{"id":15402,"date":"2021-02-09T10:33:20","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T15:33:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev?p=15402"},"modified":"2021-02-09T09:34:30","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T14:34:30","slug":"trevor-munroe-cpi-2020-jamaica-needs-to-get-to-the-pass-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/trevor-munroe-cpi-2020-jamaica-needs-to-get-to-the-pass-mark\/","title":{"rendered":"Trevor Munroe | CPI 2020: Jamaica needs to get to the pass mark"},"content":{"rendered":"

The release of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2020 results comes at a time of unprecedented crises for the Jamaican people as well as for countries around the world. We face the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, an economic downturn that has most of us struggling to make two ends meet, and a spate of violent crime and savage murders. The CPI 2020 results, therefore, come at a time when every Jamaican needs to do all in his or her power to make sure that every single dollar of public money is well spent, properly accounted for and not going down the drain because of corrupt or irresponsible conduct.<\/p>\n

Just think how much more we could do to improve conditions in our schools and hospitals, for our teachers, health workers, and the security forces, for our pensioners, and for providing opportunity to youth in marginalised communities were we to come together to cut some of the $95 billion (estimated) lost or stolen by the corrupt and organised criminals each year.<\/p>\n

In Jamaica\u2019s case, the CPI \u2013 over the years \u2013 has placed our country among the two-thirds of countries in the world who score under 50, where 100 is the least corrupt and 0 is the most corrupt. At the same time, our country has uniformly ranked in the bottom half of states measured. Truthfully, we have moved marginally up and marginally down over the years but have remained in the absolutely unsatisfactory situation of being among the most corrupt, especially at a time when we need to make sure that every dollar counts. We continued to tread water beneath the surface of integrity. Hence, CPI 2018 saw us stagnant at score 44; CPI 2019 showed slippage to 43; and now, CPI 2020 has Jamaica\u2019s score marginally improved to 44, with 68 countries performing better than us, including comparable CARICOM states \u2013 such as Barbados, Bahamas, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada \u2013 which all score above 50. Indeed, in the Caribbean, only Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, and Haiti score less than we do.<\/p>\n

As has been the case in previous years, there were some significant positives, but these in large measure were cancelled by negative developments during the year. Among the pluses were:<\/p>\n

1. The relatively transparent administration of the COVID-19 relief package despite some inadequacies noted by the auditor general.<\/p>\n

2. The reaffirmation of the independence of our judiciary and their co-equal status with the legislature and the executive in the Supreme Court ruling that detentions under the states of emergency constituted an \u201cegregious overstepping of the bounds of the powers of the executive\u201d.<\/p>\n

3. The trial and convictions of a number of Manchester Municipal Corporation officers in one of the most significant corruption trials within recent years.<\/p>\n

4. The resignation of the mayor of St Ann\u2019s Bay arising from public pressure relating to credible corruption allegations.<\/p>\n

5. The unprecedented Consensus Agreement signed by the prime minister, the leader of the Opposition, and 20 civil society organisations to deal with crime, corruption, and violence.<\/p>\n

6. The relatively free and fair general elections of 2020, continuing Jamaica\u2019s high performance in election administration.<\/p>\n

7. The commencement of integrity training, mandated by the prime minister, for Cabinet members.<\/p>\n

At the same time, during 2020, there were significant minuses, some of them chronic, negating the positives achieved during the year:<\/p>\n

\u2026 more\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Image:\u00a0 Wikimedia Commons<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The release of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2020 results comes at a time of unprecedented crises for the Jamaican people as well as for countries around the world. We…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":5445,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[250],"tags":[157,124],"class_list":["post-15402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-articles","tag-anti-corruption","tag-jamaica"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Corruption-Man-in-a-suit-putting-euros-money-into-jacket-pocket..jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6u9Qa-40q","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":21774,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/young-confident-new-laws-will-improve-trinidad-and-tobagos-corruption-ranking\/","url_meta":{"origin":15402,"position":0},"title":"Young confident new laws will improve Trinidad and Tobago’s corruption ranking","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"April 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Trinidad and Tobago \u00a0 Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young says he is optimistic that Trinidad and Tobago's global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranking will improve during the next annual report to reflect the work done by the government in implementing legislation to improve transparency and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Law-scrabble-tiles-CQF-Avocat-Pexels-e1649276824460.jpeg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Law-scrabble-tiles-CQF-Avocat-Pexels-e1649276824460.jpeg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Law-scrabble-tiles-CQF-Avocat-Pexels-e1649276824460.jpeg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Law-scrabble-tiles-CQF-Avocat-Pexels-e1649276824460.jpeg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15403,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/the-2020-corruption-perceptions-index\/","url_meta":{"origin":15402,"position":1},"title":"The 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index","author":"Michele Marius","date":"February 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"COVID-19 is not just a health and economic crisis, but also a corruption crisis\u2026 Countries with high levels of corruption also relied less on democratic responses to the COVID-19 crisis, leading to democratic backsliding in many regions of the world.\u00a0More than a year into the crisis, with vaccines already available\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Gloves-Leather-Gloves-Money-Criminal-Hand-leo2014-Pixabay.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Gloves-Leather-Gloves-Money-Criminal-Hand-leo2014-Pixabay.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Gloves-Leather-Gloves-Money-Criminal-Hand-leo2014-Pixabay.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Gloves-Leather-Gloves-Money-Criminal-Hand-leo2014-Pixabay.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 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As we understand it, that equates to approximately US$800 million. Shortcomings in health, education, security, et al, which such funds could address are aplenty. Corruption in high places has plagued Jamaica for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Corruption-money-fraudMarco-Verch-Professional-Photographer-flickr.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Corruption-money-fraudMarco-Verch-Professional-Photographer-flickr.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Corruption-money-fraudMarco-Verch-Professional-Photographer-flickr.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Corruption-money-fraudMarco-Verch-Professional-Photographer-flickr.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26662,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/2022-corruption-perceptions-index-what-can-guyana-do-to-improve-its-score-and-ranking-part-ii\/","url_meta":{"origin":15402,"position":3},"title":"2022 Corruption Perceptions Index: What can Guyana do to improve its score and ranking? (Part II)","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"March 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Guyana In last week\u2019s article, we began a discussion on the actions that need to be taken to bring about an improvement in Guyana\u2019s score and ranking on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Last year, Guyana scored 40, the lowest for the English-speaking Caribbean and the second lowest from among\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Corruption-Man-in-a-suit-putting-euros-money-into-jacket-pocket..jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Corruption-Man-in-a-suit-putting-euros-money-into-jacket-pocket..jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Corruption-Man-in-a-suit-putting-euros-money-into-jacket-pocket..jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Corruption-Man-in-a-suit-putting-euros-money-into-jacket-pocket..jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15402"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15412,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15402\/revisions\/15412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}