AUTUMN, N9 19

quarterly

of tbe Association of Forruer rÿHO St"ffWorld. Heahlt Organisation, CH-1211 Gnreaa, Suitzerland, ( Tel: 791 3103; Fa*: 791 0746 )

PnlNcrpr-E\ÿhen the Association was established in

1989,.an emphasis was placed equally on two mainobjecdves:

L Ties. \ü7e pledged ro maintain ties among our-selves, with §ÿHÔ, ,Ëd, last but not leasr, witï ourserving colleagues.

. !. Support. '§ÿ'e pledged ro supporr former smffa.nd families, commitring ourselves to the principle ofdefense of their interestsl

As I start my mandate as chairman, and infurther supporr of côlleagues, I see a need for a basicpublication that will covèr topics important to us all,such as health insurance, pensions,

-taxes, wills. Toproceed in this rask, I seek *re advice and assistance ofyou.'Write me.

This is also the righr moment to rhank my prede-cessors fot their devoiion and work and to ,é.àgrirewhat has been accomplished since our AssociatioÀ wasestablished.

In rhe first place, our membershio has srovm toabout 900 which is more than half oË rhe t?OO for-mer staff throughout the world. For those in theGeneva aree, a selÊhelp group has been established;outings have been orgànized.' The annual reunion,the event more than any other that brings former andserving colleagues roget'her, has been heË eight times,with some 200 atrending in November. For those

AND PEOPI.E

outside the area, our linl<s are maintained mainlythrough this newsletter.

In pursuit of our second aim, the defense ofcolleagues, the Association wrote to the Director-General in October 1993 pointing out the inequaliryof health premiums. It will continue ro seek pre-miums that are 'fair." Colleagues hard hit by therecent increase, which were substantial for some pen-sioners, have been asked to advise the Association.

Just as important, the fusociarion has respon-ded to individual needs - supporting a colleagueover the issue of dme limirs for removal of householdgoods; helping another after she was robbed (almostblind, she had come to Geneva for medical care);assisting the widow of a colleague to return her hus-band's body home in less rhan 24 hours after a suddendeath (he had come from Pakistan to eppeil beforethe '§ÿHO appeals board).

To conclude, I reiterate the pledge I made inmy statement for election to the committee, which is

to-"follow up individual cases ... with the administra-tion, and other appropriate authorities."

This is only proper for we are an fusociation ofpeople. As people give life and meaning to principle,it is people most of allwho count.

-R. PâI, Cheimân

ln this issue :

Special Report : Arguing against Taxes ...2Fisc in France:......... ............... 31st Person Story : J. Kilker ...... 4Health Corner : T. Strasser ...................... 5

Changes, Changes, more : ..................... 5

SPECIAL REPORTlnvited Author

Ancurruc AcerNST TAxEs (PerusroNs & Selanres)(The following are excerpts of an articb carried in Union, ILO's staff magazine, that callç upon the

International Court of Jastice ti detennine the hgality of taxes on pensions and sakries. For tbe full text, utitb13 foot-notes, call the Association: 791 310j, mornings.

-Editor)

Do. you know th.at your pension which is financed from contributions that have already been taxed byyour organisation, is subject to income tax in a number of countries?

Do you know that neither your salary nor your pension should be taxed at the national level?

Here are some of the reasons why not.The time seems to be ripe to remind people that

- for a reason as valid for our salaries as for our pen-

sions -

no member state of the ILO has the right to levy taxes on this category of income.

Fiscal immunities accorded the ILO are based on the principle of equality emong member states. A sta-te levying taxes on funds contributed by all the member statès would thus be recuperating, at least in part andpossibly with a net profit, its contribution to the budget of ILO.

It would be improperly enjoying a privileged position, making the other states contribute to its ownnational budget. AII mèmber states musi therefore refriin from raising Juch taxes.

The immunities and privileges the organisation needs in order properly to fulfil its mission ere not basedon the same principles as tliose governing diplomatic immunities. Diplornatic immunities are based on theprinciple of reciprocal courtesy benareen naiions; the organisation is entitled to the immunities by right.

Adhesion to an organisation and to its constituent instrument is equivalent to adherence to a treety. Astatet obligation to exempt from national taxation funds contributed by alf the member states comes into effectimmediately. It is a requirement touching the very fabric and operation of the organisation.

The grounds for the fiscal immunities of an organisation are applicable also to officials. Thi basic crite-rion is the origin of the funds. Our salaries and pensiôns are paid oui of funds made available jointly by mem-ber states: they therefore must not be taxed by any individuaL member state. That our pensions would not betaxable at the hational level was a foregone .ori.l.r.ion to the experts who set up our p.rrritn system.

The principle of equaliry among member states gains in importance today, since the majoriry ... arecountries which are disadvantaged econômically and which it is intended should contribute proportionally less... to the-budget. Thus, if stateithet are compaiatively better off levy a tax on our salaries

"nd p..rrio.rs, théy are

ggilry of rwd violations: they violate the piinciple ôf equaliry as ïell as the social objectives of the UnitedNations sysrem.

_ Moreover, countries refusing to exempt from national taxation the salaries and pensions of internationalcivil servants are in contradiction w'ith their ôwn international fiscal law. In relations bètween states, remunera-tion (salary or pension) paid by a given state in respect of services rendered ro rhat state may only be taxed bythat state.

