The Tribune

By DANA SMITH dsmith@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas is less corrupt than the United States, according to a report released yesterday. Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks countries based on "their perceived levels of public sector corruption" with the number one spot belonging to the country with the least amount of corruption. The CPI has been published yearly since 1995, with 183 different countries being ranked this year. The Bahamas makes its debut on the chart this year, ranking at 21, beating countries such as the United States, France, and Spain. According Transparency International's official website, they determine the perceived levels of corruption in the public sector with "expert assessments" and "opinion surveys." Two other Caribbean countries also made their debut on the chart, with St Lucia at 25, and St Vincent and the Grenadines at 36. Previously ranking Caribbean countries, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago, also made this list again this year at 175 and 91, respectively, indicating high levels of corruption. Jamaica's country ranking was 86 with Guyana, 134. According to the CPI, the least corrupt country is New Zealand at one, while Somalia and North Korea - another new debut, tied for the most corrupt country at 182.