Publications

Introduction

Over the course of my substantial years as an auditor and investigator I have come across many cases that deserved to have the whistle blown, due to flagrant violations in use of public monies, use of fraudulent techniques in procurement processes, breaches of environmental laws and practices, signing off on audited accounts when there is clear evidence of creative accounting and insider trading, just to name a few.

Source: www.inmagine.com

As I wrote to one of my contacts who cautioned me on writing this book, termination and whistle blowing are statistically correlated, and I will present a formula in this book to prove it. The gravity of the response to whistle blowers by the fraudsters is predicated on a wide range of variables. Death and suicide (or death under suspicious circumstances), all very terminal endings, are also correlated as I can attest to. Short term fluctuations in employment through sudden termination are however not an accurate predictor to someone's long term professional performance.

The reason for this is that I have a sense that others in society may be somehow attracted to higher standards of conduct and the image of purity and incorruptibility. The corporate world is no exception. It's this love/hate relationship which I will explain in this book, amongst others. The play "A man for all seasons" about Sir Thomas More is a very good example of this phenomenon. On the one hand, King Henry the VIII absolutely detested Sir Thomas' stance in opposing his divorce, based on conscientious grounds. On the other hand, he could not do without it, because he wanted the approbation and support from someone he respected highly. This paradox caused Sir Thomas to lose his head to end King Henry's vexation. The movie "The Untouchables" is another example. We all agree who is right and who is wrong in the movie and we all highly respect the good guys. At the same time, we all feel somehow incapable of actually living up to the example given, for a variety of reasons. It's this basic premise which made me put pen to paper to try and explain, as well as provide guidance, to whistleblowers or would be whistle blowers, to bring some light on a subject that is usually treated like someone's dirty little secret, like the cousin you keep locked in the room when visitors arrive because he is unsound of mind and gives the family a bad name by his aberrant behaviour.

A second factor underlying my effort is to provide a practical guide to would be whistle blowers based on personal experience rather than from a theoretical stand point. Where necessary, I have covered some theory, but there are a number of books on the market already which analyze and explain the theory in detail, including the psychological analysis of whistleblowers. I have referred to these in the chapter on Whistle Blower resources. I have so far blown the whistle on six cases globally and believe I have a very good understanding of the process and the mechanics of whistle blowing. As they say, practice makes perfect.

Thirdly, I wish to clarify that whistle blowing does not necessarily mean that the whistle blower consciously got out of bed one morning and decided to engage in this act. Sometimes, in senior positions with higher levels of responsibility, the act is simply one that is misinterpreted by third parties. This type of whistle blowing is unwitting, and can be based on simple motives such as wanting to do a professional job in the correct manner, and involves alerting other executives of a particular matter that needs to be rectified. An example is when I was reviewing the reason for unusually high losses at a refinery and reported on this matter as the refinery was situated next to a major waterway used by inhabitants living in close proximity for washing, fishing and cooking. I never had the intent to blow a whistle, but wanted to simply illuminate the problem for further management action, including a decision to undertake an investment in environmental protection systems.

My name, Ferdinand Coenraad, means "Fearless Travelling Advisor" and is an ancient gothic/ old German language combination. I take the role of a whistle blower very seriously, just as the earnest gentleman in the picture above. I am now in my mid 40's and am starting see more logic in the past, seeing patterns and repetitions which need to be explored and explained to make sense of them. Similar to Einstein I do believe that the world order is rational, although it may from time to time look chaotic as the quantum mechanics proponents so effectively claimed. I think it is a combination of chaos and order similar to what we are taught in chemistry. While we are moving from one state of order to another we have a chaotic intermission, not dissimilar to my experiences moving from Holland to New Zealand at age 15, and thereafter from continent to continent, travelling and advising.

The extensive travelling and advising now makes increasing sense to me, as the change-over periods have increased in frequency, not least because of the facility with which I can find and identify the unconscionable, the untoward, the inappropriate, in short, fraud and corruption. These last two words, closely intertwined like two snakes in the grass waiting for their prey, are to me an aberration from the steady state of order and therefore contribute to chaos, chance and the fickleness of human life. This fickleness contributes to a lack of individual opportunities for self actualization. But for the availability of a good education the world might have benefitted from multiple Einstein equivalent geniuses from obscure corners of the world that are currently suffering the devastating effects of generations of corruption. These individuals unknown, kept in obscurity by a lack of equity and fairness, might be able to support and assist with the increasingly complex problems and challenges of a globalizing society. Fraud and corruption prevent funds from flowing to those that most need and deserve it, and, like a poisonous snake threatening life and health when it lurks in the corners of your house, should be eradicated.

During our worldwide travels, for I chose to take my family with me to almost all unusual corners of the world for the purpose of education and learning, I have seen many cases of fraud and corruption and the impact these make on society. In all of these cases I have blown the whistle, either by reporting directly to supervisors, to authorities or to the media, and usually a combination of all three together with a legal course of action. The Government Accountability Project (GAP) which you can find on www.whistleblower.com, provides some good definitions and guidance to whistleblowers, including several books on line with helpful hints. For example, there is a list of 12 survival strategies, which I would recommend to anyone considering blowing the whistle.

As a result of my most recent whistle blowing case in the Middle East, and the cases with which I was involved previously, I have decided to focus on writing a philosophical description, practical tips and case studies related to whistle blowing from a whistle blowers perspective. These may assist you in deciding whether it is worthwhile to proceed further on this very serious course of action. Regardless of the guidelines provided by websites such as the aforementioned, or the legislation which is more and more enacted in different jurisdictions, whistle blowing is not for the faint of heart. From experience, both personal and as a witness to cases, possible negative side effects include minor harassment to threats to life, and ultimately, death.

I have been subject to, or close to, a range of issues which I describe in the following chapter, using examples drawn from my own experience and that of others. Each side effect takes its toll, both mentally and physically. But as the old proverb says, what does not kill you makes you stronger, and so, in spite of occasional self doubts, I continue to speak and act according to my conscience and blow the whistle in earnest. This is indeed a very private matter. Some may call it narcissistic, as I have seen it described, but I could think of nothing but, as some of my memories of cases are definitely not edifying, and I did not like the look of the psychological devastation wrought on myself when I managed to wake up in the morning for another challenging day.

On the positive side I have had the fortune of many encounters with very strong and committed individuals who have been clear about the right and the wrong road to travel in life, and who have provided me support to continue, both professionally and morally. What matters not is the size of the population that is so committed, but rather the quality. And so, when considering the world on an atomic level, even minute changes and forces could and will have a substantial impact over the long term. I repeat here a section on www.whistleblowing.org , written by a father and son whistle blower team, which contains a section called "Divine Judgment". This echoes our own experiences. Your whistle blowing may not have an immediate tangible effect, but you may rest assured that your actions do have a longer term impact, like the ripples on a pond or a butterfly in the Amazon.

Taking the above listed negative side effects into account, why would anyone be interested to whistle blow? Why risk the comforts of existence, the regularity of a salary, and take on the hardships and risks that often go hand in hand with whistle blowing? The next sections provide some thoughts on the why and wherefores, and may be an inspiration or an affirmation to you, to consider the complexities of each step in the process.