For the most part officials themselves seem to be unaware of the ... k y points concerning taxation.Some believe that the lax already levied on rhem by their organisation during aciirè service is purel/ fictitious.In fact this is not so, and indeeâ the tax levied is âbnormalflv hieh. Ho* ,ri".rv realise that tËe cohtributionsthey have.paid to the Pension Fund, and will in due course rl..ii. back in th. for- of a pension, have alreadybeen taxed?

. Many believe that fiscal immunities ere a matter of diplomatic privilege, which explains why the immu-niry ceases once they âre no longer in active service. Imagiàing, erroneously, that thelhave been benefitingfrom a privilege, they make no effort to defend their legitimare inreresrs.

MoreoveS believing - again erroneously - that the disputes over fiscal immunities are to avoid theayment of any tæ( at all, ihere are some who bèlieve they are demonstrating their sense of civic responsibiliryy condemning them. The truth is that they are only showing their ignorancè about the organisation.

Two fundamental principles are at stake in this matter of the taxation: equaliry among states, and equaltreatment of the officials.

^To def."d the exclusive right of the organisations to lËvr tax on thË monies they pay

out is the only way to ensure respect for these prin.i"ples. In this"instance rhe irrté..rt, of the officials coinc^idLstrictly with those âf th. organisaiion. The ,.pi.r.r,tàtives of serving staff and of retired officials must assume amajor responsibiliry for deËnce of this right.

Surely the time has come to confront the comperent bodies of the organisations of the U.N. system withwhat is really at stake, and to seek an opinion of the Liternational Court of Jüstice.

-Rolande Cuvillier

ILOprye 2

FISC in France

( | ) Tnxrrue Arru nr Senvrruc SrRrr

The Hexagon has got staff of U.N. specialised

agencies who live in neighbouring France in its sights!

After 47 years of delay, Paris has decided to sign the1947 Convention (on the Privileges and Immunitiesof the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations),which has been ratified by all U.N. Member States.

This puts staffof the agencies in the same boat as tho-se of the U.N. In sum: no matter where in the world,officials must receive the same fiscal treatment. "ButFrance proposes certain reservations to thisConvention and will introduce a system of tax creditsequivalent to a double faxation," according to Francis

Maupin, legal counsellor at the ILO.

This news comes as no surprise. "For 18

months, the French government has been divided bet-ween the Ministry of Finance, which wanted to tep

this rich fiscal vein, and the Foreign Affairs Ministrywhich preferred not to upset the status quo," explains

Michel de Bonnecorse, French Ambassador to theU.N. in Geneva. The die is not yet cast. The Frenchparliament will only decide next spring.

In the interim, the departments of Ain andHaute-Savoie (where most internationals live) will doeverything they can to put their regional point of viewâcross to the government. "It's scandalous," says

Pascal Meylan, Mayor of Ferney. "There has been no

prior dicsussion with the communes concerned." For

them, this fiscal measure will do nothing for theircommunal budgets. But by penalising the internatio-nal residents, Paris risks driving them out to Geneva."Even if they don't pay income taxes, they keep the

localeconomy going," says Meylan.

"No panic," replies Michel de Bonnecorse."There is unlikely to be any great migration of inter-national civil servants. Rents are 25 per cent cheaper

than in Switzerland, and the cost of living is also

lower." The ILO meanwhile is sounding out itsemployees on whether they might eventually wish toremove to Geneva.

(Excerptedfon Tiibune de Genève ,r--lïrrOifri

Q) TnE BITTLE CONTINUES

A letter from ILO's Director-General, MichelHansenne, written in the name of seven U.N. specia-

lised agencies, addressed to the French Mission inGeneva politely declines e meeting with a delegation

from that country.

"'§(/e ere not refusing to discuss," insistsFrancis Maupin, ILOt legal counsellor. "At present,

there is nothing like a true dialogue... '§7e were

hoping to sit down around a table to define the para-

meters of this new taxation. But we have the impres-

sion that the modalities have already been fixed."

It seemed to the agencies that the delegation

wanted to explain the implications and not to provide

the clarification requested. "'§ÿ'e dont want to Put the

cart before the horse," says Maupin. "§ÿ'e need time

to analyse before \Me meet with a delegation..."

The agencies are in a state of alarm. "'§ÿ'e are

going to demand a consultation with Prime Minister(Edouard Balladur) so that we can sit down properly

around the negotiating table," Maupin says' The fact

remains that no one is capable of providing good esti-

mâtes of just how much this new fiscal measure could

add to the coffers of France.

-M.y Piaget(ExcerptedfomTribwe de Genève 27 Oct'94)

A\QÀT§ sAV

New Yorber Sept.7, 91

page 3

lst Person Story

It is mid-Februaryin Johannesburg. I am(UNOMSA),

The Association's Executive Group electedfrom amonq its own rhe followine memberi to serveas officers for the 1994-96 term:

a

Cbainnan: Rajindar Pal;Vice Chainnen: Margaret Baker,

Rosemary Bell;Tieasurer: Joe Chang-Wailing;,4ssistant Tieasurer: Georges Esatoglu.

