Corruption causes “humanitarian disaster”

11/28/2008

Transparency International releases annual Corruption Perceptions Index.

The only way to control corruption is having social and governmental institutions function properly, warned Transparency International in its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2008.

The organization said that the citizens of poor countries tend to suffer the consequences of corrupt judiciaries and inefficient parliaments, and that uncontrolled corruption puts anti-poverty initiatives at risk, particularly the Millennium Development Goals.

“Stemming corruption requires strong oversight through parliaments, law enforcement, independent media and a vibrant civil society,” said Huguette Labelle, chair of Transparency International. “When these institutions are weak, corruption spirals out of control with horrendous consequences for ordinary people, and for justice and equality in societies more broadly.”

“In the poorest countries, corruption levels can mean the difference between life and death, when money for hospitals or clean water is in play,” said Labelle. “The continuing high levels of corruption and poverty plaguing many of the world´s societies amount to an ongoing humanitarian disaster and cannot be tolerated. But even in more privileged countries, with enforcement disturbingly uneven, a tougher approach to tackling corruption is needed.”

The index, released by Transparency International, is based on an index of 0-10, where 10 points means no corruption perceived, and 0 is a high level of corruption, based on interviews with citizens about their perceptions of corruption of public officials and politicians.

Of the 30 Latin America and Caribbean countries surveyed in the study, only eight had a score above 5.

The results reflect a sad tendency that has affected the region in recent years and still persists, Transparency International said, adding that anti-corruption initiatives seem to have stopped, which is worrying for the government reform programs as well as for the importance corruption is given in the region´s political agency and election campaigns. —Latinamerica Press.

LATIN AMERICA / CARIBBEAN

Corruption Perceptions Index 2008

Country

Score

Santa Lucía

7.1

Barbados

7.0

Chile

6.9

Uruguay

6.9

St. Vincent & Grenadines

6.5

Dominica

6.0

Puerto Rico

5.8

Costa Rica

5.1

Cuba

4.3

El Salvador

3.9

Colombia

3.8

Mexico

3.6

Peru

3.6

Suriname

3.6

Trinidad & Tobago

3.6

Brazil

3.5

Panama

3.4

Guatemala

3.1

Jamaica

3.1

Dominican Rep.

3.0

Bolivia

3.0

Argentina

2.9

Belize

2.9

Honduras

2.6

Guyana

2.6

Nicaragua

2.5

Paraguay

2.4

Ecuador

2.0

Venezuela

1.9

Haiti

1.4

Fuente: Transparency International.