Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (18 January 2020): PNG, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu

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PNG:

Damning report into state of Papua New Guinea released. A human rights organisation has released a damning report into the state of Papua New Guinea, where a change of prime minister has done little to tackle rampant violence and corruption.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/407386/damning-report-into-state-of-papua-new-guinea-released

Juffa urges political parties to erase stigma. Northern Governor Gary Juffa said during his term from 2012 up to present, he has observed that politics has been heavily stigmatized and widely considered as a dirty word associated with corruption.

https://postcourier.com.pg/juffa-urges-political-parties-to-erase-stigma/

Opinion: Improving health outcomes in Papua New Guinea. In turn, political, social, and cultural issues such as corruption, misallocation of resources, and the lack of appropriate and adaptable health education and messaging have resulted in an HIV/AIDS epidemic of a scale and scope unprecedented in the region.

https://www.devex.com/news/sponsored/opinion-improving-health-outcomes-in-papua-new-guinea-94445

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Commissioners Inducted into Anti-Corruption Commission. The Solomon Islands Government has set the fight against corruption as one of its major priorities and has recently appointed commissioners for the newly established Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption (SIICAC).

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/commissioners-inducted-into-anticorruption-commission/9511

Logging is corrupting these islands. One village fights back and wins. The Solomon Islands is being stripped bare by foreign logging companies, in some cases acting illegally. A community takes action to preserve its future.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/01/deforestation-in-the-solomon-islands/

 

FIJI:

Former passport manager to be sentenced next month. Sakiusa is charged by FICAC for one count each of conspiracy to influence public officials and abuse of office. 

https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/01/16/former-passport-manager-to-be-sentenced-next-month/

 

VANUATU:

Vanuatu slammed by Henley & Partners despite steps towards improving CBI Programmes. Despite Vanuatu’s attempts at harmonising and improving its two Programmes, Henley & Partners, one of the economic citizenship industry’s major players, has said it refuses to associate with Vanuatu’s Programmes due to the country’s ‘reputation for corruption.’

https://wicnews.com/world/vanuatu-slammed-henley-partners-despite-steps-towards-improving-cbi-programmes-153125134/

 

 

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@undp.org

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