Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (4 June 2016)

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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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Fiji:

No need for a warrant.  Investigators of the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption (FICAC) can now arrest a person without a warrant if they reasonably suspect that such person committed an offence.  http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=356313

Call for transparency.  Donor agencies, intermediaries, and national governments must be transparent when funding climate change adaptation projects in Fiji and the Pacific region.  http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=356357

Court convicts duo of money laundering.  Defence lawyers of two men convicted of money laundering made submissions to the court for a fine for their clients instead of serving custodial terms.  http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=356326

Information Bill referred to Parliamentary Standing Committee.  The much awaited Information Bill has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.  http://fijivillage.com/news/Information-Bill-referred-to-Parliamentary-Standing-Committee-s59kr2/
Solomon Islands:

Assistant police commissioner calls to fight corruption.  Local police officers have been challenged to take a strong stand in fighting corruption within the force and their workplace by Assistant Police Commissioner National Capital and Crime Prevention, Mostyn Mangau.  http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/10406-acp-calls-to-fight-corruption

Audit call: Gov’t urged to close in on ‘ghost companies’.  Opposition leader, Jeremiah Manele has urged the Government to carry out an audit in each of the government ministries.  http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/10405-audit-call
PNG:

Students Conduct Peaceful Rally Outside Parliament.  Students in Papua New Guinea staged a peaceful rally outside Parliament where the opposition today attempted to call for a vote of no confidence in the government of Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.  http://www.pireport.org/articles/2016/05/31/png-students-conduct-peaceful-rally-outside-parliament

Court defers student eviction.  The National Court in Papua New Guinea has slapped an interim injunction on the University of PNG, stopping it from evicting protesting students from its two Port Moresby campuses.  http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/305378/png-court-defers-student-eviction
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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