The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has dissociated itself from statement attributed to the fund by the Economists Intelligence Unit(EIU) that it predicted victory for the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
According to Utu Richards who played the role of a spokesman for the International Monetary Fund, said that the fund has never inserted itself into the internal politics of its member states. This statement was buttressed by the Resident Representative for both Sierra Leone and Guinea Alvin Hilaire in a press release circulated to media houses in the country.
The publication carried in the local newspaper about the SLPP winning the coming election raised a lot of criticism among politicians and members of the public who perceived the International Monetary Fund as taking sides in the internal politics of the country and also supporting the ruling party which is outside of its mandate.
With this action of the Fund to dissociate itself from the so-called prediction, it would now put the minds of both the opposition and public at rest.
Office of the Resident Representative
International Monetary Fund
2 May, 2007 Freetown, Sierra Leone
The IMF Never Made Any Predictions on Election Outcomes in Sierra Leone
The following statement was issued today in Freetown by Alvin Hilaire, IMF Resident Representative in Sierra Leone:
“Several recent media reports have incorrectly linked the International Monetary Fund to predictions on the outcome of the upcoming elections in Sierra Leone. One of these reports includes an excerpt of a document that it attributes to the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The Economist Intelligence Unit is notpart of the International Monetary Fund, and has no affiliation with the International Monetary Fund. It would appear that misinformation about the IMF making predictions about the elections stems from confusion between the IMF and the EIU. I would like to make it clear that the International Monetary Fund has at no time ever made any predictions on the election outcome in Sierra Leone, nor would it do so at any time.
The IMF does not insert itself into internal politics in its member countries. The IMF is an international financial organization with 185 member countries and its mission is to foster global monetary cooperation and financial stability. Politics has no place in the IMF’s charter, and on behalf of my organization, I would like to categorically refute these incorrect assertions about political predictions by the Fund in Sierra Leone.”
STANDARD TIMES
Alvin Hilaire
Resident Representative in Republic of Guinea and Republic of Sierra Leone
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