P.M. reacts to Corruption Perception Index

Last week Transparency International released its 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index … and the news was bad for Belize. The jewel ranked, a hundred and nine out of one hundred and eighty countries worldwide; and twenty-four out of thirty-two regionally. According to Transparency International, it gathers data from sources that span the last two years, using data from thirteen sources originated from eleven independent institutions. Today the P.M. expressed some skepticism about the rating, but says plans are in the works to change the image.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“I have to check that, that can’t be based on what has happened since the change in government. This must be based on what the position was before. But in any case, there is always room for improvement and you know that is what this administration is all about. If current events factored into that sort of analysis, then we have things about things like what happened at the Customs Department. I know there are concerns still about goings on in the Immigration Department. I want to tell you that there is going to be a plan announced for customs and the Immigration Ministry is working again on the revamping of that department in order to try and minimize at least the perception that has dogged that department.”

Barrow says that there are also operational measures that are being undertaken by government which should lead to the needed perception change.