Continued Functioning of AFICS/NY during COVID-19 pandemic
To all members of AFICS/NY,
As you have already been informed, AFICS/NY is continuing to function fully, albeit remotely, during the current worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
Our virtual Office can continue to receive emails and phone calls; the Office is staffed by our Office Assistant, Velimir Kovacevic, and it remains open for business on the same established days and times as had been the case before this unique crisis hit us: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We have created a special COVID-19 place on the revamped AFICS/NY website, for information and messages from the UN Secretary-General, Pension Fund, RSG for Investments, UN Health and Insurance Unit, UNFCU and New York Staff Union.
The leadership of AFICS/NY, consisting of myself as President and Debbie Landey and Jay Karia as Vice-Presidents, continues to engage in regular communications and virtual meetings with key Pension Fund and UN-System senior officials, to raise at the highest levels the major issues that concern the AFICS/NY membership that we represent and generally to do our best to protect their interests and those of UN retirees as a whole. In fact, we just had such a virtual meeting with the newly designated Acting RSG, Mr. Pedro Guazo, and we are arranging for a similar meeting very soon with the Chief Executive for Pension Administration, Ms. Rosemarie McClean.
Our Governing Board and Committees are continuing to work remotely, with a virtual Governing Board meeting scheduled to take place next week. We also remain involved with FAFICS issues, while recognizing that the dates for the next Pension Board and FAFICS Council sessions are now quite uncertain.
Before closing I would like to express the hope that all of us and our families and former colleagues will remain safe and healthy during these unique and challenging times, following the cautionary advice of experts and coping with the difficult circumstances facing us.
With best regards,
John Dietz, President
AFICS/NY
2 April 2020