Message-ID: <199604071137.HAA13153@www.salsgiver.com> Date: Sun, 7 Apr 1996 07:37:09 -0400 From: Scott McMannis <mailto:seabridg@SALSGIVER.COM> Subject: Unesco "fees" To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
All,Please forgive me for straying from the technical end of development but your the best group to help answer this question. We are involved in a development project in Southeast Asia to repair an orphanage and a school using local laborers and materials. UNESCO has acted as a go between for the field personnel we have there and the Vietnamese government. After our people and the government signed the contract Unesco requested a fee before they would sign the contract. They requested either $100 per month or 5% of the total value of the contract which would come to about $500. Our field personnel were a little bit shocked at the request. Unesco has been very helpful and we are really grateful or their assistance. The Unesco office there explained this is how they get their funds. The value of Unesco's services and relationship is certainly worth the money but, we were wondering if this was customary and if other NGO's had experienced the same thing. My quess is this is necessary because of the lack of payments to the UN by the US and others. Any comments. BTW this is a great list and very helpful. Thanks all. Scott L. McMannis mailto:seabridg@salsgiver.com 1130 Victoria Ave. New Kensington PA 15068-5505 USA PH.412-339-0381 Fax 412-339-1092