"l WENT To SourH AFRlcA"1994. I arrive at the Jan Smuts International Airport, neat, orderly, and underutilized,in South Africa for the first time, as a member of the U.N. Observation Mission

I am assigned to Ellisras, a sub-provincial town in western Northern Tiansvaal on the border withBotswana, wheré the land is flat and dry, like the American \7est. Only 130 black families live there among atoral population of 10,000. In the township ne arby of Marapong and, in the sub-district of Mokerong I, every-one ii black. Ellisras has an adequately-staffed, and generously-supplied hospital. The white and main entranceto the hospital is closed. Now àll traffic enters through what had been the black, and service, gatewey. TheEllisras staff are accepting change and the dramatic enlargement of its responsibilities.

Our first assignment is to meet representatives from all the political parties, civil and security officials, andother communiry léaders. All during ôur stay, we enjoy rural hospitaliry: the welcome mat out and tables la-vishly spread. 'W'e

are outsiders who are able to enter at the very top of social and official hierarchies.'§7e check the sites chosen as voting stations in an electoral district that covers 25,000 square kilometers

and includes234,O0O persons, or nine pei sq.rar. kilometer. lVorking from preliminary drafts of voting statio^nnemes, we identiÿ roaïs often missing-from- highway maps, se ttlements thai frequently have rwo or more offi-cial and colloquiai names, none of which are generally known in the next settlement. '§ÿ'e

become experts onthe byways of our district, especially in Mokerong I.

.W'e are U.N. observers ro the first all-race election in South Africa

- the first in its 350 years of history.

The quiet dedication of black and white , who volunteer as election officials, is impressive . One person is hospi-talized with pneumonia the day before the polls open; his wife immediately takes over.

There is little violence in the country and absolutely none in our district. 'W'e marvel at the patience,andjoy, of voters, despite the long lines in often beating rain or searing sun. My most vivid memory is of the mobi-le site at Elmeston, on roure R; t O. The team sets up on the wide, grassy shoulder beside the highway.

A donkey cârt moves cautiously along, the reins held by a solemn young boy. In the back, is an oldwomen, dressed in her finest blue gown, her head covered with a gay green, orange, and red bandana. Manyhands lift her from the cart, carryiÀg her to the head of the voting line . Too bent to stand, or even sit, she isplaced gently on the ground.

Mrs Seikgosa Emmie Seromula, born (according to her tattered identity card) on I April 1910, then caststhe first ballot in her life. Soon after the young man takes her home, slowly driving away, turning onto the dirtroad leading into the red, dusry hills.

This may be her last vote, but the next time, or the time after that, the young driver will have his chance.

later, I treat myself to a trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town on the Blue Tiain, which rivals theOrient-Express. Although capac§ is about 90 passeÀgers, there are only l8 on board, all treated in high opu-lence and served with extreme courresy.

. "Magic" is the favourite adjective of the traint splendidly amired director. He applies it to the weather,the train itselfl, the destination, the food, and his passengers.

'§ÿ'e do not complain.

-I.ry Kilker

(Formerly INE Geneua & U.N.)(Since bis departurefrom VTHO'bn account of tlte ruhs" in 1992, tbe uriter serued uith the U.N, mis-

sion in Cambodia-(UNTAC) in 1993. South Africiutæ bis second mission as an infortnation oficer-cum-ehc-tions specialist.

-Editor)

NEW EXECUTIVE GROUP

Other members of the group, earlier electedby the membership, are the following:

Yves Beigbeder, Gérard Dazin, Carlo Fedele , StanislasFlache, Roberto Masironi, Maggie Melloni and AlainVessereau.

'§(i'arren Furth and Vitorino Pinto were coop-ted.

page4

Health CornerSnnrruxrNc

'W'e were sipping our nÀ/o-weekly espresso; Albert was quite upset. "lmagine," he said, "l went to see mydocto& just for a chêck-up. 'Do you know your weighr and helght,' he asked. Of course I do, itk ideal: 73 kilo-grems and 173 centimetèrs, âs ever since my forties-. '\7ell, lei us check it,' he said, looking at me somcwhatqueerly, and pur me on his balance with a scale. 'Your wcight is correct' - 6f ç6us5e, I knew that, haüng step-ped on my own scde in the bathroom that morning -'but you are only 169 centimeters talll' Now tell me,what is happening to rne, am I shrinking? Am I becàming, as lhe French say, e petit uieu.x"?

Yes, Albert, you ere shrinking; many of us are shrinking. Our bones, seemingly passivc and solid.suuc-tures, are very much alive, with

" co-nstantly ective metabolism. Calcium and proteins, as well as phosphorus,

fluoride, and'many ot}er components ,r. .orrrt"rtly entering and leaving our bones. Bonc cclls are bein! inccs-santly destroyed bi, so-called olt.ocl*sts, bur arc alrd b.i.rg rJborn from inother rype of cells, the osteobËsts.

The overall condition of rhe bones depcnds on a balance bcnvecn the proccss of destruction and re-for-mation; with increasing age and decreasing activiry our bones may becom. poôr.r in minerals and proteins, less

dense, more porotic, irddso *or. fr"giÏe. This process, osteoporosis, is'one of those tt.rmctoüt borderlineconditions bàween health and disease.

