“Show facts not perception” – Guyana’s president to Transparency International

In a blistering critique of Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) report, President Dr Irfaan Ali has challenged the organization to base its assessments on empirical data rather than perception-driven indicators.

Speaking during a live broadcast on Thursday, the Head of State called into question the legitimacy of Transparency International’s findings, arguing that they rely on biased sources with clear political motives rather than verifiable facts.
President Ali’s criticism comes after Transparency International ranked Guyana lower in its latest CPI, a score of 39. A country’s score is the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0-100, where 0 means highly corrupt and 100 means very clean.
TI noted that although the country has created anti-corruption institutions and laws, transparency and law enforcement are very low.
According to the president, the report’s conclusions fail to reflect the on-the-ground realities of Guyana’s progress.
“When you look factually, more persons are ticketed. More persons are prosecuted by CANU. More persons came under disciplinary measures in all government agencies but you score less”.
“What is this? What nonsense is this? What mischief and misinformation is this? None of these matters,” the President said.

Fact or fiction?
Transparency International’s CPI is widely referenced as a global benchmark for corruption, but President Ali pointed out a fundamental flaw, noting that its ranking is not based on direct evidence or factual investigations but rather on perceived corruption.
Ali highlighted several key issues, including the organization’s alleged reliance on politically biased sources and individuals with clear anti-government agendas. He pointed out that some of the local figures associated with Transparency International’s operations in Guyana have histories of legal disputes with the government and have openly criticised key state policies.
“The important thing is, who is driving this perception? Who are they using, and whose views are being amplified?” the president questioned. “It is alarming to see the level of so-called transparency from Transparency International itself.”

Global recognition, yet a lower ranking?
One of the starkest contradictions, according to President Ali, is the CPI’s ranking of Guyana during its 2020 political crisis, when the former A Partnership for National Unity – Alliance For Change (APNU-AFC) government refused to leave office despite a no-confidence vote and court rulings.
Despite this turmoil and clear governance violations, the country received a higher corruption ranking than it does under the current administration.
“Imagine this, the level of dishonesty with Transparency International here and wherever they send their perception. Imagine in 2020 when you had a government that was illegally occupying office. When you had a government that disregarded a no confidence motion and ruling of the court. When you had a government that spent more than 600 billion dollars without parliamentary oversight in 2020. When you had a government that refused to give interviews and respond to the media. And look at this” the Head of State said temperedly.
Further, in his address, President Ali emphasized that while international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have praised Guyana for its commitment to transparency and governance reforms, Transparency International’s CPI suggests a regression.
“But let us look at some recognized agencies. The UNFCCC stated Guyana’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of climate revenue has also garnered international acclaim, including recognition from the UN. In 2024, our efforts have resulted in being awarded the Champion of Transparency Award by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, being the first developing country in the world and the second country globally to meet its required submission for climate transparency reporting based on facts, not perception.”

Call for accountability
In an effort to set the record straight, President Ali issued a direct challenge to Transparency International to present factual evidence supporting its claims rather than relying on politically motivated perception surveys.
“We are willing for Transparency International to bring all of their perceived perception to us so that we can respond to it. I challenge them. I challenge them to bring it. Don’t hide under these individuals and persons with a clear motive,” he added.