By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 19, more here -- When the UK's David Cameron put forward dubious candidate(s) to replace Baroness Valerie Amos as the UN's chief humanitarian officer and Inner City Press asked if there will be any outside review, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman replied that Ban can and will do such reviews himself.
The reason some are not convinced -- including for example the more than 80 non-governmental organizations who have written to Ban demanding a credible independent review of OCHA candidates -- is exemplified on Ban's schedule for the afternoon of January 19.
From Ban's schedule: "3:30 p.m Ms. Carolyn Boykin, Secretary-General’s Representative for United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund Asset Investments"
Many people raised concerned to Ban, including that Boykin "served as CIO of the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System.. before leaving abruptly."
Why? Here's from the Baltimore Sun:
Boykin also disclosed that Chapman had told her as far back as August 2001 that a money manager he selected had invested in a Chapman-controlled company.
She didn't act on that information, she said, because she thought Chapman meant the manager had invested personal funds, not state pension money - a misinterpretation Chapman yesterday called "incredible."
"What else could I have been talking about?" Chapman said. Boykin declined to comment for this article.
Declining to comment? This is a badge of honor in today's UN: witness Herve Ladsous, video here, UK coverage here.
Meanwhile UN Pension Fund staff informed Inner City Press they are told that they cannot complain to the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services without first telling the very people of whom they would be complaining.
Not only did Ban go ahead and appoint, and today meet with, Boykin - there has been no public explanation of why this is ok, why the above was ignored.
Who will it be on OCHA? We will continue to pursue this.
