SUMMER, N9 18 1994

of tlte Association of Forrner VHO St"ff\V'orld Heahb Organisation, CH-1211 Geneua, &aitzcrlnnd, ( Tel: 791 310i; Far: 791 0746 )

-^>

Comment Tne Tnxrrvc PnoeuEM oF PeusloN

Just three months ago, in attempting to lurethc \ÿorld Tiade Organization, §uccessor of GÂTT,from Geneva to Bonn, Germany offered incentivesthat, according to press reports, included tax-free pen-slons.

In the end, Geneva beat Bonn out, with a

package combining buildings, parking, as well as

concessions to '§ÿTO staff described in the lemer torhe Ti^ibune dc Genhte excerpted on pege 70 of Neus.

*L'ofte dc Bonn ... était bonne. Mdis h norre

était excellente,'exulted 'William Rossier, the Swiss

Ambassador to GATif after it was all over. That maybe, but what the Swiss offer has done is to create,willy-nilly, entitlements for a Broup of intcrnationalsthat are not accorded others, with the consequencesthat are sure to come.

All of which shows that attitudes have chan-ged towards internationals in Geneva * from indiffe-rence about a decade ago to more than interest today.They want us. Like us or not, our presence in thearea means jobs for local folk.

According to the Geneva Sndsrical Office, theinternational communiry pumped $2 billion into tJre

local economy in 1993, a âct surely not lost to aur}o-rities in times of recession; and which constitutes as

strong a rebuttal as any to those who resent the privi-leges and immunities conferred upon internationals.

"\W'hen it is said that the tax-free status ofU.N. officials is not popular, the see rrage 2

There is no universal answer to the questionof income tâx on U.N. pensions. If all U.N.- mem-ber countries taxed, then the issue would disppear,but the fact of the marter is that some countriei taxpensions partly while orhers exempr them entirely.Not many, admittedly, but enough to set precedent.

Based on information from former and ser-ving staff, this much is known: Britain exemprs 10 percenr of pension from rax on grounds that it originatesfrom a fund established overseas. The "Republic andCanton of Geneval and the United Srates exempt thatpart of pension financed by the pensioner - provi-ded there is no lump sum seftlement.

Reportedly pensioners residing in Austria,India, Paraguay, Philippines, and Spain are enrirelyexempr ftom tax. rù(ith rhe exception of Paraguay, dlthese countries have something ln common - theyare host to a major U.N. agen!,. \ÿhich -ay be

"r,explanation.

It cannot be dispured thar the benefitsaccruing to a country's ..o.ro-y from a U.N. presen-ce more than jusrifies the waving of tax on salariesand, by extension, on pensions. After all, we repre-sent â minoriry and so there is no economic "loss" tospeak about ro rhe counrry.

Certainly tax-free pensions were among theincentives offered by the Austrians that led the UnitedNations to Venna, which is now headquarters for theInternational Atomic Energy Ag.n.y, and other agen-cies as well.

..2

..3..3.4..5

IrgI\

lst Person Story "l WEruT BAcK To rHE ClessnooM"

Before joining \ÿHO in April l97O,1was a professor in pharmacology and therapeutics. Vhile work-

ing for \fHO was rewarding, I missed my students. In I 990, after separation, I se ize d the opportuniry to spend

a month surveying pharmaceutical education in Pakistan through visits to the seven schools of pharmacy, and

another month visiting nine medical schools in the provinces of Sindh and Baluchestan.

On these occasions, I gave talks to students, speaking about \7HO's programme to promote the rational

use of pharmaceuticals and to prevent drug abuse. Indeed, this has been the pattern over recent years in visits to

medical schools -

whether in Aden, Amman, Beirut, Chicago, Sana'a or elsewhere -

a lecture or two on the

proper use of pharmaceuticals, followed by a discussion. Students appreciated the information on'§ÿHO. I felt

of service to them and also to VrHO, spreading knowledge of its work.

Tâlks and lectures are one thing, fairly easy to manage, but teaching again...? Baqai University inKarachi, established in 1986, is a private medical institution, the first in Pakistan, with schools of medicine,

dentistry nursing and a faculry of public health offering an MPH degree. I was invited to teach for a term. Iwas challenged and then nervous since it had 6een 26 years when I had last taught regular courses.

Prof. Zal<t Hassan, the Vice Chancellor, gave me psychological support, and eventually my confidence

came back and the years and fears since I last taught vanished. It was as though I never left my students, the

black-board and the classroom.

Each of the rwo courses I taught were attended by some 120 students, 80 per cent of whom were

women. There was no pay, but my expenses were covered, and the satisfaction was tremendous.

A word of thanks to my serving colleagues in PUB who were generous in supplying me with §7HOmaterial to serve as texts and which were seen for the first time by many students. I would like to think thatsales may be helped eventually.

The word may have gone around now in countries I know well, judging from other offers to repeat whatI did at Baqai Universiry. I feel that I have to choose careiully to lead a partially retired life and to keep myfamily h"ppy.

