Liquid Rules
By Perro de Jong
Radio Netherlands Worldwide
January 11, 2008
. . .The other way around, though, that can actually be a source of serious problems. Just ask former development minister Eveline Herfkens. She's brought undying shame on the Netherlands by being the third Dutch official in quick succession to have made a dog's dinner of a senior position at the United Nations.
The first was Ruud Lubbers, who was sacked from the UN refugee agency for fondling one of his employees. And the second was Ad Melkert, who's still hanging on by a thread at the UN Development Programme after president Bush's moustachioed goon John Bolton moved in for the kill.
Ms Herfkens was in charge of the UN's Millennium Goals, which aim to alleviate poverty. But the only poverty she's alleviated so far is her own...or so the American accusations go. In addition to being paid by the UN, she let the Dutch government pick up the rent of her expensive New York apartment, even though double dipping is strictly against UN rules. And when she started working part-time, she used all kinds of dubious loopholes to hold on to perks like flying first class.
Dutch culture
Her fight to retain those perks was no doubt a lot more heroic than her fight for the Millennium Goals. All the same I feel sorry for Ms Herfkens. Because the idea that once you've won a privilege you can hold on to it until retirement is deeply ingrained in Dutch culture.
Click here for the full story.
Senator Tom Coburn
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-2254 Fax: 202-228-3796
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