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Corruption in Guyana on the rise again
…as country score dips in latest Transparency International ranking
Kaieteur News – Guyana, during the year 2021, dropped two points on the Transparency International Corruption Index, meaning that corruption in the country’s public sector has climbed, after a full year under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government.
A graph published by Transparency International, depicting Guyana’s performance over the years from 2012 to 2021
When the PPP/C demitted office back in 2015, the country was scoring below 30 points. During the years of the APNU+AFC that score steadily improved reaching 41, however, in the latest ranking which was published on Tuesday by Transparency International, a global coalition against corruption, Guyana’s performance dropped from 41 in 2020 to 39 in 2021.
The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) is the most widely used corruption ranking in the World, according to the organisation’s website, which also explains that the data recorded in each country measures how corrupt that country’s public sector is perceived to be. A country’s score is measured on a scale of 0-100, where 0 means highly corrupt and 100 means very clean. When the Coalition Party assumed office in 2015, Guyana’s score stood at 29. The following year, it progressed to 34, and in 2017, it jumped to 38. In 2018, Guyana dropped a point but in 2019, it again increased to 40 and finally, 41 in 2020.
Guyana’s score of 39 guarantees it a ranking of 87 out of 180. In the previous year, Guyana ranked 83 out of the 180 countries surveyed. The countries which performed the best during last year’s survey include Denmark, Finland and New Zealand with an equal 88 points out of 100, topping the global charts.
The United States of America (USA) scored 67 and secured a ranking of number 27 on the charts. The USA was out-performed by Canada which ranked 13 on the list with 74 points. The United Kingdom also performed well with 78 points, ranking at 11 out of the 180 other countries.
The CPI usually takes into account several manifestations of public sector corruption including bribery, diversion of public funds, officials using their public office for private gain without facing consequences, ability of government to contain corruption in the public sector, excessive red tape in the public sector which may increase opportunities for corruption, nepotistic appointments in the civil service and access to information on public affairs/ government activities, among other factors.
On the occasion of International Day Against Corruption on December 9, 2021 Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI), along with other Civil Society members had said that the history of petroleum licensing and contracting transactions in Guyana presents extraordinary exposure to corruption. It explained that the theft of resources of astronomical value, can occur in as simple a way as the deliberate failure to enforce a law where such a law exists, or where it is deliberately misinterpreted in favour of private financial interests.
In this regard, the body warned that the only protection against such corruption is for the society to remain vigilant. “It is for that reason that we encourage our fellow Guyanese to be on guard and to examine new laws being drafted for weaknesses and loopholes that have the potential for misinterpretation and to demand that the laws, as passed, be followed to the letter,” the body related.
But in addition to ensuring there are no loopholes in the proposed laws and ensuring that those constituted are enforced, it was noted that another measure to curb corruption is to ensure public servants are paid a “livable” wage to reduce the temptation of accepting bribes. Further, it was suggested that stricter punishments be enforced on corrupt officials and an awareness campaign be launched on the effects of corruption, and how it negatively impacts society and economic growth.
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