Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (25 August 2018): Fiji, PNG, Samoa

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FIJI:

Former court clerk faces corruption charges.  Keven Kalpesh Chand is charged with soliciting and accepting an advantage.

http://www.fijitimes.com/former-court-clerk-faces-corruption-charges/

Lawyer and businessman given suspended sentence for forgery.  Suva lawyer Aseri Vakaloloma and businessman Benjamin Padarath have been given a suspended sentence by the Suva Magistrates Court this afternoon.

http://www.fijitimes.com/lawyer-and-businessman-given-suspended-sentence-for-forgery/

Fijians Helping Fiji Cooperative spends $600,000.  The controversial Fijians Helping Fiji Cooperative spent $600,000 in two years and has now run out of money, in what its chairman has described as “a learning process”.

http://www.fijitimes.com/fijians-helping-fiji-cooperative-spends-600000/

Arrest warrant issued for Fiji woman over NZ trafficking case. The women are charged with trafficking, obtaining property by deception and money laundering.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/364581/arrest-warrant-issued-for-fiji-woman-over-nz-trafficking-case

 

PNG:

Governor of PNG capital to 'keep pushing boundaries'.  Some opposition MPs have decried the use of a foreign-owned company to run the sessions, amid other yoga training, as a waste of around $US900,000 in public money.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/364496/governor-of-png-capital-to-keep-pushing-boundaries

Bougainville cracking down on corruption.  Corruption within government departments is stealing the dreams of Bougainville, the chief secretary of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), Joseph Nobetau, says.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/364574/bougainville-cracking-down-on-corruption

PNG heading towards social breakdown - opposition MP.  A Papua New Guinea opposition MP says social breakdown could come to a head in the country after it hosts APEC.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/2018659118/png-heading-towards-social-breakdown-opposition-mp

Call for reserved seats for women in PNG still alive.  "Because of the disparity in how wealth is being used, how corruption is used, how all the other elements that are being used by men to actually dominate and to gain their votes into parliament, I support the reserved seats because it opens up that opportunity for women to be heard," Ms Igo said.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/364675/call-for-reserved-seats-for-women-in-png-still-alive

 

SAMOA:

Unit to protect whistleblowers a step in the right direction. It’s undeniable that the Government has copped a lot of flak over its catch cry about accountability, transparency and good governance. 

http://www.sobserver.ws/en/23_08_2018/editorial/36159/Unit-to-protect-whistleblowers-a-step-in-the-right-direction.htm

 

To know more about the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project please contact the team members:

Maria Adomeit, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, maria.adomeit@unodc.org

Mihaela Stojkoska, Anti-Corruption Specialist - Pacific, UNDP, mihaela.stojkoska@undp.org

Maria Lee, Peace & Development Administrative Assistant, UNDP/UNODC, maria.lee@undp.org

 

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