Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (13 November 2018): Cook Islands, Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Niue

COOK ISLANDS:

Law officers conference starts today.  The three-day event kicks off today and the attending law officers, who are the prosecutors and legal advisers to the governments of 16 Pacific Islands member nations, will hear presentations on a number of different topics.

http://cookislandsnews.com/national/local/item/70983-law-officers-conference-starts-today/70983-law-officers-conference-starts-today

 

FIJI:

Former PWD duo jailed on corruption charges.  Two former employees of the then-Public Works Department (PWD) have been sentenced by the High Court in Suva.

https://www.fijitimes.com/former-pwd-duo-jailed-on-corruption-charges/

 

PAPUA NEW GUINEA:

PNG anti-corruption commission compromised – activist.  An activist in Papua New Guinea is accusing the government of establishing an interim Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to investigate political opponents.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/368340/png-anti-corruption-commission-compromised-activist

 

PNG’s nine-fold increase in malaria infections. Those responsible for the corrupt procurement of drugs must also take their share of the blame. The “free health” policy of the last five years has only made things worse.

https://reliefweb.int/report/papua-new-guinea/png-s-nine-fold-increase-malaria-infections

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Ousted Solomons MP bribed voters - High Court.  A Solomon Islands MP ousted from parliament was found by the country's High Court to have bribed voters in 2014.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/368466/ousted-solomons-mp-bribed-voters-high-court

Bribery, treating voters.  Ousted Member of Parliament (MP) for Temotu, VATUD Constituency Freda Tuki Soriacomua has bribed and treated voters by providing food during the campaigning and voting period in 2014.

http://www.solomonstarnews.com/index.php/news/national/item/20988-bribery-treating-voters

 

TOKELAU:

NZ asked to step in over Tokelau concerns. New Zealand's Auditor-General has asked the Foreign Ministry to step in and improve fiscal controls in Tokelau, New Zealand's Administrator to the territory says.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/368215/nz-asked-to-step-in-over-tokelau-fiscal-concerns

 

NIUE:

NZ warns Niue over revenue shortfalls, budget blowouts.  The concerns, which were raised in July by New Zealand's Auditor-General but have not previously been reported, also reveal a backlog in the audited accounts of Niue's government and state-owned enterprises from 2015 onwards.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/368331/nz-warns-niue-over-revenue-shortfalls-budget-blowouts