THE APNU+AFC coalition government has been working tirelessly to stave off corruption here, said Minister of State Joseph Harmon.
Harmon told reporters on Thursday that several measures have been implemented to reduce levels of corruption and perception of same.
The Minister of State noted too, that the government tries to make public the facts with the intention of rebutting the perception and reminded that there is a “big gap between perception and reality, and depending on where you stand, your perception becomes your reality”.
Additionally, the minister said the government is doing the best it can to ensure that its operations are transparent, as well as, have a tighter grip on corruption.
Guyana moved up by 11 places on the international ranking of ‘perceived corruption’ – from 119, with a score of 29, in 2015 to 108, with a score of 34, in 2016. This was revealed in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) report for 2016.
However, Harmon noted that the perception of corruption which obtains currently is as a result of the actions of the previous administration.
“We are now trying to work our way out of it,” he said, noting that under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration, Guyana’s ranking on the Index was lower.
“…the corruption index has moved in the right direction for us,” he said, noting that improvements can only mean his administration is doing something right.
Government, he said “is doing several things to ensure that it is higher”.
Moreover, the Minister of State said for the first time in years, government has presented a half-year report on the state of the economy in the National Assembly.
The early presentation of national budgets and the conducting of financial inquiries are also being done to ensure that any corrupt practices or perception of them can be corrected, Harmon stressed, while noting that he is confident that the coalition government will receive good ratings for its work in this area.