UN Staff Union ready to make "no-confidence" vote

[Guest Cerebus]

UN employees were readying on Friday to make a historic vote of no confidence in scandal-plagued Secretary General Kofi Annan, sources told AFP.

 

The UN staff union, in what officials said was the first vote of its kind in the more than 50-year history of the United Nations, was set to approve a resolution withdrawing its support for the embattled Annan and UN management.

 

Annan has been in the line of fire over a high-profile series of scandals including controversy about a UN aid programme that investigators say allowed deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to embezzle billions of dollars.

 

But staffers said the trigger for the no-confidence measure was an announcement this week that Annan had pardoned the UN’s top oversight official, who was facing allegations of favouritism and sexual harassment.

 

The union had requested a formal probe into the behaviour of the official, Dileep Nair, after employees accused him of harassing members of his staff and violating UN rules on the hiring and promotion of workers.

...

“This was a whitewash, pure and simple,” Guy Candusso, a senior member of the staff union, told AFP.

 

Candusso noted that Eckhard’s declaration to the press had said that “no further action was necessary in the matter.”

 

But in a letter sent to the union, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, Annan’s chief of staff Iqbal Riza said Nair had been ”advised that he should exercise caution” in future to “minimise the risk of negative perception.”

 

In a resolution set to be adopted on Friday, the union said Riza’s statement “substantiates the contention of the staff that there was impropriety” and that there exists “a lack of integrity, particularly at the higher levels of the organisation...

 

This will be big news right?

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I'm sure they'll find some way to bail him out. Or they'll get rid of him and put someone even worse in his position.

[Guest Cerebus]

Most likely, they'll follow the media's example and pretend it never happened.

[AndrewTS 0]

*checks CNN.com, Washingtonpost.com, Reuters.com, FAUXNEWSLOL!,

c-span.org, nypost.com, nytimes.com*

 

Apparently not.

[Guest SideFXs]

Are you kidding? This U.N. vote will be just like the FDA relying on Merck's own studies on Vioxx, to approve Merck's own drug.

 

We need to get out of the U.N., then without our tax dollars, they will have no option, but to disband and then we can turn the building into high rent condos, that will have one hell of a nice open air gymnasium.

[Guest INXS]

Has it been proven that Annan was involved in Saddam syphoning off billions of dollars?

 

Of course, if it is a fact then he should be replaced, hopefully by a person with a stronger character.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Even if Annan was not directly involved, he was in charge of the UN while it funnelled billions of dollars to a brutal dictator who routinely butchered his own people. While I'm sure Saddam is not the first of those kind the UN have supported, the glaring misconduct in the Oil For Food program occurred under Annan's watch. That's enough reason to get him out of there. The tape dispenser on my desk could do a better job.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Replace him with the principal from Marty Sherman's U.N. prep school.

 

 

"Flaming horse pitoot!"

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

The way the U.N. works this day he still has a good 5 years of job secruity before they get around to actually accomplishing anything.

[Swift Terror 0]

Whenever the U.N. comes up, I think of the Batman movie with Adam West, where the U.N. members are zapped into colorful piles of ground up matter and placed in clear tube.

 

I'd love to see Annan--and a few choice others--in tubes on a mantle in the Oval Office.

[2GOLD 0]

Replace him with the principal from Marty Sherman's U.N. prep school.

 

 

"Flaming horse pitoot!"

 

You forgot an important part.

The laugh, you can't have a quote without the laugh.

[Guest MikeSC]

Even if Annan was not directly involved, he was in charge of the UN while it funnelled billions of dollars to a brutal dictator who routinely butchered his own people. While I'm sure Saddam is not the first of those kind the UN have supported, the glaring misconduct in the Oil For Food program occurred under Annan's watch. That's enough reason to get him out of there. The tape dispenser on my desk could do a better job.

This is begging for a poll.

 

"What can do a better job than Kofi Annan?"

 

I'm saying the lint in my dryer's lint trap.

-=Mike

[2GOLD 0]

Even if Annan was not directly involved, he was in charge of the UN while it funnelled billions of dollars to a brutal dictator who routinely butchered his own people.  While I'm sure Saddam is not the first of those kind the UN have supported, the glaring misconduct in the Oil For Food program occurred under Annan's watch.  That's enough reason to get him out of there.  The tape dispenser on my desk could do a better job.

This is begging for a poll.

