Bureau of the Former ITUStaff Members�

Section

December 2004Bulletin No. 17

Editorial

I n te rnat iona lTe lecommun icat ionUn ion

The handoverThe year has gone

by so fast that when we met for our annual meeting it felt as if the 2003 meeting had only just come to an end. And yet a whole lot of activities have taken place since then, including regular committee meetings, trips, excursions and AFICS. In other words, the members of our committee have been kept busy. Not to men-tion the publication of the Bulletin, which also takes up a lot of time. We should take our hats off to those colleagues, whose dedication keeps the association alive and kicking. When back in 1997 a handful of �young� retirees, who used to enjoy getting together now and again, thought it would be a Þ ne idea to set up an association for all former ITU staff, the outcome was by no means certain. Many of our retired collea-gues had joined AFICS and felt perhaps that there was no real need to set up a special sec-tion at ITU. But to our surprise the plan met

with immediate suc-cess and the Former Staff Members� Section now has no less than 300 members. This proves that the section has Þ lled a real need. This is why it must continue not merely to exist but to remain active in the full sense of the term, and this means that at some stage a new team must be ready to take over.

Why is it then that the prospect of a handover is such a problem and that there are so few �volunteers� willing to lend a hand nowadays? The new team should obviously be recruited among the �young� retirees. Unfortuna-tely, as everyone is aware nowadays, the general climate in ITU is not exactly rosy. It is so bad, in fact, that you often hear people saying that all they want is to quit and to have nothing more to do with the organi-zation that employed them for all those years. ITU staff are fed up. Staff Union meetings are poorly attended. The game of musical chairs that is being played at top

management level, the string of appoint-ments and promotions handed out without regard for staff rules and various forms of harassment all leave a sour taste for many staff members. Against this sort of background, recruiting volunteers among col-leagues reaching retire-ment, who are freed from their duties at last and keen only to put as much distance as they can between themselves and the ITU, is a real chal-lenge. If you approach them with the sugges-tion that they might come and meet regu-larly at the Varembé building in order to keep the association going, the most likely reaction you will get is a polite refusal, very often followed by some disillusioned or even bitter comment.

Well, I should like to say to those same people that I sympa-thize with their pre-dicament but that I think they are wrong. You must remember there is no way you can spend your career in an organization,

Summary:

1 Editorial

2 Re blank pages3 Thanks to our

translators News about pensions

4 AFICS News

5 Our Annual Meeting

6 Our Health Insurance Fund

7 Access to ITU, UN buildings

8 Outing to the Vallée de Conches

9 A lovely day�s outing in the Seeland and Morat

10 Autumn Lunch

11 2005 Travel The ITU Leisure Clubs

12-14 Press Cuttings

14 Internet Website

15 Letter to the Editor They have passed away End-of-the-year wishes

16 Bureau of the Section

Page 2 Bureau of the Section

however good it is, without being left at best with some regrets, at worst with bitter memories. Nobody reaches retirement com-pletely satisÞ ed. Every career and every organization will have its ups and downs. In the last twenty years, the world of telecommuni-cations has been through many upheavals. The world has changed, too. But is that a good enough reason for us simply to withdraw into our ivory towers? If we do, we will automatically be depriving fellow pensioners of any sort of presence or inß uence in society. The years we spent at ITU are part of our lives and we cannot just rub them out, especially as they will in many ways determine the life we lead after retirement, which may last as long or nearly as the whole time we spent at work. After taking a breather, which is quite under-standable, we must try our best to let bygones be bygones and to

put aside any resentment we may still feel towards the organization, and those of us who have opted to stay on in Geneva should contact the Bureau of the Former Staff Members� Section in order to Þ nd out more about its activities and to take an interest in the problems of retired staff.

But a successful handover depends on another factor, for which reti-rees are not personally responsible. There has to be some improve-ment in the climate at ITU. It is not normal that staff should be so fed up. We understand that the deregulation and privatization of telecommunications, just like the fall of the Berlin wall and the end of the cold war, have left ITU and other agencies of the United Nations family in a new situation. Much needs to be rethought and the place and role of the Union and its staff need to be reafÞ rmed. New skills are needed. Like the sector it

serves, ITU must be dynamic and imaginative. Above all, staff mem-bers must feel that they are being fairly treated. You may feel these comments have strayed somewhat from our initial search for a hand-over in the Former Staff Members� Section. Not really. If you leave an organization with feelings of satisfaction and even pride, you do not try to forget the years you have spent there. On the contrary, you feel you should continue to do something useful for former colleagues, by making the voice of retirees heard by ITU�s mana-gement, by our representatives at the Joint Staff Pension Fund, at the Staff Health Insurance Fund and at AFICS, by organizing group outings or by helping to publish the Bulletin. And believe me, there is plenty to keep you busy�

Françoise Sala (from the French original)

Re blank pages in Bulletin No. 16 for June, 2004

Many of you noticed that the last issue of the Former Staff Members, Bulletin contained one or more blank pages.

Section committee members regret this technical hitch that deprived our faithful readers of part of the news and information contained in Bulletin No. 16 for June, 2004.

Despite that incident, it is encour-aging to note that you read the Bulletin with great care. Thank you for providing proof of this by pointing out the absence of text on some of the pages.

Members who surf the Internet probably Þ lled in the blanks by visiting the Former Staff Members� website:

http://life.itu.ch/retraites

and clicking on the �Summary� link, then on �Bulletins�. The issue for June, 2004 is listed there; it includes all the missing pages.

