23 Mar 2016

Nauru govt accused of fostering bribery - newsletter

3:25 pm on 23 March 2016

A newsletter now circulating in Nauru is accusing the Baron Waqa government of fostering bribery.

The Nauru Beacon laid out a series of accusations, including that government MPs are being given hundreds of thousands of dollars to use how they want.

This money is being directed towards a housing scheme but the MPs decide who gets the money.

The Beacon said there is no accountability in how this money is spent.

Nauru opposition MP Mathew Batsiua.

Nauru opposition MP Mathew Batsiua. Photo: Supplied

A MP suspended for the past two years, Matthew Batsiua, said he believes the newsletter is trying to highlight the excesses of the government and the way its MPs are using the money.

"In other words it seems they are using public funds to fund projects in their districts and in return have people in those districts give them votes, so, in a sense it amounts to some sort of actions of bribery."

The Nauru government is yet to respond to RNZ International's requests for comment.