Transparency International says its just released Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2020 “paints a grim picture of the state of corruption worldwide” as the problem “is more pervasive in countries least equipped to handle the COVID-19 pandemic and other global crises”.

According to the watchdog group, while most countries have made little to no progress in tackling corruption in nearly a decade, more than two-thirds of countries score below 50.

“Our analysis shows corruption not only undermines the global health response to COVID-19, but contributes to a continuing crisis of democracy,” Transparency International said in its 2020 report yesterday.

COVID-19, it said, is not just a health and economic crisis but a corruption crisis as well.

“The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in health care and democratic institutions around the world. From forced bribes for tests and treatments to corrupt deals to supply essential medical equipment like ventilators and masks, corruption undermines the response to the virus,” the entity said.

“This costs lives. The CPI 2020 shows that countries with higher levels of corruption invest less in public health and are least prepared for a health crisis. But there are glimmers of hope we can achieve a fair and equitable recovery if important decisions are made in the interest of the public, not the powerful,” it said further.

Transparency ranks 180 countries and territories on a scale of zero to 100 with zero being highly corrupt and 100 being very clean by their perceived levels of public sector corruption.

The top countries on the CPI are Denmark and New Zealand, with scores of 88, followed by Finland, Singapore, Sweden, and Switzerland, with scores of 85 each. The bottom countries are South Sudan and Somalia, with scores of 12 each, followed by Syria (14), Yemen (15), and Venezuela (15).

“Like previous years, more than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of just 43. The data show that despite some progress, most countries still fail to tackle corruption effectively. In addition to earning poor scores, nearly half of all countries have been stagnant on the CPI for almost a decade. These countries have failed to move the needle in any significant way to improve their score and combat public sector corruption,” Transparency stated.

It said since 2012, a total 26 countries improved their CPI scores, including Greece, Myanmar, and Ecuador. In the same period, 22 countries decreased their scores, including Lebanon, Malawi and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the remaining countries made little or no progress in the fight against corruption in recent years.

In the meantime, the agency said in order to fight COVID-19 and curb corruption it is essential for countries to, among other things, strengthen oversight institutions.

In this respect, it said “the COVID-19 response exposed vulnerabilities of weak oversight and inadequate transparency”.

“To ensure resources reach those most in need and are not subject to theft by the corrupt, anti-corruption authorities and oversight institutions must have sufficient funds, resources and independence to perform their duties,” the group said.

It also called for governments to “ensure open and transparent contracting”.

“Many governments have drastically relaxed procurement processes. These rushed and opaque procedures provide ample opportunity for corruption and diversion of public resources. Contracting processes must remain open and transparent to combat wrongdoing, identify conflicts of interest and ensure fair pricing,” the report noted further.

The CPI 2020 shows Jamaica scoring 44 out of 100 and ranking 69 out of 180 countries. For 2019 the country scored 43 out of 100 and ranked 74, while for 2018 it scored 44 out of 100 and ranked 70 out of the 180 countries.