I have a confession to make. While living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I was stopped for speeding. The motorcycle cop suggested that I pay him an amount he had written on his pad in cash so I could go on my way. In Mexico, they take your driver’s license and force you to visit the local police station to pay your fine and retrieve your license. Had I just gone to the police station the fine would have been US$25 versus the US$45 I paid. It wasn’t my proudest moment.
I offer this mea culpa just as Transparency International, a global coalition against corruption with offices in more than 100 countries, released its Global Corruption Barometer 2013 study based on 114,000 responses from 107 countries. The key finding is that bribery is widespread. In the last 12 months, 27 percent of respondents said they paid a bribe while interacting with key public institutions.
Other key findings from the study that may interest you:
• Public institutions suffer the worst levels of bribery. The police and judiciary are seen as the two most bribery-prone. An estimated 31 percent of people who came into contact with the police report having paid a bribe. For those interacting with the judiciary, it’s 24 percent.
• Governments are not thought to be doing enough to hold the corrupt to account. The majority believes their government is ineffective at fighting corruption and corruption is getting worse. Around the world, political parties are perceived to be the most corrupt institutions.
• People surveyed regard corruption in their country as more than just paying bribes; almost two out of three people believe that personal contacts and relationships help to get things done in the public sector.
• People say they are ready to change the status quo. Optimistically, nearly nine out of 10 said they would act against corruption. The majority would speak up and report an incident of corruption. Two-thirds who were asked to pay a bribe say they refused.
When you see the red light in your rearview mirror, just say no.