You don't have to be a medical doctor or a pharmacist, I âssure you. Every former colleague has infor-mation to offer to students, and in their way become a good will ambassador of \[HO.

-Inayat Khan, Ph.D.

(former chief, psychotropic, narcotic drugil

NEW FAX FOR FIN/PERMrs Renate Wiedmer, Chief of the WHO Pension and lnsurance Unit (FlN / PEN) has

advised of a change in fax number. lt is: 41 22 791 41 84 (Ceneva).

from page 7 "Comment "comparison with the European Communiry shouldbe kept in mind," former U.N. sraffer Knud Lassen\Ànote in a letter (Autumn 1993, News, No. 15).

In addition to being better than U.N. pen-sions, he pointed out, EEC pensions are tax-free in allF.EC countries, which is a fact deserving to be madebetter known.

In India, as an item on page 4 shows, ("TâxExempt in India") the High Court of Karnataka ruled

that as salary has been defined to include pension,then, in much the same way es salary is free of taxunder the host âgreement covering privileges andimmunities, penion too must be exempt. That is acompelling ârgument.

All of which shows that while there is no uni-versal enswer to the issue of taxing pensions, therc are

individual solutions. There seems no better placethan Geneva, and no berter time than the present,than to argue locally for the Indian interpretation.

- Peter Ozorio, Editor

page 2

lst Person Story ..I WENT To VIer NAM,,Zealous militias brandishing submachine guns, rent-a-crowd demonstrators chanting slogans, banners

hung_across the streets, surly bureaucrets resenting capitalist visirors, stricr security checks; if tÀatt Ëo* yo., i-a-gine Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital

- forget it !

The country mey not be ready for jumbo-loads of tourists but it has many atrracions, and none of thecrude dogma that used to be the hallmark of East bloc nations. The'§7HO-organised InternationalConferenceon the Elimination of T eprosy, held from 4 to 7 July this year, took place in ihe country's Parliament. As oneVice-Chairman reminded us, that was like being invited to meet in the Palace of lùÿ'estminster in London or in'§?'ashingtont Capitol. Yet there was simply no security.

My own role was as a public information consultant to '§7HO's Leprosy gnil -

now upgraded ro aSpecial Programme

- but, in common with all the other participants, I camè ,rrâ lr..rt at will, ,o-Lti-., .".-

rying slideshow projection and filming material, through th. gr."t front portals or via a courtyard at the rear.

As for the bureaucrats, to judge by the Vietnamese organisers, they are invariably smiling, helpful, effi-cient and

- as regards the ladies, madly pretty. Tlue, a vast bust of Ho Chi Minh loomed or.r ih. màin audi-torium

- whe re we sat at desks bearing MPs' nameplates (and wondered why 90 per cent of Viernamese seem

to be called Nguyen). Nearby there were daily queués to view the great manb embalmed body, while half a miledown Dien Bien Phu Street boys cheerfully booted a football againit â srarue of Lenin.

"Privatisation" and the free market have ensured that foreign visitors need not bother with the local cur-rency; I know

- I tried to use it. But since it takes 10,000 dongs to make one U.S. dollar, and since even a

cgup]e of noughts in Italian lire invariable confuse me, I speedilÿ reverted to spending the currency that allshopkeepers and taxi-drivers use, namely the dollar.

It is still a very poor country; builders work at a leisurely pace, climbing on rickery bamboo'scaffoldingand hoisting bucke ts of cement on a rope. But there is a feeling of animatior,

"nd confidence which must surelÿ

enable this agreeable country to pull itself up by its bootstr"p.. Irreritably Hanoi looks over irs shoulder at HoChi Minh Ville (Saigon), which is a decade or two ahead in infrastructure. But it has many charms itself. Yes,the pavements are cracked and pot-holed, and no building eppears to have had a lick of paint for rhe past 50yeâT. But there are many fine houses fronting the tree-lined avenues, and at night the srreers throb with vitaliryas children play, people squât on the sidewalls to eat "fast foods," and the brighdy lit silks and ceramics shopsdo a booming trade. There are bargains to be had; a colleague emerged from one of these little boutiques with atrophy: a Vietnamese military helmet, complete with red srar. Price: one dollar.

As for the cuisine, it is delicious, and cheap. Even in the smart tourist hotels you may pay only $7 for athree-course dinner with a beer and coffee. Two rival resteurants within one block of each othir are called ThePiano and The Old Piano. One is rather down market, bur the elderly lady pianist and her violinist colleaguewill cheerfully try to play a cha-cha on demand. In the other, the piano, though no Steinway, is slightly bemertuned, and the young pianist gave a comme ndable rendering of Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata.

The conference ended by acclaiming the Hanoi Declaration, pledging all endemic countries, donors andNGOs to reduce leprosy to below one cese per 10,000 population by the year 2000. '§fle could not have imagi-ned a better setting for such a historic commitment.

