Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (8 May 2021): Solomon Islands, Samoa, Palau, Vanuatu

Pacific anti-corruption journalists call for regional commitment to media freedom.  Marking World Press Freedom Day 2021, the Pacific Anti-Corruption Journalists Network (PACJN) has called for a regional Pacific commitment to boost media freedom

and help increase reporting on activities at risk of corruption…PACJN's media strengthening work is being delivered by the Pacific Islands News Association, which is supported by the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, a joint initiative by UNODC and UNDP supported by the Australian Government and the New Zealand Aid Programme.

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/pacific-anticorruption-journalists-call-for-regional-commitment-to-media-freedom/10807

https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Pacific-anti-corruption-journalists-call-for-regional-commitment-to-media-freedom-fr4x58/

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS

Anti-Corruption Commission Rolls Out Recruitment Plan.  The newly established Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption (SIICAC) office is now rolling out its recruitment Plan.

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/anticorruption-commission-rolls-out-recruitment-plan/10802

 

SAMOA

FAST Leader tells Samoa Head of State calling fresh elections undermine rule of law.  The FAST Party Leader, Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa has written to the Head of State advising that his intention to call for new elections as wrong, unlawful and threaten and undermine the rule of law.

http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=7311941466091c75fc60b8e5545242

 

PALAU

Palau President Whipps first 100 days focus on government realignment.  President Surangel Whipps Jr delivered his first State of The Republic Address…"Our government is being reorganized and realigned to improve services through greater transparency and accountability. Certainly, it is not about scaling down the workforce; instead, it is about improving services."

https://islandtimes.org/president-whipps-first-100-days-focus-on-government-realignment/

 

VANUATU

Vanuatu Parliament Clerk under investigation.  Vanuatu Speaker of Parliament, Gracia Shadrack has appointed a panel to investigate Clerk of Parliament, Raymond Manuaken over allegations of serious misconduct, neglecting of duties and incompetency.

https://dailypost.vu/news/parliament-clerk-under-investigation/article_4aaaaa00-ab95-11eb-9902-0f78634a9dd3.html 

Indonesia pandemic travel / Police corruption research / Measuring business anti-corruption effectiveness

Graft and pandemic travel.  “A number of quarantine breaches by foreign visitors…and a recent scandal in which hundreds of people were tested with used antigen kits…show that some officials and businesses are willing to compromise health protocols for profit…As long as the government fails to combat endemic corruption among officials and improve regulations, it will be very hard to expect safe travel in Indonesia, especially as Idul Fitri approaches.”

The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2021/05/04/graft-and-pandemic-travel.html  

 

Actionable Evidence: What a Donor Learnt about Addressing Police Corruption (Blog).  “What research findings were surprising to you? What was most useful? Surprise: Increasing police salaries alone can increase corruption…[and raising] awareness of corruption can backfire…Our research uncovered several concrete mechanisms, both internal and external, that can promote accountability among police systematically.”

Schuyler Miller and Alessandra Testa/Tufts University: https://sites.tufts.edu/ihs/actionable-evidence-what-a-donor-learnt-about-addressing-police-corruption/  

 

Make it count - Understanding the current and emerging trends in measuring the effectiveness of corporate approaches to anti-corruption (Resource).  “This report explores why and how a company ought to measure the effectiveness of its approach to anti-corruption. We analyse what is understood by “measuring effectiveness”, highlight practical considerations, and provide examples of metrics that are proving useful for companies.”

Transaprency International: https://www.transparency.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/publications/Make%20it%20Count%20-%20Transparency%20International%20UK%20%28web%29.pdf  

Indonesia corruption investigators / Malaysia new police chief / New KickBack podcast

KPK may lose investigators who failed civil exam.  “Reports emerged…that around 75 [of Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)] employees failed the civic knowledge test held by the National Civil Service Agency (BKN) as part of the employee status transition within the antigraft body. The revised KPK Law, which was passed following a speedy deliberation at the House of Representatives in 2019, mandates that all previously independent employees of the agency become civil servants.”

The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2021/05/04/kpk-may-lose-investigators-who-failed-civil-exam.html  

 

Malaysia gets new police chief as the force faces several controversies. “Since taking the role, Mr Hamid has conducted extensive transfer exercises, including those involving state police chiefs, in a bid to reform an institution that is widely perceived to be corrupt.”

Nadirah H. Rodzi/The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-get-new-police-chief-acryl-sani-amid-several-controversies-involving-the-force 

 

New Podcast, Featuring Patrick Alley (Blog/Podcast).  “I interview Patrick Alley, a director and co-founder of Global Witness. Global Witness…is a leading global advocacy organization focused on the inter-related issues of human rights violations, environmental degradation, and grand corruption…Patrick discusses the founding of Global Witness and how his interest in environmental protection in developing countries like Cambodia led him, and the organization, to a greater focus on corruption and illicit financial flows.”

Matthew Stephenson/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2021/04/27/new-podcast-featuring-patrick-alley/    

Public procurement resource guide / Business community calls for UN / Malaysia Najib's appeal prospects

Resource Guide: Building Transparent and Open Public Procurement Systems for Achieving the SDGs in ASEAN.  “Through this guide, UNDP promotes the adoption of a collective action - a multi-stakeholder approach where governments, citizen, and the private sector work together to strengthen transparency and openness in public procurement systems. It maps out existing tools and good practices in the region and beyond, which have been successful in achieving this objective. It also lays out some entry points for policy dialogue on this topic and reforms at the national and subnational levels.”

