Corruption deepens COVID impact / Freedom of expression and corruption / Bangladesh anti-corruption performance

 

 

From: ap-intact@groups.undp.org <ap-intact@groups.undp.org>
Sent: Monday, February 8, 2021 6:59 AM
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Subject: [ap-intact] Corruption deepens COVID impact / Freedom of expression and corruption / Bangladesh anti-corruption performance

 

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Corruption deepens COVID impact in developing Asia: report.  “Asia has fared relatively poorly in Transparency International's latest report on public sector corruption across the globe, with the civil society group drawing a link between some countries' below-par performance and questionable handling of COVID-19.”

Dylan Loh/Nikkei Asia: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Corruption-deepens-COVID-impact-in-developing-Asia-report     

 

Lack of transparency (Opinion).  “When we refuse people the right to speak and when there is a threat hanging over all those who dare to do so, then corruption can only grow and become more deeply embedded in the soil of the land.”

Kamila Hyat/The News: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/784577-lack-of-transparency  

 

A disappointing performance once again (Opinion).  “What particularly contributes to [Bangladesh’s] non-delivery of the zero-tolerance pledge, and hence poor performance in CPI, is the ever intensifying linkages among politics, big money and corruption which have been taking an institutional shape, causing detachment of public interest from the decisions and actions of the state.”

Iftehkharuzzaman/The Daily Star: https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/news/disappointing-performance-once-again-2035785  

Thank you to Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Transparency International Bangladesh for sharing this article.

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Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (6 February 2021): Fiji, Vanuatu

FIJI

SODELPA referred to FICAC for breaches.  The Registrar of Political Parties has referred the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) to the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption (FICAC) for breaches of the Political Parties Act.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/politics/sodelpa-referred-to-ficac-for-breaches/

$50 Bribe Lands Former LTA Officer 8 Months Behind Bars.  He had denied the charge [of accepting the bribe to pass a vehicle without conducting a fitness inspection] but was found guilty and convicted accordingly.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2021/01/29/50-bribe-lands-former-lta-officer-8-months-behind-bars/

Corruption Index 2020 Shows Nations Struggling To Combat it.  While the Asia Pacific region is diverse in both size and scale, most countries still struggle to improve their anti-corruption efforts. Some bright spots exist where countries have made substantial gains to build integrity.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2021/01/30/corruption-index-2020-shows-nations-struggling-to-combat-it/

Whistle-blower vice-chancellor deported after midnight raid by Fiji police.  Fiji police have carried out a midnight raid at the home of Pal Ahluwalia, the vice-chancellor of the prestigious University of the South Pacific, and summarily deported him on orders of the prime minister…Ahluwalia’s previous exposure of allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement under previous university administrations has angered the Fijian government.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/05/whistleblower-vice-chancellor-deported-after-midnight-raid-by-fiji-police

 

VANUATU

Vanuatu public prosecutor files against a former Prime Minister Charlot Salwai.  Vanuatu's public prosecutor, Josiah Ludvaune, has filed an appeal against a Supreme Court judgement on corruption and bribery charges against former prime minister Charlot Salwai and three others.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/435871/in-brief-news-from-around-the-pacific-5-february

 

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

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

Chinese company anti-corruption campaign / Mining transparency framework / Supreme Audit Institutions' role

Tencent fires 100 employees, blacklists 37 firms in anti-graft campaign.  “Tencent Holdings Ltd [China’s biggest social media and video games company] named 37 companies it had blacklisted from future contracts and said it has fired more than 100 staff over embezzlement and bribery incidents.”

Pei Li and Brenda Goh/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tencent-corruption-idUSKBN2A30DW  

 

Miners using new ESG and transparency framework.  “Mining Shared Value (MSV), a non-profit initiative of Engineers Without Borders announced that four mining companies have now adopted the Mining Local Procurement Reporting Mechanism (LPRM)…[It] is structured like the Global Reporting Initiative, providing a set of disclosures for companies to provide information on key elements, such as local procurement policies, how much is spent in host countries, and supplier development programmes.”

Mining.com: https://www.mining.com/miners-using-new-esg-and-transparency-framework/ 

 

Combating Corruption By Promoting Transparency.  The analysis…confirmed [Supreme Audit Institutions] are principal agencies in this endeavor [to promote transparency and combat corruption] and points to a continued emphasis on auditors to identify corrupt practices and fraud indicators.”

Dr. Sutthi Suntharanurak, Pitikhun Nilthanom, Pattarawarin Boonchoo, Sutthida Paiboon, Pimlapas Somla & Phongsawat Maneewong/International Journal of Government Auditing: http://intosaijournal.org/combating-corruption-by-promoting-transparency/  

Bangladesh journey towards anti-corruption / Nepal year of corruption / Mega Sport Event infrastructure corruption

The journey towards fighting corruption (Opinion).  “In Bangladesh, economic growth has so far been autonomous of governance to a large extent. However, to improve the efficiency of development efforts and to propel economic growth, corruption has to be rooted out.”

Fahmida Khatun/The Daily Star: https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/macro-mirror/news/the-journey-towards-fighting-corruption-2037057  

 

A year of corruption (Opinion).  “In a pandemic year tarnished by corruption scandal after corruption scandal involving officials from the ruling Nepal Communist Party government, it was no wonder that the perception of corruption in the country would take a beating.”

