well received in the UN.Some officials in the UN Secretariat had been accus-tomed to classifying an incumbent's position in accor-dance with his or her qualifications rather than accord-ing to the duties and responsibilities connected with theposition's functions.

This type of work in the UN Secretariat was initiallyunder the supervision of the Director of Personnel,Mary Smieton, who was from Great Britain. A staff ofjob classification analysts was engaged in the adminis-tration of the system but there were a number of dis-agreements, arguments and confrontations on job classi-fication in the UN. Ms. Smieton apparently did not likethe job of defending and arguing on behalf of staff con-cerning these cases. She therefore arranged to have thesalary administration function transferred to the UNBureau of Finance, which was then headed by Hans C.Andersen. After a further period during which problemswith the salary system arose, Byron Price, the adminis-trative head of Personnel and Financial Services, by astroke of his pen, abolished the Salary AdministrationDivision. No alternative system was installed in place ofthis operation and from that time on the authorizedstaffing table of posts became the means of controllingthe grading of posts.

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Most of the staff members of the Salary AdministrationDivision had not been retained by the UN but BobSmith was kept on and dealt with the policy aspects ofUN salary issues. For example, the first UN cost-of-liv-ing adjustment to salaries at UN Headquarters was initi-ated by Bob and eventually approved by the FifthCommittee of the UN General Assembly.In the early years of the UN, Julia Henderson, and thenJulian Powers, was the Chief of the Policy Section. Mr.Powers was supervised by Paul Coidan, Director ofBudget. Lawrence Michelmore was the Deputy to HansC. Andersen. Bob Smith dealt with problem cases andwould prepare written proposals on them. The UNorganization was top-heavy at this time and Bob'sreports would be considered by Messrs. Powers,Coidan, Michelmore and then sent to Mr. Andersen forfinal decision. On some occasions the written recom-mendations prepared by Bob might be split, for exam-ple, with Messrs. Smith, Andersen and Michelmoreagreeing with Mr. Powers and Mr. Coiden holding theopposing position. At his retirement party Mr. Andersenrecalled this situation, pointing out that he had learnedover the years to be careful not to disagree with BobSmith.

Julian Powers was an interesting supervisor. He couldprepare two pages of very well written text in such away as to diplomatically say "no" without ever sayingso outright. Mr. Powers sometimes had difficulty mak-ing up his mind on an issue and he always had a num-ber of pending cases from the Registry files on his win-dow sill. A problem was that he sometimes misplaced orlost Registry files, which he was then pressured tolocate. On one occasion he lost the file that contained alist of lost UN Secretariat files. When Mr. Powers wastransferred to Geneva as the Director of Administrationhe was not replaced. However, Bob Smith remained,organizationally, in the UN Budget Division. The Chiefof the Budget Division, Tommy Kirkbride, was primari-ly engaged in UN budget matters and did not supervisethe day-to-day work of Bob Smith on salary issues.During this period Bob operated very much on his ownand represented the UN Controller in the Joint AdvisoryCommittee (JAC) and in the Consultative Committee onAdministrative Questions (CCAQ). When Mr.

Kirkbride was transferred to Geneva to become Directorof Administration of the Geneva Office, Bob was nolonger considered to be a member of the BudgetDivision. He reported directly to the UN Controller andDeputy Controller but he operated independently onday-to-day salary matters. His title was "Chief ofSalaries and Allowances, Policy and Administration."This function involved the administration of the postadjustment system; General Service salary surveys forfield offices and UN Headquarters; and establishing theamounts of travel subsistence allowances and stipendrates for Fellows for the UN and Specialized Agenciesworldwide. Bob normally made the final decisions onthese areas of work for the entire UN system and heonly took issues to the UN Controller or DeputyController when serious conflicts arose or when heneeded their support on such issues as general servicesalary levels for UN Headquarters. In general, Bobapproved for the UN all such matters and operated in asimilar way with respect to the JAC and CCAQ, wherehe represented the Controller.

When the International Civil Service Commission(ICSC) was established in 1975, with its Headquartersin New York, Bob Smith was transferred to the ICSC asChief of the Salaries and Allowances Division, and asDeputy Executive Secretary. The functions and admin-istration of the UN Post Adjustment System, the estab-lishment of General Service salaries at the headquartersof the organizations in the Common System and theestablishment of daily travel subsistence allowancerates worldwide were transferred to the ICSC. BobSmith continued to manage the work covering thesefunctions. However, the Executive Secretary of theICSC, Roger Barnes, participated in establishing anexpanded role with respect to Headquarters GeneralServices salaries, the calculation of which had beenassumed by the ICSC for the UN Geneva office.

In September 1977, Bob Smith retired but he wasengaged subsequently by the ICSC for special assign-ments following his retirement. As a member ofAFICS(NY) he has followed ICSC issues and develop-ments and attended numerous sessions of the ICSC asthe FAFICS observer.

Many years ago, when I started to work in the UnitedNations Organization, I felt very proud and enthusiasticabout my new job; I thought that through my littleefforts I could contribute to and support the principles ofthe United Nations, among them peace and stability inthe world, and participate in the development of mycountry.

During all those years I tried to improve myself, learn-ing of the world's problems in order to respond to thecalls of the poorest by promoting social justice, provid-ing education, alleviating poverty and hunger in theworld, and fighting for gender rights. Nevertheless, hav-ing reached the end of my working life, I sadly note that,despite all my efforts, there is a great difference betweenan active and a former UN staff member.

The transition from working staff member to UN systemretiree can be traumatic for many people because of thechange in one's life: I have cut my ties with the dreamsof a better future and now must recognize that my hum-ble participation is no longer necessary and that I needto assume new roles in my life that are not related to myformer work-life endeavours.

One of the main problems or concerns affecting formerUnited Nations officials is that in most cases they enterretirement with full professional capacities, in goodhealth and with important experience accumulatedthrough working within the Organization - experiencethat could continue to be of great importance for thework of the United Nations. For UN Agencies workingin various countries, UN system retirees are not only a

source of experience and professional knowledge readyto be tapped, but constitute an important part of theinstitutional memories of the organizations for whichthey worked. Taking advantage of their advice andexperience would support the implementation of certainactivities in these countries.

However, once retired - and despite the desire of mostformer officials to continue helping the Organization,particularly by providing advice and/or support for cer-tain activities that require their time and expertise - inpractice, there is often a complete divorce of the formerofficial from the Organization in which he or sheworked. We are no longer regarded as United Nationsfunctionaries!

Despite declarations made by the UN Secretary-Generalon the importance for the Organization of the experi-ence and professional knowledge of all former officials,and the roles that these officials could play in the workof the Organization, in practice, there is unfortunatelyno mechanism and/or commitment by agency represen-tatives and/or resident coordinators to facilitate or sup-port the participation of former officials in the work ofthe UN or its agencies. Thus, recognition of the worth ofour experience is contradicted by the lack of utilizationof what we have to give.

As former UN international civil servants, we believethat we can share and contribute to supporting the UNsystems' actions and accept the new challenges of theUN organizations in common efforts to build a betterworld.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACTIVE AND FORMER UN STAFF MEMBERS

By Ana Maria Gudz(AFICS {NY} Correspondent, Cuba)

(Editor's note: The points that Ms. Gudz makes are frequently heard among UN retirees. And UN offi-cials, including the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General, continue to callattention to our value and potential for the Organization, especially with regard to advocacy work {Seeabove messages to the 2009 Annual Assembly.} AFICS {NY} continues to work with the UN on develop-ing more systematic ways of utilizing our extensive and varied capabilities for the achievement of UNgoals. At the same time, we ask you, our members, to let us know the various ways you have found tosupport the UN system during retirement so that others might be inspired by your examples.)

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The Westchester Chapter of the United NationsAssociation (UNA-USA) maintains a very active pro-gramme of activities in support of the UN. Theseinclude lectures and presentations on various UN topics;during 2009-2010, subjects covered will include:Jeffery Sachs's Millennium Villages; the InternationalCriminal Court; the Renegotiation of the KyotoProtocol on Climate Change; and Women's Rights andGender Equality.

Among other things, the Chapter also encourages andsupports teachers to include information about the UNin their classes at both grade school and high school lev-els; holds essay contests for students on UN issues;helps with student trips to the UN; and provides supportto enable several local TV stations to broadcast "Going

Global with the UN" DVDs, featuring actors likeMichael Douglas speaking about UN programmes.

AFICS Honorary Governing Board Member Margaret(Molly) K. Bruce is Chairperson of the Chapter'sAdvocacy Programme, which in 1998 launched an ini-tiative that produced a very useful advocacy paper enti-tled Eight Areas Where the U.S. Benefits by Workingwith the UN (reproduced below for your informationand further use).

At the same time, UNA-USA has produced an extreme-ly professional Advocacy Agenda, which can beaccessed at <www.unausa.org>, and of which theAdvocacy Committee submits abstracts in its periodicGlobal Connection newsletter.

The first goal set forth in the AFICS (NY) Mission Statement (see cover page) is "to support and pro-mote the purposes, principles and programmes of the UN System." In large part, this goal is achievedthrough the advocacy efforts of AFICS members - from participating in the activities of pro-UN organ-izations such as UNA/USA, to contacting local media with supportive messages, to telling friends,neighbours and family members about the work of the United Nations and its agencies. This section ofthe Bulletin offers tools that we hope you will find useful for advocacy purposes, including publicationsavailable and brief accounts of UN System activities worldwide that are having a positive impact.