"(There "r.

ïro frankly pàthologic forms of osteoporosis, less frequent,special diseases, but these do not concern Albertt case.)

One would be almost tempted to say that osteoporosis is part of normal ageing. It usually starts around45-50 years in lvomen, arrd arounà 60-65 yé.r. ir, -.rr. P"r, of n'ormal ageing

-"p.tËrpt; but is'it part of hcal-

thy agéing? Osteoporosis is a multifactorial, Iargely preventable, conditioà. Pf,ysià ecdviry stimulaæs not onlytnâ nârttd ',ressËk, muscles, lungs and -.t"b"olirÀ, bur promores the ,.r,.*âl of bone é[t, t9o. A balanccâdict provides, especially with milk ànd cheese, the calcium needed to avoid undue loss from the boncs, and vita-min b. If néedèd, bul only if needed, rhese and orher substances or drugs can be added but, then, where is thelimit bemreen healthy ageing and medicalized ageing?

After all, what is wrong with becoming a petit uieux or, for that matter, a Petite ujeillà §ÿ'ell, Albert, ifyou wanr my advice: join me"when I am *Jkirig. This is the best physical aciirrity for pensioners likc us.\i{âlking will do some good also to your bones.

-Tom §trasser, M.D.

CVD)

CHANGES, CHANGES, (MORE)

The following are recent staff appointments:

Control of Tropical Diseases: . Dr KazemBehbehani, formerly Programme Manager andManager of I-CHEM Steering Committee, SpecialProgramme for Research and Training in TiopicalDiseases, has been appointed as Director, Division ofTiopical Diseases (following the retirement of DrPieter de Raadt).

Biologicah . Dr Elwyn Griffiths, formerly SeniorScientist in the National Institute for BiologicalStandards and Control, U.N., has been appointed as

Chief, Biologicals (following the retirement of DrDavid Magrath).

Cabinet of the D-G . Dr Mario Gonzalez, formerly\fHO Representative in Viet Nam, has been appoin-ted as Executive Officer in the D-G's cabinet.

Interagency ffiirs, . Dr Ferdinand Z. Littaua, for-merly Executive OÉficer in the D-G's cabinet has beenappointed as Senior E,xternal Relations Officer,Division of Interagency Affairs.

Emergency and Hamanitarian Action: ' MrCharlës-Henri Lamunière has been appointed as

Senior Adviser for External Relations andCoordination in the Division of Emergency andHumanitarian Action. He was formerly Director and

Deputy to the U.N. Under Secretary-General forHumanitarian Affairs, Department of HumanitarianAffairs, Geneva.

Oral Healtb: ' Dr Guennadi N. Pakhomov has been

desienated Actins Chief, Oral Health (following the

,pp5i.,,^..,t of Ér David E. Barmes formerly çhi.,f"i Arrociat. Director, Division of NoncommunicableDiseases).

Blood Safety: ' Dr Jean Emmanuel, .formerlyScientist, ôtJUd PrograÂme on AIDS, has been desi-

snated Â.tine Chieiof the newly established Blood

Srf.ty unit"within the Programme on HealthTêchnology.

page 5

LIFESWLES

LIxr FATHER, llxe SON

The sons of rwo former staff are professionalcolleagues at the Cantonal Hospital in Geneva. Thefamily name of one is Mahler; his father was the D-G.'Ihe other is Khan; his dad was chief, psychotropicdrugs. 'When they meet down the corridors, they haileach other as "brothers" in\ùÿHO, according to KhanSr.

That has led him to suggest that the offspringof others might also feel the same 'ü/armth, and thatthere might be a first-ever gathering of them. 'Tobegin, we need to know how many live in the ârea,"he says in a letter asking the Associationb support ofhis idea. "'§(/'e can then arrange for them to meet oneevening, and then to take it from there: to get toge-ther from time to time, or to even form an associationof kids of former staff. They have \fHO in com-mon."

(Sounds like an idea uorth exploring. Reaction fromsons and dnughters oo* *rhokr.

-'Editor) r

AnyrnlruG BUT RenReo

. René Collas, formerly AFRO, 7963-84, haswritten " Les chemins retrouués: Mémoires d'un homme

ordinaire," an account of youthful days at St Etienne("Santsèue" as locals say), from 1924 to 1944 seenthrough the eyes of one Joseph Molineaux.Ostensibly fiction, it is, in fact, highly autobiographi-cal, depicting times before and during \ÿorld \ÿar IIthat the author knew intimately. In French, naturally,but written so clearly, it is a fairly easy read forAnglophones, particularly to the perpetually devotedstudent. For a copy send 30 CHF or 125 FF to 20rue de Lancry, Paris, 75010.

"ln my desk drawer, I have material for a

sequel, as well as for other writings, which one day Iwould hope to publish," the author says in a lettershowing that hè is anything but "retired," and farfrom " nn ltomme ordinaire."

. Nils Dahlqvist, formerly external relations,submitted a report entitled "Global'§ÿ'elfare: the Roleof Health," to the 26th \üforld Conference on Social.§ÿ'elfare

held July 1994 in Tâmpere, Finland. In theNGO forum that followed, he chaired a workinggroup preparing for a 1995 "summit" on social deve-lopment scheduled for Copenhagen.

