Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (9 November 2019): PNG, Fiji, Tonga

-

PNG:

Manus, Maseratis and corruption: Peter O'Neill on eight years leading Papua New Guinea. For a former prime minister with a warrant out for his arrest and allegations of official corruption hanging over his head, Peter O’Neill is quite calm.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/06/manus-maseratis-and-corruption-peter-oneill-on-eight-years-leading-papua-new-guinea

Measures to raise efficiency in police probes and prosecutions. Police have been losing too many criminal cases in courts in the last two decades. The National’s senior reporter Clifford Faiparik talks to Crime Division Asst Comm (ACP) Hodge Ette on his plans to revamp and raise efficiency in police investigations and prosecutions.

https://www.thenational.com.pg/measures-to-raise-efficiency-in-%E2%80%89police-probes-and-prosecutions/

 

FIJI:

Plea deferred for 2 women facing fraud and dishonesty charges. Two women, who managed postal agencies for Post Fiji Limited will take their plea for charges of fraud and dishonesty in January, 2020.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2019/11/07/plea-deferred-for-2-women-facing-fraud-and-dishonesty-charges/

FICAC confirms investigating former Hibiscus committee. The Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption confirms they have received a report on allegations of abuse by the former Hibiscus Events Group committee members.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/ficac-confirms-investigating-former-hibiscus-committee/

 

TONGA:

Equal access to justice goal for 2030. Ministers also welcomed a package of anti-corruption benchmarks, drafted by the Secretariat, designed to help governments and public sector bodies measure their anti-corruption activities, and make improvements if needed.

https://matangitonga.to/2019/11/08/equal-access-justice-goal-2030

 

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

Marine Destrez, Anti-Corruption Specialist – Pacific a.i., UNDP, marine.destrez@undp.org

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

Popular posts from this blog

The Pacific - Nepal - Eastern Europe & Central Asia

-
[Blog] How are perceptions of corruption in seven small Pacific countries? Larger Pacific Island neighbors are often garnering the lion's share of attention both from researchers and policy makers. How are the experiences of corruption in countries like Tuvalu, Tokelau, Niue, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), The Cook Islands, Palau, and Nauru? DevPolicy Blog: https://devpolicy.org/perceptions-of-corruption-in-seven-small-pacific-island-countries-20230223/   [Opinion] Two decades of new anti-corruption law in Nepal: Why it missed its mark. According to a Nepalese journalist, the Anti-Corruption law and Prevention of Corruption act of 2002 laid the foundation for numerous investigations, scandals, and court cases. To a large extent, they did however fail to enable significant conviction and return of assets. Online Khabar: https://english.onlinekhabar.com/anti-corruption-law-missing-target.html   [Blog] Growing security risks and authoritarian
Read more

Middle East & North Africa - Ukraine - Sri Lanka

-
Corruption fuels ongoing conflict. The Middle East and North Africa has been in a decline on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for years. The region is also ranked as the "least peaceful region" according to the Global Peace Index. Transparency International (TI) argues that corruption, conflict, and security are profoundly intertwined. TI: https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2022-middle-east-north-africa-corruption-fuels-ongoing-conflict   [Opinion] Ukraine's corruption purge is setting the stage for private investment-driven recovery. Corruption is regarded as a key threat to the Ukrainian economy, depriving public budgets and discouraging foreign direct investments (FDI). The current administration has taken strong anti-corruption action, and the country has witnessed a significant increase in FDI in recent years, says author. DevDiscourse: https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/business/2353089-ukraines-corruption-purge-setting-stage-
Read more

Global - Sub-Saharan Africa - Turkey & Syria

-
Invisible Trillions review: Global capitalism operates beyond the rule of law and threatens democracy. Raymond W. Baker's new book "Invisible Trillions" argues that "secrecy has become as important for corporations as transparent and taxable profits used to be". "Only radical improvements across the globe in financial transparency and accountability, and in regulatory capacity and integrity, can break this cycle of political decay and despair". The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/invisible-trillions-review-global-capitalism-operates-beyond-the-rule-of-law-and-threatens-democracy-199311   [Blog] The dynamics of violent extremism in sub-Saharan Africa. There is no better environment for the expansion of violent extremist groups than a vacuum in state authority. These groups begin to compete with the state and may even be initially attractive to communities weary of years of lawlessness, corruption, and chaos according to autho
Read more