1st June 2015, 01:57 PM
Crocodile Wrote:Why are the DF being the name? why can't the cIFA be the name? what difference does it make? either way no name of the complainant is put forward. I would expect an organisation that wishes to uphold standards in archaeology to be able to pursue a complaint in its own name.
There is much that can be investigated without a complainants name being involved.
I agree entirely with the above comments.
Last year, I submitted a complaint to the cIFA on the basis that a member had presented a HS which displayed a higher level of accreditation than he actually has - something that could easily be proven beyond doubt {the cIFA had only to check membership details - they did this and found what I said was true}. I was told however, that the complaint had to be submitted by me and not by the cIFA.
The HS was produced for a planning application; since I didn't make a complaint to the cIFA, I was able to inform people that false accreditation had been listed on the HS. I did not pursue the complaint, because had I done so, it would have meant that I could not disclose any details to anyone. I told the Planners, EH & the County Archaeologist about the matter; I asked how they could have confidence in the contents of the HS, when the author had cited false accreditation. EH and the County archaeologist simply didn't want to know - they were entirely unconcerned & told me that the HS was 'fit for purpose'. I fail to see how they could have such faith in the 'integrity' of the document. Regarding the accreditation, the universal stance was that 'it was a matter for the cIFA' . . . but the cIFA will only investigate if someone else makes a complaint.
In a nutshell, an archaeologist presented a HS on a public forum; it says that he's accredited to the cIFA to a specific level. Except that, he isn't. Important to note, the higher the level of accreditation, the greater the membership fee - there are potential savings to be made here, since the cIFA will only act when someone else makes a complaint.