By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/cmp3banks111009.html
UNITED NATIONS, November 10 -- As the UN Capital Master Plan, headed by Michael Adlerstein, was criticized Tuesday in the UN Budget Committee, Adlerstein's general contractor Skanska was settling an asbestos lawsuit in California, one that Adlerstein had claimed didn't exist.
In the Budget Committee, cost overruns and planned snafus like the on again, off again relocation of the Security Council outside of the Heaadquarters building were fodder for coutnries and regional groups.
The eighth floor, a person working there says, is now full of mice. The UN Journal is slated to move into a four desk room above the Innovation Luggage store on Second Avenue. The move of the UN press corp to the second floor over the library was on Tuesday delayed for another three weeks, to December 11. Meanwhile on the 4th floor, the former JPMorgan Chase bank branch is being stripped down to the walls.
From the ACABQ report on the Capital Master Plan:
"The Committee regrets that security concerns and space requirements were not duly considered at an earlier stage, and that the decision to maintain the Security Council within the main complex of Buildings had not been part of the initial planning. The timing of that decision demonstrates a lack of sound planning and coordination, which has resulted in delays and additional costs being incurred. The Committee emphasizes the need for intensified coordination and consultation between the Office of the Capital Master Plan and all other key stakeholders in order to ensure effective planning of the project and to avoid, to the extent possible, unforeseen delays and resulting cost escalation."
The Committee remains concerned by the risks posed to the project and urges the Secretary-General to continue to closely monitor the situation and to ensure that the activities related to the migration and running of the secondary data centre are completed in accordance with the time frame of the capital master plan."
The member states began to beat the drum on Tuesday, promising to follow it up into closed door consultations. We'll continue to follow this.And see, www.innercitypress.com/cmp3banks111009.html
