Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (6 April 2019): Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Vanuatu, PNG, Fiji

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SOLOMON ISLANDS:

What do Solomon Islands voters expect from the recent poll? Systemic corruption, high unemployment and poor government services combined with the concentration of wealth and development in the capital, Honiara, and a bulging youth population make Solomon Islands a certifiable ticking time bomb.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/2018689579/what-do-solomon-islands-voters-expect-from-the-recent-poll

 

Solomons electoral candidate jailed for corruption.  In Solomon Islands an electoral candidate and former government official, Henry Murray, was sent to jail for four years for corruption.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/386088/solomons-electoral-candidate-jailed-for-corruption

 

Solomon Islands Prepares for 3rd April. "A good leader from my perspective like first somebody who is god fearing, somebody who is righteous, somebody who hates corrupt practices and wicked practices."

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/solomon-islands-prepares-for-3rd-april/8955

 

KIRIBATI:

Kiribati MP calls for President to take action over corruption. A senior opposition MP in Kiribati, Sir Ieremia Tabai, has called on the president to crack down on one of his ministers he says is corrupt.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/386162/kiribati-mp-calls-for-president-to-take-action-over-corruption

 

VANUATU:

Former Vanuatu aid negotiator convicted for fraud. Vanuatu's former principal aid negotiator has been convicted on 20 counts of obtaining money by deception and money laundering.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/386065/former-vanuatu-aid-negotiator-convicted-for-fraud

 

PAPUA NEW GUINEA:

Catastrophic failures in PNG health service delivery. Reflecting on 25 years of research into health service delivery and the health status of women and children in Papua New Guinea, it is distressing to observe the current catastrophic failures and continued decline in services for women and children.

https://reliefweb.int/report/papua-new-guinea/catastrophic-failures-png-health-service-delivery

 

Former PM Morauta accuses Australia of ‘whitewashing’ PNG poll rigging. Sir Mekere accused them of “whitewashing the rigging and corruption associated with it”.

https://asiapacificreport.nz/2019/04/01/former-pm-morauta-accuses-australia-of-whitewashing-png-poll-rigging/

 

FIJI:

Rabuka has no evidence of corruption against the Government Opposition Leader. Sitiveni Rabuka has admitted he has no evidence of corruption in which he accused the Government of in a Facebook rant earlier in the week.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/rabuka-has-no-evidence-of-corruption-against-the-government/

 

Motion for local elections defeated in Fiji parliament. Elected councils were abolished more than a decade ago under military rule and the FijiFirst government has promised to review the system which it says has led to corruption and mismanagement.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/386256/motion-for-local-elections-defeated-in-fiji-parliament

 

Premila Kumar: Corrupt Practices in Elected Municipal Councils. Minister for Local Government Premila Kumar has set the record straight that municipal elections will not precede Government attempts to rid the municipal councils of corrupt practices.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2019/04/03/premila-kumar-corrupt-practices-in-elected-municipal-councils/

  

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

Annika Wythes, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, annika.wythes@un.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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