even before i came to Guatemala i heard much about the bank card fraud here. i've made it around the world a few times without problems with ATMs - well, India last year was a little bit ugly but that was a political issue pushed onto the banks. i have been using the ATM most recommended by expats as having the fewest problems. still, the fraud is so prevelant here my bank shut down access to my account as i was trying to get cash on a saturday. love my bank. i called and a real person answered [ON A SATURDAY!] and took care of the problem. a different time the machine didn't give me any cash but debited my account. again, a call to my bank [who said yep, happens all the time in Guat] and one day later i had the debit reversed. during the security screen they asked how long i had been banking with them and it turns out i've been with them for 20 years - and i've never had a complaint about their service. the banking system here sucks. this country takes corruption to a new level but that's a whole other post.
Showing posts with label corruption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corruption. Show all posts
January 8, 2018
January 16, 2017
corruption in Africa
extortion and bribes are a way of life in Africa. it's part of their income stream. as a company our policy was not to pay any 'extra fees' and there were times when without that leverage it felt our paperwork was neglected.
in Tanzania if you call someone to a meeting, like our farmers to a training, you have to pay them to attend [transportation & time]. it's common that government officials will show up for organizational meetings just to sit through them and collect the stipend at the end of the day. it's not a productive model as real engagement is pretty low.
unfortunately, high visibility into corruption in African leaders leaves locals believing that it doesn't exist to the same extent in the west.
we don't call it corruption when US doctors get free trips for continuing education from pharmaceutical companies and when PACs run negative ads in election cycles yet somehow the African model is viewed as more corrupt. hmmmm, makes a person think.
in Tanzania if you call someone to a meeting, like our farmers to a training, you have to pay them to attend [transportation & time]. it's common that government officials will show up for organizational meetings just to sit through them and collect the stipend at the end of the day. it's not a productive model as real engagement is pretty low.
unfortunately, high visibility into corruption in African leaders leaves locals believing that it doesn't exist to the same extent in the west.
we don't call it corruption when US doctors get free trips for continuing education from pharmaceutical companies and when PACs run negative ads in election cycles yet somehow the African model is viewed as more corrupt. hmmmm, makes a person think.
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