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Corruption Grows in Costa Rica,
Transparency International
Report Indicates
According to a report by the
Organización de Transparencia
Internacional (TI), -
Transparency International -
2006 Corruption Perceptions
Index, that reinforces link
between poverty and corruption,
shows the machinery of
corruption remains well-oiled,
despite improved legislation.
Costa Rica placed number 55 in
the2006 CPI index with a score
of 4.1 (down from the 51st spot
and a score 4.2 for 2005) in a
list of 163 countries.
“Corruption traps millions in
poverty,” said Transparency
International Chair Huguette
Labelle. “Despite a decade of
progress in establishing
anti-corruption laws and
regulations, today’s results
indicate that much remains to be
done before we see meaningful
improvements in the lives of the
world’s poorest citizens.”
The 2006 Corruption Perceptions
Index is a composite index that
draws on multiple expert opinion
surveys that poll perceptions of
public sector corruption in 163
countries around the world, the
greatest scope of any CPI to
date. It scores countries on a
scale from zero to ten, with
zero indicating high levels of
perceived corruption and ten
indicating low levels of
perceived corruption.
A strong correlation between
corruption and poverty is
evident in the results of the
CPI 2006. Almost three-quarters
of the countries in the CPI
score below five (including all
low-income countries and all but
two African states) indicating
that most countries in the world
face serious perceived levels of
domestic corruption. Seventy-one
countries - nearly half - score
below three, indicating that
corruption is perceived as
rampant. Haiti has the lowest
score at 1.8; Guinea, Iraq and
Myanmar share the penultimate
slot, each with a score of 1.9.
Finland, Iceland and New Zealand
share the top score of 9.6.
Countries with a significant
worsening in perceived levels of
corruption include: Brazil,
Cuba, Israel, Jordan, Laos,
Seychelles, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia and the United States.
Countries with a significant
improvement in perceived levels
of corruption include: Algeria,
Czech Republic, India, Japan,
Latvia, Lebanon, Mauritius,
Paraguay, Slovenia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan and Uruguay.
While Costa Rica placed number
55, neigbours Nicaragua placed
111th with a score of 2.6 and
Panama 84th with a score of 3.1.
The other Central American
countries, Guatemala tied
Nicaragua in the 111th spot;
Honduras placed 121st with a
score of 2.5; El Salvador 57th
with a score of 4.0; and, Belize
in 66th place with a score of
3.5.
In South America, Colombia
placed 59th, Venezuela 138th,
Argentina 93rd and Brazil in
70th spot.
Click here for a complete
2006 CPI table.
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