We have a limited supply of [hard copies] of that issue for any mem-bers who would like to get one that is complete; we will do our best to Þ ll orders received.

December 2004 Page 3

Thanks to our translatorsWe give our warmest thanks to our friend Yann Saunders, who has kindly offered to give a helping hand to Peter Whiting for the translation of our Bulletin � thanks to these two colleagues we will be able to provide you with an entirely English version.

Yann lives in South Carolina and the miracle is that, with one click of the mouse, we will be able to send our texts and receive them in English a few days later, without any problem� it�s not for nothing that we have worked so long in telecommunications!!

The Bureau

News about pensions

Reduction of 1.5% on the Þ rst adjustment according to the cost of living index

This measure, which was applied in the mid-1980s on the occasion of the Þ rst pension adjustment after retirement (which means in effect that all pensions paid since then have been cut by 1.5%) had been reconsidered by the Pension Board at its 2002 meeting, when it had recommended removing the reduc-tion subject to achieving a positive actuarial valuation by 31 December 2003. As the latest actuarial valu-ation showed a �modest� surplus of 1.14%, the Board recommended the gradual elimination of the reduc-tion, by initially � at the time of the next adjustment, which should occur in principle on 1 April 2005 � restoring 0.5% of pensions. For newly retired staff subject to a Þ rst adjustment, the remaining reduc-tion would then be only 1%. The problem of removing this last 1% is to be reconsidered in 2006, on con-dition that a favourable actuarial

evaluation appears by 31 December 2005.

In other words, we shall have to wait another two years before we are rid of this �punishment� which some of us have been enduring for the last 20 years.

Article 35 bis � Divorced sur-viving spouse�s beneÞ t

The proposals of the Federation of Associations of Former Interna-tional Civil Servants (FAFICS) for a solution to the problems arising from the application of this article were put forward in a paper that was distributed at the Board�s meeting. The Board decided to con-sider the issue at its 2006 meeting within the general framework of a study concerning family beneÞ ts to be undertaken by the Secretary of the Pension Fund.

Pension adjustment system

Some pensioners who opted for the �dual track� and who live in coun-tries exposed to heavy devaluations

of their currencies, especially in Latin America, have found their pensions very badly affected. The Board approved a proposal by the Secretary of the Fund to guarantee a ß oor of 80% of the dollar track for such pensioners. If adopted by the General Assembly, this new mea-sure will come into force on 1 April 2005, but will have no retroactive effect.

Situation of pensioners in the former Soviet Socialist Repub-lics, Ukraine and Byelorussia

The Chairperson of AFICS once again drew the Pension Board�s attention to the very serious situ-ation of these retirees who, owing to the way the agreements signed at the time with the countries con-cerned have been applied, are far from receiving what they should be entitled to by virtue of their former employment with the United Nations System. Despite the strong insistence of the representatives of participants and AFICS, the Pen-sion Board followed the decision of

The Board of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund met in Montreal from 13 to 23 July 2004. The Board now meets every two years and it is left to the Perma-nent Committee to deal with urgent matters between meetings. A summary is given below of the Pension Board�s discussions and whatever decisions were taken that were of direct concern to pensioners, bearing in mind that all decisions still have to be approved by the United Nations General Assembly.

Page 4 Bureau of the Section

the General Assembly to withdraw the question from its agenda and to close the Þ le.

Retirement homes for UN pen-sioners

This question was raised because some social protection schemes have been investing in this type of project, but the Board decided not to pursue the matter on the grounds that it did not lie within its competence or that of the Fund. The Chairperson of AFICS expressed regret that the Fed-eration had not been asked for its views. The Board concluded that there was no consensus for any fur-ther consideration of the matter.

Composition of the Pension Board

" A tripartite Working Group, which had been set up by the Board at its 2002 meeting, had recommended increasing the number of titular members from the present 33 to 42, with the addition of two voting members and two alternates to represent pensioners (there are at present approximately 85,000 active participants and 53,000 pensioners), pro-vided that the representatives should be duly elected by all the beneÞ ciaries. The repre-sentatives of the governments expressed strong opposition to

the proposed alteration of the Board�s tripartite structure (1/3 governments, 1/3 admin-istrations, 1/3 active partici-pants), so that no agreement was reached on the proposals of the Working Group, which was asked to pursue its task and submit new recommenda-tions in 2006.

Next session of the Pension Board

The next session of the Pension Board will be held in Nairobi (Kenya) in the summer of 2006.

J. Balfroid(from the French original)

AFICS news

In accordance with our Section�s Regulations, the Bureau takes an active part in the work of the Com-mittee of the Association of Former International Civil Servants (AFICS), which meets at least once a month. AFICS has now set up two very active committees dealing with pensions and health. On these committees, we have the beneÞ t of the experience of our colleagues, Jacques Bacaly, who is currently Chairperson of the Management Committee of the ILO-ITU HealthInsurance Fund, Eddy Augsburger,the former head of the ITU�s Pensions and Insurance Section, and Fabio Bigi, former represen-tative of the members of the ITU Pensions Committee and former member of the FICSA Executive Committee.

The reports on the work of these committees are issued either locally, for instance to call for improved coverage of the costs of long-term treatment by the health insurance funds, or to the Joint Pension Board through the Fede-ration of Associations of Former International Civil Servants (FAFICS), which held its last Council meeting in Montreal from 7 to 9 July 2004, immediately prior to the Joint Board�s meeting.