-John Bland

(former Editor-in- C h ief, Vorld Health)

Speclal OrreR

American Express is offering exclusively to WH0serving and former staff their lnter national Dollar Card ata special annual fee of US$ 25. instead of US$ 100.-.

Application forms are available in theAssociation's office E 118.

GnaruopnneNTs' DAy

Not to be forgotten, 11 September is that day, atleast in the United States.

It recognizes the growing number of grandpa-

rents in the country that first gave the world Mother's

Day and then Father's Day.

At-rtetuen Dlv

WHO and the Alzheimer Association have decla-

red 2l September as World Alzheimer Day, according

ToLe Figaro.

More than 15 million are aff licted by this disea-

se worldwide.

pnge 3

Pensions

Tne'92 RePoRT

These tidbits from the 1992 report of theU.N. Joint Staff Pension Fund, as summarized by PK.Bansal, SEARO:

That assets totalled more than US$ 10.2billion on 31 December 1992 as compared to $9.3billion ayeer earlier.

- That investments in bonds, real estate and

securities did well, yielding $886, 994,230.

That participants increased from 60,183to 61,968. During the year, 3,635 lump-sum with-drawal and other setrlemenrs were paid.

That the market value of assets on 31March 1993 was $11,407 million, $1,296 millionmore than a yea;' earlier. The total yearly rerurn was11.6 per cent which, afrer adjustment by the U.S.consumer price index, represented e "real" rate of 8.2

Per cent.

This was the eleventh consecurive year in whi-ch the Fund achieved a positive rerurn. (Returns overthe past five years, beginning in 1989, were 5.9 percent, I 1.6 per cent, 8.9 per cenr, 7 .6 percent and 1 1.6per cenr respectively).

That administrative costs totalled$6,8t 3,822 as compared to $6,995,690 in 1991.Data processing costs increased to $2,532,148 from$1,756,856 in 1991. No expenditure was incurredon office furnishings in I 992, as compare d to$t,043,490 in 1991.

- That the cost of investment services esca-

lated from $t0 million ro more than $11.1 million in1992.

That staff costs increased to $316,315from $294,239.

(Excerptedfron SEARO News, TJune 1994

Now an Arnponr Tlx

Effective 1 July 1994, a new Swiss airport taxhas been levied for international flights, varying upon theport of departure.

From Geneva, it is CHF 13, plus a summer sur-charge of CHF 1.50, according to WHO's TAT (Travel &Transportation) Travel Advisory.

page 4

Reurer FoR RussrRxsRussiat President Boris Yeltsin has been asked

by FICSA to help in "restoring in the U.N. pensionfund" all of the Russians who retired berween 1981

and 1990.

'.As a result of internal regulations in forceduring that period," FICSlfs president, Judy Lavnick-'\W'ainstead, said in a letter last May, this group of reti-rees had no "other choice but to reluctantly request"

that their pensions be paid directly to the USSR

BOvernment.

This procedure is "contrary to the U.N.Charter and the principles governing the internationalcivil service," the letter went on to say, adding: "TheU.N. pension fund has shown its willingness to resto-re their pension rights, if you cooperete with them tothis end."

Earlier ILOI staff union said it would makemonthly grants of $30 for over ru/o years to four for-mer colleagues who were receiving pensions in rublesequivalent to less than $20 a month from the USSR.In addition, it established a Russian PensionSolidariry Fund.

Tax ExEupr rN INDIAAs a result of a decision by the Karnataka

High Court, pensioners in India are exempt frompaying income lax, Linh, the newsletter of UNICEFTpensioners, recently reassured readers. The case,brought by K. Ramaiah, a former staff member, wes

based on the U.N. Privileges and Immunities Act,1947, which exempts salaries from tax.

According to a circular (No. 293), datedFebruary 1981, put out by the country's CentralBoard of Direct Tâxes, the court held that since "sala-

ry has been defined to include pension, if salary is

exempted from tax, so shall be the pension."

Thus to subject U.N. staff to tax, "the govern-ment may have to amend the U.N. Immunities Act,"the pensioners' newsletter said, adding "which is notlikely."

DorulrroHs

Treasurer Joseph Chang-Wailing reports thereceipt of CHF 850 in donations during 1993 from threecol leagues.

It's very much appreciated he says, and, drop-ping a not-too-subtle hint, adds that more would be wel-come.

Health CornerTHINK ABOUT INFLUENZA NOW

. f am jotting down these lines sitting comfortably on the balcony in a mosr pleasant August sunshine,but at the time this appears, Geneva may be shivering in autumnal rains. There are iherefor. goôd reasons forthinking ahead and writing about influenza now.

B-y the way, thinking ahead is what \üfHO does for all of us by monitoring the movemenrs of influenzaviruses all over the globe. Virusas in plural, because of rhe many strains, somerimes- new ones, requiring the pro-duction of ever newer vaccines, baseà on epidemiological asseisments in a worldwide nemrork ôf coll"abot"tinglaboratories

The epidemics of influenza move with the seasons back and forth berween the norrhern and southernhemisphere.

