LONDON (TrustLaw) - Here is our selection of anti-corruption stories from TrustLaw and other media for the week ending October 17
Global
INTERVIEW-Weak governance of climate change finance may fuel corruption
TrustLaw, UK
The pressure to deliver large amounts of funding quickly to help poor countries cope with climate change is raising concerns the money could be misallocated or fuel corruption, an expert with anti-graft watchdog Transparency International has warned. Lisa Elges, climate governance programme manager at the Berlin-based organisation, said agreement has yet to be reached on how countries should track and account for the climate change assistance they are starting to receive through a range of channels.
Africa
Anti-corruption task team to begin operating soon
Mail & Guardian, South Africa
The newly formed anti-corruption task team will start operating in the next few weeks, the head of South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit, Willie Hofmeyr, said. The anti-corruption task team, a sub-committee of the justice, crime prevention and security cluster, was formed in July to coordinate the work of law enforcement agencies and watchdog bodies. The task team's main duty is to perform high priority criminal investigations when more than R5-million ($729,000) in assets is seized.
The Standard, Kenya
The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) is opposed to the re-opening of Charterhouse Bank until investigations into its dealings are completed. KACC boss PLO Lumumba said the commission has received additional information on the activities that led to the bank’s closure. Charterhouse Bank was placed under Central Bank of Kenya’s statutory management in 2006 over claims of money laundering and tax evasion. The parliamentary committee on Finance, Planning and Trade, however, wants the bank reopened, arguing the reasons for its takeover were biased and that they no longer made sense.
KACC changes tack in graft fight
Daily Nation, Kenya
The Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC) is reaching out to Kenyans living outside Nairobi to sensitise them on the effects of corruption on the economy. To fast track the process, KACC is setting up regional offices to address issues related to graft at the grassroots. "We are moving out of Integrity Centre (the Commission’s headquarters in Nairobi) to set up regional and county offices across the country. "We want everybody to know the evils of graft and to help us fight it,” the Preventive Services assistant director Prof Onsongo told a public session in Migori Town.
South Asia & Asia-Pacific
Pakistan Supreme Court postpones hearing in corruption case against president
The Washington Post, U.S.
Pakistan's Supreme Court has postponed a hearing in a corruption case that has pitted the government against the judiciary and could threaten the civilian administration of President Asif Ali Zardari. The court struck down an amnesty in December that had shielded Zardari and thousands of other officials from prosecution for graft and other crimes. It has since demanded that the government demonstrate that it is pursuing the cases, including an old money-laundering case against Zardari in Switzerland.
Global raids target Reserve Bank firm
The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is reeling after federal police and overseas agencies launched global raids to uncover evidence of corruption and bribery involving Securency, the RBA subsidiary that makes banknotes. Raids in Melbourne, Britain, Spain and other countries targeted homes and offices of people with alleged links to the payment of millions of dollars in bribes by Securency to foreign officials, including politicians and bankers, between the late 1990s and 2009.
Indonesia builds trust and fights corruption
International Herald Tribune, U.S.
Last month, the International Monetary Fund praised Indonesia’s achievements over the past decade, but it also said the country should make it a priority to address weaknesses in law enforcement, transparency and governance. Indonesia has taken a step in that direction by asking to join the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, a coalition that seeks to improve governance in resource-rich countries by verifying and publicising government revenue from oil, natural gas and mining. By joining this initiative, Indonesia hopes to combat corruption in such industries.
Malaysia lauded for fighting corruption
Malaysia Star, Malaysia
Malaysia has been lauded by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for making good progress in combating corruption. Its deputy secretary-general Mario Amano said the country, through the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), had taken some very positive steps to nip the problem in the bud. Amano said the OECD is pleased that Malaysia is treating both giving and receiving bribes as crimes and added that imposing tough jail sentences and fines for individuals and companies are steps in the right direction. The government’s efforts to combat corruption under the GTP include setting up a public name database of offenders, compliance unit and an integrity pact between government and vendors to promote transparency.
North America
U.S. to drop Jim Clark corruption conviction
AnchorageDaily News, U.S.
The U.S. attorney's office said that it will agree to remove the corruption conviction of Jim Clark, wiping out the criminal record of the man who was once the most powerful unelected official in Alaska. Clark, former chief of staff to Gov. Frank Murkowski, last month sought to have his charge thrown out under a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the law barring conflicts of interest under which he, and many other public and corporate officials around the country, have been convicted. In his filing in U.S. District Court in Anchorage, assistant U.S. attorney Kevin Feldis agreed that Clark's 2008 guilty plea was to a felony that no longer exists.
Europe
Police to investigate Vanhanen’s conflict of interest case
Helsingin Sanomat, Finland
The Constitutional Law Committee of the Finnish Parliament has decided to ask for a police investigation into a possible conflict of interest that former Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen may have had when he took part in a decision on the distribution of revenues from the state-owned Finnish Slot Machine Association (RAY). One of the recipients of RAY money was Nuorisosaatio, a youth housing foundation with close ties to Vanhanen’s Centre Party. The foundation gave a considerable donation to Vanhanen’s presidential election campaign in 2006.
Moscow needs to terminate corruption crisis, business chiefs say
The Moscow News, Russia
California governor and Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger may be full of praise for Russia’s visionary approach to business innovation – but entrepreneurs on the ground are calling on the authorities to terminate corruption. At the same time as Arnie and his business colleagues were doing the PR thing over plans for a Slavic Silicon Valley, members of Delovaya Rossiya picked out Moscow and Moscow Region as the worst places to do business in Russia. And as they prepare for a meeting with Vladimir Putin the business group is hoping to say “Hasta la vista!” to red tape and rapacious apparatchiks.
Latin America and Caribbean
Corruption-free govt: Kamla tells Trinidadians in England
Trinidad & Tobago Express, Trinidad
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has stressed she intends to run a corruption-free government. "I intend to lead a government that will build a country that places the highest value and integrity in public life through accountability and transparency," Persad-Bissessar told a spillover audience of Trinidadians and Tobagonians domiciled in the UK. She reiterated she will not permit wrong-doing in her administration and spoke of plans for procurement legislation. Her comments came days after she ordered a halt to an $83 million contract awarded to two companies, Harry Persad and Sons Ltd and United Engineering Services Ltd, for the upgrade of runway lighting at Piarco and Crown Point international airports respectively.
Anti-corruption department to investigate famed economist
Dominican Today, Dominican Republic
Anti-Corruption Department (DPCA) director Hotoniel Bonilla announced an investigation into a contract signed by economist Andy Dauhajre with the state-owned Power Companies (CDEEE), via which Dauhajre’s Economy and Development Foundation was paid RD$11.75 million ($315,000) for a consultation that CDEEE CEO Celso Marranzini calls nothing more than a “Power Point” presentation. Dauhajre however affirms that his foundation did provide the consultancy in the negotiations between the government’s agencies with the private power companies.
Middle East
Panel to finalise anti-corruption law
Kuwait Times, Kuwait
The parliament's legislative affairs committee is planning to finalise its report on anti-corruption and financial assets disclosure draft laws. This will be done during the meeting scheduled to be held next Sunday, regardless of whether the cabinet spells out its policies on these laws or not. The committee MP Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabae said that it cannot wait any longer for the cabinet to provide its report, "especially since the time period that they had asked for had already expired a year ago”.
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