Local media blamed for Guyana being
rated second most corrupt in region –
Luncheon
Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, believes that the local media is a contributor to Transparency International (TI) being rather uncharitable to Government by perceiving Guyana as the second most corrupt country in the Region.
Not surprisingly defending Government’s stance on corruption, Dr. Luncheon said, “Government has been making overtime leaning backwards in addressing this issue of transparency and accountability.”
Cabinet Secretary,
Dr. Roger Luncheon.
He emphasized, “I think they have fallen prey to some of the wickedness you members of the media perpetrate in making these unqualified and unsubstantiated conjectures about Government on corruption and lack of accountability.”
But, according to Frederick Collins, Vice President, Transparency International Guyana Inc (TIGI) whilst presenting TI’s 2013 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for Guyana, Guyana remains at the bottom of the list, ahead of only Haiti as the most corrupt in the region.
He said that the finding on Guyana is based on surveys carried out by four reputable international institutions – the International Country Guide, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum and the Global Insight Country.
He announced that Guyana has been ranked 136 out of 177 countries, joining Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Kenya with a score of 27. Guyana was ranked 133 last year.
In terms of the Americas, Guyana has been ranked 28 out of 32, while for the Caribbean, only Haiti scored lower, with 19.
Government will be responding to the findings of the Index in light of the repercussions for attaining such a high ranking. Dr. Luncheon emphasized that Government will not sit like a toothless poodle.
However, it is not uncommon for Government to lash out to unfavourable comments made by the international community.
Last April, United States of America 2012 Human Rights Report highlighted Guyana Government’s apparent ineffectiveness in implementing laws that provide for criminal penalties for corruption by public officials.
The report stated that there remains widespread public perception of corruption involving officials at all levels, including the police and the judiciary.
“The World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators assessed that government corruption was a serious problem,” the report said.
That report also spoke of the non-establishment of the Public Procurement and Integrity Commissions.
Instead of taking steps to correct the inadequacies President Donald Ramotar told the US to clean up its house first.
Ramotar said that nobody has the right to lecture Guyana. He drew reference to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba, a detainment and interrogation facility of the US military.
The Head of State admitted: “We do have issues (here). We have to try to work very hard to eradicate some of the weaknesses in our system.”