(SNO) — Saint Lucia has been ranked fifth in the region in 2018 in perceived levels of corruption, information based on a report released on Wednesday by Transparency International has revealed.
The annual report gives countries higher scores for lower levels of perceived public sector corruption.
The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and business people, uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
According to the report, Saint Lucia ranks 55 on the scale, making it fifth in countries in the region that have been ranked.
Based on the report, Barbados, ranked at 68, is the least corrupt country in the region, followed by the Bahamas, at 65. By comparison St. Vincent and the Grenadines is ranked at number 58, Dominica at 57 and Grenada is ranked 52.
According to Transparency International, the data “reveals that the continued failure of most countries to significantly control corruption is contributing to a crisis in democracy around the world. While there are exceptions, the data shows that despite some progress, most countries are failing to make serious inroads against corruption”.
Delia Ferreira Rubio, chair of Transparency International, said: “Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and, as we have seen in many countries, where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage.”
Denmark was ranked the cleanest country in the world with a score of 88 while Somalia was ranked the most corrupt with a score of 10.
Below is a list of Caribbean countries on the perceived level of corruption of 2018 on the 0 to 100 scale used by Transparency International.
Barbados……68
Bahamas…..65
St. Vincent..58
Dominica …57
St. Lucia… 55
Grenada …52
Jamaica……44
T&T……….41
Haiti…20
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