PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare says Solomon Island has made good progress so far in the fight against corruption.
Sogavare made the statement when delivering his nation-wide address which coincidentally falls on this year’s World Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, 2020.
He said the appointment of the Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption [SIICAC] is the way forward for the country to help address corruption.
“We have appointed our very first Solomon Island Director-General to lead the anti-corruption Secretariat,” he said.
Sogavare said the Commission and the Director-General also commemorated the Anti-Corruption Day in Gizo, in Western Province yesterday.
“I applaud the decision by the Commission to diversify the celebration of the anti-corruption day to include our provinces. This event should not only be celebrated at the national capital all the time,” he said.
He said the anti-corruption day provides an opportunity for Solomon Islands as a nation and as a people to commit and collectively work together to prevent and address corruption.
“If corruption is not addressed, it can have devastating consequences for our economy. It will undermine our ability to effectively address many challenges facing us, including the COVID-19 Pandemic,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the theme for the 2020 Anti-Corruption Day is to be United Against Corruption and ‘Recover with Integrity to Build Forward Better’.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
Honiara Newsroom
