Furore at the UNDP resignations

[domilinguist]

Hi,

I just wondered what people think about the resignations of Miguel Ceara-Hatton, Pavel Isa Contreras and others from the Human Development department at the United Nations offices in Santo Domingo this week:

Dominicanos HOY: Temor representante PNUD precipit? salida de t?cnicos

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/lo...office-row-sizzles-as-senior-researchers-quit

One researcher who quit accused the U.N. Director of being authoritarian and bowing to political pressure from those within the Dominican government who have not always reacted well to the findings of the Human Development reports which were produced by the department and were often highly critical of the government and its activities. These reports were, in my opinion, meticulously researched and drew important attention to fundamental poverty and human development issues in the Dominican Republic. They are also an essential tool for academics and researchers who want to write about poverty in the country.

The reports can be downloaded from here:

Noticias de inter?s | Oficina de Desarrollo Humano del PNUD

Any comments by DR1 readers on the implications of this?

 

[Hillbilly]

They did NOT resign, their contracts were not renewed. This is a typical " spin" on something unfortunate.
Miky Ceara Hatton has usually been a square peg in a round hole,,,,he has been controversial almost everywhere he has been. The fact that UNDP got rid of him is a major bummer.

Fact is, in spite of wide difference of opinion, he and his team had done a wonderful job at reporting realities--much to the dislike of the authorities.. Pavel Isa C. is a BRAIN...and I have yet to read anything he has written that is not worthy of note. It is a shame that this happened, because the country has lost a voice of reality in a world of spinners...

HB

 

[minerva_feliz]

I also heard about this and am very disappointed.

These reports have been important references for me personally and at work. The provincial reports that were coming out are excellent...I will be really pi$$ed if I can't get a provincial report for Barahona!!

YouTube - ‪Informes provinciales de Desarrollo Humano Rep?blica Dominicana‬‏

Informes Provinciales Desarrollo Humano | Oficina de Desarrollo Humano del PNUD

Does anyone know what the plan is for the provincial reports? Will they continue?

 

[Chirimoya]

According to yesterday's DR1 news, yes. But it looks like they will have to be less critical - and less credible.

UNDP says Human Development Reports to continue
In response to the announcement of the dismantling of the research team that worked on the production of human development reports, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Office in the DR says that the team of researchers would continue its work, but under new coordination.
"Now and always the UNDP will back the preparation of human development reports that are an essential voice in the global dialogue on development, an open dialogue, that is inclusive, participative and impartial that the UNDP promotes as it has over the past two decades," states the office in a note delivered to acento.com.do.
The office, nevertheless, did not name the new coordinator. Chief coordinator Miguel Ceara Hatton will no longer be working on the reports.
The UNDP first produced the reports in 1998, working with economist Jaime Aristy Escuder, together with Jackeline Mora Baez, Rita Mena Peguero, Isis Duarte, Irma Arriaga and Jose Ottenwalder. The reports were again published in 2005 and 2008 under the coordination of Miguel Ceara Hatton with a team of researchers that included Pavel Isa Contreras, who is also leaving.
El Dia reports today that anthropologist Tahira Vargas and historian Anny Feliz are also leaving the team. They said they had resigned in disagreement at the way in which the UNDP resident representative in the DR, Valerie Julliand, treated Ceara Hatton and Pavel Isa. Another team member, Olaya Dotel, said that despite having been hired to work on the research this month, said she was not willing to accept the conditions set by Julliand, who she described as authoritarian.
El Dia says that only six of the 12 researchers remain.
PNUD pega el grito ante cr?ticas por desmembrar Oficina de Desarrollo Humano - Acento
Noticias de inter?s | Oficina de Desarrollo Humano del PNUD
B?ez Evertsz afirma viajes de Leonel podr?an constituir un delito - Acento
Viajes de Leonel: De 25 logros anunciados, s?lo 4 son realidad - Acento
Investigadoras? califican de autoritaria a representante PNUD - ElDia.com.do

 

[minerva_feliz]

Caso PNUD: Valerie Julliand lee nota y huye de los periodistas - Acento

 

[Criss Colon]

What Do You Expect?????

Dominican's always have a negative reaction to ANY criticism !
Even deserved,which it usually is!

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[cobraboy]

They did NOT resign, their contracts were not renewed. This is a typical " spin" on something unfortunate.
Miky Ceara Hatton has usually been a square peg in a round hole,,,,he has been controversial almost everywhere he has been. The fact that UNDP got rid of him is a major bummer.

Fact is, in spite of wide difference of opinion, he and his team had done a wonderful job at reporting realities--much to the dislike of the authorities.. Pavel Isa C. is a BRAIN...and I have yet to read anything he has written that is not worthy of note. It is a shame that this happened, because the country has lost a voice of reality in a world of spinners...

HB

Luis, gubmint and bureaucracies are never about reality. They are always about agenda spin for money and power.