Good to Know ..... or not....

Today's Qatar Tribune published the Transparency International's 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index and it's as expected, I suppose.  Surveys measuring domestic, political and public sector corruption were done in 180 countries around the world.  Countries were measured on the overall extent of corruption (frequency and/or size of bribes) on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the least corrupt.

The race towards ethical and honest business and political practice was a heady affair with many countries jockeying for top spots.  First at the finishing line is New Zealand, at 9.4.  I am pleased to point out, however, that Canada, our homeland, ranks up there in the top ten, at position number 8, with a ranking of 8.7.  (our usual story - ever the bridesmaid, never the bride, but at least we are right up there!). USA filled out the ranks of the top twenty coming in at number 19.  Lo and behold, Qatar took 22nd place in the world, and first position amongst GCC countries - good to know.  

Trailing behind in a solid back pack is South Africa, our birth country, lumbering along at position number 55.  Courtney, I see that Liberia, where you will be stationed, is panting away and having real trouble keeping up, at position number 97, with a rank of 3.1 - no wonder the U.N. has a watchdog status there - you be careful out there?!  However, things could be worse, Ecuador, where we lived for a year, is way out of the standings and limping in at position 146 out 180, with a rank of 2.2.  And last but not least, coming in stone last is Somalia, deemed the most corrupt country in the world with a score of 1.1 - I don't think we should be cheering here, unless it is to exhort him to get a move on.

As an aside, I am somewhat concerned with the methodology.  TI conducted 13 surveys but some countries only participated in 4, or 6 etc - so how do you work the rankings with that?  Surveys were completed by objective outside bodies, and also businesses and such in the respective countries, but what truth will surface?  If I give you the answer I really believe in, could I get thrown in jail, branded, bullied or otherwise impeded?   I wonder how they calculated for bias.  Also, why is the the only measure bribery - what about not honouring contracts, nepotism, personal nest eggs in Swiss banks, questionable bidding practices, tender illegalities, quality of materials and products, child labour, lack of environmental safeguards, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera....shades of  imperialism even in 2009.

For more details, see the CPI at Transparency International - http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009/cpi_2009_table  and article in the Qatar Tribune, November 18, 2009 -http://www.qatar-tribune.com/data/20091118/content.asp?section=business1_2

Ah, well, hopefully someone, somewhere, sometime in my life time will care enough about reputation and honesty to do something about improving standings and standards in the future.

Hathan Sa'eedan/Good Luck