Part of the Roadmap.
Since February 2007 when the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) was formed, the corruption unit has received close to 9,000 complaints of alleged corrupt practices within Government Ministries and commercial arms of Government as well as NGOs that have received Government assistance, but to date only 400 charges have been laid and 79 people prosecuted.
With the backlog of cases and the number of complaints increasing (there were nearly 4,000 this year), Government has announced a new Office of Accountability and Transparency; given more teeth to the Reserve Bank, and approved stronger penalties at corporate and individual level to fight corruption. More, and more specialized, staff will be employed to pursue outstanding cases that include charges against deposed PM Laisenia Qarase and former heads of Government-owned institutions.
A further measure, announced by the PM in his Budget address, will be the establishment by the Reserve Bank of an Exports Proceeds Monitoring Unit (EPMU) that will ensure all export proceeds are remitted to Fiji subject to the Exchange Controls Act, monitor transfer pricing, and impose heavier penalties for false declarations and abuse. Where companies are so indicted, their directors shall be personally liable for both criminal and civil prosecution. Bainimarama said, “If we’re giving businesses various incentives through, for example, reduced corporate tax rates, then these companies and their directors must be scrupulously compliant. Similarly if a citizen applies for assistance, he or she should expect to face the full brunt of the law if he or she makes a false declaration to get that assistance.”
The services of the FICAC’s Community and Education Department,created in April to increase community awareness programme on corruption, will also be expanded. The Department has already carried out anti-corruption awareness work in 39 Government sections, 16 Public Service Commission workshops, 39 high schools, six of Fiji’s 14 provinces, and two tertiary institutions. Roving Complaints Officers attended these sessions to receive complaints from people who do not have access to the FICAC offices.
One of the reasons Bainimarama gave for staging the 2006 Coup was to mount a "clean up" campaign against corruption. Progress has been slow. Court cases require meticuously planning. It would have been great had NZ offered to help by seconding forensic accountants, but progress is being made. -- Sources one two three
5 comments:
As time passes, more and more corrupt individuals and their insidious accomplices are becoming revealed. Two hours spent in court yesterday were not a waste of time. They revealed that we still have incompetent and possibly compromised lawyers ready to take on clients whose conduct is worthy of forensic scrutiny. Until we arrive at convictions and hefty terms of imprisonment and/or fines of considerable magnitude, we shall not be 'out of the woods'. These fines and prison terms must be exemplary "pour encourager les autres" towards honesty. Corrupt conduct at whatever level of our society and institutions will be rooted out. All who are associated with it must be put on notice. We are "on to you"! You will be brought to book. Those who have colluded with you and whose palms have been amply greased by you will also be brought in. Justice will now be served to the long-suffering people of Fiji. A worthy Christmas gift?
People in New Zealand and in Australia who doubt the immensity of the task facing Fiji should occasionally ask themselves this question: "What would we have done had we been placed in a similar situation: a State held hostage to incompetence and corruption let loose through elections which were demonstrably also corrupt". A day will come when it will be seen that the ordinary people of Fiji had to mobilise to save their country, to save their savings, to save their self respect against the wiles, the greed and the deceits of an enmeshed cabal of 'Smooth Operators'. So wily that they hoodwinked Australian and New Zealand politicians into believing they were worthy of their support. Meanwhile, Fiji and its honest citizens fell into the moat with the castle walls collapsing. All that was required of the Michael Fields and the Barbara Dreavers was that they should have spent an hour or two in the Courts of Fiji unravelling the truth of our situation. Years hence, they will come to see that.
Wait a minute! What is to be done with a Police Force which is increasingly shown to be 'not up to par'? This is now evident. Evident because it is clear in the courts that the Fiji Police in many places are still letting us down. Senior Officers are still colluding where they ought not. There is NO excuse for them. Not now. They are doing us all a gross disservice.
Lot of people say progress is slow on corruption but i think this is due to an expectation gap. Corruption/Fraud in Fiji has been proven to be widespread and the prosecution of fraud always is difficult and takes time.
has anyone been following what has been happening at Fijian Holdings. This is the prime example of extensive and widespread corruption. Govt gives money to Fijian Holdings which was meant to be for the benefit of all Fijians but ownership/benefits is ocntrolled by a few elite ex Qarase clique.
the Fijian Holdings example was one of Fraud at a national level but no-one seems to be paying attention to it. How much more fraud do we want to see.
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