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Old 23-01-2004, 03:23   #1
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Corruption Index - 2003

For what it's worth, those planning a cruise itinerary might consider the following report.

Transparency International - Corruption Index (2003)
# http://www.transparency.org/pressrel...07.cpi.en.html

Corruption is perceived to be pervasive in Bangladesh, Nigeria, Haiti, Paraguay, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Georgia, Cameroon, Azerbaijan, Angola, Kenya, and Indonesia, countries with a score of less than 2 in the new index. Countries with a score of higher than 9, with very low levels of perceived corruption, are rich countries, namely Finland, Iceland, Denmark, New Zealand, Singapore and Sweden.

Some changes highlighted in the CPI were identified by Peter Eigen. "On the basis of data from sources that have been consistently used for the index, improvements since last year's index can be observed for Austria, Belgium, Colombia, France, Germany, Ireland, Malaysia, Norway, and Tunisia. Noteworthy examples of a worsening are Argentina, Belarus, Chile, Canada, Israel, Luxembourg, Poland, USA, and Zimbabwe."

Excerpted from the report:

CPI 2003 - Country rank (11 LEAST CORRUPT)

1. Finland - 9.7
2 Iceland - 9.6
3 Denmark - 9.5
4 New Zealand - 9.5
5 Singapore - 9.4
6 Sweden - 9.3
7 Netherlands - 8.9
8 Australia - 8.8
9 Norway - 8.8
10 Switzerland - 8.8
11 Canada - 8.7

13 U.K. - 8.7
19 U.S.A. - 7.5
...

CPI 2003 - Country Rank (15 MOST CORRUPT)

118 Cote d'Ivoire - 2.1
119 Kyrgyzstan - 2.1
120 Libya - 2.1
121 Papua New Guinea - 2.1
122 Indonesia - 1.9
123 Kenya - 1.9
124 Angola - 1.8
125 Azerbaijan - 1.8
126 Cameroon - 1.8
127 Georgia - 1.8
128 Tajikistan - 1.8
129 Myanmar - 1.6
130 Paraguay - 1.6
131 Haiti - 1.5
132 Nigeria - 1.4
133 Bangladesh - 1.3

FWIW - Regards,
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Old 01-03-2006, 05:16   #2
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Corruption Index 2005

Transparency International ~ Corruption Perceptions Index 2005

Corruption still rampant in 70 countries

“More than two-thirds of the 159 nations surveyed in Transparency International’s 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) scored less than 5 out of a clean score of 10, indicating serious levels of corruption in a majority of the countries surveyed ...”
Goto:
http://ww1.transparency.org/cpi/2005...5_infocus.html
http://ww1.transparency.org/cpi/2005...focus.html#cpi
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Old 01-03-2006, 06:33   #3
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This list is way off... I think NY should be at the top. ha ha ha
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Old 01-03-2006, 12:01   #4
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No Sean. This state should be at the top.

District of Columbia, USA
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Old 01-03-2006, 17:04   #5
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I don't mean to rain on your jokes, but if all you know is Washington and New York, you have only the barest concept of government corruption.

My great grandfather came to the US from Poland in 1885 or so. A few years before the Soviet Union came apart, an uncle of mine visited Poland and tried to find birth records, death records, etc to trace family history. The government official said "There is nothing - it was all destroyed in the war."

Later, I told this story to a woman who had lived most of her life in the Soviet Union. She said, "So how much was the bribe? What did he find out?"

My uncle did not even realize that the official was looking for bribe, but somebody who had lived in that system just assumed as a matter of course that a bribe would be paid. She would never just assume that a government official would do his job without one.

If we had a similar system here, you would pay a bribe to the clerk to get your driver's license renewed. If you were stopped for speeding, you would pay a bribe to the police officer in exchange for not writing you a ticket -- whether you were speeding or not. You would pay a bribe to the clerk who handled your boat registration, and if he needed extra money he might call you in a month and tell you that your paperwork was lost and you would pay him again.

It's truly amazing that most of the world works this way...
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Old 01-03-2006, 17:57   #6
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True. Most of the world does work this way. I've been to all the continents (except the one pwederell is on!), and I've see that too.

The corruption we deal with in the US is just not at the "consumer" level. It's above our heads. It's in the deals and deal making going on, as well as the political parties.
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Old 01-03-2006, 19:12   #7
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Anyone ever hear of this guy Jack Abrahamoff? (sp?) Seem's I've read that 1 out of every 5 congressmen could go to jail ... corruption? NAAAAHHH just the way business is done here.
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Old 01-03-2006, 19:28   #8
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Yeah Bob.

I've heard of Jack Abrahamoff.

Corrupted bastard he is!!

And I hope the other congressmen & senators get slammed. And get sent to prison!!
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Old 01-03-2006, 22:20   #9
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What exactly is being measured when they say corruption??
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Old 02-03-2006, 03:59   #10
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Alan brings up a good point. While cruising, I expect to meet some petty official somewhere looking to make a few bucks on the side ... if the guy is simply trying to put food on the table for the kiddies, I can understand and accept the situation. True enough, that scenario is "corruption" ... but in it's own way, it's acceptable to me. On the other hand ... when you have an American congressman, who is already a multi-millionaire, and he sells his vote to special interests, screwing not only his own constituency, but the American people as a whole ... for a free golfing trip (which he could have afforded anyway) ... that's quite another story.

