Re: The Independent on Wolfowitz
On Apr 11, 2007, at 3:27 PM, Wojtek Sokolowski wrote:
I find it rather surprising how little interest this story generated
on this list. It is all over international press, and Wolfowitz is a
major
villain in the Bush stable.
It’s a fun story, but if he falls, they’ll just find some other
scumbag to take his place, and the World Bank will continue on its
mission of perpetuating the global hierarchy.
Meanwhile…
Doug
Financial Times - April 12, 2007
Wolfowitz laid out terms for partner’s pay package By Krishna Guha and Eoin Callan in Washington
Paul Wolfowitz personally directed the World Bank’s head of human
resources to offer Shaha Riza, a bank official with whom he was
romantically involved, a large pay rise and a promotion as part of an
external secondment package, according to two sources who saw a
memorandum written by the bank president.
The memorandum, which according to two sources was dated August 11
2005, specifies in detail the terms that Xavier Coll, the World
Bank’s vice-president for human resources, should offer to Ms Riza,
who was subsequently seconded to the US State Department.
The memorandum sets out the salary that Ms Riza is to be paid, the
arrangements for her promotion, and the basis on which her subsequent
annual pay increases are to be calculated.
In addition to the two sources who saw the memorandum, and who
recounted its contents in detail, the Financial Times has spoken to
three other sources, who also attested to its existence. However, the
FT has not seen the memorandum itself.
A copy of the memorandum has been seen by a subcommittee of the
bank’s board of executive directors who were charged with
investigating the Riza assignment, two sources said.
The bank staff association claims the terms of the assignment broke
bank rules.
The subcommittee of board directors completed their investigations on
Wednesday and the full board is expected to meet to discuss their
findings Thursday.
Ms Riza’s secondment was arranged in order to comply with bank
conflict of interest rules that prohibit staff from working under the
authority of a colleague with whom they are romantically involved.
News reports unchallenged by the bank put Ms Riza’s current salary,
which is paid by the World Bank, at $193,000 free of tax.
The FT contacted the bank late Wednesday night to ask for comment.
A senior bank official responded with the following statement: “The
president said on April 9 that he accepts full responsibility for the
actions taken in this case. He has withheld further comment out of
respect for the board review process that is currently under way.”