A woman selects lemon at a market in Phnom Penh, June 07. Fraud claims in several World Bank aid projects have badly damaged Cambodia's reputation abroad, the finance ministry has said, demanding the bank offer up proof of wrongdoing.(AFP/File/Tang Chhin Sothy) 16/06/2006
AFP
Phnom Penh - Fraud claims in several World Bank aid projects have badly damaged Cambodia's reputation abroad, the finance ministry said on Friday, demanding the bank offer up proof of wrongdoing.
In a ministry statement published in a local newspaper - the second this week - it also questioned whether the accusations of financial irregularities in poverty-reduction and infrastructure projects were politically motivated.
"The information of these so-called irregularities is spreading worldwide and this is harming the reputation of the government," the statement said.
The World Bank last week suspended funding for three key aid projects and ordered the government pay back $7.6m after saying it had uncovered irregularities in dozens of project contracts.
But Cambodian officials maintain they have been given no evidence of wrongdoing, saying on Friday they had only received a brief summary of the World Bank's investigation during a meeting earlier in the week.
"The government wants to gain the trust of its development partners and in order to achieve this goal the government needs detailed reasons and evidence," the statement said.
No details have been made public of the fraud, which allegedly occurred in about 30 of the project contracts.
The World Bank is still investigating three other projects worth more than $67m that were completed in 2005 but has already found indications of fraud and corruption, it said last week.
Speaking publicly for the first time on the issue, Prime Minister Hun Sen lashed out Thursday at bank consultants, who he said were partially to blame for any irregularities.
"If the Cambodian officials are corrupt, then the consultants are also corrupt because they are the decision-makers," he said. "So, if we find the (irregularities), the consultants will also have to help repay the money."
Cambodia is plagued by corruption at almost every level of government and the misuse of international funds has been the major focus of the country's donors during their annual review of reform efforts.
Cambodia's parliament has yet to pass anti-corruption legislation that has been a demand of donors.
In a ministry statement published in a local newspaper - the second this week - it also questioned whether the accusations of financial irregularities in poverty-reduction and infrastructure projects were politically motivated.
"The information of these so-called irregularities is spreading worldwide and this is harming the reputation of the government," the statement said.
The World Bank last week suspended funding for three key aid projects and ordered the government pay back $7.6m after saying it had uncovered irregularities in dozens of project contracts.
But Cambodian officials maintain they have been given no evidence of wrongdoing, saying on Friday they had only received a brief summary of the World Bank's investigation during a meeting earlier in the week.
"The government wants to gain the trust of its development partners and in order to achieve this goal the government needs detailed reasons and evidence," the statement said.
No details have been made public of the fraud, which allegedly occurred in about 30 of the project contracts.
The World Bank is still investigating three other projects worth more than $67m that were completed in 2005 but has already found indications of fraud and corruption, it said last week.
Speaking publicly for the first time on the issue, Prime Minister Hun Sen lashed out Thursday at bank consultants, who he said were partially to blame for any irregularities.
"If the Cambodian officials are corrupt, then the consultants are also corrupt because they are the decision-makers," he said. "So, if we find the (irregularities), the consultants will also have to help repay the money."
Cambodia is plagued by corruption at almost every level of government and the misuse of international funds has been the major focus of the country's donors during their annual review of reform efforts.
Cambodia's parliament has yet to pass anti-corruption legislation that has been a demand of donors.
2 comments:
Over the past 30 years, Mr. HUN SEN had been receiving a heavy dose of Vietcong culture as a puppet government of Vietname and still do to this very day!
The Vietcong culture promoted nothing more than corruption, more corruption and more corruption!
Mr. HUN SEN was so corrupted that it is against his will to pass anti-corruption legislation! HUN SEN and his Vietcong culture will not survive in face of anti-corruption law!
is not a corrupt place.. is the plcae of Jour ha'ruoy for sure !
eeyore
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