By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/cmp1returncook120309.html
UNITED NATIONS, December 3 -- The lower floors of UN headquarters were emptied out on Thursday, not by the Capital Master Plan but rather a fire alarm set off by CMP construction in the second sub-basement. Even CNN peppered the UN with questions about the fire alarm, because musician Stevie Wonder was in the building at the time.
CNN and the rest of the UN press corp is slated to move on December 11 from office on the third and fourth floor of the main UN building to "swing space" on the second floor of the library. For most publication, there will not be floor to ceiling walls, leading to the space being called the "no whistleblower zone."
Now, major broadcasters tell Inner City Press they've been told there "is no right to return." After the swing space, the media will be put in the second sub-basement. Perhaps with an Panopticon, added one wag, repeating the CMP's new nickname: Can't Manage Planning.
Leaving the UN campus entirely, and employment in service of the UN, are many contractors. The cafeteria's head chef John Gabor has been told he is no longer needed. Other Aramark food workers are circulating a petition, and wondering out loud about the firing of those in long time service at the UN (albeit not BY the UN).
CMP chief Michael Adlerstein fielded and dodged five questions from Inner City Press earlier in the week, on the UN general contractor Skanska's recent settlement of an asbestos case that Adlerstein had said had no merit, and on irregularities in the CMP's accounting practices criticized by the UN board of auditors.
Of the settlement, Adlerstein said the Skanska thought it was good business to settle. But the UN Staff Union has now voted to hire an air quality tester. Of the accounting practices, which some have analogized to Enron, Adlerstein said that the shifting of money to cover "contingencies" will now cease, as recommended by the Board of Auditors.
Inner City Press asked about the new rugs and office equipment going in on UN upper floors as they are vacated. Inner City Press has previously photographed such incongruous move ins on the twenty third and 13th floors, among others. Adlerstein referred to "touchdown" space, apparently meaning for high UN officials to rest in before walking back to Madison Avenue, or to avoid such a trip.
Inner City Press asked about the criticism by the UN's Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, that it had been decided too late to keep the Security Council in the building, in Conference Room 4. Adlerstein responded that the Department of Safety and Security advised this, in light of attacks on the UN.
So this confirms that the Security Council is more important than the Secretary General, who is going out to the North Lawn building? Adlerstein paused and then said that to cluster the Council and S-G and General Assembly in one place would make it more of a target. But why not then keep the S-G inside the building?
Inner City Press asked about concerns that the UN is spending $90 million on a building on the North Lawn that it will simply tear down. Adlerstein maintained that it would be torn down. We'll see.
