By Hugh Jordan

Civil rights champion Ivan Cooper has issued a warning against a 'get-rich-quick' scheme operating in Ireland.

Cooper, a one time Minister of Community relations in the Stormont Government said members of the public should be wary before parting with hard-earned cash.

He was speaking as American home products company Amway launched a European-wide recruiting drive for sales personnel.

The company, through its Ireland executives Stephen and Gemma Stranney, has set up a series of seminars across the country where it hopes to temp cash-strapped individuals to join its multi-level marketing scheme for products like cosmetics, cleaning products and vitamins.

Twenty years ago Amway was slated by southern politician Maire Geoghan-Quinn who asked questions in the Dail about the company's practices.

Ms. Geoghan-Quinn, who is today a high-flying Eurocrat, also cautioned members of the public against getting involved accusing Amway of being the "twin brother of pyramid selling."

Quitting
Ivan Cooper moved into business constancy after quitting politics, maintains he has nothing against 'multi-level marketing' as a business concept.

But the ex-MP blasted when he referred to as Amway's "books, tapes and seminars scheme" aimed at motivating sales staff.

"I've looked at this company's way of working in great detail," he said.

The products are excellent, I mean they are really top quality and you can't get better. "But the real money being made here, is made by the people at the top of the pyramid who are selling motivational tapes and books to the sales force through seminars.

"People are told that they will be able to perform better if they purchase these sales aids and therefore increase their potential earnings. But in my opinion, it's nonsense. Some people are good at selling and others aren't, it's as simple as that.
I'm all for people who want to work hard, joining sales companies who will give them an opportunity to get on but Amway is controlled by a small clique at the top which, makes a lot of money, while others further down the pile are left struggling. "My advice to people is to stay well away from it."

Civil Rights Activist Warns of Sales Spin
Amway is an American company, which has a UK distribution depot at Milton Keyes, Buckinghamshire. It likes to appoint husband and wife teams to look after its interest and its main representatives in Ireland north and south are Co. Down couple Stephen and Gemma Stranney.

Based at their bungalow home a Ballylucas Road on the outskirts of Downpatrick, the jet-set couple travel round the country attending seminars where they encourage people to buy into their sales structure, in hope of gaining financial independence.

Entry into the Amway seminars costs about E15. Motivational books are price around the sand and tapes cost 4.50 pounds.

Stranney 52, quit an accountancy practice 24 years ago to join the Amway organization and he and his wife are now classed among the prestigious 'Diamond direct" section of Amway distributors. In promotion al martial aimed at luring potential sales people to join up, Stranney is quoted as saying: "Today as 'Diamond Directs' we have business all across the United Kingdom, Ireland Europe and the USA. We began this business with a lot of hope and the dream of achieving our freedom."

In the same glossy brochure, Stranney's wife Gemma - a mother of three - says: "our children don't remember us starting, they don't remember the struggles, they just remember the exciting journey they are now a part of and we are all enjoying. "Thank God for this great vehicle and for the tremendous people that it has allowed us to be associated with."

When the Sunday World approached Stephen Stranney about his role in Amway he admitted he had been involved with the company for nearly 25 years. He conceded that some of Maire Geophan-Quinn's criticisms of the company were justified.

"I am not too sure what happened back then but a lot people got up to dubious things," he said. "I never really got to the bottom of it, but she brought it to the forefront because she was concerned, that at the time, it was an illegal pyramid. "It wasn't Amway as such, it was people who got involved and then used the Amway vehicle to make quick money."

Structure
But when asked if the Amway structure since those days, Stranney said: "No the structure's always been the same. There's legal and illegal. Some people are for it and some people are against it.

"There's no doubt about it some people do abuse it. I've heard a lot about people losing thousands of pounds, but Amway guarantees to give the money back to anyone".

Mr. Stranney explained that he is self-employed and is what is termed as an 'Amway Independent Business Owner'.

When asked why despite enjoying a huge business turnover, he did not register for the VAT until 1995, he said: "That was a deal Amway had with Customs.and Excise."

In 1985, Stephen Stranney's business turnover, which included a share in a art firm called 'Classic Galleries which supplied oil paintings, was in excess of 1 million pounds.

When asked to explain why he did not register for VAT at that time he said: "I can't remember back that far". The Sunday World has been contacted by English business man Tim Harrison who was responsible for helping the Amway setup in Poland. He represented Stephen Stranney as well as other Amway 'Diamond Direct' distributors. "I went to Poland as it was fresh territory, I ended up changing cash money with the Polish Mafia and in the end I was treading water," he said. "I thought it would eventually come good for me, but it is impossible to make money from sales. The money is made by the distributors who sell promotional tapes and books.".