 

"What can do a better job than Kofi Annan?"

 

I'm saying the lint in my dryer's lint trap.

-=Mike

 

I say German Musical Legend David Hasselhoff.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

The sad thing is is that we'll most likely get stuck with someone even worse than Annan. Hey maybe they should reward Sudan for killing less people and give someone from there a job.

 

I guess their just pissed that Arafat is dead so they can't give the position to him.

[Guest MikeSC]

The sad thing is is that we'll most likely get stuck with someone even worse than Annan. Hey maybe they should reward Sudan for killing less people and give someone from there a job.

 

I guess their just pissed that Arafat is dead so they can't give the position to him.

I love that we give most of the money, provide most of the troops --- yet have no chance of ever having an American in charge.

-=Mike

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Why would they ever do that. They might actually have to do something then.

[Slayer 0]

Replace him with the principal from Marty Sherman's U.N. prep school.

 

"Flaming horse pitoot!"

 

You forgot an important part.

The laugh, you can't have a quote without the laugh.

"Students from Chad, your country has changed it's name to Doctor Death, because the chicks seem to dig it. HAAAHAHAHAHAHA!"

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

I thought the next UN SecGen was supposed to come from North America.

[Guest MikeSC]

Replace him with the principal from Marty Sherman's U.N. prep school.

 

"Flaming horse pitoot!"

 

You forgot an important part.

The laugh, you can't have a quote without the laugh.

"Students from Chad, your country has changed it's name to Doctor Death, because the chicks seem to dig it. HAAAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Couldn't they simply use the Easter Island folks?

-=Mike

[Highland 0]

I love that we give most of the money, provide most of the troops --- yet have no chance of ever having an American in charge.

-=Mike

 

I thought Clinton's name was being bandied about as possible SG, or was that just a rumour?

[Red Baron 0]

Annan was worthless in there. He let everything pass by until it was too late.

 

Lets hope the UN actually gets someone common sense.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I love that we give most of the money, provide most of the troops --- yet have no chance of ever having an American in charge.

-=Mike

 

I thought Clinton's name was being bandied about as possible SG, or was that just a rumour?

I think that was just wishful thinking. I don't think they'll ever let an American run things.

[Red Baron 0]

Clinton thing was rumoured, but I can't see myself Clinton, or an American, or a Canadian being Secratary General.

[Styles 0]

I heard on one of our favorite laugh inducing topical to the year television news outlets, the discussion about Clinton possibly vying for the new Secretary General spot. It would be quite interesting. The debate was whether we should have to send one of our former Presidents in to clean up the intl community's mess. I might be warm to the idea. It would mean a friendly name at the top to the US , and as evidenced by their interactions at the White House paintings unveilings and the Clinton library opening, Clinton and President Bush seem to get along suprisingly well too. Plus Clinton will put Israel and peace on the agenda being that he still feels like his hoped for legacy in that area is unfinished. I doubt it happens though, they'll probably name whoever the leader of Sudan is or something equally ridiculous...

[Vern Gagne 0]

I thought the next UN SecGen was supposed to come from North America.

I thought it was someone from an Asian country.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

That could be an improvement if it means getting a Japanese head of the UN. At least chances are someone from Japan would be a lot more friendly towards the U.S. than Annan has.

[Styles 0]

I thought the next UN SecGen was supposed to come from North America.

I thought it was someone from an Asian country.

You are correct.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

The position of UN Secretary-General is supposed to rotate by geographic region, but that rule is often broken...Mr Annan had finished his first term, the member states were so impressed with Annan's performance that he was appointed for a second term despite the fact that the next Secretary-General should have been from Asia. There has not yet been a Secretary-General from North America or Oceania.

 

Rumours have recently appeared that former U.S. President Bill Clinton has set his sights on becoming Secretary-General. It is generally considered Asia's turn to fill the post. No announcement has been made, but behind the scenes China is already pushing the candidacy of Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who also seems to have U.S. support. If Clinton does emerge as a candidate, however, China would most likely shift its support.

 

Source: Wikipedia

[Guest Cerebus]

We won't have a UN SG from any of the Big Five members of the Security Council since any of the other members would veto them. So give up on Clinton, it ain't happening (although I would admit I would like to see it)

[Slayer 0]

I dunno what the whole rotation thing is about, since there's been three Euros (two of them consecutive) and two Africans (also consecutive) already as SG