Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (30 January 2021): Fiji, PNG

-

FIJI

Fiji Anti-Corruption Course Garners Regional Interest.  The anti-corruption course aims to get participants to be Integrity Champions supporting FICAC and other Pacific regional anti-corruption agencies in the fight against corruption.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2021/01/26/fiji-anti-corruption-course-garners-regional-interest/

Court extends bail for MPs.  The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) will make an application to have the matter involving six SODELPA parliamentarians and a former government member of Parliament to be heard before the High Court in Suva.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2021/01/26/fiji-anti-corruption-course-garners-regional-interest/

Landowner appears in court for dishonesty.  A landowner appeared before the Nausori Magistrates Court charged by FICAC with two counts of general dishonesty obtaining a gain.

https://www.fijitimes.com/landowner-appears-in-court-for-dishonesty/

Funds from illicit drug activities are more than $10 million per annum.  While speaking during the Fiji Police Force Command Group Retreat, Pryde says drugs are a huge source of proceeds of crime and they need to continue to focus on it…Pryde also says Fiji’s legislation on proceeds of crime and money laundering is the best in the region and they must continue to use it.

https://www.fijivillage.com/feature/It-is-estimated-funds-from-illicit-drug-activities-are-more-than-10-million-per-annum--DPP-rf845x/

 

PNG

In Papua New Guinea, Political Infighting and Debt Hamper Marape’s Reforms.  Prime Minister James Marape has little to show for his efforts to “take back PNG” from corrupt elites and foreign interests, and the recent bout of political infighting hasn’t helped his case… Perhaps the most significant of Marape’s reforms is the passage of a law last month to create of an Independent Commission Against Corruption, with far-reaching investigatory powers.

https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/29321/in-papua-new-guinea-politics-and-debt-hamper-marape-s-reform-efforts

 

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

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

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 authorit...
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