Mired in scandal from financial fraud, the UN cannot seem to help itself. Even Donald Trump says their plans for a new HQ would cost too much. That is our money we are talking about, by the way.

The United Nations has said its plans to renovate its headquarters at Turtle Bay will cost $1.2 billion.

That strikes Donald Trump as far too much. "The United Nations is a mess," the developer said yesterday, "and they're spending hundreds of millions of dollars unnecessarily on this project."

And he's not the only one. Several Manhattan real—estate experts told The New York Sun this week that renovating premium office space should cost a fraction, on a per—square—foot basis, of what U.N. officials expect to pay.

Furthermore, the $1.2 billion is not the whole tab. Construction of a 35—story, 900,000—square—foot "swing space" over Robert Moses Park, plus the 100,000—square—foot esplanade park that the United Nations Development Corporation says will be built into the East River, has a price tag of $650 million, which would be financed initially by bonds issued by that state—city corporation.

Note: last month , the UN criticized America for carrying deficits that have a negative impact on the world economy. I hope that Trump will soon say to Kofi Annan, "You're fired."
 
Ed Lasky   2 4 05