Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (20 July 2019): PNG, Solomon Islands, Fiji

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These updates are provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Anti-Corruption Project for Southeast Asia, and the joint UNODC - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, with support of the Australian Government.

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA:

PNG National Housing Commission's debts over K100 million : Tkatchenko. "The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has a liability of more than K100 million accumulated over many years,' the Housing and Urbanisation Minister Justin Tkatchenko said, adding that “It will be my task to clear all the liabilities and that everybody is accountable and proper financial processes are put in place to stop the leakages of money, rots and corruption.”

https://news.pngfacts.com/2019/07/png-national-housing-commissions-debts.html

Blockchain likely for mainstream adaption. In order to curb corruption in every government offices and systems, the government can see to how best disruptive technologies like blockchain can used to provide solutions. For example, blockchain can really help the government with collection taxes or revenues, NID registration and issuance, lands titles and records, and the entire national identity system. 

https://news.pngfacts.com/2019/07/blockchain-likely-for-mainstream.html

More Bougainville public servants sacked over fraud claims. The chief secretary in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville, Joseph Nobetau, says two more Department of Community Government staff had been dismissed.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/394115/more-bougainville-public-servants-sacked-over-fraud-claims  

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Solomon Islands Government Invests US$650K in Anti-Corruption Project. The Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has committed US$653,700 to continue a cost-sharing partnership agreement originally signed between the Solomon Islands Government, represented by the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2017.

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/solomon-islands-government-invests-us650k-in-anticorruption-project/9220

Axiom Hits Out At Government. “…I urge the Prime Minister to speedily establish the Independent Commission on Corruption and supply resources to the police and law enforcement agencies to effectively prosecute offences in the natural resources sector. This pillage has been going on for too long.”, Axiom’s CEO General Manager Dr Phil Tagini said in a press statement.

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/axiom-hits-out-at-government/9216

 

FIJI:

Former employee of then PWD sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for abuse of office. A former employee of the then Public Works Department has been sentenced to three years imprisonment by the Suva High Court.

http://fijivillage.com/news/Former-employee-of-then-PWD-sentenced-to-3-years-imprisonment-for-abuse-of-office-5r29ks/

 

 

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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