Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has rejected the findings of Transparency International’s (TI) 2024 Corruption Perception Index.
Describing the report as a “damp squib,” Jagdeo accused local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals opposed to the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) of deliberately downplaying improvements made under the current government.
Jagdeo, in his response, pointed to a broader regional trend, with several countries—including the United States—experiencing significant declines in their corruption scores.
The U.S. saw an 11-point drop, while Venezuela and Canada each declined by eight points.
To this end, Jagdeo questioned the accuracy and fairness of global assessments of corruption, especially when such nations are often seen as benchmarks for good governance.
Jagdeo expressed doubts about the validity of comparing Guyana’s progress to that of other democracies, suggesting that the country’s local critics are more inclined to focus on negative perceptions rather than acknowledge the improvements.
Reflecting on past scores, Jagdeo noted that Guyana’s standing had improved in 2019, under the former APNU+AFC government, but he quickly pointed out what he believes was the manipulation of local reports during that time.
He claimed that these reports, which had painted a positive picture of the APNU+AFC period, were fabricated, resulting in an inflated score for the country.
“Anything they say about us now will pale in comparison to what they did,” Jagdeo stated, criticising the lack of parliamentary oversight and excessive spending under the previous government.
He further questioned the integrity of the reports being sent up by local groups, claiming that these groups are now hostile towards the PPP government and continue to misrepresent the country’s progress.
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