By: Omar Silva, NP Staff Writer

Belize City, Sunday, 26th February 2023

Belize has not been ranked in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by Transparency International since 2008, and has been criticized for its lack of progress in implementing the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the Organization of American States Anti-Corruption Convention. However, the country has recently taken steps to address these concerns.

Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño has tasked the Ministry of Public Service, Constitutional & Political Reform and Religious Affairs, through its Good Governance Unit, with the mandate of bringing Belize up to readiness to implement anti-corruption measures, both nationally and internationally. This is a positive sign of Belize's commitment to fighting corruption.

Although Belize was not listed and ranked in the 2022 CPI, the country has been in discussions with representatives of Transparency International and the Good Governance Unit to improve its ranking in future indexes. During the meetings, it was explained that Belize was not ranked because only two of the 13 data sources used to construct the index had data for Belize. For a country to be in the CPI, data must be disclosed from a minimum of three sources. This does not necessarily mean that Belize's corruption levels are unknown or that the country is not making progress in addressing corruption.

While Transparency International did not formally list Belize in the 2022 CPI, the organization provided an estimated rank of the country's corruption index. Using the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators, Belize's level of Control of Corruption was calculated at 45.67% out of 100%. This suggests that Belize ranks around 47th to 52nd out of 180 countries and territories ranked by Transparency International's CPI.

Belize's Control of Corruption score provides some indication of the country's corruption levels relative to other countries. It is important to note, however, that corruption is a complex issue that cannot be fully captured by a single index or ranking. Other indexes and surveys, such as the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index and the Global Integrity Index, can provide a more nuanced and comprehensive view of corruption in Belize and other countries.

The Good Governance Unit has pledged to continue discussions and partnership with Transparency International and other data sources to get Belize formally ranked and listed in the CPI. This shows that the government is committed to improving transparency and accountability in the country.

In conclusion, while Belize still has work to do to address corruption, the establishment of the Good Governance Unit and the government's partnership with Transparency International are positive steps forward. By working together and considering multiple sources of data, Belize can continue to improve its efforts to combat corruption.