any
commentary or interpretation. Prominent Diaspora commentator, editor of
the California Courier and former Lincy vice president Harut
Sassounian declined ArmeniaNow’s request for comment, but cautioned
against “unwarranted and erroneous sweeping generalizations” as to the
Lincy decision.While saying that the reasons are
unknown, several representatives of the Armenian opposition, however,
say Armenian authorities who, to put it mildly, were guilty of
“mismanaging the funds,” have caused the 93-year old billionaire to
close his hand on handouts to Armenia. “It is not a coincidence that the
funds for repairing schools were given not to an Armenia-based fund,
but to the United Armenian Fund,” opposition Heritage Party MP Anahit
Bakhshyan told ArmeniaNow. (The United Armenian Fund is the collective
effort of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy, Armenian General Benevolent
Union, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Relief
Society, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, theLincy
Foundation, and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.)In
the past several years (at least three) Kirk Kerkorian and his Lincy
Foundation has not made any major donation to the All-Armenian Fund
Hayastan either. Still during the first phase of the Lincy Foundation’s
programs in Armenia, in 2001-2003, when restoration work worth $150
million was carried out, 17 cultural centers were renovated, about
3,600 homes were built, the activities were dogged by allegations that
it was “a big wash” and that the money was not being used purposefully.
After the end of this phase of the project it was intended to solve
the housing problem in the earthquake zone.As then
president Robert Kocharyan said during the ceremony opening one of the
buildings constructed with the foundation’s allocations “due to this
serious investment in 2003 we solve the housing problem.”