一座城市承諾堅(jiān)持可持續(xù)發(fā)展,使用清潔能源,并創(chuàng)造大量經(jīng)濟(jì)機(jī)會(huì),這樣的愿景聽起來很棒,但實(shí)際上事情往往沒有看起來那么美好。沙特阿拉伯全球最大的建筑項(xiàng)目Neom也不例外。該項(xiàng)目計(jì)劃投入5,000億美元,其規(guī)模相當(dāng)于比利時(shí)的國土面積。
沙特王儲(chǔ)穆罕默德·本·薩勒曼在2017年宣布啟動(dòng)該項(xiàng)目,計(jì)劃在2039年完工。他全力支持這個(gè)龐大的奢侈項(xiàng)目,并將其比作金字塔。有一篇報(bào)道形容該項(xiàng)目是“一個(gè)從零開始建設(shè)的區(qū)域,其面積相當(dāng)于馬薩諸塞州,其特征是具有科幻風(fēng)格的建筑、在干旱地區(qū)的滑雪勝地和一系列引人注目的項(xiàng)目,旨在吸引比紐約市人口還要多的人來到這里?!?/p>
然而,據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》曝光的錄音內(nèi)容顯示,在三名建筑工人不幸身亡后召開的緊急會(huì)議上,負(fù)責(zé)運(yùn)營Neom項(xiàng)目媒體部門的前新聞主管韋恩·博格表示:“有幾個(gè)人死了,所以我們不得不在周日晚上開會(huì)?!薄度A爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》在上周三發(fā)布了一份獨(dú)家調(diào)查報(bào)告,結(jié)果令人震驚,這份錄音是報(bào)告的一部分。
《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道稱,博格還說當(dāng)?shù)貐⑴c該項(xiàng)目的藍(lán)領(lǐng)工人都是“白癡”,“這是白人位于社會(huì)等級(jí)頂端的原因”。
Neom項(xiàng)目的發(fā)言人對(duì)該媒體表示:“對(duì)不當(dāng)行為和違規(guī)行為的指控正在接受徹底調(diào)查……如果證實(shí)任何不當(dāng)行為存在,我們會(huì)采取適當(dāng)?shù)拇胧??!辈└竦拇聿⑽椿貜?fù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》的置評(píng)請(qǐng)求;博格也沒有立即回復(fù)《財(cái)富》雜志的置評(píng)請(qǐng)求。
據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道,在關(guān)于三名工人死亡的談話中,博格說:“愚蠢靠培訓(xùn)解決不了。白人男性是最高級(jí)的人種?!鼻皢T工和現(xiàn)任員工將三名工人的死亡歸咎于管道脫落、墻壁倒塌和爆炸物操作不當(dāng)。
據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道,他還有歧視女性和性暗示的言論,以及更多種族主義言論。在博格被指控侮辱一名黑人女性員工后,他與人力資源部進(jìn)行了會(huì)面,并被建議接受六個(gè)月的個(gè)人輔導(dǎo)。個(gè)人輔導(dǎo)有哪些內(nèi)容?誰知道呢?但據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道,他背地里繼續(xù)發(fā)表種族主義和冒犯性的言論。
而且博格并非唯一一位行為不端的高管。有報(bào)道稱,有一位有腐敗罪行記錄的管理人員似乎與王儲(chǔ)建立了聯(lián)系,這讓他逃脫了一系列不當(dāng)行為指控,包括在城市建設(shè)期間與一位施工經(jīng)理發(fā)生肢體沖突。據(jù)稱該公司還雇傭了因侵吞公款被調(diào)查的高管和“動(dòng)輒斥責(zé)和貶低員工”的首席執(zhí)行官納德米·阿爾-納賽爾,而且納賽爾似乎對(duì)此心知肚明?!度A爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》曝光的錄音內(nèi)容顯示,納賽爾在一次會(huì)議上說道:“我像對(duì)待奴隸一樣驅(qū)使所有人。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
一座城市承諾堅(jiān)持可持續(xù)發(fā)展,使用清潔能源,并創(chuàng)造大量經(jīng)濟(jì)機(jī)會(huì),這樣的愿景聽起來很棒,但實(shí)際上事情往往沒有看起來那么美好。沙特阿拉伯全球最大的建筑項(xiàng)目Neom也不例外。該項(xiàng)目計(jì)劃投入5,000億美元,其規(guī)模相當(dāng)于比利時(shí)的國土面積。
沙特王儲(chǔ)穆罕默德·本·薩勒曼在2017年宣布啟動(dòng)該項(xiàng)目,計(jì)劃在2039年完工。他全力支持這個(gè)龐大的奢侈項(xiàng)目,并將其比作金字塔。有一篇報(bào)道形容該項(xiàng)目是“一個(gè)從零開始建設(shè)的區(qū)域,其面積相當(dāng)于馬薩諸塞州,其特征是具有科幻風(fēng)格的建筑、在干旱地區(qū)的滑雪勝地和一系列引人注目的項(xiàng)目,旨在吸引比紐約市人口還要多的人來到這里?!?/p>
然而,據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》曝光的錄音內(nèi)容顯示,在三名建筑工人不幸身亡后召開的緊急會(huì)議上,負(fù)責(zé)運(yùn)營Neom項(xiàng)目媒體部門的前新聞主管韋恩·博格表示:“有幾個(gè)人死了,所以我們不得不在周日晚上開會(huì)?!薄度A爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》在上周三發(fā)布了一份獨(dú)家調(diào)查報(bào)告,結(jié)果令人震驚,這份錄音是報(bào)告的一部分。
《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道稱,博格還說當(dāng)?shù)貐⑴c該項(xiàng)目的藍(lán)領(lǐng)工人都是“白癡”,“這是白人位于社會(huì)等級(jí)頂端的原因”。
Neom項(xiàng)目的發(fā)言人對(duì)該媒體表示:“對(duì)不當(dāng)行為和違規(guī)行為的指控正在接受徹底調(diào)查……如果證實(shí)任何不當(dāng)行為存在,我們會(huì)采取適當(dāng)?shù)拇胧??!辈└竦拇聿⑽椿貜?fù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》的置評(píng)請(qǐng)求;博格也沒有立即回復(fù)《財(cái)富》雜志的置評(píng)請(qǐng)求。
據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道,在關(guān)于三名工人死亡的談話中,博格說:“愚蠢靠培訓(xùn)解決不了。白人男性是最高級(jí)的人種?!鼻皢T工和現(xiàn)任員工將三名工人的死亡歸咎于管道脫落、墻壁倒塌和爆炸物操作不當(dāng)。
據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道,他還有歧視女性和性暗示的言論,以及更多種族主義言論。在博格被指控侮辱一名黑人女性員工后,他與人力資源部進(jìn)行了會(huì)面,并被建議接受六個(gè)月的個(gè)人輔導(dǎo)。個(gè)人輔導(dǎo)有哪些內(nèi)容?誰知道呢?但據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道,他背地里繼續(xù)發(fā)表種族主義和冒犯性的言論。
