Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (22 August 2020): PNG, Fiji

-

New Zealand Boost Anti-Corruption Efforts In The Pacific. A new Pacific-wide anti-corruption partnership has been launched between the Government of New Zealand and the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, in an effort to improve the livelihoods of people in 13 Pacific Island countries.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO2008/S00166/new-zealand-boost-anti-corruption-efforts-in-the-pacific.htm

 

PNG:

PNG’s ex-PM Peter O’Neill buys $6m Warrawee house as Point Piper digs quietly sold. Mr O’Neill returned from Sydney to PNG in May to give evidence at a corruption inquiry into the UBS loan affair in which the country’s leaders are accused of breaking the law in 2014 in approving a $US1.2 billion load from the Swiss bank.

https://www.domain.com.au/news/pngs-ex-pm-peter-oneill-buys-6m-warrawee-house-as-point-piper-digs-quietly-sold-979246/

Bougainville finance minister to face corruption trial. Bougainville's caretaker Finance Minister Robin Wilson is to stand trial in the Papua New Guinea National Court on four charges of corruption.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/423786/bougainville-finance-minister-to-face-corruption-trial

 

FIJI :

Corruption lands former CWM hospital staff in jail. A former employee of CWM hospital who admitted to falsifying a receipt and causing a loss of $54.40 to the hospital was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment by the Suva Magistrates Court this week.

https://www.fijitimes.com/corruption-lands-former-cwm-hospital-staff-in-jail/

Mahogany ‘history isn’t all pretty’. The history of Fiji’s mahogany is scarred by corruption, says Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.

https://www.fijitimes.com/mahogany-history-isnt-all-pretty/

More people conned in land scam. The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) said more than 80 people had so far been fooled, claiming $150,000 was deceptively obtained.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/08/16/more-people-conned-in-land-scam/

 

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

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