UNICEF and Melanie Verwoerd

easyeason3 · 27-07-2011 10:58PM

How many 'one interview & one interview only' interviews did she actually give after Gerry Ryans death?

And then putting a bench in his memory in some park as her way of 'remembering' him on the first anniversary of his death. One of the most private ways to grieve is of course to put a bench in a public place :rolleyes:.

I wasn't a huge fan of Gerry Ryan but fcuk me pink this woman knows how to play up to the media.

And I seriously doubt UNICEF are stupid enough to just fire her in the way that's being described. If they can spend €2000 a day on a pr firm they can hire a solicitor before they give her the boot.

Jennyrose · 27-07-2011 11:21PM

deandean wrote: »

What a bunch of fooking idiots in UNICEF. Here is yet another "charity" organisation that is more interested in it's internal politicking than in raising funds.

Melanie, I am really sad for what has happened to you. Not much consolation I know, but based on the published figures you have been a star performer.

I can only suggest you Sue the Ass off Unicef, clear them out, and donate the proceeds to a reputable charity.

I completely agree. As I have said, I don't know her but this seems bizarre. And I have just seen on the late news that Liam Neeson, Vanessa Redgrave and Roger Moore have ditched the charity. Nice one

..meanwhile, surveying the list of board members of Unicef, one Mr. PJ Mara ex Haughey Svengali. And they're complaining about her behaviour?

Paparazzo · 27-07-2011 11:37PM

Jennyrose wrote: »

I completely agree. As I have said, I don't know her but this seems bizarre. And I have just seen on the late news that Liam Neeson, Vanessa Redgrave and Roger Moore have ditched the charity. Nice one

..meanwhile, surveying the list of board members of Unicef, one Mr. PJ Mara ex Haughey Svengali. And they're complaining about her behaviour?

Neeson, Redgrave and Moore are ditching a childrens charity because their mate doesn't have a job there any more?

Spread · 27-07-2011 11:58PM

Paparazzo wrote: »

Neeson, Redgrave and Moore are ditching a childrens charity because their mate doesn't have a job there any more?

What the fcuk is PJ Mara doing there? Surely UNICEF could do without extra tainting. Who selected/appointed him? Did he get the post because of his experience?

barney4001 · 28-07-2011 10:48AM

Jennyrose wrote: »

I completely agree. As I have said, I don't know her but this seems bizarre. And I have just seen on the late news that Liam Neeson, Vanessa Redgrave and Roger Moore have ditched the charity. Nice one

..meanwhile, surveying the list of board members of Unicef, one Mr. PJ Mara ex Haughey Svengali. And they're complaining about her behaviour?

Exactly as i see it and with sponsers jumping ship, perhaps the board should resign over the decision to sack Melanie,she probably did more good for the charity than the rest of them put together

Paparazzo · 28-07-2011 12:44PM

barney4001 wrote: »

Exactly as i see it and with sponsers jumping ship, perhaps the board should resign over the decision to sack Melanie,she probably did more good for the charity than the rest of them put together

Aren't the board doing it for free, not even expenses? Where MV is on 100k a year? And is going to sue UNICEF!

temply · 28-07-2011 12:49PM

Paparazzo wrote: »

Neeson, Redgrave and Moore are ditching a childrens charity because their mate doesn't have a job there any more?

I'd say she was onto them like a rocket you know

She seems to be a very determined woman

The more this goes on the more I dislike her.

Bessarion · 29-07-2011 12:25AM

deandean wrote: »

What a bunch of fooking idiots in UNICEF. Here is yet another "charity" organisation that is more interested in it's internal politicking than in raising funds.

Very true. In reality how much negativity has actually occured through her association with GR. ANd why do this now when the media attention was a year ago?

Personally the fact that PJ Mara and Ivor Fitzpatrick (He used to be Haughey's solicitor) are on the UNICEF Ireland board would be a far bigger negative in my book.

And regardless of whether or not you like this woman she has been successful in actually increasing the income of UNICEF when all other charities in Ireland have reported a decline.(INDO last Sunday) For the life of me I have no idea who was their public face before her. She had a job to do and she did it very well........and NOW the board (or individuals on it) want her gone?

Pompey Magnus · 29-07-2011 12:45AM

TV3 last night confirmed a planned telethon to be fronted by Hollywood star Liam Neeson has been cancelled following Ms Verwoerd's sacking.

The show, which was due to air later this year, was expected to raise substantial donations for the children's charity.

"Melanie had a fantastic contacts book in terms of celebrities, who were all very interested in taking part," TV3 director of programming Ben Frow told the Irish Independent.

"But the telethon is not going to happen now as she is no longer with UNICEF."

Wow. So either all these celebs coincidentally decided to pull out of the show for the sole reason that she wasn't working there any more or else she requested that they do. If it is the latter then it just goes to show where her priorities were.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of being fired it would be a pretty scummy thing to sabotage a fund raising event for a children's charity just to get your own back on your former employers.

steelcityblues · 31-07-2011 09:42PM

I don't know what quite to make of Verwoerd. She says she didn't know nothing about her ex-boyfriend's drug usage, even though an autopsy report tells us otherwise.

That is either a very naive girlfriend who never examines her partner's motives, or a flat out liar.

For all we know, maybe some people in Unicef have a few Melanie 'stories', which might go a long way to explaining her release.

