TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS

One only has to look at any of the 14 articles and editorials that we have pulled from today’s papers to see that they are almost unanimous in stating that every part of construction is currently well over budget and behind schedule (see link below)

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=23

Yet at the same time we receive a press release from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum stating that they are still going to all that they can to have the memorial accessible by 2011.

Once again we get all the same catch phrases “transparency” and “openness” that the Foundation has used since day one.

Unfortunately there has never been anything transparent or open in dealing with the Foundation from its president on down.

Now would have been a perfect time for the Foundation to state “we will re-evaluate the current plans for the Memorial and based on the results of that review we will establish a correct timeline for its opening.

While we all want the Memorial to be open for the 10th anniversary I think most family members would rather have all the outstanding issues resolved at this time,

From the placement of the names to a proper response to the Kallstrom report (which has been ignored) about a proper exit strategy from the underground memorial.

We may be missing something but we thought that the Memorial was still bound by the $500 Million cap set by the Sciame report.

Or has that much heralded report been discarded as well.

Here is another statement from the Memorial Foundation

“The Board agreed to work on two items in order to proceed with the next phase of construction of the Memorial and Museum. The Foundation will one, continue its efforts to refine the project’s base estimates, resolve all of the outstanding infrastructure cost issues with Port Authority and two, in cooperation with other key stakeholders, outline an array of ways to reduce project costs while maintaining the Arad/Walker vision for the Memorial. The Foundation believes that in order to move forward with construction, the City, the State, LMDC, Port Authority and the Foundation must all be on the same page.

The funny thing is this is from May 2006.

Doesn’t seem like much has changed.

If this is ever really going to be open and transparent this might be the place to start.

I am sure that most family members would appreciate a much simpler and safer Memorial

The Foundation should take that into consideration.