As
IMF
Position on Maldives Linked to Gitmo Prisoners, Silence on
Climate Strongarm
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 16 -- Leaked cables link Maldives push for
International
Monetary Fund assistance with the country accepting
prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay. The IMF has had nothing to
say about this, and Thursday's end of year press briefing by IMF
spokesperson Carolyn Atkinson was so abbreviated that the even the
question could not be asked.
The
US also linked
$50 million in aid to Maldives supporting the Copenhagen deal on
climate change. Inner City Press asked UN official Robert Orr, who
was extolling the more recent Cancun conference, about this, but he
refused to comment on leaked cables, and called this just the “push
and pull” of member states.
But
both
revelations bring into question how members of the IMF's Executive
Board use their voting and other powers with the IMF to accomplish
other, unrelated political and economic goals. This will be a topic
in 2011. Watch this site.
Gitmo prisoners, IMF votes and aid link not shown
Inner
City Press
submitted, during Ms. Atkinson's briefing, the following question
which has yet to be answered:
“On
Cote d'Ivoire, please describe the IMF's engagement in the past days
and weeks: if with the Ouattara government, with whom and how? Any
contacts with Gbagbo officials?”
When
an answer is
received, it will be reported on this site.
* * *
IMF Fudges on Ireland
& Democracy, on Africa's Reduced Votes,
Maldives Deferred
By
Matthew
Russell
Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December
2 -- At the IMF's press briefing on December 2,
spokesperson Caroline Atkinson took question after question about
Ireland while deferring answers on the Maldives and East African
Community and ignoring questions submitted about IMF chief Dominique
Strauss Kahn's statement that his successor should come from outside
the US or EU.
The
IMF talks much
about governance reform, but even under its much hyped recent
changes, Africa as a continent will see its voting share drop from
5.9 per cent to 5.6 per cent. Inner City Press asked Thursday about
this, and this was one question Ms. Atkinson took. She referred to
“dynamic and emerging” economies -- apparently not in Africa --
but said that lower income countries would also have their voices
amplified.
Inner
City
press
had submitted this simple question: “In light of Mr Strauss Kahn's
statement that next IMF chief should come from outside the US and EU,
is he going to formally propose that to the Board or any other step?”
The question was not taken or acknowledged. We'll see.
On
Ireland,
despite massive protests and statements
by
the opposition that they
are not bound by the deal with the IMF, Ms. Atkinson said that the
IMF had “discussions with the major, uh, the opposition parties”
and was “satisfied” enough to present the deal to the IMF
Executive Board.
But
what does this
mean? Are successive governments bound by IMF deals? Inner City Press
had first submitted this question: “on Ireland, what is the IMF's
position on approvals needed inside the country?” But the question
was neither taken nor even acknowledged.
Protest in Ireland of IMF deal, democracy & answers not shown
Also on democracy, Ms. Atkinson was asked about Ukraine's
President vetoing an IMF suggested tax increase due to protest. Ms.
Atkinson said she hadn't heard of it, but would provide information
later if she did. Inner City Press had asked it. So again, we'll see.
