Suidani ousted from post ‘after turning down Chinese bribes’

Daniel Suidani, an outspoken critic of the Solomon Islands’ closer ties with China, was ousted as premier of Malaita in early February after refusing “huge” bribes from Chinese businesses who threatened to have

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PNG climate change officials accused of skimming US$1.3 million in public funds

Senior staff at the government body responsible for carrying out Papua New Guinea’s climate change response are facing major criminal proceedings after the alleged misappropriation of more than $2 million (US$1.3

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PNG Police take video of meth session

Papua New Guinea Police Commissioner David Manning has confirmed that a video circulating on social media, showing officers allegedly smoking methamphetamine is being investigated by the National Drug and Vice Squad.

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Sacked health chief hits ‘blatant corruption’ in Marshall Islands

Jack Niedenthal, who was recently “fired” as health secretary of the Marshall Islands, blasted the national government for turning a blind eye to the “blatant corruption” involving “greedy

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PNG sitting on time bomb regarding synthetic drugs

Papua New Guinea is sitting on a ticking bomb regarding the selling and consumption of synthetic drugs, says a senior policeman in charge of the fight against drugs. Donald Yamasombi, head of the illicit and narcotics

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Six PNG police officers charged with distributing meth

In a major crackdown on distribution of methamphetamine in Papua New Guinea, six police officers from National Capital District (NCD) and Central are now facing court over their alleged involvement in the distribution,

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South Africa’s wanted fugitives Guptas are now citizens of Vanuatu

South Africa’s Director-General of the justice department advocate Dr Mashabane said on Friday they only just learnt that the Guptas are citizens of Vanuatu in the Pacific islands. “In the communication we

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Most meth labs foreign owned and run by Papua New Guineans

Intelligence reports detail Papua New Guinea allegedly has more than 15 methamphetamine (meth) manufacturing laboratories. About seven of them are operating in nation’s capital with clandestine laboratories, three in

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PNG drugs suspects remanded

A Lae district court in Papua New Guinea has rejected bail for an expatriate and six Papua New Guineans implicated in the K35 million (US$9.9 million) methamphetamine bust in Lae last Tuesday. All seven, appearing from

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Fraudulent cases against PNG MPs gathering dust

Three men sat there, few computers, a single printer sitting idle at the entrance, no telephones, papers piled up, and folders everywhere one would guess none have been reopened or attempted to be read fraudulent case

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Marape orders corruption watchdog to investigate PNG Ports

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape says the country’s corruption watchdog will investigate the state-owned PNG Ports Corporation in response to revelations by the ABC. Last week the ABC’s

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K100,000 paid for trio’s release: Tsiamalili MP

A ransom of K100,000 (US$28,000) was paid to armed bandits to secure the release of Australian-based Professor Bryce Barker and two local female researchers on Sunday, says Papua New Guinea Internal Security Minister

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PNG Police to ensure safe release of hostages

Papua New Guinea security personnel are authorised to use the full force of the law to secure the people being held in Bosavi, Nipa-Kutubu, Southern Highlands Province, by an armed criminal gang since Sunday, February

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PNG a ‘highly corrupt country’, report shows

Papua New Guinea has maintained its place as a highly corrupt country on the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Report, this time dropping one point down to a low 30 out of 180 countries. Apart from this one-point drop, PNG

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Two FSM nationals guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering

The Federated States of Micronesia’s Supreme Court has found two of its nationals guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conflict of interest, in a case involving an unlawful international shipping

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Nauru’s Dame caught in alleged corruption in Bangkok

The Bangkok home of a former Nauru diplomat, Onassis Dame has been raised by Thai police in connection with an alleged scheme to forge Chinese and Nauru passports. According to media reports, the residence was used as a

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An update on the “good governance coup”: political will and corruption in Fiji

In 2006 Fiji’s current prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, seized power from a government that had been elected only seven months earlier. Named the “good governance coup”, the takeover was justified by concerns

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Opinion: Bribe or gift … which one is it?

Much has been written and even more has been talked about on the “coconut wireless” in recent years about attempted bribes and other forms of corruption throughout these islands. Money and all-expenses-paid trips to

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Australian pilot sentenced to 18 years in PNG

An Australian pilot linked to the biggest drug bust in Papua New Guinea has been convicted and jailed for 18 years. The Waigani National Court on Friday sentenced David John Cutmore, 57, of Williams Landing, Queensland,

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PACIFICi Portal to assist investigative anti-corruption efforts

With the Pacific Island region increasingly impacted by organised transnational crime, international drug and people smuggling, money laundering and corruption, a new web-based investigative tool, PACIFICi, is set to

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Pacific Islands increasingly used as crime transit point, experts say 

The Pacific islands are increasingly being used as a transit point for transnational crime, including drug trafficking and money laundering, experts say. Criminal organisations from Asia and the Americas are exploiting

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Corruption, a major impediment to PNG businesses

Corruption in the systems of government has continued to be a major impediment to businesses, the Small Medium Enterprises, new investors as well as existing companies operating in Papua New Guinea. The director of the

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Opinion: High-stakes drama in Marshall Islands or just another day at the office?

A word of free advice: if you’re going to try to bribe legislators to create a special zone to attract at best suspicious investment, don’t do it as an officer of a non-governmental organisation you formed in the

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‘Black eye’ for Marshall Islands: Hilda on alleged bribery scandal

The arrest and extradition to the United States last week of two naturalised Marshallese citizens indicted by the Justice Department for allegedly bribing multiple elected leaders is “a big black eye for the

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