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Old 02-03-2006, 05:28   #11
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Quote:
Wahoo Sails once whispered in the wind:
Alan brings up a good point. While cruising, I expect to meet some petty official somewhere looking to make a few bucks on the side ... if the guy is simply trying to put food on the table for the kiddies, I can understand and accept the situation. True enough, that scenario is "corruption" ... but in it's own way, it's acceptable to me. On the other hand ... when you have an American congressman, who is already a multi-millionaire, and he sells his vote to special interests, screwing not only his own constituency, but the American people as a whole ... for a free golfing trip (which he could have afforded anyway) ... that's quite another story.

Bob & Lynn
Well said! I agree about having to "grease the wheels" a little bit in a bananna republic. Not really a problem at all. I've seen it done and participated, and it wasn't so bad at all. Just gets you better service.

The deals that really bug me are the ones where they make laws to support an industry's bottom line in exchange for "campaign contributions" and all sorts of other unseen benefits. (one hand washes the other)

A good example would be manditory automobile insurance laws. They force you to buy a sub-standard service for ridiculous rates, BY LAW. Unbelieveable what Amercians will put up with these days without a fight. I could go on and on again... but no... I don't want to go too far down the politican rant avenue and alienate international forum members.
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Old 02-03-2006, 10:44   #12
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Well the main reason I hask is, we here in NZ would (I would like to think) probably the opposite. I think we would be highly offended if someone tried to "bribe" us in someway to do our job differently so as the "briber" would have some sort of priority or privilage over another. Yes you come across the odd scumbag crook trying to rip off some granny somewhere, or some scumbag that abuses his place of authority by using it to help a mate, but I just don't think you would find any official in any organistation that would do anything that would hinder an overseas visitor from obtaining some important aspect required to be here in NZ, which you may find would happen in some other countries, without greasign someones palm.
So hence my question,
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Old 02-03-2006, 16:27   #13
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Alan,
Your comments fit hand in glove with the high ranking for your country... and you would right to be proud of it! My only surprise is that the USA managed to get as high a ranking as 19th!
I probably wouldn't mention any of this but friends and family have asked me how I will cope with the corruption in South America ... so I have had to reply to them. On the local level, there is a building inspector that has lamented to me about a huge home builder that is building "fire traps" ... then always manages to "get" an exemption for them. On the state level, we have a problem with run off from Lake Okechobee ... Big agriculture VS big tourism ... wanna know who's gonna win that debate? Find out who "contributes" more to the state politicians & you will have your answer. On the federal level ... well? The Abramoff scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. One fifth of our congress could end up behind bars ... and if they looked harder, it could be a whole lot more. Then there's Haliburton, Enron, MCI, Worldcom etc. etc. etc. ............ PLEASE don't ask about corruption in the health care industry!!! Ya don't wanna know!
The thing that amazes me the most is the amount of American citizens that are in complete denial ... they just want to sit there, wave their flag (that was made in China) and yell, "We're #1 ... we're #1" ...... because it's easier than facing the truth.

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Old 02-03-2006, 23:36   #14
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Quote:
Alan Wheeler once whispered in the wind:
What exactly is being measured when they say corruption??
From the FAQ:

Quote:
What is the Corruption Perceptions Index?

The TI Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) this year ranks 133 countries in terms of the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. It is a composite index, drawing on 17 different polls and surveys from 13 independent institutions carried out among business people and country analysts, including surveys of residents, both local and expatriate. In 2002, the CPI included only 102 countries. The large increase in coverage relates to the fact that more valid and reputable sources have been found that can be incorporated

For the purpose of the TI indices, how is corruption defined?

The CPI focuses on corruption in the public sector and defines corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain. The surveys used in compiling the CPI tend to ask questions in line with the misuse of public power for private benefit, with a focus, for example, on bribe-taking by public officials in public procurement. The sources do not distinguish between administrative and political corruption.
So it looks like they are measuring the perception of corruption more so than the actual corruption. I wouldn't expect that actual corruption necessarily could be measured.

Fortunately, when there is widespread corruption, everybody notices. That's where terms like "mordita" come from.

(Mordita is a slang term used in Mexico. It refers to having to bribe officials to do the jobs they are supposed to be doing anyway. The literal English translation is "little death".)

As in New Zealand, we don't have a widespread problem with mordita in the US. I think this is a positive aspect of each of our cultures.
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Old 03-03-2006, 12:23   #15
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I have a very good friend who lives in Indonesia and his family has been involved in the Government for decades. He was at my house last winter and this subject came up and he stated that Indonesia a few years ago was number 1 on the corruption list but they bribed the agency who generates this information to get them pushed down on the list.

Don't you just love it!
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