Colombia fell from 70th to 75th place in an annual global measure of government transparency, revealed Transparency International on Tuesday.
According to reports Colombia had maintained a stable position at 70 throughout the last seven years however, the Corruption Perception Index 2009 revealed that this year, the country is showing signs of losing its battle against corruption.
The transparency survey ranked Colombia with 3.7 points out of 10, reported newsaper El Tiempo on Tuesday.
Despite improvement this year from Brazil, the survey further showed a general increase in corruption througout Latin America. Only in Chile and Uruguay (the only countries to have more than 6 points out of 10 in the survey index) did the public believe corruption to have noticably diminished
Colombia sits on a par with Brazil and Suriname in the Americas, at 10th place out of 28. Venezuela and Haiti emerged with the lowest results.
Colombia’s government recently created a special police force with the role of identifying and preventing corruption. The strategy involves the giving of rewards and promotions to individuals who expose corrupt officials and their accomplices.
Huguette Labelle, President of Transparency International explained that “containing corruption required active control from legislative powers, an efficient justice system … external corruption fighting organizations, forceful implementation of the law and a society dedicated to upholding the incentive.”
For the complete Transparency International 2009 review click here.