Alongside Stop and Frisk Live from NYC 5, Candidate From Twitter Is Called Sal

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, NY August 13 -- While four of the five candidates for New York City mayor who debated on Tuesday said they'd had minimum wage jobs (Christine Quinn said her camp counselor job had paid a bit more), in the spirit of social media this will focus on a candidate not allowed in the debate.

  Between 7 and 8 pm, Sal Albanese put out a series of 19 tweets, a sort of parallel debate, fact-checking from the margins. He began by urging New Yorker, or at least those 1300 who follow him, to "turn off your TVs and go outside to enjoy our beautiful city."

  For those who remained, or stayed glued to him by smart phone even while out in the city, Albanese opined that "my opponents can't grade city govt because they've been a part of it for 12 years! A reminder: these folks aren't John Q Public."

  On the ABC Channel 7 debate, after Anthony Weiner noted that his opponents were all part of the city government system, Christine Quinn emphasized why he had had to leave Congress.

  Out in Queens, Albanese snarked, "Gimme a break. My opponents are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best friends of big developers." Switching back to his borough, he diagnosed: "DeBlasio / Weiner / Liu tax fantasy: If they think a Repub. state senate will raise income taxes, I'll sell em the Brooklyn Bridge!"

  Bill De Blasio was asked about taxing the rich, and he embraced it. (A question from the Free UN Coalition for Access remains outstanding - perhaps if Inner City Press'@InnerCityPress had asked it?)  Bill Thompson and Christine Queens called new taxes a last resort. 

  Weiner was specific, saying his "second book" of ideas provides for increasing taxes on those earning about $1 million, cutting taxes on those under $150,000. Brooklyn Bridge not included.

  When talk turned to minimum wage jobs, and John Liu brought up sweatshops (and pizza delivery), Albanese crowed "I worked for BELOW minimum wage as a stock boy at Johnny Bananas in the Slope." If District Attorney Charles Hynes wasn't engaged in a more vicious debate with Ken Thompson of DSK and Sofitel fame, maybe he'd look back into Johnny Bananas.

  On stage, John Liu's final statement stood out, citing Bill Lynch then focusing on "Mrs. Brown" who was his host in the NYCHA project in (East) Harlem. Lui said he alone among the candidates pledged to END stop-and-frisk.

   Inner City Press wondered, as it asked online on Monday, if new US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power brought up stop and frisk to outgoing Mayor Bloomberg when she met him at 4:30 pm. #WhatMatters?

  Albanese closed out: "I'll be in the next debate offering NYers a clean break from these career pols." We'll see.

   

As IMF Half-Answers on Tunisia, Grilled on Lagarde, Called on Carpet for Tapie

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 23 -- When the International Monetary Fund held its biweekly embargoed press briefing on Thursday morning, its managing director Christine Lagarde was being grilled in the Court of Justice of the Republic, set up to judge France’s government ministers.

  At issue is Lagarde's actions while Finance Minister in payouts to Sarkozy supporter Bernard Tapie, who sold Adidas to Credit Lyonnais then got arbitration under Lagarde.

  At the IMF briefing, Lagarde's spokesperson Gerry Rice was peppered with questions: how much was the IMF board briefed about Lagarde's legal situation when she got the job, replacing Dominque Strauss Kahn after the hotel rape charges against him? How much has the IMF board since been briefed?

  Rice barely answered these or other submitted questions. He said, I'm moving on from this issue. Of the questions Inner City Press submitted, one was partial answered: the proposed Tunisia stand-by arrangement will go before the IMF board on June 7.

  But what of concerns raised in National Constituent Assembly about IMF program and what some call the anti-sovereignty conditions imposed by the IMF?

  On the indigenous, what is IMF's participation in this week's UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues? If you can, compare to the World Bank. What safeguards if any does IMF have regarding the rights of indigenous peoples?

  On the Democratic Republic of Congo, what is the IMF's position and next steps on the previous $550 million program, now that Gecamines affidavit has been filed? 

