Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (18 June 2016) – Cook Islands, PNG, Solomon Islands.

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From the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with support from the Australian Government. Updates shared by Annika Wythes, Mihaela Stojkoska, Luisa Senibulu, and Samita Singh.
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COOK ISLANDS:
Finance Minister confirms audit hold ups.  The Cook Islands Finance Minister, Mark Brown, has confirmed the government's consolidated accounts have not been audited for three years.
PNG:
Police Arrest Corruption Fighter Matthew Damaru.  The police officer in charge of fighting corruption in Papua New Guinea has been arrested.
Ombudsman to investigate police conduct.  Papua New Guinea's Ombudsman Commission says it will investigate the police shooting of protesting students in Port Moresby.
Little prospect of change after PNG police shootings.  The chair of Transparency International in Papua New Guinea says the authorities' reaction to police opening fire on protesting students last week is disgraceful, and leaves him with little confidence that things will change.
SOLOMON ISLANDS:
Crackdown on corruption announced.  The Solomon Islands Leadership Code Commission has warned public servants it will investigate those with unexplained wealth.
Gov’t must to stop illegal logging operations, says forest association.  The nation’s forestry industry regulator, Solomon Forest Association (SFA), has appealed to the Government to stop illegal logging activities in the country, saying the practice is getting out of hand.
‘Ghost companies’ culture is an inside job, says concerned citizen.  A concerned citizen has call for probing of individuals responsible for creating ghost companies have been reiterated by Henry Kahui, a concerned citizen.
Key prosecution witnesses in embezzlement case decline.  Two of prosecutions’ key witnesses on the case involving the alleged theft of more than $28, 000 from the Solomon Islands Government have refused to give evidence.
Tovosia, Veke trial delayed.  The court trial of the Member of Parliament for East Guadalcanal Bradley Tovosia and Guadalcanal Premier Anthony Veke has been delayed to give time for the lawyer representing Tovosia to mourn the death of a close family member.
For more information about the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, please get in touch with:
Annika Wythes, Anti-Corruption Adviser - Pacific, UNODC, annika.wythes@unodc.org
Mihaela Stojkoska, Anti-Corruption Specialist - Pacific, UNDP, mihaela.stojkoska@undp.org
Luisa Senibulu, Governance Programme Associate, UNDP/UNODC, luisa.senibulu@undp.org
Samita Singh, Programme Assistant - Anti-Corruption, UNDP/UNODC, samita.singh@undp.org

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