The Lavulavus’ court cases do not enhance the government’s reputation and the way the political elite in the Kingdom operate. Sad to say Prime Minister, that in your attempt to make light of the Lavulavus’ guilty verdict, you cunningly brought to the attention of the public and the world, that other schools were involved in these criminal activities. It is now your duty as the PM of Tonga to get a full investigation going. You owe it to all foreign aid donors, to explain what Tonga has done with the funds; and you owe it to every school that you have now accused, by giving them a chance to clear their names and set the record straight. - Senolita Swan
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Results for corruption
Sunday 13 June 2021
1 comment
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Monday 15 March 2021
Sydney, Australia
‘Oku tatala ma’u pe e pulonga ‘o e fifili he taimi ‘oku fasitanunu e ngaahi kaupeau he halafononga ‘o e tangata ha vaaita ‘o e lau ‘ene sivilaise. ‘Oku tu’ula ai ha fifili kiha felave’I ‘o e ngaahi peau faka-mamani-lahi ‘oku ha ho’o kupenga-ope he mahina ‘uluaki ‘o e 2021. Ka, ‘oku tohoaki e tokanga kiha kaveinga ‘e ua kuo ofongi ‘e he Matanga Tonga. ‘Uluaki ko e “Corruption kills people - Hanga 'e he Faihala 'o Faka'auha 'a e Fonua”; ua, ko e “Covid-19” ‘I hono ngaahi fotunga kehekehe. Fakatou’osi kinaua ‘oku na lave’i e ‘Otu Tonga. - 'Inoke Fotu Hu’akau.
Thursday 31 December 2020
Washington DC, USA
Corruption exists in all sectors and its impacts are universally negative, but corruption in public infrastructure is particularly nefarious for low-income countries. Estimates of losses to bribery in construction, which lies downstream from procurement, are as high as 45 percent of construction costs. In some situations, misconduct may not even be considered particularly harmful or wrong by the participants – as illustrated by the oft used term for corruption: the price of doing business. This doesn’t happen in a vacuum; corruption is enabled by the conventions and approaches that have been allowed to develop over time. By Ian Hawkesworth
Tuesday 8 October 2019
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
One of the biggest obstacles to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) is worldwide corruption in the health care industry, which according to a Transparency International report, kills an estimated 140,000 children per year, and holds back the fight against some of the world’s deadliest diseases.
Thursday 11 May 2017
Nadi, Fiji
Youth and students from around 13 Pacific Island countries had the opportunity to put forward their ideas on addressing corruption in a three-day Pacific Youth Anti-Corruption Innovation Lab meeting in Nadi, Fiji last week.
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Thursday 9 March 2017
Berlin, Germany
Corruption is rife in the Asia Pacific region says Transparency International in a recent report revealing just over one in four people living in 16 countries surveyed in the area are estimated to have paid a bribe to access public services. The report did not include Tonga or any other Pacific Island nation, but focused on larger economies in Asia with Australia the only nation in the Pacific region included.
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Thursday 23 February 2017
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Injustice, insecurity and inequality all stem from corruption in governments around the world, according to a Transparency International Defence and Security (TI-DS) released this month. "Corruption is a rallying cry, an enabler and a key modus operandi for IS. ...The failure to grasp this undermines efforts to tackle the rise of violent extremism.” While Tonga is far from breeding the likes of IS, it should be reminded of the consequences of what corrupt activities and the inequalities that stem from it can lead to in the future.
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Tuesday 31 January 2017
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s corruption ranking on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index list has been excluded since 2012 due to insufficient survey information.
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Friday 27 January 2017
Berlin, Germany
Out of 176 countries listed in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 (excluding Tonga) an alarming 69 per cent scored below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived highly corruptible) to 100 (perceived as very clean). The high level of corruption and inequality is leading to a rise in populist politicians and democracies in decline. “We do not have the luxury of time. Corruption needs to be fought with urgency, so that the lives of people across the world improve,” said José Ugaz, Chair of Transparency International.
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Monday 25 July 2016
1 comment
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Out of all of the corruption, malfeasance, bribery and incompetence in Parliament that we have all witnessed over the past 100 years; None of it was done by a woman! Congratulations ‘Akosita Lavulavu and thank you for being willing to serve. – Peni Katoa.
Wednesday 9 December 2015
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu denied allegations of illegal campaigning and corruption in the 2014 General Election, during his evidence to the Supreme Court in Neiafu on Friday, 4 December.
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Saturday 5 December 2015
Neiafu, Vava'u
The trial to hear an election petition filed against Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu for corruption during his 2014 election campaign continued this week with witnesses called by the Petitioner Viliami Uasike Latu, at the Supreme Court in Neiafu.
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Monday 30 November 2015
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A trial to hear an election petition filed against the Minister of Tourism and Vava’u No.16 People’s Representative to Parliament Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu which was to continue today was further adjourned to Tuesday, 1 December in Neiafu.
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Friday 27 November 2015
3 comments
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Prime Minister, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva this afternoon, at a Press Conference, sentenced Hon. ‘Etuate Lavulavu for corruption by terminating his ministerial post as Minister of Infrastructure but retained him as Minister of Tourism without pay for five months as from January 2016. No questions were allowed.
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Wednesday 1 April 2015
1 comment
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Critical letters recently sent to the Prime Minister accuse him and his government of lack of disciplinary action against one or more of his Ministers. - PR Prime Minister's Office
Wednesday 27 August 2014
1 comment
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A lawsuit filed by Tongan MP Sione Taione against the Tongan government, accusing it of unlawfully making payments to three nobles, was rejected by the Supreme Court on Friday 22 August.
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Friday 23 August 2013
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A Senior Commissioned Police Officer has been suspended for alleged connection in corrupt activity with criminals, and may face further disciplinary action.
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Wednesday 10 December 2008
Japan
Japan, the biggest country donor to Vietnam, suspended development aid to the Southeast Asian nation, saying stronger measures must be taken to fight corruption. By Jason Folkmanis and Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen
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Saturday 14 May 2005
3 comments
Auckland, New Zealand
I have noted that in the last 10 years or so the term 'corruption' has been widely used in Tonga and in most cases, it is levelled against those in authority, particularly against the Royal family and the government. And of course, the term is mostly used in the political arena and by the media for various agendas and in most of the cases they have been right in its application.
Friday 23 July 2004
Suva, Fiji
The United States is pushing the multilateral development banks (MDBs) to further strengthen their frameworks for measuring the results of projects they fund so that outcomes can be monitored and assessed, says the Treasury Department's top official for international affairs.
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