   World Bank president Jim Kim, along with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, is on the DRC, not only Kinshasa but also Goma (where Ban pledged help to the "Congolians"). That will be our next story. Watch this site.

DSK Argues He's Immune Under Convention IMF Can Waive, US Hasn't Signed

By Matthew Russell Lee

BRONX NY, September 26 -- In the sexual abuse civil case pending against him in The Bronx, Dominique Strauss-Kahn now argues that he is absolutely immune under the 1947 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies.

Strauss-Kahn acknowledges that the US is not a party to the Convention, but argues the courts in The Bronx are still bound by it in DSK's Memo of Law, obtained by Inner City Press and put online here.

It is elementary that the US is not bound by treaties and conventions which it hasn't signed and ratified. Plaintiff Nafissatou Diallo's lawyer quickly argued in an email. “Strauss-Kahn’s claim of diplomatic immunity will clearly fail because: (1) he is not a diplomat; (2) according to his own story he was in New York on ‘personal’ business; (3) he, not the IMF, paid for his room at the Sofitel; and (4) he was obviously acting in his personal capacity when he violently attacked Ms. Diallo.”

But it is also worth noting that the Specialized Agencies Convention says that "[e]ach specialized agency shall have the right and duty to waive the immunity of any official in any case where, in its opinion, the immunity would impede the course of justice and can be waived without prejudice to the interests of the specialized agency."

That is to say, the IMF can and should waive any immunity that DSK is arguing for.

Many disputed having DSK replaced by other French political official, on the theory that his successor would have a conflict of interest in deciding such questions as whether to waiving argued-for immunity. Now that issue is here: what will Christine Lagarde do? Inner City Press has asked the IMF:

"the IMF can waive any immunity that is being argued for. The question: will the IMF waive the IMF-based immunity for which Mr. Strauss-Kahn is arguing, or will the IMF shield him from the charges?"

Watch this site.

As IMF Stays French for 5 Years, Contrast With UN's Even Greater Lack of Oversight of Ban Ki-moon

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 5 -- The disclosure by the International Monetary Fund of Christine Lagarde's terms of appointment for the next five years, on July 5 at 9 am, stand in contrast to those of Ban Ki-moon as Secretary-General of the UN.

First, that Lagarde is getting a full five years represents another loss for the developing world countries which pushed for a non-European to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

When it became clear that Lagarde would beat out Mexico's Carstens, some predicted that there would be an understanding that the next Managing Director would be from the developing world, and in less that five years. The latter, the letter of appointment indicates, is not the case.

But the IMF letter of appointment contains restrictions on conflicts of interest, receiving honors and even travel pay which the UN either doesn't have for Ban, or does not disclosure.

The IMF letter of appointment provides:

“you will not accept any honor, decoration or award during your tenure with the Fund without the approval of the Executive Board, which shall only be given in circumstances where the acceptance of an honor, decoration or award would not give rise to an actual or perceived conflict of interest.”

At the IMF, waiver would be need by the Executive Board. At the UN, while the selection of the S-G is ostensibly by the General Assembly, they provide little to no oversight thereafter. Waivers are gotten through the Ethics Officer, who is selected by Ban: a conflict.

It's worth noting that the one slightly more independent overseer of the S-G, the Under Secretary General of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, had an occupant, Inga-Britt Ahlenius, who was sharply critical of Ban when she left. Her successor, selected by Ban, has said little on the topic.

The IMF letter provides that

“The Fund will reimburse you per diem at the rate applicable to Executive Directors plus reasonable vouchered expenses not covered by the per diem, including all hotel expenses, incurred by you for travel in the interest of the Fund. Such expenses shall include travel and hotel expenses of your spouse/partner in attending Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors held outside the Washington, D.C. area, and in accompanying you on official travel in circumstances where this is in the interest of the Fund.”

