PNG more corrupt than ’08: Watchdog

PAPUA New Guinea is more corrupt this year than it was last year, according to Transparency International’s annual report released yesterday at its headquarters in Berlin, Germany.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) that measures perceived levels of  public-sector corruption in 180 countries and territories around the world shows that PNG has dropped three places down from 151 last year to 154 this year.
The most honest country in the world is New Zealand. Australia is ranked as the eight most honest nation.
The CPI is described as the “survey of surveys” based on 13 different expert and business surveys and indicators.
PNG’s chapter of Transparency International is expected to launch the country report today. 
Chair of Transparency International in Berlin Haguette Labelle said when releasing the report yesterday: “As the world economy begins to register a tentative recovery and some nations continue to wrestle with ongoing conflict and insecurity, it is clear that no region of the world is immune to the perils of corruption.”
With PNG’s K7.5 billion budget for growth handed down on Tuesday, Ms Labelle’s message to countries around the world was and a timely reminder to the PNG Government and leaders in all sectors.
In an index on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 10 (perceived to have low levels of corruption), PNG scores a dismal 2.1. 
The vast majority of the 180 countries scored below five on the scale.
Countries placed in the same group as PNG are: Cote d’Ivore, Paraguay and Yemen.
The smaller island countries fared much better than PNG in dealing with the issue of corruption and have actually moved up the table.
Kiribati and Solomon Islands have improved to 111 placing, Tonga 99 and Vanuatu 95.
Overall results in this year’s index are of great concern because corruption continues to lurk where opacity rules, where institutions still need strengthening and where governments have not implemented anti-corruption legal frameworks.