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5 ways the Pacific region can recover with integrity in 2021

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By Joseph Veramu and Mariam Mathew The Team from Fiji National University Dept of Ethics & Governance, Instructional Design Section, Pacific Youth Forum Against Corruption, Youths for Integrity, CLCT Integrity Fiji FICAC Fijian Parliament meeting at Tanoa Plaza to finalise the MOOC Online Free Anti Corruption Course that will be rolled out to the Pacific Region on Jan 18 2021 While the whole world looks hopefully ahead to 2021 as a year of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme for this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day on 9 December, “Recover with Integrity” has a particular relevance for the Pacific region. In April this year, parts of the Pacific experienced a double crisis, with Cyclone Harold wreaking destruction in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga on top of the public health emergency. In addition to the economic disruption, tragic loss of life and widespread damage, the Category 5 storm and the virus have both created risks of further exploitation of

Procurement Processes in Fiji and Strategies for Curbing Corruption

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  Joseph Veramu CLCT: Integrity Fiji: Supported by Transparency International In the Financial Year from August 2020 to July 2021, a little more than $1.2 billion will be spent by the Fijian Government on various goods and services. This entails small items being purchased like stationeries to huge projects like the construction of roads and bridges. Like other states globally where so much money changes hands, there are always temptations to succumb to corrupt practices for personal gain. Fbc.news.com reported on 23/5/2020 that the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) revealed that more than $1.6 million has been lost due to corruption in the public procurement sector. FICAC cases involving alleged procurement scams make up approximately 18 percent of all their cases. They have 17 cases pending before the court. FICAC is in the process of preparing a comprehensive training program for those involved in public procurement. FICAC notes that it is evident that corru