-The Chinese winter affords a good opportuniry to make predictions for the South African winter,

to come lff a year,later, as does a South A*.ri."" epidemic, say in Jtuly, allow \ÿ-HO to predict which virusstreins will be prevalent in "our" European winter. In ihis *"y, \üiIO can make recom*.ndrtions for the com,position of the vaccines to be produced in advance for use in the forthcoming influenza season.

As far_as we, former staff, are concerned, emphasis is on the \a/ord "use." tü7'hether we like it or not, cli-nicians consider those of us oyer 65 as high-risk persons, who need protection against rhe virus. Influenza still

1ray be a deadly disease, lilce the gr$eth-at c"me to France from Italy in L743,ind therefore (according to theLarousse étymologique) was given this Italian name by Mme d'Epinay in 1743; or like the "spanish flue" in1918*19

- which, by the way, had little to do with Spain, having first been reported in France ànd the UnitedStates.

- Of course, complications such as pneumonia are nowadays treated routinely and thus the danger is lessthan in, medically ,p."Lirrg, historical times. There is no absolure certainry thar tire 1994 vaccin *Tl indeedim-munize against the 1994-95 epidemic; but ir is highly probable that it utilL so, why nor take the shoti Sideeffects are improbable, it is inexpensive, and does not hurt. Just conracr your doctor (if you have one), and be agood §üHO alumnus, purring prevention into practice.

-Tom Strasser, MD

(formerly CW)

Health lnsurance

PerusroNERS' PucnrFor the first time ever, rhe annual report of the

health insurance plan shows premiums paid per for-mer staff member amounting to $1,470 as againstreimbursements of $1,308, thus negating claims thatpensioners are responsible for any deficit.

It is regrettable, however, rhat this should bedue to the arbitrary decision taken in 1989 to increasepremiums

- which has caused hardship ro many pen-

sioners - in disregard of rhe principle of solidarity

and to the disadvanrage even of serving staff.

It is to be hoped that rhe nexr acuarial studywill be more realistic than the last to enable some ofthe mistakes made at that time to be corrected.

- Alain Vessereau

(Member Executiue Group and representatiue tothe heabh surueillance committee)

IAEA

Oven rN THE VrENrua Wooos

In my case there were four instances whereVan Breda (the insurance company covering IAEA,Vienna) incorrectly refused, either partially or in total,reimburse ment of medical expenses:

' They applied a limit to the reimbursementof the cost of a medically prescribed contact lensthough the limit applies only to spectacle lenses.

' They refused reimbursement of the cost of aprescribed medicine on the grounds that it could also

be bought in supermarkets without prescription. Theinsurance contrect simply stipulates that the cost of a

medicine is to be reimbursed provided it is prescribedby a medical doctor

- thatt all.

' They refused reimbursement of the cost of amedically prescribed contact lens because the strengthof the lens had not changed from an earlier prescrip-tion. That limitation, however, is only see page G

France Voisine

Tnar Tenu : Tne 3" AcE

Certain words, in common usage, no longerhave the meaning they used to have a few years ago.\ÿhen rhe Club du 3ème âge de Ferney-Vohalrc was

founded more than 20 years ago, the expression "3rdAge" was applied to elderly people who had reachedretirement (65 years at that time).

But now few people in their sixties, or even intheir seventies, are willing to regard themselves as

belonging to the "3rd Age." Like the poet, they nodoubt think:

ïhe te.rm that pr,rts me in a rageJs that wea"isovne b^zzword "3rd Ag.,"

Jt sugge-sts babie.s' noiseNappies, duvntnies a,.d loys,

À"d a, reTurn to the infancy shc,ge.

Ought we not change our name to avoidhaving "3rd Age" understood in a pejorative sense, andinstead find a name that more âccurately expresses

FneNcn oR FoE

For those relocating to France a new andvaluable piece of research has just been published."French or Foe" by Polly Platt, an American living inParis, offers a lively and informative guide to the cus-toms and culture of the French from an Anglophoneperspective.

Topics covered include the small things, suchas different conceptions of body space and the sport of

from page 5 IAEA

valid for spectacle lenses.

. I was to be hospitalized for 24 hours for aneye operation.. However, because all wenr smoothly Iwas discharged on the same day. '§7'hen I submitted a

claim for 90 per cent reimbursemenr, I was told that a

single.-day hospitalization was no hospitalization at alland that I should have submitted mlclaim under thecategory "Docrors' fees," reimbursable at 80 per cent.

I found this business parricularly silly since,had I stayed for 24 yours as originallv planned, Ipage 6

what we are today -

pensioners who intend to stay

young for many years? A fair number of clubs have

done so, why not ours?

