British High Commission sponsors new Anti-corruption Initiative
PNG and Pacific participants took part in a series of FCO-sponsored workshops focussed on tackling bribery and corruption.
PNG PM Peter O'Neill with participants from Fiji
From 24 - 26 February, 60 senior representatives, drawn largely from PNG but including Fiji and Solomon Islands public and private sector, met in Port Moresby for a series of FCO-sponsored workshops focused on tackling bribery and corruption and delivering good governance.
UK consultancy firm The International Governance & Risk Institute (GovRisk) led the programme. The three-day programme consisted of sessions on financial crime and public Procurement Fraud.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill speaking at the launch of the workshop said:
I regard corruption as a ‘cancer’ that threatens the very fabric of democracy and representative government. It is also a threat to our basic freedoms.
Funding for the project from the British High Commission in Port Moresby forms part of its continuing efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, increase foreign investment and bilateral trade with PNG. British High Commissioner, Jackie Barson said:
Corruption and money laundering represent serious threats to financial systems and to the development of all countries in which they are prevalent. Through this programme, we aim to provide local authorities with the tools and skill sets they need to tackle such illicit practices in the most effective way possible.
Dominic Le Moignan, Director of GovRisk, added:
This capacity building project will pave the way for PNG to make further strides in its anti-corruption efforts. In so doing, it will serve to bolster confidence among international investors over the integrity of PNG’s financial system and, in turn, encourage greater levels of external investment in the country.
Chairman of PNG’s Task Force Sweep, Mr. Sam Koim said:
Understanding the trends of corruption around the world in areas like procurement fraud and the appropriate skills to combat it are crucial to the fight against corruption. We are grateful to the UK Government for funding these workshops.
