| UN PGA
Abdulla Shahid Is Not Disclosing Funding
But Talks Arts As Staff Bans Press
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
UN GATE, Sept 18
–
After UN President of the
General Assembly John Ashe was
indicted for taking bribes
from Chinese government
businessman Ng Lap Seng, and
died before trial, the UN's
lone reform was to say that
future PGAs would disclose how
their office and travel and
staff members were
funded.
And now, even
that insufficient reform is
not being complied with. And
the Press that asks about
ongoing UN corruption is
banned.
On September 16
Inner City Press wrote to new
PGA Abdulla Shahid's
spokesperson Monica Grayley,
"state when you will put on
the PGA website the financial
and staffing information
committed to after the
indictment of then PGA John
Ashe."
It asked for
confirmation of receipt, and a
copy of the list of speakers
for the UNGA High Level Week
beginning September
21.
More than 48
hours later, neither was
provided, nor any response on
what Shahid, Maldives' foreign
minister, will do to ensure
access to "his" UNGA by the
Press which asks these
questions.
Instead, there
was a canned statement about
"the Artwork, World in
Progress II - "Just like the
artwork, ‘Our Common Agenda’
reminds us of our obligations
towards future
generations.
As President of the UN General
Assembly, I commit to working
towards these obligations; I
will work hard to bring
together the best of humanity,
to offer the best solutions,
and to present a more hopeful,
unifying
message.
No doubt, today’s event and
Saype’s impressive artwork
contribute to this narrative,
representing a United Nations
that delivers for people, for
planet, and for prosperity.”
With censorship and no
transparency
There is a
pending application to the UN
Media Accreditation and
Liaison Unit, acknowledged
(unlike PGA Shahid's Grayley)
but not acted on.
So on September
17, with the "Team" section of
PGA Shahid's website still
empty, Inner City Press wrote
to two other staffers in the
PGA's office, Carl
Mercer Lead,
Communications, Advocacy &
Speechwriting and Ahmed Salman
Zaki, Executive Assistant to
the PGA. Watch this site.
***
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