Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (20 October 2018): Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands

Passports a ticket to corruption in the Pacific Islands.  Since the early 1980s, Pacific island countries have sold passports to foreigners. Vanuatu is the most prominent supplier today. Passport sales in the first half of 2018 brought the country about US$39.3 million — 9 per cent of GDP.

http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2018/10/13/passports-a-ticket-to-corruption-in-the-pacific-islands/

 FIJI:

Ex-School Manager Pleads Not Guilty To Corruption Charge.  A not guilty plea was entered in the Labasa Magistrates Court on October 8 by a former school manager charged with corruption.

http://fijisun.com.fj/2018/10/13/ex-school-manager-pleads-not-guilty-to-corruption-charge/

Father and son deny corruption charges.  A father and son have pleaded not guilty to corruption-related offences before Lautoka Magistrate Rangajeeva Wimalasena.

https://www.fijitimes.com/father-and-son-deny-corruption-charges/

Ex-civil servant pleads not guilty to corruption-related offences.  A former Ministry of Foreign Affairs employee facing corruption-related offences pleaded not guilty at the Suva Magistrates Court before Magistrate Liyanage Wickramasekara.

https://www.fijitimes.com/ex-civil-servant-pleads-not-guilty-to-corruption-related-offences/

PNG:

Degree of corruption disgusting.  As a Member of Parliament and being on the inside, I can tell you that the degree of corruption is disgusting, says Madang MP Bryan Kramer.

http://www.looppng.com/png-news/degree-corruption-%E2%80%98disgusting%E2%80%99-80153

Pacific links: PNG, the fast and the furious, more.  In preparation for APEC, Papua New Guinea has imported 40 Maseratis and other luxury cars to transport foreign delegates during the forum. PNG government says cars will be on-sold to “private sector”, and not everyone is happy.

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/pacific-links-png-fast-and-furious-more

Transparency on APEC vehicles’ procurement demanded. The only way to stop allegations of corruption is to be honest and transparent in procurement process says Transparency International PNG (TIPNG)

http://www.looppng.com/png-news/transparency-apec-vehicles%E2%80%99-procurement-demanded-80220

Transparency International calls for full report on cars.  Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) is calling for the Government and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Authority to publicly disclose the total cost involved in the purchase of the luxury vehicles and to demonstrate their compliance with public procurement processes.

https://www.thenational.com.pg/transparency-international-calls-for-full-report-on-cars/

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Solomon Islander gets three years for fraud.  A thirty-two-year-old mother of four has now been sentenced to three years imprisonment after she was found guilty of obtaining a total of K39,000 from four different victims under false pretenses.

https://postcourier.com.pg/solomon-islander-gets-three-years-fraud/

Paradise Lost: New Report Reveals China’s Destructive, Illegal Logging of Solomon Islands’ Rainforest.  New evidence released today by anti-corruption NGO Global Witness shows that hugely unsustainable rates of logging and the high risk of illegal practices on the once pristine paradise of the Solomon Islands are putting China’s reputation as a global trading partner at risk.

https://yubanet.com/world/paradise-lost-new-report-reveals-chinas-destructive-illegal-logging-of-solomon-islands-rainforest/