Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (26 Sept 2014) – Solomon Islands, Fiji, Cooks Islands, PNG

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[Facilitator’s note: Thank you to Tony Prescott, Annika Wythes, Isikeli Valemei, Luisa Senibulu, and Samita Singh of the joint UNDP-UNODC Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project, for sharing these updates.]

Solomon Islands: Electoral staff urged to maintain professional ethics. With the election fever gaining momentum all electoral staff have been urged to practise professional ethics in their job because of their key role in the upcoming event. http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/4211-electoral-staff-urged-to-maintain-professional-ethics

Fiji: Bainimarama's promise: I will serve all. FIJIFIRST leader Rear Admiral (Ret) Voreqe Bainimarama has called on every Fijian - no matter who they voted for in this election - to join him in the mission of making Fiji the way the world should be. http://www.fijitimes.com/articleindex.aspx?date=2014/09/22

Fiji: SODELPA leader ‘will hold government accountable’. Members of the opposition have agreed for SODELPA leader Ro Teimumu Kepa to lead them in Parliament. http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2014/September/09-24-02.htm

Cooks Islands:  Newspaper Files Formal Complaint Over Information Request Denial. CINews has filed an official complaint with the office of the ombudsman over a government official’s handling of an Official Information Act request made by the newspaper. http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2014/September/09-24-06.htm

PNG: Gulf Governor guilty of misusing funds. The Governor of Gulf Province in Papua New Guinea has been found guilty of misusing nearly US$53,000 or 130,000 PNG kina from a LNG pipeline trust account belonging to the people of Kikori district for infrastructure. http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/255466/gulf-governor-guilty-of-misusing-funds

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