On Ban
Award from
Baldwin
Spencer, Wang
and Lorenzo,
ICP Asks If
Will Be
Returned
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
October 15 --
As the scandal
unveiled in
the corruption
charges
against former
UN General
Assembly
President John
Ashe, Francis
Lorenzo of
South South
News and
others
continues to
expand, the
compromised
position of
the UN
Correspondents
Association
has come to
the fore. The
limited
inquiry
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon has
requested from
the Office of
Internal
Oversight
Services will
not get at
this - nor at
this:
Ban
accepted an
award, the
"South-South
Award for
Women's and
Children's
Health," from
none other
than Francis
Lorenzo, who
paid UNCA, his
colleague
Vivian Wang
who took
photos with
Mrs. Ban at an
"UNCA Ball,"
and Antigua
and Barbuda's
then Prime
Minister
Baldwin
Spencer, here.
On
October 15,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq if
Ban will
return the
award. From
the transcript:
Inner City
Press: The
question I
wanted to ask
is, yesterday
I was asking
Stéphane
[Dujarric]
about some
photographs
that exist
with the
Secretary-General
with some of
the people
named and even
charged in the
John Ashe
case.
And he’d said
a lot of
people take
photographs;
things
happen.
I wanted to
ask you
specifically
about an award
the
Secretary-General
received from,
I guess, it’s
called the
South-South
Award on Women
and Children,
and the
photograph is
a staged one…
is, you know,
a formal one,
no
photo-bombing,
no selfie, of
Mr. Frank
Lorenzo,
then-Prime
Minister of
Antigua and
Barbuda,
Baldwin
Spencer,
Vivian Wang,
who’s named in
the papers as
well.
And I just
wonder what,
in retrospect…
this is not
something that
will be
captured by
the OIOS
[Office of
Internal
Oversight
Services]
audit that was
mentioned,
because none
of… those two
groups are not
involved in
this, and yet
Mr. Lorenzo
is; the Prime
Minister of
Antigua who’s
pretty much
through the…
that paper
seems to have
been receiving
funds.
Does an award
like this get
returned?
How does the
UN system
analyse what
happened in
this instance,
and what are
the
repercussions?
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq:
Well, we are
analysing
what’s
happened by
doing an audit
of the various
actions.
So that is,
like Stéphane
has made
clear, our
initial step
in the matter,
and we’ll see
where that
leads.
If it leads to
any particular
course of
action or any
recommendations
for where
we’re to go
next, we would
follow it at
that
point.
But we’ve
taken the
initial step,
and we’re just
waiting to see
what the
results of
that will be.
Inner City
Press: There
are other
awards, but
this is one in
which the two
groups Sun
Kian Ip and
Global
Sustainability
Foundation are
not involved
in any way,
and yet one of
the charged
individuals is
giving this
award.
So would
there… is
there an
expansion of
this OIOS
request?
Or how does
this get
looked at?
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq:
First, we will
see how this
particular
audit goes and
we’ll see
whether
there’s any
need for an
expansion that
the
point.
But first
we’re doing
the initial
step, and
we’ll take
that to its
conclusion.
Note:
Lorenzo has
been arrested;
Baldwin is
throughout the
charge sheet
and Vivian
Wang was the
money woman.
But since this
award was
through IOSSC
and SS-SCSD,
Ban's limited
inquiry will
not get at it.
We'll have
more on this.
Spencer, Wang,
Ban and
Lorenzo, copy
URL for source/
credit
While UNCA
does not
represent all
journalists
accredited to
cover the UN
-- Inner City
Press for
example quit
the group in
2012 with
another
Executive
Committee
member and
co-founded the
new Free
UN Coalition
for Access
-- the UN
gives it a
privileged
position, a
large
clubhouse on
the third
floor of the
UN and,
automatically,
the first
question at
press
conferences.
But is
that
appropriate,
given that
UNCA received
money from
South South
News, “NGO 1”
in the
filing
against Ashe?
Not only did
UNCA receive
money from
South South
News: it gave
the group an
“UNCA award”
at a ceremony
at the
high-ceilinged
Cipriani's
restaurant on
December 15,
2011.
Inner
City Press,
which did not
quit UNCA in
fully ripened
disgust in
2012, was
present in
December 2011
and witnessed,
when Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon came
into
Cipriani's,
him being
shepherded
into a side
room for
photographs
with Asian men
in business
suits who
Inner City
Press did not
then recognize
-- but now
does.
UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, when
Inner City
Press asked on
October 13
about what it
had seen, said
perhaps Inner
City Press had
"condoned" it.
Video
here. But
Inner City
Press quit
UNCA after finding
conflicts of
interest in it,
and being
"ordered" to
not report on
this.
From the October
13 transcript:
Inner City
Press: I want
to ask
inevitably
about the
revelations
about Mr.
[John] Ashe
and Frank
Lorenzo and
others.
