To make a deal, Colombia businesses first dole out the bribe
Source: TrustLaw
To make a deal, Colombia businesses first dole out the bribe
Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:04 GMT
Source: trustlaw // Anastasia Moloney
By Anastasia Moloney
BOGOTA (TrustLaw) – Paying bribes to public officials is widespread among private companies in Colombia, with many believing they would lose business if they did not pay up, according to a survey of business leaders by the national chapter of Transparency International.
The survey, by Transparency for Colombia and the Bogota-based Externado University of Colombia, interviewed 858 business leaders from small-, medium- and large-sized private companies in various sectors, including agriculture, mining and transport, in nine major cities across Colombia last year.
“Despite government efforts, bribery in the private sector and private companies with public sector partnerships is a growing concern and problem in Colombia,” Elisabeth Ungar, head of Transparency for Colombia, told TrustLaw in a telephone interview.
A vast majority of those surveyed - an “alarming” 94.4 percent - believe there is bribery in their business sector, she said.
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