UNA - USA: ACTIVITIES OF THE WESTCHESTER CHAPTER

(With thanks to AFICS {NY} and UNA-USA Westchester Chapter memberPhil Reynolds for keeping us up-to-date)

EIGHT AREAS WHERE THE UNITED STATES BENEFITSBY WORKING WITH THE UN

Peace and security: UN operations cost much less thansimilar operations undertaken by the United States.Since 1948 the UN has engaged in 63 peacekeeping andobserver missions in the world's trouble spots, and cur-rently has 16 operations in place. Other areas where theUN is actively involved, and international agreementsare essential, include: limiting nuclear proliferation;fighting terrorism; prosecuting war criminals; and mineclearing.

Democracy and elections: UN-monitored electionshelp to ensure transparency and democracy - an impor-tant United States goal. The UN has supported free andfair elections in several countries, including Cambodia,El Salvador, Kosovo, Mozambique, Namibia,Nicaragua, South Africa, and Timor-Leste. It has alsoprovided electoral advice and assistance, including themonitoring of results, to more than 90 countries, often atdecisive moments in the nation's history (e.g.,Afghanistan and Burundi).

Development: The UN and its agencies stretch U.S.funds further and improve development outcomes. TheUN Development Programme, for example, has staff in166 countries, and UNICEF is working in 157 coun-tries. The UN allocates over $10 billion per year fordevelopment, with another $18-$20 billion in loans andgrants provided by the World Bank. Those are resourcesthat enhance United States development assistance.

Human rights: All issues of human rights, includingthe rights of women, are of vital concern to the UnitedStates, especially in today's dangerous world. The UNhas been actively promoting human rights since itsfoundation in 1945. Following the adoption of theUniversal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948, it hasenacted a number of major agreements on civil, politi-cal, economic, social, and cultural rights - all importantto the policy of the United States. Recently, it has soughtto strengthen the machinery available to deal withalleged violations of human rights, and has focusedworld attention on cases of torture, disappearance andarbitrary detention, and violence against women. It hasalso brought pressure to bear on governments toimprove their human rights record.

Health: The UN (especially the World HealthOrganization {WHO}) alerted the United States and therest of the world to epidemics, such as the SARS virus.It has essentially eradicated polio and smallpox. Currentcampaigns are focused on reducing the impact of malar-

ia and HIV/AIDS, and improving child and maternalhealth. Without the UN, the United States would be lefton its own to discover and treat such major diseases.

Environment: The UN stands with the United Statesand other nations to reduce the effects of climatechange, global warming, and air and water pollution.Unless these problems are addressed internationally,environmental losses will deplete the resources onwhich human survival depends.

Emergencies and disasters: The UN and its agenciesdistribute vital assistance to regions hit by natural orman-made disasters. Within 24 hours of the Asian tsuna-mi in 2004, for example, UN disaster teams had beendispatched to the hardest-hit areas. The UN distributedfood to more than 1.7 million people and provided shel-ter, drinking water, and vaccinations for the victims. UNappeals raise more than $2 billion a year for emergencyassistance.

International standards and regulations: UN agen-cies provide the standards and measures for the globaleconomy. For example, the Universal Postal Union(UPU) sets the rules for international mail among its190 member countries, the International Civil AviationOrganization (ICAO) sets standards for air travel, andthe International Maritime Organization (IMO) hashelped to make the seas more secure.

GLOBAL SOUTH-SOUTH DEVELOPMENT EXPO

(Reprinted from Spring 2009 edition of South-South in Action, published in cooperation with theSpecial Unit for South-South Cooperation of the United Nations Development Programme{UNDP}. The newsletter is an on-line publication of Media Global, an independent news agencybased in the United Nations Secretariat that creates awareness in the media for the countries ofthe global South, with a strong focus on South-South Cooperation.)

Last December, the UNDP Unit for South-SouthCooperation showcased in New York, 36 innovativeprojects representing Southern solutions to developmentchallenges. Here are some of those featured:

Kenya: The Green Belt Movement

Founded over 20 years ago, the Green Belt Movementin Kenya is a grass-roots women's social movement topromote a bottom up, holistic approach to environmen-tal conservation and development. Comprised of over6,000 community groups representing mostly women,the programme has established an extensive networkthat has planted over 40 million trees using its unique

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approach to community mobilization. The impact hasbeen significant on afforestation, the creation of eco-nomic opportunities for women, the mobilization ofcommunities, the raising of environmental awarenessand the empowerment of women. The project has wonmany international awards, and the founder of the GreenBelt Movement, Professor Wangari Maathai, is the firstAfrican woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize,which she received in 2004.

Moldova: Better Opportunities for Youth andWomen

Better Opportunities for Youth and Women, a project inMoldova, aims to reduce the vulnerability of sociallydisadvantaged groups of people who often face domes-tic violence and physical abuse, abandonment, unem-ployment, criminality, drug abuse and human traffick-ing. Its overall objective is to develop specific servicesto support the social, economic and professional reinte-gration of disadvantaged persons, including orphans orchildren without family care, mothers with children atrisk, pregnant women at risk or in crisis situations, andvictims of human trafficking. The project providesfinancial and material support, psychological and socialcare, professional training for reintegration into thework force; and temporary and long-term employment.

UNFPA: Campaign to End Fistula

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) operatesthe Campaign to End Fistula in countries in Africa, theArab States region and Asia with the assistance of mul-tiple donors and sponsors. Obstetric fistula is a debilitat-ing injury caused by prolonged, obstructed labour with-out timely medical intervention. With appropriate

access to skilled delivery care and emergency obstetriccare, these injuries can be avoided. Unfortunately, how-ever, the condition affects more than 2 million womenand girls in developing countries, with as many as100,000 new cases each year. While the Campaign toEnd Fistula began with 12 countries, there are now morethan 45 nations actively engaged in activities thatinclude fistula prevention and treatment, as well as reha-bilitation and women's empowerment after treatment.The Campaign has brought fistula to the attention of awide audience, including the general public, policy-makers, health officials and affected communities. It hassecured more than $25 million in contributions that goto support countries' efforts, while more than 7,800women have received fistula treatment. The ultimategoal of this ambitious programme is to eliminate fistulaby 2015.

Pakistan: Working towards Friendship

This project addresses need-based development issuesto help isolated and marginalized populations to createan enabling environment where disadvantaged peopleare further able to help themselves. Working in collabo-ration with cooperative non-governmental organiza-tions, the private sector and many Governments, includ-ing those of Bangladesh, Denmark, France, Pakistanand the United Kingdom, Friendship has been providinghealth care, relief and rehabilitation, education andlivelihood support to the char dwellers of northernBangladesh. Working for the disaster-prone char, sand-bank and riverine areas of the Brahmaputra and Jamunarivers since 2001, this non-governmental social-welfareorganization launched the first floating hospital ship inBangladesh to bring primary and secondary health careservices to those in need.

FIVE UN REGIONAL COMMISSIONS JOIN EFFORTSTO ERADICATE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

(Adapted from UNECE Weekly, Issue No. 321 - 1-5 June 2009)

Representatives of the five United Nations regionalcommissions and the Division for the Advancement ofWomen met on 27 May in Geneva to initiate the imple-mentation of the project "Enhancing capacities to erad-icate violence against women through networking oflocal knowledge communities." This interregional proj-ect, financed by the United Nations DevelopmentAccount, is coordinated by ECLAC, which will execute

it over 24 months together with ECE, ESCAP, ECA andESCWA, in collaboration with the United NationsDivision for the Advancement of Women and the UNStatistics Division.

The project seeks to strengthen national and regionalcapacity to take action, prevent, sanction and eradicateviolence against women through enhancing the produc-

tion of statistical data and indicators as well as knowl-edge-sharing at the regional and interregional levels.The use of a common general methodological frame-work for measuring violence against women will beensured in the five regions through the basic set of indi-cators on physical and sexual violence that was recom-mended by the Friends of the Chair on indicators on vio-lence against women and adopted by the StatisticalCommission at its last session (New York, 24-27February 2009).

Achieving the project's objective to develop and invig-orate a knowledge community on violence against

women at the regional and interregional levels is criticalto fostering effective public action to eradicate violenceagainst women. Planned project activities will give sup-port to countries to respond to General Assembly reso-lution 61/143 on intensification of efforts to eliminateall forms of violence against women, taking intoaccount progresses already achieved in each region interms of accumulation of knowledge and data collec-tion. Each regional commission will give special atten-tion to the specificity of the regional context and workclosely with national representatives and governmentalcounterparts in order to maximize local ownership.

KEEP YOUR BODY ACTIVE:Physical Activity and Seniors

By Dr. Sudershan Narula

Regular physical activity is essential for healthy aging.

Physical activity can make you feel stronger and more alive. It's a fun way to spend time with your family and friends. It's also good foryour health.

Adults aged 65 and older gain substantial healthbenefits from regular physical activity. Such activity can benefit those who are generally healthy, are at risk of developing chronic dis-eases, or those with chronic conditions or dis-abilities.

Although all exercise is physical activity, not allphysical activity is exercise. Exercise is a formof physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and performed with the goal of improving health or fitness.

A. HOW MUCH AND WHAT KIND OFPHYSICAL ACTIVITY DO WE NEED TO DO?

It is important to engage in both aerobic and strengthen-ing activities. Each offers important health benefits (seethe chart below for activity amounts). And remember,some physical activity is better than none! *

Aerobic Activities If you choose activities at a moderate level, for substanial health benefits, aim for at least 150 minutes a week.

