Mike,
The whole sorry affair will probably never be told. Faced by the South African delegation's success in winning support at Dijon, the "Dragon Lady" stacked the WOC Site Selection Committee at the last moment with active, in touch orchid figures like Alasdair Morrison, to get the result she needed i.e. Singapore. She is ducking and diving, as always, but that is where the blame squarely lies. Spare a thought for the poor Taiwanese. They mounted a big part of the orchid displays in Dijon, they were coming off a most successful APOC last year (where the "Dragon Lady" was very happy to swan around on center stage) and undoubtedly had high expectations of being successful in their bid for 2011. They had absolutely no chance.
Something is inconsistent in Joyce's continuing role on the WOC Trust as an RHS representative. According to Henry Oakeley, membership of the RHS Orchid Committee ends in the year of one's 70th birthday, a great idea which the AOS should also visit. However although staring down the barrel of three score and ten, she seems to entrenching herself even further on the gravy train. Around the world, many serious orchid people wonder just what is going on and who is pulling the strings.
Andy Easton
_______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