By contrast, how much the UN pays for the travel of Ban, his family and entourage is entirely opaque. When Inner City Press even asked about what happens with the airline travel miles of Ban, who speaks about the environment, no answer was provided.

The IMF emailed to accredited media an embargoed copy of Lagarde's appointment letter. The UN won't provide details about Ban's terms of service even when directly asked as its noon briefing.

The IMF Executive Board hold an annual “performance feedback process” with the Managing Director. Ban proceeds for five years with little to no oversight.

Perhaps most significantly, the IMF letter provides

“It is our understanding that, although you have been appointed for a term of five years, either you or the Executive Board shall be free to terminate your connection with the Fund at any time.”

At the UN, there appears to be no mechanism at all for removal.

Footnote: The IMF also provides to its Managing Director that “you are expected to observe the highest standards of ethical conduct, consistent with the values of integrity.” Whether this permits what even the New York Post now presents as the purchase of -- but non payment for -- sexual services has not made clear, as DSK resigned, paving the way for five years for his compatriot Lagarde...

Distracted by DSK & Hacking, IMF Ignores Sudan & Afghan Banks, Questions about Censoring Its Research

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 23 -- With the International Monetary Fund refusing to answer or even acknowledge questions about its consideration of programs from Afghanistan through Belarus to South Sudan, set for independence on July 9, it seems the arrest and resignation of Dominique Strauss Kahn, the two candidate race to replace him and a recent hacking scandal have distracted the IMF.

When the IMF on Thursday morning held its first press briefing in two weeks, the questions largely related to the race between Christine Lagarde of France and Agustin Carstens of Mexico to replace DSK. Two questions, one online and the other in-person, concerned the IMF getting hacked. Deputy spokesman David Hawley said that “files were copied,” but deferred other answers.

Inner City Press submitted as it has in the past four questions by the IMF's online briefing center. In the past at least some questions have been answered, about Sudan and less frequently Sri Lanka.

But in his post-DSK era, these June 23 questions were entirely ignored:

With South Sudan set to declare independence on July 9, what is the status of the IMF's consideration of South Sudan, including in light of Sudanese president Omar al Bashir's threat to cut off the pipelines that takes South Sudan's oil to market?

Afghan authorities have complained about negotiations with IMF. On Afghanistan, can you state the status of and explain IMF's requirement that shareholders not have any management role in Afghan banks, given that this is allowed in the US, for example?

In terms of the IMF's research budget, some have questioned whether the IMF at times censors the conclusions of research. Is that true, and if so how does the IMF respond to the criticism?

In Belarus, will the new arrests of protesters in the last days have any impact on the IMF's consideration of Belarus' request for an IMF program?

Nor in the half hour between Hawley saying “there are no more questions” -- which wasn't true -- and the expiration of the embargo were any of the four questions answered. Previously the IMF has been asked about gift filings by its top officials, and hasn't answered. Oh, transparency.

IMF Claims Didn't “Find Bad Stuff” on Ethics, No Answers on LP, Severance

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 26 -- With Dominique Strauss Kahn now under townhouse arrest in Tribeca in New York, the International Monetary Fund on Thursday held its first open and online press briefing since DSK's arrest for sexual assault.

IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson began blithely about DSK's interim replacement John Lipsky's travel.

When she opened up for questions -- with only three exceptions on Greece and Portugal, only from those in the briefing room in Washington -- she was asked directly, did you check the IMF's files before saying you were “not aware” of other complaints against DSK?

“I am not a lawyer,” Ms. Atkinson said, adding that it would somehow be inappropriate for the IMF to make disclosure of previous formal complaints against Strauss Kahn, since he is now on trial.

Likewise, she declined to answer a question about the ability to withhold the reported $250,000 severance payment to Strauss Kahn.

The IMF spokesperson was reduced to saying that the (American) ethics adviser at the Fund hadn't “found any bad stuff.”