If you choose vigorous activi-ties, do at least 75 minutes a week.

• Slowly build up to your desired goal. The more time you spend, the more health benefits you gain.

• Do at least 10 minutes at a time.

• You can combine moderate and vigorous activities.

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Muscle Strengthening Activities Do these at least 2 days a week • Include all the major muscle groups such as legs, hips, back, chest, stomach, shoul-ders, and arms.

• Gradually build up activity over time.

• Exercises for each muscle group should be repeated 8 to12 times per session.

*Healthy older adults generally do not need to consult a health-care provider before becoming physical-ly active. Those with chronic conditions should speak with their health-care provider to determinewhether their conditions limit their ability to do regular physical activity in any way.

*Do not exercise if you are not feeling well, have a fever or feel fatigued, or when it is too hot or too coldoutside.

Different types of physical activities

1. Aerobic Activity (also called endurance orcardio activity)

• In aerobic activity the body's large muscles move in a rhythmic manner for a sustained peri-od of time. o Examples include brisk walking, run-

ning, bicycling, jumping rope, swim-ming, dancing, water aerobics, aerobicexercise classes, some gardening activ-ities, tennis, golf (without a cart) and playing basketball.

• Aerobic activity builds "staying power" and improves the health of the heart and circulatorysystem, making it easier to engage in everyday activities such as playing with your grandchildren, vacuuming, or raking leaves.

• Swimming and walking are often recommendedas the best exercises for seniors due to the low risk of injury. Walking can be done year-round,either alone, with a pet, or with friends and requires no special equipment. Walking can alsobe a very social activity, helping individuals stay connected with the community around them. It's always best to walk in fresh air if pos-sible. o Pedometers or step counters are useful

in tracking progress toward personal goals. Popular advice, such as walking10,000 steps a day, is not a guideline

per se, but a way that people may choose to meet their goals.

a) Intensity

• Depending on your fitness level, the intensityof aerobic activities can be either relatively moderate or relatively vigorous.

• How can you tell a moderate activity from avigorous one?When doing moderate intensity activities, you can talk while you do them, but you can't sing. While doing vigorous activities, you can only say a few words before stopping to catch your breath.

b) Warm-up and Cool-down• Do some light endurance activity first, such as

walking for five minutes if you're going to be walking briskly (3 miles per hour or more) or running and gradually build up to a quicker pace. At the end of your activity, gradually slowdown and let your body cool down.

• For swimming, do a few arm exercises first to warm up your arms and shoulders.

c) Make it fun• The best physical activity is one that is enjoy-

able enough to do regularly. For many, the incentive for exercising is not necessarily healthgain, but sheer enjoyment.

2. Muscle strengthening activities

• Strengthening activities provide addi-tional benefits not found with aerobic activity. These include increased bone strength and muscular fitness. Strengthening activities canalso help maintain muscle mass during a pro-gramme of weight loss.o Examples include: lifting weights,

using a resistance band, callisthenic exercises, yoga exercises, and some TaiChi exercises.

• The effects of strengthening activities are limit-ed to the muscles doing the work, so it is important to work all of the body's major muscle groups: the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

• Strength is needed for day-to-day activities suchas climbing stairs, taking out the garbage, carrying groceries, and for coping with emergencies.

• Weight lifting also promotes bone strength as do aerobic exercises like running and brisk walking, which are weight-bearing exercises that help reduce risk of osteoporosis.

3. Stretching

• Stretching can help you stay flexible and lim-ber, which in turn can give you more freedom ofmovement for your regular physical activity and your everyday activities.

• Flexibility or stretching makes it possible for you to see what's behind you as you back thecar out of the driveway, make the bed, orbend over to tie your shoes.

• To increase your flexibility, try shoulder, upperarm and calf stretches. o Yoga is very good for flexibility, bal-

ance, concentration, and stress relief, and has many other health benefits.

4. Balance Exercises

• Balance exercises help prevent falls, a com-mon problem in seniors (see the fall reduction tips for seniors below). These exercises also help one stand on their toes to reach for something on the top shelf, walk up and down thestairs, and walk on an uneven sidewalk with-out falling.

• Exercises to improve balance include standing

on one foot, heel-to-toe walking, Tai Chi. Manylower-body strength exercises can also improvebalance.

B. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REGU-LAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?

• Studies clearly demonstrate that participating inregular physical activity - including aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities - provides many health benefits. These include:

• Lower risk of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, adverse blood lipid profile, weight gain;

• Improved heart, lung and muscle fitness, bettercognitive functions, and greater bone density and sleep quality;

• Prevention of falls, preserving bone, joint andmuscle health, and

• Reduced depression.• Reducing risk of conditions such as coronary

artery disease and some cancers may require years of participation in regular physical activity.

• However, other benefits, such as increased car-dio respiratory fitness, increased muscular strength, and decreased depressive symptoms and blood pressure, require only a few weeks ormonths of participation in physical activity.

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Regarding my own exercise routine, as I wrote in anearlier Bulletin, I continue to swim for 40 minutes, four-five times a week. It is easy for me since we have a bigindoor pool in our building. In addition, I have addedwalking to my physical activity routine, including whenI travel abroad.

Since retiring over two years ago, I have been travellingto India more often for long visits during which I regu-larly go for a morning walk in a public park in front ofour house. It is very encouraging to see all those livingin our neighbourhood exercise regularly in the park,mainly through yoga or brisk walking. Some even walkbackwards which I was told was good for improving fit-ness without putting excessive stress on weak knees. Imyself would like to learn more about yoga and perhapsone day will write about it.

I am also now a grandmother and have started taking mygrandson out in his stroller for hour-long walks about

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twice a week. This simple and loving family activity canhelp reduce the risk of osteoporosis since walking is abone strengthening activity (swimming on the otherhand is not, even though it has many other benefits andis easy on your joints).

SO, LET’S BE ACTIVE, HEALTHY & HAPPY!

Just as physical activity comes with many benefits,inactivity has many costs. Nowhere does the phrase "useit or lose it" ring more true than with seniors! Andremember, even some activity is better than none.

NEED A LITTLE HELP?

Growing older, many of us need a bit of help with com-mon tasks we've handled for years without a secondthought. Some days, just the thought of cleaning thehouse, attending to the mail or going to the grocery storecan seem overwhelming. At other times, though we'vegotten along independently for years, we may need thehelp of someone to pick us up after a medical test, helpus settle in after a hospital stay, or assist in paying billswhen we're just too tired to tackle that growing pile of"statements!" The older we get, the more common suchneeds may become, especially for those with no familymembers nearby and friends either gone or having sim-ilar experiences.

Sometimes, the Outreach Committee of AFICS (NY)can provide assistance in such situations and we encour-age you to call (212) 963 2943 to determine if that's apossibility. But there will be times when no member ofthat committee is available to help you out. Then, ifyou'd like to hire someone to provide the service youneed - you might want to contact Elite Home Services,LLC.

This company, whose mission is to custom fit care toyour circumstances, provides personable companionsand life style services to enhance your quality of life andhelp you maintain a high quality of independent living.The companions it offers, all experienced and insured,have undergone intense screening and backgroundchecks, are reportedly reliable and competent, and havecaring and flexible personalities, You can take advan-

tage of Elite's services full time, or for as little as fourhours a day. And since all employees are on Elite's pay-roll, the company takes care of all payroll requirements,including taxes associated with retaining householdhelp. Among the services available are:

Providing companionship and support;Running errands;Light housekeeping;Planning and preparing meals according to dietary needs and preferences;Grocery shopping;Accompanying clients to doctor visits;Help with correspondence;Arranging excursions and cultural activities;Providing respite for family caregivers;Personal bookkeeping services, including any necessary calls and correspondence.

For additional information, contact:

Ms. Diane Schottenstein, PresidentElite Home Services, LLC165 West End Avenue, Suite 4DNew York, NY 10023Tel: 212 874-5341Cell: 646 269-5768Web: elitehomeservicesnyc.com

AVOIDING FALLS: TIPS FOR SENIORS

Statistics show that falling is a serious and widespreadproblem for seniors, often with unfortunate conse-quences. More than one third of adults 65 and over falleach year in the United States, and falls are the mostcommon cause of non-fatal injuries and hospital admis-sions for trauma. More than 40 per cent of people hos-pitalized from hip fractures are not capable of returninghome to live independently.

Fortunately the incidence of falls may be reduced byfollowing some of these suggestions:

1. Exercise regularly to improve your balance, flexibility, and strength, which in turn should reduce your risk of falling. Be aware that some-times after you fall you may become too fearfulof falling again and then, to your detriment, fur-ther reduce your activities. Tai Chi or a low impact/balance class can be helpful. Speak to your health care provider to suggest an exercisethat is best for you.

2. If your walking is unsteady, consult with your health care provider to see if you would benefitfrom using a cane or walker.

3. After you reach the age of 65, it is recommend-ed that you have your eyes checked at least oncea year. Wearing the wrong glasses or conditionssuch a glaucoma or cataracts that limit your vision can increase your chances of falling.

4. Have your doctor review all your medicines, including your over-the-counter medications, tosee if they can make you sleepy or dizzy or haveother side effects that can cause you to fall.

