Those niggling Corruption Perception Indexes

THE EDITOR, Sir: 
According to a recent media report, the Petrojam Scandal has caused Jamaica to slip two places in corruption watchdog group Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2018. The recent downgrade is a reversal of gains made in previous years to bolster the image of the brand Jamaica.
For the average Jamaican, this does not mean much as most Jamaicans seem to be immune to the news of corruption in ­general even though the effects are huge and evident on our ­individual lives. 
When the public purse is ­plundered by those expected to protect taxpayers’ money, it means that critical public services are short-changed and the wider society, especially the poor and most vulnerable, are robbed of a fair chance to access good-­quality service. Our public schools, our public hospitals, our security ­services, housing, and all other areas are affected.
Too many of our students ­attend institutions that are without basic amenities and lacking in the facilities to ensure excellence, all because the Government can do so much and no more. A similar set of circumstances exist at our public hospitals, but while we struggle with this reality, corruption continues to bite chunks into public money by the greedy.
DETRIMENTAL TO GROWTH
This latest CPI rating will also have an effect on investor ­confidence, which is detrimental to the long-term growth of the economy for short-term gains.
 Despite there being various mechanisms in place to examine government practices for signs of corruption, it is proving that these are not enough for us to make any real headway in curbing corrupt practices. 
 We live in a global community, real or perceived, therefore what we do at yard affects us locally, but a greater impact is our image abroad.
The question is, when will we learn? The answer is clearly not under this government.
MICHAEL BELLAMY 
mmbellamy1975@gmail.com