The PPP-C’s continued refusal to accept the results of Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perception Index is the political equivalent of denying the existence of Santa Claus even though his familiar figure is instantly recognizable to most of the world’s population.
The AFC wishes to advise the PPP-C that, perceived or not, the Corruption Perception Index is a very real tool, used by governments, investors, organizations and individuals worldwide to assess corruption levels in different countries.
By challenging the results of the Index and attacking the local chapter of Transparency International, the PPP-C government is positioning itself on the wrong side of the war against corruption. This is clearly its comfort zone from which it intends to retaliate against those who speak out against corruption.
The results of the 2013 Corruption Perception Index ranks Guyana as 136 out of 177 countries surveyed with a score of 27 points out of 100. This is down from last year’s ranking of 133 out of 176 countries, and 28 points. The AFC is neither surprised, nor confused by these results, since they are consistent with the everyday experiences and observances of most Guyanese.
The Government’s steadfast refusal to establish independent and constitutionally required bodies such as the Office of the Ombudsman, the Integrity Commission and the Public Procurement Commission d
oes little to assure our citizens that it has any desire to seriously address issues such as corruption, nepotism and other abuses by public officials.
Many senior government officials have now accumulated wealth that most Guyanese can only dream of. Their newly acquired wealth is perhaps easier to comprehend if one actually believes in Santa Claus.
The AFC will continue its campaign against the disease of corruption since unlike the PPP-C, we believe it exists and we understand that it is the people of Guyana who pay the real price for the corruption that has taken over our country.
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