5. About half of all falls happen at home, so take the following steps to be safer at home:

a. Remove things that can cause you to trip such as bulky furniture or papers,

towels, and shoes on the floor. If feasi-ble push objects on the floor closer to something sturdy that you can hold on to when picking them up. Coil or tape cords and wires to the wall so that theyare out of your way.

b. Remove small throw rugs or use doublesided tape to keep the rugs from slip-ping.

c. Keep items that you use often in cabi-nets that you can reach without using astep stool.

d. Have grab bars installed next to your toilet and in your tub or shower. Consider having a tub installed that youcan walk directly into without steppingover the edge. Use non-slip mats in thebathtub and on shower floors.

e. As you get older your need brighter lights to see well, so improve the light-ing in your home. Install night lights and keep a flashlight near your bed to help you see well if you get up at night.Hang light-weight curtains or shades toreduce glare during the day.

f. Have handrails and lights installed on all staircases. Mark the edges of stairs so that they are more visible.

g. Avoid loose slippers, long robes or loose ties that can cause you to trip.

(The above article was prepared by Elite Home Service,LLC, a provider of quality non-medical companions. Tocontact Elite call 212 874-5341 or e-mail customer-care@ elitehomeservicesnyc.com.)

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NEW STOCK MARKET TERMS

(From an undisclosed Internet source, with thanks to George Saddler for sending this item to the Bulletin)

CEO --Chief Embezzlement Officer

CFO-- Corporate Fraud Officer

BULL MARKET - A random market movement causingan investor to mistake himself for a financial genius.

BEAR MARKET - A 6- to 18-month period when thekids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewellery, andthe husband gets no sex.

VALUE INVESTING - The art of buying low and sell-ing lower.

P/E RATIO - The percentage of investors wetting theirpants as the market keeps crashing.

BROKER - What my broker has made me.

STANDARD & POOR - Your life in a nutshell.

STOCK ANALYST - Idiot who just downgraded yourstock.

STOCK SPLIT - When your ex-wife and her lawyersplit your assets equally between themselves.

FINANCIAL PLANNER - A guy whose phone has beendisconnected.

MARKET CORRECTION - What happens the day afteryou buy stocks.

CASH FLOW - The movement your money makes as itdisappears down the toilet.

YAHOO - What you yell after selling that stock to somepoor sucker for $240 per share.

WINDOWS - What you jump out of when you're thesucker who bought Yahoo @ $240 per share.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR - Past year investorwho's now locked up in a nuthouse.

PROFIT - An archaic word no longer in use.

IMPACT OF THE STIMULUS

(With thanks to George Saddler for sending it to the Bulletin)

ATTENTION: ALL U.S. TAXPAYERS!

If you are fortunate enough to receive an EconomicStimulus Payment from Washington this year, the fol-lowing will answer any questions you may have aboutwhat it is … and how you should spend it in order tohelp the U.S. economy.

Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment? A. It is money that the federal government will send totaxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money? A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my ownmoney? A. No, they are borrowing it from China. Your childrenare expected to repay the Chinese.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment? A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchasea high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

The first head of the "s" for science at UNESCO was theEnglish-Irish biochemist, Joseph Needham. Needham(1900-1996) first showed interest in things Chinesebefore the Second World War. He was elected a fellowof the Royal Society of London - Britain's academy ofsciences - at age 41, then spent wartime years in China(1943-46) as head of the British scientific mission inChongqing. His stay enabled him to travel extensivelyin the Middle Kingdom not occupied by Japan, improv-ing his spoken and written Chinese as his enquiriesdeepened and broadened.

As the war ended and the United Nations took form, thespecialist who would become UNESCO's first Director-General, Julian Huxley, another bio scientist, arrangedNeedham's recall from war-torn East Asia to help organ-ize UNESCO and its future part as a clearing-house forscientific information and method. Needham servedsubsequently as its first head of science, until 1948.

Simon Winchester has painted a verbal portrait ofNeedham that leaves the reader with a well-roundedimage of the polymath: not only an accomplishedresearcher in his chosen field and an emerging embryol-ogist, but a linguist completely functional in seven oreight languages, an ardent traveller, a disciplined organ-izer, chronicler and ultimately rigorous historian.Clearly, Needham was made for the early post atUNESCO and afterwards as author-editor of Scienceand Civilisation in China.

Needham's fascination with history came to pivot abouta sole axis: the contribution of Chinese philosophy andculture to the enormous body of discoveries and inven-tions comprising the civilization of all the world. Bysystematically searching arcane Chinese documentationdating from a millennium before Christ and interview-ing hundreds of specialists, the Cambridge researcherand professor uncovered a veritable universe of knowl-

THE MAN WHO LOVED CHINA, The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked theMysteries of the Middle Kingdom, by Simon Winchester. Harper Collins, New York, 2008, xvi +316 pp

JOSEPH NEEDHAM, THE MAN WHO LOVED CHINA

(Reprinted from AFUS, UNESCO)

Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China? A. Well, since you brought that up, you should knowthat …

• if you spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China.

• if you spend it on gasoline it will go to Hugo Chavez, the Arabs and Al Queda.

• if you purchase a computer it will go to Taiwan. • if you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to

Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala (unless youbuy organic).

• if you buy a car it will go to Japan or Korea.• if you purchase prescription drugs it will go to

India.• if you purchase heroin it will go to the Taliban

in Afghanistan.• if you give it to charitable causes, it will go to

Nigeria.

None of it will help the American economy. To do that,you'll need to spend that money so that it stays right herein the U.S.A. For instance, you could…

• spend it at yard sales.• go to a baseball game.• stock up on six-packs of domestic beer or buy a

few cases of California wine.• get yourself some snazzy tattoos.

Those are among the few businesses still doing well inthe U.S. … for now. They could use your support!

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edge. He showed that early Chinese genius - and espe-cially that prevailing between 200 BC and roughly 1550AD - left us innovations from the abacus and axial ship'srudder through clockwork escapements to negativenumbers, silk-spinning, the compass, and making paperand gunpowder.

The domain of military technology would later involveNeedham, somewhat perversely, in a political strugglethat came perilously close to undermining both hisChinese encyclopaedia and his own reputation. Theseportions make the book doubly worth reading, as theirrecounting will remind readers of the profound clash ofideological values that raged over much of the globeduring the years 1918-1991.

Needham's original intention, as worded in a plan hesubmitted to the Cambridge University Press upon hisdeparture from UNESCO in 1948, had been to publish aone-volume Science and Civilisation in China within afew years. The project quickly became a three-volumeedition and soon a multi-book, seven-volume work, tobe completed during the 1950s. The enterprise multi-plied itself inexorably, standing at present as a 24-bookmonument to Needham's passion, labour and accom-plishment. There are more sections to come.

Why was there a halt in China's scientific advance?

As a persistent detective Needham looked back onevolving history, raising in the fifth volume issues relat-ing to China's abrupt halt in scientific and technicalprogress. "Why might this be?" asks his biographer(p.190). Needham and his principal Chinese collabora-tors, Wang Ling and Lu Gwei-djen (joined later by T. D.Tsien and Francesca Bray), respond in this and othersections concerning the multiple natural and culturalinfluences affecting "China's sudden change" during the15th and 16th centuries. They help explain the globalshift of focus in technical progress to Europe - much ashad happened, incidentally, to scientific progress a fewcenturies earlier in the Arab/Islamic regions. One of themain causes proves to be China's voluntary isolationthenceforth from world contact.

Winchester's biography makes clear one of the motives,too, for Needham's urge to illuminate China's contribu-tions to what humankind has achieved thus far. From

childhood onwards, Needham had a potent, humanisticstreak in his make-up. By the time of his universityyears a convinced socialist, he remained throughout hislife a partisan of strongly left-wing inclination. Evenwhile posted in China, with the high rank of embassycounsellor, he favoured uncompromisingly (but tactful-ly, as a servant of his King) the ism of Mao Zedung tothat of Chiang Kai-shek.

Needham's personal philosophy thus helped to fire hisdesire to learn everything possible about the totality ofChina's cultural transfer to the rest of world. Thisomniscience was fuelled, furthermore, by Needham'spersonal relationship with (Ms.) Lu Gwei-djen, alreadymentioned; she was a specialist employed at UNESCO,1946-1957, and whom he married after his first wife'sdeath. Lu served UNESCO for nearly ten years as a"science cooperation" biochemist in nutritional science.

Needham's eagerness to see due credit given to Chinesepioneers in the emergence of global science and even totheir philosophy, extended to his various UNESCO mis-sions until the 1970s. He agreed, further, to serveUNESCO during the 1980s as a member of theDirector-General's Advisory Panel on Science,Technology and Society. Your reviewer had the goodfortune to work with Needham during the years 1981-1983 and can attest to his overwhelming intimacy withhis speciality, his perceptive alertness during his ninthdecade of life, and an originality of ideas about howUNESCO might improve its efforts in the worlds ofengineering education and science.

If a Nobel Prize existed for historical reconstruction,one-time Unescan Needham would surely be its primelaureate. A previous biography (UNESCO Press, 1996),by ex-Unescan Maurice Goldsmith, complements nice-ly the new book. Simon Winchester's popular historywill fascinate especially those who follow closely cul-tural exchange, present and future.

Jacques Richardson

Editor's Note: A copy of the MAN WHO LOVED CHINA is in the AFICS (NY) library. Check it out and enjoy!

Defying Empire: Trading with the Enemy in ColonialNew York is a fast-paced narrative history depictingtrade and transport activities conducted in a dangerouswartime situation. Over a hundred New York City mer-chants, the most ambitious of them protected by rela-tives and friends in high government offices, did a largebusiness trading with the French enemy during theSeven Years' War, the conflict known in the UnitedStates as the French and Indian War (1754-1763).

