Guyana ranked a very poor 28 out of 100 points in the Transparency International 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
The report released this morning showed Guyana doing worse than every other country in Caricom except for Haiti which has also traditionally been one of the worst performers.
Transparency premiered a new methodology today where countries are ranked from 1 to 100 with 100 representing the least corrupt. Any score below 50 indicates a serious problem and though it is not possible to meaningfully compare Guyana’s performance with the previous methodology, the country remains in the bracket of those with a very serious problem.
By contrast, Barbados ranks at 76, The Bahamas 71, Trinidad and Tobago 39 and Jamaica 38.
Corruption has remained a big problem for the Ramotar administration over the last year.
The CPI 2012 measures perceived levels of public sector corruption in 176 countries/territories.
In its report today, TI said “A growing outcry over corrupt governments forced several leaders from office last year, but as the dust has cleared it has become apparent that the levels of bribery, abuse of power and secret dealings are still very high in many countries. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 shows corruption continues to ravage societies around the world.
“Two thirds of the 176 countries ranked in the 2012 index score below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean), showing that public institutions need to be more transparent, and powerful officials more accountable.
“`Governments need to integrate anti-corruption actions into all public decision-making. Priorities include better rules on lobbying and political financing, making public spending and contracting more transparent and making public bodies more accountable to people,” said Huguette Labelle, the Chair of Transparency International.
“`After a year of focus on corruption, we expect governments to take a tougher stance against the abuse of power. The Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 results demonstrate that societies continue to pay the high cost of corruption,” Labelle said.
“Many of the countries where citizens challenged their leaders to stop corruption –from the Middle East to Asia to Europe – have seen their positions in the index stagnate or worsen.”
TI says its mission is to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society.
TI’s website says about its genesis: “In 1993, a few individuals decided to take a stance against corruption and created Transparency International. Now present in more than 100 countries, the movement works relentlessly to stir the world’s collective conscience and bring about change.”
