$214,751 worth of equipment to SIICAC
By EDDIE OSIFELO
THE Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption (SIICAC) has received a boost to its efforts to tackle corruption in the country.
This was after they took delivery of ICT equipment worth $214,751 from the United National Development Programme (UNDP) and Japanese Government yesterday.
The equipment were procured under the Transparency and Accountability Project (TAP) established between UNDP, the Japanese Government and the Solomon Islands Government.
UNDP Resident Representative, Levan Bouadze said this is to ensure SIICAC and the Anticorruption Secretariat has the digital capacity and the necessary resources to undertake the enormous tasks placed upon it.
Bouadze said since 2012, UNDP through its regional programme has been working to strengthen the anti-corruption landscape across the Pacific.
In addition, SIICAC Director General John Kouni has welcomed the generous support from both partners.
Kouni said for any anti-corruption body to carry out its task, it must by fully resourced mainly with human capacity, ongoing training so that they know exactly their work,
He added it also needs resources in terms of facility and working tools.
“We value this assistance, not in monetary terms but what it can deliver in fighting corruption in the country.
“The use of this equipment will go a long way to assist in fighting corruption in the country,” Kouni said.
Furthermore, Deputy Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy & Programmes), Tony Kabasi said the support of ICT equipment’s to the Anti-Corruption Secretariat, under the OPMC Policy & Program and the Anti-Corruption Commission is timely and crucial.
He said the donated ICT equipment’s will ensure the newly established Anti-Corruption Commission and the role of the Anti-Corruption Secretariat to coordinate and facilitate the integrity institutions framework are resourced and equipped with the relevant ICT needs for its operation including processing, storing, and communicating of relevant information.
Moreover, the Ambassador of Japan to Solomon Islands, Miwa Yoshiaki said fighting corruption is not easy.
He said there maybe two alternative ways to fight corruption.
“The first one is very democratic, where you expect the initiative of the civil society to create common understanding and red line that we should never go beyond.
“Another is very extreme, which I don’t support at all. It is authoritarianism and very strict. People will fear the strict procedures of the government. That kind of procedure should not contribute to the development of our society,” he said.
Yoshiaki said there should be deeper understanding of culture and common understanding in the society.
UNDP and Japanese Government have supported SIICAC on the Transparency and Accountability Project, TAP since 2018.
Under the project, UNDP has supported SIICAC and the anti-corruption secretariat with the refurbishment of the office and with the purchase of equipment and furniture crucial to the setup of the new office.