The determination of New York City's mercantile eliteto accumulate wealth and power by any means drivesthe narrative of Truxes' book. Members of this groupmake, risk, and lose fortunes in a booming wartimeeconomy and then go on to play important roles inevents leading to the American Revolution. At the heartof their wartime trade was the exchange of high-pricedBritish and American provisions and manufactured arti-cles for French West Indian sugar and other plantationgoods available in the Islands at fire-sale prices. Fromthe enemy's (French) perspective, access to Americanflour, Irish salted meats, and other "warlike stores"allowed their privateers and warships to remain active inthe Western Atlantic despite constant disruptions to theFrench supply chain by the Royal Navy.

These exchanges between belligerents took place in anenvironment of legal and moral ambiguity. AlthoughEngland's Treason Act of 1351 prohibited giving aid andcomfort to the enemy, it was unenforceable against atrade carried on largely through neutral Dutch, Danish,and Spanish intermediaries, as was King George II's1756 proclamation prohibiting British contact with sub-jects of the French King. There was, as Truxes illus-trates, plenty of direct contact with the French enemy,

but a pervasive code of silence and the harsh punish-ment of informers frustrated the government's meagreefforts to bring trading with the enemy to an end.

The book becomes even more interesting as the authordescribes post-war efforts by the British ministry toeliminate all forms of illicit trade and impose its will onunruly Americans. Trading with the enemy, the Britishbelatedly asserted, had prolonged a costly war and jeop-ardized British territorial control in North America.Worse still, it had deprived the Crown of much neededrevenue. Defying Empire reveals how the tightening ofregulatory controls on trade and transport in the Atlanticmaritime industry, along with implementation of a harshregime of customs enforcement, acted as a wedge thatalienated the American colonists from their MotherCountry. Out of Britain's haphazard attempts to controlwartime trade, a set of post-war reforms emerged thatbred mutual distrust and set the stage for Revolution.

The author, undeniably a master of research, has estab-lished a fact-based reconstruction of mid-eighteenth-century New York City within which to set his story.Rigorous archival research forms the basis for both hishistorical argument and the story he tells in a style thatcommunicates excitement and enjoyment to the reader.Defying Empire: Trading with the Enemy in ColonialNew York by historian Thomas M. Truxes is an illumi-nating, entertaining, and worthwhile book. It should beread, kept handy, and re-read. It is simply a treasure.

Robert E. Traut30 January 2009

Editor's Note: The Bulletin thanks AFICS (NY) member, Bob Traut, for the above review. A copy of the bookwas donated to our library. Shortly thereafter, Tom Truxes informed AFICS (NY) of an e-mail he receivedfrom Fred Anderson, Chair of the Parkman Prize committee of the Society of American Historians, inform-ing him that, having sifted through 200 submissions for this year's prize (a record number), the jury unan-imously named DEFYING EMPIRE a finalist for the award. The following citation will be entered in theminutes of the annual dinner meeting of the Society of American Historians for 2009:

DEFYING EMPIRE: TRADING WITH THE ENEMY IN COLONIAL NEW YORK By Thomas M. Truxes (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008, Pp.xvi, 288. $30.00)

Illicit wartime trade and its relationship to the American Revolution are subjects of the latest bookby Prof. Thomas M. Truxes of New York University and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

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USA

FLORIDA

The Florida Chapter of AFICS (NY) held its first eventof 2009 on 25 April. By popular demand, a picnic lunchwas organized at SOLIVITA in Poinciana, hosted byThe Prudential Insurance Company of America andattended by about 20 members. The event resulted fromthe Planning Group's decision to get information from-reputable sources that could guide members on how tosurvive in the present economic crisis, which is affect-ing everyone.

Three experienced representatives of the PrudentialInsurance Company of America, Timothy I. Sullivan,Robert H. Cline and Mathew Joy made the presentation,highlighting "Red Flags in the Retirement Red Zone"and advising on how to prepare for the risks. As onesolution, they indicated that one of Prudential's prod-ucts, the HD7 Variable Annuity, guarantees principaland provides a 7% return on funds invested. Their pres-entation generated lots of questions from the audience -even frank comments like "it sounds too good to betrue!" Everyone received a nice package of brochuresexplaining the product in detail.

After some members of the Florida Chapter of AFICS(NY) had read the material thoroughly, the Chapter sentout a note cautioning those who had attended the semi-nar to read the fine print in the brochures handed out bythe Prudential Representatives. It was made clear that:

• ANNUITIES ARE NOT FDIC OR GOV-ERNMENT AGENCY INSURED AND MAY LOSE VALUE.

• THEY ARE NOT BANK OR CREDITUNION GUARANTEED.

• ALL GUARANTEES ARE BASED ON THECLAIMS-PAYING ABILITY OF THE ISSU-

ING COMPANY.

The note also stated that neither AFICS (NY) nor itsFlorida Chapter are in any way responsible for anycontracts or investments members may make.

After the seminar and Q&A, everyone relished the nice,buffet-style picnic lunch - all the more so because it wasFREE! Then, a short meeting was held with the follow-ing conclusions:

1) The Chapter's calendar for the remainder of 2009 was confirmed:

06 June 2009 - Thai Lunch and semi-nar on Yoga

12 Sept. 2009 - Italian or Chinese lunchwith seminar re. Wellness & Positive Thinking/Attitude or similar topic

05 Dec. 2009 - Anniversary Lunch or early dinner at Universal or Disney resort

Thomas M. Truxes, DEFYING EMPIRE: TRADING WITH THE ENEMY IN COLONIAL NEW YORK (YaleUniversity Press):

"From his opening description of the October night in 1759 when New Yorkers celebrated the fall of Quebec to hisaccount of the trials, three years later, which disclosed that some of New York's most prominent merchants hadtraded with the enemy throughout the Seven Years' War, Thomas Truxes holds the reader in thrall with a tale ofenterprise, deceit, and revenge as compelling as a first-rate novel. Few writers can create history with such narra-tive drive and populate it with characters so vividly realized; fewer still can do it without sacrificing the rigor andintegrity of their scholarship. Thomas Truxes does it all in a book that can be read as much for delight as for enlight-enment. DEFYING EMPIRE is a remarkable achievement.

CANADA

Those wishing to attend these events are requested to reserve the dates. More details on each will be forwarded by e-mail in due course.

2) Everyone wished to receive copies of e-mails concerning the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund.

3) Everyone acclaimed and supported the initia-tive taken by retirees in India re. restoration of full pension after the end of the annuity period for those who took a one third lump sum.

4) Everyone was eager to receive from AFICS (NY) a response relative to the points raised bythe Florida Chapter concerning the

Association's latest financial report.5) All members were requested to renew their

membership in AFICS (NY) - preferably becoming life members. They were also requested to inform AFICS (NY) of any change/s in their e-mail or telephone numbers or mailing address.

For further information re. the Florida Chapter ofAFICS (NY), kindly contact Madan Arora by email:<marora.afics@yahoo.com>.

Madan Arora

INVITATION

UN/CAFICS/AFICS luncheons are held in June and December of each year. Anyone wishing to attendis invited to contact us for details:

Evelyn & Gerry Nye, 201-1501 Richmond Avenue, Victoria, B.C., Canada V8R 4P7<gerrynye@shaw.ca>

We look forward to meeting you here in the Victoria region,Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

DAVID S. J. ALEXANDER

David Spencer James Alexander, a former colleague anda faithful friend, passed away peacefully on 7 March2009 after a long illness.

Born in Geneva to British parents in 1914, a few monthsbefore the First World War, he was educated at theCollège de Genève, the Geneva Bible Institute, theSorbonne in Paris and the University of Edinburgh inScotland, where he met his future wife, Isobel. Theywere married in 1943 and celebrated their 65th weddinganniversary shortly before his death.

During the Second World War, David served in theBritish Army. In 1946, almost immediately after the cre-ation of the United Nations, he started working as aneditor for the General Assembly. Later, as Chief of theOfficial Records Editing Section, he supervised a staffof 60 editors from 14 different countries. As part of thatstaff, I had ample opportunity to appreciate his humanqualities. David was both frank and friendly. Hebelieved in a work well done and did not hesitate tomake all the members of his Section, including himself,

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strive hard to reach thatgoal. At the same time, hewas most spontaneous,treated all of us as closefriends, loved to tell jokesand never lost his inim-itable sense of humour.

In 1976, after a flawless30-year career, David leftthe United Nations andretired with his wife in thetown of Houghton inupstate New York. As

those who knew David may well imagine, he continuedto lead a most active life. In 1990, he was awarded anhonorary doctorate of Human Letters from HoughtonCollege where he served on the President's AdvisoryBoard for many years.

David is survived by his devoted wife Isobel, theirdaughters Shona and Ginny and four grandchildren. Ashis former colleagues and friends, may we extend to thewhole family our deepest sympathy.

Jean Gazarian

WASEL GABRIEL (BILL) BESPOLKA

(6 November 1924 - 6 August 2008)

We are very sad toannounce that WaselGabriel (Bill)Bespolka passed awayin Greenville, SouthCarolina on 6 August2008, at the age of 83.He died of complica-tions following legsurgery.

Born in Cambridge,Massachusetts in1924, he first lefthome on his multi-faceted adventuresaround the world

when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943, serving forthree years in the European Theatre of Operations dur-ing the Second World War.

