[wordup] World Bank accused of spending poverty cash on $100M+ web site

[Adam Shand]

From: politech at politechbot.com

[Thanks to Jeffrey St. Clair of counterpunch.org fame for sending this
along. --Declan]

http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=3235

World Bank Accused of Fraud in Internet Scheme
By Abid Aslam

WASHINGTON, Jul 18 (IPS) - The World Bank has misused funds and is seeking
to mislead public opinion through its 'Development Gateway' Internet
initiative, according to charges submitted Wednesday to the lending
agency's fraud unit.

The complaint alleges "misuse of Bank funds and positions, gross waste of
Bank funds, cost mischarging or defective pricing and perhaps even fraud
and misleading of public opinion."

[...]

At issue is a Bank effort to build the Internet's premier portal on
poverty and sustainable development. The Development Gateway has been in
the making for nearly two years, at a reported cost of some seven million
dollars. Officials say the site will grow to encompass more than 130
topics and serve as the leading entry point on the World Wide Web for
people interested in development issues.

[...]

By contrast, they say, the Development Gateway's business plan projects
more than one hundred million dollars in spending over the next five
years, in hopes of attracting only five times the Uruguayan site's number
of visits.

[...]

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