For the second 12 months in a row, Jamaica has maintained its place on the 2023 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), holding the 69th spot out of 180 international locations.
Transparency Worldwide launched the 2023 CPI on January 30, which evaluates international locations and territories based mostly on their perceived ranges of public-sector corruption, starting from 0 (extremely corrupt) to 100 (very clear).
In keeping with Transparency Worldwide, greater than two-thirds of nations rating beneath 50 out of 100, indicating a major corruption problem in some nations. The worldwide common stays at 43, and lots of international locations have proven little progress and even declined over the previous decade. Notably, 23 international locations achieved their lowest scores this 12 months.
The information sources used to compile the CPI particularly cowl instances of public sector corruption together with mismanagement of public sector funds, bribery, officers utilizing their public workplace for personal achieve with out going through penalties, and extra.
Jamaica falls into the class of nations scoring beneath 50, securing a rating of 44, highlighting the persistence of corruption challenges within the area.
Corruption within the Caribbean
Within the Caribbean area, Barbados improved its rating, shifting to the twenty fourth place from final 12 months’s twenty ninth, with a rating of 69. The Bahamas maintained its twenty ninth place, scoring 30, whereas Saint Vincent and the Grenadines moved up one place to thirty fifth with a rating of 60. Dominica climbed three positions to 42, scoring 56 factors. Saint Lucia retained its forty fifth place with a rating of 55, and Grenada rose to the forty ninth place with a rating of 53.
Nonetheless, Cuba’s rating dropped to 76th from sixty fifth final 12 months, with a rating of 42. Trinidad and Tobago moved up one place to 76 with a rating of 42, Guyana fell two positions to 87 with a rating of 40, and the Dominican Republic rose 15 positions to 108th with a rating of 35.
Haiti, grappling with conflicts, slid one place to 172 in comparison with the earlier 12 months, scoring 17 factors.
Within the Caribbean and Latin America, Transparency Worldwide emphasised the dearth of independence and transparency within the judiciary, fostering corruption and the undue affect of political and financial elites.
Least corrupt international locations
Denmark secured the highest spot on the worldwide index for the second consecutive 12 months with a rating of 90, adopted by Finland with 87, New Zealand with 85, Norway with 84, and Singapore with 83.
Francois Valerian, Chair of Transparency Worldwide, emphasised the necessity for justice techniques to punish criminals, stating that corruption will persist until leaders spend money on and make sure the independence of establishments upholding the legislation. Valerian urged an finish to impunity for corruption to safeguard the well-being of democracies.
Learn: Barbados tops CARICOM countries in latest corruption perceptions index
