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Show THE VOICE OF BUSINESS J ,11 K 'Lett s. tcoEte ca new in pis a look catt tthe U.N,!" !! ii k. By Richard L. Lesher, President Cha mber of Com merce of the United States The caption beneath her picture read: "La Quingynan is a simultaneous interpreter in Chinese and English, who, unlike some (United Nations) Secretariat employees, works hard." The caption and picture were part of a recent article by Bernard D. Nossiter in The New York Times Magazine entitled "Parkinson's Law at the U.N." It began: "An old saw on the East River runs: 'How many people work at-the at-the Secretariat?' -The answer: 'About . half.' The jibe contains more than a germ of truth. The United Nations Secretariat is a pecular array of barely coordinated departments, offices and centers. Some perform obviously useful tasks, some engage in activities that might better be discarded and some keep busy at no discernible work at all." Consider the case of one person, whom I will not name, and who works the Peace and Security Studies Section of the Department of Political and Security Council Affairs. For an estimated $61,347 a year, this individual spends most of his hours compiling, digesting and analyzing decisions of U.N. bodies. But as Nossiter observed in his article: "The latest printed edition of his 'Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs' only goes up to 1966. He hopes a successor will be off the press by early 1981. If it does arrive next year, it will be only seven years out of date." The most visible characteristic of the United Nations Secretariat is its bureaucratic growth. In fact, critics contend the Secretariat has the ability to create new bureaucracies even faster than it welcomes new member states. During the last 30 years, its staff has more than tripled to 14,906 employees, em-ployees, and its budget has increased more than 12-fold to $624 million. Also spurring the growth of the Secretariat's bureaucratic power is the ability of departments to survive long after their reason for being has disappeared. For example, in 1945, no fewer than 11 territories were placed under the tutelage of the United Nations to be administered by members mem-bers in trust for the global organization. These were countries like Togoland (now part of Ghana) and New Guinea. But today, with the exception of Micronesia, the Pacific' island group run by the United States, all have won their freedom. Even Micronesia itself will become "freely associated" with the United States sometime next year, and enjoy full control over its domestic affairs. Nevertheless, this shrinkage will not bother the many people who work in the Department of Political Affairs, Trusteeship and Decolonization. Far from folding, this department will fServ continue and even expand. "Wfsrd-i understaffed," complained one j pr department's ranking officials, th happens to earn nearly $75,000 a i on I If these problems make51 Secretariat seem like the internal1 " ' community's version of a ff'era' program run wild, they conhf?' dangerous element as well. As NdF noted: "The Russians and I lhi Europeans. ..have never accepts concept of an independent intemalian n civil service. Their nationals anon tl tached to their home ministries .nini: . j simply released for a few. years to i the United Nations." This practailal turn, has heightened concerns f ty i the potential for greater espkopere activity. -jajor Despite these difficulties, Iwoul ofre go as far as some who believtapei United Naitons should be severed veon the ground and allowed to slide into w East River. I have no doubt that toly highly skilled people work at thesrvk who believe deeply in the princidwe the U.N. Charter.. What's mor-inin organization is an invaluable place for the Super Powers in tnj. t crisis. Is has functioned effective w occasion to defuse hostilities andj;min out a peace-keeping role. ltiispe( provide tangible humanitarian,- economic assistance to. devela(j $ countries, and it even 'plows revenues to New York City-an, area that needs all the help it t Still, with American taxpet already contributing approximati ( percent of the total U.N. budget, with the incoming Reagan ::nin! ministration inheriting a budget to own that has been officially desOij D as "hemorrhaging," I am sunt public would welcome a closer sd, on the expenditure of its funds Fgd U.N. Hldv vtfth |
