DATE=10/27/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=LATAM/CORRUPTION STUDY(L-O)
NUMBER=2-255529
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=RIO DE JANIERO
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: An international non-governmental group that
measures corruption world-wide says there has been
little improvement during the past year in Latin
America. V-O-A's Bill Rodgers in Rio de Janeiro
reports the assessment, from the group Transparency
International, says the region continues to suffer
from widespread corruption.
TEXT: Transparency International says Chile was the
only Latin-American country to be ranked among the
world's 20 countries perceived to be the least
corrupt. Chile placed 19th in the group's 1999-index
that ranks 99-nations.
The study by Transparency International, which was
released Tuesday, is based on surveys with multi-
national companies, government officials, and the
general public. These surveys measure the extent to
which bribery is perceived to be a common practice.
The index also is based on corruption assessments made
by firms that measure investment risk in nations.
The study indicates poverty is one of the factors
contributing to wide-spread corruption -- and the
index shows developed nations tend to be ranked among
the least corrupt. In general, Latin American
countries fell in the middle of the 99-nation index.
Brazil, for example, is in 45th place -- with more
corruption than Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, and Uruguay -
but the survey says far less than Venezuela or
Bolivia. Still, the head of Transparency
International in Brazil, David Fleischer, says
Brazil's score means that investors have to be wary.
/// FLEISCHER ACT ///
It is a sign that investors have to look
carefully at Brazil before they invest, in terms
of whether in their sector corruption is an
extra transaction cost of doing business in
Brazil.
/// END ACT ///
// OPT // Mr. Fleischer notes the information used to
determine Brazil's ranking did not include revelations
earlier this year from various investigations into
corruption. Because of this, he believes next year's
index will put Brazil in a worse position.
/// FLEISCHER ACT ///
The surveys were done in 1997 and `98. This
means they were done before what Brazilians call
`our boom of corruption', with all the
investigating committees in Congress and in the
municipal governments really hit the fan in
April, May and June. So we expect next year, in
the year 2000, that what is going on in Brazil
now will have quite an impact on the survey done
in 1999 and probably Brazil will end up worse
with more perception of corruption in the index
done in the year 2000.
/// END ACT & OPT ///
Paraguay, ranked 90th, and Honduras, at 94, had the
lowest scores among Latin American nations in this
year's Transparency International index.
Transparency-Brazil head, David Fleischer, says the
index's results should be a wake-up call for countries
to strengthen their institutions so they can crack
down on corruption. (SIGNED)
NEB/WFR/RAE
27-Oct-1999 13:04 PM EDT (27-Oct-1999 1704 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
