Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (7 September 2019): PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa

PNG:

Paladin's 'high risk' contract with Peren had no corruption oversight.  Home Affairs failed to adequately scrutinise politically connected sub-contractors used by its Manus Island service provider, Paladin, amid concerns from the department's own internal auditor that fraud and corruption controls were lacking.

https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/paladin-s-high-risk-contract-with-peren-had-no-corruption-oversight-20190903-p52new  

Lack of transparency in public administration.  Lack of transparency in public administration continues to be a problem. This is why TI PNG is extending its legal work to other parts of the country to address this issue. The program offers free legal services for victims and witnesses of corruption.  

https://postcourier.com.pg/lack-transparency-public-administration/

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Beijing offers development fund if Solomon Islands breaks diplomatic ties with Taipei.  “It is not a secret that China is the most assertive donor nation offering funding and development assistance that exploit governance gaps in countries with weak or corrupt structures, and makes the gaps wider,” [Transparency Solomon Islands] said in a statement last month.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3025816/beijing-offers-development-fund-if-solomon-islands-breaks

 

VANUATU:

Resource Alert: Ranking AML/CFT risks around the world.  A big problem, it seems, is that when it comes to [anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism (AML/CFT)], technical compliance and effectiveness rarely go hand in hand. Take the Pacific offshore jurisdiction of Vanuatu. Its AML/CFT system meets most of the FATF’s recommendations at a technical level. This means the required laws and institutions are in place.

https://www.fcpablog.com/blog/2019/9/4/resource-alert-ranking-amlcft-risks-around-the-world.html

 

SAMOA:

'The silence is suffocating': family abuse 'epidemic' uncovered in Samoa. “A lot of the other organisations, because they’re part of the government, are tainted by corruption. They can’t really speak out,” said Maluseu Doris Tulifau, a survivor of domestic violence.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/sep/03/family-abuse-epidemic-uncovered-in-samoa

 

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

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

Maria Lee, Peace & Development Administrative Assistant, UNDP/UNODC, maria.lee@undp.org