In the past week, Inner City Press has submitted factual questions to the IMF that the IMF has not answered, such as on May 20:

--In today's UN noon press briefing I was told to “ask the IMF” about Dominique Strauss Kahn's UN Laissez Passer. If holding the LP is based on being an IMF official or staffer, given Mr. Strauss Kahn's resignation, why hasn't the LP been retrieved? What policies does the IMF have for the LPs of persons who resign or are terminated?

--what policies does the IMF have regarding the pensions and end-of-service payments to individuals charged with, or convicted of, felonies including those involving moral turpitude, such as sexual assault? Has Mr. Strauss Kahn receive any payment since his resignation, or does his resignation trigger one?

-- on my outstanding question about disclosures to the IMF under the IMF's cited policy on gifts, I have asked about Mr. Strauss Kahn and Mr. Lipksy but am now expanding the request to cover the ten top IMF officials.

Other reporters in the room on Thursday complained about not having their questions answered, and about Executive Board members saying they'd been told to refer all question, regardless of topic, back to the IMF Media Department (which does not answer).

Inner City Press iterated the above questions, and a pressing one on Sudan, during the IMF's briefing on Thursday. But it seems the IMF is trying to hide from straight forward questions.

Update: after publication of the above, an answer was received on Sudan, nothing on the DSK questions:

Matthew: For your question on Sudan, you can attribute this to an IMF spokesperson. We deplore the violence and hope for a speedy end to the fighting. As you know, South Sudan has applied for membership, and that process is ongoing. A mission is on the ground now in Juba to discuss the membership process with the authorities.

Amid DSK Case, Theory of Replacing Ban & US Taking IMF, China WB Revived

By Matthew Russell Lee, News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, May 18 -- The arrest for sex crimes of International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss Kahn, and his interim replacement by his American deputy John Lipsky, have together revived a story exclusively reported by Inner City Press in 2009.

Then, two senior advisers to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told Inner City Press of worries that the US would take over the top spot at the IMF and give the World Bank to China, which in turn would not insist that the UN Secretary General term beginning in 2012 go to an Asian.

Under that theory, if Europe lost the IMF -- as seems even more possible now -- and China got a top Bretton Woods institution spot, the Europeans could make a play for the 2012 UN term.

Until Strauss Kahn's arrest, and now US Treasury Secretary Geithner's call that a formal “interim” replacement be named, quite possibly Lipsky, those close to Ban like South Korea's Permanent Representative to the UN were bragging that a second term for Ban was in the bag.

Now, at least until the IMF situation is resolved, Team Ban's 2009 nightmare scenario is suddenly closer to coming into play.

Eastern Europeans candidates were already circling to succeed Ban, albeit in 2016, among them Srgjan Kerim, Jan Kubis and even Navi Pillay's deputy Ivan Simonovic.

Now Western Europeans may renew interest, if Europe loses the IMF. Staffan de Mistura is said by his staff to be interested. But surely there are others. Watch this site.

As IMF Chief Strauss-Kahn Is Arrested, Denials of Rule-breaking Recalled, Immunity & Air France Arrangement Questioned

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 15 -- With Dominique Strauss-Kahn of the International Monetary Fund having been detained and then this morning arrested for sexual assault allegedly committed in the Sofitel near Times Square, attention has turned to the IMF's failure to discipline him for what its Executive Board called a “serious lapse of judgment” in 2008.

In this case, IMF spokesman William Murray has been quoted that the IMF “has not immediate comment” on the arrest or charges.

IMF staff, too, have been defensive about Strauss-Kahn and his compliance with rules. Inner City Press covers the IMF as well as the wider United Nations, and on March 17 Inner City Press asked the IMF to respond to what sources described as a pattern in which “DSK gets friends and family hired by IMF affiliates.”