He then had a long career as a United Nations employ-ee, working in a variety of capacities during his serviceas an international civil servant until he retired in 1984.He was very proud to have been a member of the"Mohicans," the group of UN employees who joined thefledgling international organization at its very begin-ning, when it was located at Hunter College, in 1946.His career with the UN took him to a multitude of inter-esting places where he met many wonderful people that

became good, lifelong friends, of which he spoke fond-ly until his death.

Bill's UN career started in New York, but after ten years,in 1956 he was off to the Middle East, where he workedwith the United Nations Truce SupervisionOrganization. In addition to working for peace in theMiddle East, an endeavour that he had the opportunityto pursue a few more times during his career, he metKarin, who was to become his Norwegian wife of 48years, in Jerusalem. He proposed to her in Petra (Jordan)and they were wed in the Lutheran Church in Jerusalem,next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He returnedto UN Headquarters in New York in 1961, where heworked in the Printing Division.

In 1969, Bill was transferred to Vienna, Austria to workwith the United Nations Industrial DevelopmentOrganization. There he witnessed the UN operations inVienna move from a temporary building to the ViennaInternational Centre. In 1978 he was seconded to theUnited Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. In 1982, hecapped his UN career with a posting to Pisa, Italy,where he ran the United Nations Supply Depot, whichcoordinated the supply of goods and materials to UNPeacekeeping Forces operating in various parts of theworld.

After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60 in1984, Bill moved to Boston, Massachusetts, followed

RAJANIKANT C. (RAJA) DESAI

Raja Desai unexpectedly passed away on Sunday, 10May, 2009 at the age of 86.

Beloved husband of Fethia Meziou Desai, he is also sur-vived by his children Rekha Packer and Rahul Desai;his grandchildren Sarita and Jonathan Packer; his broth-er Anil Desai; and will be forever remembered as wellby his brother-in-law, Said Meziou.

Raja Desai grew up in Ahmedabad, India in a lowermiddle class family with great reverence for education.He studied up to the college level in Ahmedabad andthen went to Bombay to get his Masters Degree inEconomics. During World War II, Raja travelled toEngland by boat to pursue a Ph.D. in Economics atKing's College, Cambridge. He returned to India justafter independence and joined the Planning Ministry inNew Delhi.

In 1950, Raja decided to work for the United Nations

ECAFE Office in Bangkok. He spent a total of 30 yearsat the UN, working primarily at headquarters in NewYork, but also did a stint in Sri Lanka and another inThailand. For many years, he worked in the unit thatbecame UNIDO, and later in the Science andTechnology Division.

After officially retiring, Raja continued to work as aneconomic adviser to governments, including assign-ments in the United Arab Emirates and the Maldivesislands.

He never lost his love for India nor stopped complain-ing about its slow pace of reform despite the progress inrecent years. However, Raja could never completelyleave the West either and divided his time betweenAhmedabad and Canada during his last years. RajaDesai was truly a world citizen.

Fethia Meziou Desai

ROBERT L. SMITH

(Adapted from the Croton-on-Hudson newspaper)

Robert L. Smith, a30-year residentof Croton-on-Hudson, died onFriday, 17 April2009 at Sky ViewHealth CareCenter at the ageof 97. He wasborn in GreenCamp, Ohio on 18March 1912. Afterreceiving a

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree

from Ohio State University in 1935, and holding sever-al positions in the Civil Service, Mr. Smith served atUnited Nations Headquarters in New York from April1946 until his retirement in September 1977. He thentransferred to the International Civil ServiceCommission as chief of salaries and allowances for sev-eral more years. Following retirement he received hisMaster of Business Administration degree in taxation in1984 from Pace University at the age of 72 andremained active assisting UN staff members and the eld-erly with preparation of their tax returns. He was prede-ceased by his wife, Margie L. Smith, in 2004 and sonsRichard M. Smith in 1943 and Thomas W. Smith in2006.

by Melbourne Beach, Florida and finally, Lake Keowee,South Carolina. He took advantage of his retirement topursue his chief passions, including world travel (espe-cially visiting his children as they moved amongst worldcities), the Boston Red Sox (thankfully they finally wonthe World Series), following world news and, most ofall, spending time with his loving family, especially his

grandchildren. He is survived by his wife Karin, sonsCarl, Kevin and Lars and their wives Rosamond,Corinne and Jacqueline, and grandchildren Carl, Olivia,Nicholas, Cameron, Megan, Sienna and Aurora.

(Submitted by Bill's Family)

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Bob was hospitalized in December 2008. I talked to himon 5 January 2009 and he told me his legs gave out andhis heart rate sped up. He reminisced about havingnever been interviewed or tested for the UN. He hadbeen a clerk in the Soil Conservation Service and tookthe Civil Service test for Statistical Clerks. He becamean auditor of Vouchers in the Regional Office and laterin the Procurement Section. Then he took theAdministrative Assistant test and transferred to the WarDepartment, becoming a part of the Ohio RegionalOffice of the Secretary of War.

After Macarthur returned to the Philippines, Bob wentthere to pay off the staff of the local personnel. He wentto Ohio State University, studying first Engineering, inwhich he got all As. He changed to Agriculture and then

to Commerce, always getting As. He worked his waythrough college, waiting tables for $6 or $7 a week.Later he would work the 7 - 11 shift with the owneralone - no tips as the customers were students them-selves.

Bill Randolf, who had worked for him previously,joined the U.S. Navy and at the end of the war wasasked to help the UN start up. The State Departmentasked for suggestions for staff to help the UN begin andBill Randolf gave them Bob's name. State asked Bob ifhe was the Bob Smith who was to go to help the UN andhe said No. State later rang back and told him he wasand so he did. Six months turned into 30 years and afterhe retired he was called back to head the Salary andAllowances Section of the ICSC for two more years.

(Additional details, provided by O. Richard Nottidge)

At its 21 April meeting, the Governing Board of AFICS (NY) paid tribute to Bob Smith. The followingletter to his surviving children, sent by Prakash Ranadive, conveys the sentiments of us all:

Dear Howard, Lea and Julie,

It was with profound sadness that I learned of the pass-ing away of our esteemed colleague, Robert L. "Bob"Smith. His former colleagues from the United Nationshave lost a wise counsellor and a kind friend.

Bob was the Chief of Salaries and Allowances Unit atthe United Nations when I joined the UN in 1959.Although I had the privilege of meeting him and work-ing with him much later when I joined the InternationalCivil Service Commission in 1979, from the very begin-ning, like most UN staff members, I knew of him sincethe "good news" circulars announcing increases insalaries and allowances sent out to the staff bore Bob'ssignature.

There are some like Ray Gieri and Mary Xuan Lee whosucceeded Bob as the Chief of Salaries and AllowancesUnit at the United Nations Secretariat and some likemyself and Warren Sach (the former United NationsController) who followed Bob as the Chief of Salariesand Allowances Division at the International CivilService Commission Secretariat. I am sure the otherswill join me in saying that all of us owe a tremendousdebt of gratitude to Bob for his guidance and wise coun-sel. It was my privilege to count on Bob for his wisdomand sound advice until my retirement from theCommission in 2000.

Since my retirement and until my move to the SanFrancisco area last year, along with Ray Gieri, DorothyJackson and the former Chairman of the InternationalCivil Service Commission, Ambassador Richard Akwei,

He is survived by son J. Howard Smith; daughters R.Lea Paul and Julie A Smith-Bazzini; nine grandchildrenand six great-grandchildren.

A private cremation was held with interment at RoseHill Cemetery in Putnam Valley. An informal openhouse remembrance of Mr. Smith with family members

and friends took place on 26 April at 233 Hessian HillsRoad, Croton-on-Hudson, NY.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the CrotonCaring Committee, P.O. Box 221, Croton-on-Hudson,NY 10520, or to the charity of your choice.

* * *

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I visited Bob at his home in Croton-On-Hudson a fewtimes. We would meet at Bob's home, reminisce aboutthe UN, and then go to a nearby diner for lunch. It wasalways a pleasure to hear a lot of anecdotes about theUN of yesteryears from all participants at these gettogethers.

Bob always used to attend the annual assembly meet-ings of the Association of Former International CivilServants (AFICS). A few years ago (I do not recall theexact date) it was a special occasion as we were cele-brating the 50th anniversary of the establishment ofAFICS. After the assembly, we were all at a receptionfor the AFICS members and their guests. As this was alandmark anniversary, the UN Secretary-General, KofiAnnan, also attended the reception. When the Secretary-

General arrived, I was talking to Bob and suggested tohim that we greet the S-G. Bob said to me that he did notthink that the S-G knew him and I said "Bob, beforebecoming the S-G, Mr. Annan also held the positions ofAssistant Secretary-General for Finance and AssistantSecretary-General for Human Resources under Peres deCuellar. It is not likely that anyone holding these posi-tions had not heard about Robert L. Smith." As I wascompleting my statement, Richard Nottidge, who wasescorting Mr. Annan, brought him over to us. TheSecretary-General, in his warm and courteous manner,shook Bob's hand and said "hello Mr. Smith, it is so niceto see you."

Please convey my sincere condolences to the rest ofBob's family.

* * *

Memorial ServiceAFICS (NY) will hold a memorial service to expressour respect and appreciation for Bob, who was anHonorary member of the AFICS (NY) Governing Boardfor many years and an active member of the Board foreven more years, specializing in questions of U.S. Taxes(on the subject of which he prepared a much-read

brochure) and of the After-Service Health Insuranceplans of the UN. It will take place on Tuesday, 15September 2009, at 1:00 pm, in the Chapel of theChurch Center for the United Nations, First Avenueand 44th Street. If you would like to be among thespeakers please contact Richard Nottidge via the AFICS(NY) office.