-Jacques Bacaly

Ferney-Vobaire(Excerpted fom the bulletin of

the Club 3ème âge de Ferney-Voltaire

(In Canada the prefened phrase is "senior citi-xsn."

-f6lj1s7)

queue-jumping, as well as more serious business mat-ters such as time-keeping and the idea of what a busi-ness meeting is meant to achieve.

'W'ritten with considerable sympathy for France

and the French, the consistent argument is thatunderstanding is the key to diffusing foreigners' frus-trations. It is published by Culture Crossings Ltd.(telephone, London (44-71) 404-2161; fax (44-71)83r-2261.)

(Excerptedfrom

thelnr'l Herald Tiibune 2-3 July '94)

would have had to pay for two days and the burden onthe insurance would have been rwice as high.

On all occasions I won but only because as aformer staff member of the Division of Personnel Ireme mbered some of the clauses of the contract.Others, whether active or retired, are likely to neverhave seen the actual text of the contract and so are at aserious disadvantage.

_Herbert Vetter

formerly personnel,International Agency for Atomic Energy;Excerpted fom Echo, I 85, Spring I 994)

Iti

lïL

"Grimsby has optedfor pbased retirement."

CHaNcEs, CneNGEs... (Mone)

The following âre recent staff appointments:

Ënoironmenul Heablt : . Dr T. Kjellstrôrn has been

appointed as Director of the Office of Global and

Integrated Environmental Healrh; and Mr G.Ozolins as Director of the Division of OperationalSupport in Environmental Health.

Tiopical Diseases : . Dr P.J.A. Ranque, formerlySenior Medical Officer in the Office of Director,Control of ïïopical Diseases, has been appointed as

Chief of the newly-established unit of DracunculiasisEradication in the Division of Control of TiopicalDiseases.

Vaccines and Immunization : . Dr P-H. Lamberthas been appointed as Chiefl, Vaccine Research and

Development . Dr H. Zn{fmann has been appointedas Chief, Expanded Programme on Immunization.. Mr P. Evans has been designated Acting Chief,

Vaccine Supply and Qualiry.

LETTERS

(Unhss stated to tbe contrary by correspondents, htters receiued are routinely considzred,

and edited for publication to encourage an excbange of uieuts arnong colleagues. - Editor)

GeruenosrrY, KrNoxess

Olga Boleman, interpreter, retired from §IHOa little more than five years ago. She then moved away

from the world of interpretation to which she hadbelonged for nearly forty years, working originallyunder her maiden name, de Pojidaeff. Previously, she

had obtained various diplomas at the University ofParis and not all of them were necessarily in languages,

a fact she never mentioned.

Feeling a little tired and not wishing to conti-nue in the profession, and having suffered a number ofblows to her health, she adopted â new pace in life inthe company of her mother and her husband, Tibor.He respected her, held her in high esteem and lavished

every attention upon her.

Her colleagues and friends were always askingafter her. God knows if Olga was constantly gettingherself

- and into the most unlikely predica-

ments! But Olgas behaviour reflected her generosirykindness, feeling for others, frankness and, let us notforget, her love of animals. She inspired the same qua-lities in those she encountered. That is why everyone

felt such warmth for her.

Her two loved ones passed away within a short

space of time and Olga left us at the end of June. She

has left us perhaps...but remains in our thoughts.

- Maurice Howard

CRC / CCP

EanrY Dnvs

Re: I Tîibute ê{.t"r, 16 Winter 199j-94)

Jimmy \Wright was a wonderful example ofhow, in the early days of '§7HO, recognition was given

to personal dedication and effort, particularly in the

teld, and not to "geographical distribution" and natio-

naliry.

'§ÿ'e must never in our grief mourn that Jimmyis no longer, but rather give thanks that he was. Those

who knew him will always be grateful rhar he wat and

inspired and affected our lives for the better.

Vith all good wishes for the continuing dedi-

cated work you all do for us.

t*:ir",i;:(former C h ief staff deue lopment, training)

EcoruorutcAL Pnose

Re: Remembering James Deeny §ews, 1Z

Spring 1994)

I still remember vividly -y first contact with

Dr James Deeney at the Regional Directors Meeting

with '§ÿ'Rs (my first as a minute-writer) in the early

i 960s.

pnge 7

He was forthright in his denunciation ofSEARO's loquacious telegrams (those were the days

when all messages were sent by commercial channels

- 1s161 machines were not yet in vogue and travel

from Delhi to Djakarta took about two days, withhalts in Calcutta and Singapore). He and Dr L.V.Fitzmaurice (then \WR Thailand) were able to extract

an assurence from the R-D that SEARO would be

economical in its telegrams and their contents.

He fought for all project proposals, put up per-suasive and convincing arguments, and succeeded ingetting what he wanted for Indonesia! That was theDr Deeny I knew.

