The 2024 CPI Report indicates a decline in Guyana’s corruption perception, ranking it 92 out of 180 nations. The report highlights issues of resource misappropriation and threats to activists. Guyana’s score fell from 40 to 39, while neighboring countries show better ratings. Corruption hampers not only governance but also climate action efforts globally.
The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) Report by Transparency International indicates that Guyana suffers from severe corruption due to state capture by political and economic elites. This environment encourages resource misappropriation, illicit enrichment, and environmental crimes. The existence of anti-corruption laws is overshadowed by low transparency and law enforcement levels, alongside an increasing trend of attacks on dissenters, including activists and journalists.
Guyana’s CPI score decreased from 40 to 39, falling to rank 92 out of 180 nations. This marks a decline from previous years, where the nation scored 40 in both 2022 and 2023. Despite some past progress, the perception of corruption in the country has worsened under the current government, noted to be in power for four years.
The CPI scores range from 0 to 100, with lower scores indicating higher perceived corruption levels. In this context, Guyana is ranked alongside Tunisia, Zambia, and Colombia, signifying significant concerns over public sector corruption. Finland and Denmark lead the index with scores of 90 and 88, while countries like South Sudan, Somalia, and Venezuela score as low as 8 to 10.
Regionally, Guyana trails behind Barbados and the Bahamas, which rank 69th and 28th respectively. Other Caribbean nations, including Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, also perform better on the index. Notably, Haiti achieved a slight improvement to a score of 18 and a rank of 168, highlighting a persistent challenge for Guyana within CARICOM.
The report emphasizes that corruption hampers global climate action, impeding efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change challenges. Even though 32 nations have demonstrated notable anti-corruption progress since 2012, 148 have either stagnated or regressed, illustrating the necessity for continued efforts.
Bribery, nepotism, misuse of public funding, and lack of enforced transparency laws are critical issues addressed in the CPI’s analysis. Countries are assessed based on their ability to tackle corruption within the public sector, reflecting on their governance practices. The findings in the CPI are derived from 13 different corruption surveys using at least three data sources, including reputable organizations such as the World Bank.
Guyana’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index reveals a deteriorating state of corruption, primarily driven by political and economic elites. Despite previous efforts to create anti-corruption measures, the country has seen a decline in its score and rank. Comparatively, regional neighbors exhibit stronger anti-corruption performance. The CPI serves as a critical tool in analyzing public sector integrity, emphasizing the need for improved governance and transparency.
Original Source: nycaribnews.com
