By Erik Wasson and Phann Ana
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The World Bank declined on Wednesday to reveal further details about its discovery of financial irregularities in a total of seven major projects, which has led to the suspension of three Bank-funded projects worth $64.5 million.
Since officials confirmed the allegations on Sunday, Minister of Land Management Im Chhun Lim has said the budget for the Bank project in his ministry has been well spent and Rural Development Minister Lu Laysreng has blamed financial irregularities on an unidentified World Bank consultant.
World Bank External Affairs Officer Kimberly Versak did not respond on Tuesday and Wednesday to e-mailed questions about the scandal or requests to identify the other four projects.
The World Bank's country office spokesman Bou Saroeun said Wednesday that the Bank was working on a response, though he did not say when it would be released.
Finance Minister Keat Chhon, Ang Porn Moniroth, director-general of the ministry and liaison to the World Bank, and Vong Sey Vissoth, a secretary-general at the ministry responsible for donor funds, did not answer repeated phone calls Wednesday.
Keat Chhon on May 22 froze funding for three projects: the Ministry of Land Management's $24.3 million land management and administration project, the ministries of Rural Development and Public Works' $20 million rural infrastructure project and the Ministry of Industry's $19.9 million provincial and peri-urban water and sanitation project.
World Bank Country Director Ian Porter wrote in an e-mail Sunday that the problems had been found in four current projects and three that had already been completed.
Since officials confirmed the allegations on Sunday, Minister of Land Management Im Chhun Lim has said the budget for the Bank project in his ministry has been well spent and Rural Development Minister Lu Laysreng has blamed financial irregularities on an unidentified World Bank consultant.
World Bank External Affairs Officer Kimberly Versak did not respond on Tuesday and Wednesday to e-mailed questions about the scandal or requests to identify the other four projects.
The World Bank's country office spokesman Bou Saroeun said Wednesday that the Bank was working on a response, though he did not say when it would be released.
Finance Minister Keat Chhon, Ang Porn Moniroth, director-general of the ministry and liaison to the World Bank, and Vong Sey Vissoth, a secretary-general at the ministry responsible for donor funds, did not answer repeated phone calls Wednesday.
Keat Chhon on May 22 froze funding for three projects: the Ministry of Land Management's $24.3 million land management and administration project, the ministries of Rural Development and Public Works' $20 million rural infrastructure project and the Ministry of Industry's $19.9 million provincial and peri-urban water and sanitation project.
World Bank Country Director Ian Porter wrote in an e-mail Sunday that the problems had been found in four current projects and three that had already been completed.
1 comment:
It is about time that World Bank stop playing game with AH HUN SEN! I bet AH HUN SEN is laughing all the way to Swiss Bank with all the money he got from World Bank! The World Bank should suspend all project until the next election in 2008! No need to rush! Cambodia is not going anywhere! So stop helping AH HUN SEN by helping Cambodian people first!
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