TTW COMMENT
Trade Issues
T_h is month TTW’s publisher, Sean O’Driscoll, takes
a look at the thorny issue of ‘bungs’ and ‘backhanders’
in the trade. How widespread is it? Very... apparently!
“I
T’S far more prevalent decades ethically it cannot be
than you think,” was right.
the very frank answer China, itself, now stamps
I was given by the top man at down heavily on its own
one of the UK’s leading tackle population if they accept bribes
suppliers. He was replying to from others. Recently, the death
my question about an issue that penalty has been given for such
is increasingly coming to my abuse. In one case 62-year-
attention – that of bribery in old Zheng Xiaoyu, was found
our industry. guilty of accepting 6.5m Yuan
He told me that he was aware (£433,000)-worth of bribes
of purchase/product managers from pharmaceutical companies
that had secret bank accounts, to expedite the approval of new
and every time they placed an drugs and sentenced to death.
order with their supplier in And as recently as October
China a small percentage of the 21st, 2008, Beijing’s former
order’s value would fi nd its way vice mayor Liu Zhihua was
back to their accounts! sentenced to death with a
Let me state that I have no two-year reprieve for taking
evidence of this practice taking bribes, Chinese media reported,
place but… citing a court ruling. Liu, 59,
Transparency International, was charged with taking bribes
an independent anticorruption of about 6.97 million yuan
organisation, actually claims (US$1.02 million) when he
that Russian and Chinese was vice mayor of Beijing and
companies are considered to be director of the management
the most fl agrant bribe-payers committee of Zhongguancun
in the World. Science Park from 1999 to
T_h ere’s no doubt in my mind 2006.
that China has a long history on T_h e downside for the trade
bribery, probably as long as the but, invariably, these people will of being off ered a bribe when of taking bribes is that it has to
country’s history, but to some be middle management and on they fi rst take the job, it must be lead to higher prices (it must be
Chinese people that’s the way of reasonable wages. very enticing when whispered in in the calculation). It also means
life, it’s the ONLY way they can T_h e fact is that all of a their ear. that the reason for buying must
make things happen. sudden they are given some While one might argue that change. A man buying in the
While I understand the knowledge that he’s receiving
pressure to ‘give’ to receive an
There’s no doubt in my mind that China has a
a backhander must surely have
order, I am very uncomfortable
in the knowledge that there
long history on bribery, but to some Chinese
clouded vision.
may be some people taking people that’s the way of life, it’s the ONLY
Not good for his brand, not
good for his company and
advantage of the situation for
way they can make things happen.
ultimately not good for the
personal gain. industry. TTW
I know it’s wrong, but I can power (buying) and with this westerners accepting bribes
sort of understand it if the comes ‘opportunities’. While from Chinese suppliers has
Contact
person placing the order and I am pretty certain that the actually helped and encouraged
Sean O’Driscoll
then taking a kickback was the majority of these people don’t the manufacturer of Chinese
Tel +44 778 892 2976
actual owner of the company, even contemplate the thought fi shing goods over the past two
E-mail: sean@dhpub.co.uk
70 TTW | JANUARY 2009
p70_TTW_01_trade.indd 1p70_TTW_01_trade.indd 1 17/11/08 2:12:30 pm17/11/08 2:12:30 pm
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