Another of his abiding inte rests is in reform ofthe U.N. way of settling disputes between staff andmanegement, which, "coming from a country

-

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Sweden - where rights of employees are closely safe-

guarded," he finds uisatisfactory. '

o Georges Esaroglu, formerly fearless ediror ofDialogue, and friends, operated a food 51xnd

-"grandes spécialités orientàles," the programme said

- at a kermesse for the benefit of the Jhariry Clair-

Bois, last September in neighbouring Versoix. '

. Lindsay Moutia, formerly FIN, made rhesports page of the Dauphiné Libéré last Octobe rproudly displaying a winner's trophy. Carding thebest net (handicapped) score, he triumphed in thiscategory of the "Coupe du capitaine du sàniors," a golftournament at Saint-Jean-de-Gonville.

. Rajindar Pal, formerly Chief VGB, andDeputy Direcror of India's l§ational MalariaEradication Programme was interviewed recently byBBC. He assurèd listeners that the malaria outbreakin Rajasthan would abare soon, certainly with theonset of winter. It's ceuse: a new irrigationcanal, andthe heavy monsoon seeson this yeafwhich increasedbreeding places for the mosquiro. (See also malariaitem "In the House".)

CoTTITuING EDUcATIoN

Former staff interested in brushing up, refre-shening up, or continuing study in French'or-English(now that there's more freè timè) may enroll in \XrlIOlanguage courses, thanks to

"., ,rrr.rgement made bythe Assoctatron.

Aimed at providing students with a workingknowledge of a lânguagelthe courses are orienteâqolvar.ds requiremenrs of the U.N. proficienry exam(which a student elects to take).

Tuition is CHF 300 per rerm, which com-prises about 40 hours of stuày. (The U.N. fee isabout CHF 500.) There are n o rerms a year, withthe next term beginning in September. Classes areheld rwice weeklli an hËur

".rà , half each session.

There is a placemenr resr to determine rhe correcrlevel.

HELLo, SRlnr EruonÉol

For lack of finances, Narbonne rhe proposedresort for internationals is dead, pronouncèd so byManuela d'Arcy, formerly of the United Nations, anda spokeswoman for the project

But there may be yet a place in SouthernFrance, she says, where U.N. civil servânrs, formerand serving, can be drawn ro

- to live or to let live

among kindred folk who've shared service for thepeoples of the world.

That is the idea behind a new project ar Saint

Endréol, located just a half hours drive from Cannesand St Tropez, which \Â/as presenred recently inGenewa to a group of interested people (including for-mer ILO Director General, Francis Blanchard) it theHotel d'Allèves. Much has to be worked our, bur oneadvantage of the site is already evident: its proximityto a golf course bordered by tall parasol pinès batheâ

il ,!. sunlight that only the people luc§ enough rollve tar South enroy.

As for accommodation, there are going to behouses and apartments for sale or renr, all buili in thesimple inimitable sryle of Provence thar only gersnicer as it gets older.

How to ensure that there will be rhe righrkind of physical, cultural and intellectual activirl tomake a stay in Saint Endreol stimulating as well as

restful and lovely will depend on responses to a four-page questionnaire. That was distributed at the meet-ing to determine tastes and preference, as well the ran-ge of prices most suited to internationals.

More should be heard about this project inthe coming months. But for further details nowcontect Le Club International, Saint Endreol, 8 rueLeroux 75116 Paris, tel 45 0l 91 9l; Fax 45 0l 5777.

-Nedd §ÿillard

(formerly INF)

FOnueR STRTT DEFENDS WHO

So incensed was John Bland, former editor,Vorld Heahh by the story "'1J7ho Needs this Bunch of'§ÿ'asters?" (sunday Express, London, 25 September1994) that he shot off a letter to the editor. Excerptsfrom his defense follow:

".§7HO's budget for 1994-95 is $1.8 billion,or f.570 e yea\ far leis than the figure quoted. Theidea that ialaries everîge $77,060 provokes a biglaugh here in Geneva. A high-grade professional qayearn about L39,OOO, and i directoi d48,000, plusallowances which vary according to posting - plusincentives similar to those offered by governmentsand private business to expatriate staff If salaries takethe liont share of the budget, this is because \7HOtstock-in-trade is brains; itls not running a hardwarestore.

"Your correspondent seems to think that smo-king and traffic accid.nts are problems only- for theindustrialized worlk, but the imoking pandemic is

already killing more people in the Third'§florld thanin the''§ÿ'esteà worldj if he travelled further than, say,

Essex, he would learn that the road toll is appallingand growing. Polio has already disappeared from theAmeiican c6ntinent, thanks in largê part to \fHOtinitiative, and will be eradicated fiom the planet bythe Year 2000.

pageT

'A dose of reform is healthy for any bureau-crary and fair comment is welcome, but the rubbishpeddled by your writer only shows that it is he who isihe'waster'. Your readers deserve better."

(Brauo, Jobn - Editor)

Senvlruc SrIrr STILL ON TENTERHOOKS

On behalf of the Executive Heads of speciali-zed agencies, the Director-General of ILO has advisedFrance, through its U.N. Mission that it would be"premature" to no\À/ send a delegation to Geneva todiscuss taxation of serving staff living in France.

