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PARAGUAY: South America's Leader in Corruption - Again
By Alejandro Sciscioli
ASUNCION, Oct 8, 2003 (IPS) - Paraguay remains the most corrupt country in South
America, the second in the Americas after Haiti, and the fourth-most corrupt
country in the world, according to Transparency International's new report.
The Corruption Perceptions Index drawn up annually by the Berlin-based
international anti-corruption watchdog says nine out of 10 developing
countries are in urgent need of practical support for combating graft.
Among the main causes of corruption in Paraguay as measured by this
year's report were ''the huge shady deals, some of which could even be
considered outright theft,'' by the previous government, which also fuelled
a rise in poverty, analyst Félix Lugo told IPS.
Ranking at the bottom of the list are Bangladesh - seen as the world's
most corrupt country - followed by Nigeria, Haiti, Paraguay, Myanmar,
Cameroon, Angola, Tajikistan, Kenya, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Indonesia, all
of which scored less than two, out of a total possible score of 10.
In the report released Tuesday, Transparency International granted lower
scores than last year to Argentina, Belarus, Chile, Canada, Israel,
Luxembourg, Poland, the United States and Zimbabwe.
At the other extreme are the countries that scored above nine, indicating
low levels of corruption: Finland, Iceland, Denmark, New Zealand, Singapore
and Sweden.
The president of the Paraguayan chapter of Transparency International,
Pilar Callizo, lamented that Paraguay's score dropped ''from 1.7 in 2001 to
1.6 this year.''
Callizo said it was unfortunately necessary to admit that the efforts of
organised civil society had been insufficient to combat ''the lack of
political will on the part of'' the administration of Luis González Macchi
(1999-2003), who turned over the reins on Aug. 15 to President Nicanor
Duarte. Both belong to the Colorado Party, which has been in power since
1948.
The Transparency International report was based on 17 surveys by 13
independent institutions, carried out among business people, academics, risk
analysts, local residents and expatriates in the 133 countries that were
ranked this year, compared to last year's 102 countries.
The larger number of countries covered by this year's report is due to
the fact that a greater number of valid and reliable sources were found,
according to a communique issued by Transparency International, which
explained that at least three surveys are necessary for a country to be
included on the list.
The surveys used to draw up this year's report were conducted between
2001 and 2003, when González Macchi was in power in Paraguay.
Callizo said Transparency International sees as ''encouraging'' the new
government's stated aim to clamp down on corruption, and the steps it has
already taken to do so.
However, several controversial appointments to key public posts have cast
doubt on the depth of the government's commitment to fight corruption, she
said, without naming any names.
''I believe the current government has a double-voiced discourse
regarding corruption, and the citizenry must demand answers. As long as the
public remains passive, there is unfortunately nothing we can do,'' she
added.
Callizo said oversight bodies like the public prosecutor's office and the
office of the comptroller-general were fundamental to the task of tackling
corruption.
''But since these bodies do not work properly either, it is the citizenry
who must remain vigilant, demand clarification of cases that are uncovered,
and insist that the guilty parties be held accountable,'' she said.
The vice-president of the Paraguayan chapter of Transparency
International, Arsenio Vasconcellos, also underlined the importance of
society's commitment to combating graft.
''It is important for citizens to try to diminish the impact of this
scourge and participate in the 'islands of integrity', to prevent the
persistence of corruption in the public sector,'' he said.
Vasconcellos said transparency is not only the responsibility of the
public sector, but also an obligation for society as a whole.
Political and economic analyst Lugo pointed to several factors leading to
the increased public perception of corruption in Paraguay, ''all of which
come together in the role played by the government of González Macchi.''
He said the ''shady deals'' that characterised the González Macchi
administration were the main factor in society's increased perception of
corruption. ''Linked to that, of course, is the increase in poverty fuelled
by those actions,'' he added.
Lugo also noted that Paraguayan society's mistrust of the government has
deepened due to the ''shameless ostentation of impunity observed in more
than one case.'' He added that ''the justice system is another decisive
factor.
''In many cases, it is people in the justice system who are chiefly
responsible for the public's perception of a high level of corruption,'' he
said.
One aspect that should also be addressed, according to the analyst, is
that the Paraguayan state ''is structured in a corrupt manner, with
contradictory laws, a lack of real controls and oversight, and the
overlapping of authority and functions.
''Corruption here is systemic, and only real, values-based education and
the reduction of poverty would be able to change the conception that
citizens hold of their own state,'' he said.
(END)
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