The AFICS Committee has recently raised some doubts regarding the efÞ ciency of the Federation�s working methods and more in par-ticular the tradition whereby the FAFICS Council meets just before the meeting of the Joint Pension Board, which means that its propo-

sals to the Board are transmitted late and can only be considered by the Board at its following meeting, in other words after a delay of two years. Comments have also been made concerning the rules gover-ning the election of members of the Federation Bureau and those applicable to the admission of new associations, and will soon be forwarded to the Federation.

As you can see, the representa-tives of our former staff members are playing a truly active part in the mechanisms of the Common System.

J. Balfroid(from the French original)

December 2004 Page 5

Our Annual Meeting

We held our annual meeting on 28th October 2004 at 11 a.m., at ITU Headquarters. The meet-ing was a follow-up to the one organized by the Section within the framework of the Seminar on preparing for retirement, held for colleagues who would be retiring within the next two years. During the latter meeting we were able to impart our �experience� as retirees.

For those of you not familiar with the �Rules of Procedure� in effect in the Former Staff Members� Sec-tion, it should be pointed out that the meeting acts as our General Assembly, although in a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The aims of the meeting are to take stock of our activities and to deÞ ne some objectives for the following year. We entrusted Pierre-Andre Traub with the task of moderat-ing the debates and keeping our enthusiasm in check (Pierre-André founded our section and is ITU�s former Chief of Protocol); he han-dled the job with the mastery and tact for which he is well known.

The Chairman recalled the compo-sition of the Bureau and thanked each member warmly, as well as all the �outside helpers� for the effec-tive assistance they provide pro bono and with enthusiasm. Once again he underscored the friendly atmosphere reigning among the

team members; the good mood that prevails is equal only to the plea-sure of working together.

After reviewing the various events that took place during the year, the high point being the week spent in Belgium, in May, the Chairman read the excursion programme for 2005 (cf. page 11). It was decided to hold a survey to poll the pre-ferences as regards the various options.

At the request of Jacques Bacaly, member of the Bureau, who has chaired for the last two years the Management Committee of the ILO/ITU Staff Health Insurance Fund and who, for family reasons, had been unable to attend the meeting; the Chairman addressed the serious issue of the Health Fund (in this respect, please see the article on page 6). The Chair-man indicated also that, for the same reasons, some measures were foreseen to correct also the deÞ cit of the Mutuelle complementary insurance company.

Naturally, we brought up the question of pensions and of the decisions taken by the Joint Com-mittee at its bi-annual session in Montreal, last July (please see the article on page 3).

The Chairman also recalled that one of the aims of the Former Staff

Members Section is to �encourage former colleagues to come to each other�s help, in particular those who live alone and who, as they get older, may need the help of those who are younger��. He dwelt on the importance of informing either the social services staff or a member of the Bureau, about any change in the habits of someone who is known in the neighbour-hood; such changes could signify a possible incapacity owing to a health problem.

Lastly, there was a long discussion about the recent strengthening of security measures as regards accessing the buildings of the vari-ous international organisations; this has had some unpleasant consequences for former staff mem-bers. It was noted that the ITU Administration and the Committee of AFICS would be approached with a view to obtaining some clari-Þ cation and proposing appropriate measures.

The meeting ended in a warm and friendly atmosphere with a cock-tail to which were invited also the future retirees.

J. Balfroid(from the French original)

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Our Health Insurance Fund

The Fund is commonly known as the Sickness Fund (in French the Caisse maladie). The correct title is Staff Health Insurance Fund or SHIF for short (in French the Caisse d�Assurance pour la Protec-tion de la Santé du personnel or CAPS). The aim of the fund is to insure reimbursement, anywhere in the world and to the extent provided in the Regulations and Administrative Rules of the Fund, of all medical expenses incurred by protected persons (the latter num-bered 13 072 on 1 October 2004, of which 9 963 for the ILO and 3 109 for ITU).

Protected persons are free to choose their own doctor, pharmacy, hospital, clinic or other medical establishment.

Management Committee

The role of the Management Com-mittee is to manage the Fund. It has eight titular members and eight substitute members, half of whom are elected by the protected persons and the other half by the executive heads of the two orga-nizations. ITU (with one quarter of the total number of protected persons) is entitled to two titular and two substitute members. The protected persons elected Jacques Bacaly and David Broadhurst, while the Secretary-General appointed Michel Rolland and Marianne Wilson.

Operation of the FundCurrently, the acting Executive Secretary of the Fund is an ILO ofÞ cial, who is assuming these tasks in addition to his normal ones. The post has been vacant since 2001. At last, after two unfruitful attempts to Þ ll the vacancy, the �rare bird� has been

found. He is to take up his appoint-ment in principle on 1 February 2005.

Fortunately, the day-to-day work has always been dealt with. Allow me, in your name, to congratulate and to thank our ITU colleagues, Christine Donnat, Catherine Perrin and Catherine Ackley, who have been dealing speedily and amiably with our requests for med-ical reimbursements.

Financial Situation

There was an operating deÞ cit of more than 3.7 million dollars at the close of 2003 (all Fund accounts are expressed in US dollars).

In 2004, by 30 September the Fund had paid out more than 1.70 dol-lars in medical expenses for every 1 dollar of contributions received. By the end of December, the differ-ence between refunds and income will show a deÞ cit of some 5 million dollars.