Handsome Bob · 31-07-2011 09:49PM

I find it dfficult to believe that this is the sole reason as to why her contract wasn't renewed. Otherwise it's just bizarre, the big wigs in charge of Unicef must be on boards. :pac:

coylemj · 31-07-2011 10:24PM

I can understand the problem as perceived by the Unicef board. As with the Katy French story, the Indo was determined to milk the Gerry Ryan story for all it was worth, that meant that every time Morah Ryan or Melanie Verwoerd or any of the children stepped on a turd or got a parking ticket, the GR story was run through all over again.

The result was that every time Melanie put her head above the parapet as part of her Unicef job, the Indo and several tabloids used the opportunity to kick off yet another repetition of the GR story which pushed the Unicef story down the page. As the board saw it, either the media was going to move on and leave Melanie to carry on with her career outside of the shadow of GR or she had to go.

Sadly the media wouldn't let go (of the GR connection to her) so she was instead.

Crazy Horse 6 · 31-07-2011 10:50PM

Gerry Ryan

Do people like coke or diet coke.

Ally Dick · 31-07-2011 10:51PM

I thought she was treated unfairly. She should have been sacked while Gerry was still alive

Capt'n Midnight · 31-07-2011 11:48PM

keithob wrote: »

well as it is now she will be rubbing her hands as a nice big payoff is on her way and she wont have to work for a number of years........

She will get 2 years pay. Which is nice since she was only there for 4 years.

PR disaster for UNICEF, then again http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3138018,00.html

horse7 · 01-08-2011 06:43PM

why pay the(certain ceo etc)staff such high wages,when people are starving. see link http://www.independent.ie/national-news/top-charities-defend-fat-cat-ceo-salaries-1062042.html. that 200,000euro would feed a lot of people, and add up all those large salaries the big guys get. its time we stopped paying their salaries.

Big Nasty · 01-08-2011 06:54PM

horse7 wrote: »

why pay the(certain ceo etc)staff such high wages,when people are starving. see link http://www.independent.ie/national-news/top-charities-defend-fat-cat-ceo-salaries-1062042.html. that 200,000euro would feed a lot of people, and add up all those large salaries the big guys get. its time we stopped paying their salaries.

Becuase she did very good work and enticed celebrities onboard to endorse Unicef work who have now fcuked off due to her being sacked?

Seems like Unicef are the ones who fcuked up here!

pow wow · 01-08-2011 07:18PM

When she donates her fat payoff (and any subsequent payouts following whatever legal action may follow) to disaster relief I'll feel sorry for her. Until then whilst I don't think the move has done UNICEF any PR favours, she's not doing anything to help her case either.

Nolanger · 01-08-2011 08:14PM

Gerry Ryan's ex-wife retains a dignified silence over his death. That fat cow Verweird is always in the papers going on about 'her Gerry'. Sack the bitch and deport her back to Nelson Mandeland.

Big Nasty · 01-08-2011 08:24PM

Nolanger wrote: »

Gerry Ryan's ex-wife retains a dignified silence over his death. That fat cow Verweird is always in the papers going on about 'her Gerry'. Sack the bitch and deport her back to Nelson Mandeland.

By all accounts Gerry Ryan's ex-wife was the one who introduced him to coke in the first place. At the very least Verwoerd was apparently doing a very good job of raising funds for Unicef.

jimmynokia · 01-08-2011 08:25PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

By all accounts Gerry Ryan's ex-wife was the one who introduced him to coke in the first place. At the very least Verwoerd was apparently doing a very good job of raising funds for Unicef.

By all accounts Gerry Ryan's ex-wife was the one who introduced him to coke in the first place

links with evidence of that would be great

stimpson · 01-08-2011 09:12PM

Nolanger wrote: »

Gerry Ryan's ex-wife retains a dignified silence over his death. That fat cow Verweird is always in the papers going on about 'her Gerry'. Sack the bitch and deport her back to Nelson Mandeland.

*waves*

Hi Morah!

seligehgit · 01-08-2011 09:16PM

I have to say that this very worthwhile organisation is far bigger than any one person,end of.

Nolanger · 01-08-2011 09:56PM

seligehgit wrote: »

I have to say that this very worthwhile organisation

Yep, lets keep the African population growing and growing. We'll worry about feeding them later!

gk5000 · 01-08-2011 10:33PM

seligehgit wrote: »

I have to say that this very worthwhile organisation is far bigger than any one person,end of.

They have good PR, end of. It's a division of the UN the most corrupt self serving organisation on earth. They photograph famous people in orphanages instead of trying to get the kids OUT of the orphanages.

seligehgit · 01-08-2011 10:52PM

Forgive me for my possible naivety but I am not overly familiar with all the ins an outs of the UN and indeed UNICEF.Perhaps I am also not as cynical?Do know that they were founded on the basis of good princlples,good intentions.Agreed re the accusations of corruption/waste.My basic point was re any charitable organisation been bigger than any individual,celebrity etc.

Einhard · 01-08-2011 10:55PM

cautiouskate wrote: »

Unlike some of contributors to this thread, I do think this is a newsworthy story.

Newsworthy perhaps. Front page newsworthy? Not really.

Whatever her relationship with Gerry Ryan might have been, the hypocrisy of some of the UNICEF board members in sacking her is unbelievable.

How are they hypocritical?

Nabber · 02-08-2011 01:02PM

She was let go with 2 years pay/ €200k..

I would love to be let go for that sort of figure.

UNICEF and Melanie Verwoerd

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