The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund has furnished AFICS (NY) with the following information, cover-ing the period through 31 May 2009, concerning the passing of former staff members and their surviving spous-es. We extend our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the deceased.

UNITED NATIONS FAMILY

ECLACHarvey, Alfredo 08.04.2009Hernandez, Rodolfo 08.04.2009Prenafeta, Jorge 23.02.2009

UNECAAmelewonou, Akouette K. 06.12.2008

Burke, Pansy 16.02.2009Kasse, B. 21.03.2009Tiruneh, Tsehay Gwalu 26.03.2009

UNESCAPGuneratne, Maude 06.03.2009Omer, Salima 22.07.2009Pao, T. 10.04.2009

- 48 -- 48 -

ICTRKambona Yustin 04.01.2009

UN/HQ*Alexander, D.S. 07.03.2009Amos, Hazel 01.03.2009Bam, Arvind Shankar Unknown*Barabas, Frank 21.05.2009Barnes, Rivkah 13.04.2009*Benoit, E. 29.04.2009Blom, Helene Elly 31.03.2009*Bouisson, A. Unknown*Burgett, O.F. 23.04.2009Cabrales, Antonio 25.03.2009*Coklas, T. 30.01.2009Coughlan, Jessie 16.03.2009De Cale, Elvira Radbi 08.04.2007De Vos, A. 04.04.2009*Desai, R.C. 10.05.2009Devernois, M. Guy 20.04.2009Di Marco, Angelina 16.04.2009Douglas, Hemsley L. 05.09.2009Eastmond, John A. 19.04.2009Fraser, Kathleen Mary 24.02.2009Gonzalez, Graciela 08.04.2009Grau, Dieckmann Unknown*Grunzweig, Bedrich 21.02.2009*Hamparian, Andy S. 20.03.2009Han, Hsin Pao 06.05.2009Huggins, Elizabeth 18.02.2009Johnson, Howard P. 05.02.2009*Karim, Sayyida 17.03.2009King, W.D. 07.05.2009Krogh, Kristian M. 14.04.2009Lacroix, Max 06.02.2009Lerognon, Yvonne 30.04.2009Lewis, Lloyd Barrington 08.04.2009*McQuade, Rose Mary 14.05.2009Mertragos, Ann 14.02.2009Minard-Evzun, Yolanda 26.02.2009Montesinos, Arturo 23.05.2009*Mufti, J. 01.03.2009Olivares, René E. 04.05.2009*Pao, Pao-Yung 24.03.2009Parry, Roberto E. 30.12.2008Perdomo, Maria 13.02.2009Popova, Krassimira P. 26.05.2009Raman, Charlotte 19.03.2009Reiseneder, Ottokar E. 26.04.2009*Ritchie, David F. 03.11.2009*Rodiadis, Anthony 14.03.2009

Sagar, Vidya 03.03.2009Santillana, Angel 21.03.2009Santos, R. 24.05.2009Smith, Elsa J. 20.04.2009*Smith, Robert L. 17.04.2009Smith, Doris 28.03.2009Soneja, Alexix Dy 27.04.2009Spencer, Diana 24.03.2009*Stierhout, Lois 06.04.2009Tordjman, G. 26.04.2009Walraevens, Pierre 27.11.2007Wattles, Vasanthi 21.04.2009Zander, Eckhard Hermann G. 01.03.2009

UN/GENEVAAlran, Jacques 18.02.2009Bourquin, Claude Alain UnknownBouthiaux, Hild 06.10.2008Colli-Vignarelli, Serge 31.03.2009Davico, L. 05.05.2009Eivazova, Sima 06.05.2009Ippen, D. 28.12.2008Kadry, U. 25.03.2009King, Leslie 15.02.2009Majoli, M. 26.02.2009Ott, Nefissa 09.04.2009Rahimullah, Jan Bibi 27.09.2008Reis, M. 24.02.2009Robiony-Ewing, Martine Y.V. 31.03.2009Saccilotto, Guido 07.03.2009Shanley, Anthony 30.03.2009Volkov, C. 29.04.2009Wauquier, Maria H.M. 27.02.2008

UNDP/HQ & INTLBekele, Gaitachew 02.01.2009Brossard, Andre 02.03.2009Elvenaes, Ellen-Margrethe 28.04.2009Padmanabhan, K. 14.05.2009Westmaas, Dapphne Unknown

UNDP/LOCALAlkhas, Derwas Sharif 22.03.2009Al-Younes, Khadija UnknownAntonio, Miguel 30.01.2009Bruesch, Alfred 02.12.2008Citegetse, Gelase 18.01.2008Damdinsuren, Pureviin 25.03.2009Kabore, Souleymane 10.01.2009Mugomba, Bernadette 17.02.2009Razaimanana, Clarisse Rachel 15.04.2009

Tanchavalit, Ratana 22.02.2009Uba, Rowland 30.12.2008Vargas, Maria Garzon 02.03.2009

UNEPAslund, Visibwa 08.03.2009Gedeon, Raja 03.03.2009Lee, Rosa (Chen) Jin Shen UnknownMahmoud, Lailam 17.10.2008

UNFYCIPChristou, Marios 05.03.2009

UNHCRChantharasy, Khamtanh 08.06.2007Nwagbara, Robert 01.01.2009

UNICBhaumik, B.K. 11.01.2009Megally, S. 03.03.2009

UNICEF/HQ & INTLDavid, Grace 26.02.2009Kanawati, Nouhad H. 17.04.2009Ma, Yansheng 21.12.2008McBain, Maureen Unknown

UNICEF/LOCALBegun, Kulsum UnknownPheruzy, Abdallah Hassan 12.10.2008Raji, Bans 01.09.2008Thongluen, Niyom 11.05.2009

UNMIBHSavic, Vladimir 03.03.2009

UNMIKLuma, Vahit 22.04.2009

UNMOGIPKhan, Gulfaraz 12.02.2009

UNOVAnderson, William 11.03.2009Guttenberg, Hans-Kjeld 31.03.2009Morched, Az El Arab 21.03.2009Salameh, Suhad 23.05.2009Schreiber, Elisabeth 07.02.2009Scognamiglio, Vittorio 18.03.2009

UNRWACallow, Marguerite 13.04.2009Chaumeny, Jules François X. Unknown

UNTCDMakhzoum, Nelli 06.04.2009

UNTSOEl-Solh, Rashid 27.02.2009

SPECIALIZED AGENCIES

ILOAbdel-Wahab 13.04.2009Achio, Françoise 06.05.2009Begum, Asghari 28.04.2009Blamont, P.L. 25.03.2009Boaglio, Carlo 29.05.2009Bonneau, Daniel 26.02.2009Carter, V. 20.04.2009Faye, Gabriel 09.02.2009Fischer, C.H.R. 26.03.2009Forcada, E.M. 28.02.2009Forgeais, M.Jean 27.04.2009Heckscher, E. 11.12.2008Kiriloff, M. 15.04.2009Marguet, Michel Roger 16.03.2009Markwalder, Maja Ruth 04.03.2009Momigliano, Sergio UnknownPereira, Patricia UnknownPerrin, Liliane 11.04.2009Poukhov, Valentin 16.03.2009Razanakoto, Roger UnknownSawicka, Janina 24.12.2008Stuart-Williams, Derek Leslie 29.12.2008Theocharides, Stelios 28.04.2009Watson, Marjorie Ada 13.03.2009

FAOAbdel-Majid, Fawzia A El Masri 28.01.2009Agostinucci, D. 28.03.2009Aguru, Prasit 06.02.2009Al Safadi, Naziha 23.04.2009Arnold, Roger 16.03.2009Aten, Willemina 28.02.2009Attard-Di Filippo, Sylvana 06.03.2009Audet, J. 19.04.2009Boma, Alaric Nikut 30.01.2009Bou-Salah, Fatiha UnknownBradley, R. 28.12.2008Brunelli, L. 17.04.2009

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- 50 -- 50 -

Chaumeny, J. 20.02.2009*Conway, James F. 08.02.2009Costa, Leonora 01.04.2009Damico Bind, Patricia 01.03.2009Davey, Talma P. 02.04.2009De Laurentiis, G. 24.02.2009Eastwood, John W. 07.05.2009Gambacorta, Adriano 22.03.2009Geeraert, G.V. 12.03.2009Georgiadis, Argyris G. 24.04.2009Goodwill-Indo, Pamela 18.04.2009Harrop, John Frederick 13.03.2009Heavens, G.H. 21.12.2008Hederstrom, S. 03.04.2009Hyde, Martin James 30.03.2009Jama, Mohamed 25.02.2009Keita, Jean Djigui 24.02.2009Larson, Lloyd Odell 14.04.2009Lecca, Manuel Leonardo 17.12.2007Lindgren Traung, Evelyn M. 08.02.2009Mancinelli, G. 20.02.2009Martino, Rosa 15.05.2009Matthey, Paul 12.05.2009Mayor, O.Y. 25.03.2009Mead, Arthur 16.03.2009Mekki, Abdel Rahhim 25.06.2008Mitra, Archana UnknownPaakkanen, Juhani Heikki 30.04.2009Pallangyo, Ephata P. 08.04.2009Payne, Robert Law 03.02.2009Pedersen, Anne-Marie 17.03.2009Pinto, Richard 03.03.2009Rao, Jonnalagadda B. 09.03.2009Rapademnaba, Raphael 02.12.2008Rodgers, William Alan 31.03.2009Sandford, R.H.D. 19.04.2009Santiago, Maria A. Pinheiro 28.04.2009Saraf, Triloki Nath 10.01.2009Sassou, Jean Akolly 01.06.2007Servoz, Henri Marie 25.01.2009Shakir, Mohamed M. 27.02.2009Simoes Lopes Neto, Augusto 15.04.2009Soenoto, Amin 18.04.2009Sonnino, Silvani 17.04.2009Sorenson, Dorothy 03.04.2009Spangenberg-Capobian, Renate 14.03.2009 Vanburen, Johan H.V. 27.01.2009Verbist, C.C. 25.02.2009