After some 40 years of being exempt fromincome tax, serving staff of all nationalities residing inFrance would be required to pây them, under propo-sals put forward b1 Paris

-- over the oppositlon of

meyors of French villages where internationals live.As all staff pay a "staff assessment," this would mean avirtual double taxation. To avoid that, France hasnow proposed a "tax credit" equal to the amountdeducted from gross salaries. In addition it hasagreed not to apply the tex retroactively, which hadbeen a main point of contention.

The response from the agencies is dependenton clarification from France on what has been descri-bed in a circular (94190) dated October, as "a certainnumber of very important questions of principles" rai-sed by the agencies, including \ÿHO.

Staff serving with the U.N. itself, or withCERN, ere not affected by the proposal as these orga-nizations have agreements with France. Under the

new proposal France would ratify the 1947Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of theSpecialized Agencies with "certain reservations," per-mitting tâxâtion of salaries.

- A survey carried out by the ILO Staff Unionin October showed the tax would drive the vast majo-riry away from neighbouring ,r^nrr.1r*

ako page 3)

Health lnsurance

SIGHT AND SOUND

The health insurance plan has been asked toreimburse 80 per cent of the costs of lenses, and tocover hearing aids also in the same way.

These changes would put V/HO ParticiPantson pâr with those in the U.N. system, according to aresolution adopted last October at the stafft AnnualGeneral Meeting. These items would then fall in thesame category ôf reimubrsement as other medicalappliances.

The maximum amount now reimbursed forlenses plus frames, generally every ru/o years, is $tOO.That sum, "in Genlva is often iess than the cost ofone lens," the resolution said, while also calling forsome reimbursement of the cost of frames. Theseproposals no\Âr go to the Surveillance Committee.

As presented by rhe 42nd Staff Committee,the resolutior, ..rrt.r.d on glasses. But following a

proposal from the floor by the Association's Dr R. Pal,

i..àtly-.l.cted chairm".r, i, *". amended to includehearing aids. Under rules, hearing aids are reimbur-sed, every five years, up to $500.

IN THE HOUSE

Tnnee Top Joe HorprRs:AGES 62,62,63

' AFRO: Dr Ebrahim Malick Samba, 62, since1980 Director of '§7HO's Onchocerciasis ControlProgramme in '§7est Africa, has been nominatedRegional Director, AFRO.

He was born in the Gambia in 1932, and is agraduate of the University of Ghana and the NationalUniversiry of Ireland. He is married with three chil-dren-

t

' AMRO: Sir George Alleyne, 62, formerlyAssistant Director of the Pan American SanitaryBureau and a staff member since 1981, has beennominated Regional Director, AMRO.

He was born in St Philip, Barbados in 1932,and is a graduate of the Universiry of the Vest Indies.

' EURO: Dr Jo Eirik Asvall, 63, has been nomina-ted for a third term as Regional Director EURO.

He was born in Norway in 1931, and is e gra-duate of Oslo University and Johns HopkinsUniversity. He was elected to his first term in 1985,and to a second term in 1990.

All nominations are subject to confirmationby VHOt Executive Board when it meets in January1995.

CVD,S : NEGLEGTED IN ELDERLYEpidemics of cardiovascular disease are fore-

cast for irott .or'rntries as the numbe r of elderlyincreases. Claiming some l2 million lives a year,

CVD already is the leading cause of death worldwideâmong the over-65 year-olds whose numbers are Pro-jected to double within the next 20 years.

Prevention and treatment of these illnesses

poge I

however remains a low priority almosr everywhere.Little is known about risk faciors

- such âs hish

blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol lerrels, smî-king, obesiry physical inactiviry and diabetes

- in

this age group, or about the prospects for preventingthem.

MnunIn : THE CoI.oMeIAN VAccINETwo-year field trials recentlv concluded in

Tânzania have shown thar the Colombian "SPf66"vaccine is safe, induces antibodies and can reduce therisk of malaria by around 30 per cent in children, a§ÿHO release (Nâ. 8t) says.

The vaccine is also under trial in The Gambia,and on the border of Thailand and Myanmar(Burma). The developers of the vaccine, Dr'ManuelPatarroyo, and colleàgues, have offered ro donatelicence rights of SPf66 to \(rHO.

StvtRttpox : Bve, ByeThe last stocks of smallpox virus held in the

United States and Russia should be destroyed, accor-ding to a §7HO Ad Hoc Committee onOrthopoxvirus Infections which recommended des-tr_uction following the'§7orld Health Assembly inMay 1995.

The Committee also recommended rhat500,000 doses of vaccine be stocked by \fHO for

emergencies and that the vaccine seed virus be kept ina VHO collaborating centre in Bilthoven, TheNetherlands.

The global eradication of smallpox was decla-red in May 1980; the lasr natural case of smallpoxdetected in Somalia in October 1977.

EvEnY Ornen DAy, lt's O.K."There is no minimum threshold below

which alcohol can be consumed without any risk,"Hans Emblad, Director of §fHOt Programme onSubstance Abuse, is quoted as saying in a press release(§7.HO/84).

