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MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE: OPEN PROJECT WITH SECRET CANDIDATES
Lragir.am
24 July 06
The Stakeholders Committee of the Millennium Challenge Armenia met
July 24 to present current developments of public involvement in the
Millennium Challenge Account to the society. However, there was little
to tell.
The most interesting thing about this meeting. Although the members
of the Stakeholders Committee Levon Barseghyan and Nazelee Vardanyan
announced that the meetings of the committee are open for everyone,
they declined to give the names of the three candidates of chief
executive of the committee chosen out of 5 and out of 48 nominees,
whose data were extended to the MCC in the United States. According to
Levon Barseghyan, publication of names would create additional risks
of corruption. In other words, the candidates have already resorted
to or tried to resort to nepotism.
The speakers announced that they work openly, however the project does
not provide funds for dissemination, therefore there are shortcomings
in this sphere. The Institute of Open Society promises to help and
organize discussions in the regions, especially that according to
the members of the MCA Stakeholders Committee awareness is especially
low in rural areas.
The other components of the project are not perfect. The bylaws of
the Stakeholders Committee were not adopted, the local councils were
not set up. Only the managing board of the MCA project was set up,
which will be accountable to the Stakeholders Committee. By the way,
the 5 representatives of the civil society included in the managing
board can veto every decision. "Hence, the importance of cooperation
between NGOs is emphasized once again," said Nazelee Vardanyan,
who is a member of the stakeholders committee and the managing board.
And Levon Barseghyan says it is not right that the project will be
monitored by the deputy director. About 5 million dollars was allocated
for the monitoring. Levon Barseghyan believes that there must be
independent and competent monitoring, and is worried that otherwise
over 180 million dollars foreseen for building will be dissipated.
Lragir.am
24 July 06
The Stakeholders Committee of the Millennium Challenge Armenia met
July 24 to present current developments of public involvement in the
Millennium Challenge Account to the society. However, there was little
to tell.
The most interesting thing about this meeting. Although the members
of the Stakeholders Committee Levon Barseghyan and Nazelee Vardanyan
announced that the meetings of the committee are open for everyone,
they declined to give the names of the three candidates of chief
executive of the committee chosen out of 5 and out of 48 nominees,
whose data were extended to the MCC in the United States. According to
Levon Barseghyan, publication of names would create additional risks
of corruption. In other words, the candidates have already resorted
to or tried to resort to nepotism.
The speakers announced that they work openly, however the project does
not provide funds for dissemination, therefore there are shortcomings
in this sphere. The Institute of Open Society promises to help and
organize discussions in the regions, especially that according to
the members of the MCA Stakeholders Committee awareness is especially
low in rural areas.
The other components of the project are not perfect. The bylaws of
the Stakeholders Committee were not adopted, the local councils were
not set up. Only the managing board of the MCA project was set up,
which will be accountable to the Stakeholders Committee. By the way,
the 5 representatives of the civil society included in the managing
board can veto every decision. "Hence, the importance of cooperation
between NGOs is emphasized once again," said Nazelee Vardanyan,
who is a member of the stakeholders committee and the managing board.
And Levon Barseghyan says it is not right that the project will be
monitored by the deputy director. About 5 million dollars was allocated
for the monitoring. Levon Barseghyan believes that there must be
independent and competent monitoring, and is worried that otherwise
over 180 million dollars foreseen for building will be dissipated.