PRESS RELEASE 06/11/09

The Government's Anti-Corruption taskforce is stepping up on its work against corruption - with an appeal to community leaders and people to come forward with their experiences with corruption in politics and in public services.

Taskforce Chairman and Special Secretary to Prime Minister, John Keniapisia said community leaders and people can help the taskforce to fully understand how and why corrupt practices exist in these essential institutions.

Mr Keniapisia said the taskforce wants the leaders and people to help by taking part in the second anti-corruption workshop which will run in Honiara.

He said the government recognizes that it must have support from people of all walks of life because they can help identify corrupt practices which will need to be rooted out whenever and wherever it appears.

The taskforce chairman said the government also recognizes that services to the people will be affected, reduced and made inefficient if those in leadership and government services are corrupt.

The Anti-Corruption taskforce is inviting sixty participants to contribute to the workshop.

The participants are to be drawn from targeted political groups, church, business, civil society leaders and the media.

The next anti-corruption workshop will be on the ninth and tenth of this month.

ENDS