Transparency International (TI) on Tuesday released the 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), rating Maldives 124 out of 180 countries with a total score of 31.
This is the third consecutive year in which Maldives is included among the two-thirds of countries to score below 50 and has consistently rated poorer each passing year.
In the 2016 and 2017 CPIs, Maldives had a score and country ranking of 36 and 95, and 33 and 112, respectively.
"The 2018 CPI score for the Maldives is a stark reminder of the eroding democratic institutions and the unchecked level of grand corruption. Over the past five years, the fundamental freedoms and rights in Maldives has gradually deteriorated, paving a smooth path for unchecked corruption and abuse of power", said TI's local chapter, Transparency Maldives (TM).
- Ensure the strengthening of institutions responsible for maintaining checks and balances over political power, and ensure their ability to operate without intimidation.
- Close the implementation gap between anti-corruption legislation, practice and enforcement
- Support civil society organisations which enhance political engagement and public oversight over government spending
- Support a free and independent media, and ensure the safety of journalists and their ability to work without intimidation or harassment.
The CPI annually scores and ranks countries by their perceived level of public sector corruption according to surveys and expert assessments, using a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
In the 2018 index, the Maldives’ score was drawn from three international sources: World Bank CPIA, Global Insight Country Risk Ratings, and Varieties of Democracy Project.
CPI is calculated using a composite assessment consisting of a minimum of three separate sources.
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