Sixty-first General Assembly

Fifth Committee

13^th Meeting (AM)

BUDGET COMMITTEE TAKES UP PROPOSED RENOVATION OF SECRETARY-GENERAL’S RESIDENCE

Speakers in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this morning supported the need for a long-overdue renovation of the Secretary-General’s residence, which is expected to be completed in nine months -– from January to September 2007 at a cost of some $4.5 million.

The representatives of Finland (on behalf of the European Union), South Africa (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), the United States and Japan noted that, according to the reports before the Committee, while routine service and repairs had been provided to the premises over the years, the last significant renovation of the residence dated back to 1950.

Introducing the Secretary-General’s report on the matter, Katrina Nowlan of the Programme Planning and Budget Division, said that the ageing of the building and the obsolescence of its mechanical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems had resulted in malfunctions requiring increasingly frequent emergency repairs.  The proposed renovations would include the replacement of critical building equipment systems, as well as the refurbishment of the public areas used to entertain high-level dignitaries and Heads of State and the upgrading of security installations.

The report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) on the issue, introduced by the Chairman of that body, Rajat Saha, pointed out that, in keeping with proper budget procedure, the proposal to renovate the residence should have been submitted as part of the proposed budget for the biennium 2006-2007, rather than a revised estimate in the middle of the biennium.  This concern was echoed by several of the speakers during the day’s hearing.  Particularly, Japan was concerned that the Secretariat did not follow proper budget procedure, and sought to understand why it waited this long to make the request when the condition of the building was known for quite some time.

Several delegations also agreed with the ACABQ that the resources required for the renovations could be absorbed within the existing programme budget for 2006-2007, as only 29 per cent of the $47.6 million appropriated for alterations and improvements had been spent through 30 September 2006.  However, while the Group of 77 supported the proposal for additional resources, it sought assurances that attempts to absorb additional resource requirements would not lead to any delays in improvements and major maintenance for projects that the Assembly had already approved, thereby leading to further cost escalations in the longer term.

The chairman of the ACABQ clarified that the expenditure for alterations and improvements was less than the projected amount, based on information that the Secretariat had provided.  He added that, should the General Assembly like to have a more updated figure, perhaps the Secretariat could provide the latest data on other alteration and improvement projects during informal consultations.

Additionally, the representative of the United States assumed that the proposed renovations would correct any deficiencies, and also expected they would conform to current New York City codes.  The representative of Finland called for all necessary security improvements to be implemented.  She, along with other delegations, also stressed the need to adhere strictly to the time schedule of the renovation work, as delays in implementation could result in cost escalation.

The Committee will continue its consideration of human resources management reform at 10 a.m. Wednesday, 1 November.

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For information media • not an official record