Dear Clare Moody MEP
Thank you for your response to my questions about the ‘Marshall Plan’ for Ukraine and the EPP.
As a lifelong Labour voter I’m an enthusiastic support of an economy that works for all. It has been the focus of our work as a social enterprise since we began People-Centered Economic Development 20 years ago.
The Labour Manifesto points out that decisions about our economy are typically made by a narrow elite. As I will illustrate that is very much my experience of the EU.
Our work as a social enterprise led to the delivery of a ‘Marshall Plan’ for Ukraine in February 2007. As you may read, the primary focus was childcare reform.
In the summary we said:
‘This is a long-term permanently sustainable program, the basis for “people-centered” economic development. Core focus is always on people and their needs, with neediest people having first priority — as contrasted with the eternal chase for financial profit and numbers where people, social benefit, and human well-being are often and routinely overlooked or ignored altogether. This is in keeping with the fundamental objectives of Marshall Plan: policy aimed at hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos. This is a bottom-up approach, starting with Ukraine’s poorest and most desperate citizens, rather than a “top-down” approach that might not ever benefit them. They cannot wait, particularly children. Impedance by anyone or any group of people constitutes precisely what the original Marshall Plan was dedicated to opposing. Those who suffer most, and those in greatest need, must be helped first — not secondarily, along the way or by the way. ‘
Those in greatest need had been identified in our research described as ‘Death Camps, For Children’
With the assistance of locals , the ‘Marshall Plan’ was delivered to Ukraine’s government in February 2007.
In August 2007, we saw the need to defend the social focus of this work and enlisted locals to publish on a prominent web magazine. Part two described a development centre for social enterprise and argued that capitalism could be applied for social as well as financial outcomes.
In February 2008, we called on USAID and others in US government for support with this ‘Marshall Plan’ and assistance with an anti-corruption network. It drew attention to the extent of corruption within institutional childcare.
Later that year, the plan was introduced to the EU Citizens Consultation, emphasising the childcare reform focus and an HIV epidemic among disenfranchised children.
In 2010 hearing of plans for another social enterprise development plan we applied for partnership with The British Council introducing our plan. We also introduced it to Erste Bank and PwC, partners in this initiative. We were disregarded.
From 2008, I’d made several appeals for support to South West MEPs and in 2012 Sir Graham Watson took my claim of plagiarism to Commissioner Barnier. As you may read in my attachment, he denied this and suggested scope for future collaboration.
In 2013 the EU hosted a conference on people-centered business, to which we as architects and pioneers of this approach were not invited.
In 2014 as violence erupted, I appealed once again to MEPs forwarding an appeal from Maidan leaders for support. They included a ‘Marshall Plan’ in their appeal.
At the same time Tony Blair was chairing a discussion at Davos on behalf of oligarch Viktor Pinchuk, to whom he is indebted for foundation funding. It reiterated the argument from our ‘Marshall Plan’ of how capitalism could be deployed for both financial and social return.
In 2015, oligarch Dmitri Firtash conceived another ‘Marshall Plan’ for Ukraine when threatened with extradition to the US on corruption charges. Described by an anti-corruption MP as The Firtash Octopus, it would bring Lord Mandelson on board. The same Lord Mandelson who’d told a social enterprise summit that his department were “helping firms to help others”
How this is anything other than decisions made by a narrow elite is beyond my comprehension.
The costs of the crisis have been high in terms of human life, including those of children buried in rough trenches and the life of my colleague who refused to give up on his mission.
“First, if stolen, it’s stolen. It’s not unlike an architect having a building design stolen. The architect/designer is in best position to understand exactly how it works and how to assemble what they’ve designed.
“If someone wants to use a project design, it’s the same as any other project design. The design comes after an in-depth research phase, which in my experience tends to be extremely difficult not least from danger involved in shining light under rocks where the core problems are to begin with. That is, corrupt bureaucrats and officials. When I finish the research part — which I always do so far (Russia/Crimea/Ukraine) — I know exactly what the problems are, what solutions are needed, and how to navigate. Possibly someone else could take over and manage things from there on — implementation. I have no problem with someone else implementing a project, and usually prefer that. Even if they do, it’s still a matter of stolen property in which we’ve invested unilaterally to produce. Almost always, however, there may remain critical components that the implementer just doesn’t want to bother with. Maybe it’s too dangerous. Maybe there are political considerations and conflicts. In that case, the designer is likely the only person(s) to know how to get those done. That’s when it’s time to consult with the architect.
“Second, even if the project outcome, after theft, is what was envisioned by the designer(s), how does the venture qualify as a social enterprise? Sure, we can slowly design projects one by one as income from our funding side permits. We can do it a lot faster if we get paid for our R&D output, just like any designers.
“Finally, is it acceptable to build projects with stolen property? What sort of results would that lead to? Can be build an ethical system based upon unethical behavior (such as violations of Intellectual Property Rights)?
“If we invent such a system, is it anything new? Or is it just a twist on the old system?
“One thing that can be collaborated openly is this: a Code of Ethics. But, whose ethics? What org(s) will enforce them, and how? Who decides who gets in, how, and why? “
22 May 2017 Our Ref: CM/KW/MOWA01003/01170289
Dear Jeff
Many thanks for contacting me about issues in Ukraine and please accept my apologies for not responding earlier. I am deeply concerned about the situation in Ukraine, and am supporting my colleagues in the Ukraine — EU Committee in working for a solution, particularly in addressing corruption.
The EPP’s emergency resolution ‘On the Long-Term Support Plan for Ukraine’ which was adopted at their Congress in Malta in March 2017 supports the broad investment package which is referred to as a ‘Marshall Plan for Ukraine’. You can find the full text of this resolution here: http://www.epp.eu/papers/on-the-long-term-support-plan-for-ukraine-2/
Furthermore, my colleagues and I are working towards visa-free travel for Ukrainian citizens to the EU. This will not only make life easier for the thousands of Ukrainians who visit EU countries every year, but it is also an important step in bringing Ukraine closer to European norms, and continuing the reform efforts taking place in the country. We strongly urge the Ukrainian government to continue its reform efforts and make additional efforts to fight corruption and strengthen the rule of law in the country, which would go some way to helping those who experience abuse and neglect in institutional childcare.
Thank you also for the update on Maidan’s work, it sounds incredibly valuable. I was deeply shocked to read the accounts of neglect in institutional childcare in the 2006 report, and I will be following this up with my colleagues both in the Euronest committee and with those who work more closely with Ukraine to see if there are any more recent updates on the situation for children in these orphanages.
Please do get in touch if there is anything further that I can help with.
With best wishes
Clare Moody
Labour MEP for the South West and Gibraltar
01305 858285
Twitter @ClareMoodyMEP Facebook: ClareMoodyMEP