J.V. PerumalSE/IRO

(F.cccerptedfrarz SEARO News 7 June 1994)

MeuoRlEs

Re: .In Tiibute §ews, No. lTSpring)

Although it is sad to learn of the deaths of fourformer colleagues, with whom I had close associarion,it is good to be kepr informed of these evenrswell as of many happier ones

- and the tributes you

publish not only bring back memories but can also beof comfort to family and friends mourning the loss ofloved ones.

-Aubrey M. Woolman

Eastbourne, Enghnd

A TnreurE

Re : 1z Tîibute§ews, 17 Spring 1994)

Our friend Charles Lederrey who died recentlyrvas a great connaisseur of nature. He was on thecommission for summer outings of the InternationalSki Club of Geneva, was irs second president andcompetently led many of the day trips.

- Paul BlancLutry Vaud

page 8

Bnoeo SpecrRur'a

Re: §ews, 17, Spring 1994)

Congratulations on a publication that is as

'broad specrrum' as any of its genre _E.c. Engrard

Corntuall, England

SnaxesPEARE's Aces

Re: That Terrn :The "3rdAge" (see p. 6)

Another Jacques, a cynical exile inShakespeare's As You Lihe It,listed no fewer than Seven

Ages of Man, starting with "the infant, mewling and

puking in the nurse's arms" and "the whining school-

boy, with his satchel and shining morning âce, cree-

ping like snail unwillingly to school."

Passing through the lover "sighing like furna-ce," the soldier "full of süange oaths and bearded likethe 'pard" and the lawyer "in fair round belly withc:rpon lined," Jacques comes to the Sixth -

"the lean

and slippered pantaloon, with spectacles 6n ness" -wherein perhaps we, pensioners, may well see our-

selves.

But certainly not -

and here all will agree

with Jacques Bacaly -

ç66sinly not as belonging tothe Seventh Age of Man: "Sans teeth, sans eyes, sens

rasre, sans everything,' John Bland

Mourex, France

(former Editor, \ü7orld Health)

Heerrn Pneurunas

Re: Anger atAge 85 (l'.lews 17 Sprin§

I was sorry to see that the letter written by MrsTove Engman in April 1994, givine only one side of a

story, was printed in July without our reply to her

darcd 4 May 1994, e copy of which had been sent to

your Association. In our reply, we had clarified a

number of points, particularly the correct situationwith regard to the appointment and the arrangements

which had been made to receive the lady in question.

It has been our consistent practice to reply toall queries raised which have not already been dealtwith.

I would also like to sây a word about the level

of \7HO health contributions. By way of compari-son, the premium payable for a good health insurancein certain European countries for one adult is as muchas $400 per montb. This includes an annual "deduc-

tible" of $120 per year (i.e. amount which the insuredhas to bear before any reimbursement can be made),

and with limitations on worldwide coverage.

Of course, a minimum health insurance cove-

ring public or common ward in hosiptals and otherrestricted benefits could be purchased for about $200per month, again with an annual deductible. I leave itup to your readers to compare this with what they are

required to pây for'§ÿHO coverage.

- Ann Van Hulle-Colbert

StaffHeabh Insurance

(Tbe letter of 4 May came to our notice too late forprintingi houeuer, tbe aborre letter of rebuttal uasinserted uith the mailing oyfNews No. 17 Spring tbus

appearing simultaneously. As tuell, it is excerpted ltere,

utitb reaction from a colhague. -

Editor)

WE ruE FnvouReo

I was very pleased to see the letter (page 8)

from the Staff Health Insurance, as I had not under-

stood the complaints about the level of contributions.

Do these former staff not have contact with those less

privileged than us, those with less pension than we

have? Are they not awâre of how much it costs to have

an equivalent form of health insurance elsewhere?

After all, we ere not forced to continue the

\fHO contributions and can go to other schemes ifwe wish. So often complaints emanate from those

who have opted to take lump sums (well invested in

either property or shares), and thus say they are exis-

ting on a low monthly income.

One makes one's choice, but I find in the pre-

senr economic situation we, the favoured, should be

content._ Jo"rr Robertson

Geneua(formerly VBC)

LuxeueouRG's Murueu

AMFIE (Mutual Association of staff members

of intergovernmental organisations having their offices

in Europe) is a credit union established inLuxembourg in 1990 by â group of active and retired

persons of U.N. agencies, OECD and EEC.

Membership comprises 34 inter-governmentalorganizations in such cities as Brussels, Vienna,Luxembourg, Paris, Geneva. In May 1994, members'

deposits exceeded ECU 14 million.

The advantages ofAMFIE are:

' Returns on deposits higher than the rates

available to individuals;

' Tiansfers and currency conversions in nine

currencies free of charge;

. Free Eurocard card.

Confidentiality of individual accounts and

securiry of investments ere priorities. Members parti-

cipate democratically in its management.

To join it is suflicient to purchase one member

share of 10 ECU (1 ECU = US$ 1.18) -

there are no

other charges. The address: 9 rue Jean Pierre Sauvage,

L-2514 Luxembourg.