At that time, the IMF answer other of Inner City Press' questions, while ignoring this one. Two weeks later, Inner City Press asked:

Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2011 9:58:14 AM
To: IMF, Media Briefing Center

Again, Please state whether Dominique Strauss Kahn has any relatives working in the World Bank or other UN affiliated organizations, and if so why this does not run afoul of anti nepotism rules and principles? From: Matthew Russell Lee Media Outlet: Inner City Press

This time, the question drew a quick answer, albeit a dismissive one, from Mr. Murray:

From: Murray, William [at] mf.org
Date: Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 10:22 AM
Subject: FW: Question Received (3/31/2011 9:58:14 AM)
To: Matthew Russell Lee [at] InnerCityPress.com

Matthew,

He has no relatives on the staff of the IMF. Given the premise of your question, let me note that the Bank and UN are wholly separate institutions from the IMF, with no fiscal or managerial connections. At the IMF we certainly have nepotism rules, and they have not been violated in any way.

But does the IMF have rules, that they require not be violated?

It's now reported that Strauss-Kahn “has an arrangement with Air France that allows him to get on any flight and sit in first class.” What kind of arrangement is that? Who paid for it, and how much did they pay? Inner City Press has asked three spokespeople of the IMF, including Mr. Murray. Watch this site.

Footnote: Inner City Press has been asked how, if Strauss-Kahn as an IMF official has a form of immunity, he could be detained, questioned and arrested by the New York Police Department. (The IMF has a history of citing immunity, for example for Paul Ross in Pakistan, click here.)

Earlier this year, Inner City Press (un) covered the case of a French diplomat who was arrested for attempted purchase of cocaine and resisting arrest, but was later allowed to flee the country before trial.

The practice is to allow one such flight - but the person is not supposed to re-enter the United States -- which, in the cocaine case, has in fact happened, which neither the French government nor US State Department have yet explained, click here. Watch this site.

IMF Has Request from Egypt, Takes Question on South Sudan, Ignores Haiti

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 12 -- The International Monetary Fund on Thursday said that Egypt has made a formal request for funds toward its $10 to $12 billion program running to June 2012.

Asked if the Greek government has sought an extension , IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson said “I have no news.”

Taking a question from Inner City Press, Ms. Aktinson read out “What is the status of the IMF considering South Sudan for membership, and of its program / trust fund for South Sudan?” She said she didn't have the answer, but would provide one later.

But fully three other questions submitted by Inner City Press she did not even acknowledge, on Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Haiti: “what is the IMF's estimate of how much the introduction of cholera cost the Haitian economy and people?”

That question wasn't acknowledged, despite a recent IMF self-congratulatory announcement about Haiti. Part of the Sri Lanka question was also submitted and not acknowledged two weeks ago.

So how does the IMF choose which questions to answer and acknowledge?

A question was read out from TASS, whether what John Lipsky said about the declining power of the United States is an IMF view.

No, Ms. Atkinson said, that was a projection, not an official position.

A journalist present at the IMF in DC asked what it would mean for the Fund's legitimacy if another European were chosen to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Ms. Atkinson said that DSK is in place and on the job. The reporter folllowed up, But he won't be forever.

“He once suggested he might,” Ms. Atkinson quipped. And somewhere Sarkozy smiled. Watch this site.

IMF Ready On Yemen “Once Situation Allows,” Saleh Test Unclear, Watching Syria

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 28 -- With Ali Abdullah Saleh still in power in Yemen, the International Monetary Fund has said it “would be ready to work with the Yemeni authorities including by looking at the means of financial assistance once the situation allows.”

On April 28, Inner City Press asked the IMF's David Hawley to “describe the IMF's interface with Syria and Yemen, and how the crackdowns there may impact that, and how they are viewed by the IMF.”

Hawley said that the IMF's program with Yemen are “on hold in the current situation,” and then referred to comments by IMF Middle East and Central Asia director Masood Ahmed -- who is the one who said, the previous day in Dubai, that the IMF is “ready to work with the Yemeni authorities... once the situation allows.”

Does that mean a reduction in violence -- which could be brought about, at least theoretically, by MORE repression rather than less -- or the exit of Saleh? The IMF didn't say.

