Solomons government takes first step against corruption

Transcript

The Solomon Islands government says it is taking the first step this week towards honouring its election promise to fight corruption in the country.

A three day workshop which starts on Tuesday in Honiara brings together various stakeholders to look at how to set up Solomon Islands first Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Government spokesperson Alfred Sasako says the consultations aim to create a roadmap for the establishment of  the anti-corruption body.

ALFRED SASAKO:  The Solomon Islands has always been and continues to be described as a country that is getting deeper and deeper into corrupt practices and no one seems to be having the foresight to look at how we address this issue because it gives us an image that no one wants to be associated with, either in the Pacific, in the region or in the international arena.  When the Democratic Coalition for Change government came into office in December, one of the priority areas that the Prime Minister Honourable Manasseh Sogavare has made it his number one priority is to fight corruption or at least to establish a mechanism that will start the process in putting things in place that will deal with corruption.

KOROI HAWKINS:  I understand there's a workshop looking at some developments that have been made in this regard, in going towards getting an ICAC, what is that all about?

AS:  It's the beginning of a process of how can the stakeholders work together, how can we move this thing forward?  We'll be having some people like for example, from Papua New Guinea, we will have someone from Timor Leste who will also be here to share their experience with us.  We are hoping that we could learn some of the fundamentals about setting up an independent commission against corruption.  It's a long process but I think the fact that the government has moved to deliver on that policy initiative, it's a welcome move and I think one that will be recognised and supported by international donors as well.

KH:  This has been something that has been promised by several governments over the last couple of decades.  Do you think this will result in some concrete progress towards this, this time, for this term?

AS:  That's the hope we have. As you know, many countries in the region, mainly in the Melanesian so-called 'arc of instability', are governed by coalition so in spite of some very good grounds being gained, continuing with addressing this or putting the whole thing in place continues to be a problem.  We see that the fact that members of the public here in Honiara are always up in arms about corruption that they would give the present government, the present coalition, the opportunity to go through with this initiative so at least we begin to deal with people who are either caught or who are alleged to have been involved of corruption or another.  To answer your question I think this is the first move towards establishing this independent commission against corruption.  We'll be continuing the process well after the workshop is over so that we keep improving, making sure that we don't overlook any area of importance to the work of the commission.