TTTI report on CPI findings puzzling

According to the latest survey released by Transparency International, this country now ranks 59th from the bottom out of 159 nations. We are matched with Cuba and Thailand among the lowest third of most corrupt countries in the world. Since corruption undermines a society both economically and socially, fighting it is a crucial issue, and the TT Transparency Institute is an important organisation in this regard. But the TTTI does not help its own cause when its spokespersons seem to be going beyond tact in analysing the Institute’s findings.

In giving a rundown of the results last Tuesday, chairman of the TTTI, Boyd Reid, notes that, although TT’s CPI score has dropped, the country’s relative position has remained the same. This is thin comfort, however, since at best it means that other countries have become more corrupt while we have not improved.

Asked whether the score meant that the Government’s anti-corruption initiatives were not working, Mr Reid replied that there had been results in some areas. He cited Attorney General John Jeremie’s disclosure that the Government had recovered $27 million from past incidents of corruption.

He also praised as steps in the right direction the Government’s moves to reform the public procurement regime and strengthen the Integrity Commission.

These last two claims by Mr Reid leave us, to put it mildly, puzzled. The main initiative in respect to reform of the public procurement regime has been Government’s recently announced plan to set up 15 new State enterprises, and unbiased commentators generally believe that this initiative will, if anything, lead to more corruption in the form of cronyism and wastage. We are also unaware of any moves being made by the Government to strengthen the Integrity Commission. The main thrust of the Manning administration in this regard has been to make the Commission immune to the Freedom of Information Act — a move that, if it has any effect, would make the Commission part of the problem. Indeed, the CPI rating in itself indicates that the Commission has not been carrying out its mandate effectively.

Mr Reid, however, also suggested that the CPI rating rested more on the perception of corruption in the Police Service than corrupt politicians and other public officials. But on what basis does Mr Reid make this claim?

A survey carried out by the TTTI itself in 2000 showed that 90.8 percent of respondents believed that politicians were corrupt, while 85.8 percent believed that corruption was rampant in the Police Service. Does Mr Reid have some newer data in which these findings are reversed?

If not, then he seems to be implying that either a regime change, or greater police corruption, has brought about a change in perception. But, if this is so, how is it that a 2005 poll by Market and Opinion Research International (MORI) found that 83 percent of respondents do not trust Government ministers to tell the truth, while 55 percent expect the same of police officers? Surely a perception like this would transfer to the CPI.

The TTTI carries out a valuable function in keeping government on its toes, since persons in power are always prone to corruption. But, in order to carry out its mandate effectively, the TTTI must itself be perceived as fair, objective, and ethical. The organisation’s image was tarnished when former chairman and Independent Senator Mary King accepted her Senate post during the 18-18 deadlock, and further damaged by rumours of infighting amongst the last Board.

Mr Reid, as TTTI’s newest chairman, does not help his organisation’s cause by appearing to treat the Government with kid gloves, for these are times which require both boldness and bluntness in tackling the many ills of the society.