By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video Podcast
SDNY COURTHOUSE, May 22 – When the International Monetary Fund held its biweekly embargoed press briefing on May 22, Inner City Press asked about India, and Pakistan: "In India, there is some controversy about why the Modi government abruptly terminated K.V. Subramanian’s tenure as India’s executive director at the International Monetary Fund - does the IMF have any comment or insight?
"Given the IMF's recent moves on Pakistan, over India's objection / abstention, can you state what safeguards the IMF has in place to ensure that program funds do not indirectly support military or militant activities? [There are posts like “IMF gave them money for this propaganda”, “They are spending multi millions to promote themselves!”, “IMF ka pese use ho rahe hai”]
Julie Kozack took the questions, saying the executive director is up to India and that there are safeguards, including the the funds stay with the Central Bank. Transcript on IMF's website.
Inner City Press previously asked: "On Myanmar, since my question and the answers in previous IMF briefings, have the authorities in Myanmar provided anymore disclosure of where the IMF's million have gone? What steps are being taken by the IMF on this?"
To this, the IMF Spokesperson said that while the IMF has not recognized the new government - that step would require one half of the IMF's members' votes - the IMF wants the world to know that the government in control in Myanmar is, in fact, reporting data.
Inner City Press followed up, asking if this answers seeming "positive" on the new government meant that it was complying with the reporting commitment of the previous, overthrown government. Rice chaffed at his answer being called positive, saying the IMF just tries to report facts.
Previously Inner City Press asked the IMF about crypto-currency legislation in Ukraine and again El Salvador, about the coup in Guinea and the role of the Venezuela talks in Mexico on release of the SDRs. YouTube of IMF video here. Full transcript here.
(An aside: Inner City Press has reported on the CEFC China Energy Fund Committee's activities in Chad and Uganda and in the UN, on which the UN is UNresponsive.)
Other questions included China's digital currency (Inner City Press also reports on crypto-currency cases in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and elsewhere). Berger said when used overseas an issue is that residents could start using another country's currency, if it is easier.
We'll have more on this.
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