Bhadra Sharma/the Record: https://www.recordnepal.com/wire/features/a-year-of-corruption/  

 

Why corruption exists in Mega Sport Event infrastructure and what to do about it. “[Engineers Against Poverty] publishes its latest research on the ramifications of corruption in Mega Sport Event (MSEs) infrastructure, a reoccurring issue in MSE history. The research outlines how key issues in infrastructure delivery such as poor planning and ineffective channels to report wrongdoing can be addressed, with our recommendations centred on principles of transparency and collaboration.”

Engineers Against Poverty: http://engineersagainstpoverty.org/news/why-corruption-exists-in-mega-sports-event-infrastructure-and-what-to-do-about-it/

Viet Nam anti-corruption czar stays / Thailand faring pooly on graft / Transparency Public Procurement Rating Report

Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam's anti-corruption czar, crowned party chief again. “Trong, 76, winning a rare third term as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party…combines decades at the pinnacles of power with the cultivated image of a frugal wordsmith…Famed for his “blazing furnace” crackdown on corruption, Trong’s Communist Party has also been criticised by human rights groups for a crackdown on dissent.”

James Pearson/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-vietnam-politics-trong/nguyen-phu-trong-vietnams-anti-corruption-czar-crowned-party-chief-again-idUSKBN2A006T

 

Faring poorly for graft (Editorial).  “Although the [Corruption Perception Index] reflects only public perception, the ranking is no exaggeration where Thailand is concerned. The new coronavirus outbreak that was linked to migrant worker smuggling and gambling dens is proof of rampant corruption in state agencies.”

Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2060339/faring-poorly-for-graft

 

2020 Report of Transparent Public Procurement Rating (Report).  “The report is based on the evaluation of 40 countries worldwide, spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and Americas…The TPPR Methodology is envisioned to be a universal methodology for assessing public procurement legislations (PPLs) with the ultimate goal of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of relevant legal frameworks.”

Institute for Development of Freedom of Information: https://idfi.ge/en/transparent_public_procurement_rating-report_2020 

CPI top countries / Philippines railways ex-official / Banking sector accountability

CPI 2020: trouble at the top – an analysis.  “Here we look at some of the biggest corruption issues facing countries in the top 25 of the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index, with scores of 67 and above…Unaccountable financial services…enabling flows of corrupt cash…politics in the interest of a few…exporting corruption along with goods and services…[and] forgetting integrity in the panic of a crisis.”

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2020-trouble-at-the-top   

 

Ex-PNR top official convicted of graft for illegal deals.  “The [Philippine anti-corruption court] Sandiganbayan has found Manuel Andal, former general manager of the Philippine National Railways, guilty of graft for illegally approving contracts in 2009…He was also asked by the court to reimburse the government P86.5 million (approx. US$1.8 mil), which is the amount of public funds unlawfully spent in one of the transactions.”

AC Nicholls/CNN Philippines: https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/1/27/PNR-general-manager-Manuel-Andar-graft.html      

 

“See No Evil, Hear No Evil” – How to Reinforce Banking Sector Accountability (Blog).  “While it may not be immediately obvious, there is a link between behavior and accountability involving the banking sector to many important causes, like anti-corruption, anti-human trafficking, countering terrorist finance, and much more. This blog highlights the rationale for this investigative work and offers five suggestions on how funders can help scale its impact.”

Richard Christel/Transparnecy & Accountability Initiative: https://www.transparency-initiative.org/blog/7304/how-to-reinforce-banking-sector-accountability/  

Vaccine momentum for transparency / China asset manager executed / Thailand navy officials investigated

Will COVID-19 be the shot in the arm that improves pharmaceutical pricing transparency? (Blog).  “What is clear is that transparency is essential to providing confidence that public funds are used effectively and in the public interest, particularly during times of crisis when huge sums of money are being spent and contracts are being allocated at speed. This could not be more important when it comes to government contracts with vaccine manufacturers.”

Natalie Rhodes/Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/will-covid-19-be-the-shot-in-the-arm-that-improves-pharmaceutical-pricing-transparency   

China executes former asset management chief for corruption.  “China has executed [Lai Xiaomin] the former head of one of its biggest asset management companies who was convicted of corruption, a punishment that has drawn sharp criticism from international human rights experts…Lai was found guilty of taking bribes amounting to Rmb1.8bn ($280m) over a 10-year period when he worked at Huarong Asset Management and before that at the China Banking Regulatory Commission.”

Edward White and Sun Yu/Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/820cf0ec-09a7-4d2e-a86d-897de725d712  

16 Thai Navy officials investigated for alleged involvement in drug trafficking.  “The Royal Thai Navy is investigating 16 of its officials for alleged involvement in a drug trafficking operation…[in] Nong Khai [province] which borders Laos…2 Navy officers took the drugs from local officials, saying they would secure the evidence and hold a press conference, which never happened, according to a complaint filed with the Anti-Corruption Police by the Crime Victims Assistance Club chairperson.”

Caitlin Ashworth/The Thaiger: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/16-thai-navy-officials-investigated-for-alleged-involvement-in-drug-trafficking