From Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI)
As Solomon Islands is making preparation for the arrival of the Pacific Island Forum Leaders for the 54th PIF Leaders Meeting, Transparency Solomon Islands reminds leaders of their commitment to TEIENIWA VISION 2020.
The Teieniwa Vision was put in place 4-5th February 2020 at the gathering in Tarawa of Kiribati President, Prime Minister of Samoa, Cook Islands, Vice President of Kiribati, Ministers from the Kingdom of Tonga and Solomon Islands, Ambassador of the Republic of Marshall Islands, High Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand and the representative of Fiji.
At this gathering the leaders commit themselves to Pacific Unity Against Corruption recognizing that all their progresses and aspirations for a peaceful, harmonious, and prosperous Pacific cannot be realized unless corruption is addressed.
The Teieniwa Vision reaffirm global anti-corruption efforts captured by international frameworks (UNCAC) acceded by all 14 Pacific Island countries, taking note of Tonga’s announcement of accession at the Conference and the Sustainable Development Goals particularly SDG 16.
They also recalled their collective aspirations captured in the Framework for Pacific Regionalism, the Blue Pacific narrative and the Boe declaration on Regional Security.
It is also important to note that the Vision language touched on the need to unite against corruption, recognizing the importance of transparency, accountability and the rule of law re-inforcing good governance and protecting Democracy.
It called on all Pacific Leaders to champion integrity and advocate and implement anti-corruption practices in their parliaments, public service, private sectors and entire communities through commitment to criminalization of corruption and prompting impartial investigation and prosecution.
Here in Solomon Islands where a peak body for fighting corruption was established under law but the realities of the ground is that the appointed Commissioners have not met to discuss, make plans etc. and the year is almost now gone.
With time on your hands, it is not a big ask from those whose power you exercise to allocate time to assess how far you have come with the implementation of your commitment to fighting corruption.
Corruption threatens first and foremost the political will that is needed to fight corruption.
It threatens every aspect of the successful implementation of the Blue Pacific Continent Vision and Mission Strategy.
With the deferment of Post-Forum Dialogue time should not be an issue with regard to allocating time to assess how they have performed with regard to the implementation of the TEIENIWA Vision.
Time to ask themselves the questions that should be asked about the Teieniwa Vision such as, should it be reviewed and is it fit for purpose with regard to fighting corruption, democracy backsliding and good governance.
Transparency Solomon Islands urges Pacific Island Leaders attending the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting to allocate time to this important document.
The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is the Pacific region’s premier political and economic policy organization.
Its key development framework is the 2050 Strategy for Blue Pacific Continent. This document outlines the Pacific Leaders commitment to ensuring health and wellbeing of Pacific peoples, human rights and equity for all emphasizing the ocean, the land, natural environment, resources, livelihoods, faiths, cultural values, traditional knowledge celebrating Pacific communities.
Whilst nothing much is known by the ordinary citizens about this very important regional strategy, what is contained within will benefit Pacific peoples, while protecting what is so important to them and their survival.
Its intention of moving the Pacific towards greater resiliency ‘future-proof’ the region from the risk of climate, geopolitical, security and other eventualities is a noble one but under great threat from geopolitical competitions between superpowers and their undue influence on political leadership.
In the strategy the leaders made ten (10) commitments.
The ten commitments are;
(1) nurturing collective political will and deepening regionalism and solidarity (currently under grave threat from geopolitical competition,
(2) collectively delivering for Pacific people,
(3) embedding Blue Pacific identity, embracing Pacific cultural diversities, respecting national sovereignties, and protecting collective interests.
(4) securing the wellbeing of our people, but corruption has denied people improved health and medical services,
(5) protecting our people and our place we will have a more flexible and responsive regional security system
(6) accelerating economic growth aspirations, we will invest our shared expertise to quantify and determine the full value of our people, oceanic and land-based natural resources, resources that are fast disappearing due to corruption
(7) guaranteeing the future of Pacific children – what future when the very environment and resources they need for such is pawned off through corrupt deals,
(8) secure a future for our people, deepen collective responsibility and accountability for the stewardship of the Blue Pacific Continent, protect our sovereignty and jurisdiction over maritime zones and resources, respond to climate change induced sea level rise, and strengthen ownership and management of Pacific resources,
(9) protecting our ocean and environment, safeguarding the integrity of our natural systems and biodiversity through conservation action, minimising activities that degrade, pollute, overexploit, or undermine our ocean and natural environment – but radioactive waste is being released into the Pacific Ocean,
(10) To ensure a well-connected region, invest, strengthen, partnerships, regional regulatory arrangements supporting transport, and information, communication, technology services and infrastructure, ensuring a well-connected region.
Since its endorsement the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent Vision, is being challenged or weakened by democracy backsliding, geo-political competition, high levels of corruption in the public/private sector, undue influence on electoral processes, and lack of political will at the country level.
The erosion of Political Leadership Integrity poses great threat to our security, peace, social inclusion, prosperity that ensures all Pacific people can lead a free, healthy, and productive life.
The Integrity of the region’s Political Leadership and political will are the ingredients that bind us together to address emerging issues and our on-going and existing vulnerabilities. Good Governance therefore has never been more important than it is today.
In its absence the services that need to reach the woman, man, children in the rural area, the disability, the poor etc. as funds are siphoned off by a few.
Protecting Democracy through Good Governance, Political Leadership Integrity are a must to achieve “A Resilient Pacific Region of Peace, Security, Social Inclusion and Prosperity that ensures all Pacific people can lead a free, healthy, and productive life”.
Bad governances in political leadership diminish all of us and the aspirations of the Blue Pacific Continent vision.
To live in a corrupt region, country, or society is to live in a less fulfilling life.
Transparency Solomon Islands calls on Pacific Leaders to allocate time to review and map out where to now with the TEIENIWA VISION – PIF Leaders regional commitment to fighting corruption.