The World Bank has pulled staff out of Yemen, Robert Zoellick said in response to Inner City Press' question at the IMF & World Bank Spring Meetings two weeks ago, click here for that.

On Inner City Press' Syria question on April 28, Hawley said that the IMF “like other observers is following the situation closely” and “deplores the loss of life associated with unrest.”

In other answers, Hawley said Egypt has not yet made a proposal for money, despite reports of a $4 billion request. He declined to say if the IMF would consider “going it alone” and arranging its own bailout for Portugal if European participation were blocked by a veto.

Hawley dismissed the possibility of Greek debt restructuring and denied that Dominique Strauss-Kahn is going to Athens for meetings. We'll see.

Foonote: Inner City Press timely submitted another question on April 28 which Hawley neither answered nor even mentioned, and will be writing about it, but is first waiting to see how and if the IMF responds. Watch this site.

At IMF, DSK Dismisses “French Questions,” None Taken on Cote d'Ivoire

By Matthew Russell Lee

WASHINGTON DC, April 14 -- Dominique Strauss Kahn was filled with bon mots and seeming bonhommie at his press conference at the IMF on Thursday. Perhaps it was because the questions and questioners were carefully selected, and those DSK didn't like, he didn't answer.

An RTL radio reporter asked him in French if by the Fall the IMF might have a new Managing Director -- that is, if by then DSK will already by campaigning to replace Nicolas Sarkozy.

“The French part of the question,” Strauss Kahn told the rest of the hall in English, “is irrelevant.” He added, in French, that he would answer questions later in that language, but only on the topic of the IMF's and World Bank's Spring Meetings.

But even on major IMF topics, DSK did not take questions. There was nothing on Ireland or Iceland, and as spokesperson Caroline Atkinson called the session to a close, a reporter cried out, “Please, one question about Portugal!” But no.

Inner City Press, which does its best to get questions answered at the IMF's biweekly online briefings, held hand aloft for the entire press conference. Perhaps DSK would have dismissively characterized as “a French question” any inquiry about Cote d'Ivoire, where the IMF in January told Inner City Press it had suspended its programs due to instability.

Before Strauss Kahn spoke, the President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick held his own press conference. It had many fewer jokes, but more information -- and not only his answer to Inner City Press on Libya and Yemen.

On Cote d'Ivoire, Zoellick said he would be meeting in the next days in DC with former IMF official Alassane Ouattara's finance minister Charles Koffi Dibi.

Will Strauss Kahn be participating in this meeting? If not, why not? Or is that too a “French question”? Watch this site.

Amid Yemen Crackdown, IMF Meets With Central Bank, Denies DSK Nepotism

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 31 -- The IMF, which called the outlook for Libya's economy “favorable” as recently as February 15 of this year, is still having “technical meetings” with the government of Yemen even as protesters are gunned down, IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson told Inner City Press on Thursday.

Inner City Press submitted two questions to the IMF bi-weekly briefing on March 31, including

“On Yemen, please describe IMF's engagement with current gov't after Ghazi Shbeikat's talks earlier this month, and any impact its killing of protesters has had.”

Ms. Atkinson translated this to “I have a question online about Yemen: Please describe the IMF’s engagement with the current government after talks earlier this month and any impact the violence has had.”

The violence -- that is, the killing of protesters -- has been so bad even Yemen's Permanent Representative to the UN Abduallah Alsaidi, former head of the Group of 77 and China, has quit. Here was Ms. Atkinson's (first) answer:

“Of course, in Yemen, Syria, and other cases we deplore any violence and we hope for peaceful resolution of political issues–We have a program actually outstanding with Yemen and there have been contacts at a technical level with the central bank monitoring developments. We have had contacts at a technical level with a number of central banks in the region.”

Reporters who cover the IMF but are not present in its briefing room are not allowed follow up questions.

But in this case, those in the room followed up:

QUESTION: I’d like to follow up on Yemen. Is that program still in place or has it been suspended in any way?