- Dimitri Arg;rropoulosChairman

(According to AMFIE's 199j report, pensioners re?re'

sented 43 per cent of members, holàing 52 per cent ofdeposits. Net interest rates for dzposits: 4.17 per cent'

-Editor)

YonlMBE :

Tne Benx rHAT Boosrs

The power of the bark of the African tree ,

Pausinstalia yobimbe, which has been used in traditio-nal tribal medicine since time immemorial as an

aphrodisiace, is now about to be reproduced by Simtex

Iaboratories. After careful testing for safety in 20centres worldwide, it will be marketed as a treatmentfor impotence.

In fact, Yohimbine hydrochloride has been

available in established medicine for a long time.Roger Kirby, consultant urologist at St Bartholomew'sHospital, London, says: "I have prescribed it for years.

It is one of the few drugs... found useful in treatingboth impotence and the loss of libido."

Yohimbine hydrochloride, it is claimed, acts

on the central nervous system to increase blood pressu-re and pulse rate; it has a psychological as well as aphysical effect which combines to boost libido andenhance erections. Side-effects, of mania and anxieryhave been reported.

Even as recently as the 1970's, men who be-came impotent from such prosaic causes as drinkingtoo much, diabetes or drug rrearmenr for high bloodpressure, heart failure and angina were still being trea-ted as psychological cases.

page 10

IN THE PRESS

In the majority of cases, however, a physical

cause for the impotence can be demonstrated. The

blood supply leading to the corPorâ, the spongev cavi-

ties which fill with blood during erection rather as a

balloon fills with air, may be inadequâte, as the arteries

leading to the penis become narrowed in later years.

Conversely, the corpora may fill with blood, but the

valves may leak and they may soon be as flaccid as a

balloon the day after a parry.

Older men frequently do not realise that the

fault lies in their falling hormone levels and not intheir female companions' appearance. As testosterone

levels fall, so do libido, potency and the youthful fea-

tures of sexual arousal. Kirby says that it is this grouP

of patients who may benefit most from treatment withyohimbine, usually combined with testosterone in

some form, if tests show that their testosterone level is

low

The same group of patients are also responsive

to penile injections, and an improved injection, pros-

taglandin E1, is to be marketed as Caverject by

Upjohns. Many petients prefer to have an inflatable

implant. Despite its greater cost (over .[3,000), this is

now considered preferable to the insertion of semi-

rigid rods.

'§ÿ'ithout investigations no patient should ever

âccept that potency problems are all in the mind.Tieatments exist and are being improved constantly.

- Thomas Stuttaford, M.D.

(Excerptedfon Sunday Tmes, 22 March 1994.

See ako Le Figaro in Frencb uersion, News)

PeNstoNERS PnoresrFenE lrucREesE

AVIVO, the Association for the defence and

relief of all pensioners, is indignant about the increa-

sed fares on Geneva public transport, and in particular

about the 35 per cent to 40 per cent rise in reduced

fares. Avivo has therefore sent a petition with more

than 3000 signatures to the Geneva State Council.This fare increase hits hard at pensioners, the disabled

and some young people, says Avivo, adding that its

representatives have not had an opporrunity to meetthe State Council since the petitionwas handed in.

(Excerpted fomJournal de Genèva t g- t 9 June 1994)

TnE pntvtlecEDAND THE EXCLUOEO

I was very interested to read articles (in theTiibune de Genèue, dared 2 A. 14 July) about the\X/orld Tiade Organisation (formerly GAIT).

I am not in a posirion to judge how well_foun_ded the German and Swiss propor"1, are, bur as thewife of an inrernational civil servanr, who has lived inGeneva since 1978, i feel cheated by the promises thatthe Swiss government is making to the new diplomatsand officials of the sfTO, promises which, in effect,create nvo caregories of civil servants _ the privilegedand the excluded.

. Firsr, Geneva is going to establish a serviceegency whose role will be to help rhe newcomers ro gerinstalled. Although we have managed all by o,r.r.li.,to deal with "the rwists and rurns of the administra_tion," all the same, it is a welcome improvement forany efficienr sysrem ro rry to avoid wasring dme.

. The second benefit granted ro rhe diplomatsis free access to rhe labour market for spouses, andexemption from TVA (Value Added Tax), and this iswh;re the shoe pinches. Since I could not take a jobwithin the U.N. sysrem commensurate with my quali-fications and abilities

- in rhe absence of powerful

political suppon -

I had to be conrented for severalyears with various lowly jobs which I eventually prefer_red to pass up rather rhan submir ro rhe whims of lessqualified persons who had got their positions rhanksto political suppom.