And just as
you… as the
lead
Spokesman, a
person that
travels around
with the
Secretary-General,
how… what
would you say
to the photos
that exist of
the
Secretary-General
with David Ng,
who was since
indicted, and
Frank Lorenzo
and,
particularly,
in instances
where it
appears that
groups that
receive
contributions
from the two
and then put
them in a room
to have
photographs
with the
Secretary-General?
Is this
something
that… how does
the
Secretary-General
view this in
retrospect,
and what's
going to be
done in the
future?
Spokesman:
First of all,
a photo of the
Secretary-General
with any
individual
should in no
way be
interpreted as
a sponsorship
or
agreement.
It's just a
photo.
The
Secretary-General
is very much a
public figure,
attends a lot
of public
events where
there are a
lot of
people.
Sometimes
people come up
to him and ask
to have their
photo
taken.
And it's done
within the…
within,
obviously, the
security
constraints
that need to
be had.
I think
whether it's
the
Secretary-General
of the United
Nations or
anyone in
leadership
position, you
will find when
you travel
with them that
a lot of
people want to
have their
photo taken
with
them.
Inasmuch as
that is… we
try to control
that,
sometimes it's
difficult to
do so. I
think the
Secretary-General
is as shocked
as anyone in
this building
at the charges
that were
levelled at
these two
individuals.
And he's very
disappointed
at the
accusations
towards the
United
Nations.
Inner City
Press:
obviously, to
business
interests
having an
actual kind of
formal
handshaking
one, I guess
I'll just say
that that is
worth
something to
them.
That's why
they…
Spokesman:
I'm not… I'm
not debating
that point…
[cross
talk]
I'm just
saying that
having a
picture of the
Secretary-General
with any
individual
should in no
way be seen as
a sponsorship,
approval,
making them
BFF's or
anything.
Inner City
Press: I
guess I just
want to be
more
specific.
If an event…
and there's
one that
actually, as
it turns out,
I witnessed in
Cipriani.
If the
Secretary-General
enters a large
space and is
then taken to
a smaller
space for such
photographs,
what's the
basis for
that, as
opposed to
people with
selfies?
I mean, I
understand
what you're
saying…
Spokesman:
I think, you
know, if you
were there,
then maybe you
condoned the
event as
well.
The issue is
the
Secretary-General
attends a lot
of
events.
Sometimes
there is a VIP
reception.
None of it
should be
construed as
anything as
the
Secretary-General
having his
picture taken
with anyone.
Inner City
Press: it's
been a number
of days now;
I'm assuming
that, if not
you, OLA
[Office of
Legal
Affairs],
someone has
read through
this long FBI
[Federal
Bureau of
Investigation]
affidavit.
And I want to
just ask you
again, because
in it, it says
that, after
the… the… the
official UN
document about
the Macau
centre was
procured,
there was a
separate
payment to Mr.
Ashe, separate
communications
with a UN
official
number one,
who reissued
the document
as a… amended…
revised for
technical
reasons, with
the name of
the company in
it. And
it seems to
me, even
before you
waiting for an
OIOS [Office
of Internal
Oversight
Services]
investigation,
the scope of
which wouldn't
touch that,
who in the UN
is actually…
how does it
work, first of
all?
Who… which
part of the UN
amends
documents
after they're
released?
Is it DGACM
[Department
for General
Assembly and
Conference
Management]…?
Spokesman:
Listen, I'm
not going to
talk about the
specifics of
the
case.
But it is
clear that if
the President
of one of the
legislative
bodies in this
Organization
which controls
the agenda, or
a sponsoring
country for
resolution,
asks the
Secretary-General
to amend a
text, we serve
as the
Secretariat.
It's not…
it's… it
doesn't entail
sponsoring of
what's inside
that
text.
While
Inner City
Press' answer
to the
spokesman's
"if you were
there, then
maybe you
condoned the
event as
well," is that
Inner City
Press quit
UNCA
after finding
conflicts of
interest in
it, and
being
"ordered" to
not report on
this, we'll
have more on
this.
On October 13,
Inner City
Press asked
this follow
up:
Inner City
Press: I just
want to
directly ask
you about the
idea that it's
sort of people
struggling to
get photos
with the UN
officials.
There was a…
there was a
peacekeeping
day concert
that was… for
which
solicitation
of… you know,
sponsorship
was sought by
a group called
World Harmony
Alliance, and
it had
nothing… the
group has
nothing to do
with
peacekeeping,
but they paid
for day.
They… they… in
fact, the
funder
complained
that he didn't
get the
promised
photograph
with Ban
Ki-moon, but I
wonder, what
was… what's
the UN's
understanding
when they take
outside
financial
sponsorship
for such a
day? I
mean, former
UN official
[Ibrahim]
Gambari was
seen with the
same group
taking
photographs on
the fourth
floor in the
Millennium
Hotel.
What's it all
about?
What’s
happening?
Spokesman:
What former
officials do
in hotels is
really not of
my purview.
Inner City
Press:
Sure.
What about UN
peacekeeping?