UNESCOBenard, Serge 07.03.2009Blanco, Generosa 29.01.2009

Boma, Alaric 30.01.2009Caloz, René 15.03.2009Chesswas, John 28.02.2009Dalbard, Elaine 04.04.2009Elsas, Barbara Anne S. 20.03.2009Gretsinger, Lorne Edward 06.03.2009Hussain, Hamida 20.04.2009Ibach, Jacqueline 06.05.2009Insuasty, L. 26.04.2009*Kiss, Selma 05.04.2009Koptilov, Victor 19.02.2009Lamprey, Rosamond 28.03.2009Lawrence, H. 21.04.2009Mesme, F. 14.02.2009Murray, Elizabeth Josephine 11.03.2009Njoya, Daouda 29.04.2009Ordonez, Anthony-Victor M. 04.05.2009Pauvert, Jean Jacques C. 27.04.2009Sviadoc, Jean 25.03.2009Vayssiere, Albert 15.04.2009Zobler, M.M. 24.03.2009

WHOBeleti, Alina 19.03.2007Biegel, Laudi F. 27.02.2009Bierstein, Edith 25.03.2009Bolis, Carla G.L. 12.01.2009Chico, Romero J. 23.04.2009Cleveland, Richard A. 02.04.2009Compaore, Martine Tiga UnknownDachs, José Norberto 09.03.2009De Obiaga, Brenda 06.04.2009Delas, André E.J. 08.04.2009Delfin, B. Carmen 19.11.2008Douglas, William M. 09.03.2009Dowling, Marcus A.C. 21.04 2009Filliettaz, Gabriel G. 22.05.2009Gakosso, Emmanuel 21.04.2009Gilles, Mejra Kacic-Dimit 15.04.2009Gupta, Satish Kumar 25.02.2009Hamruni, Mohamed Hadud 06.03.2009Hanafi, Lilian 01.03.2009Hanson, Yolanda UnknownHlaing, Douglas Khin 18.02.2009Kesavalu, Vijayai Akshmi 05.05.2009Lafaille, Louise 14.03.2009Ledfrrey, Helene 19.02.2009 Malik, Mohammad M. 02.05.2008Malona, Thomas 26.03.2009Mardones, Francisco 13.04.2009Meyer De Stadelhofen, Eric 18.03.2009Mussawir, Maud G. 20.02.2007

Ockana, Joseph 04.04.2009Orchuela, I. 07.05.2009Ose, Utako 27.01.2009Otoo, Samuel Nii-amu 18.06.2008Perera, M.A. Edwin 16.04.2009Petitpierre, Cllaude C. 19.12.2008Ramos De Rivas, Rosa Elvira 08.01.2009Rangaraj, Arcot Govindara 23.03.2009Raoult, Françine 09.04.2009Ravn, Jean C. Ellermann 15.03.2009Roed, Einar S. 11.04.2009Samba, Joseph 25.03.2009Suarez, N. 26.03.2009Tawa, Marie 03.03.2009Thymakis, K. 03.04.2009Tranquilino, Teofila Mercado 02.05.2009Vasic, Radmilo 21.03.2009Vesely, Ljuba 03.04.2009Zinga, Mapanguilua Ma 06.03.2009Zivojinovic, Slobodan 08.04.2009

ICAOBureau, J.C. 28.02.2009Cabacungan, Bienvenido 07.11.2008*Castro-Rodriguez, Francisco 30.03.2009Davision, Doris Mary 10.03.2009Faulkner, Arlette 30.03.2009Felice, C. 30.03.2009Hetherington, Maria Anna 30.03.2009Hewitt, Daphne Elaine 24.03.2009Ismail, AbdelMoneim UnknownPalov, Anna J. 13.03.2009Ramos, L.E. 29.11.2008

IAEACross, Janet Unknown

De Carlos, Giuseppina 08.04.2009Ennor, Howard R. 05.03.2009Fuchs, Gertrude 22.04.2009Haider, Johann G. 28.04.2009Haliburton, Ralph 05.04.2009Herzberg, Nini Margarethe 24.05.2009Kero, Erich A. 07.04.2009Sharpe, Barnard W. 21.03.2009Vesely, Oda 26.03.2009Vetter, Herbert 27.03.2009

ITUBrewer, Sewell 21.04.2008Horne, Robert Winston UnknownPai, K. Sushila 11.04.2009Santos-Valle, Manuela 22.02.2009

UNIDOBruno-Lobo, Manoel Alipio 22.03.2009Franek, Milan UnknownHelluy, M. 01.03.2009Herzberg, Nini 21.05.2009Malagkit, Eddie 01.02.2009Padmanabhan, Kalamangalam 04.04.2009Plasil, Eva 11.05.2009Rebeling, Ewald H.J. 08.02.2009Sipila, H. 15.05.2009Spetter, Henry N. 24.01.2009Thanikkel, George 21.05.2009Zielinski, Ryszard F. 22.09.2008

* Member of AFICS (NY)

CORRIGENDUM

Due to inaccurate information received by the Bulletin, in our January 2009 issue we incorrectly report-ed a death in the Buscaglia family on 9 September 2008. In fact it was Mr. Ricardo Buscaglia who passedaway on that date. We extend our deepest sympathy to Mrs. Buscaglia and the entire Buscaglia familyfor this bereavement.

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CORRESPONDENTS

USAConnecticut Mr. Somar Wijayadasa, 84 Dundee Road, Stamford, CT 06903Florida Mr. Madan Arora, Orlando, Florida; marora. <marora.afics@yahoo.com>

Mid-West Mr. James B. Chandler, 7449 Rupert Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63117 <jchandlr@aol.com>Nevada (Las Vegas) Mr. Leocadio (Leo) F. Dioso, 4126 Cascada Piazza Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89135;<leodioso@aol.com>Texas (Dallas) Mr. Rudy Moras, 3410 Dartmouth, Dallas, TX 75205-3235; Washington, D.C Mr. David Waugh, 5225 Pooks Hill Road, Drop #701N, Bethesda, MD 20814-2039

<drdwaugh@aol.com>Washington (State) Mr. Sher Agrawal, 9647 NE 25th Street, Clyde Hill King, WA 98004 <agrasen@hotmail.com>

U.S. Virgin Islands Mr. Horst Cerni, P.O. Box 223483, Christiansted, St. Croix, US VI 00822. <horst.cerni@gmail.com>

Argentina Dr. Eduardo K. Centeno, Arcos 1757, 4P A, 1426 Buenos Aires

Brazil Sr. Eduardo Albertal, Rua José Linhares, 57 Apt. 201, 22430-100 Rio de Janeiro <edalbertal@terra.com.br>

Canada Mrs. Rose Marie Troniak, 3716 208th Street, Langley, BC V3A 4X7

Congo (Kinshasa) M. Antoine Kabwasa Nsang-O'Khan, c/o PNUD, B.P. 7248, RighniniCuba Ana Maria Gudz, c/o UNDP, calle 18 No. 110, Miramar, La Habana, Cuba; e-mail:

anamaria580@yahoo.comCyprus Dr. C. A. Theodoulou, P.O. Box 40965, 6308 Larnaca; Fax: +357-24 623215;

<c.a.theodoulou@cytanet.com.cy>

France M. Marcel Gabbay, 5 Ave. Frederic Mistral, La Nartelle, 83120 Ste., Maxime <mgabbay@wanadoo.fr>Germany Dr. agr. Friedrich von Mallinckrodt, Wolfgang-Klausner-Str.11, D-83339 Chieming; <sard.mallinck-

rodt@t-online.de>Ghana Opatafo Osei Boakye Yiadom II, Chief of Adamorabe-Aburi, Ghana (Ms. E.M. Apeadu), P.O. Box

179, ABURI-Akuapen E/R; México Mr. Guido Gomez de Silva, Xola 314-E, 03100 México, DFNepal Mr. Kumar S. Maharjan, SUNRISE TOWERS, Unit B-20, Dhobi Ghat, Lalitpur, Nepal; <kumar-

maharjan@hotmail.com>New Zealand Mr. Ed Dowding, 16A Moore St., Birkenhead, Auckland 1310Spain (Madrid) Mr. José M. Aguilar, President, The North-South Institute, Apartado 2371, 28080 Madrid; Fax: 34-91-

5636302; <institute@north-southglobal.org> and <aguilar.josemanuel@hotmail.com>Yemen Fuad K. Mohammed, P.O. Box 16334 Hadda, Sana'a; Fax: 967 1 448405; < alyaran@yahoo.com>

*We need Correspondents for other areas of the U.S., as well as other countries of the world notpresently covered where AFICS(NY) members reside. Volunteers would be most welcome!

Published by AFICS(New York), Room DC1-580, United Nations, New York, NY 10017Address all communications to the Bulletin Editor at the above address.

Phone 212 963-2943 E-mail: afics@un.org

Fax 212 963-5702 AFICS(NY) website: www.un.org/other/afics