Guyana perceived as most corrupt country in CARICOM

Last Updated on Wednesday, 3 December 2014, 21:08 by GxMedia

San Juan, Dec 3 (EFE).- Guyana is seen as the most corrupt English-speaking country in the Caribbean Community, according to the Corruption Perception Index of 2014, published Wednesday by watchdog organization Transparency International.

“The ranking of Guyana on the 2014 CPI is just another international indicator which, taken together with the local reality, simply increases the public perception that corruption remains a chronic problem in Guyana of crisis proportions,” the Transparency Institute of Guyana, or TIG, said.

The CPI ranks Guyana 124th out of 175 countries and territories, with 30 points out of a maximum of 100.

Although Guyana fared better than last year, when it ranked 136th, other English-speaking CARICOM member countries are listed in higher positions.

“This ranking once again places us at the bottom of the English-speaking Caribbean,” the TIG said in response to the publication of the CPI report.

The CARICOM countries with the best CPI rankings are Barbados, the Bahamas and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, occupying the 17th, 24th and 29th places, respectively.

The TIG proposed a series of recommendations to the government of Guyana regarding the implementation of campaign finance regulation and modern anti-corruption and whistle-blowing legislation, as well as the more vigorous enforcement of existing laws.

CARICOM countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.