The reasons for the continuing deÞ cit are known; it is due to the increase in health costs and � in no small measure � to increased longevity. Urgent measures are needed because health costs are sure to keep going up. The con-sumption of medicinal products is growing; medical techniques are increasingly advanced and expen-sive; treatments last longer too; in a nutshell, we are been cared for better and longer. If no action is taken, then in three or four years� time, according to the most recent actuarial study being considered by the Management Committee, the Guarantee Fund (which currently stands at around 35 million dol-lars) will fall below the minimum required by the Statutes.

Remedies

Needless to say, the Management Committee is giving the matter its full attention, in accordance with its mandate (article 3.8 of the Regulations). A working group has been looking into ways and means of restoring Þ nancial equilibrium.

The Þ rst measure that needs to be taken is to increase insurance premiums, which have remained unchanged since 1990. But in these times of budgetary restrictions, will the ITU Council understand and recognize the problem? We all are aware of ITU�s Þ nancial problems (the situation at ILO is no better). None of the countries and bodies that contribute to the budgets of our organizations wants to spend a penny more than what the Council decides.

Another measure is cost control. The Management Committee is continuing actively to put in place a series of measures (for example, conventions and agreements are being signed with hospitals, clin-ics and pharmacies, in conjunction with the Funds of other Interna-tional Organizations in Geneva). Savings must be made, backed up by relentless efforts to root out cases of fraud.

If the Management Committee is to succeed in getting the ITU Council and the ILO Governing Board to agree to increased premiums, then it will have to offer in exchange a package of economy measures, both as regards the management of the Fund and the beneÞ ts it pays out.

We must give a thought to the fact that the Fund reimburses 80% of all authorized expenditure (and 95% of expenditure in excess of $10,000 in any one year). If you look around, there are few funds as �generous� as ours. In order to

December 2004 Page 7

get the authorities to �swallow� the increase in premiums, it is possible and even quite likely that the Com-mittee will propose measures such as limiting the reimbursement of some, �non-essential� medical care. Also premiums could be required for every protected person (at pre-sent, in most cases, a single pre-mium is paid by active and retired staff members, so that spouses and children are insured at no cost;

is there any other Health Insur-ance Fund that is as lenient?); this might be in addition to instituting non-refundable minimums based on the amount of premiums paid.

I shall be grateful for any proposals that could help improve the situa-tion! We will have to do a lot of lob-bying of ITU Council delegates. So, get ready! Every suggestion will be carefully studied and weighed before any proposals are made to

the governing bodies of the two Organizations. In any case, pro-tected persons will be consulted before any new decisions take effect.

As this year�s Management Com-mittee Chairman, I shall be respon-sible for negotiating with both organizations at the highest level. I am relying on your active support.

Jacques Bacaly(from the French original)

Access to ITU, UN and other international organization buildings

The introduction of stricter secu-rity measures has made access to the organizations, especially the Palais des Nations and more recently the ILO, much more difÞ -cult for our former colleagues wish-ing to visit either the International Civil Servants Mutual Association (the MEC), SAFI, the secretariats of the Pension Fund or AFICS, or to attend the latter�s annual meeting or other events normally held at the ILO. These difÞ cul-ties are worse still for spouses and especially the surviving spouses of former international civil servants who have little means of maintain-ing contact with the organizations.As far as access to ITU is con-cerned, we have just sent a request to the Secretary-General to allow the badges issued to retired staff to be extended to spouses and surviv-ing spouses of former staff.

We are asking the AFICS Commit-tee to obtain similar facilities from other organizations.In case you have not seen it, here is a description of access arrange-ments for the Palais that appeared in the most recent AFICS Bulletin.

�Access to the Palais des NationsThe security measures around the Palais des Nations were strengthened by the following decisions taken by the Director of Administration and issued on 11 March 2004 (the day of the Madrid attacks) :• Taxis will no longer be allowed to enter the Palais grounds. Pas-sengers will have to get out at the gate and walk to the building;• Visitors will not be allowed to bring luggage into the Palais

unless they have the special autho-rization of the security and safety section. Hand luggage and suit-cases left without surveillance will be removed by the security guards.The Director of Administration regrets any inconvenience these measures may cause but relies on the understanding and cooperation of all staff members.The only entrance for visitors is the Pregny Gate, opposite the Red Cross. Admission is quite simple if you have the right documents, such as a courtesy badge for retired staff. Otherwise you will have to leave your passport. Remember also to pick up your papers on the way out and not go out to the Place des Nations Allée des Nations.�

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Outing to the Vallée de Conches, the Aletsch glacierand Ernen (Valais), Tuesday-Thursday 14-16th September, 2004Early on 14th September a small group of people (11 of us) met at Cornavin railway station for a three-day outing to the Valais. Among them, Bernard Bourloud (in ClubMed speak, the �GO� or �gentil organisateur�, i.e. the cool orga-nizer) � the outing was guaranteed to be a success!

All aboard! And all change in Brigue where we continued the trip aboard the Matterhorn-Gotthard-bahn [�Bahn� = railway] to Fiesch. The hotelier who loaded the bags as well as some people into his car met us at the station. The rest dis-covered this charming small town on foot.

The hotel�s restaurant has been rewarded for its Þ sh dishes and a number of us enjoyed consuming them for two days in a row.