United Nations Development Programme: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/democratic-governance/resource-guide-building-transparent-and-open-public-procurement-systems-for-achieving-sdgs-in-asean.html  

 

Business leaders and civil society urge UN to take meaningful action to combat corruption.  “The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Integrity Initiatives International (III), along with 96 civil society organizations from over 50 countries, have called on the UN General Assembly to establish an intergovernmental working group to develop proposals for new frameworks and mechanisms to address weaknesses in current international anti-corruption legal frameworks.”

International Chamber of Commerce: https://iccwbo.org/media-wall/news-speeches/business-leaders-and-civil-society-urge-un-to-take-meaningful-action-to-combat-corruption/  

 

Walking Free on Stolen Time, Najib Sees 1MDB Appeal Prospects Improve (Blog).  “The next court, sensing a shift in the political winds, may give Najib’s absurd explanations more credence. The more time that passes—and the more the ruling party is able to manipulate the courts, intimidate the media, and shape public opinion—the less chance there is that Najib and his key co-conspirators will be held accountable for their crimes.”

Jennifer Kline/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2021/04/30/walking-free-on-stolen-time-najib-sees-1mdb-appeal-prospects-improve/  

COVID-19 corruption threatens rights / Policital leaders accountability / Nepal sting operations verdict

How grand corruption during Covid-19 threatens human rights (Blog).  “If grand corruption constituted a significant threat to our human rights before the pandemic, this is now more relevant than ever. Because of the way it undermines health systems and people’s right to healthcare, grand corruption during Covid-19 should be considered a gross violation of basic human rights.”

Daniela Cepeda Cuadrado and Daniel Hausenkamph/U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre: https://medium.com/u4-anti-corruption-resource-centre/how-grand-corruption-during-covid-19-threatens-human-rights-f9abc170968a  

 

How to hold political leaders to account for Covid-19 corruption (Blog).  “In contrast to regional anti-corruption and human rights mechanisms, the [Universal Periodic Review process of the Human Rights Council] has universal participation and an impressive success rate. It offers an accessible platform to take on Covid-19 grand corruption as a global challenge that requires a global solution.”

Daniela Cepeda Cuadrado and Daniel Hausenkamph/U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre: https://medium.com/u4-anti-corruption-resource-centre/how-to-hold-political-leaders-to-account-for-covid-19-corruption-e72751c7134b  

 

CIAA's sting operations.  “The court is yet to issue its full verdict. At this juncture, it will be too difficult to surmise on the possible impacts of the court’s ruling on [Nepal’s] anti-corruption drive. However, what is sure is that the ruling must have put the [Commission for Investigation of the Abuse of Authority] into an awkward position when it is relying on sting operations as a major tool to fight corruption..”

Narayan Manandhar/Lokantar: https://english.lokaantar.com/news/detail/22232/  

Global anti-corruption sanction guidance / Afghanistan mining deals / Mongolia presidential candidates declarations

Guidance - Global anti-corruption sanctions: information note for non-government organisations.  “This note provides further information about the [UK’s Global Anti-Corruption] sanctions regime, including its purpose and scope, and the information required in considering designations. Its aim is to support understanding of the regime for those who may wish to submit information to the [Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office] concerning specific designations.”

Gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-anti-corruption-sanctions-information-note-for-non-government-organisations/global-anti-corruption-sanctions-information-note-for-non-government-organisations  

 

How Afghanistan’s President Helped His Brother Secure Lucrative Mining Deals with a U.S. Contractor.  “In 2019 SOS International (SOSi), a Virginia company with links to the U.S. military, won exclusive access to mines across Afghanistan. President Ashraf Ghani’s brother is a major shareholder of a SOSi subsidiary.”

Margaux Benn and Zack Kopplin/Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project: https://www.occrp.org/en/investigations/how-afghanistans-president-helped-his-brother-secure-lucrative-mining-deals-with-a-us-contractor    

 

Presidential election candidates’ declaration of income, assets will be placed open to public.  “The Presidential Election of Mongolia will be held on June 9, 2021, throughout the country. Pursuant to Article 10.6 of the Anti-Corruption Law, Article 11.2 of the Law on Election, and Article 28.2.3 of the Law on Presidential Election of Mongolia, a candidate for the President of Mongolia shall submit their Declaration of Interest, Income, and Assets to the Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC).”

Baljmaa T./Montsame News Agency: https://montsame.mn/en/read/262181  

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (1 May 2021): PNG, Fiji

COVID procurement under the media microscope.  Pacific anti-corruption journalists investigated the mitigation of potential corruption risks in public procurement in response to COVID-19 during their latest knowledge-sharing session on 28 April, supported by the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project and the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA).

https://www.pacific.undp.org/content/pacific/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2021/covid-procurement-under-the-media-microscope.html

 

PNG

Greater transparency urged on PNG's Covid-19 response.  A transparency group in Papua New Guinea wants the government to release greater detail about how it's funding the Covid-19 response.

https://www.fijitimes.com/greater-transparency-urged-on-pngs-covid-19-response/

 

Accountability is the path to better governance in PNG.  When we look at progress in decentralisation in Papua New Guinea over the last 20 years – the sole continuous and overriding policy priority of successive governments – many challenges remain to improve downstream service delivery. Programming for “social accountability” shifts the focus from government to governance.

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/accountability-path-better-governance-png

 

Fiji

Professor Pal Ahluwalia is still the vice chancellor – USP chancellor.  Professor Pal Ahluwalia is still the vice chancellor of the University of the South Pacific and once issues are cleared at council level, he will be allowed to operate out of any member country outside of Fiji.

https://www.fijitimes.com/professor-pal-ahluwalia-is-still-the-vice-chancellor-usp-chancellor/