From: Jurriaan Bendien (adsl675281@TISCALI.NL)
Date: Sat Dec 08 2007 - 12:41:19 EST
This year's barometer indicates a gloomy outlook when it comes to corruption. Over the past five years, the general public's expectation of the development of future corruption has become more pessimistic seen globally - with some African countries the exception. Expectations that corruption will worsen in the future have risen to 54 per cent of respondents compared to 43 per cent in the first barometer in 2003. Only one fifth of citizens polled expected change for the better. Interestingly, a few African countries exhibited a relatively high level of optimism about anti-corruption efforts in their countries. The Barometer finds that poor households are hit hardest by bribe demands, in developing as well as developed countries. One out of ten respondents reported having paid a bribe in the past year [the biggest bribery problem involves the police]. In some countries up to one third of respondents resorted to paying a bribe for access to public service. These are often services that should be free, such as health care or education. Governments, in citizens' overwhelming view, don't do enough to fight corruption. Political parties, parliaments and the judiciary on average are seen as the most corrupt sectors of society - as they have been in the past five years. But civil society organisations need to be alert as well. Even though still considered fairly clean compared to other sectors, public opinion of their integrity dropped in 2007. Complete story: http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2007/gcb_2007#key One might well ask, if the political process itself is more and more perceived as corrupt, how can it make a better society? Or is there something wrong with public perceptions? Jurriaan
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