Back to the train in the afternoon (only a few stops) to Niederwald, birthplace of Cesar Ritz in 1850; Ritz is known as �the king of hote-liers and hotelier to kings.� We pro-ceeded on foot to Ernen, through Steinhaus and Mühlebach. It was then that we had to bring out the brollies, although the houses, blackened by the sun, are more

picturesque when those black, wooden facades shine through the raindrops. In the gardens were vegetable patches amid colourful ß ower beds The pho-tographers among us clicked away to capture the beauty on Þ lm or on mini-CD-ROM. In Ernen there are no electricity poles, making for a very photo-genic location.

Back to Fiesch by post-coach, then some relaxed moments in the Jacuzzi and sauna before sitting down to dinner.

There was no time for a long lie-inin the morning: we were off to the mountains to see the Aletsch Gla-cier. A few train stops to Betten, then by cable car to Bettmeralp (7717 feet). Already we were walk-ing in the fog; we had a job Þ nding the aerial railway that would take us to Bettmerhorn (10,405 feet) and � we hoped � out of the fog. We watched a Þ lm about the Aletsch glacier and the research done on its origin and present condition.

Despite it�s becoming narrower, the Aletsch glacier is still the longest one in Western Europe; it is14.3 miles long and covers an area of almost 31 square miles. At the end of 2001, UNESCO listed it is a world national heritage. When the Þ lm ended, we got to see some blue sky. Some of us were Þ dgeting and began climbing among the rocks. On the way back, the same some of us began to feel the aches and pains. That evening, at the hotel, the Jacuzzi and sauna would work their miracles better than camphor and sugar pills! But the day was not yet done, and the fog was back. After a �high lunch� (and not �high tea�) consisting of Goulash soup, Cholera � the local variety doesn�t make you sick � and Apfelstrudel),

we broke into two teams. One decided to descend by cable car, the other on foot. The way that was pointed out was to lead us to Bettmeralp in an hour and a half. Off we went, even if it was getting foggy. The further down we went the thicker became the fog and our �GO� had to get his map out more than once to keep us on track. Walking in the fog is magical; it puts a damper on the sounds of nature. In order to infuse ourselves in this special atmosphere we pur-posely took longer than planned to reach our destination. The two teams joined up and walked the route back to the hotel, without ever having seen the Aletsch gla-cier. Luckily, the weather forecast for the next day was good.

Yes, on Thursday 16th September, last day of the outing, we could see the mountains around Fiesch; we were all looking forward to what was in store for us up there, �high, high up on the mountain� (to the tune of �Go, tell it on the Moun-tain�). After two cable car rides (Fiesch � Fiescheralp [8,709 feet]), and on to Eggishorn [11,520 feet], at last we were able to take in the grand spectacle of the Grosser Aletschgletscher, surrounded by many peaks. Not all of them were visible at that time of day, owing to some fog patches that drifted lazily from peak to peak.

Each of us in turn quickly took a group photo then we went back

View of Ernen and St. Georg church

Are we on the right road?

December 2004 Page 9

down to Fiescheralp by cable car to enjoy the remainder of the pro-gramme. Some of the participants allowed themselves to be driven up to the Marjälen Lake (9,244 feet) by the lady owner of the Gletscher-

On the Eggishorn, in front of the Aletsch glacier

stube where we were to have lunch. The others made their way up on foot, a slightly uphill walk last-ing about an hour and a half. On reaching the lake we realized that the Aletsch glacier was not too far

away, so we pushed ahead to have a closer look. Some more photos and then the tourists from Geneva started to feel the hunger pangs. The Gletscherstube�s various country-style röstis and home-made (or rather chalet-made) apple pie quelled our whetted appetites to the point that we began to wonder how we would get back down the hill.

The weather now was splen-did and when we reached Fiescher-

alp we decided to go back up to Eggishorn to admire the Aletsch glacier one last time. What a spec-tacle! It was even more beautiful than in the morning.

With those retinal images still fresh we made the return journey to Geneva. There was not much banter back and forth; what was there left to say after those three wonderful days?

Thank you, au revoir and see you next time.

Petra Bravenboer[Translated into English by

her old buddy, Yann Saunders]

A lovely day�s outing in the Seeland and the old town of MoratOn Tuesday 15 June 2004, a small group of 12 met at Cornavin sta-tion for an outing to the 3-lakes region, familiar to a broad public since the memorable events of Expo 02.One member of the group was missing, but upon inquiry it turned out that the person was waiting for us quietly at Cointrin railway station.

It was a really lovely trip with lots of beautiful sights to see. The vine-yards of the Canton de Vaud, and then those of Neuchâtel, rising on the gentle slopes along the lake, already seemed to promise an exceptional year for the local wines.

In Neuchâtel, we left the train and boarded a craft that took us for a restful cruise across the lake towards Sugiez by the Broye canal.When we dis-embarked, a little exercise was waiting and it was only after an hour

and a half of brisk walking that we reached the old town of Morat, by which time our ageing joints were creaking!The path followed by the happy band of wanderers took us down to the lakeside and then through a forest decked in soft green foli-age, while the sun emerged a little hesitatingly to warm us gently on our way.The only sad note was the loss of Manon�s hat, somewhere along the way in the dark depths of the forest. We were then faced with the unattractive prospect of having to retrace our steps on a hazardous hunt for the elusive hat.

Page 10 Bureau of the Section

Autumn LunchOur traditional lunch took place on Wednesday 17th November at the Restaurant �Le Pirate� which has become, in some way, the headquarters for us gourmets.

