By Phann Ana and Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The Ministry of Finance maintained pressure on the World Bank through newspaper advertising on Friday, demanding for the second time this week that the bank release evidence backing its allegation of corruption in bank-funded projects.
The ministry's advertisement also questioned whether the Bank allegations were politically motivated.
"During the meeting with [World Bank Department of Institutional Integrity] on the morning of June 14, 2006, Senior Minister Keat Chhon once again asked the [investigative unit] to provide real evidence," the advertisement reads. "There was not enough evidence mentioned in their summary report to help the Royal Government reach its goal of investigation and clean-up."
The announcement added that during a Wednesday meeting with donors, Keat Chhon "raised the question of whether the World Bank [investigative unit]'s working process had involved political motivation."
The bank has suspended funding on three projects worth $68.4 and has demanded that the government repay those funds already disbursed on 30 problematic contracts worth $7.6 million.
Rural Development Minister Lu Laysreng said he met with World Bank Country Director Ian Porter and Country Manager Nisha Agrawal on Thursday and was told they had no evidence to give him.
"I met with them for more than one hour. I demanded that they provide more evidence but they said they did not have it," he said.
Adding that he would resign if they found any wrongdoing, Lu Laysreng said that he warned the Bank that if they could not prove their allegations, they had damaged the reputation of a nation.
"They wanted to talk about the possibility of continuing the project," he said. "I told them that first you have to clarify your allegations. You have to prove it before talking about any new projects."
Douk Narin, the project manager in charge of the troubled project at the Public Works Ministry said that Minister Sun Chanthol also met with Porter and Agrawal and made the same demands.
"He got nothing," Douk Narin said.
The ministry's advertisement also questioned whether the Bank allegations were politically motivated.
"During the meeting with [World Bank Department of Institutional Integrity] on the morning of June 14, 2006, Senior Minister Keat Chhon once again asked the [investigative unit] to provide real evidence," the advertisement reads. "There was not enough evidence mentioned in their summary report to help the Royal Government reach its goal of investigation and clean-up."
The announcement added that during a Wednesday meeting with donors, Keat Chhon "raised the question of whether the World Bank [investigative unit]'s working process had involved political motivation."
The bank has suspended funding on three projects worth $68.4 and has demanded that the government repay those funds already disbursed on 30 problematic contracts worth $7.6 million.
Rural Development Minister Lu Laysreng said he met with World Bank Country Director Ian Porter and Country Manager Nisha Agrawal on Thursday and was told they had no evidence to give him.
"I met with them for more than one hour. I demanded that they provide more evidence but they said they did not have it," he said.
Adding that he would resign if they found any wrongdoing, Lu Laysreng said that he warned the Bank that if they could not prove their allegations, they had damaged the reputation of a nation.
"They wanted to talk about the possibility of continuing the project," he said. "I told them that first you have to clarify your allegations. You have to prove it before talking about any new projects."
Douk Narin, the project manager in charge of the troubled project at the Public Works Ministry said that Minister Sun Chanthol also met with Porter and Agrawal and made the same demands.
"He got nothing," Douk Narin said.
2 comments:
As a social justice lover, I find that these case can be complicated. THe corruption can be from both parties. I do agree that some time WB staffs can also corrupted. Everyone who handling with monies is always attempting to abuse their power. Many of western staffs are also very corrupted especially when they have relocated into a corrupted environment because they need a lot of monies for tehir new lifestyle. Example, New girls, gamblings and wastefull on spending. Once they have problem to stake up tehir problems, they find someone else to blame. Cambodian governemnt is very easy to be blamed because the whole has known to be corrupted to bones. To be fair, WB must investigate all their staffs first and then investigate on others and full proof and hard evidence. They must realise that all these experts corrupted ministers in Cambodia are not easy to accept their fault. I also agree that most of foreign aids to Cambodia, almost 25% of the monies have gone back to foreign consultant employed by foreign donners. And offcourse some of the monies have lost through kickback between these consultants and Cambodian counterparts. Only a small percentage have really gone to benefit Cambodia. What a Shame System?
You have well defended the rotten BRIGAND PRIME MUNSTER HUN SEN and his band.
Admit that You belong to this above group, musn't you? who are you? show you face, your name!
If Only a small percentage have really gone to benefit Cambodia, why all the members of this government and PRIME MUNSTER are so rich . Where is their wealth from? You must explain to poor Khmers.
ex: MUNSTER HUN SEN, he was only a simple Khmer rouge soldier before he has become PRIME MUNSTER.
What a shame of you!
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