President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has expressed strong discontent with the latest corruption perception data released by Transparency International (TI), which ranks Guyana 92 out of 180 countries with a score of 39 out of 100 on its Corruption Perceptions Index. During a live broadcast on Thursday, he challenged the validity of the report, asserting that it lacks empirical evidence and is based on questionable sources.
In his remarks, President Ali criticized the report for being influenced by opposition narratives, questioning how it could label the country’s transparency and law enforcement as “very low†when the previous APNU+AFC Administration was characterized by numerous unscrupulous acts. He cited instances from 2020 when the former government allegedly operated without parliamentary oversight and ignored a no-confidence motion.
The president highlighted the inconsistency of the ratings, noting that despite an increase in law enforcement actions under his administration, including more prosecutions and disciplinary measures, the score has decreased. He emphasized that the Corruption Perceptions Index is based on perceptions rather than empirical data, contrasting the implementation rates of project permits between the previous coalition government and the current PPP/C administration.
Further scrutinizing the motivations behind the TI report, President Ali pointed out the backgrounds of its contributors, suggesting that their ties to opposition figures raise questions about the objectivity of the report. He mentioned specific individuals, including Fred Collins, who has legal ties to environmental issues involving ExxonMobil, and Dr. Rishi Thakur, a former member of the Alliance for Change.
President Ali also referenced the higher ratings received by the previous government, despite controversies such as the undisclosed US$18 million signing bonus from ExxonMobil, illustrating what he described as the misleading nature of perception-based assessments.
While acknowledging the right to dissent and criticism, the president emphasized the importance of contextualizing the TI report and the individuals behind it. He pointed to more objective evaluations from entities like the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFTAF), which recognized Guyana’s commitment to combating corruption, and the UNFCCC, which awarded Guyana for its transparency in climate reporting.
He contrasted these objective reports with the TI findings, underscoring that the IDB’s Caribbean Development Dynamics 2025 report commended Guyana for advancements in fiscal transparency and citizen engagement, which contradicts TI’s claims.
In conclusion, President Ali reiterated his administration’s dedication to transparency and accountability, noting that Guyana has been open to international assessments based on factual evidence. He questioned how the nation’s score could decline amid significant progress in anti-corruption measures and the transparent publication of petroleum revenue.
