Somaliland: SPSDF Accuses the SBF of Corrupt Practices

Somaliland: SPSDF Accuses the SBF of Corrupt Practices

sbfleaks contact: evidence@somalilandsun.com  –Editor By: Yumoha PashaSBF supports a better tommorrow HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The Hue and Cry over the inept and questionable handling by the Somaliland Business Fund-SBF of World Bank and Danish government funded grants to the private sector amounting to $2m continue. The Somaliland Private Sector Development Forum-SPSDF has appealed to the World Bank for intervention in straightening the ongoings at the Hargeisa based SBF as pertains to the manner relating to the selection of 59 grant awardees for the first round. In a letter addressed to a senior World Bank official, accessed by Somalilandsun, the Somaliland Private Sector Development Forum informs that it has been inundated with complaints from the business community since the 59 grant winners were announced wants the World Bank to investigate. "There has been a considerable negative feeling among the business community in Somaliland as a result of the composition of the list of the successful grantees" writes the SPSDF The complaints against the SBF ranged from the talk of an unfair and biased selection process to accusations of kickbacks, downright favouritism and regionalism from the part of the SBF implementing agency and the supervising World Bank staff in Somaliland. Accordingly the SPSDF not only offers to help unearth but strongly urges the World bank to embark on investigations about the alleged malpractices surrounding the selection of the 1st round's grant beneficiaries before SBF proceeds to round 2 thus redeem the donors diminished reputation within the citizenry. The Somaliland Business Fund (SBF) which aims to mobilize the creative energy and resources of the private sector to strengthen private enterprises, increase incomes and create new sustainable employment opportunities and thereby improve the lives of Somalilanders is funded by the world bank and Danish government to the tune of $3.6 million http://somalilandbusinessfund.com/ SBF is a key part of the World Bank's Private Sector Re-Engagement Project Phase II that supports the investment climate, fisheries and gums & resins value chains, solid waste management, and development of Berbera port and financial sector in Somaliland. The program is financed by the Danish International Development Agency, the (UK) Department for International Development, and the World Bank State and Peace-building Fund is implemented by Landell Mills International Development Consultants, UK and managed by a local Fund Management Unit. Reprinted below and in full verbatim is the Somaliland Private Sector Development Forum-SPSDF letter to the World Bank Quote- Dear Mr Mousley We are writing to draw your attention to the way that the first round of the Somaliland Business Fund (SBF) was handled. We don't know how much you are aware of the situation but there has been a considerable negative feeling among the business community in Somaliland as a result of the composition of the list of the successful grantees. Ever since the announcement of the winners of the first round of SBF grantees was made public our organization was inundated with complaints from our members. These complaints ranged from the talk of an unfair and biased selection process to accusations of kickbacks, downright favouritism and regionalism from the part of the SBF implementing agency and the supervising World Bank staff in Somaliland. Various local websites and newspapers have published damaging evidence about the way that the SBF winners were selected, please see this link: http://somalilandsun.com/index.php/economic/2543-somaliland-the-scandal-surrounding-the-1st-round-of-the-world-bank-grants-sbf  . We are urging the World Bank to investigate this scandal surrounding the SBF and rectify the situation by bringing in check and balance in the system, on the one hand, and people who are honest with professional ethics, who are there not to gain personally but to serve the society at large and support the private sector development to create jobs and reduce poverty in the country on the other hand. There is already a growing concern about the way the first round was handled based on the above noted complaints and if the World Bank ignores these concerns then there will be security implications for the World Bank staff in the future in all those regions. People in those regions felt that they have been denied of the opportunities and resources donated to them by the international community through the World Bank through corruption and incompetence. We hope that the World Bank will heed to our concerns and give us the opportunity to help your investigation to find out what really went wrong with the first round of the SBF before the grants for the second round is proceeded. We look forward to hear from you soon. Regards Mr A. Mohamed Chairman of the Somaliland Private Sector Development Forum-Unquote To help reach the truth behind the alleged on-going at the Somaliland business Fund thus restore trust in the noble world bank funded project the Somalilandsun which first blew the whistle requests readers with any sbfleaks to submit them to evidence@somalilandsun.com  –Editor