The number of participants reached the record level of eighty. Certain colleagues don�t hesitate to join us from as far away as Thonon, Vevey, le Val-d�Illiez and even Zurich which proves, once again, how much pleasure we Þ nd to meet up again and revive some memories, of which we want to remember only the best.

It�s unnecessary to speak of the menus, which retain the highest reputation of this very pleasant restaurant where the staff are both efÞ cient and courteous.

We will therefore propose a rendez-vous next spring, at the same time, same place.

L. de Michely-Jeanmonod(from the French original)

When we got to Morat, we were soon tucking in to a delicious meal made up of local specialties in the garden of the restaurant Le Bateau, enough to set our palate tingling and to restore our ß agging energies for the next stage of the tour.In the afternoon, the wife of the former President of the Morat Tri-bunal, who kindly acted as a guide for visitors in her off moments, accompanied us on our peregri-nations through the picturesque streets of the old town and told us fascinating stories about its history.And then, before we knew it, the time had come to think of our return journey. Once again we had the opportunity to admire the beauties of nature and to wonder in amazement at the peaceful shores

of the Lac de Morat and the verdant foliage of the banks of the Broye canal.In Neuchâtel we successfully avoided the long trek up to the station by hitching a lift on the funicular, which dropped us effortlessly on the platform to catch the Inter-city train back to Geneva. As we sat back in our comfortable seats, perhaps we gave a thought as the countryside ß ashed by outside the window to the precious, indefecti-ble spirit of friendship that invari-ably accompanies all our outings.

All in all, it was a lovely day�s outing with a super group of friends. As for the guide, I am not in a position to comment.

Bernard Bourloud (from the French original)

December 2004 Page 11

Travel: 2005 ProgrammeDear globetrotting friends,2004 is not even over and we already thinking about what lovely and fascinating visits we can orga-nize for 2005.After talking it over with the Com-mittee, we have pre-selected a few interesting destinations, which we hope will catch your fancy.

Outings in Switzerland: 3 pos-sibilities1. Birthplace Switzerland: 4 days in central Switzerland � visit to the Grütli, the cradle of Switzerland,

founded in 1291. Boat cruise on the 4 Cantons Lake, visit to the famous Bürgenstock and the town of Lucerne, climb by rack railway up one of the region�s well-known mountains, either the Rigi or the Pilate or the Stanserhorn by cable car.2. Two-day outing in the Val-d�Illiez in the Canton of Valais.3. One-day outing, either to the Lac de Bienne to take in autumn colours, or to the Vallée de Joux and Romainmôtier, if there are enough takers.

Alternative trips abroad:1 outing, lasting about 1 week1. France: Perigord and Dordogne via the Auvergne, or2. Italy: Tuscany and visit to Florence, or3. Germany: Berlin, Dresden and Munich, or4. Austria: Salzburg and Salz-kammergut.You choose.By the beginning of next year, we will have worked out more detailed programmes for the selected desti-nations. You will be receiving them with the next issue of the Bulletin.

Bernard Bourloud(from the French original)

The ITU Leisure ClubsAn information circular distributed recently among ITU staff members mentioned all the Clubs that oper-ate inside the Organization, includ-ing our �Elders Club�.

We believe it may be useful for us to reproduce here the list of those different clubs in which our retired staff members are welcome.

An �open doors� day took place on 21st October in the Hall of the Montbrillant building, where each of the Clubs was represented, including the Elders Club. This time we were unable to inform you of the meeting in good enough time. Fortunately, such meet-ings will be repeated at least once

a year and you will be cordially invited to attend.

List of Clubs# Christmas Tree Club

# Workshop (Art Club � painting)

# Badminton Club

# Bridge Club

# Children�s Club (ITU, WIPO, UNHCR)

# Chess Club

# Gym Club

# Inter-Organization Games Club

# Language Club (free conversa-tion courses)

# PC Club

# Bowling Club (French bowls)

# Photography Club

# Salsa Club (dancing lessons)

# Scrabble Club

# Former Staff-Members Club (also known as the Elders Club)

# Sevillanas Club (dancing les-sons)

# Tai-Chi-Chuan Club (Chinese gymnastics)

# Argentine Tango Club

# Teleten (Tennis Club)

# Yoga Club

If you are interested in the activi-ties of one (or more) of these clubs, please ask for the names of the persons in charge.

Page 12 Bureau of the Section

Press CuttingsExcerpts from Var Matin, 12th September 2004

Magnesium Magnetism

So... you�re feeling about as ener-getic as a rag doll! You often get the feeling that an army of ants is in your pants, slowly climbing up your legs! You�re more often cramp-ing than tramping! And what about those bouts of anguish? What a mess!

Anyway, it�s all relative... These symptoms � that are closely related to spasmophilia � may be simply the result of a lack of magnesium. Nothing very alarming in that; but it could cause some embarrassment considering its role in our organ-ism. Our muscles use it during expansion, as does also our brain, wherein it acts to protect our nerve cells, our heart, by regulating our cardiac rhythm, even our liver, where it helps to create protein. It affects also our intestinal ß ow as well as our bone structure, by strengthening it. Not bad for one mineral, eh?

More alarming are the Þ gures put forward by the SU.VI.MAX study: one woman in four and one man in six suffers from a lack of magne-sium. This is the result of the fatal link between our worsening eating habits and our growing stress rate.

