From the President of the Staff Association
(202) 458-6230- Fax (202) 458-3466
September 27th, 2010
SN-17/10-11 Original: Spanish
REMARKS BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL
JOSÉ MIGUEL INSULZA
AT THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT STAFF AWARDS CEREMONY
August 31, 2010
This ceremony, which takes place every year, is held on a truly important date for the Organization in this country. The year, by which I mean the working year, starts next Tuesday, after Labor Day, and so we gather here to reward those who have worked tirelessly for a long time, as many have in recent years. It is also a good opportunity to take stock.
To begin with I would like to congratulate all the employees of the Organization, both those who are here, those who are watching us by electronic media and who are unable to be here, all the men and women who work for this organization and have managed to pull through in a year that, let's face it, has not been easy. It has not being easy from a political point of view. We have had hanging over us a crisis which we had hoped not to have: the situation in Honduras. We have had a series of problems and political issues to contend with; many of our countries have seen an increase in something that we would rather not have to discuss, namely, criminality, crime. We started 2010 with the earthquake in Haiti, a huge tragedy that also involved Organization staff, many of whom rallied to help Haiti in any way they could.
I think that, the difficulties aside, the balance has been positive because we have shown that our Organization is relevant. We have shown that we are an organization that confronts problems. We have shown that we are an organization that, in spite of everything, maintains its fundamental unity and has triumphed over all of these difficulties.
This year, also, the Assistant Secretary General and I have inaugurated our second term in the Organization. I did not mention this along with the other matters because I did not want you to count it as one of our problems, but as one of the solutions and we have done so firmly resolved to keep going, to keep working with all of you to further elevate the stature of the OAS.
A lot is said about the OAS and a lot will continue to be said in the months to come. It has been admitted, however, that these days there is more talk than ever about the OAS. The fact is that many who criticize the OAS and say that it is irrelevant should be asked why, if it lacks relevance, they devote so many pages to it and say so much about it. Because I believe that it is relevant, despite all its difficulties, its problems, its shortcomings, the internal rifts in our region which until recently did not exist. And this, I believe, is thanks to the tireless work that we all do in the Organization.
No less challenging -and I believe that serious and important issues should be mentioned even on festive occasions- have been the budgetary difficulties that we have faced. In recent years we have made an enormous effort to keep going and we have managed it because many countries decided over the last five years to bring themselves up to date in their contributions. Unfortunately, however, this year it has necessary to begin a process of austerity measures which, despite the concern they have raised, I do not believe has been particularly painful, to the extent that we have tackled them by eliminating positions that were vacant or that were occupied by people who were retiring or who took voluntary retirement.
But I admit that this is a difficult issue, a worrying issue, and I would like to reiterate to you our commitment -mine, the Assistant Secretary General’s, and that of all the management staff- to see out the year with a stable, well financed Organization that offers something that is very necessary for many in these times of crisis: job security. We will do everything we can to that end, and we are counting on your help. Meanwhile, however, it is important that I thank you because, despite the problems and difficulties you have managed to continue working with commitment and responsibility, making a huge effort in the service of the Organization which will be reflected, I trust, in the awards that we present today.
Many congratulations to those who are receiving awards. Many congratulations to those who are completing years of service, exemplary ones in the service of the OAS. I trust that this year of work which starts on Tuesday, in which we commemorate the milestone of the tenth anniversary of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, is a much more untroubled one for all our staff and that we are able to accomplish the great work on which our sights are set.
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE STAFF ASSOCIATION
RENÉ L. GUTIÉRREZ
Mr. Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza;
Mr. Albert R. Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General,
Ambassador Frank Almaguer, Secretary for Administration and Finance.
Dear colleagues,
Thank you for coming today, a day which is so special for everyone here, for their families, and those watching us via online broadcast.
We are gathered in the Hall of the Americas, the 100-year-old temple dedicated to peace, to express our gratitude to the staff of the General Secretariat. Some of you here have worked in the General Secretariat for as long as 45 years.
Dear friends, I wish you success in your future activities, and I thank you for your dedication to each of the activities entrusted to you. May you enjoy the best years of your lives and always take pride in having served this noble institution.