而且博格并非唯一一位行為不端的高管。有報(bào)道稱,有一位有腐敗罪行記錄的管理人員似乎與王儲(chǔ)建立了聯(lián)系,這讓他逃脫了一系列不當(dāng)行為指控,包括在城市建設(shè)期間與一位施工經(jīng)理發(fā)生肢體沖突。據(jù)稱該公司還雇傭了因侵吞公款被調(diào)查的高管和“動(dòng)輒斥責(zé)和貶低員工”的首席執(zhí)行官納德米·阿爾-納賽爾,而且納賽爾似乎對(duì)此心知肚明?!度A爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》曝光的錄音內(nèi)容顯示,納賽爾在一次會(huì)議上說道:“我像對(duì)待奴隸一樣驅(qū)使所有人。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
An urban area with visionary promises of sustainable development, clean energy, and plentiful economic opportunity might sound wonderful, but nothing is ever as wonderful as it seems. And the world’s biggest construction project in Saudi Arabia, a $500 billion Belgium-sized project called Neom, is no exception.
Announced in 2017 with a 2039 opening, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has thrown his weight behind the gargantuan luxury hub and likened it to the pyramids. One report described it as “a built-from-scratch region the size of Massachusetts, typified by sci-fi architecture, an arid ski resort and a laundry list of flashy projects meant to attract a population larger than New York City’s.”
And yet, during an emergency meeting following the tragic deaths of three workers constructing the mega-city, Wayne Borg, a former news executive hired to run Neom’s media division, said: “A whole bunch of people die so we’ve got to have a meeting on a Sunday night,” according to a recording heard by the Wall Street Journal, included in its exclusive, jaw-dropping investigation published Wednesday.
The WSJ reported that Borg also said the project’s blue-collar workers from the region were “f—ing morons” and “that is why white people are at the top of the pecking order.”
A Neom spokesperson told the outlet, “any allegations of wrongdoing and misconduct are thoroughly investigated…If any wrongdoing is substantiated, we take appropriate action.” A representative for Borg did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment; and Borg did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
In a conversation about the three workers’ deaths, which former and current employees attributed to a falling pipe, a collapsed wall, and a mishandling of explosives, Borg said: “You can’t train for stupidity,” according to the Journal. “The white blokes are at the top of the tree.”
Per the Journal, he’s made misogynistic and sexually explicit comments, too—and more racist remarks. After Borg allegedly insulted a Black female employee and he met with human resources, Borg was advised to take six months of personal coaching. What that entails? Who knows. But according to the Journal, he’s continued to make his racist and offensive comments—but behind closed doors.
And Borg isn’t the only exec behaving badly. There’s reportedly a manager with a corruption conviction who has seemingly developed a bond with the prince that’s allowed him to get away with a litany of alleged misconduct, including a physical altercation with a construction manager while building the city. The project has also allegedly been staffed by executives being investigated for embezzlement and a chief executive, Nadhmi al-Nasr, who “berates and belittles employees,” and seems to be aware of that. “I drive everybody like a slave,” Nasr said in one meeting, according to a recording reported by the Journal.