In a specific reference to the role of alcohol inreducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, "scientificstudies show that only one drink every other day isliable to reduce the risk," the release states, 'while'rhisrisk certainly increases above rwo drinks per day."

To reduce the risk of CVD it's better to "avoidsmoking, engage in physical activiry, eat less fats...This concept of moderate drinking as healrhy is northe result of rigorous scientific resealch, bur is to a lar-ge extent inspired by commercial purposes," rhe relea-se seys.

(Another uieu is found in Technicd ReportSeries No. 841 : "ft is probably bener tu concludetbat rnoderate consumption of ahobol (up to 30g ofethanol fu;b) does no ltarm to tbe cardiouascuhr sys-tem tltan to ernphasize i* protectiae effect.,.'

-Editor)

LETTERS

(Unhss stated to the contrary by conespondcnts, htters receiued are roatinely considzredand edited, for publication to encoilrage an excbange of aieus atnong colhagues.

- Editor)

.îHE Wonrn oF YEARS,,

Re: Anger ar 85 (News, 17 Spring 1994)

I fully sympathize with Tove Engman. Likeher, I too had io ,,ririr Geneva to seek ciarificationsabout the increases in premiums when my letter fromCalifornia went unanswered back in 1990. In compa-ring our premiums to those_of the profit-making iniu-rence companies, our Staff Health Insurance office, inits lerter of 2l July 1994, sadly ignores, or worse still,devalues the worth of our yea.i olservice ro \7HO.

Professional staffl who must have solid expe-rience before joining, can rarely accumulare 30 yeàrsof contribution. In "my ."r., ,ft., nearly 23 years, thepremium (for my wife and myself) ju*[.d fro*$607 .35 in 1988 to $ 1870.08 in'1994.

-Mahmood Suleiman

Stamford, California(formerly EHE)

\tc\q,i

$\§

a(

§§

.§R

'fud. ncwg Yov're os sound as a dollor."

page I

..COMPLETE RUEgISH,,

Re: The Thxing Problem of Pension §ews,18, Summer 1994)

You write : "Tlte Republic and Canton ofGeneua and the Llnited Statu ixempt that part of pti-sion financed by the pensioner

- prouided there is no

lump sum settlement."

I don't know who told you this, or whether itis true of the United States, but as far as Geneva is

concerned it is -

excuse mel -

complete rubbish.U.N. pensions here are treated in the same way es

those from any other source, but in practice the posi-tion is similar to that in the UK.

If (as in the U.N. system) you have contribu-ted more than 20 per cent but less than 100 per centof the cost of your pension, you can, whether or notyou have taken a lump sum, deduct for tax purposes10 per cent from the annual âmount you receivefrom the pension fund. (Investment income from a

lump sum or other capital is taxable without deduc-tion.)

Thus, if in a given yeâr your pensionamounts to 60,000 CHF and your interest or divi-dends from investments to 30,000 CHF, you will betaxed (the following year) on 84,000 CHF (60,000less 6000 = 54,000 for the pension, plus 30,000).

This is by no means the whole story becausethere is federal as well as cantonal and communal taxto be paid, not to mention rhe rax levied on yourcapital itself (which includes the notional value ofany house or flat you may own) as well as on theinéome from it. PÉrsonally, I g.r an experr to fill inmy tax forms for me and I cônsider ii well worthwhat he charges.

lohn Fraser

Wrsoix

(formerly TM)(In short, tberei a l0 per ceni dzduition on

pensioru. On tbat basis alonei Geneua may be moreattracti-ue tban -neighbouring France for tlte pensio-

1er. Tlte fees of an expert uaiy, naturàlly enoigh, butfor a faiily siaisht-foruard-tasc returi. aboit CHFner, I he lees of an eryert uary, naturalllfor a fair$ siaight-fortaard-tac returi,for a faii$ siaight-fortoard-tac retari, aboit CHF500 has be^en suggested. Tltus euen out of "rubbish,"come! information and bnoutledge. Ar! furtberinsights oi the taxingprobhm wehohe. iËa;tor)

Tne WTO-Swlss Denl

(The follouing letter dated 9 September1994, uras sent to Mr J.P l-apalme, chairmàn of tbeGATT Syff,*sociation, anf, copied to staff anà for-rner staff associations in Geneuà. ,4s the

-News *eot

to print, there uas no hnotan reply, -Editor.)

page l0

Like many other international civil servantsin Ge neva, I followed with a great deal of interest theevents that resulted in the decision of the VorldTiade Organization, GAIT's successor, to establishitself in Genera (from January 1995, thereby decli-ning an offer from Bonn).-

Our information, of course, comes from press

reports of the package of benefits offered by Swiss

ofhci"l, as incentive "fo, yo, to remain here.' tÿhatemerges strongly and clearly is that you ât'§ÿ'TO, andby exiension, we, other internationals, are welcome.

If what has been reported is accurate, thereare implications in your arrangements for other agen-cies in Geneva. I refer in particular to the agreementthat spouses may seek employment on the local mar-ket, and that pensions might be exempt from incometax, as with Vienna, another ciry that hosts a multitu-de of international agencies. Bur there may be otherbenefits as well not known to us.

