GUYANA’s placement at rung  134 from 183 countries as reported in recently released Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2011 does not find favour with People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)  official, Ms Gail Teixeira.
She made this known on Friday at a seminar hosted by Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI) in the Conference Room of the Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited at Robb Street and Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown.
Among those present at the forum were Ms Zoe Reiter, Senior Programme Coordinator of Transparency International (TI);  Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh; Head of the Privatisation Unit, Mr Winston Brassington; Christopher Ram and Dr Rishi Thakur.
According to Teixeira, Guyana is a signatory to several United Nations’ treaties, and has established a number of criticial systems, as against a number of other countries in the region which were also under the TI microscope but were awarded better ratings.
However, Reiter explained that five more countries were added to the list of those which were surveyed by TI, and that is a contributing factor why Guyana’s rating slipped.
Additionally, Reiter pointed out that even though a country can go to lengths of having required procedures and systems in place, a lack of enforcement can render all the efforts to nought.
Corruption, Reiter emphasised, is a non-partisan problem that requires a non-partisan solution, as it is bad for business, feeds poverty, and hinders the development of any country.
She explained that for a country to improve its ranking there has to be the political will to fight corruption, a public to demand action, and public officials to be prosecuted.
Reiter was also specific in her explanation that a good ranking of a country on the Corruption Perceptions Index of 2011 does not mean that it cannot be perceived as a corrupt country.