�Contrary to what you might think,� explains Dr Jean-Christophe Krautter, a general practitioner from Draguignan, �this shortage is not the result of a nutri-tional deÞ cit. There is no doubt that it is an eating problem, but only insofar as our food intake, which is dictated by the way we live, causes an acid level that is too high for our organism�.

We consume too much dairy pro-duce, sugar, citrus fruits, starchy foods, fast foods, coffee, tobacco, alcohol but also white bread, white sugar and salt (whose nutrients are eliminated in the reÞ ning process). Enough! Our intestines are choking ...on acid. We need to be careful also not to confuse acid-tasting foods and acid agents found in sweet-tasting foodstuffs and that are out to get you.

Dr Krautter goes on to explain that, �Some foodstuffs, once digested, go through a transforma-tion and �create� acidity. Faced with these excesses, and alkali being the opposite of acid, our organism compensates by feeding on its store of alkali, including magnesium�. Compare it, if you will, with posi-

tive and negative ions that need to achieve a balance.

When the stomach sends surplus acidity to the intestine, juices from the bile and pancreas should coun-teract those acids immediately. But when acidity starts to exceed the norm, that mechanism func-tions improperly and acids remain in the intestine. In French, the expression �se faire de la bile�, i.e. to produce bile, means �to worry�. This process is as bad for our mag-nesium reserves as are unhealthy eating habits. Stress is the worst enemy of that mineral, often believed to be a natural relaxant. If you start to stress, your organ-ism will dig again into its mineral alkali reserves. Take it easy; let your magnesium do the rest.

To counter these possible short-ages, all you need to do is to get your organism back in sync [see box, below]. Don�t overdo it and above all don�t worry about it. If you do so, the chances are you will get sucked back into the spinning vortex that is magnesium shortage.

December 2004 Page 13

Mind your step

�My whole life, I was wrong. The microbe is nothing; what is essential is the terrain.� Louis Pasteur uttered these words, on his deathbed. Today they are the standard. Magnesium is one such case in point. In order to preserve it in our organism, of course we may take mineral supplements.Dr Krautter concedes that these are �Very effective, particularly when taken in conjunction with other medication and careful doses of oligo-elements. However, the basic problem is not solved.�

Indeed, this complementary medication does not keep the magnesium in place. The latter gets eliminated through our natural passages. In addition, if you interrupt a treatment, you may Þ nd yourself back in the starting blocks. It is pointless to try to treat the consequences; it is more to the point to eliminate the cause of the problem; so, let�s get our organism back in sync. And that�s a simple matter; we need only clean up the way we live.

To �demagnetize your batteries� you can, for example, get some daily exercise, like taking a twenty-minute walk. Get back also to a �natural and lively� diet that includes meat, fruit (e.g. bananas), Þ sh, vegetables (e.g. spinach, lentils...)

Here is a list of the primary sources of minerals:

• Nuts to you: most vegetables have magnesium, especially nuts like almonds, hazelnuts; dried fruit is the same.

• Gold (chocolate) bars: these are made from the cocoa bean; black chocolate contains a lot of magnesium. Now there�s a good excuse for eating some chocolate without feeling too guilty about it!

• Take to water: some mineral waters, especially the sparkling kind, have a heavy concentration of magnesium. Some brands claim to have a high mineral content; just make sure that there is more magnesium than other minerals.

By taking care of your own �terrain� you can add points to your magnesium scorecard instead of sitting the game out.

(from the French original)

Page 14 Bureau of the Section

Press CuttingsExcerpts from the French weekly Var-Matin Santé

Alzheimer�s : time for early detection

Prof. Marcel Châtel, Head of Neurology at Nice�s University Hospital (CHU), said that the good news about Alzheimer�s is that medication exists already that will �halt the evolution of the disease and enable it to be delayed for a number if years; this is essential.�

But for now the diagnosis still occurs much too late, consider-ing the efÞ ciency of treatment during early stages of the disease. Thus it is easier to understand the priorities in the plan of the Ministry of Health who, in the ten measures to be taken against Alzheimer�s disease, has arranged to create throughout France 100 new �memory consulting centres� in addition to the existing 238 of them. [...]

The only way to slow down the disease

Early detection is the only way to slow down the evolution of the dis-ease and especially to delay depen-dence [on drugs], by making it possible for patients to avail them-selves of cognitive stimulation.

Long years of suffering lie between initial memory loss and demen-tia. It is now possible to defer the moment of truth and to gain a few more happy years. Those who have to watch this slow process of mental decay assert that �to no longer recognize one�s father or mother, one�s husband or wife, to watch that person revert slowly to infancy, is perhaps worse than death. It is like death without actu-ally dying.�

For close family members who, themselves, are sucked into the vortex, it is a terrible physical and psychological burden.

Just as screening for breast or prostate cancer is recommended from the age of 50, a �cognitive evaluation� will be offered to all senior citizens as of the age of 70.

General practitioners will be Þ rst in line to detect the early signs of the disease, to distinguish between normal �forgetfulness� and alarm-ing memory loss. So intensive training will soon begin for them. In the USA, which may not really be considered as a model of public health, general practitioners already are trained to diagnose Alzheimer�s.

[...]

(from the French original)

Website of the former ITU Staff MembersIn our Bulletin No. 10 (February 2002), we brieß y described our Website

http://life.itu.ch/retraites/We hope that you have visited it, or will visit it very soon and will cooperate in its improvement by sending us your comments. Thank you in advance.