Spokesman:
I would take a
look at that
actual
programme, but
I would expect
every part of
the UN to do
due diligence
when it
partners with
an outside
organization.
And
just…
I'll leave it
at that.
Photo:
here's
now-charged
Lorenzo with #UNCA prez Pioli,
by Luiz
Rampelotto /
Europa
Newswire 1/3 pic.twitter.com/9faId8FIGb
On October 12,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq, video here, transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: in
light of these
charges
against John
Ashe, Frank
Lorenzo, and
others, it's
emerging that
the
Secretary-General,
if not met,
had staged
photo
opportunities
with a number
of the
individuals
charged.
And I wanted
to know, in
looking at
this, do you
have some kind
of a comment
on how these
occurred,
particularly
in instances
where they may
have been
arranged by a
third party,
been arranged
by an
organization
that invited
Ban Ki-moon
and then
received funds
from
South-South
News or others
and then put
the two
together on
photograph?
Was that
appropriate?
And what would
be your
response to…
to OIOS
[Office of
Internal
Oversight
Services]
looking at
that or
otherwise?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well,
regarding
that, as
you're aware,
the Office of
Internal
Oversight
Services will
do an
audit.
They've been
requested to
do that, and
so we'll be
able to see
whether there
was any effect
from either
the
relationship
with these
various
groups, these
two groups,
the Sun Kian
Ip Group and
the Global
Sustainability
Foundation,
and any of the
monies
received.
So, we'll
await what
they have to
say about any
of this.
Inner City
Press:
But, given
that Mr. Frank
Lorenzo has
been charged
and he's now
out on $2
million bail,
he was head of
South-South
News, which
spread $12
million,
according to
the documents,
throughout the
UN
system.
So, what was,
how, what was
the criteria
used to choose
these two NGOs
and not either
South-South
News or
International
Organization
for
South-South
Cooperation or
South South
Steering
Committee on
Sustainable
Development?
It seems like
it's a very
limited
inquiry and…
Deputy
Spokesman:
It's not
really an
inquiry.
It's an audit,
and this is
initial
step. If
OIOS feels
like there is
something…
there's a
direction
which they
need to go as
a result of
these initial
results,
they're
certainly free
to do that,
but we needed
to get the
ball rolling
and have an
initial step
forward so
that we can
look into what
exactly is the
impact of the
monies and the
relationship
with these
groups.
John Ashe at
UNCA with
former
president,
after and
before Pioli
click photo
for source /
credit
Back in
December 2011,
shepherding
Ban for this
(compensated)
photo op with
dubious
businessmen
was Giampaolo
Pioli, then as
now the
president of
UNCA. South
South News
interviewed
Pioli that
night,
bragging of
the UNCA award
it got / paid
for,
screenshot
from video
here.
Photo:
President of
UNCA, on SSN
before giving
them award.
How much has
UNCA gotten
from South
South? pic.twitter.com/9LnoW19IPM
(For context
it must be
noted too that
Pioli rented
one of his
Manhattan
apartments to
Palitha Kohona
then granted
Kohona's
request as Sri
Lanka's
Ambassador to
screen his
government's
war crimes
denial film
“Lies Agreed
To” in the
UN's Dag
Hammarskjold
Library
Auditorium:
this
precipitated
Inner City
Press quitting
UNCA, in full
disclosure.)
How can UNCA
be given first
questions to
ask about a
scandal
involving
South South
News, from
which UNCA
took more then
to which it
gave an award?
And what are
the other
implications?
(In
terms of Mr.
Ng's desire
for photo ops,
Inner City
Press is
informed that
he separately
wanted a photo
with US
President
Obama, and
paid six
figures to a
middleman -
who
disappeared
with the
money. UNCA on
the other
hand, one wag
noted,
delivered Ban
Ki-moon for
photos at
Cipriani's.)
UNCA,
it should be
noted, has
been and is
open to
business
interested
beyond Mr. Ng
and South
South News.
Another UNCA
awards
ceremony was
sponsored by a
company called
“Acoona;” the
Italian oil
company ENI
pays the group
money.
But UNCA's
South South
News
connection,
given what has
been disclosed
and charged
this week,
should at a
minimum and as
a first step
disqualify
UNCA from
first
questions from
the UN, and
from the
continuation
of its role.
Consider:
if it gave
rise to
criminal
charges that
South South
News paid Ashe
to get a GA
document for
Ng to show off
in Macau, who
about South
South News
paying UNCA,
and UNCA
delivering Ban
for a photo op
with Ng, that
Ng could use
for related
purposes?
We'll have
more on this.
Wider, and
going forward
in this
series,
limiting UN
investigation
to OIOS -
whose director
of
investigations
Stefanovic has
resigned,
Inner City
Press hereby
exclusively
reported on
October 9 -
looking at
only two NGOs
is laughable.
The scandal is
expanding:
there is a
pattern here,
pattern and
practice.
Watch this
site. Follow @innercitypressFollow @FUNCA_info
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