A new survey by watchdog group Transparency International has revealed rampant levels of corruption in the Pacific.
Transparency International (TI) has released its latest global corruption barometer, and it includes a survey of more than 6000 people in over 10 Pacific countries.
Of these people, 61 percent believe corruption is a significant problem in their governments, and 56 percent think it is getting worse.
The worst offenders were Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, with figures nudging 100 percent.
Of those surveyed, 32 percent said they had recently paid a bribe for public services. That figure is higher than in any other region surveyed by Transparency International.
In this category, the worst offenders were Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia, with PNG a close third.
These bribes sometimes include “sextortion”, where an official requests sexual acts in exchange for an essential government service.
Bribes were also paid for votes and people were threatened if they voted differently.
The survey found bribery is a central feature in businesses winning government contracts.
But Transparency International said that while the survey has highlighted problems, it also shows the way forward through improved scrutiny and better resourcing for police and the judiciary.
SOURCE: RNZ Pacific