Please be kind enough to send us whateverthere is in writing about the \ÿTO-Swiss agreement,notably those provisions affecting staff. .This may be

an opportune moment to review privileges andimmunities as they pertain to international civil ser-vants in Switzerland.

-Jan Stiernsward, M.D.

Chairman, WHO 42nd StaffComrnittee

NO LOI,ICER ALIVE

Re: Still Aliue, Village Narbonne ûrtrews, -/&Summer 1994)

I am very much interested in the VillageNarbonne projeci and eventually would like , togetherwith my wife, to install ourselves permanently at thatplace. Could you provide me with detailed informa-tion, or transmit this letter to â person who could doso.

I have served \fHO for 18 years ât variousdury stations'

-Imrich Geizer, M.D.

Prague(The organizers haue announced the d.ernise

of Narbonnr, aüng uith tbe birth of Saint Endreol,as uill be seen on page 6 . Your htter has been passedon to tlte responsible official for the neu enterPrise.

- Editor)

NoeeLlsr

Dr Niels Jerne, who died in September ât theage of 83, joined \7HO in 1956 as head of the biolo-gical standardization unit. Becoming a lecturer in

lruousrny RecocNtzED

Dr Ebrahim Samba (director of '§7HO'sOnchocerciasis Conrrol Programme in '§fest Africa)recognizes the_ contriburion of private indusrry to rhesuccess of \ÿHOt programmê, especially Merck &Cg., for "giving ur th. àrug ivermeètin frée;" AbbottLaboratories for "selling -Bacillus

thuringiensis at areduced_price;" Ciba Geigy, 'W'ellcome,

Tâk"eda, Bayer,Janssen "and many more (ihat) have contributed".

'

(Excerpæd from Health Horizons, Autarnn' 94)

Mosr FonruruRTE CHAP

Chinat paremounr leader and most reveredliving Communist, Deng Xaoping, has been awardeda special prize for being a "Màst Forrunate OldPerson," a press report saiil. Deng, who turned 90 on20 Alg 1994 is not only "a maÀ of noble characrer

T4 hlsh.p.restige, he is the most beloved amongChina's elderly people," according to rhe Chin"aBusiness Times.

(Excerptedfom tltelnt'l Herald Tlibune, 8-9 Oct '94

RelrEMeeRtNG Troolr poulroru

Teddie Poulton, DM, MRCB DCh, DPHworked for \Ù7HO for 18 years: first in Egypt, fromwhere he was evacuared during the Suez îrisis, andthen in Nigeria, Zaire (during the Congo war andfamine), ÿgl.,dr, and Sierra Làn.. He #as happiestwhen teaching hygiene and prophylacdc medicine inAfrican villages and rural clinics. He spent his sparetime building_up one of the worldt finést private col-lections of African butterflies and teachiÀg his greyparrot to speak English.

Retiring in 1972, he recycled himself as ageneral practitioner and spent the next 21 years doinglocums across the areà between .Worthing anàPortsmouth. An enthusiastic life member ôf theRoyal Scottish Country Dance Sociery he danced arleait rwice each week kéeping himseff Ét.

He was born 20 April 1913 and was educated

Nge ll

biophysics at.Geneva Universiry he accepted the postin 1960 of director of the Insiitute of ïmmunoîogyle*ly established in Basel by Hoffmann-LaRochî.For his work at that institute, he was awarded theNobel Prize for Medicine in 1984.

Those who knew him will remember his kind-ness, sense of humour and keen inrellect. I havememories of stimulating discussions in rhe cafeteriawith Niels Jerne and our-director, Dr Timmerman.

IN THE PRESS

iq R"gby and Balliol College, Oxford and Guy'sHospital (BM, BCh 1938). During the war he servêdin the Indian Army Medical Service, in the PersianGulf, and ltaly. Àt th. end of the war he marriedDelicia Iremonger, to whom he had been engaged foralmost five years. He died of a myocardial infaict andis survived by his wife, five children, and six grand-children.

-E.C. Poulton

(Excerp ted fr on British Medical Journal)

(Locum tenens = Iztin for holding the phce.A hcum GD oftenfresttfrom *ldical schoSl, suids infor an absmt GP

-Editor)

Fewen lrureRrunnoNALs

The Belle Epoque of the Geneva internationalcivil servant appeers to be over. "It's no longer a gro-wing world. Like everFthing else, it's subjeèt ro eco-nomic pressures," admits Roland Rierschin, of theGeneva Cantonal Statistics Office, which has justpublished its annual review of the international orga-nlsatlons.

'§7'ith less than 30,000 employees in March1994, comprising 8.8 per cent of the total work forcein the Canton, the 15 international organizationsreviewed show a reduction, for the second successiveyear, in staff

- by 2.1 per cent. CERN which

employs much of its research staff for short periods is

responsible in part for the decrease. The tendency is

even more maiked in the permanent missions, whichhave lost 8.5 per cent of their employees.

Acknowledsements: The Execatiue Gouû thankswho haue àdde oossibb this issae, esiecialh prt , C(Editor), Rajinlar Pat, the transhiors, Phi&larÜLeclercq; a[so Marianne King. Ldyoict hy tfuu1

Geneoa.

-Claire Kaplun

(ExcerptedfomTribwe de Genève, 25 Oct'94