SI does not improve in corruption

TSI: On the 11^th of February, 2025, Transparency International launched the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 180 countries and territories around the world including Solomon Islands. The CPI score measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption (the Machinery of Government perceived corruption levels). 

The scores reflect the viewers of experts and surveys from businesspeople and not the public sector, using data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting companies, think tanks and others.  It uses a score from 0 to 100; where 100 is very clean and 0 is highly corrupt.  

It captures public sector corruption, such as bribery and diversion of public funds, and considers how effective the prosecution of corruption cases is, the adequacy of legal frameworks, access to information and legal protections for whistleblowers, journalists and investigators. 

Here in Solomon Islands public sector these are repeated findings of the Auditor General’s Audit Reports of public funds or peoples’ funds. It is therefore no surprise that the CPI Score for Solomon Islands public sector 2024 remained at 43 (Rank 76). This is how our country’s public sector has measured up. 

Over the last four years, the government efforts to tackle corruption remains stagnant, and the millions that is given to Inter-governmental Agencies has not had much effect either.  What is wrong with the efforts put into fighting corruption.  

It is common knowledge that the peak corruption fighting body of the government the Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption for the last five years was starved of resources both financial and human resources. Are these the only issues we have or are there any other issues. We also know that funds were disbursed through Inter-governmental agency for the fight against corruption both from our own government and our development partners but our score still stagnates at 43.  

Time to stop and re-examine our efforts collectively for more impactful programming, legislative reforms that have teeth to bite and resourcing of Institutions of Integrity and Accountability to do their part tackling corruption and bringing back integrity into our Machinery of Government, trust in our political leaders and those who sit in positions of power with our entrusted power. 

The average score for 2024 is 43 and Solomon Islands has just done enough to ensure it did not drop.  Let us do more to improve like our neighbor Vanuatu who is amongst the countries globally that achieved its highest score yet in 2024 of 50. 

Our neighbor New Zealand according to the CPI score is amongst the countries that is losing control of corruption but is still amongst the top 10 with a score of 83.  The good news is that Australia has increased its standing with a score of 77 on the 100-point scale re-entering the top 10 with New Zealand.

Solomon Islands can do better. Previously Solomon Islands was the most improved country of the Asia Pacific in terms of the number of points it moved up in its score.  It increased its score by 5 points. That was 2018 when we all worked together (politicians, institution of integrity, public officers, Civil Society Organizations, Media and citizens etc.) and increased our score from 39 in 2017 to 44 in 2018 (rank 70). We can do this again.

The 2024 theme for the CPI is Corruption and Climate Crisis.  Here in Solomon Islands our efforts to contribute to mitigating climate change, sea level rise, environmental damage has been grossly overlooked by our Machinery of Government and political leadership as we continue to license miners and loggers who have no care attitude for the climate crisis.  Our resource owners’ voices to get help for the addressing the irresponsible investors damaging their water source, their marine food and environment fall on deaf ears. The impact of corruption on efforts by the people contributing to addressing the climate crisis has been largely overlooked or completely ignored, hindering our contribution reducing emissions. 

Whilst Solomon Islands probably receives very little climate funding an audit of millions of dollars in another country funded through the Global Environment Facility and managed by UN Development Programme (UNDP) were misappropriated and failed in meeting any of its emissions reduction targets.  

It is our responsibility and that of those who exercise our entrusted power to safeguard our country and any funds poured into the country for climate resilience against corrupt conducts. Corruption damages our environment especially for the majority of our people who live on the land in the rural area as so-called investors damage their environment. Climate change and sea level rise remain the number one security threat not only to Solomon Islands but the Blue Pacific Continent.  

Solomon Islands as do all Pacific countries and territories must acknowledge that corruption threatens the Blue Pacific Continents Vision and Mission. Solomon Islands must do its part to bring about transparency, accountability and integrity into the Machinery of Government by addressing corruption, starting with holding to account those who misuse and abuse the Economic Stimulus Package (public funds). 

Table 1 Solomon Islands CPI Score and Ranking Over the previous Years