Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (13 June 2020): Fiji, PNG, Nauru

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Albert Schram: University governance, academic freedom and institutional autonomy in the Pacific During the last weeks, after reports emerged about gross mismanagement and breaches of the rules of the university at USP under the former administration, this week the Executive Committee of the University Council decided to suspend the current vice-chancellor for alleged “misconduct and breach of rules and procedures”, despite all the evidence pointed in the opposite direction of the former administration and some council members.  

  

USP Vice Chancellor’s Office to look into allegations levelled against the USP Students Association 

There is confirmation that the University of the South Pacific’s Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Derrick Armstrong will look at investigating allegations made by a group called the Students Anti-Corruption Alliance against the USP Students Association Federal. 

  

  

FIJI:  

Former Fisheries Revenue Collector Charged A former revenue collector at the Ministry of Fisheries was produced in the Rakiraki Magistrates Court today on corruption related charges. 

  

Suspended USP Vice-Chancellor says he's victim of 'witch-hunt' There were protests at the main Suva campus this week as a year of tensions over allegations of corruption and employment issues came to a head. 

  

  

PNG:  

PNG minister suggests new ICAC be headed by a foreigner A foreigner should head Papua New Guinea's new independent anti-corruption agency, a government minister says. 

  

PNG Police Minister says it takes time to address corruption Papua New Guinea's Police Minister Bryan Kramer says prosecuting high-profile corruption takes time. 

  

IRC has no place for corrupt officers : Koim Mr. Koim made this bold statement after announcing the arrest of one officer and the dismissal of another for separate misconducts.  

  

  

NAURU:  

Nauru president accuses Fiji group of ‘hijacking’ USP in vendetta Allegations of serious cases of mismanagement and abuse of process surfaced at the USP involving its former vice chancellor and president in May last year and were widely reported on by Island Business in June and other Pacific media.  

  

 

 

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

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

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