Minister Teixeira

MINISTER of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, has issued a detailed statement addressing misconceptions surrounding the recently published 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International. The Minister emphasised the need to understand the context, methodology, and limitations of the CPI, which measures perceived corruption rather than actual corruption levels.

According to Minister Teixeira, the CPI is a perception-based index that aggregates views from 13 sources provided by 12 institutions, including the World Bank Country Policy and Institutional Assessment, which itself acknowledges that its ratings are based on staff judgment and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors. In Guyana’s case, five sources were used from 2022 to 2024, yielding scores ranging from 38 to 44.

KEY CLARIFICATIONS ON CPI
1. Perceptions vs. Reality: Minister Teixeira highlighted that the CPI reflects perceptions of public sector corruption influenced by subjective factors such as media narratives, socio-economic development, and political worldviews. It does not measure actual documented incidents of corruption.

2. Methodological Limitations: The CPI uses multiple data sources with different frameworks, which are standardised to fit a 0-100 scale. This introduces variability and uncertainty. Minister Teixeira noted that Guyana’s one-point change in CPI score falls within the standard margin of error, cautioning against misinterpretation.

3. Ethical Considerations: Minister Teixeira questioned the potential conflict of interest in Transparency International’s funding sources, as 14 countries that fund the organisation consistently score high, while countries in the Global South perform poorly.

4. Guyana’s Progress: The Minister underscored that despite subjective narratives, Guyana is recognised as a “Significant Improver” over the past decade. This reflects the country’s steady progress in strengthening governance and anti-corruption mechanisms. Notable reforms include increased public sector transparency, enhanced institutional oversight, and the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission and the NPTAB website, which publishes tender awards and minutes—features unique to Guyana in the region.

5. Regional Context: Minister Teixeira noted that Guyana remains ahead of several regional peers in the CPI and has shown consistent progress over the past decade. Comparing Guyana’s score to historically high-ranking jurisdictions like Barbados or The Bahamas overlooks the broader context of Guyana’s development trajectory.

ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVES
Since assuming office in 2020, the Government of Guyana has implemented comprehensive anti-corruption measures, including: Legislative reforms to strengthen oversight mechanisms and ensure accountability; Re-establishment and strengthening of key oversight bodies, including the Integrity Commission, Public Procurement Commission, and Office of the Ombudsman; Increased funding for constitutional, statutory, and parliamentary oversight bodies; Consistent anti-corruption capacity building for public and private sectors; Publication of Guyana’s Anti-Corruption Framework Volume I and annual Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Expos since 2022; and International engagement through participation in IMF Article IV consultations, CFATF/FATF Guyana reviews on AML/CFT, and the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.

Minister Teixeira responded to a Stabroek News article on February 13, 2025, which linked Guyana’s CPI ranking to allegations of state capture and illicit enrichment cited by Insight Crime. The Minister clarified that these claims were not part of the sources used by Transparency International for the CPI and called for responsible reporting and interpretation of the index.

Minister Teixeira highlighted that the struggle with corruption perception indices is not unique to Guyana, citing Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s remarks on biases against developing countries. She emphasised that while corruption remains a global issue, indices like the CPI should be interpreted with caution and supplemented with evidence-based assessments.
The Government of Guyana remains committed to advancing anti-corruption efforts, enhancing transparency and accountability, and engaging with international partners, civil society, and the media to promote responsible use of global indices.

Minister Teixeira noted Government’s ongoing reforms reflect its commitment to sustainable long-term anti-corruption progress, positioning Guyana as a “Significant Improver” in governance and public sector integrity.