Today we are recognizing and celebrating the staff without whom this noble institution would be unable to achieve its high objectives. Terry Woods, who was President of the Association from 1989 to 1991, often used the phrase: ‘Peace and security in the Hemisphere is the primary business of the OAS, and assuring peace and security is a labor-intensive business.” The synergy between the staff and the Organization is perhaps, after the resolve of our states, the most important, binding element for achieving the principles and goals of the OAS Charter. Dear colleagues I asked that we keep alive the flame of service to our brothers and sisters in the Americas.
As President of the Staff Association it falls to me to present the Terry Woods Award. This award is the highest recognition for outstanding service to the staff of the General Secretariat by a person or persons. It has been presented annually since 1994. This tribute is a reflection of the work and dedication of our colleague Terry Woods. During his tenure in the General Secretariat Terry dedicated all of his time, energy, and concentration to his duties but he always managed to devote time to the well-being of his colleagues. Before coming to the OAS, Terry was a staff member of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) where he went into service at the age of 18. Both at PAHO and at the OAS Terry showed that he was a first-rate leader with principles and foresight regarding the future of the OAS. Terry spoke with great pride about the role of the OAS and its programs.
Under his Presidency the Association played an extremely effective role in the negotiations that led to parity with the United Nations. Sadly he never had the opportunity to see the fruits of this achievement for himself, but today, wherever he may be, I am sure that he will continue to watch and support us and we must go on protecting those accomplishments
All of the colleagues who have received this award since 1994 have demonstrated, over the years, a commitment to their co-workers by their selfless dedication to the improvement of working conditions and to promotion, furtherment, and protection of the rights and interests of OAS staff.
The Terry Woods Memorial Award 2010 is presented to William Mark Berenson, for his unfailing sense of fairness and his respect for and defense of staff rights as Director and Attorney for the OAS Department of Legal Services, as well as his many years of outstanding and committed service to the Organization of American States and its staff members in multiple capacities.
REMARKS BY MR. WILLIAM M. BERENSON
ON RECEIPT OF THE 2010 TERRY WOODS AWARD
Dear colleagues, friends all, I am extremely grateful and honored by this accolade. Thank you, René, my friend. I am very grateful to the Staff Committee, whose purpose is to safeguard the rights that have always been a part of the Organization in the attainment of its objectives.
And congratulations to all those receiving awards today in recognition for excellent service and years of service. Congratulations to all of you here because you, right here, are responsible for the accomplishments of the Organization. You are the nuts and bolts of the Organization.
I would like to recall Terry Woods because this is a tribute presented in his memory. René has provided a very brief summary about Terry. Terry dedicated 34 years to the inter-American system, starting in the print shop at PAHO. He did not have a college education but he was really bright and skillful in everything that he did. He served for two years as a regular in the United States Army, and rose from the rank of private to captain. He then came to the Secretariat and took charge of the conservation and maintenance of all the equipment, plant and buildings that we know today. In those days of the 1980's, which was the lost decade for the region and for the Organization too, we had no funds for anything. But Terry kept everything working and found time to devote to protecting the staff’s interests. He worked particularly hard to attain the wage parity with the United Nations that we enjoy today.
Terry was a bit like Moses, wouldn't you say? He brought us to the brink of the promised land of parity but died two years before. He never saw the staff system that we have today, which is based on what they have at the United Nations. Terry thought it was hugely unfair that our colleagues at the United Nations were being paid 20% to 30% more than us for the same work, particularly at the time, when we were working side-by-side with the United Nations in Haiti. This was a huge injustice and Terry worked day and night to achieve the parity that arrived two of three years later.
How do I know this? Because I worked nights with Terry. He would drop by my office and we would discuss possibilities about how to make our dear delegates understand that really our staff is as good as, or superior to, the staff at any other international organization. And the delegates and member states finally acknowledged that in 1995, at the General Assembly in Haiti, where they approved the salary system that we have today. But a good deal of the work on this was done by Terry Woods and other presidents of the Association around that time: Linda Poole, Anna Chisman, Susan Benson, Arturo Garzon, to name those I can remember at my 63 years of age. My memory is not what it used to be.
Well, I would like once again to thank you all. Enjoy your career here, your time in the Organization; it is a privilege to work here. Challenges of the kind we have here at the Organization you will not find in other employment opportunities. To work for peace and security in the region is an honor and to do so through promotion of democracy and sustainable development in all the areas that we touch is truly an achievement. The objectives that we pursue here at the Organization are very noble ones, and we must continue to do so despite any ups and downs in our careers; the cause is noble and we must push on through.
Thank you