MS. ATKINSON: Well, we do not suspend programs –-

QUESTION: Well, no, sometimes you do when it comes to political issues -– Ukraine, for example.

MS. ATKINSON: Well, perhaps it is just semantics. Our programs remain in place until they expire. Quite often in different occasions countries may not draw under the programs for different reasons including that we may not have reached agreement on economic policies or on policies that we believe will be sufficient to justify the financing. In the case of Yemen the Board approved a three year arrangement last July under the extended credit facility. There has not been any disbursement since then to Yemen.

There are a number of objectives of the program: supporting strong growth; diversifying the revenue base because there is an important need for expenditures especially for the poor and the vulnerable; and reprioritizing the expenditures to support capital investment as well as social spending. We have been in discussions about that for a number of months.

We'll see. Inner City Press had submitted a second question, as it did without any answer from the IMF two weeks ago:

“Please state whether Dominique Strauss Kahn has any relatives working in the World Bank or other UN affiliated organizations, and if so why this does not run afoul of anti nepotism rules and principles?”

Two weeks ago, the IMF simply pretended this question had not been submitted. This time, while Ms. Atkinson did not read it out, her deputy William Murray later sent this answer:

“Matthew, He has no relatives on the staff of the IMF. Given the premise of your question, let me note that the Bank and UN are wholly separate institutions from the IMF, with no fiscal or managerial connections. At the IMF we certainly have nepotism rules, and they have not been violated in any way.”

While Inner City Press thanked Murray for the answer, follow up questions are predicted. Watch this site.

IMF Called Libya “Favorable” on Feb 15, Now Claims DSK Clairvoyance

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 3, updated -- With a mixture of twenty twenty hindsight and outright revisionism, the International Monetary Fund on Thursday joined the wider UN in turning their mis-analysis of Libya into a case of “I told you so.”

The UN system, which had Aicha Gadhafi as a Goodwill Ambassador until exposed by the Press last month, has belatedly pointed at some UNDP Human Development Reports, even claiming that these inspired the protesters in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and even Yemen, where UNDP Administrator Helen Clark visited earlier this year and said nothing about democracy.

On Thursday, Inner City Press asked IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson, “On Libya, what does the IMF now say about its praise of the Gadhafi government's policies in early February 2011? Will events make the IMF modify the way it analyzes.”

Ms. Atkinson began, “Of course we always learn from events.” But she went on to claim, “I do feel the changes, what's happening in the Middle East, shows the importance of the issues the Managing Director and staff have talked about for a while, inclusive growth... providing jobs.”

But an IMF publication dated February 15, 2011 stated among other things that “the outlook for Libya’s economy remains favorable.” Really?

See, "IMF Executive Board Concludes 2010 Article IV Consultation with the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Public Information Notice (PIN) No. 11/23, February 15, 2011."

Ms. Atkinson also read out Inner City Press' question about Nigeria, where labor groups are urging the government not to give in to what they say is the IMF's advice to devalue the Naira. Ms. Atkinson replied that the IMF is not advocating a particular rate, and said that the IMF's Deputy Director for Africa Mark Plant has been quoted as much. Not in Google News. But we'll keep looking.

Ms. Atkinson ended by saying that Inner City Press has also submitted questions about “Pakistan, Libya, Jamaica, whatever,” adding that the IMF will response bilaterally to these detailed questions. We'll see - question submitted two weeks ago about Ukraine, Cote d'Ivoire and the American GSEs have still not been answered. Watch this site.

Update: long after deadline, an IMF spokesperson provided this response on Jamaica:

Q: In Jamaica, please respond to reports IMF froze earmarked funds for upgrading the corridor from Sangster Int'l airport to Greenwod, St. James? What are the IMF's rules for taking questions?

A: You can attribute this to an IMF spokesperson:

False premise. The government’s agreement with the IMF includes only broad fiscal targets for the central government and the public entities as a whole.