Posted on 04/30/2002 12:09:04 PM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
(CNSNews.com) - The Tanzanian government has seized a shipment of ten million condoms worth nearly $1 million, alleging that the condoms leak. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was responsible for the shipment and intended for the condoms to be distributed to the people of Tanzania free of charge.
Steve Mosher, spokesman with the Virginia-based Population Research Institute, says the Tanzanian government wants to destroy the condoms seized last week because they have failed two permeability tests. However, Sarah Craven, chief of the UNFPA's Washington office, says the Tanzanian government has agreed to have a third sample of the condoms tested in the United States before deciding what to do with the prophylactics.
The allegedly defective condom shipment is an example of why the UNFPA should receive no funding from the U.S. government, Mosher said.
"This is an organization that has a $35 [per plate] breakfast so they can decide how to distribute a condom worth 3 and half cents. The level of waste, inefficiency and bureaucracy is well known, but the United Nations bureaucracy really takes the cake," Mosher said.
The U.S. Congress passed the Foreign Operations spending bill in December 2001, increasing UNFPA funding by 36 percent but setting a $34 million spending ceiling for the current fiscal year. Because of the spending ceiling, President Bush has the authority to determine how much, if any, of the money will be allocated. So far, the administration has not released any of the funds.
Mosher said the UNFPA operates under the disguise of assisting with worldwide health care, but, in fact, pursues a different agenda. "If you look behind every claim that they make about saving lives and providing health care, there is always a population control agenda," he said.
According to the Africa News Service, the Tanzanian Bureau of Standards conducted two permeability tests on the UNFPA's $870,000 shipment of condoms and judged them faulty.
Mosher said the Tanzanian government has confirmed on two separate occasions that the condoms would be destroyed. But Craven insists the PRI had been given false information.
"When the condoms were shipped, they were batch tested in an independent lab. They arrived in Tanzania and were tested by a Tanzanian lab in country and that lab determined that there was a failure rate on these condoms," Craven said. "The government is not destroying these condoms, but another batch sample has been sent to North Carolina to another independent laboratory."
Craven said a representative from the Tanzanian lab would accompany the shipment to North Carolina for the re-testing of the condoms.
"Hopefully, if they pass the test, they will be able to use them. If not, then we will have to deal with that and destroy them or send them back to the manufacturer," Craven said.
Last week, Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed the use of UNFPA condoms before the Senate Foreign Operations Subcommittee.
"I'm also a believer in protecting one's self with condoms," Powell told the subcommittee. "And you may have noticed I got in a little trouble recently over this issue."
Powell was referring to statements he made on MTV last February supporting the use of condoms. Catherine Crone Coburn, spokeswoman for Management Sciences for Health Inc., said her organization has called for the Bush Administration to release full funding to the UNFPA.
"I think it is a fairly unusual event that that kind of thing would happen, and I think if you look at the record of what they do that is important and good, it far outweighs any mistakes," Coburn said. "I would say that they are a well managed organization and they are working very hard to provide quality products."
However, Wendy Wright, communications director for Concerned Women For America, said the shipment of condoms shows the UNFPA cannot be trusted.
"They can't be trusted in the work they do. They cannot be trusted in the words they say," Wright said.
"This should be a warning to every other country that is receiving condoms from UNFPA that they had better at least check them, but at best resist them and turn them away," Wright said.
No wonder we are having a hard time affording the measley 300 and 600 dollar tax rebates sent back to the tax payers. Our foreign, as well as most domestic, spending is wildly out of hand and needs to be checked. One day, the taxpayer will get fed up.
So does Senator Leahy, but he hasn't been seized....yet.
Ahhh, I'll pay a couple of bucks each to make sure that some Tanzanian isn't sticking a pin through the center of them!
I'm assuming that the UN bought them factory "seconds" on a low bid. You don't want these 10 cent condoms.
HOUDINI ESCAPES
Well, fix it, dear husband, dear husband, dear husband
Well fix it, dear husband-
Just fix it my dear.
With what shall I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza ?
With what shall I fix it
Oh, Liza my dear ?
With a bike tire patch, dear husband, dear husband
With a bike tire patch
You can fix it, my dear.
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