On Thursday, President Dr. Irfaan Ali addressed the media regarding the recent perception index of corruption in Guyana released by Transparency International (TI). The organization assigned Guyana a score of 39, which reflects the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale ranging from 0 to 100—where 0 indicates high corruption and 100 represents minimal corruption. TI noted that, despite the establishment of anti-corruption institutions and legislation in the country, transparency and law enforcement remain significantly lacking.

In his response to media inquiries about the report, President Ali expressed skepticism about the reliability of TI’s findings, stating, “I know we have the best enforcement in the region.” He further questioned the methodology used by TI, asking, “Who did they interview?” The President emphasized that there tends to be a “serious political bias” present in such reports.

He elaborated, saying, “If you’re interviewing individuals with biases or political agendas, the outcomes will reflect that. A fair and independent evaluation would require interviewing a diverse range of people, allowing the government to respond appropriately. Without such a mechanism, the credibility of the report is compromised.”