Ethics is often treated as a namby-pamby idealistic and unnecessary subject for thought nowadays. But obviously, we have a problem here. Rumour has it that the United Nations Oil-For-Food program was rife with corruption and influence and, in the Secretary Generals own words “fell far short of the standards of fairness, objectivity and transparency required by the Charter and by United Nations rules, and that the management controls and systems set up for the programme were, in many cases, inadequate to the task”.
At least for the moment, it all looks like this guy, Benon Sevan’s fault. This makes me think of Stan Koebel, remember him? Life sustenance for both Walkerton residents and Iraqis. Critical stuff here. And why did it all go so wrong?
I think it’s because people start to think they are the organization they represent. It’s so much bigger than just them and maybe they feel that it therefore confers some sort of general immunity about things. Would Benon buy a fridge from a guy that was leaking Freon if it was for his own family? Would Stan have let the cows meander around his own well?
Having said that, while everybody is somebody’s child, I myself find it difficult to remember that sometimes. Especially when you’re trying to be helpful but the taxpayer on the other end of the line is just not happy and has to remind you “Hey, I pay your salary!”.
And I hear Jenny from the Block has quite a rider, so evidently the block has slipped her mind too.
Benon should have been thinking that every hungry Iraqi is somebody’s child. I’m not naïve to the fact that were other hurdles with this program but it did start off with good intentions. We all do. The challenge is to remember the block, where you learned them on.
At least for the moment, it all looks like this guy, Benon Sevan’s fault. This makes me think of Stan Koebel, remember him? Life sustenance for both Walkerton residents and Iraqis. Critical stuff here. And why did it all go so wrong?
I think it’s because people start to think they are the organization they represent. It’s so much bigger than just them and maybe they feel that it therefore confers some sort of general immunity about things. Would Benon buy a fridge from a guy that was leaking Freon if it was for his own family? Would Stan have let the cows meander around his own well?
Having said that, while everybody is somebody’s child, I myself find it difficult to remember that sometimes. Especially when you’re trying to be helpful but the taxpayer on the other end of the line is just not happy and has to remind you “Hey, I pay your salary!”.
And I hear Jenny from the Block has quite a rider, so evidently the block has slipped her mind too.
Benon should have been thinking that every hungry Iraqi is somebody’s child. I’m not naïve to the fact that were other hurdles with this program but it did start off with good intentions. We all do. The challenge is to remember the block, where you learned them on.
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