December 2004 Page 15

Letter to the Editor

Chers amis,

C�est avec beaucoup de plaisir que j�ai lu les différents récits des excursions et des voyages organisés par les deux GO attitrés du Club des Anciens (votre numéro 16 de juin 2004). J�aurais bien voulu participer, mais � hélas � je ne maîtrise pas (encore) le dédouble-ment. Pour nous cette année est très chargée en voyages et activi-tés. Un peu trop peut-être (vous vous y reconnaissez?), mais il y a tant de choses à voir et à faire. Étrangement, il y a une corrélation entre les excursions relatées dans votre bulletin et une partie de mes activités. Par exemple, votre visite au Musée de la Croix-Rouge et les livres Im Westen nichts Neues et Der Weg Zurück d�Erich Maria Remarque. Dans le premier livre un jeune soldat allemand raconte

� avec une certaine ironie � son expérience pendant la première guerre mondiale quand il était mobilisé en France. Le deuxième livre parle du retour en Allemagne de ces soldats et leurs problèmes d�adaptation: l�incapacité de par-tager leur vécu et les cauchemars récurrents � pendant la nuit mais aussi pendant la journée quand un bruit quelconque les transporte sur le champ de bataille. Ceux parmi nous qui n�avons jamais vécu une guerre, ne pouvons nous imaginer l�horreur. Et de nos jours, dans quel état d�esprit nos «soldats de paix» rentrent-ils d�une des innom-brables «missions de paix» dans le monde?

L�autre exemple est votre voyage en Belgique et le livre Habsburgs Goldene Bräute de Thea Leitner. Il s�agit des mariages arrangés aÞ n d�élargir le territoire des

Habsbourg et de renforcer leur pouvoir. Marie de Bourgogne (Þ lle de Charles le téméraire) est née à Bruxelles et habite plus tard à Gand et Bruges. Sa vie dans ce plat pays n�est pas du tout envia-ble, mais votre récit de voyage me donne bien envie de visiter ces trois villes!

Avec mes salutations cordiales,

Petra Bravenboer

Juillet 2004

They have passed away�

Mrs Maria-Luz Dussaillanton 4 June 2004

Mr Georges Cudré-Maurouxon 27 June 2004

Mr Amarjit Singhon 12 October 2004

END-OF-THE-YEAR WISHESThe Bureau of the Section of Former ITU Staff Members sends youits best wishes for Christmas as well as good health and happiness

for the year 2005.

Page 16 Bureau of the Section

Bureau de la Section des anciens fonctionnaires de l�UITBureau of the Former ITU Staff Members� Section

Union internationale des télécommunicationsPlace des Nations � Bureau V23

CH-1211 Genève 20

Composition

Président / President: ................................................................................... Jean BalfroidVice-Président / Vice-President: .................................................. Eddy AugsburgerSecrétaire / Secretary:.................................................................................. Liliane de Michely-JeanmonodTrésorier / Treasurer: ................................................................................... Pierre JohnerMembres / Members: ........................................................................................ Jacques Bacaly, Fabio Bigi

Répartition des Tâches / Distribution of Tasks

Liaison avec l�Association des anciens fonctionnaires internationaux Genève (AAFI) / Contacts with the Association of Former Inter-national Civil Servants Geneva (AFICS): .................... J. Balfroid, F. BigiQuestions de pensions / Pensions:............................................ E. Augsburger, J. BalfroidCaisse-maladie BIT/UIT / Health Fund ILO/ITU:...... J. Bacaly, E. AugsburgerCaisse complémentaire / Complementary Insurance (Mutuelle Santé Prévoyance Internationale): ...................................................................................................... J. Balfroid, E. Augsburger, P. JohnerPréparation du Bulletin / Preparationof the Bulletin: .......................................................................................................... L. de Michely-Jeanmonod, J. Balfroid, assistés....................................................................................... des autres membres du Bureau ainsi que de....................................................................................... Mme F. Sala et MM. G. Araman, Y. Saunders, P.-A. Traub....................................................................................... et P. WhitingExcursions et voyages / Outings and travel:........... B. Bourloud et J.-.M. EsteroTenue à jour du site Internet / Managementof the Internet Site: ........................................................................................... G. Araman, J.-P. Berthet, Y. Gonin

Pour nous contacter / To contact us

Tél. / Tel.: ........................................................................................................................... 022 730 55 84Courriel / E-mail: ................................................................................................. retraites@itu.intSite Web / Website:.............................................................................................. http//life.itu.ch/retraitesPermanences / OfÞ ce opening hours: .................................. 1er et 3e mardi du mois, Bureau V23 bâtiment Varembé....................................................................................... 1st and 3rd Tuesday, OfÞ ce 23, Varembé Building

Numéros utiles à l�UIT / Useful ITU numbersSecrétariat du Syndicat / Staff UnionSecretariat: .................................................................................................................. 022 730 57 99Service Social / Social Service:...................................................... 022 730 53 80Pensions: ........................................................................................................................... 022 730 53 81

Assurance-maladie / Health Insurance:Lettres A � C Mme C. Donnat:...................................................... 022 730 53 85 D � L Mme C. Perrin:......................................................... 022 730 58 24 M � Z Mme C. Ackley:........................................................ 022 730 56 84

(de préférence entre / preferably between 14h00 et/and 16h00)