\fhen I asked to be granted a permis C after15 years of continuous residence in Geneva, the dead-line being ren years for other foreigners who are norofficials in the U.N. system, the Cantonal Office forPopulation replied as follows:

"Your right to liue in Switzerland isconditional on that of your s?ouse.... Ve taould furtherlike to point out that'ie beneficiaries of a carte i teg;r;

mation cdnnot mahe any claim to the granting of beneftsin res?ect of residence, worh or establishment....,'

It is hard to accepr onet social non-exisrencewhen one is completely integrated in a town whichseeks to fight for equaliry berween men and \Momen.

. The third privilege accorded ro new officialscoming from Moslem counrries, and the one that theGeneva and Swiss community will find hardest toswallow, is that Berne proposes to authorise ,,limited

polygamy," that is ro say, permitting an official to ins-tall himself in Switzerland with rwo legitimate wives.This concept does nor exist in the Islamic world, whe-re polygamy consists of having up ro four legitimatewives, and to imagine that

- in this time of unem_ployment

- the local population will take kindly tothis new ethic smacks more of science-fiction Àancommon sense.

From my experience, I have realised that agreater part of the local communiry still, in 1994, doesnot recognise rhe importance of the role that the U.N.and its officials play in Geneva; the fierce battle toretain the \WTO in the heart of this city is living proofof that role.

I dedicate these few lines to all those who havehad to set aside their careers as a result ofexcessive res-trictions. Berween intransigence and the acceptance ofall comers there is a golden mean which can be calledtolerance and breadth of spiris.

- Hiba Al-Hakim

Grand Lancy(The uriter is uttfe ofM.G.Al-Hakim, Chief TRA.

The WTO will be established in Geneua beginning'95.ExcerptedfromTribune de Genève, 5 August 1994)

Srtul AurveVluece NeneoNNe

By the end of the century international civilservents, whether acrive or rerired, will be able rospend their holidays or even install themselves perma-nently in the sourh of France, ar Narbonne-Plage.The bathing resorr in the department of l'Aude is

reported ready to welcome a vast centre, to be knownas "the international village." The departmenral plan-ning commission has just given its approval for this

pnge 11

TI{E AVEBAôËTIF' EXPECTANCÿFOF,v\EN tê1O

BEETLE BNLEY

enterprise, according to the French dally Les Echos.

About 600 homes, shops, a hotel and a confe-

rence centre are planned on an areâ of some 50 hec-

tares. There will be a pleasure boat marina, and even-

tually even school facilities. Various agencies speciali-

sing in communication and scientific developmentwill also be sited there, including a centre for research

into Mediterranean tourism, a foundation for protec-

tion of the environment and, in particular, theInternational Ce ntre for Information andCommunication Resources (CIRIC).

As the central force behind this project,CIRIC should enable internationals to keep in directcontact with their organisations and to have access todata banks. "lt is also intended to open a sort oflabour exchange where international agencies cen posttheir needs for temporary consultants. This will per-mit freelancers working from the village to stay infor-med about all opportunities that ârise," commentedan official at the United Nations in Geneva.

\7ill the international agencies themselves be

asked to contribute? Not financially. But the promo-ters of the project hope that the agencies will put keyinformation and data at the disposal of the CIzuC.

The Mayor of Narbonne will not spend one

centime on the construction, which is estimated tocost some CHF 165 million (FF 660 million ).Launched by retired international civil servants, theproject is said to be entirely financed from privatefunds. Prince Khelid Ben Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is

understood to be providing the funds needed to create

the complex, in the form of a loan at prefential inter-est rates. The authorities in Riyadh have alsoannounced a gift of CHF 15 million towards the

OLO &lAN I{ARA'9.TAENT/ HAI

construction of the CIRIC.

The agreement on the financing of the future

complex was signed in London on 13 September

1993, acccording to Marc Delarbre, administrator ofthe management board of the international village.

Originally the village was to have been set up inLebanon, but the outbreak of war obliged the promo-

ters to think again. Other countries in the

Mediterranean basin were also considered. butNarbonne's accessibiliry by road, rail and sea, the qua-

liry of life and the level of prices current in the region

finally succeeded in tipping the scales.

The first enterprise of its kind, this "interna-

tional village" may well be followed by others."Narbonne is going to harbour several hundred inter-

national civil servants but they number several tens ofthousands all over the world, " says Marc Delarbre.

Lebanon -

which will shortly see the return of the

Regional Commission of the U.N. -

may in the end

also host such a "village."

The departmental planning commissionhaving given its support, all that remains now is tosubmit a definitive project. Then the public inquiry

procedure will be started. If everything goes as plan-

ned, Jean-Pierre Rayssac, the Narbonne architect,hopes the work will start at the end of the first quarter

of 1995, and will take five yeers to complete.

- Claire KaPlun

(ExcrptedfromTribune de Genève, 26 August 1994 )

IT

IIII

I

Acknowledsements: The Executiue Group thanks those

utho haue iade possible this issue, especiaily Paer Ozoio(Editor), Raiinlar Pal, the transhtàrs, Pirticularly JeanLeclerq; alio Marianne King. Layout by HumphreyMatthey, Geneua.

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