Sri Lanka was found to be more corrupt in 2022 than it was in the year 2021, according to the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
The 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International saw Sri Lanka’s rankings drop by 1 point in 2022 from the year 2021.
The CPI has ranked Sri Lanka at 101 among 180 countries with a score of 36.
The Corruption Perceptions Index is the most widely used global corruption ranking in the world. It measures how corrupt each country’s public sector is perceived to be, according to experts and businesspeople.
Transparency International noted that while anti-government protests were not uncommon in Sri Lanka before 2022, they gathered significant momentum last year because of the country’s ever-worsening economic situation.
Sri Lanka took out massive international loans to finance its economic growth for decades, including infrastructure development projects.
“This worked at first, but mismanagement and rampant corruption, combined with a sharp decline in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic, finally sent the country’s economy into a complete meltdown,” Transparency International said.
With inflation skyrocketing, the island nation has been unable to import sufficient food, fuel or medicine for its 22 million citizens, plunging them into the worst crisis the country has seen in decades. Recognising the link between their situation and the pervasive corruption among the country’s leadership, protesters demanded reforms and refused to leave the streets despite brutal police crackdowns.
Transparency International in Sri Lanka, together with other civil society organizations, kept up the pressure on the Government to heed the call of the people and enact genuine anti-corruption reforms.
Seeking accountability from those responsible for state bankruptcy, Transparency International Sri Lanka also filed a petition with the Supreme Court and obtained a travel ban against the former President, Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Central Bank Governor and two others.
Transparency International said that while the country remains in crisis with no resolution of the widespread unrest in 2022, civil society and activists continue working to demand better legislative frameworks, governance standards, transparency and accountability for the people of Sri Lanka.